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With only a few states requiring licenses for home inspectors, several individuals are taking advantage of the situation by offering their services without any qualifications or even any home inspection training. These individuals carry with them professional-looking business cards and hang around realtor offices to look for unsuspecting clients who may need home inspection services. The lack of licenses can make identification of qualified individuals quite difficult, but there are ways to identify the real deal and finally close that sales transaction.

Unless your state requires licenses for home inspection, you should choose inspectors that are certified by a reputable inspection association. A certification from the American Society of Home Inspectors could provide adequate assurance of getting reliable services. Info on other associations can be obtained from the internet or from your state or local government real estate department. Referrals from friends who have previous experiences in selling or buying would also be a good source of information. Recommendations from your real estate agents could also be considered, however, there is still a need to double check the credentials of these inspectors.

Sellers or buyers should ask sample reports. 20 to 50-page comprehensive reports that are painstakingly done with complete details backed up with photos and diagrams could indicate good home inspection services. Avoid inviduals who offer no report at all or could only give a haphazard 4 to 5 page article.

The homeowner or the prospective home buyer should be present at least during the last 30 minutes of the inspection job to get first-hand information on highlights. A thorough inspection is done in 3 hours of more. Certified inspectors who know what they are doing would point out real defects and concerns and would recommend further inspection to sections which require special licenses like the roof or pest control.

Finding a certified and reliable inspector is critical for a home sales transaction. It could save the seller from unnecessary costs due to wrong judgment or help the buyer identify real problems that should be addressed before closing the sale.

Home Inspection

An integral part of a homes sales agreement is the home inspection report. Depending on which part of the country the transaction will take place, the requirements, before any changing of hands can occur, include submission of either a disclosures report or a full home inspection report on the part of the seller.

In some cases, the buyer or investor would insist on conducting their own home inspection services even if a report has already been provided by the seller. In either situation, preparing yourself and your home before inspectors arrive would definitely pay off and allow you to finally close the sales deal.

First and foremost, take complete note of the schedule and time for the home inspection. It would be best to have the house ready hours before the scheduled time. Some inspectors would deliberately come in early and being prepared hours before can get you ready for any surprise appearances.

The single biggest factor that home inspectors will look for that will give them the most lasting impression is the cleanliness of the home. An immaculate home would reflect on the seller and would actually help them get some good feedback from the inspectors themselves that would definitely tilt in your favor.

If the home for sale is vacant, ensure that utilities and appliances are working properly. It will definitely go to your disadvantage if home inspectors find no electricity to test appliances and other utilities. Remove any clutter particularly around appliances that will hinder inspectors to check them properly. Pilot lights should remain ignited to facilitate inspection of heaters, stoves or furnaces.

Attics and garages should be easily accessed, as well as electrical boxes and other structures unattached to the main house. Provide the inspectors with keys or remote controls for easy and fast access. Nothing should block foundation check points particularly in external portions of the house. Be ready with any repair or upgrade documents should inspectors ask for it. This sort of transparency will reflect well with you.

Home Inspection

Before hiring a home inspector, make sure that he has the qualifications to carry out an inspection that will ensure what you are buying is a wise investment. Do not scrimp on the cost. Home inspection is part of the process of investing in a home wisely.

There are ten factors you should consider when choosing a home inspector:

License
Ask for the inspector’s complete license number, including any letter before or after the license number. The letter denotes whether the inspector is fully licensed, an apprentice or a trainee.

Training
Inquire about the training the inspector has received from an accredited trade school. Formal training in home inspection are not yet prevalent, so ask whether the inspector has had some training received as an electrician, builder or carpenter. Ask which training qualifications had enabled the inspector to get a home inspector license.

Experience
Do not rely on the number of years the inspector has been working as a home inspector. Ask for particular real estate home inspection experiences, such as the number of real estate inspections he has conducted ever since he started and the average number of inspections he conducts in a month or in a year.

Home Inspection Insurance
Make sure that the inspector has an Errors & Omissions or liability insurance.

Association Membership
Check whether the inspector has a home inspector certification from a reputable professional organization.

Inspection
If the inspector asks you to witness the home inspection process that takes two to four hours, then this kind of inspector means well.

Home Inspection Report
Ensure that the inspector accomplishes the inspection report within days and demand that you need a thorough report.

Price
As in other consumer goods, the cheaper the price, the lower the quality. Some home inspectors charge fees higher than average because they are confident of what they can offer to homeowners.

Home Inspection

With the big drop in median home prices in some states like California, investors and first time buyers are attracted by these bargain prices to place their money in real estate. But before any change of hands could ensue or escrow transactions completed, broker agreements need to be completed and this includes sections regarding real […]

Home Inspection