Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Price Shopping for Home Inspectors? It could be a mistake.



In a U.S. Inspect Survey conducted this year of over 600 real estate professionals nationwide, when asked, “What quality do you feel is most important when you recommend an inspection company,” interestingly enough, only one percent answered
price. The most popular answers being: years of experience and knowledge, inspector personality, rapport with client, communication skills, and the ability to educate well and explain information clearly. Price should be reasonable, of course, but these real estate professionals have the experience of being on many, many home inspections and they know that there are many important aspects of choosing an inspector. So what do the professionals know that you might not?

A home inspector’s background and years of experience matter
Inspectors should have attended an in-depth training course to learn how to perform home inspections. They should also have an excellent experience base and ideally be part of an organization with a strong continuing education program.
Find out how long the inspection company has been in business.

An inspector needs to be articulate and personable
Being a great communicator comes from experience, and excellent training. Your real estate agent can be an excellent resource for helping you choose an inspector with a personality and style that will best suit your needs. Read testimonials and bios or the company blog to get to know the company and inspector as best you can before booking.

All home inspection reports are not created equal.
Inspection reports should be clear, concise, easy-to-read, and available quickly. You’ll want to have a firm understanding of the condition of the home prior to the contingency period of your real estate contract. Ask inspectors how quickly you
will receive your report, and be sure it will be the quality and format you desire.

Summaries and pictures are vital
The report should provide a summary of defective items. This "summary page" allows you to easily see what functional or safety concerns exist with the property. Additionally, digital cameras allow inspectors to effectively illustrate their reports,
especially items that are difficult to describe.

There is such a thing as a fee being too low
Just like when hiring a contractor, you never really want to look for the lowest price you can find with home inspections. Newer inspectors tend to compete based on price; therefore you may have to pay more for an experienced inspector.

The $25, $50, or $100 to hire the "right" inspection company is minimal compared to the thousands of dollars it could cost you by hiring the "wrong" inspection company.

You should always be encouraged to attend your inspection
Attending the inspection is a great opportunity for you to learn first-hand what is included in the inspection and about the systems and components in the house you are purchasing. Be wary of inspectors that do not include you in the inspection
process.

A seasoned company offers you consistency, availability and resources
Well-established inspection companies have more availability for inspections, especially for those needed immediately. Additionally, they have the resources to provide ongoing inspector training and comprehensive post-inspection customer service.

Provided By: US INSPECT

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