Buyers: The Time To Search For a Home Inspector is Before You Buy a Home
Most buyers buy a home in this order:
Get pre approved for a loan
Find a great Realtor (me perhaps)
Look at homes that meet your needs
Find your dream home and make an offer, contingent on one or more inspections.
Offer is accepted
It is usually only AFTER all of the above that a buyer begins to think about which inspectors to choose. I would propose this:
Just as you talk to more than one lender, and more than one Realtor, you should talk to more than one inspector. And like the lender and Realtor you talk to BEFORE you purchase your home, you should also talk to a few inspectors BEFORE you buy your home. You are preparing with the right Realtor, the right lender, why not the right inspector? Don't wait until your contract is closed to start looking for a home inspector.
Choosing a home inspector is not something to be done lightly. You need to ask him or her some questions. Here is a list to get you started:
Are you a member of ASHI?
How long have you been a home inspector?
How many home inspections do you conduct per week, or month or year?
Are you certified for home, pest, and radon?
With respect to your radon monitors, when did you purchase the one you will use to test my home?
When was the machine last calibrated?
Do you carry errors and omissions insurance?
How long after you inspect my home can you be held liable if you missed something? (for some it is only a few months)
If you do miss something, what is the dollar amount for damages for which you can be held liable? (for some it is only the equivalent of the cost of the home inspection)
How long will it take for me to receive my inspection report? Can I receive it electronically?
Do you take pictures as you inspect the home? If not, why not?
If there is an issue, are you willing to come back to explain it to all the parties involved?
I'm sure that more questions can be added to this list but this is a good place to start. Another great resource is your Realtor! Your Realtor wants things to go smoothly but they do not want you to purchase a home with which you are not satisfied. I have seen many great inspectors in action over my 23 years and I will gladly give you at least 3 names to start you off.
It's all about being prepared!
If you would like to buy or sell a home in the southern communities of Cleveland Ohio, please call me at 440-263-7496, or you may want to visit my website for more specific information on the communities I service: Brecksville Ohio Real Estate, Broadview Heights Ohio Real Estate, North Royalton Ohio Real Estate Independence Ohio Real Estate, Seven Hills Ohio Real Estate, Parma Ohio Real Estate, Parma Heights Ohio Real Estate and Middleburg Heights Ohio Real Estate. Information is obtained from Neohrex (Northeast Ohio Real Estate Exchange) and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale, rental, or other status changes. All properties that are advertised as being listed or sold by Barb Szabo are in conjuntion with ReMax Trinity.
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