Choosing the Right Home Inspector
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called to test a person’s home for mold and found evidence of water infiltration in the basement, or mold in the attic, not to mention a number of other problems in the house ranging from a missing handrail on the stairs to large structural failures. When I ask the homeowner if they had a home inspection when they purchased the house – often very recently, they reply that they in fact, did. I know what’s coming next. “The realtor recommended the guy.” Herein lies the problem, at least in this area. There is an obvious conflict of interest.
When you think about it, the realtor is working for that commission – usually a very large one at that. If a home inspector finds enough problems that “kill the deal,” the buyer will flee and they won’t get paid. The obvious solution for them is to cultivate a stable of inspectors who in effect, work for them, not the person paying them, i.e., the buyer. These inspectors will breeze through the job in an hour or hour and a half and omit mentioning or make light of any major problems. By doing this, they are fed a constant stream of jobs by the realtor.
Who suffers at the end of the day ?
But who suffers? The home buyer, of course. They think they are hiring someone to protect their interests, but become victims of greed and end up suffering the consequence. Expensive mold remediations ,Losing ruined furnishings. Coughing up $10,000 for a waterproofing system. All so the realtor can get his or her commission and the home inspector can get 10 inspections a week. To illustrate the hypocrisy, I have had realtors hire me to inspect their adult children’s new houses, yet never refer me to other buyers who are not family members! This is a broad generalization of course. Not all realtors are that greedy, but what I’ve found is that the number of them who are in it for the long haul and find it paramount to look after their client’s interest are few and far between.
Finding the right home inspector
So how does one go about finding a home inspector who will not only be qualified, but will look after their best interests instead of trying to please the realtor? First of all, I would reject any referrals from real estate agents unless you know someone else who used that inspector and was happy with them. Personal referrals are always the best. If that is not an option, I would recommend one or both of the following: Do a Google search and read up on different websites as to the person’s qualifications. As for references as well. Ask how long their inspection takes. A good inspection should take at least 3 hours unless it’s only an apartment or condo.
Don’t get fooled by anyone saying they’re licensed.
You have to be in New York State. Obtaining a license does not make you a good inspector by any means. Another method would be to consult the ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) website and find a member. Not everyone that belongs is great either, but they have a stricter test to pass than the state’s, and give ongoing, monthly educational lectures. I also would avoid franchises. They have a lot of financial muscle behind their advertising but may be liable to hire inspectors who are not as personally invested in doing a conscientious job as someone who runs their own business.
Finally, after checking references, how long they’ve been in business, what, if any additional services they provide such as radon testing, mold assessments, water testing, etc., how long their typical inspections take, etc., ask them if they are willing to tell the hard truth in front of a realtor, even if it means killing the deal. They may not tell you the truth, but at least it puts the idea in their head that you want them to be working for you, and not for someone who is their meal ticket.
