5 Important Things to Know About Home Inspectors

There are plenty of home inspectors out there. Before you hire one, you should have a clear picture in your mind about what exactly they do.

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There are all different kinds of home inspectors out there. Though each one is a little different, they still share a lot in common. Here are five items you should know about any home inspector before you choose them:

1. You can choose your own home inspector. Through our experiences, we have met a number of great home inspectors that we could refer you to. However, at the end of the day, it’s up to you as a buyer who you want to choose.

2. Inspections are intended to point out adverse conditions. The idea of a home inspection is not to show every nick on every wall, although most inspections will note them. The point of a home inspection is to look for the problems that could cause health and safety issues while you're living there. The inspector is looking for adverse conditions in the way the home is built or functioning.

Inspectors are looking for adverse conditions.

3. Home inspections are only going to cover the basics. If there is an issue with your A/C system, plumbing, or electrical system, the home inspector won’t be able to go into as much detail as an expert could. The inspector will likely tell whoever paid for the inspection that there may be an issue. The inspector will then flag the issue. If there are any concerns, the inspector can refer you to a licensed professional.

4. The home inspector is working for whoever is paying them. When we represent buyers, we encourage them to pay for their own inspection, even if the seller offers. You want the inspector to be clearly on your side in the process.

5. Inspectors aren’t going to be responsible for the condition of the home. Their job is to go in there and note what they find. That’s about it. They won’t be changing or fixing anything. Their job is to go through the home, look for deficiencies, note them, and pass on the information to whoever is paying them.

If you have any more questions for us about home inspections or anything else related to real estate, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.