Choosing the Right Home Inspector

Home inspectors have an important role to play in the home buying process. They could easily save you thousands of dollars or even keep you from making a bad investment choice. Home inspectors carefully examine the details of a home and report any problems or things that may cause problems in the near future.

Buying a home (especially for the first time) is an exciting process. As you’re getting ready to make your down payment on the single largest investment in your life, it’s easy to overlook some important aspects of the home you chose. Even if you have a good eye for details, many problems aren’t always visible. That’s why home inspectors are an essential part of the home buying process.

But how do you choose the right home inspector?

One of the easiest ways to find a competent home inspector is to look in your local “phone book”. For Sale by Owner websites like ZeroBrokerFees.com also offer access to home inspectors. If you’re using a broker, they too have a list of reputable inspectors.

Whether you’re referred to a reputable home inspector or you choose one at random from the web or phone book, you should do some background check before you hire them. There are several organizations that try to weed out the inspectors with questionable backgrounds or reputations. They use a strict certification process to ensure that home inspectors have credible education and training. Find out if the home inspector you’re getting ready to hire is certified by any of the following organizations:

• ASHI – The American Society of Home Inspectors has over 6,000 members and 80+ chapters throughout the country. Call them at (800)743-ASHI or visit them online at www.ashi.org.
• NACHI – The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors can be reached by phone at (877) FIND-INS or online at www.nachi.org.
• NAHI – The National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc. has over 2,400 members across the US. You can search for one online at www.nahi.org or call them at (800)448-3942.

Remember that home inspections aren’t only for buyers. Sellers often use home inspectors to identify any problems before entering into contracts and to show potential buyers their integrity.

Don’t get stuck with a worthless home inspection because the inspector wasn’t qualified. Find the right inspector, and get the right home assessment.

Ed Williams,
Publisher
http://www.zerobrokerfees.com