Home Inspections - Do it Right!

In most offers to purchase a home a Buyer usually has a "condition" that they want the home inspected prior to finalizing the sale. 

The time has come to do the home inspection and the Buyer has elected not to have an accredited certified home inspector do the inspection. Instead, the Buyer has a relative/friend/co-worker who has "knowledge" about houses because they bought several, work in the building industry, did their own renovations...you get the picture, and that person will be doing the inspection.  The Buyer usually sees the monetary savings as a benefit and the fact that they know and trust the person as an advantage.  But is that really an advantage?

A superior accredited certified home inspector is trained to notice deficiencies, address the concern with the Buyer and many times offer solutions.  There are occasions that the inspector will find a structural problem and the Buyer and their Real Estate Professional will decide what plan of action to take. The inspection process is thorough and well orchestrated and a report with pictures and information is provided to the Buyer.

Let's take a look at the Buyer who chooses to have a "friend" do the inspection.  They show up at the home and the friend takes a look at the exterior...tells the Buyer to write everything they say down on paper.  The friend notices an exterior "issue" and brings it to the Buyer's attention and then they head into the home. Outside, the friend totally missed that the ground is sloping toward the home and not away from it (a drainage concern).  Inside the home the friend looks at the windows makes a comment about some mold only to find that when the Buyer touches it, it was dirt on the sill not mold.  They head into the kitchen...the friend turns on the kitchen facet watches the water go down the drain and shuts it off.  The friend turns to the Buyer and says "looks good to me".  Did the friend check under the sink...inspect the plumbing...NO!  The Buyer tells the friend, "I also get all the appliances" and the friend responds "that's great" as they walk past the stove, fridge and dishwasher to go inspect the bathroom.  Did the friend check to see if the appliances were operational....NO!  The friend points out that the front screen door is missing the button to lock the door (the leaver is there just not the button top)...write that down the friend tells the Buyer.  During the entire inspection, the friend failed to check the furnace, air exchanger, electrical panel, climb on the roof to check the shingles and structure, in fact they (the Buyer and friend) failed to notice that the home had no smoke detectors...a very serious issue!!  How do I know about these "friends" simply because I've been to these types of inspections and the things this friend did are actual occurrences I have witnessed at these inspections. 

Seriously, if you're going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home...most likely the largest purchase you'll make in your lifetime why, why, why would you ask a "friend" to inspect the home for you?  Ask your Real Estate Professional to provide you with the names of several accredited certified home inspectors and please consider paying for their services...the small amount they charge could save you thousands in the end!!

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