Should you Trust your Agent's Home Inspector? (Collegeville)
The year was 1997 and it would be 4 years before I would become a Home Inspector. I was still in school getting my Engineering degree.
My wife and then-girlfriend, Tina, was fresh out of college buying her first home near Collegeville. When it came time to pick a Home Inspector, her agent recommended a specific inspector saying he'd do a great job. Tina's immediate thought was, "A great job for WHO?" My wife didn't trust that this home inspector in Collegeville would be working for her best interests, so not knowing what to do, she picked someone out of the phonebook.
Well, it didn't turn out so well- not because she used the phonebook, but because she didn't how to find a qualified home inspector. At the time, there weren't any state compliance laws any "Joe" could call himself a home inspector. Today, all home inspectors must be PA State Compliant. This means the inspector has proper insurance, belongs to a professional home inspector association like ASHI where members meet certain criteria and abide to a Code of Ethics, and have proper training.
It turns out this home inspector missed a lot of defects which Tina didn't discover until after she moved in. Two hours into the inspection, the inspector told her he had another property inspection to get to and this was all she would get. Then, it took him a week to get her this "incomplete" home inspection report. Unacceptable!
So the question is- Should you trust your Agent's Home Inspector?
As a Home Inspector in the Collegeville area, I get this question a lot. Sure, I have real estate agents that refer me to their clients. First you need to ask yourself- do you trust your agent? If not, you shouldn't be working with them in the first place.
Most experienced real estate agents have attended numerous home inspections and they know which ones do good jobs, who has the easy-to-read reports, and who is reliable. A lot of agents will hand out cards from 3 different home inspection companies to get you started. It's up to you to do your due diligence. My fee is paid by the buyer and that is who I work for. I have worked hard to be the reputable, Home Inspector in Collegeville I am today.
Some things you should find out about your Home Inspector:
1) Are they PA state compliant?
2) View a sample report. Is it easy to read? has digital pictures? What else is included? When do you get the home inspection report?
3) How long has the home inspector been in business?
4) What is the home inspector's background? What is his education?
5) Does the home inspector climb roofs? Crawl through crawl spaces? Some don't!
6) When is the home inspector available? You don't have to miss work if he's available on weekends.
It ultimately falls on you to find the right Home Inspector!
David Artigliere is a ASHI Certified, PA State compliant Home Inspector in Collegeville & Surrounding. Find out more and visit ARTI Home Inspections LLC
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