Portland Real Estate Questions:  How Can I Find a Good Home Inspector?

One of the most important aspects of purchasing a home is the home inspection.   Although the Sales Agreement* in our local market contains an "As Is" clause, this does NOT prevent buyers from conducting due diligence.

Most home buyers do not know the following:

  • Where to find for a good home inspector
  • What to expect from a home inspector
  • What the home inspection process is all about
  • How the information provided by the home inspector is used by the Realtor®
  • If the home inspector is an ALARMIST

In a recent home inspection, I witnessed a home inspector making "what if" statements about functioning equipment, not thoroughly inspecting major components of the home, not documenting obvious conditions that needed repair, not fully documenting conditions they VERBALLY mentioned to the buyers, making exhorbanent claims about what the seller "needs to repair" for the buyers (which seems to cross over into negotiations/practicing real estate without a license,) and quoting exorbitantly high (IMHO) repair costs/costs to fix.

Selecting THE WRONG HOME INSPECTOR can cost you the house AND the expenses of the home inspection

  • Home inspectors should NOT be hired to negotiate repairs
  • Home inspectors SHOULD be hired to inspect the property UNBIASEDY and OBJECTIVELY

When hiring a home inspector THE BEST ANSWER TO THE QUESTION: HOW CAN I FIND A GOOD HOME INSPECTOR is to ask your Realtor® for referrals. 

I supply two or three names of QUALITY home inspectors in the Portland Metro area.  

The following is a quote from a home inspector who knows how to do his job and refrains from the alarmist behavior: 

"The other side of the coin is the buyer that "wants me to find every little thing and make a big deal out of it" so that they can grind the seller on price. My usual response is that "I'm just here to observe and report". I don't have a dog in this fight and I don't care who wins. Not my job, man! Being professional, friendly and informative is my job." Dana Bostwick True Professionals, Inc.

There are a few home inspectors I've run into recently that have killed the deal and cost the buyer a lot of money.  

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU HIRE and if you want to know how to find a GOOD HOME INSPECTOR -- ASK YOUR AGENT!! 

If you don't trust your agent to supply you with quality referrals to home inspectors, then WHY are you working with them?!?

 

 

Read my previous articles:

This post is an entry in the FAQ Break Into Summer Organized challenge.

search Portland PropertiesEBA Portland ~~ 100% BUYER REPRESENTATION ~~ 100% of the Time

EBA Portland, LLC is an Exclusive Buyer Agency serving the Metro Portland real estate market since 1999. If you’re a Buyer in the Metro Portland area (including: Beaverton, Tigard, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Downtown Portland,) and contemplating a purchase, talk with a Buyer’s Agent . . . better yet, talk to an Exclusive Buyers Agent. Exclusive Buyers Agents do not work for listing brokerages or Sellers. An EBA’s fiduciary duty is: 100% BUYER REPRESENTATION . . . 100% of the Time.

 Carla Muss-Jacobs
503-810-7192
Carla@carlahomes.com 		         

BuyersAgentPortland.com

All rights reserved ©

 
This post has been included in Oregon Real Estate News Multnomah County, OR Real Estate News Portland, OR Real Estate News
Post is included in group: Diary of a Realtor
Post is included in group: WeBlog Anything (almost)!
Post is included in group: Bartender, Make it a Double
Post is included in group: The Lounge at Active Rain
Post is included in group: BananaTude

6 Comments on Portland Real Estate Questions: How Can I Find a Good Home Inspector?

MAY
18
2012
1,451,573 Points 46 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Carla, Great post. I am going to hit suggest. This should be read by all buyers.
2:00pm • #1
496,216 Points 149 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

Ooooooooo good question, at the end of your post, Carla!  WHY work with someone if you don't trust them to know what you need them to know ... or wouldn't trust their referrals?  This questions has run through my head more than a few times lately.  Great topic ... with all sorts of informational gems in it!  Suggested!!

Gene
2:48pm • #2
498,619 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Excellent Carla!  And I love your ending question about trusting your agent for referrals too!  Part of working hard for our buyer clients - and wanting them to be happy so they will refer future business to us - includes knowing the inspectors who are experienced and thorough without crossing that line of trying to tell buyers how to negotiate with the seller for needed repairs.
3:06pm • #3
479,182 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Carla, suggested. It is so true - If you don't trust your agent to supply you with quality referrals to home inspectors, then WHY are you working with them?!?
5:16pm • #4
617,296 Points 94 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

The home inpsection is very important, however finding that right home inspector can be even more so.  I have a few great ones that I work with that will guide the buyer and show them everything.  They are meticulous and will find Everything, but many times that aren't deal killing things, just things that the buyer needs to be educated about.  
6:41pm • #5
979,143 Points 114 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi Gita . . . thanks!

Hey Gene -- the buyers that have an agenda typically don't go with an inspector I've referred -- and coincidently, they usually screw themselves right out of the home.

Hi Nancy . . . most people haven't gone on hundreds of inspections, so when I have referrral I know and trust, it's important. 

Hey Kwee -- Stands to reason ;-)

Hi Brenda . . . absolutely! 
9:16pm • #6


What does the graphic say?
Leave a response…

(optional)
Spam Prevention:
 
Carla_1 Rainmaker_large

Carla Muss-Jacobs - Principal Broker/ Owner | Exclusive Buyers Agent |

Portland, OR

More about me…

503-810-7192 | BuyersAgentPortland.com

Address: Beaverton OR, Portland OR, Forest Heights, Lake Oswego, Hillsboro, SW Portland, SE Portland, NW Portland, N Portland, Downtown, The Pearl, NE Portland, Milwaukie, West Linn, Aloha, Cedar Hills, Portland, OR

Office Phone: (503) 810-7192

Cell Phone: (503) 810-7192

Email Me

Author Bio: Carla Muss-Jacobs is the Principal Broker/Owner of EBA Portland, LLC an Exclusive Buyer Agency representing Buyers in the Portland Metro real estate market since 1999.

The Sellers have their own agent ~~ Why don't you have yours?  

Carla Muss-Jacobs practices the TRUE FORM of Buyer Agency ~~ Exclusive Buyer Agent.  Her office/brokerage never takes listings and never respresents the Seller.  Exclusive Buyer Agency is the BEST form of legal real estate representation a Buyer can have.  There is 100% Buyer Representation - !00% of the Time.  There are NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST and there is no possibility of ever having YOUR Buyer Agency comprised.  When buying a house -- it's important to know who is working for you!!  



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog