Home Inspections

Home Inspections

A note about home inspectors - As a real estate agent I always recommend that a buyer have a home inspection done on a prospective home. Even though the home inspector may not find anything wrong, at least you can rest assured that you did all you could to avoid any big surprises after closing? One further note; it is a good idea for a seller to have a home inspection done when putting a house on the market. So if there are problems they can be addressed before a potential buyer comes along and finds the problem. Sometimes when you're in the midst of negotiations a buyer can lose heart after seeing the results of the home inspection. If these issues are addressed prior to a contract a seller will have a much better chance of holding the deal together. So whether you're a buyer or a seller, here are a few questions you may want to ask before hiring a home inspector:

1. Is this home within your normal area of service? If you're buying a home in St. Augustine/St. Johns County, you want a home inspector that is familiar with home construction, and common issues to look for in that particular area.

2. Can you give me some references in the area, which I may call?

3. Do you physically inspect areas of the home that may not be easily accessed, like a crawl space, attic or roof? Not all home inspectors will do this, but they should.

4. Do you inspect for wood destroying organisms, do radon tests and well and septic inspections if needed? If you're buying a home built before 1978 you may want to ask about lead base paint inspections also.

5.What item do you normally inspect? They should be inspecting structural, exterior and interior components, plumbing, electrical and heating/AC, and insulation and ventilation.

6. If there are problems do you make recommendations for repairs and after the repair is done do you charge an additional fee to re-inspect? Most home inspectors will return to the home at least once without additional charge.

7. How soon will I get the "Inspection Report"? Some home inspectors will produce the report on the spot but it's not unusual to wait a day for the report. With technology today, the report can usually be emailed without a problem. However, you should not have to wait more than two days.

8. What kind of payment do you accept? Most often it will be a check. However, some home inspectors will have the ability to take a credit card. Just make sure you ask.

9. Finally, what do you charge for a standard home inspection and what is included?

If a home inspector can answer all these questions to your satisfaction then you probably have found a good person for the job.