Are all Home Inspections created Equal?

What should you say when a Home Buyer looks at you and says, "I think I wasted my money on this inspection?" We were at a home built circa 1850 in a suburban Manchester NH area town. The Home Seller did a wonderful job over the years restoring and upgrading this home.

I was the listing agent. The buyer broker did not attend the inspection. SO when the buyer asks me that question, how I answered took some pre-cautions. BUT, more important let's look at WHY the buyer said that.

The inspector must not have inspected a colonial era home before. First, he was comparing everything to what a brand new home would have. This is a home built in 1850 to a wealthy mill owner. The materials used back the were the top grade. Hand cut granite blogs. Hand hewn lumber and everything level and square like a right angle. Wide pine floors carefully taken up, numbers, completely redone and put back in the same order.  

The buyer has grown up in a colonial era home. His parents worked on their his whole life, so he is well aware of what is good and what would have been "not so good." When the inspector got to the basement, he lost his mind. There was water in the basement. He was sounding the alarm, the buyer should back out now. The buyer looked at me, asked his question and I looked away trying to to laugh.

The buyer said it was time to end the inspection and sent the inspector on his way. So back the water, the home is built in 1850, it is a granite block foundation that will seep water in the spring. Add in it has been raining for 40 days and 40 nights and nearly every basement in town is wet. 

The buyer is still buying. The buyer agents is still missing in action. The buyer was more concerned if the seller would leave some of the building material they had stock piled for future projects. In the end all inspectors are not created equal. Just as all buyer agents are not created equal. This one who had the buyer complete a Google search for an inspector. As we parted the seller got home and the buyer told him how lucky he was to have me. 

Perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT message is to share with every consumer that my philosophy is simple, provide more personal and professional service to guide my clients through each step of the buying or selling process. All Agents are not created equal and every buyer or seller should take the time to hire the BEST not just the biggest. Those that hire me, find a dedication like no other.