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Choose Wisely
How do I choose a home inspector?
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Since, I have several buyers who have recently have gotten contracts accepted to buy their dream homes, I thought it was good timing to
write a quick blog about home inspectors and inspections. Almost all REALTORS® (99%) recommend a home buyer to have a home inspection; as a good qualified home inspector is crucial to the home buying process.
There are lots of ways to find a good home inspector in Colorado Springs, and referrals are one of the best ways. Or you can look online, or check the local phone book. But regardless of which way you choose, here’s a list of potential questions you should ask before you hire the inspector:
- What are your qualifications? How long have you been in the business?
- What organizations do you belong to? Do you belong to the Better Business Bureau in Colorado Springs? (see previous article: Don’t forget about the Better Business Bureau)
- Do you have a list of past clients I can contact?
- How many inspections do you do a year?
- What will the inspection cover? What doesn’t it cover?
- What systems will you check? Electrical? Mechanical? Plumbing? Heating? Roof?
- How long will the inspection take? When will I receive the report?
- Do you take pictures with the report? Will they be included with the report?
- How do I receive the report? Hard copy? Email? Will it include pictures of “problem” areas?
- How much will it cost?
- Does your company offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection? (The answer should always be no. This is against the Code of Ethics of most inspection associations because it might cause a conflict of interest.)
Also, here’s a list of some of the major home inspection companies and each one if full of useful information and list of their members.
American Society of Home Inspectors
932 Lee St., Ste. 101
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Tel. 800/290-2744
http://www.ashi.com
National Association of Property Inspectors
303 W. Cypress St.
San Antonio, TX 78212
Tel. 800/486-3676 or 210/225-2897
http://napi.lincoln-grad.org
National Association of Certified Home Inspectors
1750 30th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
http://www.nachi.org
National Association of Home Inspectors
4248 Park Glen Rd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Tel. 800/448-3942 or 612/928-4641http://www.nahi.org/
National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers
P.O. Box 403
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703
Tel. 800/294-7729
http://www.nabie.org
Knowledge is Power!
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
