How to Find a Home Inspector
Your purchase agreement has been signed and now you need to find a home inspector. And, with a tight timeline, you need to find one quickly. Rushing to schedule with the first available inspector can cost you though. From unexpected defects to health hazards, getting a sloppy inspection is a risk that the average homebuyer can’t afford to take.
A thorough inspection will help you reduce these risks while also providing the opportunity to back out of a bad home purchase or renegotiate the contract as needed. That’s why it’s essential to find a qualified home inspector that you trust. These tips will help you select the right home inspector for you without slowing you down:
1. Be Wary of Recommendations
Your realtor’s recommendations can be a great start in your search for a home inspector. Just make sure to do some of your own research prior to checking “find a home inspector” off your to-do list.
Why? Even the most experienced and well-meaning realtors are busy. They likely haven’t taken time to vet every inspector in the area. In a worst-case scenario, a dishonest realtor may even recommend a lazy inspector just to speed up the sale.
Bonus tip: To avoid conflicts of interest, you can ask friends and family who own homes in the area or look up reviews about the inspector online.
2. Determine Availability
Home inspectors can book up, especially during peak home-buying seasons. Asking for any scheduling limitations early on can help you quickly rule out home inspectors who wouldn’t be able to book your inspection in time. The more technology-savvy home inspectors often provide the option to schedule your home inspection online, making it easy to see if the timing fits your needs.
3. Confirm Experience & Qualifications
Years of experience ensures that inspectors know what to look for and some inspectors will also have a background in related industries, such as construction. Also make sure you’re selecting an inspector who is licensed, certified, insured, and associated with a professional organization. One of the largest associations is InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors).
All this provides reassurance that your inspector is truly qualified and up to date through continuing education courses. Plus, even the most seasoned and professional inspectors can still make mistakes so insurance offers that added protection.
4. Get a Sample Inspection Report
A sample home inspection report will provide insights into the inspector’s ability to pay attention to detail. A thorough inspector’s report will include images and comprehensive descriptions of defects as well as explanations of routine maintenance needs.
The sample inspection report you receive should be detailed enough to help you make an informed decision about your new home purchase. It should also be written in plain language so you can interpret it without spending tons of time googling technical terms.
Bonus tip: It’s also a good idea to ask how quickly the inspector will get the report over to you, especially if you need to make a quick decision about your potential new home.
5. Talk Technology
Not all home inspectors are up to date, even on the industry’s most essential technology. Thermal cameras can spot slow leaks that could otherwise go undetected for years behind walls. Drones provide more detailed roof inspections and robots allow for inspections of even the tightest crawl spaces. These are just a few examples of increasingly common home inspection tools. You’ll want to find out what tools a potential inspector would use because they can make all the difference in reducing surprises after your home purchase.
Receiving a quality home inspection is essential for making an informed decision about whether or not to move forward with your home purchase. It can save you from expensive surprise repairs and help you prepare for the inevitable repairs that all homes will need over time. It’ll also provide reassurance that you and your family will be as safe as possible in your new home.
Vivid Home Inspections offers the experience, qualifications, professionalism, and technology required for a truly detailed inspection. We’ll provide a licensed and certified InterNACHI inspector to conduct a thorough inspection and answer any questions you may have. You’ll also have your report within minutes* of the inspection so you’ll have all the information you need to make quick decisions about your new home purchase.
If you’re ready to find a home inspector covering the Cherry Hill area, you can book now online.
Or if you’re buying a home outside of New Jersey, checking InterNACHI’s listings will help you find a home inspector near you.
*Certain specialized reports, such as mold and air quality, can take two to three days.
A thorough inspection will help you reduce these risks while also providing the opportunity to back out of a bad home purchase or renegotiate the contract as needed. That’s why it’s essential to find a qualified home inspector that you trust. These tips will help you select the right home inspector for you without slowing you down:
1. Be Wary of Recommendations
Your realtor’s recommendations can be a great start in your search for a home inspector. Just make sure to do some of your own research prior to checking “find a home inspector” off your to-do list.
Why? Even the most experienced and well-meaning realtors are busy. They likely haven’t taken time to vet every inspector in the area. In a worst-case scenario, a dishonest realtor may even recommend a lazy inspector just to speed up the sale.
Bonus tip: To avoid conflicts of interest, you can ask friends and family who own homes in the area or look up reviews about the inspector online.
2. Determine Availability
Home inspectors can book up, especially during peak home-buying seasons. Asking for any scheduling limitations early on can help you quickly rule out home inspectors who wouldn’t be able to book your inspection in time. The more technology-savvy home inspectors often provide the option to schedule your home inspection online, making it easy to see if the timing fits your needs.
3. Confirm Experience & Qualifications
Years of experience ensures that inspectors know what to look for and some inspectors will also have a background in related industries, such as construction. Also make sure you’re selecting an inspector who is licensed, certified, insured, and associated with a professional organization. One of the largest associations is InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors).
All this provides reassurance that your inspector is truly qualified and up to date through continuing education courses. Plus, even the most seasoned and professional inspectors can still make mistakes so insurance offers that added protection.
4. Get a Sample Inspection Report
A sample home inspection report will provide insights into the inspector’s ability to pay attention to detail. A thorough inspector’s report will include images and comprehensive descriptions of defects as well as explanations of routine maintenance needs.
The sample inspection report you receive should be detailed enough to help you make an informed decision about your new home purchase. It should also be written in plain language so you can interpret it without spending tons of time googling technical terms.
Bonus tip: It’s also a good idea to ask how quickly the inspector will get the report over to you, especially if you need to make a quick decision about your potential new home.
5. Talk Technology
Not all home inspectors are up to date, even on the industry’s most essential technology. Thermal cameras can spot slow leaks that could otherwise go undetected for years behind walls. Drones provide more detailed roof inspections and robots allow for inspections of even the tightest crawl spaces. These are just a few examples of increasingly common home inspection tools. You’ll want to find out what tools a potential inspector would use because they can make all the difference in reducing surprises after your home purchase.
Receiving a quality home inspection is essential for making an informed decision about whether or not to move forward with your home purchase. It can save you from expensive surprise repairs and help you prepare for the inevitable repairs that all homes will need over time. It’ll also provide reassurance that you and your family will be as safe as possible in your new home.
Vivid Home Inspections offers the experience, qualifications, professionalism, and technology required for a truly detailed inspection. We’ll provide a licensed and certified InterNACHI inspector to conduct a thorough inspection and answer any questions you may have. You’ll also have your report within minutes* of the inspection so you’ll have all the information you need to make quick decisions about your new home purchase.
If you’re ready to find a home inspector covering the Cherry Hill area, you can book now online.
Or if you’re buying a home outside of New Jersey, checking InterNACHI’s listings will help you find a home inspector near you.
*Certain specialized reports, such as mold and air quality, can take two to three days.