How to find the best home inspector?

All inspectors are not created equal…

Just like an attorney, a doctor, a car or that new home your buying, not only is cheapest not the best way to go… it’s probably something you want to avoid all together. I get calls all the time about the best price. I understand that the inspection is something that someone thinks is a necessity when buying a house, but it’s more than that, it’s money spent that prevents future costs!

An inspector who is putting check marks in boxes that say satisfactory or unsatisfactory, might also be just the inspector that your Realtor always recommends… Why? Because he or she, your Realtor, is most worried about what they call a deal killer… someone who actually points out issues and the cost to fix them. A Realtor’s first job is to sell a house… To SELL you a house!

It’s not necessarily your Realtors job to point out potential issues, those are your problem:

Leaking Window with Mold in the Wall: $3,200

Leaking Tub Drain: $4,500 (potentially)

Polybutylene Plumbing: $2500-$6500 (size of house)

Electrical Panel: $600-$1,400 (# of breakers)

New Roof: $6,500-$14,000 (on avg.)

You get what you pay for… and those extra costs that your inspector didn’t uncover? Not his or her problem. You can only sue for the cost of the inspection fee.

The costs above represent real problems that other inspectors didn’t uncover.

Your Realtors job is to sell a house, it’s your responsibility to make sure the house isn’t a money pit.