The time will eventually come when your realtor will call you asking who you plan to use for your home inspection. If you don't know the answer, that's okay, we have tips that can help make this process easier for you! If you don't already have a relationship with an inspector your realtor will typically recommend a few to you. Their recommendations will usually be people that they typically use and trust, as well as people who are easy to work with! Within the time period given to you to complete the inspection you will need to find the inspector that is best for you. Not every inspector can be an expert in every type of construction or neighborhood! Here are a few helpful tips for you while you look for someone that best fits your purchase.

  • First check that all of the potential inspectors are members of the American Society of Home Inspectors. The members of this group are required to completer 250 inspections to be considered certified. That means that your chance of getting someone who is willing to do the work and go the extra mile is high. 
  • Get informed of what inspections they perform. Some inspectors will do general home inspections and others could have a specific expertise because after all, home inspectors do come from all over the construction industry. 
  • Find out if they have inspected any houses like yours before. An inspection on a house built in the 1900's is different than an inspection on a newer built home. If you have an older home and an inspector that is not experienced with older homes they may flag things wrong with the home that are actually very typical for a home of that age.
  • See if your home inspector includes photos of the potential problems they find wrong so that it is easier for you or someone else to fix when the time comes. Photos will make the process a lot easier to get things fixed accurately and quickly.
  • How soon can they come out? When you are working in a limited window of time to ask for repairs this question doesn't seem as silly. The sooner you can get your inspection completed the better.