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8 Essential Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector
Congratulations! You've decided to purchase a home. We all know that when purchasing a home, every detail is an important one. And choosing a home inspector is no exception. It's critical to choose an inspector the same way you've chosen a real estate professional - very carefully! You'll get a great educational experience when you hire a professional with the right credentials. Working with a home inspector isn't complicated; however, unless armed with the right questions to ask, you may get stuck with a less than capable individual. Here are my top 8 questions to ask your next home inspector: It's great that your inspector is a nice person, but what did they do before inspecting homes? Do they bring a wealth of knowledge about the construction trades, building, or remodeling? Or were they a hairdresser in a previous life? Don't get me wrong, I'm not picking on hairdressers - but that occupation certainly doesn't have anything to do with inspecting a house! This question may not be applicable in all states - there are states without licensing requirements for home inspectors. But if your state has some kind of requirements, you need to know what they are, and where you can go to verify that your chosen inspector has done what it takes to be state-compliant. Verification is essential, because many states have the capability to track continuing education of the inspector as well as complaints. This is critical! ASHI is the oldest, largest, and most respected organization for home inspectors in the country. They also maintain the highest standards and ethics for home inspectors. If your inspector is a member of this organization, you can be sure that they have passed The National Home Inspectors Exam, and they have completed all training and administrative requirements for membership. You can even verify membership status at www.ASHI.org. The inspector may be a member of other organizations, but none have requirements as strict as ASHI. And don't be fooled by those companies who claim to inspect to "ASHI standards" - if they aren't a bonifide ASHI member, find another inspector. Longevity gives comfort that the inspector will be with you in the future as new needs and issues arise. But if he's only done 12 inspections during his several years in business, that's not good! Your home buying decision is far too important to be a practice place for a part-time inspector. All homes have some systems and features in common, but a brand new home has risks and issues that differ from an historic beauty from the year 1855. Only someone who has walked the walk and crawled the crawl numerous times in similar homes can sleuth out those important items that are specific to your age, size, and type of home. Your inspector should be capable of going and willing to go into those places where others fear to tread! These are the places that must be seen to best protect the customer. There a times when those locations cannot be completely inspected due to physical risk to the inspector, risk to the equipment, or seasonal limitations. But for the inspector to not inspect those locations because he doesn't want to, is scared of the dark, or is too ample to fit into those spaces is unacceptable. Often, the report will contain descriptions of damage or defect in locations of the home that only the inspector was able to access, like roof-tops or crawl spaces. You will want pictures of these areas to make your understanding of the scope and location of the damage clear. It also makes repairs simpler to get estimated when a photograph is available. Often the buying decision is time critical, you want to be sure you will receive your completed report in time to read, review, and respond. The best companies can deliver the report to you on-site, right at the home, just as the inspection is completed. Finally, be sure to attend the home inspection. There is no substitute for the complete inspection experience; the report generated is only a small piece of the inspection. When you attend the inspection, see the process, ask questions, and become educated about your home, you'll gain great comfort and confidence in your buying decision. Good luck, and happy home buying! Wally Conway is President of Florida HomePro Inspections, and has recently written a book entitled "Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector", available at GoHomePro.com or Amazon.com. Wally's expertise and experience has been sought after by HGTV's "House Detective", the Florida Times Union, and many real estate boards and associations. As a speaker, writer, instructor, and host of The Happy Home Inspector radio show every Saturday at 3 PM on WOKV 690, Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit http://www.WallyConway.com for more information!
MORE RESOURCES: Woman shot at home of Norfolk real estate agent Judy Boone The Virginian-Pilot A glimpse at how the EBR commercial market performed in November Baton Rouge Business Report Big changes could be coming to real estate in 2026 RealEstateNews.com St. Thomas Real Estate Is Surging — Here’s What the Data Really Shows Caribbean Journal Hyatt closes $2B sale of Playa’s owned real estate portfolio hotelmanagement.net Here's a list of celebrities who moved into or out of MA this past year The Patriot Ledger Map: These are the hottest real estate markets in 2026 LiveNOW from FOX Great Agents Stay Focused On The Human Side Of Real Estate Inman Real Estate News The Ten: Nykia Wright’s determination to remake NAR RealEstateNews.com EG Real Estate: 1 New Listing & 3 Sold Properties East Greenwich News 10 Tampa Bay real estate developments to watch in 2026 TampaBeacon.com News | Saks Global shifts leadership as it sells real estate and store brands with debt deepening CoStar Real Estate Minute – 01-01-2026 Texomashomepage.com We bought the building so our café wouldn't have to pay rent. Buying real estate with a friend can be tricky — here's how we did it. Business Insider What real estate stories should Las Vegas watch out for in 2026? Las Vegas Review-Journal 3 things to watch in residential real estate in 2026 Crain's Detroit Business Menasha health care facility sold for $21.6M in latest transfers Oshkosh Northwestern Real estate transactions in Adams County from Dec. 22-26, 2025 Muddy River News Fresh start: The team and agent moves kicking off 2026 Inman Real Estate News Real estate tax bills to be mailed Sidney Daily News Updated form requires more client disclosure in Colorado Inman Real Estate News Principal Real Estate Income Fund Declares Monthly Distributions of $0.105 Per Share - Yahoo Finance 2025’s top 5 national real estate news stories Chicago Agent Magazine Saks to sell Neiman Marcus property in S.F.’s Union Square as bankruptcy fears mount San Francisco Chronicle A look back at how 2024, 2025 compare in Lakes Region real estate The Laconia Daily Sun Real estate sales Jefferson, Bullitt and Oldham counties June 16-22, 2025 The Courier-Journal Welcome to Real Estate Friday! The Berkshire Edge Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Apollo Commercial Real Estate, Ellington and NexPoint Real Estate Nasdaq Collier County continues major development overhaul Gulfshore Business Berkshire region real estate sales – January 2, 2026 The Berkshire Edge Five predictions for Sacramento real estate in 2026 as market conditions shift The Business Journals NAR's Final Report Of 2025 Showed Growing Homebuyer Momentum Inman Real Estate News Looking Back And Looking Ahead: Inman's Top 5 Inman Real Estate News Step inside San Antonio’s 3 most expensive luxury homes for sale CultureMap San Antonio Licking County real estate transfers for Dec. 15-19, 2025, hit $620,000 The Newark Advocate Developer Avner Krohn sells newly completed 107-unit New Britain apartment building Hartford Business Journal The Capital Stack: PIP Timing Is a Key Variable in Hotel Financing LODGING Magazine 26 how-tos to future-proof your business in 2026 Inman Real Estate News What Childress Klein's new division leader says about office development plans here The Business Journals The Pipeline: Commercial real estate roundup for 1.2.26 Richmond BizSense Real Estate Stocks To Consider - January 2nd MarketBeat Fort Worth real estate couple pleads guilty to nearly $5M in fraud CultureMap Fort Worth Sold in Sonoma for the week of Dec. 29 Sonoma Index-Tribune North Canton apartments sold for $3M | Real estate transfers Canton Repository News Flash • Real Estate Tax Installment #2 Due January 15 City of Lynchburg (.gov) REAL ESTATE | Part I: Goeden’s Auto Body in St. Michaels sold Washington County Insider Columbus among Top 10 US homebuying markets amid ongoing housing crisis The Columbus Dispatch 23-acre business park in Buda planned to be 'flagship' for flexible industrial development The Business Journals RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust Schedules Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Release, Conference Call and Webcast Business Wire 2025 real estate recap and a look forward with Brendan Battenfelder and Austin Hale of Peabody, Badger and Smith The Conway Daily Sun Granite Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE:GRT.UN) Reaches New 52-Week High - What's Next? MarketBeat Bi-vocational pastor, real estate agent reinstated after $5K fine for 'hateful' comments on LGBT-themed coloring book Christian Post Humbl Rebrands as TAP Real Estate Technologies Weekly Real Estate News LA real estate fund acquires 1M-square-foot Houston distribution center portfolio The Business Journals LOCAL REAL ESTATE TODAY 1.02.26 KQEN News Radio Elegant Tuscan-Inspired Home in Rancho Mirage Is an Entertainer’s Dream Palm Springs Life Here's a list of celebrities who moved into or out of RI this past year The Providence Journal Solano Real Estate Scene: Solano County is No. 1 Daily Republic Solano Real Estate Transactions: Jan. 2, 2026 Daily Republic New Report Predicts ‘Balance’ in Northern Virginia’s 2026 Housing Market Northern Virginia Magazine |
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