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<p><strong>Courtesy of Jimmie Van Hooser your REALTOR®  - 931-320-2142</strong></p>
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<h3>10 Questions to Ask Home Inspectors</h3>
<p>Before you make your final buying or selling decision, you should  have the home inspected by a professional. An inspection can alert you  to potential problems with a property and allow you to make an informed  decision. Ask these questions to prospective home inspectors:</p>
<p><br /> <strong>1. Will your inspection meet recognized standards?</strong> Ask whether the inspection and the inspection report will meet all  state requirements and comply with a well-recognized standard of  practice and code of ethics, such as the one adopted by the American  Society of Home Inspectors or the National Association of Home  Inspectors. Customers can view each group’s standards of practice and  code of ethics online at <a href="http://www.ashi.org/" target="blank">www.ashi.org</a> or <a href="http://www.nahi.org/" target="blank">www.nahi.org</a>. ASHI’s Web site also provides a database of state regulations.<br /> <br /> <strong>2. Do you belong to a professional home inspector association?</strong> There are many state and national associations for home inspectors,  including the two groups mentioned in No. 1. Unfortunately, some groups  confer questionable credentials or certifications in return for nothing  more than a fee. Insist on members of reputable, nonprofit trade  organizations; request to see a membership ID. <br /> <br /> <strong>3. How experienced are you?</strong> Ask how long inspectors have been in the profession and how many  inspections they’ve completed. They should provide customer referrals on  request. New inspectors also may be highly qualified, but they should  describe their training and let you know whether they plan to work with a  more experienced partner. <br /> <br /> <strong>4. How do you keep your expertise up to date?</strong> Inspectors’ commitment to continuing education is a good measure of  their professionalism and service. Advanced knowledge is especially  important in cases in which a home is older or includes unique elements  requiring additional or updated training. <br /> <br /> <strong>5. Do you focus on residential inspection? </strong>Make  sure the inspector has training and experience in the unique discipline  of home inspection, which is very different from inspecting commercial  buildings or a construction site. If your customers are buying a unique  property, such as a historic home, they may want to ask whether the  inspector has experience with that type of property in particular.<br /> <br /> <strong>6. Will you offer to do repairs or improvements? </strong>Some  state laws and trade associations allow the inspector to provide repair  work on problems uncovered during the inspection. However, other states  and associations forbid it as a conflict of interest. Contact your  local ASHI chapter to learn about the rules in your state. <br /> <br /> <strong>7. How long will the inspection take? </strong>On  average, an inspector working alone inspects a typical single-family  house in two to three hours; anything significantly less may not be  thorough. If your customers are purchasing an especially large property,  they may want to ask whether additional inspectors will be brought in.<br /> <br /> <strong>8. What’s the cost? </strong>Costs  can vary dramatically, depending on your region, the size and age of  the house, and the scope of services. The national average for  single-family homes is about $320, but customers with large homes can  expect to pay more. Customers should be wary of deals that seem too good  to be true. <br /> <br /> <strong>9. What type of inspection report do you provide? </strong>Ask  to see samples to determine whether you will understand the inspector's  reporting style. Also, most inspectors provide their full report within  24 hours of the inspection. <br /> <br /> <strong>10. Will I be able to attend the inspection? </strong>The  answer should be yes. A home inspection is a valuable educational  opportunity for the buyer. An inspector's refusal to let the buyer  attend should raise a red flag.</p>
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<p><em>Source: Rob Paterkiewicz, executive director, American Society of Home Inspectors, Des   Plaines, Ill., www.ashi.org.</em></p>
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