1.
Licensing ensures a
professional home inspection. Not necessarily. Currently, 29 states have
some form of inspector regulation - but state requirements vary widely.
Verifying the inspector's credentials, experience, and adherence to
professional standards is still important, even in a state with licensing.
2.
A home inspection is
designed to identify problems that might be the basis for renegotiating the
purchase offer. That is not its main purpose. The inspector's service is
primarily one of education, providing buyers with a better understanding of
the physical condition of the home and giving them the knowledge to make
smart decisions. The inspector's observations or recommendations might help
to dispel buyer anxieties and provide useful home repair and maintenance
suggestions. When areas of concern or problems are identified, the inspector
should play no role in fixing them or addressing them with the seller.
3.
Home inspections are needed
for existing homes only.
Unfortunately, no. New construction is often the most in need of a thorough
inspection. Many professionals offer "phase inspections" in which the
property can be checked at various stages of completion.
4.
Having an appraisal, code
inspection, and termite or other hazard inspection eliminates the need for a
separate home inspection. Usually not.. While each of these inspections
is valuable, these should never be used in place of a complete home
inspection. Similarly, a home inspection should never take the place of
other prescribed inspections. To suggest otherwise is dangerous for your
client and creates serious risk for you.
5.
Home inspections are for the
buyer. It's true, most inspections are conducted on buyers' behalf
during the purchase process, but prelisting inspections for sellers also can
be beneficial. Prelisting inspections can identify areas of concern to be
addressed before the sale and can assist in disclosure matters. The American
Society of Home Inspectors recommends that a home be inspected every 10
years, regardless of whether a sale is taking place.
6.
Home inspectors are too
nitpicky and will identify every little problem in the home. A
professional home inspection is an objective examination of the condition of
the visible and accessible components of a home on the day of the
inspection. Professional home inspectors don't point out every small problem
or defect in a home. Minor or cosmetic flaws, for example, should be
apparent without the aid of a professional.
7.
All home inspector
certification and credentialing programs are equal. Some organizations
for inspectors offer credentials in return for nothing more than an annual
payment, while others are new or exist mainly online. Some require 250
inspections before a member can advertise their membership. When
selecting a home inspector, look at the background, history, and reputation
of the person's certifying organization as well as the experience of the
inspector.
