Home Inspectors I Have Known and Loved

OK, you all know that when purchasing a home, you really need to hire a licensed inspector to examine the property for flaws that either compromise safety, or indicate a major cash outlay in the near future for the buyer of the property.

Just like Realtors, inspectors come in all varieties and in all levels of proficiency. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in inspectors. The good ones are a joy to observe; they move through the quagmire of a property, inside and out, and report to the client the condition of its components. Nothing more, nothing less. Want a radon test kit left at the property? Today's inspector should provide that service. Test for gas leaks? Yes. Test outlet circuitry? Yes. Test walls with a dampness meter? Yes. Test window and door operation? Yes. Climb on the roof for an accurate report on the life expectancy? Yes. Go into the attic to check for water stains, mold, animal infiltration? Yes. Test all the appliances, even though they might be dirty and unpleasant to navigate? Yes. Offer opinions on how the condition of the property aligns with the client's future plan for the property? No, no, no; that is the Realtor's responsibility. And finally, the inspector offers a full report to the client, and whomever else the client instructs the inspector to include.

The bad ones can minimally cause the client to come to inaccurate conclusions about the property that is being inspected, can morph into a 4-hour encyclopedia of how all house systems function, can fail to even locate a simple light switch on the wall ("you better check with the owner about this situation!!" ), can fail to point out a basic flaw in the property, can inflict undue panic and even fear into the heart of a client, and thereby fail to gain the respect of the client's Realtor.

Any inspector should want to perform fairly and with competence so that a real estate agent might recommend that inspector to other clients. Certainly one agent can bring many more new customers to that inspector than does the one client of the inspector. The Realtors are interfacing with dozens of potential buyers, while the one customer is interfacing with perhaps 1 or 2 possible property buyers. An inspector's business card goes in one of two places with me: in the client's file as a good contributor to the transaction, or in a business card file with a handwritten note about my disappointment in that inspector.

When I recommend an inspector to a client, I do so with the intention of getting that client a fantastic home inspection, done with professionalism, courtesy, thoroughness, honesty, and a timely report that is promptly delivered to the client. The inspection is done within the boundaries of an inspector's mission: to report on the condition of the property. Acting as a Realtor, I personally gain nothing from recommending an inspector to my client. Indeed, the inspector might point out problems that cause legitimate concern to the buyer, and result in the termination of a transaction. Believe me, it has happened on many occasions! But I welcome the inspector's results that cause a contract to "fall", because it means my client has been saved from a future, difficult and potentially expensive ordeal. It's all about the client, folks.

And I have also noticed that a client instinctively knows when the inspector experience has been a good one; the client might speak enthusiastically after the inspection is completed, on how well the inspector did his job, REGARDLESS of his findings. I have one client couple in particular who went through three, count 'em, THREE inspections with the same inspector before they found a home that seemed to pass the inspector's thorough examination; they didn't buy the home with systemic mold involving the dryvit (whew!), they didn't buy the home with the suspect attic insulation that might be contaminated with asbestos, but they DID buy the home that had nothing more to be concerned about than the height of the furnace vent on the roof. To this day, that client will rave about the inspector, how he prevented them from buying into a messy situation. Keep in mind, that inspector caused the clients and me to get back into the car and seek out/identify/negotiate a contract and involve the real estate attorney a total of three times. Did they mind this additional time and effort? No. The inspector was hired on my recommendation. I rest my case.

Agents and Home Inspectors

As a Realtor racks up more than a handful of transactions, he/she becomes aware that there are many breeds of home inspectors in the field (just as there are many breeds of real estate agents, of course!).

Home inspectors should aim for a network of appreciative agents (buyer and seller agents alike), who can be looked upon as a source of ongoing client referrals. Makes sense; every hard working business owner wants constant referrals to keep the bottom line healthy. So why do some home inspectors make it HARD to recommend them?

One home inspector that my buyer client employed managed to test the patience of this agent, and the home seller as well. I actually had to experience not one, but two inspections by this same inspector because my client went under contract on two different properties before a successful conclusion of his desired transaction.

What was the problem, you might ask? Time. That inspector took no less than 4 1/2 hours at each property. The time was not simply reviewing every nut and bolt in the property; that I might at least understand. The time was spent largely in explaining, in a never-ending stream of consciousness, every component and system in the house to the buyer, how everything works, thorough instruction on maintenance of those components and systems, going well beyond what the intent of the home inspection provision as stated in the current area multi-board contract. The current boilerplate contract states "The home inspection shall cover only major components of the Real Estate, including but not limited to, central heating system(s), central cooling system(s), plumbing and well system, electrical system, roof, walls, windows, ceilings, floors, appliances and foundation. A major component shall be deemed to be in operating condition if it performs the function for which it is intended, regardless of age, and does not constitute a threat to health or safety." So, the buyer is guaranteed the right to gain assurance that major components are operating properly. Period.

If a buyer wants a deeper understanding of HOW the central humidifier works, for example, it would be appropriate to seek out a home-buyer workshop on "How to Maintain Your New Home Purchase" or perhaps read up about a component online, or borrow a book from the library, or or or or.....

In one instance I had to continually reassure the home SELLER, who was being polite by staying outside on his screened porch so the buyer could follow the inspector in privacy on a very cold day, that the inspector was "almost done", over and over. I have heard a story from another agent that she once witnessed a home inspection that went on for some eight (that's 8) hours, in a very small property.

And recently I have had the opportunity to correct blatantly incorrect information stated in the inspector's report to the home buyer. Such as (I am paraphrasing here) "The screen insert is missing for the kitchen storm door...should be replaced..." After the inspector left the property, I went into the attic, where the inspector had also been, picked up the screen insert that was leaning against the wall in plain sight, brought it into the kitchen, checked the screen insert for fit with the storm door, and promptly emailed the buyer's agent that I have placed the reportedly missing screen insert in the kitchen for the buyer to utilize as desired. This same inspector stated in the written report that carbon monoxide detectors were missing, and must be placed in the home, per the 2007 Illinois requirement. Once again, I emailed the buyer's agent to state that indeed there WAS a CO detector mounted just outside the bedroom doors (in compliance with the law), and said detector was functioning, evidenced by the digital readout face. Conversely, this same inspector missed a couple obvious flaws in the property that I would have wanted disclosed, if I had been the buyer agent.

It takes many people, specializing in varied professions, to take a property transaction from start to finish. Home inspectors are an important link in that transaction chain. Home buyers need to employ an inspector who will take care to do a fine job on the inspection. But the key word here is "INSPECTION." The home inspector should INSPECT, not LECTURE, and not hand out incorrect information. Do a good job, get more referrals.