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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: More than 40 states signed onto a proposed $25-billion deal with major mortgage servicers over faulty foreclosure practices. New York, Nevada and Delaware joined California in holding out for better terms. More than 40 states signed onto a proposed $25-billion settlement with major mortgage servicers over faulty foreclosure procedures, but California, New York and other key states were still not among them.
California has until Monday to share in a multi-state deal with banks to obtain mortgage relief and reforms. Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, who walked away from talks last year, says the door remains open. With a Monday deadline at hand, California officials have resumed direct talks with the Obama administration about joining a multibillion-dollar, multi-state mortgage settlement with the nation's largest banks, a source said Sunday.
The talk show host pays $12 million for the 4,088-square-foot house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The ocean-view home sits on 1.26 bluff-top acres with beach access. In one of the more talked-about transactions in town, actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their Malibu beach house to daytime host and comedian Ellen De Generes for $12 million.
The four-bedroom, five-bathroom house built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore lists for $2,875,000. A decorative cast stone entrance opens to this restored Spanish Colonial Revival-style house in Pasadena's South Orange Grove area. Built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore, the house retains such original details as coffered wood ceilings and arched doorways.
They don't believe they can sell their property for what it's worth, so they're spending money on making their homes more comfortable. Do you fit any of these descriptions?
A biennial research report by the National Assn. of Realtors indicates that a handful of real estate agents and brokers and their clients either don't know the law or don't care to follow it. When it comes to lawsuits, real estate agents and brokers tangle mostly among themselves.
The president aims to help about 3.5 million people with good credit who are unable to refinance at historically low rates because their homes are worth less than their mortgages.
The White House hopes to help millions of homeowners lower their monthly mortgage bill with a $5 billion to $10 billion plan to set up a streamlined refinancing program for people who are current on their payments.
The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 large U.S. cities fell 1.3% in November from October as foreclosures continue to drag down the housing market. Three straight months of home-price declines in the biggest U.S. cities showed that foreclosures remain a significant drag on a housing market that is entering its fifth year of deterioration.
L.A. Clipper Chris Paul may be quick down the court, but he moves pretty fast when it comes to buying multimillion-dollar real estate too.
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