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An estimated 70 percent of all homes sold
annually receive a home inspection. Still, confusion persists over what
the process does, and doesn’t, involve. Here are seven common
misconceptions:
1.
Licensing ensures a professional home inspection. Wrong. 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. Wrong. 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. Wrong. 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. Wrong.
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.
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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. When selecting a home inspector, look at the background,
history, and reputation of the person’s certifying organization.
Source:
American Society of Home Inspectors, Des Plaines, Ill.,
www.ashi.org |