What to Expect From a Home Inspector

by Brian Rolland

Many people will consider buying a new home in 1995, with the Massachusetts economy pulling out of recession. First-time buyers and those reentering the real estate market after more than five years should pay close attention to the pre-purchase home inspection. This evaluation of a home's condition is a routine part of the purchase and sale agreement and is usually listed as a contingency. The inspector's job is to provide the homebuyer with the vital information they will need to make a sound purchase decision, whether they are buying a new or resold home.

Since the home inspection profession is still relatively young, it is critical that buyers understand the process and know what to expect from the inspector they select. The following checklist will help the buyer through the selection process.

What to Expect

Professional standards. While there are no state of federal guidelines, home inspectors throughout the country are expected to follow the Standards of Practice established by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), widely recognized as the leading authority in the field. This document specifies all of the components of a home that are to be included in an inspection, from foundation to rooftop. A free copy is available from ASHI by calling 1.800.743.ASHI.

Ethics. To be sure that a home inspector is ethical and professional, consumers should ascertain before the inspection that he or she will not offer to do any repairs on the inspected property, and that the firm has no financial interest in the transaction or in the real estate agent's commission. Any indicatoin of such a conflict of interest should send a red flag to tell the consumers to look for another inspector.

Service. Home inspectors know a home's many systems and how their components work; both independently and together, and they understand why and how they fail. Consumers should expect the written report to describe the actual condition of the home at the time of inspection, based upon visual observation, and to provide an indication of the need for major repairs.

If the selection of a home inspector is made carefully and ahead of time, homebuyers will have one less detail to worry about during the chaos and excitement of finding a new home.

Brian Rolland is an ASHI member and home inspector in Newton, Massachusetts. Parts of this article have been reprinted with permission of The ASHI Reporter.

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