Looking for a quality home inspector can take time. For a real estate agent and homeowners, there are a few key traits that you want to look for in your inspector. Real estate agents want to make sure that the inspector they choose ticks all of the right boxes as a poor inspector can cost you your clients. They may no longer wish to work with you after a poor experience with an inspector. This can also get you bad reviews. As a homeowner, a poor inspector or one that isn’t upright can result in a lot of headaches and more added costs to you.
So what are the qualities or traits you should be looking for? The most obvious is that they should be reputable. There are some other key things as well.
Qualities of a Good Home Inspector
If you’ve never had a home inspection done you might not be fully aware of what all is involved. A less than pleasant home inspector can make the experience a nightmare. However, it doesn’t always go that way. You are much more likely to find a licensed home inspector who is pleasant, helpful, and all-around wants the best for you. Whether you’re a homeowner or estate agent it is best to do research as well as interview a few inspectors to make sure that you’re making the right choice. Here are some qualities to look for as you go through your selection process.
Honest
Honesty is truly the best policy. Your home inspector should possess this quality in abundance. You want someone who is going to give the right information and good advice. You also want someone who will understand that a home means a lot to the people who own it. They’ll express their opinions and suggestions in a way that considers the person’s feelings and attachment to the home. An honest home inspector will also tell you what truly needs to be done and the things that aren’t super necessary. Rather than putting everything down in the report just for the sake of it, they will help you to solve the problem.
Punctual
A good home inspector understands the value of time and will be mindful of yours. They will also respond to messages and requests in a timely fashion while making sure that you get the report you need as soon as possible. No one likes having their time wasted and a reputable home inspector will make sure that everyone’s time is respected and taken into account. If they told you to meet at 2 pm then they will be there at 2 pm and if they can’t for some reason make it they will contact you ahead of time.
Detailed
Your home inspector should also be a detailed person. Your home inspection is important to the sale of the house. If your inspector misses something it can delay the entire process. This is true whether you are buying or selling, also, if the inspector makes the wrong call for something this can also cause a problem. They should be able to thoroughly access the situation and look closely at the details to make sure that the problems they list in the report are accurate.
Reputation
Reputation is everything and your home inspector should have a very good one. You will find this out easily enough from asking real estate agents who’ve worked with them in the past. You can also ask homeowners that have used the home inspector how their experience was. You will also be able to find online reviews for the most reputable inspectors. Make sure to read through these thoroughly. They will also have their license and be up to date with all of the latest practices.
Prepared
A quality inspector will be prepared. They will have all of the tools and things they need for the home inspection on hand. Often they will have tools available where they can fix quick things that need to be done rather than putting it on the report as a major issue. A part of their preparedness is their knowledge base. A good inspector will constantly be working to update their knowledge in the field.
As a real estate agent, you should be looking to compile a list of reputable home inspectors that you can give to your clients. Allowing them to choose makes the experience more personal and they will also be more comfortable and feel like they’ve had better customer service from both you and the home inspector. As a homeowner, you should be looking at these types of lists.
Whether you ask a real estate agent for recommendations, ask your family and friends, or go online and look through reviews. The point is your home inspector needs to meet your requirements and make you feel like you are getting great service.