Looking for a home inspector in Nashville Area (Hunter: insurance, appliances)
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Does anyone have a reccomendation for a home inspector that you yourself have personally used? I have heard not to use one that a realtor reccomends, is that true?
Does anyone have a reccomendation for a home inspector that you yourself have personally used? I have heard not to use one that a realtor reccomends, is that true?
Although I do not know a home inspector that I would recommend, please DO NOT use the one your realtor recommends. The reason for this is because if the home inspector finds and reports too many things to be corrected, it could blow the deal. No realtor will want to deal with an inspector who blows their deals. The inspectors depend of the realtors for a certain amount of business. By getting your own inspector, it wil llessen the chance that the inspector gets referrals from your realtor; therefore, is likely to do a more thorough and honest inspection.
Does anyone have a reccomendation for a home inspector that you yourself have personally used? I have heard not to use one that a realtor reccomends, is that true?
I'm a Realtor and I disagree with a previous poster when he says don't use a home inspector recommended by a Realtor. I have a list of home inspectors that I give to my clients and tell them that they can choose from the list or find one on their own. I also tell them that my clients have had excellent experience with the inspectors on the list in that they are very professional, fully qualified, and provide detailed and complete inspections and reports. They are extremely thorough and honest or I wouldn't recommend them. I want my clients to be aware of any problems or potential problems with a house they are purchasing. It is not in my best interest to do otherwise as I value future referrals from past clients. If you would like the list of inspectors that I recommend just email me.
Last edited by gbone; 08-17-2008 at 06:37 AM..
Reason: Added info.
It's a mixed bag when you listen to your Realtor, and it all depends on your level of trust you have with them.
There are many Realtors that give my name out. I have had several clients that were given my name by their Realtor, but they didn't want to use me for that reason (lack of trust). It was after they also got my name from friends and co-workers that they decided that I must do a pretty good job.
I will tell you that an experienced Realtor know's who is good at what they do. An ethical one gives you their name. One that is only looking out for their commission does not.
The BEST referral you can get is from someone that has actually had an inspection and was happy with their inspector.
By the way, I sent you a name of an inspector in Nashville that I know and respect.
I also disagree with the first responder. I, too, give my clients at least 3 names of inspectors who I've used in the past (including on my personal home), and who my clients have raved about. A good realtor is looking out for his/her client's best interest over his/her own.
I'd be happy to share my top 3 with you if you'd like. Just DM me and I'll do it.
I'm a Realtor and I disagree with a previous poster when he says don't use a home inspector recommended by a Realtor. I have a list of home inspectors that I give to my clients and tell them that they can choose from the list or find one on their own. I also tell them that my clients have had excellent experience with the inspectors on the list in that they are very professional, fully qualified, and provide detailed and complete inspections and reports. They are extremely thorough and honest or I wouldn't recommend them. I want my clients to be aware of any problems or potential problems with a house they are purchasing. It is not in my best interest to do otherwise as I value future referrals from past clients. If you would like the list of inspectors that I recommend just email me.
Of course you would disagree, you are a realtors. The same basic concept applies to using a contractor recommended by your insurance company. The insurance company may recommend a contractor because they will cut corners and come in under the estimated price, thus saving the insurance company money. So, of course an insurance agent would disagree with me. You surely aren't going to agree with me and make yourself look bad bnewman and gbone, are you?
The practice of not hiring a home inspector you are referred to by your realtor is even supported by the Better Business Bureau, as stated in this article.
Last edited by Steve_TN; 08-17-2008 at 07:52 AM..
Reason: typo
Of course you would disagree, you are a realtors. The same basic concept applies to using a contractor recommended by your insurance company. The insurance company may recommend a contractor because they will cut corners and come in under the estimated price, thus saving the insurance company money. So, of course an insurance agent would disagree with me. You surely aren't going to agree with me and make yourself look bad bnewman and gbone, are you?
The practice of not hiring a home inspector you are referred to by your realtor is even supported by the Better Business Bureau, as stated in this article.
I am disagreeing with you because I consider myself an ethical Realtor who only does what is in the best interests of my clients and I am confident that my past clients will back this up. I've also been in this business long enough to know which home inspectors are professional and will do thorough and honest inspections. If my clients don't trust me enough to give them reliable information then they wouldn't use me and continue to give me referrals.
Using your rationale you wouldn't want your physician to refer you to a specialist.
Your comparison of an insurance company and a contractor is comparing apples to oranges and has no relation to my recommending a top notch home inspector. There is no incentive for me to recommend someone who would not do a thorough job. In fact, there is only a disincentive as I risk losing future referrals which are the lifeblood of my business.
If there is something wrong with the house I want a home inspector to find it and identify it for my clients. I have had this occur many times. In a few instances my clients decided they didn't want the house and went on to buy another one. That's the way it is supposed to work. I also have continued to recommend this inspector because he does the job my clients hired him to do.
I could not have said it better myself...thanks, Gbone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbone
I am disagreeing with you because I consider myself an ethical Realtor who only does what is in the best interests of my clients and I am confident that my past clients will back this up. I've also been in this business long enough to know which home inspectors are professional and will do thorough and honest inspections. If my clients don't trust me enough to give them reliable information then they wouldn't use me and continue to give me referrals.
Using your rationale you wouldn't want your physician to refer you to a specialist.
Your comparison of an insurance company and a contractor is comparing apples to oranges and has no relation to my recommending a top notch home inspector. There is no incentive for me to recommend someone who would not do a thorough job. In fact, there is only a disincentive as I risk losing future referrals which are the lifeblood of my business.
If there is something wrong with the house I want a home inspector to find it and identify it for my clients. I have had this occur many times. In a few instances my clients decided they didn't want the house and went on to buy another one. That's the way it is supposed to work. I also have continued to recommend this inspector because he does the job my clients hired him to do.
Like any profession there are good and bad, ethical and non-ethical. The very best advice any of us can receive are recommendations from realtors, satisfied clients and other industry experts. When one or two names continue to pop up from all parties then you should know that they are probably worth talking to.
It's also good to check with the BBB and make sure that there are no complaints. If you use a franchised company be sure to get the name of the inspector, not just the company name.
Whatever you do, stand right beside the inspector as he does his thing. Inspecting a house is basically common sense. Just about anyone can spot problems that an inspector could spot. When I bought a house in NH years ago, the inspector walked right past some rotted floor joists and a foundation crack. I asked him to leave right then and have always done my own inspections since.
Having an inspector do the inspection does not protect you in any way. The inspector will not be held liable if he misses something that later costs you huge money to repair. You are paying him for his opinion.
Doing an inspection is easy.
Inside....
-Turn on the AC and put a thermometer in the vent first thing and leave it there. When you finish the inspection, go back and check the thermometer. It should be 40F or lower.
-When you are done with the inspection, turn off the AC and turn on the heat. It should heat up quickly.
-Open cabinets and cupboards and look for water damage, past or present. Smell for mold.
-Run all faucets and flush all toilets. Make sure everything drains like it should.
-If there is a washer/dryer, run the washer through a full cycle and make sure it drains properly.
-Turn on all appliances. Let the stove/range come up to temp.
-Turn on all lights. If something doesn't work, check the bulb then the breaker. If it's turned off at the breaker, there is a problem somewhere. Be weary of a seller who claims they turn off circuits at the breaker to save electricity.
-Check all outlets. For a couple of dollars you can buy a tester. Any outlet closer than 3ft to a water source should be a GFCI.
-Check the breaker panel. An average house should have at least a 200 amp panel with modern breakers. Screw in fuses mean expensive electrical upgrades are in your near future. make sure any visible wiring anywhere in the house (1) Is supposed to be visible and (2) Is in good condition. Old fabric covered wiring is bad.
-While walking around the house, pay attention to any spongy spots in the floor. If you find something, check under the house for rot.
-Look for any cracks in drywall - walls and ceilings. Could mean foundation problems. Some settling is normal. Foundation problems will be evident under the house.
-Look at the windows for water damage/rot.
-Look in the attic for water damage, Particularly around the chimney. If there is serious water issues, you'd see it in the ceilings.
-Make sure the attic is well insulated and the insulation is in good shape and dry. Insulation should be 8-10" thick ideally.
-Throughout your inspection, keep your nose on alert for mildew and mold. That can make people sick and can be expensive to deal with. If you smell it, it is there.
Under the house...
Crawl under the house and look for rot, water damage, mildew, standing water, cracks in the foundation. Look for old plumbing. Old steel pipes are a problem and will need to be replaced probably sooner than later. If the house has a basement, look closely for water damage and mold. We looked at lots of houses and found that most basements have mold/dampness issues. Some inspectors will tell you that it's normal, but they don't have to pay for mold remediation.
Outside the house...
Look for foundation cracks, missing mortar in a brick house. Look for rot around windows. Rule of thumb for rot is if you see visible rot, you are seeing about 10% of it. Check decks and porches for rot. Loose nails and screws usually mean deteriorating wood. Wiring and plumbing should be neat and tidy. Look for missing shingles and gaps in siding. Give the entire property a good "look". Look for things out of square and things that just don't look right. If it doesn't look right it probably isn't and you should look closer.
It may sound like a lot, but it take less than an hour. If you find any issues you would be no better off having an inspector. You will still need to call a contractor if you want a repair estimate. The inspector will point out the problem, not tell you how much it will be to fix it. Some inspectors are also working contractors. In that instance, you might be able to get a quote on the spot. I've found that most inspectors are retired contractors and will not quote any dollar figures.
We looked at a number of houses here in the Nashville that were cosmetically remodeled, but were a complete basket case when if came to plumbing and electrical.
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