Buying a home can be stressful for many people. Okay, okay…most people. There are so many things to consider and often decisions are made under pressure. You want and need to make good choices.
In our experience, you want a home in the right neighborhood (whatever that means to you) and you want it to be near the best schools, a great church, and perhaps a shopping center. You also want a home that makes you feel…well…at home. With the help of a good REALTOR® and a little research, these are all things you can typically resolve on your own.
If you are like most home buyers, the house you purchase will be your home for quite some time. Before you go to closing, you need to know whether it is structurally sound, has a good roof, has plumbing issues, or has mold growing in the crawlspace. These are just a few of the things a good home inspector, like 1st Choice Home Inspections, can determine for you.
A home inspector may save you a bundle by helping you avoid costly mistakes. No one wants to buy a home and then find out the HVAC system doesn’t work properly, or that the damper in the fireplace is broken. Don’t purchase a home without having it inspected first!
As you prepare to hire a home inspector in Knoxville or Nashville (yes, we hope it is 1st Choice Home Inspections), here are seven things your home inspector wants you to know.
1. Your Inspector Should be Licensed, Trained, & Certified
Home inspectors in Tennessee must be licensed by the state and abide by the State of Tennessee’s Standards of Practice. A good home inspector will be a member in good standing of at least one home inspector association. These associations provide continuing education, certification, and additional standards of practice throughout the industry.
1st Choice Home Inspections is a member of both InterNACHI and the International Association of Certified Indoor Air Consultants (IAC2), two of the most respected associations in the industry.
2. We Represent You
The home inspector works for the client. That may seem obvious, but not everyone understands this. The home inspector is looking out for your interest by being as objective as possible. If you are the buyer, the seller or the listing agent does not see the report, only you and your representatives.
3. We Use Sophisticated Equipment
We use state-of-the-art, sophisticated equipment like infrared cameras and sensitive moisture meters to help us evaluate the condition of the property. These instruments help us give our clients a more accurate picture of the house than the naked eye. While our tools are amazing, they do not allow us to “see through walls” or “see behind furniture.”
4. We Guarantee Our Service
We guarantee our service, however, we cannot guarantee you will like what our report says. A good home inspector must report the facts honestly, no matter what. Sometimes that means you might hear something you don’t like. More often than not though, our report eases the mind of our client.
5. Home Inspectors Should Not Repair Your House
Home inspectors are required to avoid any conflict of interest. Usually that means a home inspector does not make repairs on a home after discovering the problem. Most home inspectors will not make repairs. If they do, they must inform you if they are not licensed or qualified to do the repairs.
6. Please Attend the End of the Inspection
Some buyers want to arrive at the beginning of the inspection so they can walk around with the inspector as he works. This is a bad idea. The inspector needs to focus on the task at hand. Having someone walk around, and possibly ask questions during the inspection, is a distraction.
For your benefit, the inspector needs to pay close attention to what he is doing. Frequent interruptions may cause him to miss something important. We recommend making arrangements with the inspector to arrive about 30 minutes before he is finished.
7. Your Inspector Wants You to Ask Questions
Finally, a good home inspector will take the time to explain the inspection report and answer any questions you have. Pick our brain. Ask questions. That is why we are here. Our job is to find out the condition of the property, note any red flags, and clearly communicate that information to you.
The next time you hire a home inspector in Knoxville or Nashville, Tennessee, we hope you will consider 1st Choice Home Inspections. We are licensed by the state, insured, trained, and certified by internationally recognized professional associations.
Knoxville (865) 938-7575 | Nashville (615) 538-7707
