Referral Sources for Home Inspectors

Looking for a home inspector? Possibly your real estate broker will recommend one or two home inspectors, or provide you with a short list. Possibly your attorney will recommend an inspector. Are these the best ways to find and choose the inspector? The answer to this question should come from a realization that your real state broker (and possibly attorney) both benefit financially from the sale/purchase of the home, and may find it difficult to be objective with respect to recommending a home inspector. A good home inspector may find defects of signifcance that could become a roadblock to the quick and easy completion of the sale of the home. Real estate brokers know this, and may not recommend the best home inspector. More than likely, the home inspector recommended by the realtor will be one who will not protect your interest properly. Many home inspectors depend on referrals from real estate brokers for their business, and may be reluctant to clearly and openly call out a significant defect in a home for fear of loss of this referral business. For these reasons, you should do your own independent search for a home inspector. You can find qualified home inspectors at the American Society of Home Inspectors's web site, www.ashi.org. Some states, such as New Jersey, require a home inspector to be licensed, and you should look for a state licensed inspector where appropriate. You can also check the list at the site for Independent Home Inspectors of North America, www.ihina.com, where all listed home inspectors have pledged not to solicit real estate brokers for business. Lastly, although some would say that you do not need an engineer to do your home inspection, why not get the best inspection you can by looking for an inspector that is not only a licensed home inspector, member of the ASHI, the premier organization of home inspectors, and is also an engineer. In New Jersey there are several such well qualified home inspectors, among them being Ronald R. Meyers, P.E. at Meyers Engineering Services, www.MeyersEngineering.com.