I myself have worked with some very good Home Inspectors over the past 15 years and they can be of incredible value in certain situations. But I have also during this time witnessed some savoury characters and straight up crackpots who have done an incredible disservice to all parties involved.
Let’s be open and acknowledge that every profession today have its fair share of shoddy individuals. We are constantly bombarded daily with news reports of bad cops, doctors, accountants, investment professionals, day care workers, and so on. Yes the list includes real estate agents as well! 🙂
But I have to think that hard working professional Home Inspectors are going to love these changes. All it takes is a few bad eggs to tarnish an entire industry and with professional standards the bar gets raised for all. Most likely it won’t be the cure to all that ails the Inspection industry but it will bring it in line with Realtors and Mortgage Professionals who are also a crucial part of the home buying process.
My advice to those looking for a competent Home Inspector is to find a trustworthy, professional competent real estate sales representative first and then ask them. I’ve built my career on my name and reputation with over 92% of my business coming from past clients and their referrals. Whenever I have referred an Inspector to a client I have done so after much research and communication with the individual. And then I stay involved throughout the entire process. If the house has major problems that we should be aware of I want to know up front while we (the buyers and I) can do something about it. If the issues are minor or reflective of the purchase price paid then we can decide then to proceed or not. My clients are totally in control knowing that their agent as well as his team (Home Inspector, Lawyer, Mortgage Broker and others) is looking out for the buyer’s best interests. Comfort and satisfaction at its best!