What does "Hamlet" have to do with home inspections?

"To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them?"

That is a soliloquy from  a well known Scottish play. I'm sure there are a few of you who have no idea what I am speaking of, or of whom I am referring to. There was a play written in the 1600's by one William Shakespeare, considered to be the world's pre-eminent dramatist, called "Hamlet". This is where this particular soliloquy came from.

What does it have to do with anything financial or mortgage wise you are asking yourself just before you click on the unsubscribe button?

Well, I am writing today about home inspections and what you need to ask the professional who conducts yours.

When it comes to owning a home, not only do you have to feel comfortable with the monthly payments, for most of us, we need to feel comfortable knowing that the walls and roof protecting us from the elements are not going to fall down around us.

Here are a few questions that you need to ask and have answered to help make your decision:

1.      Can I see your licence/professional credentials and proof of insurance?

2.      How many years’ experience do you have as a home inspector? (Make sure they’re talking specifically about home inspection and not just how much experience they have in a single trade.)

3.      How many inspections have you personally completed?

4.      What qualifications and training do you have? Are you a member of a professional organization? What’s your background – construction, engineering, plumbing, etc?

5.      Can I see some references? (Make sure you also check the references.)

6.      What kind of report do you provide? Do you take pictures of the house and add them to your report?

7.      What kind of tools do you use during your inspection?

8.      Can you give me an idea of what kind of repairs the house may need? (Be wary if they offer to fix the issues themselves or can recommend someone else to complete the job cheap.)

9.      When do you do the inspection? (Let’s hope they don’t have a day job, and can only do them at night when it’s too dark to see the roof. It’s best to stay away from part-time inspectors.)

10.  How long do your inspections usually take?

The purchase of a home is likely the largest financial expenditure you’ll ever make. And getting your home inspected is an essential step in the home-buying process. No one wants to buy a money pit – and once you have signed on the dotted line, there is no turning back.

The best way to ensure you use a professional home inspector is to seek referrals from your mortgage professional, real estate agent or friends. Since you want to be able to trust your home inspector’s judgement, you have to ensure they’re not part-time home inspectors just trying to make some extra cash on the side, or they aren’t only home inspecting so they can also offer to complete any work for you that you need done on the home. To ensure the job’s done right, after all, the home inspection must not be biased.

The purpose of a home inspection is for the inspector to be able to tell you everything you need to know about the home you’re going to purchase so that you can make an informed decision.

I would like to remind you that anyone in this industry for the long run, the Mortgage Broker side anyways, has a list of referral sources available to you. Take advantage of that. If our word is our gold, then a referral coming from us better have been vetted properly. If not, would you trust us to put you $250 K into debt and believe 100% that you would be put into the right product?

Just some food for thought.

Check out my website for more details and a list of trusted referrals from me.
http://www.kevynoyhenart.ca/

Until tomorrow...

Kevyn