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 New Jersey
Home
inspector and what you must know before
you hire your Home inspector in NJ!
Learn
What’s Really Going On
Between Some
Unethical Real Estate Agents And Some Unethical Home
inspector Won’t Tell You In
A Million Years! Please
read this report all the
way through as it could
easily be the most
important thing you’ve
read in a long time! Discover
How To Avoid Losing
Thousands Of Dollars In The
Purchase
Of Your Next home!
Stay Clear Of The
Biggest Mistake Buyers
Make Today When Purchasing
Home Inspection Services! You
are considering (or in the
process of) buying a new
home!
Congratulations! Purchasing a new home is a very exciting
thing for anyone … and
I’m sure that you are no
exception! Perhaps
you are moving because you
have been promoted and can
afford something bigger and
nicer, or you are planning
to have kids and need more
space, or you are retiring
and want to a new place to
call home that reflects
your new lifestyle.
Or
maybe you just want to be
closer to a relative or
friend or the city.
Whatever
it is … you must be
filled with hopes and
dreams of a very happy
future in the new home
to-be! And
you don’t want anything
to get in the way of
purchasing that perfect
home that will be the
center of your life for at
least the next few years!
To this
end, you have to hire the
right people to guide you
through the purchasing
process so that you
aren’t surprised later by
things that you did not
know about or did not know
enough to ask about!
All
Of Your Hopes And Dreams
For Your New home Can Be Quickly
And FOREVER Squashed If You
Don’t Have The Right
Consultants And Advisors On
Your Side During The
Purchasing Process! Now,
while advisors and
consultants may take many
forms, I urge you to hire
at least two people to help
you through the purchase of
your new home.
Get
A Lawyer! The
first person is a lawyer.
There is really no
way of getting around this.
A good
lawyer will review your
purchase contract and
advise you as to what your
rights and obligations are
before and after the
closing.
In particular, he
will explain to you how you
can get out of the
contract, if necessary, and
try to negotiate better
exit terms if he believes
that they are unfair. And, you
will want to be able to get
out of your contract if too
many problems are found
with the home you are
looking at, right?
So, you don’t want
to mess around with this! The
lawyer will also point out
any unusual things in the
contract or any other
points that may be weighted
too heavily in the
seller’s favor, that
should be the subject of
further discussions.
Believe
me … the few hundred
dollars you spend will be
worth the peace of mind
that you signed a contract
with terms that you truly
understand and agree with! And
Who Else? A Home inspector! A
home inspector is the other
person that I URGE you to
hire.
And, as a homebuyer,
there really is no way to
get around this either!
(You actually may be
required to
hire a home inspector by your
bank, insurance company or
appraiser!
Check your purchase
documents if you’re not
sure.) After
all, this is likely to be
the largest investment that
you have ever made and
perhaps will ever make …
and you (and your bank,
etc) can’t afford for you
to approach it blindly.
It’s
the home inspector who will
physically go through the
home and give you feedback
that will help you
negotiate a better purchase
price! No one else will or can do this for you! A
thorough inspection is the
ONLY way that you can
uncover the
less-than-obvious problems
that your new home may have
… those which may
eventually haunt you
(either financially or
personally) down the road.
Only a
properly executed
inspection will provide you
with the most peace of mind
and confidence in your
purchase decision.
But I
think that you know all
this already.
You know that a home
inspection is a necessary
part of the home buying
process … otherwise you
would never have requested
this report.
Right? So
I am not going to try and
convince you that you
should have one done.
I think that we are
beyond that! What I
am going to talk about here
is … How
To Retain A Home inspector
Who Is Independent
And Qualified! You
absolutely MUST hire a home
inspector who is
INDEPENDENT … or you are
opening the doors to being
ripped off!
But
what’s an
“independent” home
inspector? Well,
consider this.
Would
you ever go to the seller
of the home that you are
interested in and ask for
him to recommend a home
inspector to represent you
and help you find lots of
problems with his home?
I
don’t think so … unless
you want to get a
recommendation for the
worst inspector in town.
Why
would the seller want to
help you find reasons for
him to lower the price of
his home? No
way!
You would never go
the seller for help! You
must hire an inspector who
will look out for YOU …
100% … without any biases
or conflicts with the
seller! Seems
pretty obvious, right? Well,
maybe not! Did
You Know That Over 70% Of
The Buying Public Get Their
Home Inspections Done By A
Person Referred By
A Real Estate Agent? That’s
right!
And whom
does the Real Estate agent
represent?
And
there is the problem. You see,
you want to get the home
at the lowest (if not
fairest) price possible …
therefore you need to hire
a good home inspector to
find as many things wrong
as possible with the home
… to help you negotiate a
better and fairer purchase
price or otherwise convince
you to walk away. But Real
Estate agents and brokers
are in the sales business
… closing deals
determines their level of
success.
Their
commissions will only be
paid if the deal goes
through and will be reduced
if your home inspector
turns up anything that may
lower the sale price of the
home.
So,many real estate
agents really don’t want
you to hire a good home
inspector who may get in
their way!
No!
They would be very
happy to know that you have
a lousy inspector!
And
the big problem here is
that some may go so far as
to help you retain that
lousy inspector … without
you even knowing it!
There
Is No Better Way For A Unethical Real
Estate Agent To Ensure That
His
Sales Are Not Jeopardized
Than To Feed An
Unsuspecting, Trusting
Homebuyer A Choice Of Poor
inspector! Now,
I am not saying that all
realtors are incompetent or
dishonest … this is just
not the case.
But there are some
who tend to gravitate
toward home inspector who
are less likely to threaten
their sale.
And
those are the realtors that
you really have to watch
out for. Some of
the unscrupulous practices
that agents have undertaken
to manipulate the
inspector-retaining process
include the following: ·
Telling
buyers that, “We’re not
supposed to refer home
inspector to potential
buyers, but here are 3
names .. you decide.”
(That is, of course,
three inspector that they
wouldn’t mind you
hiring)!
The list will likely
be long enough to protect
the agent from any referral
liability.
Should you later
have a problem with the
property, the agent can
simply say, “Well, you
chose the home inspector”
or simply deny ever having
given you the home
inspector’s name. ·
Making
a bunch of brochures or
cards from their select
group of 3 inspector
available at the reception
area in their office … in
full view. And brochures and cards of the
inspector that the agent
is less sympathetic to (and
who probably would
represent you better) are
located in a less obvious
place. ·
Telling
buyers to look up some
names of inspector in the
Yellow Pages and
then saying, “But a
lot of my clients have used
‘so and so’ and were
very satisfied,” or
“But don’t use that guy
because he’s too picky,
too slow, too expensive, or
he’s a ‘deal killer’ etc..”
(Of course, trying
to steer you to one of
their approved inspector!)
·
Telling buyers that they should expect a
home inspector to charge
around $150 or $200.
By advising
homebuyers to expect such
low and unrealistic fees,
agents may steer homebuyers
to search only for
inspector that will charge
that low, which will likely
be those inspector
approved by the agent, or
too inexperienced to know
what problems look like. ·
In
the case of particularly
aggressive agents, saying
that, “I’ll look after
the inspection for you.
Don’t worry, I
know just the inspector to
call..”
(Stay clear of any
inspector chosen by this
guy!) ·
Pretending
to call a well-qualified
inspector chosen by the
buyer, and telling the
buyer that they were unable
to reach the inspector or
say that the inspector is
unavailable. Pretty scary stuff, huh!
If you see any of
this type of behavior, you should without
hesitation contact your
attorney … and obviously
not take any of their
referrals. The
Culpability Does Not End
With The Agents! There
are many home inspector
that rely on real estate
agents and brokers for
business.
These inspector
want to get on (or are on)
the agent’s short list of
preferred inspector, which
are referred to homebuyers.
But,
to get on (and stay on)
this list, inspector have
to “play ball.”
And they will not
bite the hand that feeds
them! Now,
you might be thinking …
“No self-respecting
inspector would
purposefully make a
delinquent report just to
get in good with a real
estate agent or otherwise
to help get the sale
through.
After all, I hired
him!
He is supposed to
represent me.” Well,
you’re right.
No self-respecting
inspector would do this. But
… what I am trying to
emphasize here is that not
all home inspector are
self-respecting! There
are inspector out there
who will do whatever is
necessary to ensure future
referrals from agents …
including doing an inferior
inspection that uncovers
little to affect the
agent’s commission.
Now,
Is This A Risk That You
Really Want To Take? Given
this artificial marketplace
of inept inspector created
by Real Estate agents, do
you really want to rely on
them for advice on good
inspector? If
a real problem is
discovered with the home
after the sale … a
problem that the inspector
should or could have
caught, but missed due to
his conflicts or because he
really is a lousy inspector
… you will be left high
and dry!
Only one
state, thus far, has
enacted a law prohibiting
this kind of behavior. Others
have used the courts to
crack down on it.
(I have attached a
recent New Jersey case that
ruled against such
unscrupulous tactics by a
home inspector … so that
you can see for yourself
what I’m talking about.
It’s pretty
interesting!) You
Don’t Need To End Up In
Court!
You
Can Easily Avoid This Risk
By Just Seeking
Out
Your Own Independent Home
inspector!
The
obvious thing to do to
avoid becoming a victim is
just not to retain a home
inspector through a Real
Estate agent.
That’s the easiest
way to avoid hiring a less
than independent inspector. To be
clear … if you do hire an
inspector through an agent,
it does not mean that you
are necessarily going to
have a problem.
But you really do
open yourself up to the
risk! I
market my inspection
services to homebuyers
directly … and not
through any of my real
estate agents, brokers,
etc. so as to avoid this
conflict of interest
problem.
It
is really the only ethical
way for me to perform my
job. And any home inspector that you hire
should do the same! But
you may be asking, “If I
have to go out on my own
and find a home inspector,
how can I be sure that he
is independent … or even
qualified?” Well,
after telling you some of
the horrible things that go
on with home inspector and
Real Estate agents, I’m
not going to leave you
stranded now!
The
rest of this report
outlines the steps
necessary for hiring a
qualified, independent home
inspector.
It also identifies
things that you should do
on the date of the
inspection and afterwards.
I
hope you find this helpful!
Should you have any
questions about this or
wish to obtain additional
information, please do not
hesitate to call me.
I feel very
passionate about this
problem and am happy to
talk to you about it and
your new home purchase. How
To Get Your Home Inspected
The Right Way In 10 Easy Steps! Hiring
An Independent &
Qualified inspector 1)
Find names of home
inspector with sources
that do NOT have a vested
interest in the sale! You
can find a bunch of home
inspector on your own by
asking your attorney, going
through the Yellow Pages or
based on referrals from
your friends or family …
basically any source that
does not have a vested
interest in the sale!
Now,
just because you get the
name from an
“independent” source
does not necessarily mean
that the inspector is truly
independent!
One
way to protect yourself is
to ask the Real Estate
agent for a list of home
inspector and see if the
name referred to you is on
it.
Then you’ll know
that he plays on both
teams! 2)
Once you have gathered some
names and checked them for
independence, you should
then get on the phone and
“interview” them! The
following questions are
those that I think are good
gauges for determining
whether the inspector is
qualified and should be
someone worth considering. These
questions could be asked
over the phone. Now, if
an inspector refuses to be
“interviewed,” drop him
like an old shoe! And I
mean this!
Good home inspector
like to help new homebuyers
through this process and
are very open to
discussions about
themselves, their
abilities, their
certifications, their
services, etc.
Refusal
to want to be interviewed
is likely indicative of you
having found an inspector
who really does not have
much backing up his ads! CAUTION:
Because many
inspector are
“one-man” operations,
don’t mistake a comment
like “I don’t have time
now” with a refusal to
answer your questions over
the phone.
Just ask him when
would be a good time to
call and schedule an
appointment for the
“interview.”
Now,
following each question, I
have provided answers that
reflect the home inspection
services that I provide
which you can use as a
basis for comparing
services offered by other
home inspector.
You can ask the
questions in any order. a)
What kind of formal
INSPECTION training have
you had? You
should never assume that a
background in construction
trades, engineering or
other building fields is a
substitute for training as
a home inspector. But, you shouldn’t completely rule out
an inspector who doesn't
belong to a professional
association, if you know
that the inspector has a
good reputation and has
been in business for a
number of years. I
have been a full time home
inspector since 1993. I
have been certified by and
a Member of the American
Society of Home inspector
(ASHI). In order to become a Member of ASHI, I
had to pass
the National Home inspector
Examination and ASHI's
Standards of Practice and
Ethics Examination.
I also had my
inspection reports
successfully verified for
compliance with ASHI's
Standards of Practice and
submitted valid proof of
performance to demonstrate
that my home inspections
and reports meet or exceed
the ASHI Standards of
Practice. My
ASHI Membership number is
102273.
You can call ASHI
and verify this or go to
their website. Their phone number is (800) 743-ASHI and
their website address is
www.ashi.org. I
hold State of New Jersey
Home inspector License #
GI0121. It is very
important that you
determine if the inspector
is licensed in New Jersey,
many inspector do not even
meet the
minimal
qualifications necessary to
have a home inspector
license.
Ask to see the
inspector License and
State Issued Home
inspector Identification
Card at the inspection.
If you want to know
if an inspector is licensed
go to:
http://accurateinspections.com/listoflicensedhomeinspector.htm My outstanding qualifications allow me
to serve as an instructor
for the State of New Jersey
Home inspector Licensing
class … where I train
students, to prepare for
the National Home inspector
Licensing Examination, in
all areas of home
inspection, including
roofing, air conditioning,
heating, plumbing,
structure, electric,
interior, exterior,
reporting, professional
ethics, standards of
practice and New Jersey
State Regulations.
I am licensed to perform wood-destroying
insect inspections and
radon testing.
I am bonded
and insured for your
protection.
For
more information about my
inspection training and
background, please visit:
http://www.accurateinspections.com
to see my resume. b) How long have you performed inspections and how many inspections have you completed? The
more inspections that the
inspector has performed,
the better.
Inspections in
excess of 1,000 are a
pretty good indication that
he has been around the
block bit. I started Accurate Inspections Inc. over 10 years ago (1993), and have completed over 6,500 inspections during that time. Before 1993, I was a construction project manager for 7 years.
I
cover all of Bergen and
Passaic counties and
portions of Essex and
Morris counties in New
Jersey.
I limit my coverage
to these areas so that I
can provide my clients with
better services.
I also typically
limit my inspection
services to residential
properties representing
homebuyers in home
purchases, but also have
experience with commercial
buildings. Watch
out for inspector that
cover too large of an area,
like an entire state.
There is no way that
these inspector could have
a feel for the community
that you are trying to move
into and the local codes or
ordinances that the
property may be subject to. d)
What do you charge?
Do you offer any
other services besides home
inspection services?
The
costs are an obvious
question that you have to
ask.
But remember … the
cheapest is not necessarily
the best deal.
Consider costs along
with the other factors
identified in this report. If you want a cheap inspection, we do
not offer one!
We used to when we
were trying to gain
experience, now we offer
the best value for your
money!
Short term we cost
more, amortized over the
time you are in your home,
the extra cost will be
perceived as a great value.
Some homebuyers will also need a PWTA
well test, which costs
about $500, and an open pit
septic inspection, which
costs about $ 425. In
addition to the traditional
home inspection services, I
also can perform radon
measurement, carbon
monoxide measurement,
well-water testing in
conformance with PWTA
requirements, wood
destroying insect
inspections and schedule
asbestos, septic and lead
testing. e)
Can you make repairs if
they are needed? If
the inspector says
"yes" -- LOOK
OUT!
This raises the same
conflict of interest
problems that I talked
about before.
If he can make money
on you after the sale
transaction is closed, he
will have a vested interest
in the outcome of his
report and may overestimate
the problems with the
home.
I
don't do any repairs and I
refuse to make estimates.
In fact, I am bound
by ASHI’s Code of Ethics,
which forbids any actions
by me that could be viewed
as a conflict of interest. f)
How long does your
inspection take? You
should be careful if the
inspector sets any fixed
time limit on the
inspection.
An inspection can
only be considered complete
when you are fully informed
as to what the inspector
has found. I
will take whatever time is
necessary to tell you all
there is to know about the
home … and only at that
point will my inspection be
done. But,
to provide you with a
general estimate, my
inspections usually take
about 2 hours to complete,
depending on the size, age
and components of the home.
This is consistent
with the standards required
by State of New Jersey law
as well as ASHI and
ensures that you will
receive a thorough and
high-quality inspection
from me. g)
Can I walk with you through
and ask questions during
the inspection? Some
inspector may not permit
this.
It is really a
question of style.
It’s
no problem with me!
I want you to see
what I see and discuss it
as we go! I am proud of the
service I provide and I
insist you tag along and
ask me anything that’s on
your mind! h)
Will you go over the report
in person with me? Be
skeptical of any inspector
who will not the time and
discuss his report with
you! I
always go over the entire
inspection process and
report with homebuyers.
I have found that
the best way to do this is
to discuss issues as we
walk you through the home
together so that you can
see firsthand anything that
I discovered during the
inspection and will report
on. I
will fax, email or mail the
report to you (at your
option) … and mail a copy
to your attorney. If you
wish I will also send a
copy to the Real Estate
agent, all at no additional
charge. i)
What kind of report do you
use? Much of what the inspector will tell you
at the inspection may be
forgotten afterward.
That is why I will issue a comprehensive narrative report to describe the issues uncovered, how they may harm the home if not corrected and provides recommendations for a course of action. I will also provide check sheets indexed to the Home Inspection Book that you will be provided with at the end of the inspection, the book provides back up information as well as useful diagrams. Many of our clients find the Home Inspection Book alone to be worth the price of the inspection. I
use a software program that
takes the information that
I discover at the home and
it helps me generate a
nice, easy-to-read report,
customized for you.
Illustrated, narrative pages
in the Home Inspection Book
back up the report
describing any referenced
problems and potential
repairs.
In addition energy
saving recommendations are
provided in the report. Four
copies of the report are
generated to facilitate
timely and complete
information dissemination
to sellers, agents,
attorneys, etc. j)
When do I get the report? Depending
on how technologically
proficient the inspector
is, he should be able to
get his report to you very
quickly.
The
program I use to generate
my reports enable me to
either e-mail, fax or mail
the report to you (at your
option) the evening of the
inspection!
Fast enough for you?
k)
Does the inspection company
have an efficient office
staff or just an answering
machine? How
does the company handle
initial inquires?
If the person who
answers the phone cannot
answer simple questions or
worse yet the phone is
answered by a machine, what
will you do if you need an
urgent answer to a question
later?
Personal service
costs more because it is
worth it! People
who are trained to assist
you answer my office
phones. My office staff
does not just take
messages; they assist
clients or arrange for me
to call clients back when
necessary.
If your call
requires a call back I will
call you back as soon as I
finish my next inspection!
Fast enough for you? l) Other questions? Feel free to call my office; we have
qualified people who answer
the phones. We do not ever
hide behind voice mail.
3)
Once you have finished your
interviews, boil down your
selections to a short list
and then contact your local
Better Business Bureau
(BBB). You should check to see if any consumer
complaints have ever been
filed against one or more
of your candidates. The Council of the BBB can be reached: U.S.
Council of Better Business
Bureaus 4200
Wilson Blvd. Suite
800, Arlington,
VA 22203-1838 (703)
276-0100
(phone)
(703)
525-8277 (fax) It’s
website is:
http://www.bbb.org/ You
can use that website to
contact your local BBB or
go to http://lookup.bbb.org. 4)
As soon as you choose the
home you want and all
documents are signed by all
parties, you should contact
the inspector left on your
list and determine which
will be available to do the
inspection within the
anticipated time frame. Scheduling
an appointment before all
parties sign all documents
is a waste of time, you
would not want to pay for
an inspection on a home
that you do not buy, would
you? If available, ask the inspection company
to reserve the necessary
time.
Then, ask the
inspection company to fax
you and your Realtor
written confirmation as to
the date, day, time and
address of the inspection
so you can be sure the
information is correct. What
To Do On Day Of Inspection 5)
Make sure that the
inspector has access to the
entire home. This is very important so as not hinder
the inspector from being
able to his job completely.
You should always
confirm the inspector’s
total access to the
property before arriving on
site. 6)
Be there when the
inspection is performed,
and accompany the inspector
during the inspection as
much as possible. The importance of this also cannot be understated. There is nothing like being present and seeing for yourself any deficiency that the inspector finds. He can also walk you through all of the systems and controls of the home so you will know where everything is when you move in. It’s always good to know where the fuses are, electric switches, water valves, etc. I
encourage my clients to
walk through the home with
me so that I can show them
everything that I found and
will discuss in my report. 7)
Ask questions during the
inspection. This will depend on the inspector’s
style.
I am happy to answer
any questions that you may
have about the home during
our inspection appointment
and for the period of time
that you own the home
without any additional
charge. 8)
Don’t let the real
estate agent or owner push you
around! Sometimes
Real Estate agents will
want to interrupt me if I
start telling you too many
negative things about the
home. One tactic often used is where the agent
will try and distract you
away from me by saying,
"Oh, excuse me for
interrupting.
I just remembered,
we have to sign some papers
before we're done here
today.
Do you think we
could do that right now?
I'm sure the
inspector won't mind if you
catch up with him
later." You have to ignore him … you are
paying the inspector for
his time to be there with
you on that day … and
probably by the hour.
It’s foolish to
let this self-serving agent
get you to squander your
money like that.
Just
remember to keep your wits
about you on inspection
day! What
To Do After Receiving The
Report 9)
Make sure that you
understand what is written
in the report, and
determine whether any
problems listed are
material defects or
cosmetic issues. If
there is anything that you
do not understand, contact
the home inspector.
He should be happy
to go over anything that
does not make sense to you.
You
should also discuss with
the inspector whether the
problems he listed are big
or merely cosmetic.
As the material
defects are the ones that
concern you, you should try
to get as best an
understanding about these
before entering into the
negotiation process with
your lawyer! 10)
Compare the
inspection report to the
seller’s and the real
estate agent’s disclosure
statements. To
the extent that there are
any items not described or
listed in the seller’s
and the real estate
agent’s disclosure
statements, you may be able
to show that the purchase
price requested is not
realistic given the
negative items that your
inspector found.
You
may have a bona fide
argument to have the
purchase price reduced or
walk away from the
contract.
Or you may be able
to get the seller to fix
the problem.
It
really depends on how your
purchase contract was
written and what rights you
may have in the event that
the inspection process
reveals problems.
(This is why having
a lawyer review your
contract is so important!) So
This Is It! If
you follow these steps, you
should reduce the risk
tremendously of getting a
bad home inspector!
A little bit of
diligence can make a HUGE
difference in this area. And
given the magnitude of your
investment, you have to
make sure that you have
people around you that are
truly looking out for you.
If
you are ready to hire a
home inspector now, I think
that you will find that my
prices are very
competitive!
And,
as your inspector, I will
give you: ·
An
inspection that reflects
anything that I could find
to help you argue for a
lower a price of the home
or otherwise walk away! No real estate agent will spoil the
results of my inspection! ·
Complete
dedication to you and ONLY
you!
Your needs will have
my undivided attention
during the inspection!
Feel free to ask me
anything during the
inspection or about my
written report. ·
A
comprehensive report
describing in detail my
findings and
recommendations, written in
a manner that is easy to
understand and use for
subsequent negotiations! ·
And
most important of all … PEACE
OF MIND!!! When
I'm done inspecting your
home, I believe that you
will be very satisfied with
my inspection and you will
know that you got your
money’s worth!
And
isn’t this what it’s
all about? I
hope that this report has
provided you with useful
guidance and that you will
contact me if you need any
further information!
I
would be glad to talk to
you about anything
addressed in this report or
answer any other questions
that you may have! Sincerely, Michael Del Greco, President Accurate Inspections Inc. 56
Woodland Drive West Paterson, NJ 07424 (973) 812-5100 *
This report is not a
source of legal advice and
should not be regarded as
such.
If legal advice is
needed, the services of a
qualified professional
should be sought. |
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