Choosing a home inspector is one of the most important decisions you will make during the home-buying process — and one of the easiest to make badly. In New Jersey, every buyer deserves a thorough, independent evaluation of the home before the expiration of their inspection contingency. Here is what to look for before you book.
1. Verify New Jersey State Licensure
Home inspectors in New Jersey are required to be licensed by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. A state license establishes a baseline of training and examination. Before hiring any inspector, ask for their NJ license number and verify it at the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs website. An unlicensed inspector operating in New Jersey is not legally permitted to perform inspections. Michael Del Greco has held NJ License GI0121 since licensure began in 2003 and has been inspecting NJ homes since 1993.
2. Look Beyond the License — Ask About Advanced Certification
A state license is the floor, not the ceiling. The Certified Master Inspector (CMI) credential — the highest designation in the home inspection industry — requires a substantially higher volume of completed inspections and a demonstrated depth of knowledge beyond what the state licensing exam tests. Ask any inspector you are considering whether they hold a CMI credential and whether they can verify it. Michael Del Greco is both a CMI and a CMI Instructor, meaning he trains other inspectors at the master level. You can review what CMI certification means in New Jersey before making your decision.
3. Ask Directly: Are You Independent of Real Estate Agents?
Agent referrals are the most common way buyers find home inspectors in New Jersey — and the most common source of conflict of interest. An inspector who depends on agent referrals for their business has a financial incentive to maintain relationships with agents, which may not always align with delivering an unvarnished assessment to the buyer. Ask any inspector you are considering whether they solicit agent referrals. Michael Del Greco does not solicit them. Every client is a direct booking, and every report is written for the buyer.
4. Ask How Many Inspections They Have Personally Performed
Experience is not measured in years alone — it is measured in inspections. An inspector with ten years of experience performing 100 inspections per year has encountered far more variety than one performing 30 per year. Ask how many inspections the individual inspector — not their company — has personally completed. In New Jersey, housing stock ranges from 19th-century Victorians to 1950s ranches to mid-century colonials to modern construction, each with its own common failure modes. Volume of experience across that range matters. Michael Del Greco has completed more than 13,000 personal inspections in New Jersey since 1993.
5. Ask When You Will Receive Your Report
Your inspection contingency has a deadline. Once you receive your report, the clock starts on getting further evaluations, consulting your attorney, and making decisions. An inspector who delivers reports three to five days after the inspection is consuming days you may not be able to afford within your contingency window. Ask every inspector you consider: when will my report be in my hands? At Accurate Inspections, reports are delivered the same day as the inspection, giving you every possible day to act before the expiration of your inspection contingency.
6. Ask What Happens After the Inspection
A home inspection report raises questions. Some findings require further evaluation. Some terminology needs explanation. Some items in the report will prompt calls to specialists. Ask the inspector whether you can contact them after delivery if you have questions about the report. The answer tells you a great deal about how they view the relationship. At Accurate Inspections, Michael Del Greco answers his own phone at (973) 812-5100. Buyers who have questions after reading their report call directly — not a call center, not a scheduler, not a support desk.
7. Read the Reviews — Look for What the Inspector Found, Not Just Service
Most inspection reviews say “great service, very professional, showed up on time.” Those qualities matter, but they do not tell you whether the inspector found things. Look for reviews that describe specific findings — a cracked heat exchanger, a failing roof, knob-and-tube wiring, a wet basement that had been concealed. A reviewer saying “Michael found something the previous inspector missed and it saved us from a major problem” tells you something a five-star service rating cannot. Before you book, read several reviews in detail. Look for evidence that the inspector is a finder, not just a reporter.
Ready to Book?
Call (973) 812-5100 — Monday through Friday 8 AM to 8 PM, Saturday and Sunday 8 AM to 5 PM. You can also review our NJ home inspection FAQ and our guide to preparing for inspection day before you call.
