Choosing a home inspector is one of the most important decisions you will make in the home buying process. The inspector you hire works for you — not for the seller, not for the real estate agent, not for the deal. Their job is to tell you the truth about the home you are about to purchase, and to give you the documentation you need to negotiate, plan, and close with confidence.
Before you hire anyone, ask these questions. The answers will tell you a great deal about who you are actually hiring.
1. Are You Licensed in New Jersey?
New Jersey requires all home inspectors to be licensed by the Department of Community Affairs. The license number should be displayed on the inspector’s website and in their marketing materials. Hiring an unlicensed inspector in New Jersey is hiring someone who has not met the state’s minimum qualifications and carries no state-regulated professional accountability.
Michael Del Greco holds New Jersey Home Inspector License #GI0121 — a license he has held since 2003, the first year New Jersey required home inspector licensing. His credentials are independently verifiable.
2. What Are Your Certifications and Credentials?
Licensing is the floor, not the ceiling. Beyond the state license, look for professional certifications that indicate ongoing education and peer accountability.
- Certified Master Inspector (CMI) — the highest professional designation in home inspection, requiring a minimum of 1,000 fee-paid inspections and ongoing education. Held by fewer than 3% of inspectors nationwide
- InterNACHI membership — the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, the largest home inspection association in North America
- ASHI membership — the American Society of Home Inspectors, the oldest professional home inspection association in the country
Michael Del Greco is a Certified Master Inspector Instructor — the level above CMI, held by those who have trained other inspectors. He is a member of InterNACHI (#09091610) and has been an ASHI Certified Inspector (#102273) since 1996.
3. Who Will Actually Perform the Inspection?
This question matters more than it might seem. Some inspection companies take bookings and then send whichever inspector is available. The credentials on the website may belong to the company owner — who may not be the person who shows up at your home.
Ask specifically: will the person I am speaking with perform the inspection, or will someone else be sent? If someone else will be sent, ask about that person’s specific credentials and experience.
Michael Del Greco performs every inspection personally. Accurate Inspections does not send substitute inspectors. When you book with Michael, Michael shows up.
4. How Much Experience Do You Have — and With What Kind of Homes?
Experience is not transferable between inspectors or between markets. An inspector with significant experience in new construction in another state may have limited familiarity with the pre-war Colonials, knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, and oil heat legacy that define older northern New Jersey housing stock.
Ask how many inspections the inspector has performed — and how many in your specific area and housing type. Ask when they began inspecting. Ask whether they work full-time as an inspector or whether it is a part-time pursuit.
Michael Del Greco has performed more than 13,000 home inspections in New Jersey since 1993 — more than 30 years of full-time inspection work in northern NJ’s specific housing stock. That is not a company aggregate. That is one inspector, one at a time.
5. Are You Independent of Real Estate Agents?
Most home inspectors in New Jersey get a significant portion of their business from real estate agent referrals. That creates a conflict of interest — an inspector who finds too much wrong with a home risks losing future referrals from the agent whose buyer they just scared away from a deal. The financial incentive to minimize findings is real, and many buyers never realize it is operating.
Ask directly: do you solicit referrals from real estate agents? Do agents refer clients to you regularly? How does that affect your inspections?
Accurate Inspections has a formal No Conflict of Interest Pledge. Michael does not solicit referrals from real estate agents. His business is built on referrals from past clients and real estate attorneys who value honest, thorough work. His loyalty is entirely to the buyer.
6. Will You Require Me to Be Present at the Inspection?
Some inspectors perform inspections without the client present and simply email a report afterward. This approach deprives the buyer of the most valuable part of the inspection — seeing the findings firsthand, asking questions in real time, and leaving with a clear understanding of what the inspector found and what it means.
An inspection report, however detailed, cannot fully convey what an experienced inspector shows you in person at the property. Buyers who attend their inspection are better prepared to evaluate findings, negotiate with sellers, and plan post-closing work.
Michael requires client attendance at every inspection. He shows you every finding in person, explains what caused it, explains what it means, and answers your questions throughout. Your presence is not optional — it is part of what makes the inspection valuable.
7. What Does the Inspection Cover — and What Does It Not Cover?
A standard home inspection is a visual examination of accessible systems and components. It does not include destructive testing, evaluation of concealed conditions, or assessment of systems outside its scope — swimming pools, septic systems, private wells, and underground oil tanks all require separate specialist inspections.
Ask the inspector to explain clearly what is and is not included, and ask about add-on services. A thorough inspector will explain limitations without prompting — because a buyer who understands the scope of the inspection is a buyer who knows what additional due diligence to consider.
Michael explains the full scope of every inspection before it begins and recommends add-on services — radon testing, WDI inspection, oil tank scan, sewer scope, septic inspection — where the property warrants them. He coordinates all of these through the same appointment.
8. When Will I Receive the Report — and Who Writes It?
Ask specifically when the report will be delivered and whether the inspector who performed the inspection will write it. Some inspection companies use report-writing software that generates template language — or delegate report writing to administrative staff.
Your report is a legal document that your attorney will use to evaluate findings and advise you before the expiration of your inspection contingency. It should be accurate, specific, and written by the person who was in the home.
Michael delivers every report the same evening as the inspection — typically by 10 PM. He writes every report personally, using his notes and photographs from the inspection. Reports are never software-generated or delegated to staff.
9. Do You Carry Errors and Omissions Insurance?
Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance protects both the inspector and the client in the event that a significant defect is missed and a claim arises. Ask whether the inspector carries E&O coverage and whether they can provide documentation.
10. Can I See a Sample Report?
A sample report tells you what to expect from the product you are paying for. Look for specific, detailed language — not vague template text. Look for photographs that actually document the conditions described. Look for clear recommendations for next steps.
Accurate Inspections provides sample reports on request. Call (973) 812-5100 to request one before booking.
The Question You Should Not Ask
The one question that should not be your primary decision criterion: how much does it cost?
The fee for a home inspection is a very small fraction of the cost of the home you are buying. An inspector who charges less and misses a $30,000 foundation problem has cost you far more than a thorough inspector who charges more and finds it. The question is not how little you can pay — the question is whether the inspector you hire will find what is there.
Schedule Your NJ Home Inspection
Call (973) 812-5100 between 8 AM and 8 PM on business days, or 8 AM to 5 PM on weekends.
Accurate Inspections, Inc.
56 Woodland Drive, Woodland Park, NJ 07424
(973) 812-5100
Inspecting NJ Homes Since 1993 | NJ Licensed Home Inspector GI0121
