Get your home inspector now and you’ll be so glad you did. Unless, of course, you enjoy being stressed out while buying your home.
Here’s what usually happens: Attorney Review concludes and your lawyer gives you a call. He explains that it’s time to do the home inspection. He tells you that you have 10 days to get your home inspection done. As a result, you panic.
OMG! 10 days??? is what goes through your mind. You call your real estate agent in a near panic telling the agent A – How can I do this in only 10 days? and B – Do you know any good home inspectors? Your agent gives you some names and insists that you get it scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
Pressure, pressure, pressure. Is this any way to buy a house? Do you need this kind of stress? I don’t think so. The solution is to get a home inspector and research home inspections now.
Do you have friends in the area who own a home? Ask them about their home inspector. It’s better if they’ve been in the home a while – not just moved in. Problems missed don’t always show up the first week.
Ask your attorney. Attorney’s don’t recommend inspectors but might know who’s not doing the best job because they see hundreds of inspection reports every year.
Check to see if the inspector is currently licensed. NJ has https://newjersey.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx for all licensees. Under Profession Type, leave it at All. Choose Home Inspector at License Type and just type in the inspector’s name and click on the Search button. That’s all you have to do.
Check to see if the inspector is a member of The American Society of Home Inspectors, aka ASHI. Go to this website where you’ll also find helpful information.
You should also go to the National Association of Realtors website for consumers called House Logic They have a terrific article there on home inspections and tons of excellent tips and information. 
Be prepared as much as you can so the home buying process is fun and as stress free as possible. This is the theme of all my articles on buying a home. Get a home inspector and start learning about inspections before you find your home. That’s the right way to go.
