Being a home inspector is great. It's fun, it's interesting, and I get to meet wonderful people. I know exactly what to do during a home inspection. But what should the homebuyer be doing during the home inspection?
In my mind, the primary responsibility of the homebuyer during the home inspection is to observe and to listen. By watching the routine of the inspector, the homebuyer will gain a comfort with the home as well as the inspection process. The inspector has the opportunity to present to and discuss with the homebuyer all the many aspects of each component and system in the home. The goal is to have no issues looming after the inspection.
That being said, active participation in the home inspection is always a good thing. I love participation! How much participation and by whom is an often debated question. Depending on an individual's role in the transaction - buyer, seller, agent, or other interested party - the intentions, interest, and involvement vary widely.
A sure fire test to tell how committed someone is to the participation process is by asking who would like to go onto the roof. Many of my home inspector buddies cringe when I speak of home buyers or agents climbing roofs with me. However, with some good judgment and a few precautions, it turns out just fine.
The fun begins when I ask, "Okay, who would like to get high with me?" If anyone looks too enthused, I get a little nervous thinking that they must have misinterpreted my question. But, after a moment, most all recognize that it is time for the roof inspection. No better way to inspect a roof than to climb up and walk around! Every now and then, a home has a walk out balcony that lets us hop the rail and stride smartly to the peak. But more often than not, it is up the ladder we go.
The truth of it all is that less than 20% of homebuyers will venture up the ladder to stroll their roof. And of that group, about half are wearing inappropriate shoes or clothing for the ladder climb. Relatively small portions of those who choose to climb just do not appear physically able to make the ascent. If it does not look safe to me, they are staying on the ground.
A few times people have objected to being told to remain on the ground. Some have even insisted that this is their inspection, they are paying me, and they will climb if they choose to. They are then are told that it is my ladder and I decide who climbs it. I have also not yet been paid for my services. I simply and calmly explain that if they would like to play the "I'm not paying" card, I can play my trump card, called "I'm not inspecting". This is rare, but does get us all back to our proper places!
Walking on roofs is all well and good, but nothing separates the bold from the meek in the arena of home inspection participation quite like the subject of crawling in crawl spaces!
Florida is a wonderful place to live. Sunshine, beautiful beaches, and a lifestyle that most of the rest of North America can only dream of. It is the quest for that good life that attracts millions of tourists every year as well as tens of thousands of new residents. But some residents of Florida, the ones found in crawl spaces, can bring fear to the heart of the bravest!
Traveling about the country to numerous home inspector events has provided me much in the way of education and perspective on the business of home inspecting. But whenever my peers discover I live and inspect in Florida, the subject always turns to critters and creatures in crawl spaces. With their eyes the size of grapefruits, I can keep them mesmerized with my many tales. Those would be opossum tales, snake tales, and gator tales!
They way these guys are captivated by the idea of an inspector crawling on his belly under a home in Florida makes me feel like Marlin Perkins from the old television show "Wild Kingdom". I can recall being about eight years old listening to Marlin narrate, "Jim will now wrestle the deadly 25 foot anaconda". Then Jim, dressed in khaki shorts, shirt and a pair of lace up boots, would proceed into the jungle marsh to risk life and limb while Marlin kept on filming and narrating.
That Jim would have made one heck of a home inspector! If he wasn't afraid of anacondas, you can bet he would be unafraid of real estate agents!
Wally Conway is President of Florida HomePro Inspections, and has recently written a book entitled "Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector", available at GoHomePro.com or Amazon.com. Wally's expertise and experience has been sought after by HGTV's "House Detective", the Florida Times Union, and many real estate boards and associations. As a speaker, writer, instructor, and host of The Happy Home Inspector radio show every Saturday at 3 PM on WOKV 690 (http://www.wokv.com), Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit WallyConway.com for more information!
Do you need to download a Landlord Inventory on-line now?... Read More
In medicine, a placebo is a pill that you think... Read More
Moving from one house to another is always a challenge,... Read More
A Realtor has just talked to you and said, "I... Read More
Many homes remain unsold for a long time because they're... Read More
More and more individuals are realizing that real estate is... Read More
The real estate agent is a valuable source of potential... Read More
I have a confession to make!I was just outside with... Read More
Why hire rental property management? Because doing it all yourself... Read More
As commercial real estate development progresses into the 21st century,... Read More
There are many reasons why a home owner would want... Read More
More money can mean better:- Health Care - Relaxing... Read More
Specific marketing campaigns are no longer just for automobiles and... Read More
If you're a real estate investor, here are several questions... Read More
Is landlording the way to go if you are starting... Read More
The home selling and buying process can be confusing, particularly... Read More
Satisfying and lucrative real estate investment depends upon your correct... Read More
An Irish property investor in Sydney, Australia has created an... Read More
A typical real estate commission on a $234,000 home (national... Read More
I teach students how to set up a new business... Read More
Fixtures, related to real estate, are items that were originally... Read More
With the recent release from the UK's biggest mortgage lender,... Read More
On October 22, 2004, President Bush signed tax legislation that... Read More
The Real Estate Industry is HUGE and is a golden... Read More
Today's volatile real estate market involves complex laws and fluctuating... Read More
Welcome to the second portion of a two-part series on... Read More
Solving problems while maximizing valuesThis story has a few good... Read More
It is no secret that the current real estate market... Read More
Through our website the most common question that we receive... Read More
Turn the Television on any Sunday morning and you'll find... Read More
Awaken to the sounds of softly rustling trees and tranquil... Read More
It's high time someone advocated the use of common sense... Read More
Las Vegas is known for it's over the top hotels... Read More
Negotiation is where many FSBO home sellers really have problems.... Read More
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house... Read More
Every Realtor KNOWS that a home should be shown in... Read More
Higher interest rates and home prices in the past have... Read More
Real estate: availability and costIn 2000, the median home value... Read More
PrefaceWe are For Sale By Owners, "FSBOs." We spend our... Read More
Let's say you've had your home on the market for... Read More
1. Make sure units are larger than 1800 square feet.This... Read More
Here are some important steps you should take before you... Read More
Selling quickly is a high priority for some home sellers.... Read More
Real estate investing professionals look for all possible tax deductions... Read More
Did you know that the sales flyer is the most... Read More
There is curently a huge real Estate boom in America... Read More
The UK has gone property TV crazy. There are now... Read More
1. What happens to the seller's credit rating when they... Read More
Real estate agents, Canadian citizens and foreign investors interested in... Read More
Human nature being what it is, none of us can... Read More
I was a landlord for a decade, and I believe... Read More
What if you could "place an order" for the construction... Read More
Everyone knows that at the end of a home inspection,... Read More
Spain has a lot to offer Northern Europeans and until... Read More
Now that you've chosen a real estate professional to sell... Read More
With a job that paid $3.40 an hour, I saved... Read More
The home selling and buying process can be confusing, particularly... Read More
I was in the rental business for seven-years, made 1.3... Read More
The real estate cycle, like the business cycle, refers to... Read More
What do the Californians know that we don't?What is so... Read More
If your problem is listed below, a 1031 exchange may... Read More
If you are thinking about selling your house, you should... Read More
The Murcia region in Spain benefits from some of the... Read More
Homebuyers and sellers should be aware about issues involving homeowners... Read More
As if one real estate transaction is not hectic enough?... Read More
Financial ConcernsOf the three types of income property, industrial property... Read More
Real Estate |