New Home Construction - The American Dream or The American Nightmare?

Buying a new home is suppose to be the American Dream. Unfortunately, for many buyers of newly constructed homes it becomes the American Nightmare. Hiring a qualified third party home inspector can increase you chance of a hassle free home.

One only has to visit sites like Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings (HADD)- http://www.hadd.com or Homeowners for Better Buildings (HOBB) - http://www.hobb.org to see how widespread shoddy construction is in the industry.

No area of the country is free from shoddy construction.

In my job as a Professional Home Inspector I talk to hundreds of people each year about new home construction. It still amazes me that many believe the city inspector will find every item wrong with a home. Nothing could be further from the truth!

A city inspector inspects for code violations. The building codes are the MINIMUM standards that a home should be built to. City code inspectors only inspect for safety and health issues as they relate to building. City inspectors do not inspect for the quality of workmanship! City building inspectors also have no liability. If your home falls down and hurts you the day after you move in, you can not go back and sue the building inspector because he missed code violations.

In Houston, the area I inspect in, the city building inspectors spend about 10 to 30 minutes in a home inspecting it. At the end of their "Inspection", they will then place a green or orange 3x5 sticker at the front of the home. The Green sticker says you passed, the orange or red sticker says the home failed.

There is no way that a city building inspector can note all the discrepancies on a home on a 3x5 sticker!

The new trend is for builders to advertise that their homes have been inspected by a "Third Party Inspection Company." This is like listening to a used car salesman say he had his mechanic check your used car out before you bought it.

If the company the builder hires becomes a nuisance by continuing to find problems, then a new company will be found who can inspect the homes the way the builder likes.

Wise and prudent home buyers will research their builder before deciding on one to go with.

They will also start doing their research on finding their own third party home inspector to inspect the home as it is being built.

What are some things you should look for in a home inspector?

To start with, not all home inspectors are created equal. Look for a home inspector that is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) - http://www.ashi.org. ASHI is the nations oldest and largest home inspection organization. They have strict membership requirements in place and not any ole inspector will be accepted.

Next, make sure the inspector you choose is Code Certified. Many areas of the country have now adopted the International Residential Code (IRC) as the model building code. Check with your local municipality to determine which model code they enforce and adjust your search likewise. You can find a Code Certified IRC Inspector by going to http://www.iccsafe.org.

Ask the inspectors on your narrowed down list for sample inspection reports. You're looking for a home inspector who writes narrative type reports and who will include code numbers or the code itself when he finds them. I'd avoid inspectors who say they use an onsite "checklist" type of report.

Call or meet the inspector. You're looking for someone who is knowledgeable and who can communicate well. If you talk to an inspector and have trouble understanding what he's saying, it's likely his report will be hard to understand as well.

Ask for references. Have the inspector send you several references and follow through checking them out.

Ask questions. Ask your inspector if he/she will come back out and re-inspect after the builder says all the repairs have been made. Some will, some won't. Expect to have to pay for a re-inspection. Ask the inspector if he will communicate with the builder after the inspection if the builder has questions. Good inspectors will take the time to go over the report via phone or in person with the builder to ensure that all needed repairs are made.

As a home buying consumer, it's your responsibility to ensure your home is built correctly. Not the builder, not the State, County or City. Hiring a qualified and reputable home inspector will go a long ways in helping you obtain a problem free home.

Full reprint and distribution rights are granted as long as the entire article, including the sig/resource box below, is kept intact.

Donald Lawson is a Professional Real Estate Inspector who is licensed in Oklahoma (454) and Texas (5824). Donald is also Building and Plumbing Code Certified by the International Code Council. He currently owns and operates V.I.P. Home Inspections, a multi inspector firm in Houston Texas. You can find more articles on New Home Construction as well as a free New Home Buyers Guide at his website http://www.best2inspect.com

---

Choosing Your REALTOR ®

With so many realtors competing for your business, how do... Read More

The Nose Knows

If you plan on getting the most from the sale... Read More

Regarding Real Estate On Leased Land

1.Why are there so many properties on leased land?There are... Read More

Real Estate Investing - So You Want to be a Landlord!

Is landlording the way to go if you are starting... Read More

Real Estate Investing with Bad Credit!

By being creative, you can play the game of real... Read More

Equity

Equity is the value of your home minus what you... Read More

How Home Buyer Rebates Work

In today's tight housing market, many buyers are looking for... Read More

Should You Sell Before the Housing Bubble Pops

For the past several years housing prices have risen dramatically.... Read More

Types Of Real Estate - An Investors Choice

There are different types of real estate, and different ways... Read More

How To Start Investing For Financial Independence, Part 2

Last week, we started a multi-part series about how to... Read More

Be A Realtor With Curb Appeal

Are you a realtor with curb appeal or are you... Read More

Boston Real Estate ? Choosing the Right Boston Real Estate Agent

As a successful Boston real estate agent, it always puzzled... Read More

The New First Impression in Home Selling

As an ASP Home Stager® I know how important curb... Read More

If You Cant Afford to Retire...Move

According to Warren Bland, PhD, an award-winning author and geographer... Read More

How To Sell Your Home FSBO

You decide to sell your home and believe you can... Read More

Rapid City Real Estate Agents

Take me Back to the Black HillsLocated in Western South... Read More

Chapter One FSBO the Russ Miles thriller/mystery novel

Chapter OneShe reached the phone on its second ring. "This... Read More

Curb Appeal

First, lets start with what it is. Curb appeal is... Read More

According To Sellers, Silence Isnt Always Golden?

When trying to sell a home, silence isn't always golden... Read More

Finding the Right Real Estate Agent:: A Guide for Seniors

When considering buying or selling a home, seniors have a... Read More

Foreclosure

Foreclosure under a mortgage requires a court ordered sale conducted... Read More

Apartment Loan 101

So you're interested in going into business as a property... Read More

Housing Froth Creating Imbalance for Consumers and Investors

Home buyers and sellers should think twice before jumping into... Read More

The Key to Real Estate Investing Success Revealed!

How did you get into real estate investing? Did you... Read More

Real Estate Appraisal - Do It Yourself

For single family homes, there are two basic methods used... Read More

What We Do To Sell Your Property!

Once you have contracted us to sell your property we... Read More

Land Subdivision - $1.2 Billion Dollar Developer Tells You How To Do It

Land subdivision is a bit like helping Mom slice up... Read More

Should You Buy a House or a Condo?

A big debate these days is whether or not to... Read More

We Buy Houses Scams ? How to Spot Them and How to Avoid Them

There are many reasons why a home owner would want... Read More

The Ultimate Short Sale Secret

Buying foreclosures can be extremely profitable for real estate investors.... Read More

10 Tips for Investing in Distressed or Foreclosed Properties

1. Search on the world wide web for distressed or... Read More

Real Estate Research By Talking

Real estate research might start with a look at the... Read More

Horses In My Back Yard

Horses In My Back Yard by Jody Hudson, with Extensive... Read More