How to pick a home inspector : Discover Columbus

Discover Columbus

Jan. 23, 2006 - How to pick a home inspector

Home inspectors may soon be licensed in the state of Ohio. There are two bills in the legislature about licensing Home Inspectors in Ohio. The Ohio Association of REALTORSŽ has long supported licensing of home inspectors.... a link from 1999.

A recent Cincinatti Enquirer article Kathy Bergstrom (Enquirer contributor) and Enquirer staff writer Jeff McKinney recommends:

"How to pick a home inspector

Start looking for a home inspector by asking for referrals from family and friends - instead of someone suggested by anyone in the housing industry (to avoid conflicts of interest)."

I recommend discussing conflicts of interest and agency relationships with a real estate attorney or the State of Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Real Estate.

The January 2006 Cincinnati Enquirer article also said "An average home appraisal costs $300 to $400, according to MortgageNewsDaily.com confusing a home inspection and an appraisal. An appraisal measures the value of a house, a home inspection is about the condition of the property.

The same article quoted a co-sponsor of one of the Ohio home inspection licensing bills, Representative Courtney Combs ( R-Hamilton OH) a licensed real estate agent. The article says "Combs, who has sold real estate for 37 years, said his clients haven't been burned by home inspectors, but he's heard stories of home buyers who have. When he provides home inspector referrals to clients, he always gives customers a choice of two or three and checks their references."

Advice from Real Living in how to pick a home inspector.

"In fact, your Real Living agent is a good resource for home inspection references, as he/she has undoubtedly worked with a number of quality inspectors."

Who are you going to trust? There are some great, reputable, experienced home inspectors in Central Ohio. An experienced real estate agent will have more exposure to who is good and who is not than family and friends unless they buy a lot of properties and use different inspectors for those purchases. HER Real Living also recommends "Be sure to choose an inspector who can provide proof of membership in the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)."

I have a list of home inspectors and links to ASHI on the Home Inspection page of my MaureenMcCabe.com website.

The information provided herein is supplied by several sources and is subject to change without notice. Columbus Best Blog does not guarantee or is any way responsible for its accuracy, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.

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Discover Columbus is a site about Columbus Ohio. Originally named "Columbus Best Blog," it was never the best blog in Columbus Ohio. It was a blog about the best in Columbus and Central Ohio! Best restaurants, best real estate company, best schools, best neighborhoods..... written by Maureen McCabe a licensed real estate agent with Columbus Ohio's best real estate company, Real Living HER. Discover Columbus is just a site about Central Ohio.