Purchasing a home, commercial or investment property represents a huge investment for everyone. Securing a professional, independent and expert opinion on the condition of your prospective new property is a common-sense decision. The most important question is...how do you improve your odds of hiring the right professional for the job? HOMEWORK AND DUE DILIGENCE. We suggest examining these criteria:

1. COMPARE PRICES: When hiring a professional home inspector to give you an expert opinion on your home's condition, you’re hiring an advocate who should place your health, safety and financial interests first. If your property condition concerns are limited to the discovery of major defects only, your expectations should be satisfied by any properly-licensed inspector in the State of Illinois. If your service expectations are higher, and they include things like receiving a more thorough physical inspection, having more consultation time with your professional inspector, obtaining a better overall education about the condition of the property you're buying, and receiving a customized, reference-quality Report, expect to pay more than the "average."

2. INSPECTOR EXPERIENCE:  In Illinois, home inspectors must be licensed. Ask your home inspector for his or her license number. The status of any Illinois home inspector licensee can be checked by clicking here. Ask how long your inspector has been practicing, and how many inspections he or she performs on an annual basis. If the inspector personally performs less-than 150 inspections annually, he or she is most likely a part-timer. If the inspector personally performs in-excess of 500 inspections annually, be assured that his or her service and inspection product will resemble McDonald's, not Maggiano's or Mortons of Chicago. 

3. INSURANCE: What happens if your inspector inadvertently breaks something in your prospective home during your professional home inspection? Who will be responsible to pay for repairs? The State of Illinois does not require inspectors to carry liability insurance. Professional inspectors know that no matter how much care is taken during an inspection, things can and sometimes do break. Ask your inspector if he or she carries a minimum of $1,000,000.00 in commercial general liability insurance. Also, be advised that some inspectors carry and heavily market their "professional liability" (also known as "Errors and Omissions," or "E&O") insurance policies. Presumably, these policies will "protect" you should the inspector miss major deficiencies in the home he or she is inspecting. What you are almost never told is that should the inspector perform negligently, missing one or more significant deficiencies, their insurance policy defends them against your claim! For major "missed" items you believe the inspector should have found, you will have to sue that inspector (and win) to obtain financial relief. If you fail to prevail in your lawsuit, you will not be protected by the inspector's "E&O" insurance, and you will be out-of-pocket your own attorney fees and court costs.

4. CHECK REFERENCES: All professional inspectors who are committed to their Client's satisfaction and their profession will be more-than-willing to provide you with a minimum of three references from previous clients (not their brothers-in-law or their Aunt Roberta). Call those reference contacts, and ask them about their inspection experience.

5. LOOK UNDER THE HOOD, KICK THE TIRES: Ask to see a sample inspection report! Inspection report quality and contents vary widely and wildly among inspectors. Most inspectors provide only a minimal "checklist" type report, covering major items and components; more thorough inspectors provide an in-depth, complete "narrative" type report. These reports are custom-written in plain language that you can understand; they thoroughly identify and discuss any deficiencies found. If you hire a "checklist report" type inspector, expect to see items marked as "satisfactory", “fair”, “poor”, "deficient", or “inadequate,” often without further explanations or recommendations. This will not help you understand the significance of a problem or issue, and may not completely inform you as to what exactly needs to be repaired or addressed.

6. MAKE AN INDEPENDENT DECISION: The state of Illinois permits real estate agents and other professionals (attorneys, appraisers, mortgage brokers, etc.) to make recommendations regarding which inspector to hire. Such recommendations or referrals can sometimes help to secure an excellent home inspector. Keep in-mind, however: recommendations or referrals from persons who have an obvious financial interest in your home purchase may not guarantee that the inspector recommended will be your best choice. It "pays" to do your research, and make your best independent inspector-choice decision.

See what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has to say about selecting an inspector...

STEM TO STERN INSPECTION SERVICES

WE ARE INDEPENDENT, OBJECTIVE AND THOROUGH. WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL CONDOMINIUM, TOWN HOME, SINGLE FAMILY HOME, MULTI-FAMILY HOME AND COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INSPECTIONS FOR OUR CLIENTS THROUGHOUT CHICAGOLAND. YOUR INSPECTION WILL BE PERFORMED BY LICENSED, EXPERIENCED AND INSURED PROFESSIONALS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT HOME AND BUILDING SAFETY, AND YOUR MAJOR FINANCIAL INVESTMENT. DO YOURSELF (AND YOUR POCKETBOOK OR WALLET) A BIG FAVOR...DO NOT SETTLE FOR LESS AT ANY PRICE!

LOCAL: (815) 521-1215

E-MAIL: inspect4me@sbcglobal.net