During any inspection, the inspector might recommend that you ask for a second, more specialized, opinion if major issues are found. For instance, contact a structural engineer in case weakness is suspected in load-bearing walls. Don’t procrastinate and wait to get this done. There have been situations in which the closing meeting had to be postponed because of failure to properly deal with discovered inspection issues in time. CHOOSING THE RIGHT EXPERT Don’t assume that good and qualified inspectors are readily available at your fingertips. In fact, often, quite the opposite is true. A good expert can be hard to find. But don’t just hire the first one you find with a quick search online, or go with the first one recommended to you. You need to take your time and do your research, as with most components of the home- buying process. Choosing the right inspector is the key to a thorough and comprehensive report. Search online, but be sure to pay special attention to reviews of the inspectors you find. Many real estate websites have a list of professionals with both ratings and reviews. Ask your friends and family members for a recommendation. Finally, remember that an excellent source of recommendations is the real estate agent with whom you’re working. This is yet another reason why I recommend that you work with an agent. An agent, among many other attributes discussed in this book, is a wealth of information when it comes to working with other professionals you’ll need along the way, such asmortgage brokers, home appraisers, and, in this case, home inspectors and experts. COMMON BUYER MISTAKES Many buyers, particularly first-time home buyers, make mistakes when it comes to the inspection component of the
127
Powered by FlippingBook