Before you sell your home, you will have to have a home inspection. As a buyer, you will want your potential new home inspected. The problem is the State of Virginia doesn't require home inspectors to be certified. You have to have a license to sell real estate or to cut hair, but in Virginia, certification is voluntary. To be a home inspector, you don't have to schooled, qualified, carry insurance or even have knowledge of homes, In fact, in Virginia, many of the so-called certified inspectors get their licenses online by taking an online exam and paying for the certificate.
Although it is illegal in Virginia to call oneself certified unless they have taken the Virginia State Board exam, some may still do it. It is a good idea to check for membership in one or more of these organizations:
- The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)
- The National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI)
- The Virginia Association of Real Estate Inspectors (VAREI)
- Virginia State Board Certified Home Inspectors
To verify that your home inspector is truly certified, go to www.dpor.virginia.gov then to "License Lookup" and click on the box "Home Inspectors." If you inspector doesn't appear in the state web site, they are not Certified Home Inspectors.
As a consumer, what else can you do?
- Make sure the inspector is insured and bonded. Ask for and insist upon proof.
- Talk to two or three inspectors before making your choice. Ask to see reports they have done in the past.
- Ask for referrals from associated who have had positive experiences with inspectors
If you are a seller
Strongly consider having your own home inspection before putting your home on the market. If there are problems, you will know about them ahead of time and you can take measures to correct the problems before attempting to sell your home. Even if you don't want a complete inspection done ahead of time, at least get the major systems inspected like furnaces and roofs. Roofs cause more problems than anything else.
Always insist the buyer get an independent inspection for your protection and theirs.
If you are a buyer
Never buy a home without it being inspected. There are simply too many things that may be wrong with a property that could cause you problems later. Do not rely on your realtor, your appraiser, your neighbor, or your favorite uncle to look things over for you. Hire a certified individual.
You, as the buyer, should choose the inspector. If you allow your realtor to suggest someone and there is a problem with the inspection, you may wonder if your realtor had something dishonest going on with the inspector.
If you are buying a vintage home, make sure your inspector is knowledgeable about older homes and experienced in inspecting them. Inspectors are paid to found out what is wrong with a property, not what is right. It is reasonable to expect there may be some minor problems with an older home. Minor faults should not discourage you from buying an older home, especially if it is exactly what you are looking for.
Even if you are buying a new property, insist on an inspection. Don't rely on the builder or the local building department to protect your interests.
