Home Inspections

With roles of contractor, real estate agent, residential owner and real estate entrepreneur so often blurred in today's world of home businesses and owner operated real estate firms, when you are about to have a home inspection in Nassau County Long Island, you should be cautious about the disinterestedness of the person or firm you are about to hire. Often, inspectors and real estate professionals are familiar with one another and home owners and home buyers must protect themselves from being swindled.

It is malpractice for a home inspector to have any relation or partnership with the owners of the residence to be inspected. Moreover, the inspector should have no financial interest in the outcome of the inspection. This may seem like common sense, but many home buyers have been burned by a home inspector who was more interested in providing all parties with a clean inspection report simply to ensure the real estate transaction will indeed be completed.

Other than a financial interest in the property itself, a home inspection in Nassau County Long Island should not be carried out with a payment pending upon completion of any real estate transaction. The conflict of interest is clear: if the inspector believes he will not be paid if certain details of the residence are disclosed, then he is less likely to provide a completely impartial post-inspection report. If you are serious about buying or selling a house, it is worth the investment to pay to have an inspection carried out regardless of the transaction's completion. An impartial inspection is valuable in and of itself, as it will reveal any problems that need to be rectified before a fair sale can be made.

Most often, an unprofessional home inspector will offer to provide a commission to the seller of the house or real estate agents, for referring clients to their inspection business. This is a way for them to drum up business at the source. Real estate agents and home sellers will see a great deal of would be buyers. They are in an excellent position to directly market home inspection services to potential clients. When you plan to have a home inspection in Nassau County Long Island, this type of scam is the most difficult to avoid. Some real estate agents will recommend a home inspector simply because the agent finds the inspector to be reliable and there is no underhandedness involved. However, it might best serve your interests to interview several home inspectors before making a decision. Also, if you know anyone in the building industry, ask their opinion of the candidates you are considering and get their recommendation. It's best to disregard recommendations from industry people you do not know personally.

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