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What makes an inspector "The Top Home Inspector"? Is it experience? Brains? A state license to practice as an inspector? The short answer is no. The real answer to "what makes a home inspector the 'top home inspector'" comes from a number of different qualities the inspector possesses which he or she takes to the job and implements for the client and the way he or she runs their business.

This website takes that question "what makes a home inspector the 'Top Home Inspector'" and breaks it down so you can shop for an inspector easily and with confidence since buying a house WILL be (for 90% of us) The Biggest Investment of Our Lives. That's why you want the best possible home inspector in your corner to tell you whether that your dream home is a solid buy or a lemon with a termites, foundation issues hidden health hazards. We will start by raising 4 points about finding your "Top Home Inspector" and try to shed some light on them.

Tip No. 1: Don't trust an inspector simply because he or she has a state license or certification. All states that issue licenses require training, but the training may be so minimal that it is ineffective.

What makes an inspector "The Top Home Inspector"? Is it experience? Brains? A state license to practice as an inspector? The short answer is no. The real answer to "what makes a home inspector the 'top home inspector'" comes from a number of different qualities the inspector possesses which he or she takes to the job and implements for the client and the way he or she runs their business. 
 

Tip No. 2: Look for an inspector who is associated with a professional inspection organization. This can help weed out the professional wannabe inspectors and excellent scammers but won’t catch them all. Some associations are so easy to get into that you can send them a $60 check and you'll be a member.

Look for affiliation with groups such as NAHI, and the American Society of Home Inspectors. These are some of the most reputable inspector associations, and their Web sites have a "find an inspector" service to locate a member in your area.

You can also learn about their criteria for membership: how many inspections are required for acceptance into the group, the amount of education and exams, the level of exams. Inspectors who are fully certified by ASHI, the nation's oldest such group, with 5,700 members, are required to have completed at least 250 paid professional home inspections and passed two written exams, for example.

Tip No. 3: Don't just take your agent's recommendation at face value. Real-estate agents often recommend inspectors to home buyers. But, since both agent and inspector have a financial incentive for things to go well: for the agent, a commission, and for the inspector, the possibility of repeat business from the agent, do not employ these inspectors.  

Here are some suggestions from the pros when it comes to hiring a real estate agent recommended inspector:

• Get more than one suggestion from your real-estate agent. Try to ask for five.
• Ask the agent flat out, "Who's the deal-killer in this area?" In other words, who's the inspector with a reputation for mucking up deals because he finds all of a home's flaws. That's who you want.

Tip No. 4: “Inspect the inspector”.

Here's what to do:

• Check for complaints. Go to Virginia’s Board of Licensing website and check for complaints. Go to the BBB and check for complaints. Go to Angieslist, and check for complaints. Call a professional organization to which the inspector belongs to and do the same.

Interview the inspector. Don't be shy. Here's what to ask:

• Talk to me. The inspector should make time for you and answer all your questions. If he's professional, the answers should roll right off his tongue.
  
  
• Ask about the inspector’s credentials and experience. Generally speaking, You should have had a hammer in your hand at some point in your background to have a good grasp of construction.
  
• Ask whether the inspector carries “errors and omissions insurance. In Virginia, insurance is a licensing requirement.
  
• Get it in writing. Ask if the inspector puts his findings into a narrative-style report; that's what you want – not just a long checklist.
   
• Invite yourself. Before hiring the inspector, ask to come along when the home is examined. Another red flag would be if they don't want you to go on the home inspection with them. A home inspection usually takes three to four hours. Unless a team is examining the home, be suspicious of anyone who tells you it will take 45 minutes.

With a little inspecting of your own, you'll likely end up with a home that contains no unhappy surprises. And that's a happy ending for everyone.