Since many states do not have licensing requirements for home inspectors it is important that you check with your local better business bureau or home builders association before hiring an inspector.

Make sure you are with the home inspector as they do the inspection so they can give you tips on preventive maintenance. They can also help you identify potential future problems with the home.

Home Inspections can also be very educational for the first time home buyer. As the inspector is going through the house and checking all the systems they can often provide you with information that is vital for the maintenance and safety of some of the systems. For example, the main shut off for the water supply, the main switch for the electric, where and how to replace heating filters, etc.

If you are a first time home buyer, and you don't know much about houses, ask your home inspector to explain the different systems as they go through the house.

A home inspection is highly recommended. I can not emphasize enough how important a QUALIFIED home inspector is. You want someone who is going to do a thorough job and not cut any corners. This obviously is going to help you by minimizing the unexpected costs of home repair. A qualified home inspector can be referred from your realtor and/or mortgage broker, or one can be located either online or in the phone book.

The Home Inspector may also suggest having further environmental testing, based on what they think may be a problem with the home or neighborhood. Some of these may include;

Lead testing
Asbestos testing
Water testing
Radon testing
Carbon monoxide testing
Septic inspection
Formaldehyde testing

In cases where the Home Inspector finds minor problems with a property, the home buyer can often use that information to negotiate for a discount on the price. A home inspection report listing the problems of the property is a great negotiation tool.

How does one get peace of mind when buying a resale home? A home inspection by a qualified inspector plus a Home Warranty policy equals: Peace of Mind for the buyer.

If any defects or faults are found by the inspector the lender will most likely require them to be repaired before they will allow the loan to close on the property.

Having a home inspection completed can save you thousands of dollars in unexpected structural repair bills. With any new purchase, you should always hire an independent inspection to cover the structural integrity of the home you are buying.

Some common problems that are found are:

Foundation problems

Roof problems

Excess peeling paint

Faulty or out of code wiring

Excessive basement moisture

A home inspection is important to protect yourself from any mechanical or structural problems but finding an experienced, qualified, home inspector is equally important. Experienced, qualified inspectors know what to look for when inspecting a home. They can spot future problems as well as present problems with a home.
So, while getting a home inspection is a great idea using a qualified home inspector is just as important.

If you do not know of a qualified home inspector then I would ask you realtor for a couple of names are you can also ask your loan officer.

It is in the home inspectors best interest to do as complete a job as possible. If you are with the home inspector, during the inspection, and he/she does not go out and bring in any tools or at least get a little dirty looking around. Then I would highly suggest, that you find a new inspector.

As soon as the home inspector signs off on his/her inspection, then they could be held liable for any damage done to the house. If they sign the inspection and the roof falls down a year later, with no mention of that as a possibility, they would be considered liable and thus action could be taken upon them.

At this time home inspectors are unregulated. So its very important to make sure they have the experience. Since there is no regulation there are no standardized levels of competency. The inspectors experience is vital to a good home inspection.

Remember, no home, even brand new homes, will be completely free of defects. Don't expect your new home to have a perfectly clean inspection report.