Lisa's Blog
Insight to Real Estate News in Jacksonville & Ponte Vedra, Florida
How to Choose a Home Inspector
We have to pay for what!? This re-occurring theme seems to take place everyday, multiple times, & for 100 different reasons when you are buying a home. At least, that’s what if felt like for me, so I know that every penny counts when it comes to purchasing your new home. The one thing you can’t do without is a home inspection. But, if you hire the wrong inspector, it could cause you serious financial problems. So, who has time to research this stuff? Many of us are too busy and worried about other things. So, if you can remember just one simple rule, it’s this: the fee does not reflect the service.
First, know that the state of Florida does not regulate home inspectors, so there are a ton of them out there, charging whatever they want, for whatever they decide to provide you. Many buyers look for the cheapest fee they can find - this is a huge mistake! When you take your kids to the doctor, you don’t call around first, to find the cheapest one. Even if you didn’t have insurance, you wouldn’t shop for a doctor, you would go to one somebody recommended. Well, I’m not a doctor, but I am the one who is going to determine how safe and healthy your new home is. This is where you and/or your kids are going to sleep, eat, take baths, and breathe. Why would you dole that job out to the cheapest guy you can find? On the other hand, you can easily end up paying too much, and for an inspection that may not be even close to a quality service that costs half the money! Many inspection firms will try and sell you the bell & whistle package, where they use fancy cameras that see through walls, or provide you a WDO inspection as a bonus service, etc. This is all nonsense. Expensive instruments and gimmicks are not needed for an experienced inspector, and in Florida, it’s illegal for a home inspector to perform a WDO inspection.
So, what should you be paying for a good home inspection? Most of the time, it’s based on square footage. A 2,500 sq/ft home should cost between $350 to $400. You should not pay any more or less. Some fees are added if things like pools or sub-floor crawlspaces must be inspected. A competitive inspector should offer a discount or a money back guarantee to the client. This gives you more confidence in your choice. But before you do anything, pick up the phone and call. Ask tough questions, find out more info by asking your real estate agent who they’d recommend. Look at the sample report on the inspectors website and compare. This will tell you alot about his expertise and quality of his service.
To find out more, go to Beaches Inspection Services or call (904)536-5542 and get started with right inspection for you, today!
Brian Green
Beaches Home Inspections
(904)536-5542
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