House Buying Tip: Home Inspections

[sdsubie]

[quote=jennykay]We just went through this process where the repair was big but we decided to back out as a result. It was just too much for us to take on (given all else required for the property) even if the seller would pay for it. I just noticed the property went under contract again…I do wonder if the issue was disclosed?

Anyway, if you have great home inspector referrals, that would be great to hear about! I think we now will rent for a year or two, but when we do take the plunge, it would be good to have a referral that doesn’t just come from the realtor.[/quote]

We used Insight inspections (http://www.sdinsightinspections.com/) on our recently purchased home, and I have to say I was very impressed with how thorough our inspector was. He spent over 4 hours checking every device and nook and cranny. He crawled under and over everything, ended up finding a costly ($5k) issue with the furnace that I really think a lot of inspectors would have missed. The thoroughness followed through in the report they produced, which was a lengthy, detailed, and very easy to read. I would recommend them without reservation.

[afx114]

It is important to find an inspector who is on your team and looking out for your interests. We used Neal Muckler from Asset Inspection. He is old school. Doesn’t have a website. Still writes everything in a giant pad of papers and makes you copies. But he is anal/OCD and will point out every little lame thing that is wrong. Depending on the house, he’ll look around for 3-5 hours, then spend an hour walking you through each and every one of his findings. It’s a little overwhelming, and can be scary, but he looks out for things that could be problematic not just now, but 5, 10, 15, 30 years down the road. He gives lifetime estimates on each thing, eg: “This roof will probably last you another 8-10 years.” His report then ranks items in order of importance, eg: A = fix now, B = fix soon, C = fix someday. He saved our ass on a potential purchase many years ago and we used him again for the place we bought a few months ago. We’ve used his advise to make some repairs and the contractors that came in to look at the stuff say that his advise was spot on.

We referred him to a friend who was buying a house, and he actually missed something with the water heater. My friend called him back and he came out and offered to not only refund their inspection fee, but also to pay for and repair the issues himself. How many inspectors would admit to their mistakes and go out of their way to make it right like that?

Neal Muckler
Asset Inspection
2320 Wightman Street
San Diego, CA 92104-3323
[email protected]
619-298-7140

[afx114]

It is important to find an inspector who is on your team and looking out for your interests. We used Neal Muckler from Asset Inspection. He is old school. Doesn’t have a website. Still writes everything in a giant pad of papers and makes you copies. But he is anal/OCD and will point out every little lame thing that is wrong. Depending on the house, he’ll look around for 3-5 hours, then spend an hour walking you through each and every one of his findings. It’s a little overwhelming, and can be scary, but he looks out for things that could be problematic not just now, but 5, 10, 15, 30 years down the road. He gives lifetime estimates on each thing, eg: “This roof will probably last you another 8-10 years.” His report then ranks items in order of importance, eg: A = fix now, B = fix soon, C = fix someday. He saved our ass on a potential purchase many years ago and we used him again for the place we bought a few months ago. We’ve used his advise to make some repairs and the contractors that came in to look at the stuff say that his advise was spot on.

We referred him to a friend who was buying a house, and he actually missed something with the water heater. My friend called him back and he came out and offered to not only refund their inspection fee, but also to pay for and repair the issues himself. How many inspectors would admit to their mistakes and go out of their way to make it right like that?

Neal Muckler
Asset Inspection
2320 Wightman Street
San Diego, CA 92104-3323
[email protected]
619-298-7140

[afx114]

It is important to find an inspector who is on your team and looking out for your interests. We used Neal Muckler from Asset Inspection. He is old school. Doesn’t have a website. Still writes everything in a giant pad of papers and makes you copies. But he is anal/OCD and will point out every little lame thing that is wrong. Depending on the house, he’ll look around for 3-5 hours, then spend an hour walking you through each and every one of his findings. It’s a little overwhelming, and can be scary, but he looks out for things that could be problematic not just now, but 5, 10, 15, 30 years down the road. He gives lifetime estimates on each thing, eg: “This roof will probably last you another 8-10 years.” His report then ranks items in order of importance, eg: A = fix now, B = fix soon, C = fix someday. He saved our ass on a potential purchase many years ago and we used him again for the place we bought a few months ago. We’ve used his advise to make some repairs and the contractors that came in to look at the stuff say that his advise was spot on.

We referred him to a friend who was buying a house, and he actually missed something with the water heater. My friend called him back and he came out and offered to not only refund their inspection fee, but also to pay for and repair the issues himself. How many inspectors would admit to their mistakes and go out of their way to make it right like that?

Neal Muckler
Asset Inspection
2320 Wightman Street
San Diego, CA 92104-3323
[email protected]
619-298-7140

[afx114]

It is important to find an inspector who is on your team and looking out for your interests. We used Neal Muckler from Asset Inspection. He is old school. Doesn’t have a website. Still writes everything in a giant pad of papers and makes you copies. But he is anal/OCD and will point out every little lame thing that is wrong. Depending on the house, he’ll look around for 3-5 hours, then spend an hour walking you through each and every one of his findings. It’s a little overwhelming, and can be scary, but he looks out for things that could be problematic not just now, but 5, 10, 15, 30 years down the road. He gives lifetime estimates on each thing, eg: “This roof will probably last you another 8-10 years.” His report then ranks items in order of importance, eg: A = fix now, B = fix soon, C = fix someday. He saved our ass on a potential purchase many years ago and we used him again for the place we bought a few months ago. We’ve used his advise to make some repairs and the contractors that came in to look at the stuff say that his advise was spot on.

We referred him to a friend who was buying a house, and he actually missed something with the water heater. My friend called him back and he came out and offered to not only refund their inspection fee, but also to pay for and repair the issues himself. How many inspectors would admit to their mistakes and go out of their way to make it right like that?

Neal Muckler
Asset Inspection
2320 Wightman Street
San Diego, CA 92104-3323
[email protected]
619-298-7140

[afx114]

It is important to find an inspector who is on your team and looking out for your interests. We used Neal Muckler from Asset Inspection. He is old school. Doesn’t have a website. Still writes everything in a giant pad of papers and makes you copies. But he is anal/OCD and will point out every little lame thing that is wrong. Depending on the house, he’ll look around for 3-5 hours, then spend an hour walking you through each and every one of his findings. It’s a little overwhelming, and can be scary, but he looks out for things that could be problematic not just now, but 5, 10, 15, 30 years down the road. He gives lifetime estimates on each thing, eg: “This roof will probably last you another 8-10 years.” His report then ranks items in order of importance, eg: A = fix now, B = fix soon, C = fix someday. He saved our ass on a potential purchase many years ago and we used him again for the place we bought a few months ago. We’ve used his advise to make some repairs and the contractors that came in to look at the stuff say that his advise was spot on.

We referred him to a friend who was buying a house, and he actually missed something with the water heater. My friend called him back and he came out and offered to not only refund their inspection fee, but also to pay for and repair the issues himself. How many inspectors would admit to their mistakes and go out of their way to make it right like that?

Neal Muckler
Asset Inspection
2320 Wightman Street
San Diego, CA 92104-3323
[email protected]
619-298-7140

[jpinpb]

Thanks for the referrals. Would have been good information to have, but will be helpful to other buyers and if I ever buy again.

[jpinpb]

Thanks for the referrals. Would have been good information to have, but will be helpful to other buyers and if I ever buy again.

[jpinpb]

Thanks for the referrals. Would have been good information to have, but will be helpful to other buyers and if I ever buy again.

[jpinpb]

Thanks for the referrals. Would have been good information to have, but will be helpful to other buyers and if I ever buy again.

[jpinpb]

Thanks for the referrals. Would have been good information to have, but will be helpful to other buyers and if I ever buy again.

[fun4vnay2]

Regarding being old school, it is a good thing or bad thing ?
If a person is reluctant to use a good technology/technological breakthrough for house inspection by being trying to be a old school, then won’t he be missing out the advantages of new technologies to find issues ?

[Jazzman]

I’ve just come back from an inspection, and found what an inspector will say to you in private is not always the same as when two brokers are hovering around, or what they write in their report, which is probably to cover their liability. It seems when pressed, they will give a nod and a wink. Buyer’s brokers are on the side of a sale happening, and may be quick to scoot over your hesitations, if you don’t express them strongly enough. Just my tuppence worth.

[Author]

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