Home Inspector in Newtown Square, PA

Choosing the Right Home Inspector in Newtown Square, PA

Importance of choosing the right home inspector

Choosing the right home inspector may seem intimidating, but choosing the wrong one may cost you valuable time and money. Many new home buyers these days know very little about homes, the systems in their homes and how to maintain them so that they have an enjoyable safe home that maintains its value over time. Your home inspector should be someone you feel you can trust; has an agreeable manner and a breadth of knowledge you may rely on. Above all, they should be a “teacher” at heart, after all you have a lot to learn as a custodian of your new home.

A good home inspector will treat you like a lifelong client, they will answer your call or emails long after the inspection is completed, and you have settled into your home. When interviewing home inspectors, feel them out to see if they are “transactional”, transactional individuals are more concerned with the sale and adding services. Often these types of individuals may seem bothered by calls after the sale of your home. Is the home inspectors web site littered with badges and certifications, this can be a sign of a younger inspector trying to “fluff” their experience, an experienced home inspector is confident but not showy. And above all they will give you the feeling of being a trusted consultant, someone more concerned about your needs.

How do you find the right inspector for you?

Home Inspector in Newtown Square, PA

First ask friends and family if they have any experience with a home inspector they trust, then interview them and see if they are a fit for you. Often your relator will have some suggestions, giving you 2-3 names and maybe point out the ones they feel are a better fit.

You can search online through google or other search engines. These search engines try and rank home inspectors by customer satisfaction. It’s not a perfect science but it can help you select ones to interview. Keep in mind that the first 2-3 names at the top of the search page will say “Sponsored” or “Ad”, these listings are paid for by the inspection company and are listed first because they generate revenue for the search engine. It does not necessarily mean they are suspect, but you shouldn’t blindly trust them, do you due diligence and interview them.

Another option is services that connect homeowners with contractors; Angi, yelp, etc., the problem with these services is that they are a pay for play scenario for the home inspector and often the better home inspectors or inspection companies avoid these services because of the high service fees they charge.

The question often comes up from buyers’ if they can trust the recommendations from their relator? I would say generally yes, but you still should interview the ones they recommend and select the best fit for you. There are two unhelpful statements that may confuse home buyers looking for a home inspector, the first one is often heard from home inspectors and the second is often heard from relators.

1.     Home Inspectors are “Deal” killers and blow things out of perspective.

2.     Realtors want soft home inspectors so the deal will be easier to settle.

Are there home inspectors that act like “deal killers”, sure probably, bedside manner goes a long way to lending context to the condition of the home and some inspectors are just not good at it. They miss the opportunity to help a client understand the entire scope of the report, what is important and what is not and that most homes have a quite a few different maintenance issues that do not affect the intrinsic value of the home. If you expect to purchase a home with little of these issues, you probably should just rent.

Home Inspector in Newtown Square, PA

 When interviewing home inspectors try and get a feel for their style, if they aggressive about finding defects and how bad they are, they might not have the right “manner” that can help you understand the home. I tell my clients at almost every inspection, if you focus on the number of maintenance issues and back out of an offer over them you will often find a similar number of these issues at the next home you inspect. This will cost you time and money and maybe missing out on a home you would otherwise have a great experience owning.

I hear home inspectors that claim realtors only recommend home inspectors that are soft and make the deal easier to complete, in general I have NOT found that to be the case. If your relator is insistent that you only use a specific home inspector, that might be a red flag. The relators that have your back and want the best for you will give you 2-3 names and let you make the decision.

I know realtors that refer me because I am honest about the condition of the home and have their client’s best interest in mind. If a deal doesn’t go through it just means some extra time looking, they will have your respect and retain you as a client, the good realtors understand this. With that all being said, you know I will want to give a recommendation on why you should consider Batten To beam inspections, LLC for your home inspection. You can also contact us at +1 484-573-7194 after all this is my blog post!  You can expect that any inspection I do is done with your best interests in mind, I have extensive career customer relationship experience and understand that my best interest is served when you are taken care of to your satisfaction. I love this profession and I love helping homeowners and I take my experience and knowledge seriously and never consider myself done with training, there is something to learn at every home Development. You can be assured I will not leave a stone unturned.

Richard Graff

Richard Graff

Residential and commercial inspector

Richard returned to the Southeast Pennsylvania area in 2016 after spending 20+ years in Texas. Interested in changing careers and after much research he started his training in Home Inspections and has been a residential home inspector since 2017 and a commercial inspector since 2021. Richard is a consumer of information and enjoys learning about inspecting properties far in excess of the standard inspection SOP and using that knowledge to help you make decisions.

Professional Home Inspection Services

Inspecting the properties for more than 30 years