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(Updated March 2016)
Home inspections are a critical part of the home buying and selling process. Failure to obtain a home inspection could potentially cost you a great deal of money and hassles in the long run. The following information sources will assist you and in turn, your clients, in understanding home inspections, the home inspection process and working with home inspectors. You will also uncover valuable tips on the importance of a home inspection and helpful links to a variety of professional home inspection organizations and useful information available to you from the National Association. (K. Bartlett Walsh, Senior Quality Assurance/Customer Advocate)
E – EBSCO articles available for NAR members only. Password can be found on the EBSCO Access Information page.
Source: NAR’s Consumer Advertising Campaign Online Video: HouseOff! Home Inspection, (National Association of REALTORS®, Feb. 22, 2016).
Questions to Ask a Home Inspector
- Do you belong to a professional association?
- Will your report meet all state requirements?
- How experienced are you?
- How do you keep your expertise up to date?
- Do you focus on residential inspection?
- Do you offer to do repairs or improvements?
- How long will the inspection take?
- How much?
- Will I be able to attend the inspection?
Source: Questions to Ask a Home Inspector, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2016).
Home Inspection 101
What to Know About the Home Inspection, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2016).
The 10 Most Common Home Inspection Problems, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2016).
TestAll.comTM Launches New, Affordable Mold Testing Services for Home Inspection Professionals and Consumers, (PR Newswire, Sept. 10, 2015). E
Frequently Asked Questions on Home Inspections, (American Society of Home Inspectors, 2016).
ASHI’s Virtual Home Inspection Tour, (American Society of Home Inspectors, 2016).
Links to Consumer Protection Information, (American Society of Home Inspectors, 2016).
10 Questions to Ask Home Inspectors (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2016).
What a Home Inspection Should Cover (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2016).
The Home Inspector’s File (REALTOR® Magazine Online, 2015).
Ten tips to ensure roof reliability, (HouseLogic, Apr. 30, 2013).
Are your plumbing pipes worn out?, (HouseLogic, Nov. 12, 2010).
5 Tips for Inspecting and Maintaining Your Garage, (HouseLogic, Mar. 15, 2010).
Treatment Options for Getting Rid of Insects, (HouseLogic, Mar. 10, 2010).
The Value of Home Maintenance, (HouseLogic, Mar. 10, 2010).
Detect Termites and other Wood-Destroying Insects, (HouseLogic, Mar. 9, 2010).
Inspecting and Maintaining Your Roof, (HouseLogic, Feb. 17, 2010).
Fast Fixes for Common Gutter Problems, (HouseLogic, Dec. 4, 2009).
Legal & Regulatory Issues
Financing, Home Inspection, and Appraisal Issues: Major Issues Affecting Contract Settlement, (National Association of REALTORS® Economist’s Outlook, Feb. 9, 2016).
Pools safety plan calls for more home inspections, (The Sun Herald, Jan. 24, 2016). E
Centerville considers housing inspection program, (Dayton Daily News, July 10, 2015). E
Community & Political Affairs—State Issues Tracker, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2015).
Home Inspector Sues Agent for Calling Him “Total Idiot” (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Jan. 18, 2012).
Let’s Ask the Inspector - Even If You Know the Difference Between a Ground Rod and a Two Gang, Avoid Acting Like a Home Inspector (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Mar., 2011).
Quality of Home Inspection Varies by Region, (Realty Times, Jan. 11, 2008).
The Home Inspection Professional
Home Inspector or Specialist?, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Feb. 2016).
Beyond the Inspector: 7 Pros Who May Need to Check Out Your Future Home (and Why), (HouseLogic, 2016).
Find a Home Inspector, (American Society of Home Inspectors, 2016).
Becoming an Inspector, (American Society of Home Inspectors, 2014).
Finding the Next Right Thing, (Associations Now, June 2006). E
Home Inspections and the Real Estate Licensee, (Journal of Real Estate Practice and Education, 2003). E
Code of Ethics of the American Society of Home Inspectors, (American Society of Home Inspectors, June 13, 2004).
Websites
American Society of Home Inspectors
932 Lee St., Ste. 101
Des Plaines, IL 60016
Tel. 847-759-2820
http://www.ashi.com
National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers
P.O. Box 403
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18703
Tel. 800-294-7729
http://www.nabie.org
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors
1750 30th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
http://www.nachi.org
National Association of Home Inspectors
4248 Park Glen Rd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Tel. 800-448-3942 or 612-928-4641
http://www.nahi.org
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
The 30 Second Commute—The Ultimate Guide to Starting and Operating a Home-Based Business (Adobe eReader)
The Clutter Cure—Three Steps to Letting Go of Stuff, Organizing Your Space and Creating the Home of Your Dreams (Adobe eReader)
The Complete Book of Home Inspection (Adobe eReader)
The Complete Guide to Zoning (Adobe eReader)
Home Closing Checklist (Adobe eReader)
How to Increase the Value of Your Home (Adobe eReader)
Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise (Adobe eReader)
What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Mold (Adobe eReader)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
The resources below are available for loan through Information Services. Up to three books, tapes, CDs and/or DVDs can be borrowed for 30 days from the Library for a nominal fee of $10. Call Information Services at 800-874-6500 for assistance.
Mystical Guide to Home Inspection, (Author House, 2005). HD 1375 R17
Navigating USPAP - Practical Applications, (Appraisal Foundation, 2005). HD 1387 H46
Mold & Real Estate: A Handbook for Buyers and Sellers, (Thomson South-Western, 2004). TD 883 St8
Secrets of the Happy Home Inspectors, (Someday Publishing, 2004). HD 1341 C76
REBAC Roundtable 2003, Volume II: Home Inspections and Buyer's Rep Liability, (Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council, Inc., 2003). HF 296 R24r
2003 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Survey of Real Estate Services, (National Association of REALTORS®, 2003). HD 1375 N21 sr
Inspecting a House, (Newton, CT: Taunton, 2001). TH 4817.5 C31
Real Estate Home Inspection, (Chicago, IL: Dearborn Financial Publishing, 1999). HD 1387 Bu91
Start Your Own Home Inspection Business, (Paramus, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1999). HD 1375 P91
Home Inspector's Guide to Training the Real Estate Professional: An Overview of the Home Inspection Process, (Hurricane Press, 1998). HD 1341 Sh8h
Red Flags: Property Inspection Guide, (Chicago, IL: Real Estate Education Company, 1995). TH 4817.5 P91
The Real Estate Inspection Book, (Canton, OH: Kooba Company, 1995). HD 1341 M31
Field Guides & More
These field guides and other resources in the Virtual Library may also be of interest:
Field Guide to Lead Based Paint
Field Guide to Mold and Health Issues
Field Guide to Preparing & Staging a House for Sale
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The inclusion of links on this field guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this field guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.