Some thoughts on choosing an inspection and an inspector …..

There is no state certification or licensing for Real Estate Inspectors in Montana.  So on some level you are on your own when choosing to have an inspection done, and if so, who you choose to do it.  Anyone can hang a shingle out and call themselves a Home Inspector.  When you are collecting information to help you make these decisions, you might consider asking these questions.

1. What did you do prior to becoming an inspector?  What did you do in your “former” life?

2. Are you a member of a national home inspection association where active membership requires a commitment to both a clearly defined set of inspection standards and a code of ethics?  If so, which one?  They are not all the same.

3. As a professional, do you carry E and O insurance … Errors and Omissions Insurance.  And if so, am I and my realtor both named as beneficiaries?

A second thought …

If you think working with an experienced, certified, and insured home inspector is expensive, consider the potential risk of working with someone inexperienced, uncertified, and uninsured.  Or, even no inspector.

You will no doubt have significant equity at risk in your home.

At its core, a home inspection shoulder’s part of that risk to your equity.

Please choose wisely.