Most Home Inspectors are honorable, ethical and hard working. But there are a few bad apples that home buyers should be aware of.
The Cheap Inspector
There some home inspectors who advertise deep discounted prices, but in return, you get a cheaply done job. The Cheap Inspector may not have the training, and certainly do not bring in the tools and equipment to do a thorough job. Further, to make up for their low price, they can not stay long as they have to rush off to the next job.
If you are spending 1/3 of a million, or 1/2 a million, or maybe over a million dollars on a house, are you really going to trust such a large investment to the cheapest inspector in town?
The Bait and Switch
Some firms advertise and will sell you on that they have x-number of years experience doing this or that, and they have certain education and credentials. But buried in their sales pitch is the world “on staff”. Meaning, someone in their company might have all of this impressive experience and credentials, but that is not who is going to show up to your house. Make sure the inspector you hire is the inspector who actually does your inspection.
The Conflict of Interest
It is sad to say some inspectors have a final interest in making sure you buy the home, regardless of what they find. Perhaps there is a kick back involved. Perhaps the inspector is a relative of the real estate agent. Or maybe the agent simply promised more referrals to the inspector if they help the deal close. Either way, any conflict of interest could influence the inspector to write a soft report, that is, overlook or not explain how serious a problem might be. I have even seen one inspection firm advertise to real estate agents that they offer soft reports in hopes of getting hired.
Your home inspector should be impartial and objective, as well as free of any conflicts of interest in the home.