Sue's Top Decorating ValuesLet's make it look like home!

Thinking About A Home Inspection Career? Top Facts You’ll Learn With Online Home Inspector Training

Home inspections are something that everybody knows something about – many people have been a part of a home inspection or known people that needed one for a home purchase. However, there are some common misperceptions about home inspections and what they do and don’t cover. Here are some facts about home inspections that you’ll learn in your online home inspector training:

Fact #1 – A home inspection will address any current or potential problems, but it will not fix them.

As a home inspector, you will never have to fix any problems with a home. The inspector’s only job is to diagnose any existing or potential problems and provide buyers with a written report about those problems. Of course, the buyer can use this as a negotiation tool with the sellers, but they shouldn’t expect you to have any hand in fixing the things on their list – that is up to the buyer and the seller. Your online home inspector course will cover exactly what you need to inspect.  

Fact #2 – The home inspection will address only structural issues, not any cosmetic ones.

When it comes to scrapes and scratches, buyers are on their own. These are considered cosmetic issues and not included with the home inspection. The buyer must decide for themselves whether they are prepared to buy a house with a color of paint they dislike, and if they are prepared to pay for the repainting once they buy the house.

Fact #3 – It is unethical for a seller to conceal any problems with the house.

Real estate professionals advise sellers not to try to conceal problems with the house. The ethical and legal thing is for them to let the buyer know about any structural problems – honesty is always the best policy. Plus, when you conduct an inspection based on the principles of your online home inspector training, you will most likely uncover the problems the seller was trying to hide.

Fact #4 – It is ideal for sellers to fix any visual problems before a home inspection.

For home sellers, it is often a good idea to fix any problems before a house is put on the market. Many home owners have a list of projects they’ve wanted to do; if they’re left incomplete at the time a house is on the market, it can lead to a negative home inspection and mean losing money when they sell the house.

Fact #5 – The home inspection may not cover everything.

What you’ll inspect at the home inspection depends on the type of contract the buyer has with the sellers. Of course, you’ll take a look at the structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing aspects of a house, but there may be more. Depending on your qualifications or scope of the inspection, you may check for evidence of radon or mold. 

Fact #6 – Everything should work as it was intended – and that doesn’t mean that everything should be new and of the latest technology.

Your job is to make sure that everything is in working order and doesn’t require repairs. Of course a home buyer would like everything new and up-to-date, but that isn’t within the scope of a home inspector’s job. The house just needs to be in sound condition – the age is not relevant. Although, if a home is much older, such as over 100 years, the inspection techniques may be slightly different than those applied to a newer house. Your online home inspector training will cover what you need to know.   

As a home inspector, you have an important job – to provide an accurate detail of the current condition of a home. You play an integral role in the real estate industry, ensuring that the true condition of a home is fairly represented to the home buyer. Your online home inspector training will teach you the concepts and procedures you need to know. Just keep the above facts in mind and take a fair and objective approach to each and every inspection.   

About the Author

David Henry Dale works as a home inspector in sunny Southern California. He’s been in the industry for 15+ years and has carried on the Dale tradition by taking over his family’s home inspection business. When not out in the field, David enjoys spending time with his wife and two young sons. He likes spending time in the great outdoors and enjoying the warm weather. His new hobby is writing and being an advocate of the home inspection industry. Learn more about online home inspector training and the benefits of this career.

Home Inspection Marketing: Chris Goggans On What Worked For Him

The Home Inspection Book: A Guide for Professionals $32.95 THE HOME INSPECTION BOOK is designed to serve as a learning tool as well as a reference guide. This professional guide is a comprehensive yet self-paced handbook covering both the practice and the business of home inspection addressing all the key areas associated with the business of home inspection in this rapidly growing profession. In addition, this handbook also takes you step-by-step through…

Inspection Authorization Test Prep (Practical Test Standards series) $29.95 With more than 350 sample questions—all of which are based on previous testing experiences—this sourcebook is ideal for Aviation Maintenance Technicians seeking to add Inspection Authorization (IA) privileges to their license. As a closed test—with the questions not being made known to the public—applicants will utilize the comprehensive and effective sample questions, answers,…

The Guru’s Promotion, Success Principles and Inner Game for Home Inspection Checklists On-line Businesses 3 CD Course …