For most of us, our home represents the largest investment we will ever make. It will also be one of the most complex transactions for most of us. First, finding a home involves difficult decisions regarding location, schools, financing and, in larger metropolitan areas, sifting through hundreds or even thousands of properties. Then there are the various issues after finding the house: writing the offer, the terms of the offer, finding the right lender, choosing the right loan program, going through the escrow process, and meeting the terms of the contract.
At the center of it all is the property we are trying to buy. Homes are made up of important systems such as plumbing, electrical, cooling, or heating, to name just a few. The home itself is a complex combination of systems and subsystems. There can be literally hundreds of defects that would not be apparent to the naked eye. A professional home inspector will inspect the entire structure from roof to foundation, interior and exterior, and all electrical and mechanical parts of the home.
“Buyer beware” was at one point the mantra. That is no longer the case in Arizona. The Arizona Association of Realtors Residential Purchase Agreement provides two significant protections for buyers: First, there is a period of time during which the Buyer may have the property inspected by a professional Home Inspector. Second, there is a mechanism in the process that provides for the Seller to disclose all known defects to the Buyer. The Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) is a form that asks every conceivable question related to the property. Unless a Buyer waives the original offer requirement, the seller must complete the form and return it to the buyer within 5 days of contract. Buyers who compare sellers’ responses to the Inspection Report have intimate knowledge of the property before escrow closes. After inspection, the contract provision allows Buyer to require Seller to repair major systems before escrow closes.
Arizona home inspectors must be registered and certified with the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration. This Board is also the regulatory agency for architects, assayers, clandestine drug lab site remediation workers and site supervisors, engineers, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, surveyors, and remediation specialists.
Certification from the State of Arizona requires a minimum of 80 hours of classroom education, successful completion of the National Home Inspection Exam, and 30 parallel inspections in the presence of a certified home inspector.
So the question is, “How does a buyer choose a home inspector?”
First make sure they are licensed by the state, and then ask the following questions:
Are they members of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)?
Please note the distinction between being a member and “inspecting to ASHI standards.”
Are they members of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI)?
Are they bonded, insured, and do they have errors and omissions insurance?
What is your past experience?
Are they members of the Better Business Bureau?
Other memberships related to inspections?
What are your rates?
Additional tests or inspections that a Buyer may want to consider include those for wood destroying organisms, lead-based paint, mold, radon gas, water analysis, carbon monoxide, and alternative waste disposal systems. Not all home inspectors are qualified to perform these inspections or tests. There would probably also be an additional charge, as these are beyond the normal qualifications of the inspectors.
It is important to remember that the home inspector is a generalist. As a buyer, he may also want to consider additional inspections on major systems, such as roofing, refrigeration, plumbing, and electrical, by licensed contractors in those specialties.
While there are no guarantees that all defects will be found and all future problems avoided, the process in place in Arizona today allows homebuyers to have confidence in their decisions.