The seller has accepted your clients' offer and now, with your help, your clients must choose a home inspector.   Should you steer them toward the inspector who writes the softest reports?  Should you steer them toward the inspector who pays to be on your office's preferred vendor list?  Should you help them find the cheapest inspector?  The answers to these questions are of course No, No, and Hell, no.

You have a fiduciary duty to your client and, therefore, must recommend the very best inspectors.  If you recommend a patty-cake inspector, an inspector who indirectly pays for your recommendation, or a cheap inspector, you violate your fiduciary duty to your client.

The National Association of REALTORs defines your duties in their Code of Ethics.  Article 1 requires you to protect and promote your clients' interests.  Article 6 requires you to disclose any financial benefit you may receive from recommending related real estate services (this also includes any benefit to your broker).

Because most real estate agents get paid only if the real estate transaction successfully takes place, your personal interests and your fiduciary duties already conflict.  Don't make your situation any worse.  The best way to avoid negligent referral claims, to operate ethically, and to fulfill your fiduciary duty is to help your client find an inspector based solely on merit.  And although no real estate agent can guarantee the thoroughness of any particular inspector, there is a strong correlation between an inspector's fees and his/her competence (in other words, you get what you pay for).  Helping your client find a cheap inspector for the purchase of their lifetime is a violation of your fiduciary duty.  When in doubt, shop price, and seek out the most expensive inspectors for your clients.

Craftsman Home Inspections llc is a home inspection company proudly serving the Aurora CO and Denver CO Metro Areas. If you are looking for a Home Inspector in Aurora or Denver, please give us a call at 720-593-0383 or check us out online at CraftsmanColorado.com or simply schedule your home  inspection below.

SCHEDULE INSPECTION

Buying a home? The process can be stressful.  A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect.  You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time.  This often includes a written report, a checklist, photographs, environmental reports, and what the inspector himself says during the inspection.  All this, combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself, makes the experience even more overwhelming.  What should you do?

Relax.  Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies for various systems and components, and minor imperfections. These are useful to know about.  However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:

1 Major defects.  An example of this would be a structural failure;

2 Things that lead to major defects, such as a small roof-flashing leak, for example;

3 Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home; and

4 Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electrical panel.

Anything in these categories should be addressed.  Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4).

Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection.  Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report.  No home is perfect.  Keep things in perspective.  Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter.  It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure, or nit-picky items.

Craftsman Home Inspections llc is a home inspection company proudly serving the Aurora CO and Denver CO Metro Areas. If you are looking for a Home Inspector in Aurora or Denver, please give us a call at 720-593-0383 or check us out online at CraftsmanColorado.com or simply schedule your home  inspection below.

SCHEDULE INSPECTION

Paying a little extra for an InterNACHI inspector from Craftsman Home Inspections llc pays off!

Buying a home in the Denver or Aurora Metro Area?  It is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make.  This is no time to shop for a cheap home inspection.  The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the value of the home being inspected.  The additional cost of hiring an InterNACHI-certified inspector from Craftsman Home Inspections llc is almost insignificant by comparison.

You have recently been crunching the numbers -- negotiating offers, adding up closing costs, shopping for mortgages -- and trying to get the best deals.  Don't stop now.  Don't let your real estate agent, a "patty-cake" inspector, or anyone else talk you into skimping on the home inspection.  InterNACHI-certified inspectors from Craftsman Home Inspections perform the best inspections by far.

InterNACHI-certified inspectors earn their fees many times over.  As the most qualified inspectors, they do more, they deserve more, and -- yes -- they generally charge a little more.  Do yourself a favor and pay a little more for the quality home inspection you deserve.

Craftsman Home Inspections llc is a home inspection company proudly serving the Aurora CO and Denver CO Metro Areas. If you are looking for a Home Inspector in Aurora or Denver, please give us a call at 720-593-0383 or check us out online at CraftsmanColorado.com or simply schedule your home  inspection below.

SCHEDULE INSPECTION

Deadly Mistake #1: Thinking you can't afford it. 
Many people who thought that buying the home they wanted was simply out of their reach are now enjoying a new lifestyle in their very own homes.  
Buying a home is the smartest financial decision you will ever make.  In fact, most homeowners would be broke at retirement if it wasn't for one saving grace -- the equity in their homes.  Furthermore, tax allowances favor home ownership. 

Real estate values have always risen steadily.  Of course, there are peaks and valleys, but the long-term trend is a consistent increase.  This means that every month when you make a mortgage payment, the amount that you owe on the home goes down and the value typically increases.  This "owe less, worth more" situation is called equity build-up and is the reason you can't afford not to buy. 

Even if you have little money for a down payment or credit problems, chances are that you can still buy that new home.  It just comes down to knowing the right strategies, and working with the right people.  See below. 

Deadly Mistake #2: Not hiring a buyer's agent to represent you. 
Buying property is a complex and stressful task.  In fact, it is often the biggest, single investment you will make in your lifetime.  At the same time, real estate transactions have become increasingly complicated.  New technology, laws, procedures, and competition from other buyers require buyer agents to perform at an ever-increasing level of competence and professionalism.  In addition, making the wrong decisions can end up costing you thousands of dollars.  It doesn't have to be this way! 

Work with a buyer's agent who has a keen understanding of the real estate business and the local market.  A buyer's agent has a fiduciary duty to you.  That means that he or she is loyal only to you and is obligated to look out for your best interests.  A buyer's agent can help you find the best home, the best lender, and the best home inspector in your area.  That inspector should be an InterNACHI-certified home inspector because InterNACHI inspectors are the most qualified and  best-trained inspectors in the world.

Trying to buy a home without an agent or a qualified inspector is, well... unthinkable. 

Deadly Mistake #3: Getting a cheap inspection. 
Buying a home is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make.  This is no time to shop for a cheap inspection.  The cost of a home inspection is small relative to the value of the home being inspected.  The additional cost of hiring a certified inspector is almost insignificant by comparison.  As a home buyer, you have recently been crunching the numbers, negotiating offers, adding up closing costs, shopping for mortgages, and trying to get the best deals.  Don't stop now!  Don't let your real estate agent, a "patty-cake" inspector, or anyone else talk you into skimping here.   

InterNACHI front-ends its membership requirements.  InterNACHI turns down more than half the inspectors who want to join because they can't fulfill the membership requirements.  

InterNACHI-certified inspectors perform the best inspections, by far.  InterNACHI-certified inspectors earn their fees many times over.  They do more, they deserve more and -- yes -- they generally charge a little more.  Do yourself a favor...and pay a little more for the quality home inspection you deserve. 

Craftsman Home Inspections llc is a home inspection company proudly serving the Aurora CO and Denver CO Metro Areas. If you are looking for a Home Inspector in Aurora or Denver, please give us a call at 720-593-0383 or check us out online at CraftsmanColorado.com or simply schedule your home  inspection below.