Can anyone recommend a great home inspector? (Dennis: houses, buyers)

[heyho]

Sooner or later, I'll be needing one. I just as soon get a line on an honest, independent inspector.

The challenge, I discovered, is that many are in the pockets of the realty companies to 'pass' many houses or to minimize problems.

Your comments, as always, are appreciated!

[capecodcathy]

What area are you looking in?

[Picture Taker]

Originally Posted by heyho

Sooner or later, I'll be needing one. I just as soon get a line on an honest, independent inspector.

The challenge, I discovered, is that many are in the pockets of the realty companies to 'pass' many houses or to minimize problems.

Your comments, as always, are appreciated!

I just used Tiger Home Inspections..... he went through the home with a fine tooth comb.... I would suggest them for you

[andrea5150]

We used Tiger Home Inspections also. The inspector we had was great.

[redpanda]

I HIGHLY recommend you stay away from Tiger. Sure, they may go through your house with a "fine-tooth comb", but they're not necessarily accurate. We just sold our house and the buyers used Tiger...seriously, you should have seen the inaccuracies and falsehoods the guy attempted to pass on as gospel. From saying our attic with a high-end $7k insulation job "had no insulation" to saying the house had "active termites" (had to get a pest inpsector to come out...no evidence of anything, no pests, no wood rot, NOTHING), to saying there was a "leaky sewer pipe" (there wasn't) and "no lining in the chimney" (I watched it being rebuilt a few years back and saw the liner with my own eyes) etc. etc. etc.

Remember, "thorough" does not mean "accurate". If a faulty home inspection causes you to walk away from a home that was actually ideal for you and a great deal, you have not received a good home inspection, even if it lasted 5 hours.

I also don't think it's necessarily true that inspectors are "in the pockets" of RE agents. In a business like that, professionals all cross paths with each other. It stands to reason that there would be certain professionals they'd be more likely to recommend. If you don't feel you can trust your agent, you need to find another one, pronto.

Good luck!

[LadyCale]

The person you want is Dennis Robitaille of Able Home inspections. He is as independent as they come. He firmly believes that its a conflict of interest for inspectors to work with realtors. Be warned that he is more expensive than your average fly by night inspector but well worth it. We used him for two houses with good results. He's very good at finding things. I have had seller agents object to us using him because "he is a deal breaker" which is ridiculous since he can't just make something up.

MA home inspections by licensed Massachusetts (MA) home inspectors

[Bill Gassett]

Tiger Home Inspection is a very large company. Like any other business there will be some very good inspectors and others that are not so good. The statement that a home inspector is in bed with the Realtor is silly. If you are are working with a good buyers agent they should be able to recommend a good professional for you to work with. Like the above commenter mentions, if you don't trust your agent you should move on to someone you can trust.

[heyho]

Thanks for all your thoughts!

As to my statement that inspectors are/were in the pocket of realtors, that is exactly what both an architect friend & fireman (as many a firefighter moonlights in construction) said (in Chicagoland anyway) during the housing boom era.

Perhaps MA regulations are different.

[heyho]

LadyCale:

That's the kind of person I am looking for!

We were 'green' when it came to the purchase of our first home. we were given 3-4 names by our supposed 'friend' buyer's agent. The one we selected, based on 'recommendations', missed the fact we had no chimney liner (on a 100+ year house). We are now having to rebuild a chimney 13 years later.... though he did find a corner of the carpet not tacked down.

[Bill Gassett]

Heyho ~ Years ago Realtors only represented the seller and not the buyer. The landscape has changed dramatically. As a buyers agent, it would not be too smart work against your client. It would be easy to see and I am sure you would no longer have a client.