Hi,
Professional inpspector(real one) is much better than ordinary would be
home owner. He carrys insurance to cover his/her mistkaes as well.
300.00 well spent in many cases.
Tony

Joe Esposito wrote:

From someone who learned the hard way.....

First thing... if you hired one of those $300 inspectors
(Homecheck...) be careful because they typically aren't "deal
breakers"

Since it is raining check the basement for leaks. If the rim
joist/sill plate area is open check for mold. White/Yellow Mold is
common in humid basements.

If the attic is unfinished check to see if there is adequate
ventilation (soffits/ridge vents...etc). If the attic insulation is
stuffed into the soffit vent area pull some of the insulation back to
check for Black Mold.

Also, if the home inspector wants to skip looking at an area because
of the homeowners items are blocking access.... insist that he/she
looks at the area.... don't assume that everything is OK.

Also look at obvious things like leaking faucets(turn them on
full-way).

If you see something that looks out of place (furniture... soap
dish...etc) try to move look around the object to see if they are
hiding something.

Also, get the termite inspection, radon test and CO test if you have a
gas furnace/water heater. Have the home inspector check the CO level
on the gas furnace for a cracked heat exchanger. Check the air filter
to see how the homeowner maintains the furnace.

A little bit a paranoia will ensure that you are not buying a
nightmare......

Joe E.

On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 21:31:02 +0000 (UTC), Chris Eller
wrote:


Hello all. My wife and I are 99% through the process of purchasing a home
for the first time. I'll be following the inspector through the home
tomorrow. I plan on taking notes along with him, but I was hoping to
glean some information from the pool of experience here.

Are there things I should especially keep an eye peeled for during the
inspection? This is in south central Indiana, the home was built in 1965
and it has been raining today and is forcast to rain more tomorrow. The
home has an unfinished basement (smelled and looked very dry during a
prior visit, but it had not rained recently).

Thank you all in advance!

Chris