Monday, March 2, 2015

What are the Benefits of a Seller's Inspection?


When selling a home, most owners wait for potential buyers to obtain a home inspection to find out the condition of the property… after negotiations are underway. 

Often, sellers are hit with demands by a buyer to repair or replace deficiencies found during the inspection or to lower their selling price.  Some sellers are caught by surprise and have no room to negotiate since they've already accepted a lower offer.

Waiting for a buyer's inspection to continue negotiations delays the buying process, and in some cases, allows buyers to walk away from the deal altogether.  This leaves sellers and their realtor with wasted time, effort and money. 

A seller's inspection (also known as a pre-listing inspection) can help put control of the selling process in the hands of the seller by:

  • Allowing sellers to secure a profile of the home to ask for the best possible price
  • Uncovering deficiencies and addressing them quicker
  • Not catching the seller by surprise when a buyer's inspection reveals certain issues
  • Making the home more appealing to potential home buyers by shining a spotlight on the home's positive points
  • Showing the buyer that a seller has nothing to hide and building a more trustful transaction
  • Potentially reducing a seller's liability by having professional documentation to rely on when completing disclosure forms

Although a buyer is still entitled to obtain their own inspection, many buyers feel confident about purchasing a home that has been pre-inspected. In some cases, buyers decide to waive their own inspection and rely on the seller's inspection to make their decision. Therefore, it's a good idea for a seller to take control and not wait for surprises by getting a seller's inspection.



Structure Inspections is built on 20 years of experience in the construction inspection industry.  Our main focus is making sure our inspections help people move forward. Our experienced inspectors are certified, trained, and remain current with building practices to provide the best home inspections and commercial inspections in Ventura County, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. We are just a phone call away from taking care of your next inspection! Call us today at (805) 815-3000.

How much does a Home Inspection Cost in Ventura County?



When buying or selling a home in Ventura County, and in all other areas, it is always wise to obtain an inspection by a trained professional who can provide information about the general condition of the home.  

Inevitably, when seeking a visual home inspection, the question will come up - How much does a home inspection cost? 


While it's true that unique features of a home make the cost of an inspection increase or decrease, a good home inspection in Camarillo, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, or any other part of Ventura County costs roughly the same.  

Based on information compiled from new clients who have used other inspectors in the past and from local realtors who have worked with several inspectors, below is an average of what a good inspection should cost:

  • For a single-family home that's approximately 2,000 square feet, you can expect to pay around $350-$400. 
  • For the same home, approximately 3,000 square feet, you can expect to pay around $450-$500. 
  • Condominiums and Town Homes are typically a little less because the scope of the inspection differs from a single-family home inspection. You can expect about a $25 - $50 discount.
  • Additional amenities, such as a pool or spa will increase the cost of the inspection by about $25 - $75.
  • Additional tests will also increase the cost. Tests like Mold, Radon or Lead-Based Testing differ in price depending on the size of the home. 
  • Some inspectors charge extra for two story homes and homes built before 1980. Also, some companies charge more for inspections in areas like Thousand Oaks than what they charge in places like Oxnard or Port Hueneme. Currently, Structure Inspections does not charge extra for any of these.


The cost of the inspection does not guarantee the quality of the inspection.  Higher does not always mean better, although lower sometimes does mean worse. Beware of inspections under $200. Often times these are the inspectors who are just mark yes or no on the report, or copy and paste generic comments to send a summary report right away. They are not actually looking our for the best interest of their clients. 

Aside from price, it is still important to consider the 5 Things a Good Home Inspector will have. As long as you have a general idea of what a home inspection should cost, don't seek the best price out there, because that might be the one to cost more in the long run if issues are missed. Instead, use the averages above to help you when looking for a good home inspector in Ventura County.  




Structure Inspections is built on 20 years of experience in the construction inspection industry.  Our main focus is making sure our inspections help our clients move forward by explaining how issues can be taken care of and providing them with the resources to do so.  Our experienced inspectors are certified, trained, and remain current with building practices to provide the best home inspections and commercial inspections in Ventura County, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. We are just a phone call away from taking care of your next inspection! Call us today at (805) 815-3000.




A Home Inspector's Role when Buying a Home


When buying a new home, the inspection process is perhaps the most dreaded period for all parties involved. That’s because after getting so close to a deal, home inspections can potentially make a pending sale fall through.


If a buyer is not in the real estate inspection or construction industry chances are they’re not too familiar with all the systems and components that a home inspection covers, how they function, and why they fail. So buyers might rely heavily on the findings of the inspector to make their buying decision. It is the home inspector's role to provide buyers with reliable information to make such decisions, but that's not always the outcome.


Although in some inspections an inspector may find major issues within a property that can make a buyer legitimately rethink their purchase, one reason buyers are walking away from the sale is because of issues not properly explained by inexperienced inspectors.


Recently, we completed an inspection for a buyer whose previous sale fell through because their inspector reported that the home contained asbestos. The buyer was evidently bummed out because that was their ideal first home. When asked what testing method their inspector used, he said, "He didn't test, he just said that all homes built before 1970 contained it, and it was a health threat to my kids." 


While we don't know if this house actually contained asbestos, we do know that it was a great disservice on the part of an apparently inept inspector to make such statements without all proper information.  


An inspector's role is not to assume or predict problems and state them as fact. Their job is to use their knowledge in the field to evaluate and report on the overall condition of the home, find actual problems and concerns, communicate their importance, and refer buyers to the correct professionals who can investigate further and fix needed deficiencies. Using that information, buyers can decide for themselves how they wish to proceed. 


This is why it is important for buyers to hire an experienced and knowledgeable home inspector who uncovers true deficiencies, communicates well, educates them about issues found and provides them with resources to move forward.

Truth is, no home is perfect. 


As homeowners, it’s important to understand that there will always be things to do and unexpected repairs will come up at one point or another. But having a true understanding of the home before buying will help homeowners prevent or mitigate issues.


The key is having a good home inspector who gives the proper information about issues and knows the difference between a critical issue, a preventive or maintenance issue, or an issue that's just convenient to repair and is able to explain those differences to buyers so they can make really informed decisions. 

How does a buyer know a good inspector from a bad one? This article provides the Top 5 Things a Good Home Inspector will have.



Structure Inspections is built on 20 years of experience in the construction inspection industry.  Our main focus is making sure our inspections help buyers move forward by explaining how issues can be taken care of and providing them with the resources to do so.  Our experienced inspectors are certified, trained, and remain current with building practices to provide the best home inspections and commercial inspections in Ventura County, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. We are just a phone call away from taking care of your next inspection! Call us today at (805) 815-3000.


5 Things a Good Home Inspector will have


Now that you're buying or selling a home, you'll likely find yourself looking for a home inspector. If you're not too familiar with home inspectors (like most people) then this post is for you. 

Just like no two fingerprints are the same, inspectors aren't either. They vary greatly in experience, knowledge, competency, and integrity. Which makes a home inspection only as good as the inspector.

After 20 years in the industry, we've come to find that most good home inspectors share 5 things in common:


1. Experience

All good home inspectors have verifiable work experience in the area of inspections and years of experience in the construction industry or a closely related field. They not only know what to look for, they also know why they're looking for it.


2. Affiliation

Currently, there are no licensing or education requirements to become a home inspector in the State of California. This means that anyone who pays a private entity money to take a training course can become an inspector. However, there are industry associations, such as ASHI, who set industry guidelines, have Standards of Practice, and require continuing education for home inspectors. 

ASHI is the oldest and largest professional organization for home inspectors in North America. However, there are other good organizations out there, such as CREIA, and InterNACHI. You should always look for an inspector affiliated with any one of these three organizations, or another recognized home inspection organization. 


3. Certification and Training

No matter how much related experience they have, you should still look for an inspector who is actually trained and has received certification as a home inspector (yes, even by a private entity). This shows that they take their profession seriously and are aware of the industry guidelines for home inspections. But as stated above, being certified and trained does not make an inspector good; it only helps compliment their experience.



4. Liability and Errors & Omissions Insurance

Liability Insurance generally covers claims for injury to others or damage to property. Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance covers the clients and their agents in case the inspector's negligence has adverse effects on the property.  An inspector who carries General Liability and E&O Insurance will be better able to protect you. Not all inspectors carry E&O, and some inspectors don't carry insurance at all. A good inspector will always be properly insured because they care about you and their business. Make sure you ask them when considering hiring their services.


5. Professional Inspection Reports

An inspection report can be the difference between a sale going through and falling through.  A good inspector will have experience writing reports that are comprehensive in details while still easy-to-read. A good home inspector will be happy to provide you with samples of reports prior to being hired. You should always obtain reports and read them for user friendliness, tone, grammar, and completeness. Although some inspectors only have check boxes that identify yes or no, or good condition or poor condition, good inspectors will often have further details explaining the deficiencies and provide you with recommendations to help you address those issues quickly.



The proactive work in getting to know an inspector before hiring them will help protect your investment.  Although these 5 Things a Good Home Inspector will have are not predictors of the quality of your own inspection, they are top things to keep in mind when starting your search for a home inspector in California.  



Structure Inspections is built on 20 years of experience in the construction inspection industry.  Our main focus is making sure our inspections help our clients move forward by explaining how issues can be taken care of and providing them with the resources to do so.  Our experienced inspectors are certified, trained, and remain current with building practices to provide the best home inspections and commercial inspections in Ventura County, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles. We are just a phone call away from taking care of your next inspection! Call us today at (805) 815-3000.