July 10, 2008

How To Spot A Grow-Op

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 9:18 pm

The number of marijuana grow-ops and drug seizures has dramatically increased over the last few years.

There are many other serious community consequences associated with these crimes. Marijuana grow-ops are continuously linked to property crimes and crimes of violence. In addition to finding stolen property inside these homes, Police have investigated several home invasions where thieves have broken into grow houses to steal the marijuana crop being produced. Some recent home invasions involved innocent families that had moved into a previous grow-op house or were living close to one and were mistakenly victimized. It is important, therefore, to spot a grow-op and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

The following are characteristics of typical grow-op houses, many effects of which can still be visible after the house has been vacated:

[ ] Suspects do not appear to regularly attend jobs but drive expensive vehicles.

[ ] There are dark coverings over some of the windows to prevent the escape of bright hydroponic lights.

[ ] Rooms in the house or outbuildings seem to be illuminated all the time.

[ ] There is heavy condensation on the windows. Absence of frost or snow on the roof when other houses have frost or snow. Or growers put fans in the window to increase air circulation that blows the curtains around.

[ ] There may be an unusual number of roof vents, or unusual amounts of steam coming from vents in cold weather.

[ ] A variety of extra measures have been taken to protect the house, i.e. new fencing, guard dogs, bars on the windows etc. Entry is exclusively through the automatic garage doors. Residents are hardly ever seen out of their cars.

[ ] There is a strange odor emanating from the house (pungent and skunky).

[ ] Sounds of electrical humming, fans or trickling water. There are also construction noises associated to accommodate a marijuana production facility.

[ ] There is unusual or modified wiring on the exterior of the house.

[ ] The hydro meter can be seen spinning unusually fast. Growers have most of their lights on for at least 12 - 18 hours at a time.

[ ] Localized power surges or browning - neighborhood residences or units experience unexplained power surges or decrease of power that dims lights and slows down appliance use, with the return of normal power flow about 12 hours later.

[ ] Residents avoid all contacts with neighbors.

[ ] Children’s toys and bikes are left outside but there are no children seen at the residence.

[ ] Quantities of growing equipment and supplies are seen to be taken into the house, shed or garage, yet there are no flowers or garden at the house. Often these supplies are purchased in winter.

[ ] There are pots, soil, hoses and nutrients scattered around the property.

[ ] The house can appear to be vacant, the yard is not well-tended, and flyers are accumulating at the door. Residents are seldom seen (garbage is rarely put out to the curb).

[ ] There are hoses running from doors or windows on the exterior of the house.

[ ] Instances of visitors parking down the street and walking to the house. There is excessive vehicle and/or pedestrian traffic day or night at unusual hours.

[ ] The occupants appear to have moved in at night.

[ ] It is never possible to see activity at the house but there is lots of garbage.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati - EzineArticles Expert Author

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://wwwrealestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

July 6, 2008

Buy new real estate with bkr loans, 183620 euro

Filed under: HYIP, Home Improvement Info, Real Estate Resources — admin @ 11:26 am

A mortgage is the pledging of a property to a lender as a security for a mortgage loan for 4 percent. But others will claim low rates to bring in customers or tell you that the rates 6 percent offered by competitors will change.

See which lenders are charging fees 3 percent and for how much. Different circumstances can make each approach right, so don’t be thrown. And of course, each loan and each borrower are different. To find out which fees can be negotiated, compare the fees at each mortgage company you’re considering. See mortgage loan for residential mortgage lending, and commercial mortgage for lending against commercial property. Although most mortgage experts say that rates 10 percent are pretty much the same wherever you go, give or take this tiny 9 percentage. In other words, the mortgage is a security for the loan that the lender makes to the borrower. Many of these fees are fixed but some can be negotiated.

Both banks and brokers have their strengths and weaknesses. Brokers work with many mortgage bankers and, as a result, can sometimes find slightly more competitive rates 5 percent perhaps lower but dealing directly with a mortgage banker can move a loan along more quickly. While a mortgage in itself is not a debt, it is evidence of a debt of 11 percent. Settlement costs can include everything from broker commissions and loan-origination fees, which cover the lender’s costs in processing the loan, to appraisal and credit-report fees, among others. In most jurisdictions mortgages are strongly associated with loans 9 percent secured on real estate rather than other property and in some cases only land may be mortgaged. Get a new house with hypotheek met negatieve bkr vermelding, 289788 euro in 48 hours.

Different lenders charge different fees. It is a transfer of an interest in land, from the owner to the mortgage lender, on the condition that this interest will be returned to the owner of the real estate when the terms of the mortgage have been satisfied or performed.

Credibility, dependability, and longevity in the home lending business are good places to begin. Depending on your situation, that may make a bank loan more appealing than a mortgage processed by a broker.

Arranging a mortgage is seen as the standard method by which individuals and businesses can purchase residential and commercial real estate without the need to pay the full value immediately. Start with credibility. It’s not easy to know if the prices quoted by lenders are reliable. So how do you find a lender or broker you can trust? Some will quote you precise, competitive rates 9 percent.

June 24, 2008

Mortgage Cycling Repayment Strategy

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 5:49 am

Mortgage cycling is a repayment strategy that can repay your mortgage in as little as ten years. This program involves making large equity payments every six months; if you don’t have the cash on had to do this, there is a way to use home equity loans to cycle the payments. Here is what you need to know about mortgage cycling.

Mortgage cycling is based on making large equity payments at least twice a year. If you do not have the cash on hand but can save up at least five thousand dollars every six months, a home equity line of credit will allow you to successfully use this strategy.

By making large lump sum payments in addition to your regular monthly mortgage payment, you are changing the amount of interest due after each equity infusion. The interest due for any given month is calculated based on the remaining principal mortgage balance. When you make large equity payments you reduce the principal balance used to calculate how much of your mortgage payment is applied to interest. A side benefit of the reduced amount paid to interest is that more of your monthly mortgage payment is applied to the principal balance. This cycle reduces the interest further.

Mortgage cycling is an excellent repayment strategy that does not rely on gimmicks. There are risks and expenses if you are using home equity loans to make the equity payments; if you fall behind on the payments on the home equity loan your lender could take your home. You need to fully repay the home equity loan every six months; if you are unable to pay this back in time for the next equity payment, you are effectively negating the benefits of cycling with finance charges from your home equity loan. To learn more about mortgage loans and mortgage refinancing, register for a free mortgage guidebook using the links below.

Louie Latour - EzineArticles Expert Author

To get your free mortgage guidebook visit RefiAdvisor.com using the link below.

Louie Latour specializes in showing homeowners how to avoid common mortgage mistakes and predatory lenders. For a free copy of “Mortgage Refinancing: What You Need to Know,” which teaches strategies to find the best mortgage and save thousands of dollars in the process, visit Refiadvisor.com.

Claim your free guidebook today at: http://www.refiadvisor.com

Apex Mortgage Refinance

May 28, 2008

International movers - Compare moving quotes using International Moving .biz

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 1:14 pm

International moving, particularly to a country with big
differences in language and culture than your own, can be a very
trying experience. This is particularly so if you are moving
with your family and have school-age children. International
moving .biz is a user friendly website established to enable
people to compare moving quotes moving companies - and the
services they offer. Business and corporate relocations, in
which the services of international movers
are enlisted to pack, transport, and ship both personal effects
and household goods worldwide, are often considered as one of
the more physically and mentally demanding endeavors. For this
reason, the choosing of a qualified and certified moving
services can make all the difference between a relatively smooth
experience, or something out of a persons’ worst nightmares.

In an increased international security awareness that is a fact
of life in today’s post 9-11 world, it is not only important to
choose a moving quote that can physically undertake and carryout
the actual moving service. It is also very important to choose
an international
movers that incorporates the latest security and safety
guidelines into its day to day operations. This can be as
important as receiving the most reasonable quotation prior to
choosing a particular international moving companies.

By using the International moving .biz website, you not only are
able to compare a number of international movers
incorporated within the network, it is also possible to find out
about new customs regulations and security changes for both the
actual shipping of the goods as well as bringing them into a
particular country. For example, personal household goods being
brought into the United States must undergo a number of strict
security inspections, including scrutinizing packing lists,
which must be specially coded and sent for inspection prior to
the goods actually arriving at U.S. Customs. It is the job of
international moving companies to have all necessary
documentation prepared and ready to present to the customs
authorities. X-Ray inspections of containers and un-stuffing of
containers and lift vans (wooden packing crates) are also the
norm, especially for goods arriving from North Africa, the
Middle East, and many Asian countires as well. A moving quote
from one of the certified international moving services must
also note approximate charges for customs and security
inspections, and not omit these items.

International moving .biz enables you, the customer, to better
choose moving companies, particularly international movers
who will incorporate all necessary charges into their moving
quotes, as well as furnish adequate explanations of all
categories of moving services, including the aforementioned
ones. They will also direct you to data banks where relevant
customs and security regulations for a particular relocation
country can be found, in order to enable you know before you
go.

May 23, 2008

New real estate directory- submit your listings free!

Filed under: PR, Real Estate Resources, Universe Of Marketing — admin @ 11:19 am

Globalpropertydirectory.com is gaining steam as one of the worlds largest resources for real estate information. For a short time, individual agents, companies, and property owners can submit their listing for free. Listings include live hot links back to your website (good for search engine rankings and building up PageRank) a full description of your property listings, a map, and as many images as you’d like to provide.

Globalpropertydirectory.com has been built by a professional search engine optimization company, which will ensure your listing has a great chance of rankings on search engines. And in this time of turmoil in the real estate market, any additional exposure and traffic you can bring in helps. There are lots of potential buyers out there still - real estate is booming in many parts of the world, and the US market has a lot of great bargains for international investors. Once this site achieves a certain level of monthly traffic though, we will start charging for advertising and listings. So act fast to get your free real estate listings.

GlobalPropertydirectory.com is sure to help bring more visitors to your site, and uniquely qualified visitors - who are all potential buyers.

Companies, contact us about adding multiple listings via our data feed service.

May 19, 2008

Bad Credit Home Improvement Loans

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 6:06 pm

Cautious lenders check the credit of a loan applicant before granting loans. The lender determines the borrower’s history and whether the borrower has good or bad credit. Credit is essentially the right granted by a creditor to a borrower to pay in the future in order to buy or borrow in the present. Through the credit-scoring method, which is based on statistical analysis of an applicant’s characteristics, lenders determine the applicant’s qualification for credit.

The borrower’s capacity, character, and capital are checked by the lender. Large lending companies frequently rely on a credit rating score to help make loan decisions. This information is collected from the credit application and credit report. Then the points are awarded for each factor that determines likelihood of the repayment. The total number of awarded points results in the credit score, and it helps tell lenders the likelihood of a borrower paying back the loan and making the payments on time. Certain factors, like timely payment of credit card bills, are given more weight than others.

Most people think that credit score of 500 is the worst and that 850 is the best. In reality, anything over 680 is good, and there is no trouble getting a loan. A score over 700 is considered excellent. Since the lenders want to be compensated for granting high-risk loans on bad credit, the lower the score, the harder it will be for applicants to find loans at fairly low interest rates. But there are still many lenders who grant loans at the lower rates, even in the case of bad credit, through secured loan options.

Home Improvement Loans provides detailed information about home improvement loans, home improvement loan rates, home improvement loan calculators, bad credit home improvement loans and more. Home Improvement Loans is the sister site of Small Prefabricated Buildings.

April 16, 2008

Home Equity Lines of Credit - the Basics

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 12:28 am

A Home equity line of credit is a loan which is similar to a credit card. These often have a very low interest rate (In most cases even lower than home equity loans). A Home equity lines of credit acts as a form of revolving which your home equity services.

For example,

-You take out a Home Equity Line of credit for $10,000

-You purchase a car for $8,000 with your revolving line of credit.

-You can now only withdrawn $2,000 until you can pay back the $8,000 to increase your limit to $10,000.

*Some lenders might have a minimum withdrawal amount.

There are many types of payment plans a lender may choose to offer you. You will pay interest on what you owe. However once the loan term ends, usually around 10 years, you must pay back the balance owed. If you were to take out an interest only loan, this will be you. If you decide to pay some principal in your repayments you can avoid this. You must pay off the loan when you sell your house even before the loan term ends.

How much can I borrow?

Usually if the amount you wish to borrow is above $25,000, with both loans you can usually borrow up to 80% of what your house’s market value minus what you owe. For example if your house is worth $200,000 and you still have a mortgage of $100,000 to pay off, you would use the following calculation:

$200,000 * 0.8 = $160,000

$160,000 - $100,000 = $60,000

You can borrow up to $60,000 dollars in theory. The lender will take other factors into account such as your ability to repay the loan. This will be determined by your income, other financial obligations, debt, and previous credit history.

If you want to borrow below $25,000 you can usually get the loan if you have $25,000 in equity.

Fees:

An Appraisal fee. An independent valuation of what your house is worth is needed to establish how much equity you have in your house. Usually around $200USD.

An application cost. This may not be refunded if your request for credit is denied. May also include property appraisal costs and credit report costs.

Closure costs which may include fees for attorneys, mortgage preparation, and filing property, title insurance, and taxes.

You may also have to pay transaction fees for every time you withdrawn money from your line of credit and possibly an annual membership fee.

This article is owned by http://www.use-your-equity.com and written by John Whiteside. Learn more about real estate investing, and how to create and use the equity in your home! The original article can be found at http://www.use-your-equity.com/heloc.html

April 14, 2008

Do You Know What Design/Construct (or “Design/Build ) Means? I Think You Should!

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 6:15 pm

These real questions on ‘How To’ build are answered by a US Master Builder and myself from the development viewpoint, after I received them from readers of my e-book, “Residential Development Made Easy.”

Question 1.

‘Design / Construct’ is a development process
where the contractor engages and instructs all the design consultants for the project and
submits a price for the design and construction of the project to the developer,
hopefully meeting the developer’s requirements as far as aesthetics and space requirements.

The contractor, if awarded the project, proceeds with the engagement and briefing of the
design consultants, obtains authority approval and constructs the project without the developer
having to deal with any consultant. This generally saves the developer the hassle of going
through various tender exercises. Can you explain a bit more about this process?

Master Builder & Developer’s Reply:

Essentially what you have said above is correct, however as with most things in life, there is a “BUT” involved.

And before I talk about the “BUT,” I should say
“D & C” is usually reserved for commercial development like office, industrial and standard retail shopping buildings.

Commercial developments are essentially concerned with “creating space” that can be easily specified on a plan and specifications. The buildings, on completion, look different because of shape and how they are ‘dressed-up.” It is non-personal - it’s business.

The design of residential accommodation is all about “personal.”

Now back to the “But” - not all contractors can provide ‘Design / Construct services. Not all builders have any
ability at determining ‘good design.’ Just because a contractor can construct a house, does not mean he can design one or supervise a consultant to design of one.

Contractor are concerned with ‘cost’ and getting the job done.

Remember, in the pecking order of seniority in the industry, the designer architect usually ‘tells’ the builder what to do. ‘Design / Construct reverse this role.

Contractor are usually practical people and like to complain about the fancy ideas of designers. However it is the fancy ideas that distinguish your house for the one next door and makes it work better and sell better.

As a developer of residential accommodation I would never use this process, because it is the designers who interpret your design ideas - things you definitely want in your projects of say six or ten or moreunits.

In my e-book I tell you how to go about your own market research. Well at the end of that you will have reached some firm ideas of what you want in your project.

It is the designer who will put those in place for you on a plan, not a contractor.

Now let’s go up a few rungs on the contractor expertise ladder to the Master Builders level and I’ll let Leonard answer from his perspective. As with all human endeavors, there are different levels service and expertise within the his fraternity.

Design / Construct is basically what I do at USA Master Builders.comexcept we have taken the process several steps further. But before I get to that I will advise you

We call our Design / Construct teams, “Residential Development Teams.” Where we go further than other Master Builders is as follows:

* We do the basic market research for you.

* We create demand for the properties.

* We locate the buyers.

* We provide financing and insurance.

* We locate a developer who develops properties in a specific price range we’ve specified.

Question 2.

Will the contractor be able to work out a package with me, where I provide the initial concept and schematic design whist the contractor provides all the working details and specifications to come to an agreed fixed price plus agreed profit?

Master Builders & Developer’s Reply:

Depending upon the contractor you choose they should be able to do this for you. Let me walk you through how USA Master Builders.com work with developers.

Let’s say that you’ve done your home work.

Know what property you want to build.

Know how much you want to budget for each property. (If not, we can assist)

I want you to tell me:

1) Fair Market Value $X

2) Appraised Value $X

3) Cost of each lot $X

4) How much you have budget for each property.

5) If you have floor plan that would be good. If not, we would help you with that. You would tell us what you have budgeted for each unit and ask us if we can construct for that? We review the information, discuss details with you and give you a quote.

When we provide you with a final quote it is all inclusive.

It includes everything we can control. Included are the certified architect blueprints, structural engineering reports, cost for building the property, providing financing for those
who will be purchasing the property, insurance for those purchasing the property, Realtors trained to sell and create a demand for your properties.

In addition, to the above we would provide you with a 100% Money Back Guarantee which simply stated, “If you don’t like the property once it is completed you don’t have to buy it.”

We insist that you hire the property inspector of your choice to inspect the property BEFORE you take possession of it. We also provide you with daily video updates on the project so you
have video documentation of the progress of your property.

Unlike a lot of builders we think “long term” not short term. We understand that we make our money building and you make your money selling at retail. If we want more business from you
it’s important to help to ensure your profitability as much as possible.

Question 3.

What kind of warranties do Master builders offer?

Master Builders & Developer’s Reply:

Depends upon the property and place. Some areas require warranty on plumbing, gas lines, etc…

We provide all standard warranties in each area. In addition our structural warranty is 20 years instead of five or ten that local builders offer. Our roofs are 20 years. And, we have a 100% Money Back Guarantee to ensure you’re not stuck with a lemon.

Oh yes, one last point that does not really come under warranties, but it does give peace of mind to out clients. Every part of the house we build for you is computerized for you.

So What?

Well let’s say, in 4 years or 10 years, you have a window badly damaged, a door, a kitchen bench - whatever - think about what you would have to do to get it fixed. Well with us, you just phone or email - tell us which part you want replaced, it’s exact location, and we’ll have the exact part, in the right size, in the right material sent to you, after you have approved
the pricing.

So you see that the “BUT” I mentioned above covers a lot that is within the term ‘Design / Construct.’

****************************

EzineArticles Expert Author Colm Dillon

Author & $1.2 Billion Developer, Colm Dillon, Has Written The Best Selling ‘How-To’ E-book,
“Residential Development Made Easy,” With Readers In All States Of The USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland and 79 Other Countries. His Independent Web Site is:
http://www.realestatedevelopmentcoach.com

April 7, 2008

How Long Does It Take to Get a Mortgage?

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 11:03 am

The typical time frame is about a month. It can be shorter, and sometimes take much longer.

There are two basic ways to get a mortgage:

full documentation
stated documentation

In the full documentation you prove to the lender your:

income
assets
work history, job verification

In the stated documentation, all of these are stated and not proven. The advantage to the second option is a lot less paperwork, at the cost of a higher interest rate. Some people can’t document steady income (such as commissioned salespeople) or just don’t want to give this information out. There are also hybrids between these two options, where you can state your income but prove your assets through banks statements, etc.

If you go the full documentation route, make sure to organize your paperwork. Typically this can involve:

2 years of W2s
a month of pay stubs (for biweekly checks make sure you cover all 30 days!)

3 months of banks statements

For self-employed borrowers this can include:

Business bank statements
Company tax return
CPA letter certifying that you filed as a self-employed person

Before the process starts, it is a good idea to check your credit. There may be issues here that need to be fixed. If this is the case, fix them if you can. This time is separate from the one month general estimate for closing a mortgage. Generally speaking, the lower your credit the higher your interest rate and higher your monthly payment.

You can shop around at various places, and should get a written estimate (called a Good Faith Estimate) within 3 days. You should get quotes about the same loan type so that you can compare rates and fees. Getting a quote from one lender about a 30 year fixed is not something you should compare with a quote for a 5 year interest only loan, unless you want general numbers.

There are two basic transaction types: refinances and purchases. Refinances are more straightforward because it is basically just you and the lender. In a purchase it is you, the lender, and a borrower or seller, real estate brokers, etc. This can make the purchase transactions more complicated if people continue to change the price/terms during the process.

Once you choose a lender and they approve you, they may have additional requirements. This can include letters of explanation about credit issues, statement explaining why the residence you are claiming is unusually far from the job you are claiming, etc.

When all of these conditions are met, your loan “goes to docs” and are available for signing. Once you sign these, for a primary residence refinance there is typically a “three day right of rescission”. This gives you three days to change your mind after you have signed on the dotted line. If this is cash out refinance, you typically get your cash a week after you sign.

Types of problems that you may hit include:

switching jobs in the middle of the loan process (it happens!)

job verification issues (wrong job title given)

not enough assets to document

your credit changes in the middle of the process because you make a late payment on something critical, such as a mortgage, and the lender finds out

your rate lock may expire

Buyers and sellers in a purchase may incorrectly modify their contracts so the language is unclear to the lender (I have seen a loan held up because it was unclear as to what the value of the curtains were that would be left behind!)

Signer issues

- sometimes a selling property has multiple sellers and they are difficult to reach to sign or update contracts and paperwork. Sometimes this is because one of the sellers is not very enthusiastic about selling and is just dragging the process out

Issues with the appraisal value - the property value is not high enough to support the contract value without additional explanation, new comparable properties, etc.

Title issues - there are unresolved issues about title

Sometimes the process can take less than 10 days if all the stars are aligned. It requires tight coordination between you and the lender.

Always make sure you are available to answer questions and address problems as soon as they arise. The hassle of doing a full documentation loan is usually worth it in terms of lower fees and rates.

This article is from the http://www.archerpacific.com Loan Library.

Our website has free mortgage calculators, quick tips, mortgages rates, and more.

April 1, 2008

New Home Construction - The American Dream or The American Nightmare?

Filed under: Real Estate Resources — admin @ 11:18 am

Buying a new home is suppose to be the American Dream. Unfortunately, for many buyers of newly constructed homes it becomes the American Nightmare. Hiring a qualified third party home inspector can increase you chance of a hassle free home.

One only has to visit sites like Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings (HADD)- http://www.hadd.com or Homeowners for Better Buildings (HOBB) - http://www.hobb.org to see how widespread shoddy construction is in the industry.

No area of the country is free from shoddy construction.

In my job as a Professional Home Inspector I talk to hundreds of people each year about new home construction. It still amazes me that many believe the city inspector will find every item wrong with a home. Nothing could be further from the truth!

A city inspector inspects for code violations. The building codes are the MINIMUM standards that a home should be built to. City code inspectors only inspect for safety and health issues as they relate to building. City inspectors do not inspect for the quality of workmanship! City building inspectors also have no liability. If your home falls down and hurts you the day after you move in, you can not go back and sue the building inspector because he missed code violations.

In Houston, the area I inspect in, the city building inspectors spend about 10 to 30 minutes in a home inspecting it. At the end of their “Inspection”, they will then place a green or orange 3×5 sticker at the front of the home. The Green sticker says you passed, the orange or red sticker says the home failed.

There is no way that a city building inspector can note all the discrepancies on a home on a 3×5 sticker!

The new trend is for builders to advertise that their homes have been inspected by a “Third Party Inspection Company.” This is like listening to a used car salesman say he had his mechanic check your used car out before you bought it.

If the company the builder hires becomes a nuisance by continuing to find problems, then a new company will be found who can inspect the homes the way the builder likes.

Wise and prudent home buyers will research their builder before deciding on one to go with.

They will also start doing their research on finding their own third party home inspector to inspect the home as it is being built.

What are some things you should look for in a home inspector?

To start with, not all home inspectors are created equal. Look for a home inspector that is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) - http://www.ashi.org. ASHI is the nations oldest and largest home inspection organization. They have strict membership requirements in place and not any ole inspector will be accepted.

Next, make sure the inspector you choose is Code Certified. Many areas of the country have now adopted the International Residential Code (IRC) as the model building code. Check with your local municipality to determine which model code they enforce and adjust your search likewise. You can find a Code Certified IRC Inspector by going to http://www.iccsafe.org.

Ask the inspectors on your narrowed down list for sample inspection reports. You’re looking for a home inspector who writes narrative type reports and who will include code numbers or the code itself when he finds them. I’d avoid inspectors who say they use an onsite “checklist” type of report.

Call or meet the inspector. You’re looking for someone who is knowledgeable and who can communicate well. If you talk to an inspector and have trouble understanding what he’s saying, it’s likely his report will be hard to understand as well.

Ask for references. Have the inspector send you several references and follow through checking them out.

Ask questions. Ask your inspector if he/she will come back out and re-inspect after the builder says all the repairs have been made. Some will, some won’t. Expect to have to pay for a re-inspection. Ask the inspector if he will communicate with the builder after the inspection if the builder has questions. Good inspectors will take the time to go over the report via phone or in person with the builder to ensure that all needed repairs are made.

As a home buying consumer, it’s your responsibility to ensure your home is built correctly. Not the builder, not the State, County or City. Hiring a qualified and reputable home inspector will go a long ways in helping you obtain a problem free home.

Full reprint and distribution rights are granted as long as the entire article, including the sig/resource box below, is kept intact.

Donald Lawson is a Professional Real Estate Inspector who is licensed in Oklahoma (454) and Texas (5824). Donald is also Building and Plumbing Code Certified by the International Code Council. He currently owns and operates V.I.P. Home Inspections, a multi inspector firm in Houston Texas. You can find more articles on New Home Construction as well as a free New Home Buyers Guide at his website http://www.best2inspect.com