Should You Use Your Real Estate Agent's Recommended Home Inspector?

A common question for home buyers is whether they should trust their real estate agent’s recommendations for a home inspector. In most cases, the answer is yes, you can trust your real estate agent to refer a qualified, ethical home inspector.

You are looking for an honest, thorough home inspector to help you make informed decisions about your future property, and your real estate agent wants to make the process as stress-free as possible for you. Often with years of industry experience, real estate agents typically know what to look for in a home inspector and which inspectors they can rely on them to provide great service for their clients.

Trust the Real Estate Expert

The home-buying process can be overwhelming and intimidating. Real estate is often the largest investment people make in their lives, which increases the pressure to hire the most qualified professionals for every step in the process. With extensive experience in real estate, your agent is the best place to start for recommendations for everything from home inspectors to title companies.

Any agent likely has a list of credible home inspectors based on their industry expertise. They have probably worked with those home inspectors successfully multiple times, which is why they can vouch for their quality of work.

By referring a qualified inspector, your real estate agent ensures that you have a smooth, efficient closing process, which makes it more likely for you to recommend your real estate agent to your family and friends. It’s a win-win scenario for you and your agent.

The Word-of-Mouth Nature of the Real Estate Industry

The real estate environment is small and local, and word travels quickly – both about bad home inspectors and untrustworthy real estate agents. This is how real estate agents are able to weed out less-than-stellar inspectors and why you can trust them to recommend an honest, thorough home inspector.

Real estate agents depend on referrals, so they want you to be completely satisfied with your experience. Leading you astray with their recommendation would only hurt their business. Because of this, you can feel confident going with one of their recommended home inspectors.

Ask Questions

While you can trust your real estate agent to recommend a qualified home inspector, you don’t have to take their word at face value. It is important to compare a few different inspectors and ask your own questions so that you can make an informed decision.

You should feel free to ask both your real estate agent and the recommended inspector questions to make sure that you hire the best home inspector for your needs.

Questions to ask your real estate agent include:

• How comfortable do you feel making this recommendation?
• How often have you worked with this inspector?
• Why is this person a good choice for the job?
• Is the inspector familiar with this area or type of residence?

To make sure that you hire a qualified home inspector, ask your potential inspectors these questions:

• Which certifications do you have?
• How long have you been an inspector?
• What do you check, and what don’t you check?
• Can you tell me about the report I will be receiving?

By asking these questions of both your agent and your home inspector, you can ensure that you hire the best professional for the job.

You don’t have to use your real estate agent’s recommended home inspector, but in most cases going with their recommendation is a better choice than randomly choosing one from the internet or phone book. Because their referral is backed by years of industry experience, you are more likely to find a trustworthy, qualified home inspector.

In addition to your real estate agent’s recommendation, to find an experienced, honest home inspector in your area search the WIN Home Inspection network today.