To protect your family’s finances when purchasing a home, you not only need to make sure you get the best interest rate and mortgage loan terms possible; you also need to have your potential home inspected. Hiring a home inspector will help to ensure that you will not have unknown major repairs to your home to deal with immediately after closing.

So how do you find a home inspector that will provide you with thorough, accurate information about your potential purchase? There are thousands of home inspectors across the United States to choose from, but since most home inspectors only go through about two weeks of training, it can be difficult to find one with the knowledge and experience to provide a proper inspection report.

When contacting a home inspector, you should ask several questions. First, you should ask if the inspector is accredited, and if so, which company provided the accreditation. Then, go to the company’s website and review their training program. You will be able to get a sense of how thorough the company’s training program is. A home inspector accredited through a well known and reputable company will likely possess the knowledge needed to locate problems with your potential home.

You should also find out if the home inspector is independently employed, or if he or she is a contractor or franchisee of a national property inspection firm. Franchisors generally provide ongoing support and training for their home inspectors, so a franchisee will be better trained than an independent inspector.

Finally, you should ask the home inspector how long he or she has been in the business, and ask for at least three references that used them within the past 6 months. These references should be past clients who have used the inspector during the home buying process. If the home inspector is unable or unwilling to provide you with references, it’s best to keep looking.

Don’t be afraid to contact the references to inquire about the home inspector’s performance. Past clients will usually be happy to tell you about the accuracy and thoroughness of the report provided by the inspector. They will also be able to tell you if they have encountered defects or problems with their homes that were missed during the inspection.

In addition, the home inspector should provide you with a written report or summary that details any concerns. With this information, your REALTOR® can guide you through the decision making process on how to best utilize it to your advantage.