AmeriPro Inspection Corp. - Your First Choice for Home Inspections in Northeast Florida

If you are tired of the infamous inspection phrase, "Additional Evaluation Needed," then the answer to this is quite simple. Yes. As professional home inspectors, we do not generally hand-write building inspection reports anymore. Times have changed. We have moved on. So too, has the technology for moisture detection and analysis.

We all know that moisture is one of the leading causes of problems in homes today, and probably one of the most common findings of every building inspector. From leaking roof systems and windows to stucco, water is almost always the source of the major issues your clients face. Being able to diagnose these water problems on a deeper level goes a long way toward eliminating potential risks associated with purchasing a new home or building and enables us to better provide the reassurance your clients need to move forward with their purchase.

Thermal or infrared (IR) imaging is becoming just as important a tool as the moisture meter for performing non-destructive testing on building elements and components. The major difference is the expense of these IR cameras. One of the most common excuses from inspectors who decide not to use the cameras/technology is the expense and additional liability involved with using them. These cameras are expensive, costing up to $40,000, and the training to learn to use them effectively is also expensive and time consuming. Another reason some inspectors are hesitant to get on board is that infrared diagnostic evaluations are outside the scope of service for standard home inspections.

Infrared cameras can see more than the naked eye and more than our moisture meters. They can be used in the right conditions to detect and pinpoint locations of a variety of major concerns ranging from plumbing leakage, window leakage, missing thermal insulation, energy effectiveness of the building envelope, to overheating HVAC or electrical equipment.

As professional Realtors you have the opportunity to help control these issues by referring an aptly-qualified inspector who is properly trained in infrared diagnostics. With the right conditions, infrared diagnostics will help eliminate unwarranted repairs, drywall removal to explore a "possible issue," "additional evaluation needed" and much more. Clients who have infrared inspections conducted in addition to their home inspection will experience the additional reassurance they need and will feel much more comfortable moving forward with their transaction. Potential buyers of homes which have been pre-scanned and inspected will also experience the reassurance needed to sign a contract.

Infrared diagnostics does have its limitations and will cost more than a standard home inspection, but the additional protection they can provide is priceless. It could mean the difference between thousands of dollars of drywall tear-out to find nothing and peace of mind. For more information on infrared diagnostic evaluations, seminars for Realtors or training courses for home inspectors, please email mrowan@ameriproinspect.com or visit our web site at www.chooseameripro.com. We are committed to providing the best service and technology available to our clients.

In case you haven't noticed, it is a buyer's market. In times like these, they call the shots and even use inspection reports to renegotiate the agreed-upon contract at the 11th-hour. Conducting a Seller's Pre-listing Inspection can actually prevent this from happening to your clients and help you keep the deal together.

When a seller proactively inspects their home prior to a contract being placed upon it, most, if not all, of the issues are properly disclosed. As a result, these issues are no longer negotiable if accepted in the initial contract!

In these inspections, professional home inspectors will disclose every visible condition as part of their assessment. One of the key advantages to this type of inspection is the homeowner can pass the report on to potential buyers prior to contract.

Having the home inspected ahead of time gives sellers a heads-up on issues as well as the time needed to secure competitive bids from reputable contractors rather than receiving last-minute over-inflated buyer bids at the closing table. It will give sellers the time they need to complete/repair the deal breakers that WILL come up later and cost your seller more money.

Pre-listing inspections enable sellers remain in control of the expense involved in getting their home ready to sell on a planned timeline rather than an emergency basis. The report can also help reduce the costs of repairing certain components. For example, the 20-year-old well pump that has not worked for years is typically accepted by a potential buyer before the contract. However, it normally becomes a deal-breaking issue after the home inspection.

Disclosing these details up front will help eliminate these problems. In the same way, replacing a component such as a roof covering gives sellers the opportunity to re-look at the selling price with the extra modernization cost built-in, rather than loosing the entire cost of re-roofing.

Conditions may change with time and visible defects may occur after the inspection because of weather or due to the general aging process, such as an older HVAC system breaking down, but in most circumstances, the majority of deal-breaking defects are found and dealt with up front before there is ever a contract on the home or building.

Will buyers conduct their own inspection anyway? Maybe! In our researchr, first-time buyers without a lot of extra money will be less likely to have an inspection if they or their Realtor recognize the inspection company that conducted the initial pre-listing inspection, Real estate agents know the level of integrity inspection companies have in the community and may even have past experience with the same company. These first-time buyers trust and rely on their Realtors. There will be buyers, however, that elect to have their own home inspected prior to closing.

A professionally conducted home inspection at the listing stage will eliminate unfounded suspicions about the home, create an atmosphere of proper disclosure, reduce the likelihood of potential buyers walking away, and reduce the seller's expense by putting them in control of what will or will not be fixed up front. For more information on sellers home inspections go to www.chooseameripro.com/sellers.htm or email mrowan@ameriproinspect.com.

A home that is advertised on the MLS as pre-inspected, or in essence pre-certified by a reputable company, will catch buyer's attention and will be put on top of their must-view list! Sell your listings faster by taking a proactive approach!