Experience Counts When Doing Home Inspections In Today’s Market
After being involved in more than 600 home inspections during my 23 years in real estate, I’ve seen my fair share of problems: underground oil tanks, rotted main beams, crumbling foundations, and sewer line issues that can cost homeowners serious money.
Older homes are my specialty. I love their character, craftsmanship, and charm, but I also know what can come with them. When something turns up during an inspection, experience matters—and so does having reliable professionals you can call.
On one particular sale in Nutley, NJ, I was representing the seller of a home that was more than 100 years old. During the inspection, a sewer scope raised concerns, and the inspector said the entire sewer line needed to be replaced. The potential cost? Around $30,000.
Before my seller committed to that expense, I recommended getting a second opinion from a professional I trust.
We had the line scoped again, this time watching the live camera feed together so we could see exactly what was happening. That second inspection led to a much simpler solution. The problem was fixed for $400.
That’s a $29,600 difference.
Inspection findings deserve attention, but a major repair recommendation deserves a clear diagnosis. Sometimes, the most valuable thing your agent can do is know when to ask another question—and who to call for the answer.