I had purchased seven homes before I had ever heard of a property inspection. My first home purchase was in 1990, and it was not until my agent recommended that I have my seventh home inspected in 1997 that I learned about this valuable service.

My initial reaction to her recommendation was, “Why?” Here I was, a young, able-bodied, industrious man who had owned several homes which I had fixed up and remodeled. While I was not a builder by trade, I had my building contractor’s license, and there was certainly nothing that could be learned that I did not already know about my prospective purchase.

The selling agent had provided us with the seller’s disclosure statements, and I had visited the home on several occasions prior to making an offer. I knew everything there was to know about this house, didn’t I?

My experience might not surprise many of you who have been in the real estate business for more than 15 years. Property inspection is a fairly new concept in the real estate industry. In the mid-Michigan area, fewer than 60 percent of the homes purchased are inspected by a professional home inspector. That number is even lower statewide because of the lack of quality inspectors available outside of Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Lansing.

Thanks to the insistence of my agent (whom I have used religiously since), I hired the services of a professional home inspector. What an eye-opening experience! I learned more in the hour I spent with my home inspector than I had learned in the previous seven years repairing and remodeling my former properties. My inspector was also a licensed builder who had been doing property inspections for more than 25 years.

This was not his part-time job, this was his career.

He made his living giving prospective homebuyers an objective examination of the condition of the home and all its observable components and systems. My inspector did not point out every small issue that was obvious and normal, but instead focused on safety, suitability for me and my family, life expectancy of the home’s systems and overall condition of the property. My inspector proved to be an invaluable source of information regarding the history of the home, the construction methods used, the practicality of proposed changes and the cost of improving the property to meet my needs and desires. I learned maintenance tips and received a detailed written report. This report listed all the features of the home and included a list of the inspector’s major concerns and issues that would need to be addressed in the near future.

It was this experience that led me to quit my comfortable corporate job and become a professional property inspector. Unlike most property inspectors, I did not simply hang out my shingle and start performing property inspections. My career change began with endless hours of reading and studying, as well as mentoring with an established professional home inspector on more than 250 residential and commercial inspections. While my practical experience on my relatives’ homes and my own home was good, it was not sufficient to prepare myself to take the National Home Inspectors Exam.

This exam covers all aspects of building construction, maintenance, electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling, system life expectancies, as well business and real estate ethics.

This exam is not a requirement to practice the trade of home inspection in the state of Michigan, but instead it is a requirement to become a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors. Currently in Michigan, there is no licensure requirement and anybody can perform home inspections. Our firm is currently working to change that with Rep. Frank Accavitti (D-East Pointe) who is sponsoring a licensing bill. This bill is currently in committee in the state legislature.

The American Society of Home Inspectors was established 28 years ago to build consumer awareness of home inspection and to enhance the professionalism of its membership.

The ASHI Standards of Practice have served as the home inspector’s performance guideline, universally recognized and accepted by professionals, governmental authorities and courts alike.

Upon completing my education and training, I began my career as a home inspector. My objective as an inspector is to educate buyers. I provide buyers with a better understanding of the current condition of their prospective property, and give them a better sense of security and confidence with which to make their purchasing decision.

The REALTOR’S® Role

Upon recommending a pre-purchase home inspection by a qualified professional property inspector, a REALTOR® increases his or her credibility and reputation with a buyer by displaying respect for the importance of this major purchase. Recommending a home inspection will demonstrate a REALTOR’S® good faith effort to protect the buyer’s interest. This will help build buyer confidence and will develop a solid, long-term client referral base.

A homebuyer who purchases the home after an objective, professional inspection will be more realistic, and, as a result, more satisfied with the property than a buyer who does not have an inspection. The buyer will understand that no home is defect-free, and will enter the transaction with a firm grip on the true condition of the property.

A home inspection will often also dispel and ease a homebuyer’s anxieties. An informed buyer is a confident buyer. An objective professional home inspection will help answer buyer questions and help the transaction move forward.

Copies of the ASHI Standards and Practices are available free from ASHI, or your local ASHI inspector. A list of ASHI members in your area is available by calling 800-743-ASHI and at Find an Inspector, www.ashi.org.

Jason Murton is a licensed general contractor in Michigan and is a construction consultant with Accurate Inspections, LLC, DeWitt. He is active with the American Society of Home Inspectors, the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and a member of the Greater Lansing Association of REALTORS®.