House inspection is one of the most important steps of the process of buying a house. However, if it’s a luxury property we are talking about, then house inspection becomes even more critical.

For luxury houses, choosing the right house inspector is essential, because, let’s be fair, it is probably the most expensive purchase of the lifetime for most people.

It lets you know if you are investing your life savings on the right property. The house inspector investigates the strength of the foundation, walls, windows, and roof of the house.

You don’t need to wait until you have accepted the offer to begin the process of house inspection. In fact, it is better that you get it done before accepting the offer so you can negotiate the repair and maintenance jobs that the house inspector will find.

However, how would you know that the inspector you are hiring to inspect your desired house is actually good at their job? Well, there are some tips that can come in handy when you are looking for a good house inspector who is experienced in luxury real estate.

1.    Find your own inspector

Your luxury real estate agent might give you a referral to a house inspector they trust, but going with the inspector who knows your real estate agent might give a raise to a conflict of interest.

A real estate agent is up for closing the deal, and the inspector who is on good terms with the real estate agent might feel obliged to mention less than actual faults in the house, so the realtor can do his job without complications. But that would put your future in a problem.

Therefore, unless you one hundred percent trust your agent, go find your own house inspector.

2.    List down qualified candidates

You can go on the internet and get the names of hundreds of luxury house inspectors who would claim to be the most qualified ones you can ever find. But you can’t be sure about them, can you?

The first thing you can do is look for friends or relatives who have most recently purchased a house. Ask them if they would recommend the house inspector that they hired. If yes, then your job is easy. If not, then you can find referrals of good house inspectors through local online communities, such as NextDoor and Patch. Another way to find good house inspectors is through Yelp and Home Advisor.

From whatever source you can find good names of house inspectors, make a list, and move to the next step.

3.    Interview the candidates

Before hiring the right guy, it is important that you interview them and ask them relevant questions. It is essential because a lot of house inspectors have vast experience in real estate but not even a single job was done in the luxury side of the business.

Initially, most inspectors would tell you that they can handle the job because they have done it a lot of times, but when you interview them and ask questions about their experiences in luxury real estate, they would start beating around the bush. But it is necessary because it will help you shortlist the candidates and move one step ahead.

4.    Credentials are important but beware

A house inspector who is professionally certified will give you an assurance that they have more knowledge than those without the certificate. They can also show you a document that they have done this much number of inspections and have passed the national bar.

However, they cannot still guarantee that they would find every single fault in the house, which proves that being knowledgeable doesn’t mean that the inspector is going to be one hundred percent accurate in inspection and that he won’t rush through the process.

Although you should definitely hire an inspector with the most solid credentials, do focus on other factors too.

5.    Compare reports

The best way to determine if the inspector is going to work like you are expecting him to is to ask for copies of inspection reports he performed on luxury homes similar to the one you are considering buying. These sample reports will help you understand how the inspector is going to report problems.

After comparing these reports, you would begin to notice the difference between actual detailed observations and just filling. A professional report usually includes a few dozen pages, including all the major and minor findings of the house, their pictures, descriptions and documented problems, and maintenance suggestions. A report for a luxury house would be even bigger and more detailed.

Nowadays, some inspectors even post online videos of such reports.

Final Word

House inspections are necessary whenever you are buying a house, but it is even more important in luxury houses. A luxury house is worth all of your life’s savings, and if you don’t want even a single penny of yours to go to waste, take all the pointers above seriously, and hire an inspector who would perform a job that will help you in future.