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home inspection

Why Home Inspection is an Important Step in Buying a Home

Why Home Inspection is an Important Step in Buying a Home

As you search for your perfect home there are a lot of complications and concepts being thrown at you all at once.  Your house hunt can quickly become overwhelming and it can be difficult to correctly prioritize different stages of your search.  Today we are going to talk about why home inspection should be at the top of your list when evaluating a potential home.

Home inspection can uncover problems you or your real estate agent never would have seen on your own, despite any prior knowledge of the property.  Problems with the house foundation, plumbing, electrical wiring, roof, and many other areas can all be passed over by the untrained eye.

As with any investment it is essential to know as much information as possible before putting money down on a home.  Home inspection can help you determine whether a property is right for you or something that will only be a waste of time and money full of costly repairs.

Home inspection can also be vital in determining if a prospective home is safe for you and your family.  Threats include asbestos, radon gas, termites in the foundation, and black mold in the bathroom.  A seasoned home inspector will be able to easily detect threats such as these and advise you on the best course of action to protect both you and your loved ones.

Home inspection can be an asset when ascertaining the value of a home on the market.  It can also be an essential safety step both physically and financially.  It is an important step in any decision to buy or sell a home.

At View Master Home Inspections we an asset when ascertaining the value of a home on the market and the ability to recommend courses of action.  We hope the above information helps you maintain your home after it has been properly inspected and sold to you! Please call us at  – 201.460.0027 to help protect your investment.

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home inspection

Pests in the Home | Part 2

How to Handle Rodents and Insects in Your House continued…

Spiders and other insects make their homes in brush and wood piles near the foundation of the house, as well as window wells.  To limit insect infiltration it is a good idea move or clear back all debris and plant life a good foot away from your home foundation.  Spiders also make their homes in crawl space vents and can be removed with an old broom followed by a quick spray of a store bought insect killer.

Squirrels are probably the most common species of vermin to invade the home.  Like mice squirrels enjoy nesting in insulation and can often be found in the attic.  Cut back any branches that touch against or are close to your roof or walls, and make sure all your attic vents have screens.  Squirrel traps can be bought at a local hardware store.

Ammonia also works as an easily available and effective repellent for squirrels.

At View Master Home Inspections we have the experience to determine if a home you are buying comes with unwanted tenants and the ability to recommend courses of action.  We hope the above information helps you maintain your home after it has been properly inspected and sold to you! Please call us at  – 201.460.0027 to help protect your investment.

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home inspection

Pests in the Home | Part 1

How to Handle Rodents and Insects in Your House

As the fall progresses and winter looms ahead you are bound to notice more pests entering your home.  As the air cools and the outside becomes more and more inhospitable mice, squirrels, spiders, and insects will be unable to resist the warmth and abundance of food sources contained within your home.

In this article we will discuss some tactics to protect your home from specific pest infiltration’s.

Mice can squeeze themselves into the tiniest of holes so it is important to make sure the perimeter of your home is properly sealed at ground level.  One often neglected space that mice enter the home is through gaps between the framing of your siding and your house’s foundation.  Be on the lookout for small cracks and holes.  These entry points can be sealed either with some fiberglass insulation pushed in with a screwdriver or with a spray foam insulation.

Mice often burrow into fiberglass insulation batts so if your basement has unfinished walls this can also be an attractive place for the little rodents to make homes in your home.

It is also worthwhile to place traps near your garage door on the inside, as an open garage door, even for a few minutes often gives mice enough time to pass into your home.  Utilize an time tested spring trap baited with cheese or peanut butter.

At View Master Home Inspections we have the experience to determine if a home you are buying comes with unwanted tenants and the ability to recommend courses of action.  We hope the above information helps you maintain your home after it has been properly inspected and sold to you! Please call us at  – 201.460.0027 to help protect your investment.

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Home Inspection Agents In The Kitchen Part 2

So continuing what I think… some agents do not realize that they can be very helpful to the inspector.

They can learn from the inspection and most important, they will know what to constructively relate to the listing agent and their buyers.

On the occasion when and agent gets involved with the attorney, it helps the transaction when they are knowledgeable about the inspection.  It is also very important for the agent to evaluate the inspector. It is nothing short of a win, win.  I have always felt agents do not have it easy.  They have to be a hand holder, a negotiator and a smoother of rough edges.  On the other side of the coin there are a few agents who try to be the inspector during the inspection.  Sometimes this is good—lord knows, some inspectors are off the wall.

The market is too fragile for all of us not to do everything we can to stop a deal from blowing up over stupid issues. This market has caused me to institute a new way of working with the buyers.

For a very nominal fee (when scheduling permits) I will meet the buyers and the agent at the homes and walk through it with them. No tools are involved.  It is a general walk through that takes the same amount of time as if I were not there. This is enough time for me to generate a very good opinion about the house.  Out of the three or so homes the buyer narrows it down to; they now know which one will have the best inspection.

It has been working very well.

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Home Inspection Agents In The Kitchen

The controversy over whether or not and agent should follow the inspector and buyer is a long standing issue.

In today’s age with liability and disclosure issues, I have noticed that more and more agents will remain in the kitchen.  For the many agents that trust me, I can understand (but disagree) why they do not feel the need to follow.  Often, I come across an agent that I have never met before and they will stay in the kitchen for several hours.

As an inspector I do not mind, however my clients have commented over the years about their agent’s lack of participation in the inspection.  Their general feeling, especially first time home buyers, is that they feel less comfortable when their agent was not walking around with them.  They feel a level of security when the agent is around.  I equate it to “sitting in the car when you take your son to his baseball game”. You should be in the bleachers watching him play.  But more and more brokers and or corporate are leaning towards the agents not getting involved.

Personally I love having agents around.  This is a three fold feeling, and I will explain more in the second part of this article.

Stay tuned.

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