Houston Home Inspections, Home Inspector, House Inspection, House Inspector.                               

  HOME

       WHY

Why do I need a home inspection?

BUYER/SELLER

Whether you are buying or selling a house, here's some good information for you.

TREC GUIDELINES  

Texas Real Estate Commission's minimum guidelines all Texas inspectors must follow.

   SAFETY                 

Our primary focus on every home inspection.  Is the house safe to live in?  Here's some tips.

      LINKS

Additional information for the home buyer.

INSPECTOR SELECTION TIPS:

WHY DO I NEED A HOME INSPECTION?

Welcome to the Greater Houston Area. If your about to purchase a home in Texas here are a few tips that may make your experience pleasant. Southeast Texas, including the Greater Houston Area, is a great place to own a house. Housing is relatively inexpensive and the cost of living is lower than many other metroplexes. One large factor in our low housing prices is the fact that unincorporated areas throughout the state do not have building or inspection departments of any kind, and many municipalities have been quite lax in the performance of their new construction inspection duties. None offer any type of meaningful inspections on existing properties, and it is strictly left up to the buyer to determine the actual condition of the property they intend to buy.

IF YOU ARE MOVING TO TEXAS PLEASE TAKE NOTE - CONTRACTORS ARE NOT LICENSED OR REGULATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. THERE ARE NO EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. ANYBODY CAN BE A CONTRACTOR. 

Affording a home involves more than having enough money to cover the down payment, closing costs and monthly mortgage obligations.  Maintaining the overall condition of the home while you live in it and the repairs and preventive maintenance needed to do so can be just as costly.  A home inspection by Lone Star Home Inspections will give you valuable information to assist your decision of "Can I afford to buy this home and maintain it?"  With a home inspection you will learn what's ahead of you before you buy, rather than down the road.

What is the condition of the foundation, roof, air conditioning/heating system, plumbing, electrical system, and appliances? Are you aware of the soils for this area and how they affect foundations? Are repairs needed? Most importantly, are there any safety hazards present?  These are all questions a prospective home buyer in this area should have answered before committing to purchase. The best way to protect yourself and get these questions answered is to have the property thoroughly inspected by Lone Star Home Inspections, a licensed professional home inspection subsidiary of Inspector Calls, Inc.

For most people buying a home is the biggest investment you'll make.  It's an emotional experience that involves many steps you probably are unfamiliar with.  Home inspections are regulated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).  Inspectors are required to meet certain specifications and be licensed by TREC.  Each inspection conducted must comply with Standards generated by TREC.  Please visit the TREC page for a listing of these standards.  We encourage everyone to become familiar with the standards to gain a better understanding of what to expect, as a minimum, from an inspection.

Although we cannot eliminate your risk in buying a home, we can reduce the risk.  Knowing what your buying before closing allows you to re-evaluate the actual cost of the home and gives you information to estimate/negotiate repair costs.

Like everything in life, there’s both good and bad inspectors. Here are a few tips I think will help you reduce your risk in selecting an inspector who will go to bat for you.

TREC License Number.  Texas became the first state to require licensing of real estate inspectors. The requirements for a Professional Inspectors License have expanded and become more stringent since the inception of the license act in 1985. Inspectors practicing prior to the licensing act were grand fathered in and were the first to be issued licenses (low license number). Inspectors since 1985 now had to meet specific requirements to be issued a license and practice. In fact, the requirements proved to be too stringent and the number of qualified inspectors did not keep pace with demand. In 1998, the Texas Real Estate Commission dropped the training requirements to increase licensure and to date anyone that can pass the state exam is issued a Professional Inspector License. It should also be noted that a Professional Engineer (PE) with a degree unrelated to construction is permitted to perform home inspections if they feel they are qualified to do so- with or without the requirements for a real estate inspection license. So what does all this mean? Try to find an inspector who has gone through the rigorous licensing process prior to 1998.  My TREC license #4279 is one of the last issued that represents the full training process needed for licensure prior to dropping the requirements in 1998.