We always recommend that my buyers hire their own home inspector in order to protect their interests and give the house a good going-over. The contract provides for this inspection, and it is buyer funded.

        While not a requirement, We always recommend that my buyers use an inspector who is experienced, is certified, and who is a member of GAHI (Georgia Association of Home Inspectors). While the legal requirements to act as a home inspector in Georgia are really minimal (none), GAHI members conform to a set of standards in their inspections (ASHI), take a test, and are not fully certified until they have a certain number of inspections completed. Visit their website at http://www.gahi.com to become familiar with more of the inspection process.

        When you interview an inspector make sure you ask him/her how much they charge, what their guarantees are, and what their credentials are. Also, do they create the report on-site, or will it be available within 24 hours? As the buyer, you should be present at part of the inspection so that the inspector can walk you through the property and explain what you should do to take care of the house once you move in. This is invaluable to new homeowners and is intended to ease the transition into this particular property. Ask your inspector what time he/she would like you to arrive for this part. Then make sure your agent knows the time of the inspection so the listing agent and homeowner can be notified.

        The inspector does a non-intrusive inspection of the home, tests all of the systems, runs all the appliances, and provides you with a written report of the results. Once completed, we may request that the seller fix all items that are defective, are of a safety nature, or are not in compliance with code.

        While the inspection process in designed to help the buyer identify actual or potential defects, it does not mean that you're going to be buying a brand new house. Fair wear and tear is considered normal, and you should not expect the seller to repaint the entire house to suit your color preferences.

        When we get to this stage in the home buying process, we'll be discussing these points again. Before we do, you also need to understand what "defective building products" are and why they are considered defective. Look up: synthetic stucco, polybutylene pipe (PBY), and LP siding. Once you are familiar with these, and others, lets discuss them one at a time, before we go looking at houses together.