Home Inspection FAQ: Answers for Residents of Milwaukee, Racine WI & Neighboring Areas of Wisconsin

What is a home inspector?
According to the state of Wisconsin, a Home inspector is an individual who, for compensation, examines the observable systems and components of improvements to residential real property that are readily accessible.

Are Home Inspections regulated by the state?
Under Wisconsin's law – Wisconsin Certification ( Chapter 440.97 ) enacted in 1998 – , home inspectors must register with the State and pass an examination approved by the Department of Regulation and Licensing. The law instructs the Department to consider the use of an examination modeled after the National Home Inspector Examination. The law also requires that a home inspector perform a “reasonably competent and diligent“ inspection; however, the inspection is not required to be technically exhaustive. Home inspectors are prohibited from limiting their liability from damages resulting in a failure to conduct a “reasonably competent and diligent” inspection. Also, inspectors are prohibited from performing repairs, maintenance, or improvements to a structure that they have inspected within the last two years.

Can home inspectors tell a client the market value of a property?
No. The duty of a home inspector is to investigate and provide accurate and factual findings to their client on the condition of a property – Not to provide an appraisal of the property's value.

Who has access to a home inspection report?
Only the client, or the person who contracts with the home inspector, receives the report. Reports are completely confidential to the client and may only be shared with a third party with the clients permission.

Why should a home be inspected?

Buyers
Buying a home is one of the most important and costly purchases you will make in your lifetime. The decision to buy should be an educated one. A home inspection is an evaluation of a home’s condition by a trained and state certified expert. During a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in–depth and impartial look at the property you plan to buy. The inspector will:

• Evaluate the physical condition: the structure, construction and mechanical systems.
• Identify items that should be repaired or replaced.
• Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems (such as electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning), equipment, structure and finishes.

A home inspection could easily be the most cost efficient investment you make in a property.

Sellers

1. The trend is changing, and Sellers are having a home inspection at the time of their listing in order to repair or determine the condition of their home and to use it as a sales tool. A Seller's inspection will virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals inspections cause when the Buyer brings their inspector. It gives the leverage back to the Seller.
2. No more renegotiations after the home inspection.
3. No more alarmed buyers when the home inspector finds a problem.
4. No more does the Seller have to deal with inflated repair estimates that costs him or her money.
5. No more countless hours and dollars in energy to get a contract that is “blown out of the water“ by surprise defects.
6. Above all, a Seller's Inspection is the ultimate gesture of full disclosure and will help protect the Seller.

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