Inspect It Right With Insight! Home buyers cannot afford to purchase a home with multiple unknown problems. Today, buyers are going to the settlement table with greater peace of mind thanks to Insigh
About Us
Insight Home Inspections® is West Georgia and East Alabama's premier full-service inspection company.
We believe that buying or building a new home doesn't need to be a stressful process. Having a professional home inspection performed on your new home is the best way to achieve the peace of mind you are looking for.
We also believe that professional training is the most important factor when choosing an inspection company. That's why all our inspectors have received the best training available for both home inspections and environmental testing and are Certified Georgia Real Estate Inspectors. We are licensed in Georgia and Alabama and are fully insured.
So that you can be completely assured of our objectivity, we do not perform any of the work we recommend; nor do we make make referrals.
Please take a few moments to browse our site to learn more about how Insight Home Inspections® can help you with your inspection needs.
http://www.insighthomeinspections.net
http:// www.columbushomeinspection.com
<>CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE MAGAZINE www.HomeInsightsMagazine.net
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Sandy Schoon, ABR®, GRI, a sales associate with Arizona Best Realty in Scottsdale, knows firsthand just how quickly a deal can be put in jeopardy — or slip away altogether.
Schoon had a listing on an older house, built in the early ’70s. Two weeks before the sale was to close, the air conditioning system broke down. After some scrambling by the sellers and a $2,000 repair, the deal went through, but Schoon says the added stress could’ve easily been avoided.
“If you do an inspection and make the necessary repairs before listing a home, the house basically has a clean bill of health,” says Schoon, who has regularly recommended prelisting inspections to her clients during the four years she’s worked as a real estate salesperson. “It’s an opportunity to take care of things that could go wrong so that they won’t come back and bite you.”
Prelisting inspections — examinations paid for by the seller before a house is put on the market — are becoming an increasingly popular way for practitioners to not only reduce the possibility of last-minute surprises but also give their clients’ homes a marketing edge.
Although some practitioners suggest prelisting inspections for older homes or those in obvious need of repair, Susan Spellman, ABR®, a salesperson with Long & Foster, REALTORS®, in Williamsburg, Va., recommends them to all her clients. Her average sales price is about $700,000, and her clients tend to live in gated communities. “Just because a home has granite countertops doesn’t mean it’s well built,” she says.
She feels so strongly about prelisting inspections that if her clients don’t agree to do one, she gives them two options: sign a letter acknowledging they’re not following her advice or work with another practitioner. “I tell my clients not to be penny-wise and dollar-dumb,” Spellman says.
In the end, “my clients feel it’s been money well spent,” she says.
Schoon and Spellman both mention the inspections in all of a home’s marketing materials, and make the inspection reports, as well as any repair receipts or cost estimates, available during showings.
According to the “2005 Home Inspection Business Operations Study", the number of prelisting inspections has been increasing slowly but steadily during the past decade. The study, which is based on a nationwide survey of about 18,000 home inspectors (response rate: 14.7 percent) and covers business operations during the 2004 calendar year, found prelisting inspections accounted for about 2.6 percent of an inspector’s annual business, up from 1.5 percent in 1996. On average, an inspector conducts about 200 home inspections annually.
"Although the percentage of prelisting inspections is still relatively low, the increase is significant, especially as many real estate markets show signs of cooling," says Rob Paterkiewicz, a home inspection expert in Des Plaines, Ill. “Sellers are realizing it’s not just their market anymore. Thanks to the Internet, potential buyers are walking into homes more knowledgeable than ever before, and sellers know they must do everything they can to sell their house,” Paterkiewicz says. He estimates prelisting inspections might already represent as much as 5 percent of an inspector’s business, and he expects the trend to continue.
“A lot of this activity is being driven by real estate practitioners,” rather than consumers, says Dan Steward, president of a Tampa, Florida-based inspection franchise, because practitioners want faster transactions with fewer surprises or hiccups.
Like Paterkiewicz, Steward’s also seen an increase in prelisting inspection activity. “A prelisting inspection helps get buyers comfortable with the idea of making an unconditional offer. There’s also a greater sense of security because the seller and practitioner are being very forthright, demonstrating that there’s nothing to hide.”
The need to make certain repairs—such as to mechanical systems (heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical) and to address safety issues (broken locks, loose handrails)—almost goes without saying. But the prelisting inspection can help the owner and practitioner decide which, if any, of the remaining projects to address before putting the house on the market.
Even if sellers decide not to make any of the suggested fixes, a prelisting inspection can still prove beneficial, Steward says. For example, it allows sellers to obtain cost estimates for needed work, so they can offer potential buyers an appropriate, not excessive, discount off the listing price.
Gale Colvin, director of technical training for a Memphis, Tennessee–based home inspection company, says a prelisting inspection should follow the same standards and protocols as any other inspection. “More than likely the buyer will conduct a second inspection, and you don’t want any surprises,” he says.
By bringing potential problem areas to light before sellers put their house on the market and creating an environment of trust and goodwill between sellers and buyers, prelisting inspections can reduce parties’ stress level and eliminate many of the bumps that can throw a deal off track, says Long & Foster’s Spellman.
“You want a smooth, successful transaction,” she says. “If the house doesn’t sell, it’s a lose-lose for everyone.”
CURB APPEAL
by Corrie Reed
Before placing your home for sale, follow these easy tips for an exterior home make-over.
Have your home inspected prior to listing your home. A home inspector will point out any repairs or improvements that need to be made. The inspector will also give you an overall evaluation of your home’s condition. Based on the results, you may choose to address the repairs or with the advice of your Realtor®, you may build in the cost of repairs into your home’s asking price. All of the good points found during the inspection can be highlighted in your home’s listing. Knowing your home’s condition prior to listing, will minimize surprises down the line for both you and the buyer.
Insight Home Inspections® is a full-service inspection company providing inspection and testing solutions to meet your needs. Just click on any of our services to learn more.
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We serve many communities in Georgia and Alabama. To see our service area click here.
http://www.insighthomeinspections.net
http:// www.columbushomeinspection.com
We believe that Insight Home Inspections® is the area's best full-service inspection company. We make every effort to ensure that the quality of inspections performed and level of customer service is unsurpassed. That's why we guarantee satisfaction. But don't just take our word, take our client's. Here's what just a few have to say.
"Gregg, your inspection and report were very thorough and professional, and I especially enjoyed the discussions that we had in regard to the imperfections that you found and the options for making repairs. I have had my own remodeling business for 25 years, and I can tell that you definitely are an expert at what you do. Please feel free to offer me as a reference to any of your clients."
D. Kerwin – Salem
"Mr. Austensen, I just wanted to say thank you for doing our home inspection yesterday. And I am very impressed about the inspection report as well as all the details and pictures to go along with the report. Pam King was right. She recommended you above all the other home inspectors on the list she supplied to me. Once again, thanks for the terrific job and all the tremendous effort you apply to your home inspections." K. Lawson – Columbus
Gregg, I really appreciated you taking a part of your Saturday to help me. Your knowledge and professionalism were outstanding. I would highly recommend you to anyone in need of a home inspection. Thanks! Cliff Goff– Columbus
"Very thorough inspection. Extremely clear, detailed, and useful report. Looking forward to working together in the future and have already referred you to friends and associates."
C. Samaris (Investor)
Your inspection report and attention to detail for the Lee Rd 307 property received laudatory comments from everyone I've shown the report to (which has been quite a few folks) - from the electrician who physically used it to guide his own inspection and repairs, to David Cummings, owner of McDougal Company, who has coached me through the property aquisition process.
C. Samaris (Investor)
"Thanks again for your thorough inspection! We were very impressed." K. Allen – Eufaula
Great job on this inspection. I find it to be very thorough and professionally completed. Thank you!
D. Amberson (Realtor) – Phenix City
"This was an excellent experience. Gregg Austensen was very thorough with the inspection. He went step by step to explain to me problems and offered solutions. When it was done I got this really cool report that I could log into anytime I would like, to view pictures of my future home and a complete write up on it. I would definitely refer him to my family and friends." J. Edwards – Phenix City
"Great job! Very thorough and knowledgeable regarding home inspections. I would highly recommend your services to interested parties. Very pleasant to work with as well". C. Babin – Columbus
"The inspection report was very thorough and informative. I found it especially helpful to identifiy those items that need attention immediately and those that can be monitored or attended to at a later date. Again thank-you for a most professional assessment of the property in question. A. Morrison – Randolph, MA
"I was very pleased with the inspection and
your report was great. I've told a friend who is a real estate investor
about you and I'm sure he will call." K. Green – Americus
"My overall impression of the inspection was outstanding. The inspection was both clear and concise. The repairs and recommendations were clearly illustrated. It allowed me to better understand the property for which I was scheduled to purchase and also provided me a better insight on what to look for in future property. What stood out was the Inspectors (Gregg Austensen) knowledge of the dwelling and that he cares for the safety of the residents that reside in the home. I will refer my friends and family to Insight Home Inspections. Thank you!"
A. Kittles (Investor) – Columbus
"I really appreciate your thoroughness. Having been through another inspection on a different home since this one, the difference in your level of detail and time/care taken is obvious."
K. Travers – Hamilton
"I've never had a home inspector go over so many things with me before and explain how things in my house work.... thank you for fitting us in on such late notice." P. England – Columbus
"I am thoroughly pleased by the tremendous inspection report that you gave us!!! I plan on contracting your services for any inspections I will be needing in the future. Thank you much!"
L. Hughes (Investor) – Columbus
"I want to thank you for coming to my residence today to conduct your free "Know Before You Show" pre-listing consultation. I appreciated your time, expertise and willingness to share your observations about my home with me. Again, thank you for your visit and I look forward to an opportunity to use you in the near future." R. Perez – Columbus
READ REVIEWS FROM YELLOWPAGES.COM Exceptional great home inspection Posted by tmccreary on 2007/10/10 Greg was very professional. He called and showed up when he said he would. He was very thorough and answered any questions I had. I would definitely recommend him. Exceptional Home Inspection Posted by jeremyg005 on 2007/09/26 My home inspection by Insight Home Inspections was a comforting experience. I received a very thorough inspection that could be viewed online the next morning. It was broken down by categories and included pictures with captions to explain and point to the damage. Insight Home Inspections took the time to point out all areas of concern and answered all my questions. The quality of customer service exceeded my every expectations. I would gladly recommend their services to everyone purchasing a home. After the inspection I felt confident in knowing what I needed to have repaired the home I am purchasing. Exceptional home inspection Posted by slgarnto on 2007/08/05 Gregg Austenson with Insight Home inspections did an outstanding job inspecting the home I recently purchased. Without his expertise the necessary items on the inspection report would not have been addressed. He provided a very thorough inspection at a quite reasonable cost. I highly recommend him for his services. Sandy Garnto 
Based on 3 reviews.
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