Authored by Kate Beswick in Real Estate 
Published on 07-04-2009

Before people buy a home they usually want to call in a professional to have a look at it and make sure that it is in good condition. This provides the new homeowner with a bit of insurance that the home they just purchased is indeed in good condition. The professionals who are called in to do this job are home inspectors that are hired by the new homeowners, the real estate agent, or another party. They will look at everything inside and outside the home including: the foundation, the plumbing, the electrical system, roofing, and equipment such as air conditioners and appliances. If there are problems with anything in the home, it will be found in the home inspectors report. Home inspection is an exciting career and becoming one is quite easy.

If you’re interested in becoming a home inspector, the first thing you need to do is determine whether you have the basic skills for it. Firstly of course, you should have a basic knowledge of homes and the systems within them before you start thinking about becoming a home inspector. Home inspectors cover every area of the home and so, a basic knowledge of the maintenance and repairs of each area is required. In addition to this, home inspectors must have the motivation to continuously learn more as they always need to be bringing up-to-date information to their clients. Home inspectors need to have a very good knowledge of everything in a home, from the roof to the floors, because everything will be looked at during the inspection. Even things like wear and tear need to be caught by the inspector’s discernible eye!

Home inspectors also need to be quite friendly and enjoy working with people. This is a huge part of the job, as home inspectors are always meeting and talking to new homeowners. Every one of them will be different. Not only will the home inspector be constantly meeting new people but these people will also often be stressed and anxious, as many new homeowners are. Home inspectors need to not only be able to talk to these people in a calm manner but also ease the homeowners’ minds that, even if something is wrong, it can be fixed.

If you think that you have all the qualities that it takes to become a professional home inspector, you may want to look online to find a course. There are many home inspector correspondence courses that can be taken over the Internet and many companies offering them. These courses include everything from home inspection basics to continuing education and review classes. These companies will also often offer courses any time new information regarding the home inspection profession is available.

After taking the courses and determining that you have what it takes, you might start with a small home inspection company or you can start your own! This will only depend on whether you want to share the workload and the experience, or take it all on yourself and make your own hours!