Even in today's lightspeed
real estate market, it's important
to sweat the details

Choosing an inspector

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By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.com

When Paula Myers first began selling residential real estate, it was not unusual for brokers to inspect homes for their buying clients.

As a novice, a colleague offered her advice on how to conduct the home inspection. Three items were needed, he had said -- an apple, a night light and a wet towel.

"You used the apple to check that the garbage disposal worked, the night light to make sure the outlets were functioning and the wet towel to make sure the dryer worked," said Myers, who now works for Prudential Locations.

DAVID SWANN / DSWANN@STARBULLETIN.COM Click image for larger version (124K.)

Her broker at that time also believed a good pair of high heels was a necessary tool for a home inspection.

"You took off your high heel to tap against the woodwork for evidence of termite damage," she said. "If it crumbled you knew you had big problems."

Times have changed.

While home inspections are still not mandatory, Myers said, more real estate agents insist that a home inspection be conducted, preferably by a professional, prior to sale.

"Buyers are often more nervous," she said. "They're afraid they're taking on someone else's problems and also more inclined to hold others responsible for problems."

But as Oahu's home-buying binge rushes on unabated, more and more buyers are finding they have to accept homes in "as is" condition rather than making a purchase contingent on problems being corrected.

The take-it-or-leave-it trend is also leading some buyers to forgo home inspections, believing that if the seller won't fix the problem, there's no point in spending the money for an inspection.

While lenders typically require a home appraisal, which determines the value of a property, the optional home inspection is generally done at a buyer's request -- and expense. So some buyers choose to rely on a relative or friend with some home construction experience to conduct the inspection.

But as pickings get slimmer, especially in available resale housing, there is also a greater chance of finding serious defects, said those in the industry.

"You need to know what 'as is' is," said Aran Ardaiz, a former general building contractor and owner of Ardaiz Inspection Service. "If the buyer is aware of deficiencies then at least they know and are buying with the knowledge of what they will have to do."

In Hawaii, whether it's a new home or an older home, no house is perfect, inspectors say.

"I always tell clients this is likely to be the biggest investment of your life so you need to know what you're getting into," said Stephanie Nakamura, an inspector with Allstate Home Inspections. "Every house has issues, no matter how young or how old. It's never going to be perfect."

For example, it's not usual to see dry rot problems in many Hawaii homes.

"It's quite extensive in Hawaii because the baseboard of the house siding has not been adequately sealed," Ardaiz said.

Termite damage, plumbing and electrical problems are also familiar sights, especially in older homes, the inspectors say, as does poor wiring, which could lead to a danger of electrical overload.

"It's usually someone trying to rectify the situation on their own," Ardaiz said.

Then there are Oahu's hillside homes. Many have problems when it rains heavily.

"When you have two or three sides of a hillside and the house is recessed and cuts in, there is the potential for water running through. You need to make sure the house's perimeter is protected by a water diversion system in order to create a dry basis for the foundation," he said.

Likewise, renovations -- popular in many older homes to accommodate multiple generations -- can be a source of future trouble. Each successive renovation needs to be checked to see if it is likely to cause further problems, Ardaiz said.

"In the older home you're more likely to find electrical problems, or problems in the way additions to the home have been tied to the foundation. Sometimes you'll get shearing where the walls tie the old house to the new addition or the house separates and the floors become uneven," he said.

Peter Blodgett, who owns Housemaster home inspection service, recalls a young couple who were in the process of purchasing their first home, which happened to be perched on a hillside.

"None of the doors or windows would work, there were concrete slabs going in each direction, cracks in walls. I can remember the young couple were about to get married but were absolutely clueless as far as maintenance was concerned. While in the end it was their decision, I did everything I could to imply they shouldn't buy," he said.

The young couple eventually decided not to buy the house. They also didn't get married, he said.

With the latest spate of home sales, Blodgett has started to see homes he inspected previously re-appearing on the market, sometimes with the same problems.

"Most of the things we suggested on the previous inspection haven't been done. But on the other hand, that's not every person and some I see will have gone down the list and diligently corrected everything," he said.

It's also not just older homes that have problems, the home inspectors say.

Buying a new home is no guarantee. Ardaiz is not a fan of some of the newer building materials and products used.

"Some of the newer products are not as durable as the older products. The new composite sidings deteriorate more rapidly and therefore require more constant vigil and maintenance," he said. "On newer homes, this is an issue when they have open joints and the siding actually puckers or warps. This is repairable, but at great expense so it should be maintained."

Exterior paint can also be a problem in newer homes.

"I find they have color coat 'fogging' but no adequate paint thickness to give protection. So what happens is that you don't notice it until three or four years later," he said.

Some newer homes also don't have adequate ventilation, not only making the house much hotter but also eventually causing the roof to deteriorate at a much faster pace.

"With no ventilation in attics, they overheat. You are literally cooking the shingles from the inside out," he said.

For Blodgett, the biggest enemy to overcome when maintaining a home in Hawaii is moisture.

"You need to keep things sealed and lubricated especially on the weather side of your house. If you don't act fast you're doomed. A lot of times, sellers don't look on an ongoing basis at what they own," he said.

A few quick fixes on a previously neglected home prior to a sale will generally not escape the eyes of a good home inspector.

"If someone has fixed up the home just to sell it you can tell," Blodgett said. "You still find a lot of things compared to someone who has maintained the house."

Blodgett advises new homebuyers to use the experience of a professional home inspection and the report that is generated from it to be proactive in caring for their new home.

"Use it as a guideline to do your own home inspection every year," he said. "It can certainly help you to maintain the house as you go along."

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Choosing an inspector While there are no formal qualifications for a home inspector, the following tips may help when deciding who to choose: >> Talk to your real estate agent or relatives and friends who have undergone a recent inspection. >> A home inspection may range from several hundred dollars to over $1,000, depending upon the size of the property. >> Inspectors should carry liability insurance and errors and omissions insurance. >> Good inspector should have a broad general knowledge of topics related to construction such as building, plumbing, fire and electrical codes and be able to inspect all aspects of the building. >> An inspector can also put in perspective any defects they have found and give you a general idea about necessary repairs.