Real Estate Pros FAQ

How long have you been practicing in the home inspection profession and how many inspections have you completed?
We have been practicing for 27 years and have performed over 19,300 residential and commercial building inspections.

If I’m buying a house that has a point of sale (truth-in-housing) inspection, do I need a buyer’s inspection?
A complete buyer’s inspection is a more comprehensive inspection. A buyer’s inspection goes into much greater detail and depth than a truth-in-housing report. However, we recommend you leave the final decision up to the buyer.

Are there any penalties if I list a property without an inspection completed?
Licensed real estate agents are responsible for their listing(s) having a current point of sale report. If there is no report it is a misdemeanor where the agent is subject to 90 days in jail, a $700 fine and a recorded license compliant with possible disciplinary action.

Do I need to bring any point of sale documentation to the closing?
For the cities of St. Paul, Maplewood and Robinsdale you need to bring a copy of the inspection report to the closing. For the cities of Minneapolis, Hopkins, Osseo, Bloomington, South St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, New Hope, Richfield and St. Louis Park you need to bring a certificate of approval issued by the city.

Do you offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection?
We do not offer any repairs as that could be perceived as a conflict of interest. We are members of the ASHI, the industry’s premier trade association, which prohibits soliciting or performing repair work.

Are you insured?
We carry both professional and general liability insurance. At your request, we will email a copy of our insurance policies.

Can I attend the inspection?
We encourage our clients and their real estate agent to attend the entire inspection. Although our report is comprehensive, easy to read and understand, you miss an opportunity to see the prospective home through the eyes of a professional.

Do you participate in continuing education programs to keep your expertise up to date?
My memberships and licenses require that I do a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education each year. In addition, I write and teach numerous home inspector courses each year.