Who here gets inspections on potential buys?

[Mark Beekman]

I, personally, always get an inspection on a property that I'm seriously considering to purchase, but I'm wondering how many of you BP members do the same. Or, are you savvy enough to check things out for yourself?

I notice that a lot of people here go to the Sherriff Sale auctions, but I can't imagine that you'd be able to get an inspector in there before you buy.

[Andy J.]

I do the same as Marc. However, I have had inspectors find things that I have missed a couple times, and have been able to negotiate a lower price because of the findings. It's worth paying a little for peace of mind.

On a side note, I do not pay for a full inspection. I don't need a 1" binder with pictures and explanations aimed at inexperienced buyers. I meet my inspector at the property and we go through everything but I just bring a notepad and mark down major items.

Here's the sweet part, in exchange for saving him 2 hours of administrative work, taking notes, printing a report, taking pictures, etc.. I get a cheaper price. Instead of paying $300 per property, I pay around $100-150 depending on the size of the house and how long it takes. I save money, he gets to skip the worst part of his job, and I give him plenty of work so it's win-win.

I will gladly pay $100-150 per house to sleep easier at night and have a second set of eyes to verify my findings.