One of the most common problems experienced by homebuyers today is faulty roofing. A home’s roof is vitally important, especially in southwest Florida. Too many things can go wrong and too much damage can result if the roof is not proper protection against wind, rain, and other external factors.

Finding home inspectors in Naples to inspect your properties before your clients show up to check out the home is a perfect way to save you and your clients the stress and headache of dealing with a home that has a suspect roof in dire need of repair.

What Can Go Wrong with a Roof

Roofing is not nearly as simple as many of us might think.

There are several components that need to be in good shape in order to create a solid roof that keeps the elements at bay. The size, shape, material, and condition of the shingles can impact the ability of a roof to keep a home dry (and how they are installed will tell whether or not they can withstand high winds). The drainage and gutter system is also a common problem area that could result in poor drainage (and eventual leakage into the home.)

That is just what is outside and visible. Home inspections in Naples can go into the home to observe the underlying structure and support system to ensure that no leaks are present due to internal components running through the roof and the sheathing used to keep the roof watertight.

Finding home inspectors in Naples to thoroughly inspect a potential property’s roof involves selecting a trained, professional home inspector who is certified with the state of Florida and has experience investigating the integrity of roofs in southwest Florida.

You definitely do not want you or your client to deal with roof issues that can become quite expensive to fix down the road. Protect everyone today by getting a property inspected.

That’s right – termites.

Termites can be found in virtually every area of the continental United States. In southwest Florida alone, there are several species of termites and other wood-eating insects that can infest homes without any damage being seen by the naked eye. Showing a home that is potentially compromised by termites is a recipe for disaster.

Detecting Termites in a Home

In southwest Florida, there are three general types of termites that we commonly deal with in southwest Florida. One of the most dangerous ones – Formosan termites – are larger termites that can penetrate wood structures in a home and cause damage. Drywood termites are also effective at causing structural damage to a property and can create several colonies throughout a home.

In many cases, finding these termites is not possible by taking a walk through a home. Realtors commonly miss these insects because they lack the tools, knowledge, or expertise to get into the property and find potential colonies.

Conducting Home Inspections in Naples for Termites

Fortunately, Realtors do not have to go it alone in order to present a viable and structurally-sound home to their clients. You can hire professional home inspectors in southwest Florida who know where to look and how to find termites, beetles, and other insects that frequently inhabit homes. Once a home inspection has been conducted, and termite hot-spots have been identified, solutions can be found and problems can be rectified.

Home inspections in Naples can ensure that termite infestations do not take you or your client by surprise, in an effort to remove any possible roadblocks in the way to a successful transaction. Make sure the home inspector you choose is certified by the state of Florida as required by a state law passed in 2005.

Home inspections can keep you from a huge headache – so check out any property before moving further.

It’s important for Realtors to understand how important a home’s ventilation system is to the comfort level of the home – because at the end of the day, if your client isn’t satisfied, he or she won’t buy. The trick is this: a venting system isn’t as easy to understand and evaluate as it may seem.

That is why hiring trained professionals to conduct home inspections in Collier County is of vital importance before you present any home.

Common Home Ventilation Problems in Southwest Florida

Homes in Collier County have many of the same common issues as other homes do in other parts of the country – except the hot and humid climate intensifies the need for effective systems. For starters, a home has to be properly sealed from the elements. Otherwise, all the hot outside air will penetrate the home and turn it into a sauna – and no one in Collier County wants to live in one of those!

But, it is possible for a house to be sealed too tightly. Usually this happens in this day and age because people want to be as energy-conscious and efficient as they possibly can be. The problem with that is a home that is too tightly sealed will gather interior moisture and humidity and could cause clothing and furniture to rot, as well as cause mold development and health issues.

Using Home Inspections to Spot Potential Problems

Fortunately, it is rather easy for you to spot these ventilation problems that could sink a sale: hire a professional home inspector! Home inspectors who are properly certified by the state of Florida can professionally evaluate a home’s venting systems in order to make sure there is a good air circulation going on, as to avoid any of the above problems.

Check any southwest Florida home before the sale to protect your business and your client.

You’d be surprised just how many code violations can potentially hit a home in just a short amount of time. Not every homeowner maintains his or her home the same way, after all, so if you are contracted to a home that has had its fair share of previous owners, you could have potential code violation problems.

Hiring home inspectors in Naples can help you avoid this problem today.

Finding Potential Code Violations with Careful Home Inspections

Your average community’s list of housing codes is often an inch thick – so big, in fact, that a Realtor can’t possibly be expected to know each code and what violations look like in real life. These code violations can come back to bite people, so it’s best to take care of them.

Home inspectors in Naples can help you pinpoint each code violation or potential violation, explain to you the severity of the potential violation, and offer advice on addressing the issue before the home is presented to a client. For example, under Florida state code, renovated buildings often are subject to codes from which other existing residential buildings are exempt. One major example is energy-efficient measures mandated by Florida law.

Homes that were built relatively recently, during the housing craze from 2000-2005, are particularly susceptible because, unfortunately, many builders cut corners and took shortcuts in order to fulfill rapidly-growing demand.

Finding the Right Home Inspectors in Naples

Having home inspectors in Naples to inspect each property is a wise decision, as you can see. Finding the right professionals in southwest Florida basically involves finding inspectors who are fully certified with the state of Florida (per recent Florida law) and offer a standard report that covers every major area of the home. That is the first step in keeping the reputation of your business intact.

When showing homes to potential buyers, it is important to address the septic system, as any informed buyer will want to know about the waste disposal method used for the property. You also want to be able to provide a good health assessment of the septic system to limit your liability in case something goes wrong later.

This is why home inspections in Naples are highly recommended for any property with a septic system before a sale occurs.

The Makings of a Healthy Septic System

For the most part, septic systems in Collier County are designed similarly like septic systems elsewhere. A home with this system will have three essential components: the holding tank; the pipes; and the drainage field.

Solid waste enters the septic tank through the piping, and is broken down by bacteria in the tank. This solid material settles to the bottom of the tank; the excess liquid is then allowed to seep into the drainage field.

If any of these components is not in proper working order, damage to the system, internal plumbing, and yard could result. Common problems include clogged and/or collapsing drainage fields, clogged pipes, overflowing tanks, and blocked inlet drains. These repairs are quite expensive and could occur anywhere from a day to a year or more after the sale is complete.

Home Inspections in Naples for Septic Systems

Fortunately, you can help your clients – and yourself – avoid this trouble by getting qualified home inspections in Naples ordered for your property. Collier County inspectors must be certified by the state of Florida and should have expertise in quickly and professionally examining a septic system to see if it is good to go – or a major problem waiting to happen.

Realtors showing Naples real estate should consider having a wind mitigation inspection conducted by a trained professional, as to offer a good selling point to potential buyers who are concerned about high insurance premiums and structural damage to their new homes.

What is Wind Mitigation?

Southwest Florida, as with most other parts of the state, is susceptible to high wind damage. It is not an everyday occurrence, of course, and many people go for years without having to file a claim due to high wind damage on their property. But, with Florida being Florida, it is still a concern.

Wind mitigation is when a home is designed in such a way as to reduce or eliminate the damage from high winds. These homes usually have features like reinforced roofing, window shutters, impact-resistant windows, hip-shaped roofs, and even landscaping designed to act as windbreaks. Insurance premiums for wind damage on these homes are almost always lower than homes without these improvements or qualities.

Getting a Naples Real Estate Inspection for Wind Mitigation

While some features are visible to the naked eye, most aren’t – which is why Realtors who really want a professional opinion need to find licensed and qualified home inspectors to conduct thorough wind mitigation tests on the home. Elsewhere, this may or may not be needed; in southwest Florida, with Naples real estate, it’s a virtual necessity.

Licensed home inspectors are required to have certifications from the state of Florida in order to conduct business within the state. Contact your local home inspector and schedule a walkthrough of any prospective property so that you can offer informed advice to your buyers. Some popular home modifications are not necessary; those that mitigate wind damage are, especially in Florida.

As a Realtor, you will be able to impress your clients and show them high-quality properties that are great on energy consumption if you can deliver a good impression of how much a particular property could save during the course of a year.

The easiest way to do this is to hire qualified inspectors to conduct home inspections in Naples before your clients walk through the front door.

Why Home Inspections in Naples are Worth Your Time

As a Realtor, you need every advantage and selling point you can find for a property – even if it is a hot property that is loaded with amenities. Customers are about cost these days, and there are so many ways a home can leak energy.

Home inspections in Naples can help you pinpoint exactly where your client’s money will go once they inhabit the home. Inspectors look at the HVAC system, naturally, but also examine seals around doorways and windows, attic sealing, insulation, and other important components that impact a homeowner’s energy bill.

After all, in Collier County, virtually every home needs its HVAC systems and construction as energy-efficient as possible.

Tell your prospective clients exactly what they’re getting with a new home and you are one step closer to a successful close.

Finding the Right Inspectors for the Job

To take advantage of home inspections in Naples, you need to find inspectors who have the proper qualifications – including certification as required by Florida state law. You also need to ask the inspectors what they look for when examining a home’s energy efficiency.

The more experience a home inspector has with this kind of home surveys, the better. You will receive professional advice for a home, and will be able to back your presentation with facts – and hopefully lock in a deal.

To protect yourself and save yourself – and your client – time and money, you can order a snapshot of a property by finding a home inspector in Naples who can deliver what is called a Four Point home inspection to you easily and quickly.

Here we’ll explore how finding a home inspector in Naples to give you this Four Point report is a must.

The Need for a Home Inspection Report

In order to insure a home, or even approve a home for a loan, a property must first be inspected. This is no secret, of course. What many may not realize, though, is that there are four main areas that are critical for a successful inspection – and, for you, a sale.

Without a home inspection report, you are essentially going into a transaction blind. No one knows what lurks in a home, particularly if it has been vacant for a while as with foreclosures. A wide variety of problematic issues can and do arise in these four critical areas:

1. HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)
2. Plumbing (fixtures, connections, etc.)
3. Electrical wiring systems
4. Roofing

Finding a Home Inspector in Naples for Your Four Point Report

Fortunately, a Four Point report covers each of these four areas, and provides you with an authoritative overview of these critical zones without giving you a long, complicated, and unnecessarily-detailed report that you don’t need.

All you need to do is look for a licensed home inspector who is properly certified with the state of Florida (which is now a statewide requirement). Inquire into their Four Point inspection reports; if they have one, you can begin inspecting your Naples real estate holdings immediately.

Inspect your homes early and often before your clients pull up to the driveway.

Fortunately, licensed home inspectors in Naples and Collier County know what common problems to look for – which is why you should seek their services before showing any home to anyone. Here are three common problems with Southwest Florida homes.

Problem #1: Roof Damage

Many licensed home inspectors in Naples and Collier County report that roof damage is a very common problem found during home inspections in this area. The reasons vary, but the climate and weather of the region can have an impact on the roofing material.

If roofing material is not properly maintained, it can result in leaks penetrating into the home and damaging the interior. It’s best to pinpoint this problem early for your prospective buyers so they can work with the sellers accordingly.

Problem #2: Drainage

Florida gets more than its fair share of rainfall, and the generally-wet climate ensures that home drainage is a highly-important issue. To the untrained eye, a home may be on perfectly drained ground. But, to licensed home inspectors, there could be real issues lurking.

Poor drainage can cause soil subsistence beneath a home, which leads to long-term problems for your clients. It is best to spot these issues well in advance.

Problem #3: Faulty Wiring

This third problem is potentially very dangerous for your clients because electrical fires cause roughly $1.1 billion in property losses and 310 lives each year. You definitely want to make sure any potential home is good to go when it comes to the wiring system – especially on older homes that may have antiquated or neglected wiring systems.

Find licensed home inspectors in Naples and Collier County to ID these problems before they become problems for your clients – and your business.

The home’s foundation is the cornerstone – no pun intended – of any successful real estate transaction. A damaged foundation is a pandora’s box of potential troubles that any smart Realtor would be wise to avoid.

Here is how you can use home inspectors in Naples to help you steer clear of any potential problems before your potential clients notice them – and run away.

Potential Problems with Southwest Florida Foundations

Most foundations in Florida are slab foundations, as opposed to basements or crawl spaces. Slab foundations are cheaper, but they are also subject to more potential damage through land subsistence and other issues with the surrounding and underlying soil. With such a wet climate like the one found in southwest Florida, problems could arise due to wet earth subsiding and shifting.

Most Realtors look for cracks in the exterior of the foundation that is usually visible in some exterior walls or surfaces, but in actuality it is more difficult to tell that there is anything wrong with the foundation. There could be cracking beneath the floor that you cannot see, or internal leaks that will pose a problem in the future.

Hiring Home Inspectors in Naples

What you want to do is to hire home inspectors in Naples to inspect the home and check for potential foundation problems. Fixing a slab foundation can be very expensive, so many times it is not worth the effort – which is why homebuyers run away from these problems quickly.

Hire professional home inspectors who are licensed by the state of Florida and understand how to thoroughly inspect a foundation. This is the best way to prevent you from losing potential sales – and losing clients in the process.