I am new to the BB and enjoy trying to educate myself on your perspective of real estate as an industry. I believe that issue of "home inspection (HI)" is a hot topic and critical area in all real estate transactions.I also believe very strongly that HI's are becoming more common practice.

I agree that HI as a profession has gone through great strides in both Canada and the US to truly provide registration and certification, and E & O insurance requirements of Home Inspectors for the benefit of the public at large. Why is it we have to literally fight for acceptance in the real estate arena to gain some honest recognition?

PS: We are generally labelled the "deal killers", but on closer review we are labelled for portraying the home on a visual inspection for truly what it is.

I think this is a great topical area for beneficial discussions and debate. We have invited the local president from the Real Estate Board out to exchange views at our next South Western-OAHI meeting , particularly in light of the Dateline show re: Home Inspection & Real Estate

I would appreciate your feedback on this topic.

Thanks, Claude Lawrenson RHI,RSW Windsor Ont.

Claude,

Thank you for entering our forum and asking for comment on Home Inspectors.

I, for one, believe in Home Inspections to the point that I offer a Free Home Inspection to anyone who buys a home through me. This has been advertised in this week's Real Estate Advertiser on page 68. I have also promoted home inspections through flyers and the banners on my site windsorhouses.com and through a link to Home Inspection information.

I am not familiar with the Dateline show you mention but I can assure you that Home Inspections are an integral part of all my real estate transactions today.

As in other situaions, Realtors sometimes need to be educated on the services of Home Inspectors and some more so than others. Those are probably the same people who have trouble grasping the value of the internet in their real estate practice, or the computer as a necessary tool for today's professional real estate practitioners. And you thought dinosaurs were extinct?

Seriously, I applaud your efforts to encourage the use of home inspections and I am only too happy to promote your cause.

Education, education, education - the name of the game.

Claude, on a final note regarding the necessity of home inspections:

I wish to have all my buyers receive peace of mind that they are buying a home in good condition and one that does not require major or unexpected expenditures after they have bought their home of their dreams. I sleep better at night also because of the service provided by home inspectors.

Thank you again for bringing the matter to the attention of our Results-net Forum.