Short answer: look for a certified, insured inspector with a track record you can actually check — then show up to the inspection yourself instead of waiting for a summary. The inspection is one of the last real chances you get to find out what you're actually buying before it's yours, and the person doing it should be working for you, full stop, not for the deal closing on time.

That last part matters more than people expect. Your agent isn't trying to screw you, but their commission depends on the sale happening — which means everyone downstream of them (including, sometimes, an inspector they routinely refer business to) has a quiet incentive to keep things moving rather than blow up a deal over a cracked slab. More on that specific conflict-of-interest question — using your agent's recommended inspector vs. finding your own — in a separate piece. Here, the question is simpler: once you've got a name (or a list of names), how do you actually vet the person doing this?

Certifications: what they mean and what they don't

Home inspection licensing is set state by state, and a handful of states still don't require a license at all — so a certification from a national trade body is often the closest thing to a quality floor you get. The two that matter most:

  • InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) — to become a Certified Professional Inspector, candidates pass an online exam, complete Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics courses, and submit mock inspection reports before certification. To stay certified they have to complete continuing education annually and retake the exam every three years.
  • ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) — historically the older, more inspection-heavy path: candidates must pass the National Home Inspector Examination, complete 250 fee-paid inspections that comply with ASHI's Standards of Practice, submit five reports for review, follow ASHI's Code of Ethics, and complete continuing education each year.

Neither certification is a state license, and neither is a guarantee of quality — they're a baseline that filters out people who've never been tested on the standards at all. If your state does license inspectors, check that the license is active (most state licensing boards have a searchable database) in addition to any national certification. Belonging to either group isn't strictly required to be good at the job, but an inspector who's bothered to get certified has at least signaled they take the credentialing seriously.

What to check before you hire anyone

A referral is a fine starting point, but treat it as a lead, not a decision. Before you book:

  • Ask for a sample report. This is the single best filter. A good inspector's report is long, specific, and full of labeled photos of the actual issues found — moisture staining under a specific sink, a specific double-tapped breaker, a specific section of roof flashing. A vague, boilerplate checklist with a handful of stock photos is a red flag that the inspection itself was rushed.
  • Ask how many inspections they've done, and how long they've been doing this specific job (as opposed to, say, having recently pivoted from general contracting). Volume isn't everything, but someone who's inspected a few dozen homes has seen a fraction of what someone who's inspected a few thousand has.
  • Confirm they carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance — sometimes bundled with general liability coverage. It's not universally state-mandated, but a serious independent inspector usually carries it regardless, because it's what protects you (and them) if something significant gets missed. If an inspector hedges or gets cagey when you ask directly, that's worth noting.
  • Ask about relevant specialization. A 1920s house with a fieldstone foundation, knob-and-tube wiring possibly still lurking somewhere, and lead paint isn't the same inspection as a five-year-old production-builder colonial. If you're buying an older home, ask specifically whether the inspector has experience with houses of that era — the failure modes are different, and a generalist who mostly does newer construction may not know what to flag.

Show up. Actually show up.

If you take one thing from this article: be at the inspection in person if there's any way to make the timing work, and talk to the inspector directly at the end of it rather than relying entirely on your agent's paraphrase of the report.

This isn't paranoia about agents being dishonest — most aren't, and most genuinely want you happy in the house. But an agent summarizing a 40-page inspection report is, consciously or not, filtering it through "does this kill the deal," and their livelihood depends on it not killing the deal. An inspector walking you through what they found in person, with no closing to protect, will generally give you a straighter read on what's cosmetic, what's a negotiating chip, and what's actually a problem. It also lets you ask follow-up questions on the spot — "is this a $200 fix or a $20,000 fix" — instead of playing phone tag with a written report full of hedged language days later.

If you genuinely can't attend (schedule conflict, inspector's out of town, whatever), at minimum get on a call with the inspector directly once the report is done, instead of only hearing it secondhand.

Do you need more than one inspection?

Sometimes, yes. A general home inspector covers the roof, structure, systems, and a broad visual sweep — but they're generalists, and some issues genuinely warrant a specialist:

  • Sewer scope — a camera run through the sewer line, usually a separate add-on service, and worth it for any older home or a home on a long or tree-lined lateral line where roots can crack clay pipe. A cracked sewer line is a five-figure repair a general inspector can't see with a flashlight.
  • Foundation specialist — worth it if the general inspector flags cracking, uneven floors, or sticking doors/windows, or if the home is in an area known for expansive soil or slab issues.
  • HVAC specialist — worth it on an older system nearing the end of its typical lifespan, or if the general inspector notes anything ambiguous about sizing or condition (undersized systems are a known issue in some fast-built subdivisions, where the unit struggles to keep up in extreme heat or cold).

None of these are mandatory for every purchase, and stacking too many can eat into a tight inspection contingency window and budget. The general inspection is the baseline; add a specialist when either the property type (older home, septic system, known regional soil issues) or something the general inspector flags gives you a specific reason to look closer — not as a blanket rule for every deal.

Sources

As of August 14, 2026. Home inspector licensing rules vary by state and change periodically — verify current requirements for your specific state before relying on it state-specific claims.