Submitted by Cutedawg123 t3_101kw1w in jerseycity
Hi everyone, I’m looking to buy a condo in the heights. It’s a gut renovation project and the building has been around for almost 100 years. Do you know any reputable, trustworthy home inspectors in the area? Very importantly, I need help pointing out what are some serious red flags vs small issues. What’s the rate for home inspection? Any help and advice are appreciated. Thanks everyone and happy 2023
He missed a pretty big hvac issue, and we ended up spending over $5k getting it resolved soon after we moved in. Found out he was also friends with the sellers agent - made us question how unbiased he was. Nice guy tho!
He also didn't recognize flooding issues in my house. Lost of lot of fucking money because of it.
Similar issues here. Very nice guy but he missed some stuff that he shouldn't have. It was very disappointing.
Ah, that sucks. Real estate is a scummy profession with terrible ethics standards and limited disclosures on conflicts. I’d name the agent — or the brokerage they worked for at least — so people are aware since it’s a small market with a lot of repeat players.
No, do not go with Daniel Lin. He has missed a lot of obvious problems at my inspection.
We had a great experience with Dan. He inspected two properties for us in JC and we found his reports to be accurate and thorough. And we used different agents for each transaction so there didn’t seem to be a relationship issue there but I guess based on other comments not everyone was so lucky.
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I don't have a recommendation for a general home inspector but highly recommend getting a separate, specialized roof inspector. Our inspector caught some stuff but completely dropped the ball on some roof issues which costed us quite a bit to get fixed. After several no shows and half-ass work, UBL roofing was amazing and I'd highly recommend using them for an inspection if possible.
2nding UBL for roofing inspection!
3rd on UBL roofing, they’re the best roofers in JC hands down
Fourthing. Excellent advice. Roofing should be looked at by a specialist.
I have a home inspector who is also a licensed engineer to try to catch possible structural problems with the building. Her office is near Journal Square.
In terms of things you want to be on the lookout for, I'd be more concerned with the overall financial numbers of the HOA than anything outside your four walls since the HOA is on the hook to make repairs outside your unit anyway.
Tom Bruffy - Apple Tree Inspections. $350
Check out the American Society of Home Inspectors website. It's a good organization and holds its members to a high standards. https://www.homeinspector.org/
i'll send you a DM with who i used, i paid $350
Does the sellers agent real estate agency start with a W?
Optimal Home Inspection.
Something to keep in mind: If you're doing a gut reno, your inspection needs are a bit different than someone buying a place with minor issues or or in need of cosmetic upgrades. you might want to go with an engineer or even an architect. Most inspectors have a checklist of the basics, but you may need a deeper dive into structural issues.
Don't forget to get a mold inspection as well. Climate change and flooding is changing alot of basements throughout JC.
Thanks everyone very very much!
There is a New Jersey home inspectors association. They can guide you.
nuncio_populi t1_j2otz7a wrote
Daniel Lin from Lin Home Inspection. He was very thorough and had some follow up recommendations for roofing, underground oil tanks, etc that were a life saver when we were looking to buy.
Edit: based on other posters, YMMV. I had a great experience and felt issues were properly assessed, especially compared to my first home buying experience where the home inspector was dog shit.