Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector: Your Guide to a Comfortable and Confident Inspection Experience

Rating:
Summary: A book on "Home inspections??" -come on get real.
Review: A book on "Home inspections??" -come on get real. Why do I need to read a book about Home inspections?

I read this book NOT because the topic interests me, but because I had to. I am a professional speaker and author who teaches investors how to buy vacation homes.

I read this book to help my clients. When you purchase vacation homes (most often from a distance), home inspections are an integral part of the purchasing process. So naturally I should read everything on this topic to educate myself...

I opened up the book and started to read the about the "about the author" page...The author is a of course an experienced home inspector, but also retired navy pilot-- oh, double joy, not only was I embarking on a journey of overly detailed information on a topic I was not excited to read, but I had visions of TV's "Major Dad"...he's going to belittle me and yell at me in the process.

Well let me say, Wow! Wow! Wow!

Only Wallace Conway could have written a book on such a boring and dry topic, filled with with detailed information and made it interesting to read. I read it like a "I can't put it down, engaging page turning novel!" I even laughed out loud during many of the anecdotal stories. This book engaged me from the first page. I read this book from cover in one day!

Now I can see why HGTV Hired this guy to be their Detective Inspector...he's competent, charming And funny!

From the start of this book to the very end, Wallace fills this book with critical facts and logical and sometimes not so logical mistakes sellers, buyers, realtors and even inspectors make. He fills in the facts with poignant examples to paint clear pictures of every situation.

For me, he clarified the matter building codes. Wallace explained how when you purchase a home today that was built 50 years ago you cannot expect things to be to today's building codes. He used the analogy of the vintage T-Bird. Even though the T-Bird does not adhered to today's safety codes with airbags, antilock breaks, etc, it does not mean that you can't drive it. As long as the home was built to code at the time of building then it should pass your home inspection (but I still think that a good inspector should still point these things out to the buyer).

This is a book that I feel every single person who ever buys a home should read.

I have purchased numerous properties and hired many home inspectors. I thought I was pretty educated on the topic. Boy was I wrong! Thanks Wallace Conway for opening my eyes and for writing such a great book. Christine Karpinski


Rating:
Summary: From Experience
Review: Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector is a "must read" for all present or future Home Inspectors. To me the most valued part of the book centers around expectations. Wally Conway gives real and understandable explanations as to differences between expectations and reality. Why is this useful? Most home buyers look at the home they have chosen as near perfect and it is the job of the home inspector to identify problems with the home. The home buyer is often saddened by our findings and not quite sure which way to turn. Wally then gives clues on how to "soften the blow" by putting the home buyer at ease through non-alarmest explanations about what is wrong, how it can be fixed and that all homes have problems but all problems can be resolved. After all, in the home buying experience it truly is "all about knowing", so that expensive surprises are not in the home buyers immediate future.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic !!
Review: This book is not only informative and practical, but interesting and entertaining! Even though I originally wanted and expected a more detailed, technical book, this book proved to be more informative than I imagined. This is not a textbook on the specifics of home inspection process, but instead talks about all the "people" aspects - who should come to the inspection, how to choose a qualified inspector, the real reason why you're getting a home inspection, the role of real estate agents, and much more about the issues that blend at this point in the real estate transaction. Who knew there was so much going on during a home inspection? I loved this book because Wally Conway leads the reader through the whys and whats of the entire process with humor and smarts. How refreshing! Not only should every person buying or selling a home read this book, but every home inspector and real estate agent should, too!