If you're searching for a national web site for home inspectors, you might want to try NAHI, the National Association of Home Inspectors, which was formed in 1987.

Most of the time, your real estate agent will be able to recommend a home inspector to you. For example, I give my home buyers a list of inspectors, which include a former builder-turned-home-inspector, an expensive inspector who is often called as an expert witness for trials, a long-term inspector who maintains membership in a home inspection association, and a list of available web sites to find other inspectors.

In California, for example, home inspectors are not licensed nor certified as they are in other states. Some are lousy and some are great.

I suggest that home buyers interview the home inspectors and choose an inspector who best fits their needs. Maintaining membership in an association means an inspector must stay up-to-date on crucial regulations that affect home inspections and must abide by its code of ethics . . . read more about National Association of Home Inspectors.

More Articles by Elizabeth Weintraub:

• How to Recognize a Bad Home Inspector
  
• A Home Inspection Checklist
  
• Things to Do To Get Ready for a Home Inspection

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It seems lots of home buyers who premeditate foreclosure prior to buying another home don't see any problem with the concept of buy and bail.

They can't figure out why it's against the law or what mortgage fraud means. Contrary to what some buy and bail buyers believe, lenders are cracking down. The FBI is presently investigating more than 50,000 cases of mortgage fraud and have made sweeping arrests in the past week.

I can understand why a buyer would want to pursue a buy and bail scenario. I imagine most feel they are pushed up against the wall with no way out. They can't afford to pay their mortgage, their home has lost value, and they don't want to end up renting again. But breaking the law isn't really the answer . . . read more about Buy and Bail.

More Articles by Elizabeth Weintraub:

• How to Avoid Mortgage Fraud
  
• Home Buying With Bad Credit
  
• How Foreclosures Work

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