A good way to take the worries out of buying a home is to make the purchase contract contingent on a professional home inspection that reveals no significant flaws. Chances are, the inspection will pay for itself and you'll come away with valuable information about the components of your house.
Many home inspectors base their fee on the price of the house, but there are other formulas.
Jim Butterfield, president of the Rockville-based Butterfield Inspection Service, said his company bases the fee on the size of the house. You can charge it on your Visa or MasterCard. Testing for radon or lead in the water and laboratory tests for asbestos are extra, Mr. Butterfield said, although a visual examination for asbestos is included in the basic service. An important thing to consider, before you even call a home inspector, is the wording of the contingency clause in your purchase agreement providing for the home inspection. And you probably shouldn't, particularly if the Realtor writing the contract represents the seller.