Home inspector approval proposed

Art Nadler

Thursday, March 13, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Prospective home buyers who hire inspectors to check out properties before signing on the dotted line may soon get a little added insurance.

Assemblyman Dario Herrera, D-Las Vegas, is co-sponsoring a bill that would require home inspectors to become certified by the state Real Estate Division before going into business.

Many inspectors, according to industry experts, lack the skills to detect defects in home construction, air condition and heating units and electrical wiring.

"The consensus among consumers and people who provide the service is that there is a problem in Nevada," Herrera said. "This bill is a consumer- protection bill."

According to Scott Mitchell, president of the Nevada Association of Real Estate Inspectors, there are about 30 home inspectors in the Las Vegas area charging from $150 and up to inspect homes. Many of these people, he said, don't know what to look for during an inspection.

"A good inspector will always stay with the consumer, so you can see what he is doing," Mitchell said. "The inspection should last from 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The home's mechanical system, interior and exterior and insulation should be inspected. So many of these people aren't qualified."

Mitchell said a home inspector would pay a fee of $150 to become certified and undergo required education courses taught by an instructor from the state Real Estate Division in the Department of Business and Industry. Continuing education courses would be required for renewal, along with another fee of $250.

"Last (legislative) session, the Legislature passed seller discloser requirements," Joan Buchanan, administrator for the division of real estate, said. "This bill just goes along with that legislation."

The seller discloser law requires a homeowner to inform prospective buyers of any defects in their home before selling it.

The Assembly Commerce Committee is presently discussing Assembly Bill 165, Herrera said. It's expected to be presented to the Assembly for a vote soon. If passed by the Legislature, it would take effect in October, Buchanan said, and implemented June 1, 1998.

Buchanan said inspectors may be required to undergo an FBI check and get bonded.

Herrera is requesting that anyone interested in commenting on the legislation call his office at 1-702-684-8595.