BOUND BROOK, N.J. - In an affluent suburb, the new owners of a $300,000 home watched in disbelief as their septic tank failed days after they moved into the house and water backed up in drains and toilets. They would pay almost $7,000 before the condition was corrected.
   A thousand miles away, a young couple purchased their first home only to discover that the roof - a roof they thought was relatively new - leaked and required replacement.
   And in yet another city, inadequate roof insulation in a 10 year old home left its new owners hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
   The risks involved in buying a previously owned home run the gamut from a simple, relatively inexpensive problem such as additional roof insulation, to an expensive horror story like the house with the bad septic system. These risks can and do haunt prospective home buyers.
   But they're not enough to stop them. This year alone, nearly four million American and Canadian families will be willing to take those risks in order to have a home of their own.
   So the importance of a comprehensive pre-purchase home inspection can't be overestimated, and the intelligent home buyer can no longer consider it a mere formality. With the average purchase price expected to be more than $100,000, buying a home is likely to be the largest single investment most consumers will ever make.

Most Important Step
   "A comprehensive home inspection may be the single most important step a buyer makes before completing a contract to buy a previously occupied home," says Kenneth T. Austin, chairman of HouseMaster, the premier home inspection and franchise company. "Conducted properly by a trained inspector, the inspection is much more than a cursory once over of the major systems in the house."
   Just what does a professional home inspection include? According to Austin, it's a two hour or more examination of the home's structural, mechanical and electrical elements, from top to bottom, inside and out.
   "A good inspector will be equipped with all the tools and equipment necessary to do a thorough job," says Austin. "In many instances, an inexperienced home inspector will attempt to complete an inspection with just a flashlight and screwdriver. A professional inspector should, however, be armed with all the necessary equipment, including an expandable ladder, volt meter, amp probe, moisture meter and even boots and binoculars, when necessary."
   If there are major, costly problems in a house, a qualified inspector should uncover them. But just as important, a good detailed home inspection provides the consumer with a thorough analysis of the condition of the house - what is in good working order, what needs immediate repair/replacement, and what will need attention over the next few years.

A Negotiating Tool
   In addition to putting a consumer's mind at ease about serious or potentially serious house problems, an inspection more often than not helps a buyer decide to purchase the house and becomes a valuable negotiating tool at the same time.

   HouseMaster's own statistics - taken from the more than 1,000,000 inspections the company has conducted - show that 97 percent of the time the inspection report was a primary influence on the decision to complete the purchase, says Austin.
   "In fact, the home inspection can become a valuable negotiating tool for the buyer," he added. "More and more home buyers are insisting that should the inspection reveal substantial defects, the seller must either make the repairs or renegotiate the purchase price, or allow the buyer to void the purchase agreement," Austin says.
   "We recommend that an inspection contingency clause be included in the house sale agreement. Many real estate organizations have already incorporated this clause into their standard contracts."
   A home inspection has other benefits as well, particularly for first time home buyers, who are not familiar with the intricacies of a private home.
Ask Questions
   Most reputable inspectors invite the buyer to accompany them during the inspection procedure, says Austin. "We encourage our customers to come along and bring a pad and pencil with them on the inspection," says Austin. "A buyer shouldn't be afraid to ask questions of the inspector as well. The major systems and components of a house are made much simpler when a knowledgeable professional explains what to do and how to prevent problems."
   In addition to a final written report on the house, the buyer should ask for the inspector's recommendations on repairs, suggested modifications and preventive maintenance. "At HouseMaster, we supplement the report with homeowner's guides and other valuable advice as well," Austin adds.

The HouseMaster chairman summarized the important guidelines to be observed by all home buyers on a home inspection:
   + Make sure you've hired a "full service" home inspection firm that has no interest in the sale of the house or any involvement with anyone who does. Find out exactly what the inspector will do, and how much it will cost. Try to avoid inspectors who may have conflicting interests, such as those who are in the home repair business and the like.
   + Check to be sure the firm carries all the necessary insurance, including professional and general liability insurance, and worker's compensation. Most home inspectors fail to go to the expense of maintaining this important consumer safeguard.
   + Be wary of home inspectors being "pushed" by anyone involved in the sale of the property. Their interests may conflict with those of the buyer.
   + Insist on an inspection contingency clause in the contract of sale spelling out the responsibilities of the buyer and seller should major defects be found by the inspector.
   + Make sure you take the time to accompany the inspector on the inspection.

   "In addition to the economic peace of mind it provides, a home inspection should be a happy, learning experience. For most of us, it's the start of a great adventure, and with the right inspector it will be just that," says Austin.

   HouseMaster, with offices covering 375 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, offers complete guaranteed inspection services for prospective homeowners. Contact the HouseMaster office serving Maryland's Eastern Shore by calling 410-208-9656 or 1-888-296-9656.