What is an ASHI Home Inspector ?

By Barry Stone

Dear Barry,

Now that I'm buying a home, my agent says I need to hire an ASHI home inspector. When I asked her what the heck is ASHI, she didn't know quite how to explain it. Is ASHI some kind of state licensing, or what? - Del

Dear Del,

ASHI is not a governmental licensing agency. It is a private, voluntary association of professional home inspectors. Its primary purpose is to provide meaningful professional standards for a largely unregulated industry.

Home inspection is a relatively new trade, having emerged in the 1970s, grown and developed in the 1980s, and become a standard part of most home purchase transactions by the mid-'90s. Whereas most old and established professions are licensed and regulated by one bureaucratic monolith or another, home inspectors have enjoyed a free hand at developing, evolving and self-regulating their profession in most states. In some ways, this unrestricted business activity has enabled the profession to find its proper function and placement in accordance with the needs of the home-buying public, developing and evolving in response to market forces and common business sense. On the other hand, lack of regulation has also allowed individuals of lesser abilities and of questionable motivations to add elements of disrepute to this emerging field. In response to this disparity, the better members of the industry undertook the process of establishing meaningful standards for the practice of home inspection. Hence, the advent of the American Society of Home Inspectors.

In the absence of governmental policing, ASHI emerged in the late 1970s as a major positive influence, and they were not alone in this pursuit. Promoting the betterment of the inspection industry in like manner were NAHI, the National Association of Home Inspectors, and various state organizations such as CREIA, the California Real Estate Association, and TAREI, the Texas Association of Real Estate Inspectors. These organizations and others have been primary agents for elevating the profession and addressing ethical shortcomings and performance shortfalls within the industry. Their approach in this endeavor has been three-fold: First, to set standards of practice for the industry - defining the scope and limitations of a substantial home inspection; second, to establish a code of ethics for home inspectors - encouraging honest and ethical business practices among member inspectors; and third, to stipulate ongoing education as a requirement for all member inspectors - mandating the furtherance of professional knowledge as a perpetual process.

Although licensing has now been enacted in some states*, most home inspectors continue to operate in an unregulated environment. The only standards defining the performance of unlicensed inspectors are those that they voluntarily accept by electing to become members of associations such as ASHI, NAHI, CREIA and TAREI. This does not mean that every member inspector is at the top of the trade, but those who those who are most qualified will most likely be found among those members.

When choosing a home inspector, begin with a list of association members in your area. Then check to see who among these is the most experienced and has the most outstanding reputation for thoroughness as an inspector. And be sure to attend your inspection. That way, you'll learn as much as possible from your member inspector.

* States that currently license home inspectors include Texas, South Dakota, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Connecticut. Limited forms of regulation have been enacted in various other states.

Copyright 2002-2006 Barry Stone. Distributed by Inman News Features