John Martino's (looksmart) Blog

One of the questions buyers frequently ask me during a NJ home inspection is some version of, “How worried should I be about this?” It is a good question because almost every house is going to have problems. Some will cost very little to correct. Some are simply part of maintaining a home. Others...

Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make. Naturally, buyers spend a great deal of time looking at the things they'll enjoy every day. They notice the updated kitchen, the remodeled bathrooms, the hardwood floors, the fresh paint, and whether they can pict...

One of the questions buyers occasionally ask me during a home inspection is, "John, what makes you feel good about a house?" It's one of my favorite questions because the answer usually isn't what people expect. Most people assume I'm going to talk about an updated kitchen, remodeled bathrooms, o...

 Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make. Naturally, buyers spend a great deal of time comparing purchase prices, monthly mortgage payments, school districts, commute times, and whether they like the kitchen, bathrooms, or backyard. Those are all importa...

Buying a home is one of the largest financial decisions most people will ever make. By the time you receive your home inspection report, you’ve probably spent weeks looking at houses, speaking with Realtors, meeting with lenders, reviewing contracts, and wondering whether you’ve finally found the...

One of the questions I hear all the time during a New Jersey home inspection is, "John, should I be worried about those black streaks on my roof?" Fortunately, the answer is usually no. I've had buyers look at a roof covered with black streaks and immediately assume it needs to be replaced. Most ...

Why Do I Spend So Much Time Outside During a Home Inspection?The outside of the house usually tells me what I'm going to find inside."John, why are we still outside?"Most buyers are looking at the front door. They're excited to see the kitchen, the finished basement, the primary bathroom, or the ...

Lessons Learned From More Than Two Decades as a NJ Home Inspector After more than 8,000 home inspections since 2002, I've stopped believing in perfect houses. That may sound strange coming from a home inspector, but it's probably the most important thing houses have taught me. One of the question...

After performing more than 8,000 NJ home inspections since 2002, I have noticed a trend that many home buyers do not fully appreciate until they are deep into the transaction. In today's Northeast real estate market, buyers are often willing to accept conditions that insurance companies may not. ...

People often ask me what I usually find during a home inspection.After performing more than 8,000 NJ home inspections since 2002, I have learned that houses are surprisingly predictable. As a NJ home inspector, I often find many of the same defects regardless of the age, size, style, or price of ...