John Martino's (looksmart) Blog

Should I Worry About Mold During a Home Inspection?Mold is one of those things people tend to worry about when buying a home, and for good reason. It is common, it can affect indoor air quality, and in some cases, it points to bigger moisture problems in the home.During a home inspection, mold ma...

What Fails a Home Inspection?A lot of people ask me, “What fails a home inspection?”The short answer is—nothing really fails.A home inspection is not a pass/fail test. It is a detailed, unbiased look at the home’s current condition from top to bottom. That said, there are things that commonly cau...

Do I Really Need a Home Inspection on a New Construction Home?If you are buying a brand-new house, you might be wondering, Do I need a home inspection on new construction? The builder says everything is up to code. The house looks perfect. It even has that new home smell. But the truth is, yes — ...

Should I Get a Home Inspection Before Selling My House?If you are planning to sell your home, you may be wondering if it is worth getting a home inspection before you put your home on the market. Most people associate home inspections with working for the buyer.  But pre-listing inspections, done...

How Long Should a Home Inspection Take?As a full-time home inspector with over 24 years in the home inspection field, I get asked this question often: “How long does a home inspection take?” The short answer? For an average-sized home, a comprehensive home inspection should take between 3 and 4 h...

One of the most overlooked and underestimated safety hazards in a home is the pull-down attic access ladder. These access ladders can be in the garage, hallway, or in a bedroom. Often these pulldown ladders are installed improperly without adequate attention to safety. This simple convenient acce...

Purchasing a home is probably the largest financial moves a person can make. Buying a home is exciting and can be stressful. During the process it’s easy for home buyers to make mistakes during the negotiation process. As a NJ home inspector, I have seen buyers make many mistakes missing out on s...

Purchasing a home can be one of the most stressful and financially significant and emotional investments that people make in their lifetime. However, sometimes during the rush and excitement of finding the right home homebuyers make critical errors when selecting a home inspector. These mistakes ...

Most people, when they think about a perfect home inspection day, think about a crystal-clear day with plenty of sunlight and dry conditions. This makes perfect sense because most people aren’t thinking about rain. But here’s the reality, rainy days are some of the best days to perform a home ins...

Your home’s foundation is one of the most important parts of the structure. Over time, cracks and bowing walls can develop due to soil pressure, moisture issues, or natural settling. Understanding these problems and knowing how to fix them is critical for keeping your home safe and in good struct...