FLORENCE, Ky. -- The housing market in Northern Kentucky is booming.
For home inspector David Lee, that means his company, Lee Home Inspections, has been getting calls "every day, all day long."
"Right now, I'm scheduled until next week," he said.
That's because Lee inspects homes in Kentucky and also in Ohio. As a home inspector in Kentucky, Lee is licensed by the state. He said that makes him stand out in states that don't require certification, like Ohio.
Kentucky requires inspectors to get a license every two years. There's training and an exam. Click here for licensed inspectors in Kentucky.
Indiana also requires a state license. Click here to see which states require licenses.
Since that's not the case in Ohio, Lee suggests finding someone who's licensed in another state, or making sure they check on these things: the roof for storm damage, hallways and bedrooms for smoke detectors, the furnace for a blue flame (not orange) and that there are not two wires connected to the same circuit breaker.
"That's a safety hazard," Lee said. "The wires could become loose, and it could cause a fire or the insulation to melt."
Lee said what you pay for a home inspector could save you in the long run.
"It's a huge purchase and a huge amount of money," he said. "You want to have a home inspection done to make sure the property is in good condition."
There's currently a bill in the Ohio legislature -- HB211 -- that would require home inspectors to become licensed, according to Chris Green, President of Ohio's chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors.
To be certified through ASHI, home inspectors must complete 250 paid inspections, pass a national exam, pay yearly dues, continue education each year and have inspections verified through a third party, Green said.
Another certification inspectors can attain is through NACHI -- the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors. However, this association only requires completion of an online test and paying yearly dues, Green said.
