🏠 What It Is, Who Pays It, and How to Get Rid of It For many Americans, buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions they'll ever make. Yet one cost that often surprises homebuyers is Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). Understanding PMI can help you make smarter decisions when purchasing a home and potentially save thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage. 📖 What Is Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)? Private Mortgage Insurance, commonly called PMI, is an insurance...

When people think about home inspections, they usually picture a single-family house with a basement, attic, roof, and yard. Condominiums are different. Because condo owners share ownership of many building components through a homeowners association, some buyers wonder if a home inspection is really necessary. As a home inspector, my answer is simple: absolutely. Of course, you might expect me to say that. But the better question is this: what can actually go wrong in a condo? The answer...

When buying a home, hiring the right home inspector can make all the difference. One question we hear often at West Egg Inspections is this: Should my home inspector belong to a professional organization like ASHI or InterNACHI? It’s a fair question, especially when you’re trusting someone to evaluate one of the biggest investments of your life. But the answer is a little more nuanced than simply picking one logo over another. There are two major national organizations for home inspectors...