Actuate Inspections

Home
United States
Paragould, AR
Actuate Inspections

Home Inspection Services: Pre-Purchase, Pre-Listing, Sewer Scope, Mold Assessment, Indoor Air Quality Testing, HUD Foundation Certification

10/26/2026

“It’s my house. You’re not using that inspector.”

MYTH BUSTING MONDAY | Before You Buy a House

The seller owns the house. Does that mean they get veto power over the inspector you chose?

Before you agree to hire someone else, let’s talk about what the seller can actually require.

This has happened to me more than once, and buyers deserve to understand their options.

First, I recommend having a good real estate agent representing you. I know fantastic agents who genuinely protect their clients’ interests. This is buyer education, not an attack on agents.

Under Paragraph 16B of the Arkansas REALTORS® Association residential contract, when those inspection rights are retained, the buyer chooses their representative and the seller agrees to cooperate. Unless your agreement provides otherwise, disliking a qualified inspector does not give the seller authority to reject your choice.

And if someone is trying to keep a reputable inspector out, investigate the objection. “Too picky” and “deal killer” deserve more explanation. Read reviews, look at sample reports, talk to previous clients, and speak with the inspector yourself.

Afraid the seller will get angry and cancel? Don’t assume their frustration gives them that right. This is where good representation can help you address the objection and understand your options.

I’ll follow this with a full blog breaking down the contract language, agreed restrictions, and the concerns buyers face when the listing side pushes back.

For now, I want to hear your thoughts: If the seller refused the inspector you chose, what would you do, and why?

09/29/2026

Buying a home comes with enough upfront expenses. Actuate Inspections offers Pay at Close, so you can get the answers you need now and pay for your inspection when you close.

Looking for a highly rated, thorough, unbiased inspector with flexible payment options? Give us a call.

08/29/2026

Buying a house? Here’s a tip: Don’t ever assume the listing is accurate.

I constantly find incorrect information in real estate listings, and often times the discrepancies are significant.

“New water heater” that’s almost 30 years old.

“New shingles”… from 2003

“Move in ready” with major structural damage.

“Oh we forgot to mention the house has been been on fire… oops.”

There are a lot of great agents who take accuracy seriously. There are also plenty who repeat what they’re told, make assumptions, or simply don’t verify it.

Here’s a little detail that YOU, the buyer, need to understand, that’s often not made clear:

Your own real estate contract tells you NOT to rely on the listing.

Quality. Condition. Age. Square footage. So on and so forth… the contract puts the responsibility on you to verify that information.

So if you find out after closing that something in the listing was wrong, “but the listing said…” may not get you very far. You signed a contract saying you wouldn’t rely on it.

They market it. You verify it.

Don’t buy the marketing. Do your due diligence.

Hire an experienced and reputable Home Inspector that will help you understand what you’re actually buying!

Actuate Inspections
Certified Master Inspector®

08/20/2026

Let's go! The reviews keep coming in and I couldn't be more grateful to those who put their trust in me! ❤

08/13/2026

Buying a house? Don’t let the biggest purchase of your life get inspected by whoever is cheapest, fastest, or easiest for someone else.

Choose your own inspector.

Recommendations and agent lists can be a starting point, but be careful with that… do your own homework. Check reviews. Look at experience, sample reports, and the services they actually offer. Sewer scope? Thermal imaging? Air quality? Other inspections you may need? Know what you’re getting before you book.

And don’t wait until the last minute. Good inspectors are not always the cheapest, and they are definitely not always the first ones available tomorrow. Cheaper and faster today can cost you a hell of a lot more time and money after closing.

Also, stop trusting labels. “Move-in ready” is marketing. New construction can have defects. Renovated homes can have defects. Flips can have defects. And a seller’s pre-listing inspection is not the same thing as having your own inspector working for you.

This is your inspection. Do your due diligence, choose the inspector you trust, and give yourself enough time to do it right.

07/14/2026

Before you pay someone to inspect a home in Arkansas, make sure they’re legally allowed to do it.

It has come to my attention that people in our area may be performing home inspections without being legally registered to do so. Is that really a problem?

A buyer has the right to choose their own inspection representative, but that does not mean they can pay any contractor, handyman, friend, or self-proclaimed “house expert” to perform the work of a home inspector. In Arkansas, anyone performing or attempting to perform a home inspection for a fee must be registered with the state.

That does not prevent a buyer from inspecting the property themselves or walking through it with a trusted friend or family member. It also does not prevent properly qualified trade professionals from evaluating specific systems within their field. An electrician can evaluate electrical concerns, a plumber can evaluate plumbing, and an HVAC professional can evaluate heating and cooling equipment.

However, being a contractor, residential builder, handyman, or experienced tradesperson does not automatically qualify or legally authorize someone to perform a complete home inspection across all of the property’s systems.

State registration does not guarantee that someone is a great inspector. There are good inspectors and bad inspectors, just like every other profession. Registration is simply the starting point. It confirms that the person is legally authorized to perform the service and has met Arkansas’s minimum requirements, including required insurance and regulatory accountability.

Before paying anyone to perform a home inspection in Arkansas, verify their name on the official Arkansas Home Inspector Roster. Do not rely only on an InterNACHI, ASHI, or other private membership directory. Those organizations may provide education and credentials, but they do not replace state registration.

Start with registration. Then compare experience, qualifications, sample reports, services, equipment, and reputation.

Buyer choice matters, but buyer choice does not cancel Arkansas law.

Actuate Inspections
Certified Master Inspector®
Arkansas HI-2254
(870) 565-2000

06/22/2026

I love my clients! I work to protect THEM... not the transaction! My clients know that and, while I don't claim to know everything, I always bring my experience, knowledge, and passion to every inspection.

140+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ REVIEWS

Remember... YOU choose your Home Inspector when you're buying a home! Choosing wrong can cost you in the long run.

If you don't see me on a provided "list", it's not because I'm not good at what I do... 😉

Message me here or you can find my contact info below!

Actuate Inspections
Certified Master Inspector®
870.565.2000
[email protected]

06/02/2026

Buyers, who is looking after you after the inspection?

The report identifies the concerns, but then come the seller responses, contractor invoices, repair claims, and “licensed professional” opinions.

At that point, the current process often leaves agents helping buyers decide whether those responses actually address the defects.

Is that where the inspector’s role should stop, or should the person who documented the concerns be involved in reviewing whether they were actually corrected?

05/27/2026

Homebuyers, beware. ‼️

When you see listing language like “free home inspection included,” “inspection provided,” or “repairs completed after inspection,” slow down and ask one very important question:

Who was that inspection actually for?

There is nothing wrong with pre-listing inspections. I support them. Big fan! They can be invaluable when used correctly because they help sellers identify issues early, make repairs, and be more transparent before the home ever hits the market.

But… that inspection is for the SELLER.

It is not your inspection.

The information may be shared with you, but the protection does not transfer to you. You did not choose that inspector. You did not sign the inspection agreement. You are not the inspector’s client. If something major was missed, such as structural damage, foundation issues, roof defects, or dangerous electrical problems, you may have little recourse unless fraud, concealment, or some other serious misrepresentation can actually be proven.

That is the part many buyers do not understand, and honestly, many agents do not understand it either.

A seller’s inspection report can be very useful information, but it should never be marketed in a way that makes buyers believe their inspection has already been handled. Saying “buyers can still get their own inspection” is not good enough.

Of course they can. And they should.

This is a buyer due diligence issue. It is not the seller’s job to do the buyer’s due diligence for them, and listing language should not psychologically downplay the importance of the buyer hiring their own inspector.

If a seller truly wants to offer a “free inspection,” then offer a seller concession so the buyer can hire an inspector of the buyer’s choosing. That protects the buyer the right way.

Agents, this is exactly why listing language needs to be clear. Do not market a seller’s report in a way that makes buyers think they do not need their own inspection. Buyers rely on you to understand the process and explain the difference.

A leftover report is not a buyer’s inspection.

Shared information is not transferred protection.

Hire your own inspector.

04/28/2026

Mythbusting Monday: A home inspector calls something out as wrong. A licensed contractor or electrician says it is fine. Who are you siding with?

I’m asking because this happens... a lot. An inspector documents a defect, then someone comes behind them with, “Well, my electrician said it’s okay,” or “My contractor has been doing this for 30 years.”

Cool. Maybe they are right. Maybe the inspector is wrong. That can happen. But... the license is not the final answer. Sorry. The documentation is.

If the code, manufacturer instructions, equipment labeling, installation requirements, or listing say one thing, and someone’s opinion says something else, I’m going with the documentation until someone can prove otherwise.

That is the part people do not like.

A lot of people are very comfortable telling a client the inspector is wrong, but suddenly get quiet when you ask them to put their name, license number, and written explanation behind it.
If the inspector is wrong, prove it. Put it in writing. Cite the documentation. Stand behind it professionally.

Like it or not... “I’m licensed” is not the argument. The argument is what you can prove.

Address

Paragould, AR
72450

Website

http://www.actuateinspections.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Actuate Inspections posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.