I am writing this statement in opposition to SB 627. I don't believe it is right that the Virginia Senate is going to submit this legislation in a way that will help anyone in the home inspection industry. The senate has to remember that we the inspectors have only one chance to inspect properties and that we don't know of any defects in advance in any of the properties that we do inspect. The only individual that knows what is wrong or broken in the property is the seller or at the time the owner. The owner/seller is the only one that knows if a window is broken and can't open or that the button on an oven is broken and will fall off when it is touched. By passing this legislation the senate will cause a major backlash with home inspectors getting out of the business (after we all just went through the licensing process and spent hundreds of dollars on training, books, and taking the exam.) If you want to pass this SB 627, then you better make legislation that makes it mandatory that home/property sellers get a pre sale inspection to identify what needs fixed before the buyers home inspector comes in and refuses to turn on any lights, equipment, HVAC systems, sinks, or showers. The other idea is to have the seller/owner be present at the inspection and they turn everything on, move items so we can get access to the electrical panel that is blocked with all of there belongings, open doors, operate windows, etc.   Basically you will cause us home inspectors to do a cursory look around to see if a home is in good enough condition to buy, we will end up doing the seller a favor and not doing our client (the buyer) a good inspection which will cause the buyer to buy the house under false pretenses.  This will be the demise of the home inspection industry here is Virginia. If SB 627 is passed the cost of performing inspections will go up increasingly higher, from a average cost of $450 up to about $750.00 for a $550K house.    Say no to SB627