Secure Choice Real Estate Consultants

We just put in an offer on an older home. We had some concerns, given the age of the home, and scheduled a home inspection with Mark to make sure that everything was above bar. Mark was extremely thorough, and professional. We would definitely use him again. If you want someone thorough and careful, he is the home inspector for you.

I decided to book with Secure Choice mainly based on Yelp reviews and the company's willingness to respond to these entitled hipster yelpers that leave unwarranted bad reviews. Anyways,I called them for a property I bid on in the suburbs. During the inspection, he was on time (actually like 15 minutes early), very thorough and took time to explain what he was finding and advising along the way. The inspection report was completed and sent 2 days later as promised. The report was easy to understand and all the information i would ever need to know about the house. It's been 3 months, we're moved into the house, completed many of the repairs you've advised and I couldn't be happier with the service

Mark Wilczak is a busy man. And for a very good reason...he is very good at what he does. He was prompt, well-mannered, attentive to our concerns and very thorough. He is also extremely knowledgeable. I had asked around within my circle of family and friends for a really good and reliable home inspector for my Mom. No one, including us, had anything fantastic to say about their past home inspections/home inspectors. I found Mark on Angie's List...he had a solid set of reviews. Well, now I can be the one to recommend a fantastic home inspector to my family and friends. We had to stretch our contract review period out to ten days so that he could fit us into his schedule. He is WELL WORTH the wait!

This is the second time we have used Secure Choice and again we were very pleased with the outcome. Mark is professional, courteous, and extremely thorough. I like his methodical approach to inspecting homes and also that he doesn't lose steam as the inspection goes on. He's as careful and attentive to detail on the last item as he is on the first. Our last home (he inspected for us two years ago) is quite large with a coach house in back, so the inspection took several hours. Mark's attention to detail meant we had a very thorough inspection and a very detailed report. Mark's reports are also very easy to follow and i find his repair estimates to be fair and reasonable. He sends them the day after the inspection, too, so the attorney review period can be managed. He's not an alarmist yet in my experience he also doesn't sugar coat things. He's very objective and fair. We tend to like older homes, so for us the inspection is as much about understanding the potential trouble spots or places where we'll need to take extra care as it is about negotiating closing credits or repairs with home sellers. With our current home, we refer to Mark's report periodically when we consider home maintenance and repair items. It's a great reference tool for us. i can't recommend Mark and Secure Choice enough!

We decided to contact Mark after reading all his great reviews here on Angie's list. After speaking with him on the phone, we knew he was the one we wanted to hire to perform an inspection on the house we were considering purchasing. Mark was quick to respond to our calls, emails and even text messages. While our realtor recommended an inspector he's works with, we wanted someone to be unbiased/neutral and completely removed from the transaction to inspect the home and inform us of any deficiencies. Due to the age of the home, we needed to make sure we were completely aware of any issues, so we could make an educated decision on whether or not to proceed with the purchase. Besides being professional, courteous and friendly, Mark is extremely knowledgeable and competent of the all aspects of home inspections. His inspection took 4 hours, which is how long he estimated it would take on a 2,400 sq ft house. We followed Mark during his inspection and he explained what he was looking for and his findings. Walking through the inspection with him was very valuable and I feel like I have a much better understanding of the home. He took 100+ pictures, which ended up in his very detailed report, that was delivered to us the next day. Along with the deficiencies he found, he also listed the approximate cost to repair/replace. This was tremendously helpful to us when negotiating the repairs with the sellers. We decided to move forward with the purchase and feel confident that we have a solid understanding of the condition of the home and its components. We also plan to use his report as sort of a "checklist" for ourselves, to make some of the minor repairs and replacements in the future. We can reference the report to review what needs to be done (and how soon) and approximately how much it should cost us. Based on the deficiencies he found, we were able to negotiate $3,000 closing cost credits to help offset some of the more serious repairs. In other words, for every $1 we spent on the inspection, we saved $7.00 in repair costs. We would definitely use Mark again in the future and would recommend him to any friends and family needing his services.

Mark was FANTASTIC. He said that with the size of the house it would take about 4 hours; it took exactly 4 hours. He was beyond competent. He showed us every aspect of the house that we will need to know to best maximize the house. He looked at everything and wrote a very comprehensive report. Beyond the GREAT job he did; he was a great guy. If you are looking for an honest and complete account of the possible home you are looking for this is it.

Mark did a home inspection for a house I was under contract for. He was courteous, thorough and communicated problems/issues well. The report I received the next day was fantastic. He was also accessible all weekend after the inspection answering all the questions I had. I showed the report to a friend that owns multiple rental properties and he thought it was one of the better reports he had seen! Will definitely use in the future.

Mark was great to work with and very throughout. He spent 4+ hours inspecting the outside and inside of a home I considered purchasing and made numerous recommendations on what should be improved. He also informed me if he though something needed immediate attention or I could deal with down the road. I would definitely recommend him to anyone else looking for a quality home inspection. He even consulted with me to check if he should speak openly in front of my agent, or I prefer that he only share his findings with me. He discovered mold in the home and also identified the most potential source of it, which fortunately was easily mitigated. Also identified a serious furnace problem that needed immediate attention. There were numerous other findings that I would have never noticed myself. His report helped me further negotiate the price of the home down and made me aware of what I would have to deal with after the purchase. I appreciated his professionalism and knowledge. My only advice would be for him to have a CO meter with him, since they are more sensitive than standard CO detectors installed in homes, and any potential findings would have more weight in further home purchase negotiations. I will definitely recommend his service to any friends that go through a home purchasing process.

We are in the process of a short sale home purchase. Called Mark to do the home inspection based on the reviews and comments on Angie's List. Mark was easy to contact, coordinate an appointment, and very responsive. He arrived promptly for the appointment and was extremely detail oriented. He know what to look for from top to bottom of a home. He looks at things you wouldn't even think of and provides a complete an d thorough report. He goes over the home's deficiencies with you and provides the same within the report along with pictures. He also provides an average estimate of the cost to repair any issues. He is the best home inspector I have come across. I highly recommend Mark and would use his services again. The size of the home inspected was a 935 SF half duplex. His rates are based on size of home.

Mark was very polite. He responded quickly when I first contacted him. He was on time and friendly. His report was detailed and included descriptions and pictures of the damage. He took less than an hour to do the inspection and charged me less than his hourly rate because of this. I'll gladly use him again if I ever need another home inspection.

Mark was responsive and very easy to work with. We had numerous conversations prior to the inspection. I asked him all types of questions and he responded via text and phone; he is extremely knowledgeable about the entire process. Mark came over a little late for the appointment; but he communicated with me the entire time as he was running late from another job. As soon as I met him, I could see that he was going to do a great job. He got right to work and immediately you could see he was detail oriented. He took almost 100 pictures during the process (which later showed up in his report). Mark wanted me to be with him for the entire inspection. When I stepped away to eat lunch.....he caught me back up and reviewed what I had missed. The final report he produced was great. Mark is the guy you want inspecting your house. He is extremely detail oriented and doesn't miss anything. He has been doing this awhile and you can see he knows what he is doing. Real easy guy to get along with. I would strongly recommend.

Mark was extremely professional and helpful with home inspection. He went above and beyond in responsiveness, recommendations and final writen report. He went step by step through home inspection with me so I would have a full understanding of all issue with the property I was purchasing. I would highly recommended Mark for any home inspection and will use him again.

We were trying to figure out the cost of our fixer upper home and an estimate for repairs to update/repair any issues. Mark was very prompt and professional. We were very please with the job he did. I only gave a B for punctuality because he was a little late with getting the final report to us. That was not a big deal. We were extremely pleased and would definitely consider his services again.

Mark was very responsivie and punctual on the inspection day with all the gears. Even though it's the 2nd time, he went through the whole house as well as he did first time and let me know where the probelm is being fixed and where work left to be done. He followed through with detailed reports. I'm quite happy with his service and would highly recommend his service.

Mark was great. He is one of the best home inspector in town and we chose to call him based on all great reviews on Angies List. Even though we were getting a better home inspection deal of $230 through our real estate agent we decided to call Mark because we wanted someone who would try to protect us and be completely on the home buyer's side. Mark did our home inspection on 12 July 2013 and he inspected each and every single corner of the house, attic, and crawl space. He even crawled under the gazebo and inspected its foundation. He was not scared to get dirty and he answered all questions that I asked. He was very professional and completed the home inspection in four and half hours. We ended up buying the house because of his complete and exhaustive 30 page home inspection report and findings, which we used to request necessary repair work from the sellers. We even called him again to verify and inspect the repairs. He was nice enough to accommodate our second request despite of the fact that his son was in hospital for back surgery!

Mark is amazing. He is professional, thorough, infinitely patient and just an all around great guy. He takes great pride in his work and you will feel like you really know the ins and outs of your future home after he inspects it. His inspections have saved us from buying two lemons (one had serious foundation issues and the other was basically just a giant termite mound disguised as a house). His inspection on the third house we put an offer on helped us make the decision to buy it. We recently asked him to look over the roof work that we just had done (re-shingling and new gutters) because I needed a third, impartial party's input to help me work with our contractor. The peace of mind he provided was worth every penny. Also, his reports are very well done. They include pictures, thorough explanations, and no spelling or grammatical errors. Every other inspector we have used (plumbing, termite, etc), we have had to pointedly remind ourselves that we can't expect them all to be like Mark.

We were able to use his very specific recommendations to hire a carpenter who has completed the work and corrected the problem

Everything went great! This is the second home Mark has done a home inspection for us, and just like the first time he was professional and punctual. Mark takes his time and walked my husband (who wanted to see everything that was going on) through every step of the process. He explains what he's doing, what he's looking for and what my husband can do to fix it. Our Realtor said that Mark is by far the most thorough home inspector he's come across. He's never seen anyone as detailed as Mark. Mark's prices may seem a little higher compared to other inspectors, but when it comes to the biggest purchase of your life, investing in a quality inspector will be one of the smartest choices you can make. Mark is the real deal and I'm thankful for Angie's List, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have found him. THANK YOU Mark for making my husband and I feel confident that we are buying a quality house!!

Spent almost over 2 1/2 hours and was exceptional throughout. We had no access to garage and he came back following week at no charge. Would highly recommend to anyone in need of home inspection.

Very professional and thorough. Detailed report following, well-explained with photos, and delivered in a timely manner.

From the intial first phone call, to the actual inspection,Mark of secure Choice was a joy to work with.He was punctual,and eager to start the inspection.He started on the roof and exterior of the home.He then inpected the interior and attics and also the basement.Thru-out the process he took notes and photos which would be included in his final report to us.Whether it be electrical,plumbing, heating, cooling,or structural,Mark left no stone unturned.He worked constantly for four hours,all the while explaining concerns and sharing his knowledge with me.His enthusiasm and skill was refreshing.I would not hesitate to call upon Mark again,He is very skilled in his profession

Mark arrived late due to weather and traffic, but he did call me to let me know he was running late. Once he arrived, Mark performed a thourough inspection inside and out, lasting about 4 1/2 hours. Mark suggested that I follow him around and he pointed out and explained all of the issues he found. He checked all of the sytems in the house and explained to me how everything worked and even provided maintenance tips. Mark checked every door, cabinet, faucet, shower, tub and window (including the blinds). He checked the electrical panel, every light switch and outlet. While most of what Mark found was minor, but when he went into the attic he discovered 3 active leaks in the roof. He explaind that part of the issue was the design of the roof, there were two pockets where snow would collect. In these areas, the snow would melt then freeze again overnight and get up under the shingles. The best solution was to tear off the shingles,install leak barrier material and new shingles. The very next morning I received a 33 page inspection report with pictures of everything, including the roof leaks. We brought in two roofing contracters and they confirmed Mark's findings and both quoted a new roof with the appropriate leak protection. Based on Mark's report we were able to get the sellers to take a $10,000 price reduction to help pay for a brand new roof. So our new home will come with the piece of mind of knowing the roof is new and we won't have to worry about it for many years.If Mark hadn't climbed up into that attick, we could have had a costly suprise facing us when we went to move in.

The guy was really great and he was accurate on everything. He did a good rating, that was really good. He pointed out a lot of things on the house that I was trying to buy and I ended up not buying it. He found a lot of issues, so he was very helpful. I'm am going to use him again in the very near future if I find another house.

Mark did an excellant job of inspection. Not only did he point out potential problems but also pointed out the good stuff too. He even explaned some safety features like the escape window in the basement and how it worked. The inspection took almost 4 hrs. the 30 page report we received was very detailed. It included pictures, problem, possible resolution to the problem and an estimate of the cost to repair. We took excerpts from the report back to the seller and negotiated a better sale price even though it was a "as is" property. I would definetly reccomend Secure Choice to anyone. Mark was the best.

The day of the inspection, Mark arrived right on-time. He walked me through the house and took the time to point out issues and explained what he was looking for. There were so many things I would have missed or would not have realized were an issue. We had a break in the weather so he was also able to go up on the roof and inspect it and the chimney. With his report in-hand, I was able to get over $4000 worth of repairs completed (at the seller's expense) prior to closing. In my case, every dollar I spent with Mark resulted in $10 of repairs to my prospective house. The realtor said she had never seen a home inspection take so long (about 4 hours) and I told her it was well worth it. In addition to pointing out issues, he also provided estimates for the repairs. His report was comprehensive and included descriptions and pictures. I plan to use my report as a guide to fixing the smaller issues that I can take care of myself. I also had the need to contact Mark a few weeks after the inspection and he promptly answered my email. This was a very good experience and for anybody thinking about purchasing a home, absolutely get a home inspection and I strongly recommend Mark's services. If you are thinking about selling your home and want to get out in front of the issues and repair them in advance, this inspection would help you do that.