Choosing an inspector that will do due diligence for his client, and only his client, is extremely important for an agents risk reduction and thus future income potential.
The buyer trusts a Realtor to find them a good home, trusts an Appraiser to determine its fair market value, and trusts a Home Inspector to disclose any deficiencies without outside influence.
Many buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals are impressed not only with our expertise, honesty, professionalism, and our incredible understanding of the entire home, but also our commitment to perform detailed inspections and give complete, unbiased reporting that fully informs my clients of the total and true condition of the home. They understand we work for the client. We also take great care in explaining the problems to the client so the information doesn’t overwhelm them. The last thing a buyer needs is to be scared away from a perfectly fine house because some inspector couldn’t convey the information in a professional manner.
Many home inspectors go through an inspection process, but it takes more than a classroom education to fully understand all of the systems of a home and how they work together. We personally have seen more home maintenance problems and the good and bad remedies many homeowners and contractors have performed on these problems, than most home inspectors. In addition, we have personally repaired or assisted in the repair of these typical and unique problems for 18 years. This has allowed us to not only know the problems but also to investigate, understand, and implement the solution to virtually every problem a home might have. You cannot learn this information in a construction course or inspection course.
Many home inspectors are from the construction field. Many of them may have built new walls, hung and taped sheetrock, painted, installed lighting, laid tile, installed a tub surround or faucet, but how many have gone into 5 – 10 new and older homes per week for years to deal the repairs needed on these houses after years of use and years of repairs. You start to see what deteriorates or fails on any given house and gain an understanding of why those things deteriorate and fail.
When we do an inspection, we have the hands on knowledge to give a total understanding of the house. Buyers feel more confident about the purchase and are glad they went ahead and got an inspection and the fact that you referred them.
Many sellers and most buyers are cautious or afraid to move ahead because they usually do not know enough about the house to feel confident. Do you blame them? This is a big decision. They have a right to be afraid. There are a lot of things to consider and understand. I can help with that. We take all the time necessary and fully explain the defects or problem areas, and when appropriate, we give suggestions on maintenance or repairs.
We know the people we have worked with over the years really appreciate the way we communicate with them. Some have commented, “I am amazed and thankful for the time you spent and for the way you explained things”. We firmly believe that giving clear explanations of the defects is key to making our clients comfortable. You have to have a complete understanding of the workings of a house to find some of the problems that may be present in a home. You have to have the ability to convey that information to the client and to discuss the problem intelligently. Then, equally as important, you have to have an understanding of the solution and costs to correct the problem. Many times the potential homeowner is just given a list of defects, they get overwhelmed, and by the time they get home, they are all upset about the potential costs they have imagined. We have the ability, training and experience to discuss with them the problem, the severity, and the cost related to the repairs or replacement. Putting the clients’ interests first can actually make the whole experience of home buying more pleasant for them and for you.