John Lerch's Blog

This is a new one...

John Lerch (Master Home Inspections) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:23:59 -0700

Never thought this should happen but after years of inspecting and hundreds of clients I actually had the Realtor cancel an appointment that the buyer made. Client called one night and asked me to make the arrangement with the Realtor. I called and spoke with the Realtor about the day and time so I could get in, and the buyer was going to be there- Realtor said she would get back to confirm but sounded rather surprised that I was calling (should have been the first clue). 3 hours later she calls to tell me that a different inspectorwill be doing the job, i was dumbfounded never heard of a Realtor getting between a buyer and an inspector. Doesn't feel right but when the Realtor is the listing and the buyers agent there's not room for choices. The buyer won't return my calls. I've lost inspections before for one reason or another- it's part of the business but THIS IS A NEW ONE!

This never happened before..

John Lerch (Master Home Inspections) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:55:30 -0700

We did an inspection last Friday at a 1983 condo. East Tennessee doesn't allow home inspectors to have access to keys and the buyers agent couldn't let me in to do the site work. The listing agent came to open up, which is not uncommon.

Not only did she open up she gave me a tour of the property. All four levels and the outside. She told me about all the upgrades done by the owner and the condo association. She even talked about the items needing repair. This has never happened before, it was great. I look forward to working with her again and have made the invitation to Active Rain.

It was a good afternoon and shows how we affect clients and others by our attitude.

John Lerch

www.MasterHomeInspection.com

Help a home inspector!!

John Lerch (Master Home Inspections) — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:41:26 -0700

Help a home inspector and get a cleaner report. It's easy and cheap. Everyone wants a "clean report"including the home inspector.

I don't mind reporting items, it's easy for me. I add a few pictures, annotate them. add some text and viola we have added an issue that needs to evaluated and discussed. Sellers can speed their home inspection and have a cleaner report by following these suggestions. The inspection will go smoother, with fewer concerns to delay closing.

Confirm that water, electric and gas service are on, with gas pilot lights burning. Most times this is over looked when it's REO or has been vacant during the cooler months. Any service not on can be cause for a reschedule date, added inspection cost, and delayed closing.
Ensure pets won't hinder the inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from premises or secured outside. Tell your agent about any pets at home. I just love dogs and kitties, but not during an inspection! An escaped kitty or a curious dog can be quite a distraction.
Replace burned out bulbs to avoid a "Light is inoperable" report that may suggest an electrical problem.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries.
Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely. Easy to remember- Electric bill=filter change.
Remove stored items, debris and wood from foundation. These may be cited as "conducive conditions" for termites.
Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces. It's moving time and boxes get stacked every where- I still need to get around to do the inspection and I can't move boxes.
Unlock areas the inspector must access - attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawl spaces.
Trim tree limbs to 10' from the roof and shrubs from the house to allow access.
Attend to broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks; gutters, downspouts and chimney caps. These are big time wasters for the inspection and fill the report with needless issues that make it look "picky".

Taking care of the details prevents "picky inspections". I need to report everything I see, that's what I do. I just rather have a cleaner report. So help a home inspector.

We forward an email to each client covering these items when we agree on terms of the inspection, the client in turn forwards to their Realtor. The inspector in your deal may not be as thoughtful! Master Home Inspection wants every transaction to go smoothly, we just love this business and are ready to help!

Happy Birtday To Me!!

John Lerch (Master Home Inspections) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 10:30:35 -0700

Time goes by so fast it seems like only yesterday when we bought the first TV on the street.

Dad was a tailor...

He actually made the sport coat.

That was a much simpler time. We could reminisce for hours but there not as many people around that have the same memories. I say it was simplier, but maybe it wasn't-1st and 2nd grade we practiced air raid drills in school, kids got polio and were crippled. Then there was the draft, and Viet Nam. Maybe it was simplier but I'm not so sure it was easier. Anyway I'm glad I made!

What Realtors Want

John Lerch (Master Home Inspections) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:16:15 -0700

Just like every home inspector I think I know what Realtors want. Pretty smug I'd say, but just like Mel Gibson I'm pretty clueless. I mean it really doesn't matter what I think, I do my job to provide home buyers and sellers with information. That's what I do.

So what do Realtors want? What makes one inspection service better than the other?