Realtor Top Criticisms of Home Inspection Companies - Part 1
As a North Texas Home Inspection Company, I am always working to improve how my company performs home inspections and building relationships with Realtors and clients through education about home inspections. And, I believe that eliminating (or at least minimizing) the top criticisms Realtors and clients have of home inspectors is good for my industry, the real estate industry, good marketing and valuable for educating Realtors about the nature of home inspections. In this multi-part blog post, I will be listing the top criticisms many home inspectors hear from Realtors and their clients and discussing how my North Texas home inspection company overcomes these criticisms.
#1.) Embellishment of Home Inspection Findings
While I have not had this problem reported as a criticism of my home inspection reports, I have heard it about other home inspectors from agents and clients who have had inspections from other companies. Based on my reading of a few other home inspectors reports, embellishment of deficiencies in home inspections come from two or three kinds of inspections. First, there are new home inspectors who lack experience in report writing and will dwell on simple deficiencies far to long, sometime just trying to show what they know. Second, there are home inspection reports on properties in very, very good condition where the inspector could find very little to report. In these cases, the inspector would sometimes make simple, minor deficiencies sound like the house was going to fall down if it is not corrected. Third, there are the home inspectors that Realtors refer to as "alarmists". These inspectors tend to expound and exaggerate the reported problem (deficiency) to the point that the home inspection report scares or "alarms" the client and, sometimes, causes the client to back out of the deal.
The solution in my opinion is to simply and accurately state what the deficiency is according the the Standards of Practice and whether or not it is a safety hazard. Then tell ( in writing ) what field of home improvement specialist the inspector would recommend to evaluate and repair the problem. For the most important items, I will often also quote the SOP (Standards of Practice) to describe the problem. Rarely if every, do my inspections quote "building codes".
In my view, it is important that home inspectors report problems effectively but in a non-alarmist manner. Almost every common problem a home inspector can report has a viable solution. Every minor crack in the drywall is not evidence of a serious structural or foundation problem and should not be embellished. Good home inspectors know the difference between the severities of defects they find. Even when a serious defect is reported, it should be reported concisely, to the point and in simple to understand terms for both the Realtor and the client.
In Part 2 of "Realtor Top Criticisms of Home Inspection Companies, I will be writing about the dreaded subject of "Home Inspection Fees". Until next time, God Bless.
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