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You Made The Right Decision Mr. Buyer

By
Home Inspector with SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties 450.004175

You made the right decision Mr. Buyer. 

     One of the things we do when we finish an inspection is give the buyer a simple survey questionnaire to fill out at that moment. It has questions like was the inspector on time or was the inspector clean and courteous or would you hire this inspector again? Buyers would never think these things are important to them, but the simple fact of asking these questions, builds a level of trust inside them going forward. They don't know what they don't know. When someone asks them how was the inspection, they just might remember a few things from the survey, along with any significant issues the home may have had.

      Before all of this happens at the inspection, there's the initial phone call, where we really have to do our sales job and explain what we do and why it makes a difference between choosing us and the other guys in town. What they really want to know is what are you going to tell me that is so valuable and worthwhile and important in making my decision to schedule an inspection with SLS Home Inspections so I don't feel like I can get a better deal if I call another inspection company. It's really very simple. What's in it for me? 

     I've been a home inspector since 2007. I've seen the mortgage crisis in 2008, the steady recovery in the years after. I've witnessed the craziness of the Covid years and the ensuing red hot buying frenzy. I have also learned a lot along the way about what buyers are looking for when they are making one of the biggest decisions of the biggest decision money-wise in their life. They want peace of mind. They want to know that their family will be safe and secure and that the surprises that come in time with any new home purchase will be reduced or non existant. 

     Want to know what every untrained inspection company will say if the buyer asks a few questions on that call?  They'll say things like "We are very experienced." or "We do a very thorough inspection." or 'We show up on time for your inspection." or "We wear a name tag so you know it's us when we show up." or "We take color pictures of the issues we see." or "We take showers so we don't stink." All great things that an inspection company should do, but are these things really helping you stand out or be exceptional? I strongly submit NO. Honestly, every inspection company should be thorough, show up on time, be clean and professional and better be taking pictures and not stink from BO. What else are you going to do that tells a buyer that you're the company for them?

The SLS mobile through a blossoming tree on a roof.

     It comes down to trust. Trust of the client in their agent when they give our name to the buyer. Trust in the agent to us that they know we will be fair and honest in explaining the issues we find. Our business was built over the years on the strength of referrals from real estate agents. Over 80% of our referrals are from Realtors. They tried us once and were so happy with the way that we reported the issues in the house while explaining the issues to their buyer client that the agents knew going forward they could TRUST us with their buyers and not scare the living daylights out of them. Observe and report, that's what we do. No sugar coating. If it's bad it's bad and the report will say so. But if it's not that crazy bad, why would we make it sound worse than it is? We work hard to give the buyer and their agent the same experience each and every time, and to make sure it's an exceptional one that they will then feel comfortable with in their new home purchase and also when referring us to their friends and family and co-workers.

     If you build a business on a foundation of honest, reliable trust, and can explain that in a sincere way to new home buyers, then you will get more than your fair share of business.   

Show All Comments Sort:
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp
SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties - Bourbonnais, IL
The Home Inspector With a Heart!

Hope everyone has a great summer. Busy season is here right now.

May 31, 2024 10:39 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Scott - I like the way you run your business.    

May 31, 2024 03:11 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Scott- I love your post and what you do that sets you apart from other professionals in your area. I hope you'll enter this in the  May Challenge!!! 

May 31, 2024 07:30 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Oh, I do love this post, Scott! How we treat our clients makes a world of difference in our repeat/referral business - and it's the easiest thing we do, isn't it?! Asking the right questions makes your clients feel that you CARE and that is huge in our business.

Thank you again for sharing in May's challenge, Scott!

Jun 01, 2024 09:03 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Hello Scott... over the past 26 years I think I've "fired" more inspectors than I've hired. Fortunately, I have one in whom I have the utmost trust.

Jun 01, 2024 11:03 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Jun 01, 2024 08:16 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Retired Central CT Real Estate Broker

An inspector should do the job of finding issues or no issues and report same to the buyers with no heavy drama. It is not about the inspector's knowledge or marketing it is about the house. I would have no issue calling you if you were in our area.

Jun 02, 2024 05:11 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp ,

I'm so glad Kathy Streib featured your post in her Sunday series as I missed it. I like the way you run your business and can see why you are so successful!

Jun 02, 2024 05:13 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Scott:

You clearly run your inspection business, and treat buyers and their agents the way they should be treated. So doubt you have plenty of referral business.

Jeff

Jun 02, 2024 03:25 PM
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Buying a house is a big deal! Inspections can be scary for a first-time buyer, especially. The impression made by inspector will reflect either well or poorly on the agent who ordered the inspections. 

" If you build a business on a foundation of honest, reliable trust,..."you will do well.

Jun 07, 2024 02:43 PM