Sometimes agents and clients are surprised by how detailed our reports can be. Like agents reminiscing over the days of the 3 page contract, I reminisce of the days our reports were only 12 pages with pictures. So, why has this occurred and how do we as a company somewhat combat it?
Let me introduce you to the HGTV generation. Buyers have been ingrained to believe a home inspection is much more than it is. Certain TV shows glamorize inspections as some invasive process which will locate all defects within a home.
Clients have generally become unrealistic about what owning and maintaining a home actually entails. Clients will often buy a home built in the 1920’s believing it will be to the same specifications as a home built today.
Deferred maintenance is another issue we find all too common in homes we inspect. Generally, a home’s biggest problems are a result of the lack of routine maintenance. Maintenance items such as mortar and caulk often lead to larger defects and a higher amount of dollars needed for repairs.
The above paragraph is why we include such maintenance items in the inspection report. Like all companies, we have changed and adapted to better serve our clients. For example, household pests are not included in a home inspection. However, once we had a client insist we remedy a small amount of rodent droppings located in a storage closet. As a result of that, we notate items such as rodent droppings in the report as it may affect the habitability of the home for the client.
So, how do we as a company try to educate buyers? Home Spectors has a process of giving the clients the information they need without scaring them. This is why we prefer the client to attend the inspection. Also, if any of our agents have a client which needs more explanation or doesn’t attend the inspection, we will give them a personal call to walk them through the inspection process.
We can all continue to think about the way inspections and the home buying process used to be. Home Spectors as a company has chosen to move forward, adapt, and better serve our clients. We will provide clients with a detailed report and explain the inspection process without scaring clients. This is our promise to you.