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Home sellers are usually looking for a simple, straightforward home inspector’s report. However, if that simple home inspection report has bad news, it is highly likely they will have more questions and expect solid documentation. A professional home inspector utilizes science-based technology in their inspection process. This keeps opinions at bay and the bad news in perspective.

Technology speaks in facts, not opinions

In truth, your “opinion” as a home inspector isn’t what a home buyer is looking for. Using technology, you can provide real evidence to back up your professional opinion. Instead of getting into an argument built around your personalities, you and the seller can confront the hard, empirical evidence together.

Science and technology are designed to help us in everyday matters. For instance, using a microwave tester to demonstrate that the magnetron is working. When a home inspector utilizes this fancy little gadget, they will likely receive no argument on the merit discovery.

Breaking the bad news

The home inspector’s job can also often pin you between two homeowners and their real estate agent. When you have an arsenal of technology at your side, you are leveling the playing field.

Most home sellers are not keen on hearing they may face thousands of dollars in repairs to bring their home up to salable condition. Meaning, you, as the home inspector, will need more than just your highly trained, educated opinion. You also must show convincing evidence in a cool, calm, professional manner.

But which tools should you use?

Think beyond the essential hand tools a professional home inspector carries. Building your business means devoting greater financial resources to better equipment. Investing in more sophisticated technological tools will help make stronger reports. These hi-tech tools will help build a scientific, unemotional case for your inspection report:

• A gas leak detector — Avoid depending entirely on your nose to detect the Mercaptan added to natural gas; again, the homeowner is left to argue with your tool, not with you.

• An infrared camera — Able to detect temperature changes, it sees beyond human sight. This takes opinion and guesswork out of tracking water and air leaks, as well as finding overheating electrical and mechanical systems.

• A pin-probe moisture meter — Provide the homeowner with precise, decimal-place values for the moisture in structural timbers, concrete, drywall and anywhere else moisture is suspected to be a problem; a superior model will allow contact and non-contact readings.

• A combustion flue gas analyzer — Accurately assessing the performance of a furnace, wood stove, gas burner or oil-fired boiler is challenging to the most experienced home inspectors; using technology that provides fast, accurate readings takes the guesswork (and homeowner challenge) out of the equation.

What about software?

Establish your credentials early on with each home seller. Present a highly professional appearance by using software scheduling tools. These allow customers to schedule their inspection times during hours convenient to them (and you). Consider a program like Captera or Gigabook.

Using software in the field puts you at a higher level of expertise and keeps you ahead of the game. An added bonus - there will be increases your efficiency while boosting your professionalism to the home sellers. Consider using a home inspection reporting software like Horizon Inspection Software, which lets you create brilliant reports, provide great service, run a smart business, market for growth — and spend less time doing it all!

Moral of the story - avoid getting into clashes with homeowners by providing them the concise, precise data they need to realize your findings are accurate.

Ideally, home inspectors and real estate agents would work together to help home buyers make knowledgeable decisions about what properties to buy. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, ultimately causing the homebuyer to lose out.

There is a common misconception that real estate agents want inspectors who will turn a blind eye to problems with a home to help them make the sale. In truth, honest and reputable Realtors want inspectors to deliver the facts. If there are honest issues with the home to consider, they should relay that to the home buyer. At the same time, agents aren’t too keen on inspectors who exaggerate findings or make a buyer feel like they are buying a lemon – except when that is the case. If the inspector makes his or her findings seem like the end of the world, the buyer may go running from a perfectly acceptable home.

Buyers, particularly first-time buyers, are trusting the inspector to tell them if the home is worth purchasing. 

Perspective Matters

From the perspective of a real estate agent, the main difference between a good or bad home inspector is in the delivery of information. Real estate agents want honesty, but they also want perspective.

Most home buyers are on a budget, and there are plenty of quality homes on the market that would make great purchases for the budget conscious buyer.

Home buyers are putting their faith in real estate agents and home inspectors to guide them to these homes. They want to own a home, and they need to buy something that will serve their needs, which almost always means compromise.

An experienced agent and a skilled home inspector have a realistic perspective on homes in their respective markets. They understand that almost every home has issues, and they know how to tell the difference between serious problems and minor to moderate problems, which many buyers can deal with to own a home. 

Most real estate agents have no desire to see a client buy a home they will regret and will work hard to avoid such a situation. A good inspector obviously feels the same. An inspector is approaching the situation from a different angle and needs to be ready to explain the results of an inspection in a way that helps buyers make an informed decision. Not explaining issues in a way that sends them running immediately because they think the home is going to fall down around them (unless of course it actually is).

AB 1018 has been signed by the Governor of CA on September 6, 2019. 

"This bill would prohibit a home inspector from giving an opinion of valuation on a property. The bill would specify that the law regulating home inspectors does not exempt a home inspector from law regulating real estate appraisers. The bill would prohibit a licensed real estate appraiser performing a real estate appraisal from acting as a home inspector performing a home inspection except as required to comply with standards set forth in law or regulation." 

Read the full text of AB 1018 here. 

With the shift to a greener and energy conserving world, it is important that your home inspection business also shifts. People who are looking to make their home more energy efficient, might be looking to you for advice. With that in mind, it is important to be educated and prepared on what makes their home more green. 

 

Provide the home owner with a Home Energy Score. This U.S. Department of Energy rating was created to give people a simple understanding of just how efficient their home is. The scale ranges from 1 to 10. 10, being the highest level of an energy efficient home. This allows your customers to have a full understanding of where they currently stand and how many more adjustments need to be made to improve their efficiency. In order to do this, however, you will need to get certified by the Department of Energy. 

 

Give home owners a list of ways they can be more energy efficient. Include things such as install low-flow shower heads, seal windows, add insulation to your attic, install a storm door, install solar panels, and anything else that could benefit the client. These adjustment suggestions will leave them feeling content. 

 

Bringing energy conservation into your conversations with customers will show that your business is evolving with the times. You will be seen as more dependable and will hopefully be recommended to others for your initiative. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to Read the latest TREC Update

Click here to read the entire article

Gov. Kasich signs home inspector licensure into law on his way out of office

Jan 7, 2019

By Scott Williams, Ohio REALTORS Chief Executive Officer

The top legislative priority of Ohio REALTORS for more than a decade -- home inspector licensure -- becomes a reality later this year, after the measure was signed into law by Gov. John Kasich late last week.

The effort to establish a home inspector licensure system in Ohio, which was amended into Senate Bill 255 in the waning days of the 132nd General Assembly, will bring critical consumer-focused oversight to the last remaining unregulated aspect of the home buying process. Ohio will become the 31st state affording home buyers the assurance that the inspector they hire is properly trained to evaluate and assess the home's condition prior to finalizing what is likely the largest financial transaction they will make in a lifetime.

The measure established a regulatory board that includes representation from the home inspector profession that will adopt standards of practice, requirements for education and create a pathway for consumers to have their complaints addressed. Additionally it:

• Requires home inspectors to have 80 hours of pre-licensure education including classroom instruction, online instruction or in-the-field experience.
• Establishes a three-year license, with a requirement for 14 hours of continuing education annually.
• Ensures that consumers have access to qualified inspectors by creating grandfathering criteria that closely match current practices and standards.
• Stipulates that a real estate licensee is not required to give a home inspector referral. However, should a licensee choose to refer they must give no fewer than three names.
• Finally, the law establishes a Home Inspector Recovery Fund. Consumers who obtain a final judgement against a licensed home inspector may seek payment from the fund (up to $40,000). 

Click here to Read the Full Story

*Source:  Ohio Realtor's Association

Wis. Act 338, effective July 1, 2018, modified the home inspector statute, Wis. Stat. Chap. 440, to create consistency between the offer to purchase and the home inspector’s report. 

Offer to purchase

The 2011 WB-11 Residential Offer to Purchase defines a “defect” on lines 182-184 as: “a condition that would have a significant adverse effect on the value of the Property; that would significantly impair the health or safety of future occupants of the Property; or that if not repaired, removed or replaced, would significantly shorten or adversely affect the expected normal life of the premises.”

Home inspector definition 

The definition of “defect” in the inspection report is now substantially similar to the definition of “defect” in the offer to purchase. Wis. Stat. § 440.97(2m) “Defect” means a condition of any component of an improvement that would significantly impair the health or safety of future occupants of a property or that, if not repaired, removed, or replaced, would significantly shorten or adversely affect the expected normal life of the component of the improvement.

Therefore, as of July 1, 2018, when a home inspector calls something a defect in the inspection report, the condition must meet the definition contained in the home inspector statute of Wis. Stat. § 440.97(2m).

Discrepancy in the rules and statute

As of July 1, 2018, the home inspector administrative rules of Wis. Admin. Code § SPS 131 are inconsistent with the statutory changes of Wis. Stat. Chap. 440. However, even though the rules use different regarding verbiage and terminology that are inconsistent with the new statutory language, the statutory language supersedes administrative rules. The home inspector administrative rules will be updated, but until then, note the statutory language of Wis. Stat. 440 controls the practice. Home inspectors are also required to be educated about the statutory changes. 

Wis. Stat. § 440.975(3) After completing a home inspection, a home inspector shall submit a written report to a client that does all of the following:
(a) Lists the components of an improvement to residential real property that the home inspector is required to inspect under the rules promulgated under s. 440.974(1) (b).
(b) Lists the components of an improvement to residential real property that the home inspector has inspected.
(c) Describes any condition of an improvement to residential real property or of any component of an improvement to residential real property that is detected by the home inspector during his or her home inspection and that, if not repaired, will have a significant adverse effect on the life expectancy of the improvement or the component of the improvement. *
(cm) Describes any defect that is detected by the home inspector during his or her home inspection. A home inspector is not required to use the term “defect” in describing a defect in the written report required under this subsection. A home inspector may not use the term “defect” in a written report required under this subsection unless that use is consistent with s. 440.97 (2m).
(d) Provides any other information that the home inspector is required to provide under the rules promulgated under s. 440.974(1) (c).
* The strikethrough represents the removed statutory language, while the underline represents new language added by the legislation to the home inspector statute.

*Source WRA, Cori Lamont https://www.wra.org/WREM/July18/Defect/

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