Concern

Concern

 

Home Inspectors are not contracted to find all the correct and proper construction and components of a house.  They are hired to seek out the problems.  When these problems, aka defects, are found the home the inspector must include them in the home inspection report.  In my reporting system I report all defects found in the home in the “concern box”.  This box contains the explanation of the defect, who should be consulted, and a place for digital photos of the defect and its location. 

 

Each defect found generates a “concern” that has to be reported to your client.  The concern needs to be worded in a manner that clearly identifies the defect, explains specifically why it is a concern and recommends an appropriate course of action.  This reporting of the concern is the most important skill of a Home Inspector.

 

The reason I think it is the most important skill a Home Inspector needs is because it is at this point that we convey the appropriate amount of concern.  This skill or lack thereof is where many of the problems occur in regard to servicing our clients and; of concern to our business interests, the real estate agent.  

 

It is extremely important for a home inspector to speak and write about issues in a manner that clearly explains the defect and states the level of concern the client should have.  For example, if an inspector believes the level of concern regarding a defect is minor but writes up the defect in an ambiguous manner with inexact words and unclear explanations, the client might interpret this defect as a major issue.  Now a loose banister in the basement stairway is giving pause to a home buyer on whether or not to buy.

 

On the other hand if a serious defect with grave safety ramifications or vast monetary impact is misinterpreted a client may be at risk of purchasing a money pit.  Here a report about a possibly faulty septic system was interpreted as no big risk, only to become a financial disaster.

 

Home Inspectors must give a lot of thought to reports and how clearly the issues are explained, in writing as well as with proper demeanor while performing the inspection.

 

No matter how good a Home Inspector you are, no matter how thorough your report is, if you can’t communicate in an easy to understand manner with the proper tone of urgency, your report and your work will raise more questions than they answer, and may do a disservice to your client.

 

In regard to problems with real estate agents we must make every attempt to show them we are a desirable professional and a value to their business.  Of course, our main allegiance is always to our client, but it is often the realtor who gets the Home Inspector work. Making every attempt to please them is smart business and a reactionary inspector is seen as a liability. 

 

Realtors on both sides of the home sale hate when Home Inspectors “kill the deal”.  Their complaint may be valid if we over-dramatize a defect.  If the defect is a small matter like a loose handrail, but the inspector treats it like he found a ticking time bomb all parties involved are on edge and may become confrontational.  If the home inspector gets excited and emotional about a defect then the client likely will as well. If the client is appearing dissatisfied with the home at this late point in the deal, the real estate agents see all their hard work leading up to this point fly away; along with their dollars. This small defect now has become an emotional issue and the realtor may not be able to get everyone to calm down. 

 

Articulating the appropriate level of concern about any defect, both in person at the inspection and in the clarity of your report, is a difficult skill and should be near the top of the list for any Home Inspector’s things to be focused on.