Do you view yourself as a realist who believes the truth should always be unvarnished? Do you tend to smooth minor issues because they’re seemingly insignificant? The home inspection industry is partly hard-and-fast. For example, either a water supply line is broken or it isn’t. But some parts of the job require a judgment call.
The way you present information and relate to your customers can influence their attitude about whether or not to buy. That might be a step too far, so it’s sometimes safer to take the middle ground.
Stick to Facts About Material Defects
Have you ever noticed the way that certain words can chance the whole tone of a sentence? You could say that a roof has a number of missing shingles, no leaks and the system is 15 years old. Or you could say the roof is bad, has considerable damage with missing shingles and needs to be replaced. Both statements might be true, but the latter has a lot of opinions woven in.
Home inspecting requires you to use your good judgment about what to emphasize and where to hold back. Stick to the facts and let your customers draw their own conclusions. A gloomy report could color their whole attitude about the house, not just the roof. And you never know, their uncle might own a roofing business.
Avoid Too Much Opinion About Value
Home inspectors and home appraisers have similar jobs, but they serve very different purposes. An inspector examines the house and reports on its condition. An appraiser arrives at a reasonable monetary value for the house, which guides the lender in knowing what’s fair.
When a home inspector offers up opinions about what the house is worth, their ideas might conflict with those of the appraiser. Not only can it cause confusion, in some situations it could create a conflict where there wasn’t one before. Play it safe and avoid the subject altogether. Once your customer has a report in hand, they can research and determine on their own whether the home is worth the asking price.
Your language and demeanor in person and on the phone can also influence a customer’s willingness to buy.
Know When The Unvarnished Truth is Necessary
All that said, sometimes the truth needs no varnish at all. If a house is dangerous, you should probably say so. If there’s a leak in the roof, you shouldn’t skim over the details for fear of influencing your customer.
Glossing over defects or omitting seemingly small ones from the report can also influence the customer. A small chip in a toilet basin or the kitchen sink might not cause you alarm, but the customer could have a very different opinion.
The key to a great home inspection is finding a balance. Always tell the truth, but try never to push or pull customers into an emotional reaction. Words can do that, so watch what you say as well as what you write in the report. You might hate the house. Or maybe you love it and think it’s an outstanding buy. Regardless of where your opinions fall, it’s ultimately up to the customer to decide. The best way to do that is with honest, straightforward and unsentimental information.
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