Taking voice notes during inspection?

[cashcatz]

When inspecting, how many of y'all take voice notes (dictating the inspection details)? If so, what are you using to do that and how do you go about getting you note details out of it and into your report? If not, are you against the idea or just haven't found a good way to go about it? Gracias, kicking around some ideas.

 

[Alsie35]

When inspecting, how many of y'all take voice notes (dictating the inspection details)? If so, what are you using to do that and how do you go about getting you note details out of it and into your report? If not, are you against the idea or just haven't found a good way to go about it? Gracias, kicking around some ideas.

How do you spell "dictating"?

 

[Vermonter]

Tried it. Wasn't a fan. Prefer just taking tons of photos for the average SFR.

I have done video inspections and narrated what I was seeing for very complex properties and found that kinda helpful.

 

[Fernando]

I write everything on my sketch graph paper. Noting anything special I see in the rooms or front, side, rear. Maybe just to keep me thinking.

 

[cashcatz]

Tried it. Wasn't a fan. Prefer just taking tons of photos for the average SFR.

Is that due to having to listen back to it or just not enjoying dictating out loud?

 

[shrubberyvaluation]

When inspecting, how many of y'all take voice notes (dictating the inspection details)? If so, what are you using to do that and how do you go about getting you note details out of it and into your report? If not, are you against the idea or just haven't found a good way to go about it? Gracias, kicking around some ideas.

My main issue would be saying something that pisses someone off. Carpet is in average condition...My carpet is not average!!

 

[J Grant]

I make notes and take a lot of photos for reminders. I personally would find dictating aloud distracting, and often a RE agent or owner is around, and could start arguing or take offense to what they hear.

I would be open to it if there was a genuine benefit.

 

[Vermonter]

Is that due to having to listen back to it or just not enjoying dictating out loud?

No. Just that it wasn't necessary if taking enough pics. Not to mention pics are easier.

 

[Mike Ault]

I tried dictating inspection notes as I went along and then running them through Dragon's transcription service for my work file but it's too windy in my area to work reliably on the exterior (admittedly, more than a decade ago and I didn't throw money at windproof microphones at the time) and as Shrub said I didn't like walking around inside nitpicking property defects out loud with the property owner in tow (such as "strong pet odor permeating the dwelling"). With the new UAD 3.6 inspection protocols, however, I might be willing to give it another look.

 

[cashcatz]

No. Just that it wasn't necessary if taking enough pics. Not to mention pics are easier.

How to you handle details that a picture might not pick up? Take a manual note? Do you annotate / label those photos back in the office?