Quick Inspections

[TRESinc]

What do you think? Can you do a thorough appraisal inspection in 10 minutes or less?

if the subject is a 1-2 bedroom condo with less than 800sf i think i could do it in 10 mins if it was vacant.

I ask the homeowner to prepare a list of changes, updates or upgrades, remodels, additions to the improvements for the last 10 years when I call them to set the appointment and to give me that when I arrive at the home.

I also sit down with them to discuss the items they listed to make sure I have the same understanding of what they communicated.

very similar to my process. i email the homeowner a 2 page pdf asking questions about the property when i set the appointment, then sit down with them at the beginning to collect and go over said list. then we walk the home. i can't even begin to tell you how many things they remember during the walk that they did not put on the form or tell me about at the table, even with a few days to prepare the form. actually looking at the rooms really jogs their memory.

after the interior inspection i ask them if they have any questions and answer them if they do.

these things have lead me to hear the "last guy was only here for..." comments more than i can remember.

A simple ranch house? 15 minutes or 20 is a stretch. What the heck are you looking at for so long? We are not home inspectors. I might tell the home owner if they are there that the majority of time spent for the appraisal is spent researching and developing the value after the inspection is done, so they don't think the time spent at their home is all I am doing .

this is exactly the response one would expect from you.

 

[J Grant]

I, typically, tell the home owner I will be there about 15 to 20 minutes unless I find something unusual. Like to 'set the table' in the beginning by letting them know I have been appraising "in this market" for a little more than 33 years and after more than 12,000 appraisals I have a pretty good "inspection routine" down. Also, I will be photographing EVERY room including the bath rooms. The VA does not want any people in the pictures. That usually settles them down.

I have a good inspection sheet that we designed over 30 years ago and have modified a couple of times. It's designed for use with a highlighter and I just highlight the appropriate items. On the back side I copy the assessor's sketch with a sketch for each level. Since the mid 1970s the county requires builder to file plans with the assessor and the sketches are, for the most part, quite accurate. I just verify the measurements and off I go. Of course there can be additions that haven't been picked up by the assessor but those are usually quite obvious.

I concur with the statement..."I am not a home inspector". Leave that to the experts. Take lots of pictures, fill out your inspection form, measure or verify the measurements and move on.

Was doing an inspection the other day and the real estate agent was very impressed with how quickly I got the inspection done. She preferred to be present and wasn't happy when an appraiser took two hours to inspect a property. I also had a home owner tell me she was a little nervous when an appraiser took several hours looking at her house. He spent almost an hour inside and a hour outside measuring.

It's all a matter of doing what it takes to get the job done. If you feel you need an hour then take an hour. If you can adequate inspect a property in 10 to 15 do that. Just be sure you cover all the bases.

Mike put it better than I did, but basically said the same thing ( as did some others). If a house takes 15 minutes to walk through, measure and photo (that is a small house or box condo), then I don't feel I need to hang around to make the homework think I am being thorough.

I am thorough on the research and spend a lot of time on comps and comments and deriving the value...that is what the owner really needs, however I respect the opinion of those who feel they want/ need to spend additional time at an inspection.

I understand it leaves a positive impression on the HO to be there a longer time...I am fortunate as in my area often the HO is not there ( we have a lot of snowbirds and a property manager lets me in).

 

[TxArmadillo]

I have a good inspection sheet that we designed over 30 years ago and have modified a couple of times. It's designed for use with a highlighter and I just highlight the appropriate items.

I created something like this about a year ago but my partner thought it was too difficult to work with.

I had it broken down by exterior features, kitchen, bedrooms, bath, attic, basement, etc., with detailed lists for various floor coverings, finishes, architectural details, FHA-specific items, etc. I think it was about four pages long when finished.

I thought it was a good item for the workfile but got overruled.

Maybe I should start using that again...

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Anyone wanting a copy of mine can email me and I will send it.

 

[TxArmadillo]

Anyone wanting a copy of mine can email me and I will send it.

Thanks, Mike! Email sent.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

On real cookie-cutters 15-20 minutes, unless I see something interesting.
I take pix of everything; Who needs to write when I can see the furnace
is a recent gas forced-air unit - with 90+% efficiency rating

The digital camera is "best in class" for reference. It "sees" what I might not take time to write down. And I am not doing an FHA appraisal. I ask if there are any non-functioning appliances rather than try to test the DW, Range, Fan Hood, etc. Further, the detail of a ranch house appraisal isn't the same as that for a 1004 check list. For a square box, measuring isn't a long process. Roof? Material and visual condition. Siding, ditto. Windows Ditto. same for interior.

It is only when things are in bad shape the slow you down. I do try to estimate quantities of things like walls that need paint, sheetrock that needs patches, doors that need replaced, same for windows... etc. I inspected an 80 acre farm patch yesterday...took about 45 minutes. Today, 200 acre farm and took about 45 minutes...in the rain. I rode with the owner in both cases. And in both cases I am likely to be spending more time with the aerial photographs and soils books than with the "inspection"...

A recent mini-storage took me 30 minutes or so, but I spent more time in the Realtors office getting the survey, the rent schedule and other data (the Realtor was also the buyer).

 

[Joe Flacco]

What's the rush? I don't understand the need to rush through an inspection to save 10-15 minutes. Sometimes it takes me a minute just to shoot a picture. If its crooked then I gotta take it again. Sometimes I have to turn on lamps or open or close the shades. See what's going on outside the window. Find a good line of sight. There are many things that need to be done to take a good picture. I really just take my time and soak in the place and its surroundings as if I am thinking about buying it.

 

[J Grant]

I don't feel I "rush" through an inspection, but if it takes me 15 minutes to measure and look at the interior and photograph a small house or small condo, what is the purpose of staying longer? On a larger property or one with possible condition issues of course I stay longer, as long as it takes. I do spend quite a long time researching comps , and unless there is a pressing need, I don't like to "rush" through a report.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

What's the rush? I don't understand the need to rush through an inspection to save 10-15 minutes.

What JG said. If it takes me 60 sec. to shoot a digital camera shot then I need a new camera...

 

[Hashem]

a lot depends on how you do the inspection. I have preloaded all public data into the tablet before I arrive, along with much of the description of the subject (when data available). I use a disto to measure, and then drop the room names into the sketch which pulls up the tablet camera to take the pics.

Is there an app for this or is it just something you made yourself?