Residential subject inspection checklist

[Tiffany Gibbons]

Hello all. I was wondering if any of you have an inspection checklist/form you bring to every inspection to make sure you collect all data and just to make your life easier? I am thinking about making one and would appreciate any guidance. Thanks!!

I just take lots of photos. I used to try to write everything down, but now I concentrate on getting the floorplan drawing correct. When I started the old guys always took a front page of the URAR and I never saw the point in that.

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

I always use the checklist I created years ago in Excel, and update periodically and print out on graph paper I use for my sketch at the property. It becomes automatic, and of course I take a bunch of photos, but sometimes there are distractions, so after inspection I often just go over that checklist in the car before leaving the property. If you are interested, I could send you the template.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I have a simple check list that provides everything I need. And I use it with a sketch.

 

[Fernando]

When you have photos of each room, you have most of the characteristics inside especially quality of materials.
And if in MLS, many details are presented there.
What we should be concern about are the condition, functional obsolescence, and observe any abnormalities in subject to be noted.

 

[Tom D]

our MLS has dozens of interior photos on the listing and subject listing. just develop a set routine. maybe walk around each room. it's when i got distracted by the owner. or something. that i forget to do something. it's like a recipe that you love to use. sometimes i miss a master bathroom when there are a lot of doors, that why i look at photos before i leave. my problem is that you see 1 little GLA row home, you seen 1 you seen the other same 50,000. so i.m careful about not phasing out in my typical row home inspections.

 

[Vermonter]

I just take lots of photos

Same. I average 80-100 pics for the average assignment. I just keep snapping pics of everything. Only about 20-30 end up in the average lending report. Think my record was 240 for an estate job and only 1 ended up in the report.

I used the VA checklist when I first started, but as others said once you've been doing them long enough you won't need it.

 

[Tom D]

i miss my 1 shot front polaroid photo stapled to. i keep feeling more appraiser privileged knowing i usually only take less than 12 interior photo. how many can i take of my normal 1,100 GLA row home. but then, i do get to some suburban home with maybe 20 photos. i think some of you are photo ocd, and i did minor in psych at college. we now have USPAP, ansi and photo perfectionists.

 

[Vermonter]

i miss my 1 shot front polaroid photo stapled to. i keep feeling more appraiser privileged knowing i usually only take less than 12 interior photo. how many can i take of my normal 1,100 GLA row home. but then, i do get to some suburban home with maybe 20 photos. i think some of you are photo ocd, and i did minor in psych at college. we now have USPAP, ansi and photo perfectionists.

Sorry, I do not understand the aversion some appraisers have for taking extra pics. There is ZERO downside to additional photos in the workfile.

 

[RCA]

Pictures will become increasingly important in training AI to score homes on style, aesthetics, condition, and quality—and, in combination with good floor plans, functional utility. Accurate color (from using good flash) and high-resolution sharp pictures will become more valuable. Accurate, good-quality floor plans will also become more valuable. So, keep what you have and do better. They may eventually be worth something.

 

[Fernando]

Sorry, I do not understand the aversion some appraisers have for taking extra pics. There is ZERO downside to additional photos in the workfile.

When I take photos, they have to be in sequence otherwise I would get confuse especially with which photo for which bedroom.
Also sometimes I had blurred photo and it's good I took additional photo (is it just me?).