BPO Interior Inspection Insights
Conducting an interior inspection with the borrowers present can
be tricky and time consuming. This report is for you to be able
to learn from my experiences, and help you to provide a
professional inspection.
Before arriving at your inspection, pull the tax record and any
previous listing information, this way you can have an idea if
there have been many or few changes since the last purchase.
Once you arrive at the subject address-take any exterior photos
that you need. Promote a professional appearance and provide a
business card upon introducing yourself. It is sometimes a scary
event for people to let strangers into their house. By providing
as professional an appearance as possible, you will help to put
their feelings to rest.
Ask your homeowner to give you a tour-this way they can identify
the changes that they have made to the property. In each room,
ask them what they have done since the last purchase or finance.
"Is this carpet original to the house?" "Did you convert the
garage into a family room, or was this done before you moved
in?" Be sure to do the same for the exterior-have they
re-landscaped? Is the deck new? Did they add the fence? What
about a sprinkler system?
Many homeowners will spend time proudly showing their home. If
the home owner is a "Chatty Cathy" I have found it useful to
refer back to an inspection check list in order to keep the
inspection moving along.
Remember, you are not a structural inspector, no need to be
going under the house and into the unfinished attic.
I have encountered many things in our inspections and they make
for great dinner table conversation. One of my favorites was the
house that had Liebe and Stafanos, the two family dogs that were
long since deceased! They were stuffed into their hunting poses
and very large. The homeowners reminded me that these would not
be included in the sale of the house and to be sure to take out
their value in determining a price!
I have arrived to tea set at the table, with cookies and fine
china, and to housewives exclaiming that they haven't had time
to clean, so look out for the diapers on the living room floor.
Interior inspections are a part of our business; they can also
be an adventure-so be safe and have a good sense of humor!