If there is one truth about home buyers these days it is that they are savvy. More and more of my clients are asking questions before hiring me. Sure, they all ask the requisite questions such as am I licensed? (yes), how long does an inspection take? (about 3 hours), and what type of report do I provide? (one so beautiful you will frame it), but they also ask more probing questions such as my background (structural engineering inspections) and whether I do the inspection myself or someone if someone else does the inspection (I always do the inspection, after all Kemp Home Inspections is just me).
There are other questions, too. One recent question from a well-researched buyer reminded me of my first job interview out of college. Barbara had a contract on a home in Bethesda and asked me, What is my biggest weakness? I thought, really, you are asking that? Cool. When I interviewed for that first job I think my answer was “attention to detail to a fault”, but now I say my weakness is baking cookies, which reveals my true weakness which is my desperate need to get laughs from people. Barbara also asked what is my biggest strength, and told her my willingness to explain everything my clients need to know about the house they are buying, no matter how long it takes, which is sometimes, a very long time. 🙂
All these questions do two things: first, they remind me that I am constantly being challenged to explain how I am different from other home inspectors, which goes beyond my engineering background and extends to my enjoyment and pride in being part of something as monumental as a home purchase, probably the biggest purchase in most people’s lives. But these questions also teach me something deeper, that every single inspection should be like my first job, and I should work for every client as if they are my boss…because they are.
