Most people love surprises—unless you work in the Real Estate industry, then surprises usually mean money, and it often means it is going to cost you. HouseMaster has found that agents are sometimes involved in lawsuits due to home defects even when the buyer hired an inspector to examine the situation.

We want you to be able to focus on your business and not worry about what may be hiding in that crawl space. Here are three tips that will help give you, and all parties involved, peace of mind the next time one of your properties has a home inspection.

Use A Qualified Inspector

Make sure that the home inspector you use has the training and certification needed to properly inspect the property. All HouseMaster inspectors are trained and certified by the National Institute of Building Inspectors (NIBI) or an equivalent program. Additionally, they have access to additional resources to make sure the inspection is done right and your questions are answered. You can have confidence that each inspection will be done the HouseMaster way—the right way.

Demand Accurate Reporting

The best inspections include accurate and current information that all parties need to know. What good would a home inspection be if the agent, buyer, and seller can’t understand the documentation? It is important that each report is clear so that misunderstandings won’t happen. All HouseMaster inspectors have access to an experienced technical team and support network to help ensure your report is completed correctly, delivered accurately, and uploaded to a password protected website promptly.

Protect Yourself - Referral Liability Coverage

National real estate organizations encourage all agents to have a risk management plan and/or coverage. If you refer a home inspection firm that is uninsured, unlicensed or otherwise unqualified—real estate professionals are often left defending themselves if something goes wrong. Having a plan or program in place helps reduce this risk, and ensures that your home buyers have a quality experience, before and after the close.

HouseMaster provides coverage to realtors in the form of Referral Liability Coverage. That, coupled with HouseMaster’s Limited Inspection Guarantee* and Errors and Omissions Insurance, we make sure agents will be protected from post-sale issues that arise after closing within the guarantee period.

Our goal is to give buyers, sellers, and agents peace of mind when using HouseMaster to inspect its properties. You can feel confident referring HouseMaster every time for a smooth transaction and peace of mind.

*Where available. Contact your local HouseMaster for a copy of the Limited Repair Guarantee and Referral Liability terms and conditions.