Virtual Property Inspection in Philadelphia

Virtual Property Inspection during COVID-19: A Guide

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every person and business throughout the country in one way or another. Many industries have been forced to adapt the way that they do business on a daily basis in order to accommodate new health regulations. This includes the real estate industry—an industry in which it’s expected to allow strangers to enter your home on a regular basis. Many people are uncomfortable with this concept now and are turning to technology-based options for viewing properties they’re interested in. Keep reading to learn more about virtual home inspections from the best home inspectors in Philadelphia.

A Virtual Walk-Through of the Property

First, it’s important to note that when we say “virtual property inspection,” we’re not referring to your final inspection report from a qualified inspector; this refers to your personal inspection of the property. When buying a property, you may visit the house multiple times before closing the deal. However, if you’re not comfortable walking through someone’s house (especially in an open-house situation where there may be several other people present), a virtual property tour may be a good alternative.

Your real estate agent can schedule a time to sit down with you and perform a video conference call with the property owner or their agent. You can then view the property virtually via live stream, so that you can feel confident you see the real deal, and not just well-staged photos that may have been edited only to show the house’s best parts. If you’re the seller, you may elect to only offer virtual tours at this time to help reduce your exposure to large numbers of strangers; at the very least, you could use these as a tool to establish genuine interest before inviting a potential buyer to come by for an in-person walk-through.

Not a Replacement for Seeing the Property

While virtual inspections are an excellent tool to use at this time to view a property for the first time, it shouldn’t be the only way you view the property. A live stream simply isn’t an adequate substitute for walking through the house yourself. So, once you’ve done a virtual walk-through, if you’re still interested in the property, schedule a time to stop by and view the property in a safe, health-conscious manner.

Professional Inspections Must Be in Person

While the real estate industry has been forced to pivot in many ways to accommodate the current health crisis, professional home inspections must be done in person. A video tour does not give a professional home inspector the in-depth look they need to provide an adequate report on the property. Too many systems within a property need to be touched, opened, turned on, and listened to for an inspector to catch potential problems, and this just can’t be done on a video.

Of course, we are making every effort to protect the property owners of each property we inspect. Our inspectors wear both face and shoe coverings when entering your property, sanitize their hands before entering, and strive to maintain proper social distance at all times. Ultimately in-person inspections provide more thorough, better home inspections in Philadelphia, PA. Please reach out to us to learn more about what precautions we’re taking to protect your health while still providing you with the thorough home inspection report you need.