I just had a realtor call for an inspection and asked me if I had access to the lockboxes. I told her I didn’t and that I was not aware home inspectors had this access. She told me some do. I don’t want to lose a job because some inspectors have lockbox keys.
Does anyone know if we have access to lockboxes? Seems like it would be a liability issue.
Generally you must belong to the local realtor association at some level, pay a monthly fee for the electronic lock box doodad and the annual dues to the association. A background check may also be needed.
Check with your local realtor association for details for your area.
Ok thanks. But Generally Home Inspectors do not have access right?
If you pay for it and you normally have to set up the inspection date & time.
One additional inspection a year more than pays for it for me. YMMV
They can give you a temp access code for the day of inspection.
Some are way too lazy to do this.
Liability?
Yes, it is.
Unsupervised access to a property is always a liability.
When you just show up, who can say what it was at your time of entry?
Broken window.
Did the inspector do it?
Missing appliances, did the inspector take them?
Will you loose jobs?
Yes.
How many jobs does it cost when you are the subject of a police investigation and subsequent law suit?
Just saying.
What do you think?
Don’t be afraid of of the Wal-Mart thinkers of NACHI.
Do you want to do a **** load of inspection and get jacked up, or do less and get to sleep good at night throughout your HI career?
Lockbox or supra key? They just have to give you the code for a lock box. As others have said depends on your local realtor ***. Some will allow home inspectors to have them, some won’t. They want to charge an account fee plus a monthly fee here. (Where they even let inspectors have one) It just seems like a convenience for the realtor to me, why should I pay for that? I guess if it gets you more inspections, to answer my own question.
I require the REA to be at the inspection. Too much liability, especially if the home is occupied. Your city may vary, but HI’s here are not loved. I always leave first, and have the REA lock and secure the home. Memberships and monthly fees and smartphone updates are expensive.
We have the Sentrilock system here.
I have to be an assoc. member of the RE board and also pay a fee for access. Runs about 400 a year for both. Totally worth it as I can enter properties (with permission) to do inspections and also retrieve radon monitors etc.
Just part of being a professional imho.
Thanks for all the good info. I think it’s not worth it. Just frustrating because I am just getting started and don’t get very many calls at this point. Hoping to get a few inspections in the next few weeks so I can get better flyers then the ones I’ve given out.
Yep and it’s nice for dropping / P/U of radon eq.
Just keep marketing as best you can and you’ll get there.
I started out with the most basic of marketing materials and
have continually improved them as time and money allowed.
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In my area the agents get really upset if you do not have access. We are required to be an affiliate of the board and must have supra access. If not we do not work. Simple as that. my annual due is $105.00 and the $60.00 every three months.
We had a new inspector who refused. He is no longer a home inspector in this area.
Here in AZ it is expected that you will have a SUPRA key and access to the property as far as additional liability I don’t see any, if the realtor let me in he or she is not going to follow me around and watch my every move. But I will say In AZ we are state licensed have background checks and finger print cards on file. By the way you do not have blanket access like Realtors we have to get a 7 digit CBS code from the listing Realtor to give us access and it is from 8am -8pm. Why would a home inspector not want to have something that could make his life and his realtors life easier
It depends on local rules and customs.
Some areas, it’s expected a HI to have access, some areas it’s against the rules for the HI to have access.
There is no one general rule.
its not a requirement. I would just plan on joining when you can afford it. Tax check time??
Life is easier for everyone when you have your own Suprakey. The first time an agent is running behind or forgets theirs, you will be glad that you have one.
Around here they are all lockboxes, I call the Realtor tell them when the inspection is set up for, they give me the code to the lockbox and they call the listing agent to let them know that I will be there…hardly ever see a Realtor during my inspection, some companies require that their realtors be on site for the inspection but you would be amazed at how often the Realtors have other obligations and “will get there as soon as I can”
No lockbox access here in Washington. And I prefer it that way. Let the agent making thousands in commissions babysit the clients, their kids, their relatives, etc that show up during the inspection. I have work to do.
It is a heavy fine to the agent if they even go sit in their car, let alone open and leave for a while to get coffee. YMMV.
I generally just get a day code for the lock box it cost zero, but if I am in a hurry it helps to sleep with a Realtor I just borrow her card:shock: