Guest blogger Brent Whelan of Osprey Home Inspections in Halifax, Nova Scotia, talks about how integrating virtual consultations into his business adds value to his company and his clients.
Virtual Home Consultations
Technology is inspiring, isn’t it? Who needs to pick up the phone when you can have Uber or Skip bring you your large pepperoni and bottle of pop! Technology has improved the way we live our lives, empowering people to do more with less, but what about the home buying process? Yes, you can check out Realtor.ca or Zillow to find houses, analyze comps, and map out local amenities, but you can’t really get a sense of what the home's maintenance projections will be or the possible “deal killers” lurking in the basement… But what if you could?
Introducing virtual home consultations, brought to you by Osprey Home Inspections and powered by The Project Garage But how does it work? And most importantly, how can it help you as you try to make your next property purchase?
There are a few ways you can use a virtual consultation with a home inspector in your home buyer's journey. Check out these three.
You are a purchaser from out of town, and you are pre screening houses before you make a short list of prospects and come to have a more detailed look. Just from the pictures in the listing, or those sent from your agent (if you have one in the area) you could send me those pics and we can discuss any glaring issues. By doing this with the houses you are considering, we can help you eliminate any prospects which are simply not suitable. I recently had a couple of calls just like this from a client hoping to purchase a property in NS who is living in Ontario, and I helped him screen prospects.
You are a property investor, and the houses you buy are typically 'distressed.' But there is a difference between 'distressed' and complete tear downs. In this case, prior to getting a full inspection, you could consult with me and we could try and determine if the house if even worth taking to the next step. Investors value time and money, so the time saved by being able to make quicker decisions about the viability of a property could be critical to acquiring the property. On the money side, full inspections are costly (and absolutely worth it) but it is best to save getting a full inspection for houses which are serious prospects instead of paying simply to weed out houses with problems too big to overcome.
You are looking for a property in an area I service, and you have a realtor, but you want additional advice or information about certain areas, and things to look out for. Hey! Buying a house, cottage or investment is a big deal, and a massive investment. For the cost of a call with me, I might be able to fill you in on some critical information. What areas have I been seeing higher radon issues? Did you know that the area you are looking in has homes on wells and that those wells are being affected by the receeding water table? That cottage you are considering is on a lake with blue green algae? Look. I'm an expert and I see a lot of things. Arming your property search with impartial information from a virtual consultation is literally a life hack.
To put this another way, imagine this: you get financing from the bank, you find the realtor you connect with and have confidence in, then you go on several showings until you find your dream home! The problem? You found something questionable at the showing and want further clarification before booking a home inspection and saving money and (much better) time when trying to secure what could be the biggest investment of your life.
With virtual consultations, all you need to do is take photos or videos of the questionable items, book a time slot through The Project Garage, and we’ll gladly have a video chat with you and walk you through your repair or maintenance concerns. We’ll even send a detailed follow-up based on the photos sent through the platform! And never forget, The Project Garage has transcripts available for every call, so you can just concentrate on the call and your questions. You can order a transcript after the call and have all the information at your fingertips.
This does NOT replace a home inspection but is a fantastic complimentary service to help inform you before the inspection. To sweeten the deal even further, Osprey will reimburse your payment when you book a home inspection with us, effectively making the consultation FREE!
I have just begun my journey with The Project Garage, but I can already see the value add for my cleints here, and all over Canada. So if you are considering a property in the Halifax area, have a look at my profile here, and make sure to reach out if I can help in any way.
The Project Garage is a service dedicated to help DIYers connect with a local Pro, who can help you walk through your DIY project with confidence, for more information check them out here
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