One of my numerous pet peeves–related to home inspectors–is the flippant use of the term “Move On.”
It is most often used in the context of some issue the home inspector deems too unimportant to spend time figuring out, or otherwise deemed of little consequence to the client.
Figuring things out takes time, knowledge and experience.
Assuming what is important or not important to the client takes cojones.
As an inspector, all I have to give my client is my time, my knowledge and my experience. For me, all three are essential in doing what I think it requires to best take care of my clients.
It is also what makes inspecting fun, at least for me.
I know one of the reasons the phrase is used, is because many inspectors think “time is money.” After all that is what all the marketing books say. It can sometimes be a balancing act for sure. Sorting out what is spending enough time and what is just rushing through because you have another inspection to get to, can be hard for some inspectors.
A long time I go I decided that I would simply not do more than one inspection a day so that I would never have to worry about time. In fact, it is not only the concept of just “documenting and move on” that I find highly irritating, it is also the concept of “time is money.”
Personally I think “service is money.” In other words, if you provide great “service” the money will follow without chasing it or making it the center of attention.
The amount of money one “needs” is as different as the number of people chasing after it. What is enough for one person might not be enough for another. It makes a huge difference whether you are putting kids through college or buying your third Hummer or have none of those concerns.
I do know that no matter how much money you make, it can never pay for the damage that can be caused by what it takes to make a lot of money—even if you are lucky—perhaps especially if you are lucky.
Again it comes down to balance.
Time to move on from moving on.
By Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle
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