Strouse Home Inspections is a family owned business and is not immune to the effects of COVID-19 or the havoc it’s wrecking. My wife and I have talked about it at length as to how we will go forward in regard to our home life and business. Although it seems that smaller businesses are getting hit worse when it comes to the economic situation, they are also the ones who are better able to control the quality of sanitizing and cleaning procedures. As well as follow the lead of the local authorities. This leads to the real question: How are we changing the way we do things?
We have added administrative controls to protect clients, brokers, sellers, and our employees:
- We have eliminated all non-essential in person meetings and are instead either just calling or doing video conferencing if a face-to-face meeting is required.
- We will not be shaking hands with anyone as we normally would, please do not be offended.
- We will be wearing gloves during the entire inspection.
- We will be washing our hands a lot, and we will be hand sanitizing regularly throughout the inspection.
- Social distancing will be practiced. We will be maintaining 6ft distance between ourselves, the homebuyer, the brokers, and the home seller.
- Of course, at the slightest sign of sickness, we will reschedule home inspections two weeks out to comply with the 2-week quarantine recommendation.
- Additionally, we are requesting that the inspection be done without anyone else at the property. This may not be possible, so 6’ distancing would be observed at all times.
- We will be sending all invoices to be paid online, so credit cards and other payment options do not have to be handled.
- We will be sending all agreements to be signed electronically.
- If the buyers elect to not be at the inspection, we will use a video conference either during or after the inspection report has been delivered to our clients to discuss what we would have during the inspection.
Notice that we have even gone the extra mile to get a certification for COVID-19:
Many years ago, both my wife and I lost our parents around the same time. We don’t want anyone to have to experience the death of their own parents or grandparents. Strouse Home Inspections believes that everyone has a community responsibility to do what they can to keep others safe. Safety is one of the main reasons why we got into this business to begin with. We saw that many home inspectors were giving generalized reports, blinding homebuyers to the facts they needed to make a good decision for their family’s physical safety and financial well-being.
Having said that, we also understand that everyone has to make a living. We will be open for business for as long as possible. Thankfully there are still a number of people looking to buy right now. In all honesty, with interest rates as low as they are it is a great time to buy. We have seen families take advantage of the low interest rate and buy homes that would give them the same mortgage but with the benefit of a lower interest rate and a new home.
If you’re looking for a home, make sure that you have all the facts before making your decision. We offer you unique detailed reports that you can expect to see around 9am the next day. Homes are going quick, so we understand that you need this information as soon as possible to make your decision. Strouse Home Inspections encourages every homebuyer to ask as many questions as they can so that they know exactly what they are getting. Because we are a family owned business, we treat you like one of our own, with truth and honesty. It is not about helping realtors to make a sale; it's about making sure that you are making the best possible decision for you and your family. Give us a call or schedule online with us today!
By Strouse Home Inspections 3-25-2020