How Agents Can Prepare Clients for the Inspection Process

Client's Educational| Realtor Educational

September 23, 2025•2 min read

How Agents Can Prepare Clients for the Inspection Process
By City Home Inspectors

🤝 As a real estate agent, you’re the trusted guide through one of life’s biggest decisions. And when it comes to the inspection process, a little preparation goes a long way.

At City Home Inspectors, we’ve worked with hundreds of Chicagoland agents. Here’s how you can help both buyers and sellers navigate inspections with confidence—and close with fewer surprises.

🛍️ For Buyers: Set Realistic Expectations

1. Emphasize That No Home Is Perfect
Even new homes have minor issues. Help buyers focus on health, safety, and big-ticket systems—not nail holes or dated fixtures.

2. Recommend They Attend (If Possible)
Being there gives buyers a chance to ask questions and get real-time explanations—not just read a report later.

3. Clarify What’s Not Covered
Let them know inspectors don’t assess cosmetic flaws, test for code compliance, or estimate repair costs—but they do reveal valuable red flags.

4. Prepare Them to Review the Report Logically
Encourage them to separate the “must-fix” from the “nice to know” and lean on your expertise when deciding how to proceed.

🏠 For Sellers: Reduce Surprises & Build Trust

1. Suggest a Pre-Listing Inspection
This allows sellers to fix or disclose issues ahead of time, which increases transparency and prevents last-minute deal killers.

2. Provide a Seller Prep Checklist
Make sure access is clear to attics, basements, utility rooms, and electrical panels. Replace filters and test smoke detectors.

3. Remind Sellers to Leave During the Inspection
It keeps the environment comfortable for buyers and helps the process run more smoothly.

4. Encourage Documentation
Receipts for repairs, warranties, and permits all support seller credibility and help buyers feel secure.