We all know the market is tough for buyers right now as supply is very low and demand hasn't seemed to decline at all. If a contingency period can be negotiated, it's expected to be short. So how do we protect our client's interest (home inspection, radon test, etc.) with only 72 hours? In a word: Communication.
Call us. Seems simple, but that is your first step. Texting is best as we are usually in a crawlspace or a dance recital (don't ask). Many agents call us before their offer is accepted when they feel pretty good about their chances. Tell us how long you have and we can usually commit to meeting your timing after a quick glance at our calendar. We will finalize the arrangements when we have official word. We haven't broken this loose commitment yet and don't plan to. Remember, there are two of us and we can do 20 or more inspections per week.
Keep us informed. Whether your offer was accepted or not, keep us posted as soon as you know. We don't believe in over-communication and take texts and calls all day, every day.
Tell us exactly what you need and we can tell you what we can do. Radon, water, home inspection, and mold. We don't do septic inspections but have built relationships with septic inspectors around the state. We're happy to make those calls to see if a septic inspection can be done at the same time.
Don't forget the weekends and holidays: These days are not usually part of the contingency period, just business days. We don't usually do home inspections on weekends, but will if we can. Of course, we can drop and retrieve radon monitors during this time without eating into your contingency period.
Typical Inspection Requirements:
Home Inspection- 24 hours: We deliver a report the day after the inspection, but can accelerate this to same-day if needed.
Radon Testing - 48 hours: We need 48 hours for a valid test per the State of Maine. We can often drop the radon monitor early and pick up during the inspection. We use electronic monitors and don't need to wait on a lab for results. We are the lab. We have approximate figures upon monitor retrieval. as well.
Water Testing - 4 days: We use a local lab and typically need four days for the metals to be analyzed. If in a time crunch, we can find a way to deliver to the lab immediately after sampling. It all depends...
Mold Testing - as little as 24 hours: Results can be available sooner, but the lab charges extra. It usually only takes 2-3 days.
We work hard to make each transaction as seamless as possible for you AND the customer. We're not miracle workers, but we hold ourselves to a higher standard and struggle with the word "no." In a few weeks, our runners return from college and give us even greater flexibility as they are trained in water sampling, radon retrieval, and mold drop-off. They do all the running around so we can keep inspecting and meet demand.
We are happy to help in any way possible. You'd be surprised how much we can accomplish with effective communication.
By the way, if you can't negotiate inspections, we also do Walk-Through Inspections. These are verbal, non-documented reviews of the home during a typical showing slot. It doesn't replace a home inspection, but MUCH better than nothing.
Thanks for reading,
Matt and Matt
Square One Home Inspections
Matt L: 207-841-7699
Matt T: 207-837-1600
Office: 207-560-3222