Home Inspector Jobs Overview
Home inspector jobs put you in charge of determining the conditions of homes and other residential properties. In this role, you’ll inspect every part of a home from foundations to walls, roof, electrical and plumbing systems, and more both visually and with special tools. Your expertise is essential during the process of selling and buying a house, as through your analysis, you intercept latent defects and other problems in houses.
Home inspectors’ responsibilities include tasks such as:
- organizing inspection appointments with homeowners or real estate agents
- thoroughly evaluating the residential property inside and outside features prior to the sale
- identifying problems and potential issues that can decrease the property value
- recommending repairs and estimating costs
- taking notes during appointments and preparing written reports afterward
- answering client and real estate agent questions
Are you curious about other similar construction jobs you could pursue with your skill set? Explore Monster’s most popular ones, like:
Training and Skills for Home Inspector Jobs
Since there’s no single nationwide standard to become a home inspector in the U.S., you need to verify your state’s requirements before embarking on this journey. In most states, a high school diploma or GED will be sufficient to begin. However, to advance faster in your field, you may also choose to obtain an associate degree in building or home inspection technology from a community college.
Then, always depending on the state, you’ll have to complete a home inspection course and a certain number of hours of training on the field. Only after that, will you be able to enroll in the home inspection license exam. Finally, obtain an errors and omissions insurance, pay the state fee, and you’re good to go.
Qualities and skills you should possess or strive to achieve to be successful as a home inspector include:
- industry knowledge and willingness to continuously learn
- oral and written communication
- customer service orientation
- attention to detail
- organization
- time management
Update Your Resume for a Home Inspector Job
The crucial step on the way to obtaining the job of your dreams is writing a resume that catches the eye of recruiters. You can construct your own from scratch or simply download one of our resume templates to customize. Whichever you choose, make sure to slightly adapt your resume for every job you apply for. In particular, check the job openings to find specific keywords and spread them along your entire resume. They should be equally present in your professional summary, your experience, and your skill sections.
Finally, since your resume shouldn’t exceed two pages, including any extra but valuable information in a well-written cover letter. It will make your job application stronger by highlighting your motivations and past achievements.
Interviewing for a Home Inspector Job
Home inspectors have to be skilled in technical knowledge but also possess a certain customer service orientation to deal with clients. Your interview preparation should focus on both these aspects. Along with the most common interview questions, you’ll be asked to clarify your background, and your working process, and explain how you have or would behave in certain situations. Practice your answers and your body language to be on top of your interview game.
How Much Do Home Inspector Jobs Pay?
The average salary of a home/building inspector totals $51,318 per year. However, experience, industry knowledge, and location can mean yours adds up to more than that. Take, for instance, home inspectors’ wages in New York and Los Angeles which reach averages of $64,002 and $63,220 respectively.
To get the same information about your own city just try Monster’s Salary Calculator. This tool is helpful both to understand if you’re being paid fairly and to find out which areas offer better prospects in your field.
Want to Learn More About a Company You’re Interested In?
Applying for a job without knowing anything about the company that offers it is like buying a house without ever having seen it. Don’t underestimate how much the relationship between your boss and the company can affect your day-to-day tasks. Find the right position at the right company by visiting Monster’s company profiles. You’ll be able to take a more informed decision when you learn about:
- business history and values
- employee benefits
- the latest job openings
Find and Evaluate the Best Home Inspector Jobs on Monster
As a home inspector, you have much more serious matters to look after than scrolling job listings for endless hours. Rely on Monster’s experience in recruiting, set up an account today, and get exactly the roles you want delivered to your inbox. All you have to do is upload your resume and activate custom alerts. On top of that, we’ll advertise your profile to our partner companies looking for new hires in your field.