Drive-by inspection

Drive-by inspection is a quick assessment of a property. In the case of foreclosure, drive-by inspection services are primarily used by financial institutions which require foreclosure property preservation and bank foreclosure inspection services and specialists.

Quick property assessment

Drive-by inspection of properties are performed to assess a real estate property, such as of by field investigators for out-of-town landlords of rental property.[1]

Foreclosure

Drive-by inspection process includes:

Face the facts, there is more to it than just a quick drive by inspection and there are absolutely more than just Drive-by or “One Photo” Inspections that are conducted by Certified Field Inspectors and Property Preservation Specialist for the foreclosure industry. What is a Field Inspector? A Field Inspector is an individual who has received specialized training or Certification and is hired to provide visuals inspections of real estate i.e. residential rental property inspections, (BOP) Bank Owned Properties,(REO) Real Estate Owned properties, as well as perform inspections for investors, landlords, tenants, banks, and insurance companies. Field Inspectors also perform collateral inspections that might involve inspecting heavy equipment or even recreational vehicles. The main responsibility of Field Inspectors is to document with photos and comments the condition of property or collateral for the person or companies they represent, such as Landlords, Tenants, Property Managers, Banks, Mortgage Companies and other lending institute. Opportunity for Field Inspectors and the types of Inspections: 1. Inspections for Landlords, Investors, Tenants and Property Managers. a. Pre- Agreement Inspections: Designed to protect all parties including the property manager. The Pre-Agreement Inspection starts the documentation process and leaves no doubt in anyone's mind as to the actual condition of the property at the time of inspection and the management agreement is signed. b. Initial or Move-In Inspection: Designed to replace the Walk-Through Checklist. It provides both the tenant and the property manager with a legal document as to the condition of the property as documented through the trained eyes of a certified NAARPI Field Inspector. c. Periodic Inspections: Are used to chronicle and document the maintenance habits of the tenants. Designed to prevent illegal activities such as Grow Houses and Meth labs and reduce the need for costly maintenance by identifying minor issues before they become major issues. d. Transitional or Exit Inspections: Are used to document the condition of the property at the time the leasing agreement is terminated or when the owner and property manager decide to terminate their contract. e. Drive By Inspections: NAARPI International Certified Field Inspectors document the condition of the exterior of the property and verifies that it is still occupied. f. Monthly, Quarterly and Bi Annual inspections of Residential Rental Properties. Delinquency Inspections During the last housing crisis in the 1980s, the government began requiring that lenders make contact with any delinquent homeowners. Today, due to the current housing crisis, millions of homeowners are behind in their payments, or have simply abandoned the home and moved away. Because of this, there is an abundance of work doing delinquency inspections to verify occupancy and condition of the home. Some field inspectors also do what's known as "property preservation", such as boarding up broken windows, draining a backyard pool, cutting the grass and changing locks. Drive By Inspections Drive-bys, also called "photo only" inspections, are quick inspections that require just a picture and a look at the property or item, and file a simple report. Because they are so simple, it's possible to do several in an hour. Insurance Inspections Insurance companies need local field inspectors at two times. First, when they write a new policy, an inspection is done to look for hazards, such as unfenced pools or damaged stairs.. Most insurance companies also verify the square footage of the home at this time by measuring the sides. Occupancy Inspections An occupancy inspection is requested by a mortgage company to verify that the person who borrowed the money is really living in the home. Most residential mortgages for owner-occupied homes contain a clause requiring the borrower to live in the home at least a year, and so the mortgage company must confirm that with an on-site inspection. Collateral Inspections When a company leases equipment, they need to confirm, with an on-site visit, that the equipment is where it's supposed to be, and used and maintained correctly. Most collateral inspections are for construction equipment, such as backhoes. Occasionally, lenders will want an inspection of other equipment, such as vending machines, portable generators, even medical equipment. Home Condition Inspections When a home is in foreclosure, or has already been foreclosed, the lender needs to verify the condition of the property regularly. A field inspector determines whether the house is occupied, or note any damage and the condition of the house. Digital photos of the home are almost always included in a home condition inspection. Commercial Inspections Commercial inspections are detailed inspections of business properties, such as restaurants, retail stores, warehouses and apartment buildings. Most commercial inspections are done for insurance companies, who will supply a checklist of the items they want inspected. Most also require digital photos of the inspected items, such as roofs, elevators, stairs, electrical and mechanical systems and laundry rooms. Many inspections focus on just the business equipment when the building is leased. At a pizza shop, for example, a check list would likely include the pizza ovens and other cooking equipment. Some lenders even require "preventive maintenance" inspections yearly to insure that repairs and regular maintenance are being done. These are usually larger properties, such as office buildings or apartment buildings. Construction Progress Inspections When a lender makes a construction loan to a builder, the money is paid in a series of progress payments as the building is completed. For example, a builder typically gets a percentage of the loan when the foundation is completed, the framing is completed, the exterior shell is completed and so on. To insure that the work has actually been done, lenders require a field inspection to verify the work. The lender will supply a checklist of what they want inspected and photographed

References

  1. ↑ Wallin, Craig. (2009). "Drive-By Profits: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making Money as an Independent Field Inspector." Anacortes, WA: Headstart Publishing. p. 148.
  2. ↑ "Property Valuations". Perth Property Valuations. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
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