The Value of Home Inspections with Victoria Ballantine

Home inspections might be optional, but the peace of mind they can bring by saving both buyers and sellers from unexpected expenses and headaches down the line makes them worth doing. 

As REALTORS®, it’s important to know what red flags to look for and be able to advise your clients about bringing in a home inspector. 

On the latest episode of the REAL TIME podcast, Victoria Ballantine, a certified home inspector in British Columbia joins host Shaun Majumder to reinforce the importance of a home inspection not only when you’re buying or selling, but even before you list a home. 

Ballantine brings her 25 years of construction experience to the conversation with Majumder that starts off by talking about what it takes to be a home inspector. Ballantine tells us that British Columbia and Alberta are the only two provinces where a license is currently required to call yourself a home inspector. 

She recounts how she transitioned from owning and operating a residential construction company to home inspecting. “I thought I would know more about having owned and operated a construction company for residential homes for years,” she says. “Then you realize that you sub a lot of stuff out. I had to learn everything about electrical, plumbing, roofing, foundations, exterior cladding. You name it. I had to learn it.”

Recalling her time on the construction side, she reminds us that the building code is the bare minimum. There are best practices and ways to go above and beyond in construction to improve value, longevity, and aesthetics. 

Who doesn’t want that? 

'You can't afford this $50,000 surprise. Here's a $25 fix to help prevent that,' and that's what I love doing is helping my clients understand these things.” 

Victoria Ballantine

Ballantine deepens the conversation by bringing it back to REALTORS®, and how they can best support their clients. She talks about how a pre-listing home inspection can make for a smoother selling process, some of the ways to set expectations with clients ahead of a home inspection, and things that REALTORS® may be able to check before they even call a home inspector (like, is that ensuite legal). 

Her most important message? Get new builds inspected. 

Ballantine goes on to discuss what a home inspector can and can’t do, at what point in the buying/selling process might be a good time for a home inspection, and how she approaches the inspection itself (with a few anecdotal stories along the way!). 

This 55-minute episode is available wherever you listen to podcasts.