Tips for great walk throughs

The investor cannot be there, so you are their eyes and ears. These tips help you do a walk through they can count on, and get you better ratings and more jobs.

How to talk through a video

• Say where you are. Say the floor and the room as you walk in: "Second floor, back bedroom." On the walk around, say which side of the house you are on.
• Say what you see, even when it looks fine. "Carpet looks newer, walls are clean, one window, it opens." Good news matters to the investor too.
• Call out every problem. Say what it is, where it is and how big: "Water stain on the ceiling, about two feet wide, right above the window."
• Use your other senses. The camera cannot smell or feel. Say it out loud: "Smells musty down here." "This step is soft." "The floor slopes toward the kitchen."
• Give numbers when you can. How many windows, how big a crack, how old a water heater looks, the date on a label.
• Say when you cannot check something. "The attic hatch is painted shut, I could not get up there." That tells the investor what is still unknown.

For example, walking into a kitchen:

"Now in the kitchen, first floor, back of the house. Cabinets are wood, two doors are loose. Counter has a burn mark by the stove. There is a stove and a fridge, no dishwasher. Opening the sink cabinet now, the pipes are all there, and the bottom of the cabinet is dry."

How to film

• Move slowly. Walk at half your normal speed and turn the phone slowly. Fast video is blurry and hard to watch.
• Hold the phone steady with both hands, and keep it level.
• Turn on the lights and open the blinds. If a room is dark, use your phone's flashlight or a small light.
• Get close to problems. Film the whole room first, then step in close to anything damaged, and hold still for a few seconds.
• Look up and down. Ceilings show leaks and floors show damage. Pan up to every ceiling and down to every floor.
• Keep the wind down outside. Turn your back to the wind when you talk so your voice comes through clearly.

Photos

• One clear photo beats three blurry ones. Hold still, tap, then check it before you move on.
• Under every sink: open the cabinet all the way so the pipes show. This proves the plumbing is there.
• Doors: after each door photo, tap it and type which door it is, like "front door" or "bedroom 2". Only named door photos count.
• Labels: on the water heater, furnace and AC, get close enough that the date on the label can be read.
• Electric panel: open the panel door so the breakers show.

Before you go

• Charge your phone all the way, and bring a charger or battery pack. Videos use a lot of battery.
• Make sure your phone has room for videos.
• Read the job notes for how to get in, and anything the investor asked for.

While you are there

• Tap "I'm here" when you arrive. It confirms you are at the property. Photos and videos open after that.
• Follow the steps in order. The app shows one step at a time and tells you exactly what to film.
• Answer your messages. The investor may watch while you work and ask you to take another look at something. You can talk by message or by call in the app, and phone numbers stay private.
• Cannot do a step? Tap Skip and say why in a few words, like "there is no basement". A required step needs a reason.
• Weak signal is fine. Keep going. Photos and videos finish uploading when your signal comes back. Keep the app open until the uploads are done before you tap Send.

Safety first

• If a place feels unsafe, leave. Tell the investor in the app and skip the step.
• Do not enter anywhere that could collapse, and watch for soft floors and loose stairs.
• If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.

Wondering how and when you get paid? See How you get paid, and price your jobs with the Pay calculator.

More questions? See Questions and help or email info@reneweqllc.com.