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Dec
Based on our 40,000+ inspections across Northwest Washington, the short answer is yes: in most cases, you can treat the home inspector your realtor recommends as a good starting point. Titan Inspection Services is a licensed and insured home inspection company serving buyers, sellers, and the agents who represent them. Your agent has worked with inspectors across many closings and usually knows who does the job right. But the inspector works for you, not your agent, so it still pays to check them out yourself before you sign anything. Here’s how to think it through, and how to check any inspector — including us.
Should You Use the Inspector Your Realtor Recommends?
Yes, in most cases. Real estate agents work with home inspectors across many transactions a year. That repeat exposure teaches an agent which inspectors show up on time, explain findings without alarming a first-time buyer, and turn in a report that holds up in negotiations. A recommendation is a reasonable head start, not a reason to skip your own homework.
The choice of inspector is still yours. You can interview two or three inspectors, compare how they answer your questions, and pick whoever gives you the most confidence.
Key Takeaway: Your agent’s recommendation is a reasonable starting point, not a requirement. You can verify the inspector yourself before you decide.
Why Real Estate Agents Recommend Certain Inspectors
Agents refer inspectors for practical reasons, not favors. An inspector who explains a cracked foundation clearly, without using it to scare a buyer out of the deal, makes the transaction easier for everyone. An inspector who shows up late or skips the crawlspace creates problems the agent has to manage later.
Hold any inspector to that same standard, whoever suggested them: a thorough look at the property and a report you can understand.
None of this means other inspectors are unreliable. Plenty of good, licensed inspectors across Washington simply haven’t crossed paths with a particular agent yet.
Who Does the Home Inspector Work For?
The home inspector you hire works for you, the buyer — not for your agent and not for the seller. Your agent may have made the introduction, but the inspection contract and the report belong to you.
A good inspector reports what they find and lets you decide what to do with it. They don’t soften a finding to keep a deal moving, and they don’t exaggerate one to justify their fee. If an inspector seems to be working an angle, that’s worth a conversation, whoever recommended them.
Our inspectors evaluate the visible condition of a home and report it to the person who hired us — a buyer, a seller getting ready to list, or an investor. The recommendation that got you to us doesn’t change who we work for.
Should Your Realtor Be at the Home Inspection?
Your agent is welcome at the inspection, and having them there helps. In our experience, the buyer’s agent usually coordinates access to the property so the inspection can happen.
Having your agent there isn’t about supervising the inspector. It’s about translation. Your inspector will point out a lot in a short window. Your agent has usually reviewed many reports, so they can connect a finding to what it might mean for your offer. You don’t have to bring your agent, and skipping it isn’t a red flag. Some buyers prefer to walk through alone and read the written report afterward.
For the fuller picture of how buyers, agents, and inspectors work together, see How Real Estate Agents and Home Inspectors Work Together for You.
Key Takeaway: Your agent coordinating access and attending is normal and helpful, but it’s a convenience, not a requirement. Whether to attend is your call.
How to Check Any Home Inspector Yourself
You can verify any inspector in a few steps, whoever recommended them.
Start with the license. Washington’s Department of Licensing lists the steps to get a home inspector license. A new inspector must take a 120-hour Fundamentals of Home Inspection course approved by the Washington State Home Inspectors Board. After that, they must mentor with a home inspector who has at least four years of licensure. They must also complete 40 hours of field training and five actual inspections. They must also pass the Home Inspector Exam, which has a state portion and a national portion. You can check whether a specific inspector’s license is active and when it expires using the Department’s license status lookup.
Next, ask to see a sample report. It shows how an inspector organizes findings, how many photos they include, and whether the writing makes sense to someone outside the trade. Titan publishes sample reports on our services and pricing page, and you can walk through what a finished home inspection report looks like.
Then compare coverage. Here’s what we check on every Titan inspection: the visible condition of the roof, attic, drainage and grading around the foundation, the basement or crawlspace, chimney, exterior, interior, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, the garage, and the deck. See the detail on what we inspect. Ask any inspector you’re considering for their own coverage list.
Finally, ask a few direct questions:
• How long have you been licensed?
• How many inspections have you completed?
• Do you personally go into the attic and crawlspace?
• Can you show me a sample report before I hire you?
For questions to ask during the inspection itself, see questions to ask your home inspector before closing.
Key Takeaway: A license lookup, a sample report, and a coverage list are enough to vet any inspector. Do it before you hire anyone, agent recommendation or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use the home inspector my realtor recommends?
In most cases, yes. Your agent has worked with inspectors across many transactions. They usually recommend someone who shows up on time, inspects thoroughly, and writes a report you can understand. That track record is a reasonable reason to trust the recommendation. It’s not the only reason, though. Take a few minutes to check the inspector’s Washington license, look at a sample report, and confirm they cover what you expect. Do it before you hire anyone, whoever suggested them.
Does the home inspector work for me or for my real estate agent?
The inspector works for whoever hires them, which in a home purchase is you, the buyer. Your agent may have recommended the inspector and may attend the walkthrough, but the inspection contract and the report are yours. A good inspector reports what they find and lets you decide what to do with it, whoever made the introduction.
Should my realtor be at the home inspection?
Your agent is welcome at the inspection, and having them there helps. Having your agent present isn’t about oversight. It’s about translation. Your agent has usually reviewed many inspection reports and can connect a finding to your offer. Attendance isn’t required. Some buyers prefer to walk through alone or read the written report afterward, and that’s a fine approach too.
Does the realtor schedule the home inspection?
In our experience, the buyer’s agent usually coordinates access to the property so the inspection can happen. The inspection itself is booked with the inspection company you choose. Your agent’s help with access is a convenience, not a requirement to use any particular inspector.
How do I check a home inspector’s Washington license?
Washington’s Department of Licensing has a <a href=”https://dol.wa.gov/professional-licenses/look-status-business-or-professional-license”>license status lookup</a> page. Search by name to see whether a person or business holds a license, whether it’s active, and when it expires. The Department also publishes what it takes to earn that license. A new inspector must take a 120-hour Fundamentals of Home Inspection course approved by the Washington State Home Inspectors Board. They must mentor with a home inspector who has at least four years of licensure. They must complete 40 hours of field training and five actual inspections. Then they must pass the Home Inspector Exam.
What should a home inspection report cover?
On every Titan inspection, we check the visible condition of the roof, attic, drainage and grading around the foundation, the basement or crawlspace, chimney, exterior, interior, plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, the garage, and the deck. Ask any inspector you’re considering for their coverage list and a sample report, so you can see how they organize findings.
What questions should I ask a home inspector before I hire them?
Ask how long they’ve been licensed and how many inspections they’ve completed. Ask whether they personally go into the attic and crawlspace, and whether they can show you a sample report before the day of the inspection. Their answers tell you a lot about how thorough and transparent they’ll be. We cover a longer list of questions worth asking any inspector before closing in a separate guide.
Schedule Your Inspection
Your agent’s recommendation is worth taking seriously. It comes from real experience across many closings. But the choice is still yours. A few minutes checking a license, a sample report, and a coverage list confirms you’re making a good decision either way.
Titan Inspection Services is licensed and insured in Washington and holds a 4.9-star rating. We’ve completed more than 40,000 inspections across Northwest Washington for buyers, sellers, and the agents who work with them. To see what a Titan inspection covers, take a look at what we inspect.
Call us at 206.451.1120 and we’ll get you on the schedule.