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What is a property inspector and how to become one
Property inspectors perform on-site surveys of residential and commercial properties. They are responsible for making extensive assessment reports by routinely inspecting the building or location. They often work with insurance companies to appraise the property and come up with an accurate value estimate. To raise property values, they also have a hand in organizing rehabilitation for the properties under their jurisdiction.
You don't need a college education to become a property inspector. While degrees in business and real estate will probably give you an edge, a high school diploma or GED is enough to get you through the door. Other qualifications include craft experience, mechanical knowledge, and a keen eye for detail.
The average property inspector working in the United States earns a yearly salary of $39,500. That's more or less $19 an hour. However, there are plenty of opportunities for career advancement. Experience as a property inspector can lead to more lucrative careers as a property manager, real estate agent, or operations manager.
Avg. Salary $48,547
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -4%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.84%
Asian 7.59%
Black or African American 11.41%
Hispanic or Latino 16.15%
Unknown 4.49%
White 59.52%
Genderfemale 33.19%
male 66.81%
Age - 46American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 46Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Property inspector career paths
Key steps to become a property inspector
Explore property inspector education requirements
Start to develop specific property inspector skills
Skills Percentages Property Inspections 18.86% Property Management 6.50% Digital Photos 6.40% Inspection Reports 5.60% GPS 5.53% Complete relevant property inspector training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New property inspectors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a property inspector based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real property inspector resumes.Research property inspector duties and responsibilities
- Preform require repairs as needed.
- Attend and pass HQS certification training.
- Qualify FHA and HUD inspector following federal safe home standards.
- Train and supervise new employees to perform (REO) inspections and investigations.
Get property inspector experience
Generally, it takes 6-12 months to become a property inspector. The most common roles before becoming a property inspector include customer service representative, property manager team lead and cashier.Prepare your property inspector resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your property inspector resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a property inspector resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable property inspector resume templates
Build a professional property inspector resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your property inspector resume.
Apply for property inspector jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a property inspector job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first property inspector job
Are you a property inspector?
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Average property inspector salary
The average property inspector salary in the United States is $48,547 per year or $23 per hour. Property inspector salaries range between $32,000 and $72,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do property inspectors rate their job?
Property inspector reviews
People who object to getting things right the first time and try to slip slop past me.
Working for myself. Freedom
People trying to low ball me on pricing and trying to get me to do more than 1 inspection for the price of one inspection
It gives me the opportunity to observe and evaluate systems I haven’t seen, and to set my own schedule. I like spontaneous situations so being a home inspector is perfect for my job choice.
Being a home inspector means at some point, an individual involved with the sell of the property, will try to influence the outcome.
Updated January 8, 2025
