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What is a real estate inspector and how to become one
Avg. Salary $75,341
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -4%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.75%
Asian 3.38%
Black or African American 8.18%
Hispanic or Latino 12.89%
Unknown 5.67%
White 69.14%
Genderfemale 16.23%
male 83.77%
Age - 52American 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 - 52Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Key steps to become a real estate inspector
Explore real estate inspector education requirements
Start to develop specific real estate inspector skills
Skills Percentages Inspection Reports 24.86% Property Inspections 21.55% Residential Real Estate 20.29% Plumbing 12.15% HVAC 7.32% Complete relevant real estate inspector training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New real estate 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 real estate inspector based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real real estate inspector resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed real estate inspector usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed real estate inspector in most of states. 25 states require real estate inspectors to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alabama - - Licensed Home Inspector Alaska - State exam required Home Inspectors Arkansas Degree required Third-party exam required Home Inspector Connecticut Degree required State exam required Home Inspector Delaware Specific course required State exam required Home Inspector Research real estate inspector duties and responsibilities
- Accomplish and submit financial reports to promote positive cash flow and return on investment (ROI).
- Perform thorough state certify inspections of electrical, plumbing, structural, and mechanical systems with a high level of integrity.
- Inspect: electrical, plumbing, foundation, roof, appliances, mold/mildew, windows, and structural integrity.
- Work extensively through client Argus files in completing sensitivity analyses, re-building client valuations, and reconciling assumptions.
Apply for real estate inspector jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a real estate 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 real estate inspector job
Are you a real estate inspector?
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Average real estate inspector salary
The average real estate inspector salary in the United States is $75,341 per year or $36 per hour. Real estate inspector salaries range between $53,000 and $106,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do real estate inspectors rate their job?
Real estate inspector reviews
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.
I recommend this job as one of the best in America! You can often schedule around things in your life, and create an awesome Work/Life balance. One of the things not mentioned in the review above is the windshield time. Some days I spend more time behind the wheel of my car than I do doing the work. So you have to love travel/driving. You also need to be able to communicate in writing your findings in a way that can be understood by anyone reading your reports. So about a 10th grade reading/writing level is what I expect from my subordinates. Knowledge comes with training, time and experience. Most companies I have had an opportunity to evaluate do a poor job of training their field inspectors.
Updated January 8, 2025
