What is a drive-by inspection?

A car driving past a house

What is a drive-by inspection? It comes from the concept of drive-by appraisals, and are often called a “quick property assessment” or a “curbside inspection”

What is a drive-by inspection?

These are not full inspections. These inspections are usually ordered by a mortgage lender to verify the house they supplied the loan to is still standing and in relatively good condition. An inspector drives to the property and takes several photos from the exterior.

Drive-By Appraisal vs. Inspection?

In years past, after a large-scale natural disaster, lenders would often order drive-by appraisals. In these situations, the appraiser would drive to the home, take two or three photos of the exterior, and verify the home was still standing.

A common reason for a drive-by appraisal is after a hurricane or tornado event. In Los Angeles, they are usually due to wildfires. The lender just wants to verify the home they have supplied the loan for has not burned down or suffered fire damage that could impact the value of the home.

The issue is, over the years, the number of licensed appraisers has dropped dramatically. And the rules to become an appraiser have made it a difficult career to start. So lenders began to accept drive by inspections by Certified Home Inspectors.

So Why A Drive-By Inspector?

As these drive by appraisals are not used to determine the value of a property, they do not actually require a license appraiser to perform. However, lenders do want a neutral third party to take the photos. Simply having the homeowner or real estate agent take photos is generally not considered an unbiased photographer. Lenders also want someone who has some qualifications to spot fire damage. Hence, Certified Home Inspectors make a great choice for lenders who want an unbiased neutral party who can also offer a professional opinion.

Can I substitute a drive-by inspection for my full inspection?

In a word, no. These inspections do no cover the 101 categories of items found a regular home inspection. A drive-by inspection is simply to asses is a home has any obvious damage from a natural disaster.