The short answer is yes — and at Accurate Inspections, your presence is not optional. Michael Del Greco does not perform home inspections without the client present. Here is why that policy exists, and why it is the right one for you.
A Written Report Is Not a Substitute for Being There
A home inspection report, however detailed and well-photographed, is a document. It describes what the inspector found. It cannot replicate the experience of standing in the basement with a flashlight while an inspector with 30 years of experience points to a stain on the foundation wall and explains exactly what it means, how long it has been there, what is likely causing it, and what you should do about it before your contingency expires.
Buyers who attend their inspection leave with a fundamentally different understanding of the property than buyers who read about it afterward. They have seen the issues. They have asked questions and heard the answers in context. They know which findings are urgent and which are cosmetic. They are better prepared to negotiate, better prepared to plan, and better prepared to own the home.
That is the entire purpose of a home inspection. A report mailed to you after the fact serves the administrative requirement. Being present serves you.
What You Will Learn That Is Not in the Report
Michael shows you every significant finding in person — but he also does something that no report can capture: he teaches you about your home’s systems.
During your inspection, you will learn:
- Where the main water shutoff is and how to operate it — critical knowledge for the first time a pipe bursts at 2 AM
- Where the main electrical panel is, how it is organized, and what the breakers control
- How your heating and cooling systems operate, where the filters are, and what maintenance they require
- How to identify the signs of active water intrusion versus historic staining
- Which items in the report require immediate attention and which can be addressed over time
- What to watch for after you move in — conditions that may develop as the seasons change
None of this information fits neatly into a written report. It is conveyed through demonstration, conversation, and the kind of real-time explanation that only happens when you are standing next to the person doing the work.
You Can Ask Questions in Real Time
A question that occurs to you while reading a report three days after the inspection is a question you have to email or call about — and the answer you get back is necessarily abstract, because neither you nor the inspector is looking at the condition in question.
A question that occurs to you while standing in the room with the inspector gets answered immediately, specifically, and in context. Michael encourages questions throughout the inspection. There is no such thing as a question that is too basic. He will not rush you, and he will not brush you off. The inspection ends when it is complete and all of your questions are answered — not when a clock runs out.
You Will Be Better Prepared to Negotiate
Buyers who attend their inspection are better negotiators — not because the inspection found more, but because they understand what was found. They know which items are significant and which are not. They know which findings the seller is likely to dispute and which are clearly documented. They can speak to their attorney about the inspection findings from firsthand knowledge, not from a document they are trying to interpret.
Accurate Inspections reports include authoritative references and photographs to substantiate every significant finding — giving your attorney the documentation needed to negotiate effectively. But the buyer who attended the inspection and understands the findings is a far more effective participant in that negotiation than one who is encountering the findings for the first time in a written report.
What to Bring and How to Prepare
Attending an inspection does not require any special preparation — but a few things will make the experience more productive:
- Wear comfortable clothes. You may be in the basement, attic, or crawl space. Dress accordingly
- Plan for two to four hours. Larger or older homes take longer. Michael will not rush, and neither should you
- Bring your questions. Make a list beforehand of anything that concerned you during your showings. Michael will address each item
- Bring a notepad if you like — though everything Michael finds will be in the written report, some buyers find it helpful to make personal notes during the walkthrough
- Your real estate agent may attend, but the inspection is for you. Michael works for the buyer, not the agent, and the inspection is conducted the same way regardless of who else is present
What Happens After the Inspection
Before Michael leaves the property, you will receive a printed binder and checklist summarizing what was found. That same evening, Michael writes your complete digital report — with photographs — and sends you the link by text and email.
Your report gives your real estate attorney the documented evidence needed to evaluate findings and advise you before the expiration of your inspection contingency. If you attended the inspection, you will understand that report immediately. If you did not, you will be reading it cold.
Schedule Your NJ Home Inspection
Call (973) 812-5100 between 8 AM and 8 PM on business days, or 8 AM to 5 PM on weekends. Your attendance is required — and worth it.
Accurate Inspections, Inc.
56 Woodland Drive, Woodland Park, NJ 07424
(973) 812-5100
Inspecting NJ Homes Since 1993 | NJ Licensed Home Inspector GI0121
