The report delivery email and the two follow-ups after closing, word for word
Many inspectors send the report and never write again. The delivery email, the review ask and the 60-day check-in, written out so you can copy them today.
You send the report, the buyer says thanks, and that is the last you hear from them. Two weeks later they close, move in, and tell everyone at the housewarming that the inspection was great. None of that turns into a review, because nobody asked at the right moment.
The report email is the most-read message you will ever send a client. They open it the same day, often more than once, and forward it to their agent and their family. It is also the message most inspectors write once, years ago, and never touch again.
Here are three messages, word for word. Change the bracketed parts and use them this week.
Message one: the report delivery email
Send this with the report, the same day as the inspection if you can.
Subject: Your inspection report for [street address]
"Hi [first name],
Your report for [street address] is attached and also at this link: [link].
Start with the summary on page [number]. It lists the items I would talk to your agent about before the response deadline. Everything else is maintenance and things to know about the house.
Three of the things I flagged are worth a second opinion from a licensed [trade]: [item], [item], [item]. I would get those quotes this week so you have numbers before you negotiate.
If anything in the report is unclear, reply to this email or call me at [your number]. I answer questions about the report for as long as you own the house, not just until closing.
[Your name]"
Why it is built this way: the buyer is overwhelmed. Pointing them to the summary page and naming the three items that matter turns a 60-page PDF into a to-do list. That is the moment they decide you were worth it. The offer to answer questions after closing sets up the next two messages.
Do not ask for the review in this email. The deal is not done. If the house falls through, a review request feels tone-deaf.
Message two: the review ask, right after closing
Send this by text, two or three days after the closing date. Ask the buyer's agent for the date or put it in your calendar when you book the inspection.
"Hi [first name], it's [your name], your home inspector. Congratulations on closing on [street name]. If the report helped you, a short Google review would mean a lot to a small business like mine: [direct review link]. Thanks, and the offer stands, any question about the house, just text me."
Short, specific, one link. Use the direct review link from your Google Business Profile so it opens straight to the stars. The reviews guide shows where to find it.
Why this timing: before closing, the buyer is stressed and the inspection is just one more line item. Two days after, they have the keys and they are grateful. The review gets written while the feeling is fresh.
Here is why this one matters so much. The median home inspector in our data has 4 Google reviews. 30.2% have none at all, and 28% have no rating showing. A buyer comparing three inspectors on a phone will skip the ones with nothing. Ten real reviews puts you ahead of most of the market. The benchmark report breaks this down.
Message three: the 60-day check-in
This is the one almost nobody sends. Email, about two months after closing.
Subject: How is [street name] treating you?
"Hi [first name],
It has been about two months since closing, so I wanted to check in. A few things from your report are worth a look now that you are settled:
- [Seasonal item, e.g. the furnace filter and a fall service before the first cold week]
- [Item from report, e.g. the gutter downspout on the north side]
If anything has come up that you are not sure about, send me a photo and I will tell you what I think. No charge.
And if you know anyone buying a house, I would be glad to help them too.
[Your name]"
Why it works: it is useful, so it gets read. It keeps your name in front of someone who just went through a purchase and has friends and coworkers who are about to. And it gives them a reason to forward your contact info that does not feel like a favor.
If a client replies with a photo, answer it. That is a ten-minute job that turns into a referral more often than any ad.
Make it automatic
Writing these is the easy part. Sending them on time for every client is the hard part. Put three steps in whatever system holds your bookings: report email on inspection day, review text three days after closing, check-in email at 60 days. If your scheduling software can do it, use it. If not, a calendar reminder for each one works.
The slow season plan explains why this matters going into winter: past clients and their agents are where the January bookings come from.
If you want these three messages loaded and sending on their own, the free 14-day trial covers any one service, no card: text or call (385) 526-5050.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, home inspectors among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor