How are you standardizing delegated property walkthroughs?

Question

Hello everyone, I'm looking to expand our operations outside of Indianapolis, and I'm considering a few options to delegate our property inspections/walkthroughs.

Right now, we're trying to figure out the best way to get accurate info on a house without having to physically walk every property ourselves.

For those of you buying out of state or using local runners, how are you handling this?

A few specific things I'm curious about:

• Gathering Info: How do your local people send data back to you? Are they filling out an app/form on their phone, or are they just taking a ton of photos and recording a video walk?
• Instructions & Rules: Do you give your runner or contractor a strict checklist with exact rules (like when to replace vs. repair an HVAC or roof), or do you rely on their judgment?
• Turnaround: Once you get their notes or photos, how do you turn that into a final rehab budget back at your desk?

Any feedback is appreciated, if you have sucess/horror stories please do not hesitate to share!Neville

Arman Ahmed · Answer

Hey Neville, I’ve found a simple checklist that works best. Have the runner take a full video walkthrough, key photos, and notes on the big-ticket items like the roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and foundation. I’d also have a local contractor give you a rough rehab number before you get too far. If you’re expanding into the Midwest, Ohio can be a good market for this setup since you can build a reliable boots-on-the-ground team and manage the process remotely.

Diana Khan · Answer

@Neville Walker, one thing I’ve learned from working with investors is that I do not want the person walking the property to make too many judgment calls for me. I want them collecting facts in the same way every time. I would give them a very clear checklist, require photos and video of the same areas on every property, and have them note age, condition, visible damage, utilities, major systems, and anything that needs a second opinion. Then the final repair decision stays with the person reviewing the deal, not the runner.

I’ve seen how quickly numbers can get messy when one person says “repair” and another person says “replace” without everyone using the same standard. I would also have a simple rule that anything structural, electrical, plumbing, roof, HVAC, or safety-related gets reviewed by the right licensed professional before it goes into the final rehab budget. That makes it much easier to compare properties and keeps one person’s opinion from changing the whole deal.

I like that you are thinking about the system before expanding into more markets, and I’d be glad to stay connected and see how you build it out.