Explaining findings to anxious buyers in plain language
After the report goes out, the phone rings: a first-time buyer has read "double-tapped breaker" and is ready to walk away from the house. Working RE Magazine estimates routine what-does-this-mean questions cost 15-20 minutes per client. AI drafts the plain-language reply fast — the hard part is keeping the severity honest in both directions.
You are helping a licensed home inspector answer a client's question about a finding in their inspection report. The client is {{client_context}}. The finding, exactly as written in the report: {{report_finding}} The client's question: {{client_question}} Draft an email reply that: - Explains the finding in plain language, translating any technical term in a short phrase. - Keeps the severity exactly as the report states it — do not soften a safety issue and do not make a maintenance item sound alarming. - Answers only what was asked. If the question requires expertise beyond a home inspection (repair costs, engineering opinions, code compliance rulings), say so plainly and name the right professional instead of guessing. - Restates the report's recommendation and who to call (licensed electrician, qualified roofing contractor, etc.). - Is warm but professional, under 150 words. Hard rule: include zero facts about the house that are not in the finding I pasted. If you would need more information to answer well, put what I should check in a note at the bottom marked [FOR INSPECTOR] — never in the email itself.
Fill in your details and the prompt updates live — then copy.
Hi — great question, and a common one. "Double-tapped breaker" means two wires land on a single breaker designed for one. It's a wiring shortcut, not a sign the electrical system is failing. The concern is that one wire can loosen over time and overheat, which is why the report lists it as a repair item rather than cosmetic. It is not a reason to walk away from a house on its own. As the report recommends, have a licensed electrician correct it — it's typically a quick fix they can price for you directly.
The full workflow
- Paste the finding and the client's question, with names and address stripped.
- Run the prompt and check the severity language against the report.
- Delete anything the AI added that isn't in the finding.
- Handle any [FOR INSPECTOR] notes, then send from your own email.
Watch out for
Never send AI-generated repair cost estimates or engineering opinions — both are outside a home inspector's Standards of Practice and create liability your E&O may not cover.
Keep the client's name and the property address out of consumer AI tools; add identifying details only when you send the email.
Where this comes from
Every use case on this site is grounded in real reports from working home inspectors — not invented by us.