Wolverine Monthly Newsletter – August 7th, 2018
Dear Inspectors,
Wolverine completed on-site training in MO and KS this past month. I want to thank those that attended. I hope it helped you know what Fannie Mae and Wolverine’s expectations are, what you need to look for, and gave you tips on how to complete these inspections quicker and more accurately.
I also want to thank our Fannie Mae representative Tom Cutsinger for sharing his time and expertise. I urge our inspectors to take advantage of the on-site training opportunities, especially when Tom will be there with us. Tom’s experience in our industry spans both being a contractor as well as from the investor’s perspective. His instructions are clean and precise, and he will answer any questions we have regarding these inspections and World App.
Last month the numbers of false deficiencies were down from previous months. False deficiencies examples include but are not limited to: reporting a house open because a door or window were unlocked upon your arrival but you were able to lock it before you left, holes in walls, the presence of discoloration that is not 100 contiguous square feet (10X10) or more, and reporting something dirty that has been cleaned but is stained. We are still missing too many actual deficiencies. Some that we missed this month are
- grass clipping left in the flower beds, walkways and driveways
- accumulated debris on the exterior
- damaged or temporary fencing
- debris left in cabinets, drawers and closets
- windows, windows sills, counters, and floors that have not been wiped down
- missing or burnt out light bulbs (there must be a light bulb in each light socket, even if the electric is off
- wires must be capped, and all pipes must be capped
- fixtures like toilets, sinks, and tubs should be wiped out
These are items we missed reporting that should be very easy to spot as you walk through the property. It is easy and quick to check cabinets, fixtures and closets. Just catching those would be a great improvement to this statistic. Wolverine will continue to offer WebEx Screen share training for new inspectors, inspectors that will be required to attend due to flawed results or false emergencies, sub vendors, and any inspector that has questions, or seeks more training. With prior notice from you, we can arrange to have a Fannie Mae representative attend the training sessions. An invitation to training this Wednesday, August 7, at 11:00 AM, EDT will be delivered by tomorrow.
Most concerning is the number of properties we are not able to open. It is imperative you use the lockbox for access. If there is not a lockbox for us there is likely a safety concern, or the property has been sold. You must be aware that at many properties there is both a realtor’s lockbox and a lockbox posted for Fannie Mae’s vendors to utilize. Our lockbox combination will be set to either the last four digits of the account number, or the first four. It could be hung on the front, side or rear door, or on a railing, meter, security gate, garage, light, or exterior ornament, to name some likely places. It is also important to know that it is possible that the door the lockbox is on might not be the door the key fits. You will have to try other doors if it does not work in the door it is hung on. We need to improve in this area, especially on repeat inspections. If they were ordered again that means the lockbox, key and lock were checked, based on your last report. They either found that you were correct and made the fix or, more likely, they find that we reported this incorrectly. Additional training resources can be found at https://fieldinspection.com/vendors/worldapp
Please do not hesitate contacting me at 800-875-7170, Ext. 106, or markd@fieldinspection.com.
Thank you all for your valued service and your conscientious work.
Mark – markd@fieldinspection.com