We map the year ahead for home inspectors, cutting through AI hype, clarifying what “mandatory inspection” really means, and focusing on the only dial that matters: inventory. We share why rates alone won’t fix housing, how regional pricing skews outcomes, and why SEO just became a secret weapon again.

• AI tools rising fast, but privacy, accuracy and human support matter more
• mandatory inspection contingency explained and why it rarely guarantees volume
• inventory and price as the real market levers, not just interest rates
• corporate ownership of single-family homes and how policy could free supply
• regional price gaps shaping inspector opportunity and strategy
• cautiously positive 2026 outlook with a four to six week lag to inspections
• practical strategy: don’t overhire, do deepen agent ties and expand services
• SEO still drives discovery while rivals quit, AEO as a smart add-on
• verify AI outputs and keep your expertise at the center

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*The views and opinions expressed in this podcast, and the guests on it, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Inspector Toolbelt and its associates.