The Johari Window of Home Inspections

Home inspections are in many ways home awareness for buyers. A common tool used in team building, self-awareness exercises, and therapy is the Johari Window. This visual tool breaks the way in which we see ourselves and how others see us into four boxes. One box is what is seen by others and us. This is the person we are to ourselves and to other people. The next box is what others see but is hidden from us. These could be flaws or talents we are blind to, but others recognize in us. The third box is what we see in ourselves but hide from others. This is who we are in private and what we keep inside. The last box is what is unknown. Things we do not know about ourselves that are also unknown to others. People use this tool in many ways. One way is to discover more about themselves and, in effect, make the unknown box and the box only seen by others smaller. Some use this to decrease the hidden box and make a person more authentic.

A home inspection can take the same form as a Johari window. When a buyer makes an offer for a property, there are four similar boxes. There is what the buyer and seller both see, and an offer is often made in that window. There is another window that only the seller sees: those things that they have not revealed to the buyer. There is a third window that the buyer sees, but the seller is not aware of, the hidden incentives the buyer has not shared as to why they want the house. Finally, there are the things nobody knows about the house. Often, these are defects that have not been seen by the seller or buyer.

A home inspection is designed to change the size of these boxes. In a home inspection, we seek to move things from the box of unknowns to the box only seen by the buyer, helping the buyer to see things that no one knows about the house. At the same time, we work to move things from the box only known by the seller to the box of things known by the buyer and seller, making the sale price more authentic and bringing everything that was hidden to light. All the time, not moving anything from the box only as known by the buyer because home inspections are confidential.

Some people believe that after a home inspection, the buyer should know as much as the seller, but that is not correct. After the home inspection, the buyer should actually know more about the house than the seller, placing them in the strongest position and having the greatest advantage. Home inspections are designed to benefit and protect the buyer during the home buying process. Not having a qualified home inspection is agreeing to walk into the purchase at a disadvantage. Never skip the opportunity to be informed and protected. And remember the inspection is only as good as the inspector, always use a Certified Master Inspector when choosing an inspection company such as Carey Home Inspection.