How to Choose a Remote Property Service
Choose a remote property service by what it delivers, not by its pitch: what each visit includes, how quickly the report arrives, how access works, how the people on site are vetted, and whether your market is covered. Qprop is an on-demand property services platform for remote wholesalers and investors, built around those five checks.
The five criteria that matter
Whatever service you are weighing, ask for a plain answer to each of these before you order.
- What is included. Which areas are documented, whether video is part of the visit, and what you receive afterwards. A clear list beats a vague promise to take a look.
- Report speed. Ask how long the report takes to reach you after the visit, and separately how long it takes to get a visit at all. With Qprop the report arrives about 1 hour after the visit, and every report is reviewed by the Qprop team. Most services take between 6 and 48 hours, depending on your area.
- How access works. Decide up front whether the agent gets in with a lockbox, a code or someone on site. If you need a lockbox installed or a code changed, ask whether the service does it for you. Qprop's lockbox installation installs a new lockbox, changes an existing code or removes a lockbox.
- How the people on site are vetted. Ask who goes to the property and how they are screened. Qprop sends vetted local pros.
- Coverage. Ask whether your market is served and when you find out. Qprop works in every US market, and coverage is confirmed before you are charged.
On-demand field agent, local agent or your own trip
These are the three ways remote owners and investors usually get eyes on a property. None is right for every situation, so the table compares them on the same criteria.
| Criterion | On-demand field agent | Local real estate agent | Trip of your own |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | The photos, video and notes your order asks for, delivered to your dashboard | Whatever they have time to capture, in a format that varies from visit to visit | Exactly what you look at yourself |
| Report speed | Report about 1 hour after the visit | When they get to it | Immediate, once you have travelled |
| Access | Lockbox, code or someone on site, set up when you order | You arrange it with them each time | You handle it yourself |
| Who goes | Vetted local pros | A professional whose main job is something else | You |
| Repeat visits | Order again from the same account in any market | Depends on the favor staying free | Another trip every time |
| Best when | You need current documentation of one or several properties without travelling | You need market advice, negotiation or a deal source | You want to walk the property in person before a large commitment |
For the longer comparisons, read hiring a local realtor vs an on-demand field agent and DIY property monitoring vs a field agent.
Match the service to the job
- Current photos and video of a property: property photos and video.
- A structured look at condition: property condition check.
- Someone to open the door for a buyer or partner: property showings.
- Whether anyone is living in the property: occupancy check.
- Progress on work in progress: renovation progress check.
What no remote service replaces
A field agent documents what is visible during the visit. For anything that needs a specialist, such as a structural, electrical or formal valuation opinion, a visit is a starting point and not a substitute for that specialist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for five things: what each visit includes, how fast the report arrives, how access to the property works, how the people on site are vetted, and whether your market is covered.
Related Services
Get eyes on a property without the trip
Create a free account, add the address and order a visit. Pay per order, no subscription.