Angie's List Reviews

"Robert did a very thorough home inspection including going up onto the roof and into the attic. He checked every plumbing fixture, every window and every outlet. Not only did you inspect every inch of the home, he gave energy and money saving tips along the way. He explained why he was checking things and explained why things were a safety issue."
Justin Hixson

"All I can say is WOW. OK well that isn't all I can say. Robert arrived on time. Was very professional, knowledgeable, and EXTREMELY thorough. The property sellers already had the property inspected but Robert found things that their inspector missed including (a) a gas leak (b) some miswiring in electrical outlets and; (c) a loose toilet. Robert's inspection was 3+ hours. I have had multiple homes inspected in my life and his inspection was 2X as long. He looked in every nook and cranny and explained what he was doing all along the way, gave recommendations and suggestions. I was thoroughly impressed with Robert and HIGHLY recommend him to anyone buying a new or previously owned home in the Washington - Baltimore area."
John Hayward

"I had an Awesome inspection! A awesome inspector ! Great Service from the start. Mr. Goldberg walked me through my entire home inspection, explaining everything to me, answering my questions , and giving me tips on how to maintain my home. As a first time home buyer, I walked away with so much knowledge and a sense of relief, knowing my money was well spent on this inspection. He showed me all the issues that needed attention, engaged me throughout the entire inspection. My best friend recommended him for my home inspection, and she rarely puts her reputation on the line. I would highly recommend him to my family and friends."
Deneen White

"The home detective inspected my home and did an amazing job. He spent hours, went the extra mile and uncovered leaks in the roof and provided me many recommendations for improving my home. It went great. The report is a blueprint for making my home the best and safest possible house to live in. It is complete with recommendations for home improvements. I would definitely recommend Robert to anyone looking for a thorough inspection."
Eric Schatten

"We were very pleased with Robert's inspection of the home we are purchasing. He was thorough, knowledgable, and trustworthy. We are first time home-buyers and found him to be an excellent resource. He worked efficiently to help us meet our tight deadline. We appreciated that he told us we did not need an inspection for lead, even though he could have done this and charged us more. I would recommend him without reservation."
Colleen Cummings

"Robert is FANTASTIC!!! The regulations that a typical home inspector must work by are not as thorough as most home buyers would prefer...luckily Robert is not quite typical. He is thorough to a T exploring the home from basement to chimney top. I would hire him for every home I look to buy in my future. Very confident and happy with his work."
Samuel Richards

"Robert was great. Incredibly thorough and totally knowledgeable of home construction, building codes, appliances, everything. He arrived on time and completed the inspection in just over three hours. He went over everything and walked me through the entire process. I would recommend him to anyone."
Bill Cunningham

"Great! He’s a home detective. Found a lot of things, many minor, but some that could be very costly later on down the road. Glad we caught it now. Took pictures of everything. Thorough report written less than 24 hours after inspection. Friendly, provided lots of free tips, very professional."
Sheri Slade

"I can't say enough great things about Robert. All the people that our realtors had recommended so far were stellar. So although I didn't know what to expect, I knew to have high expectations. Robert blew all those expectations away and really went above and beyond for us. You truly cannot go wrong hiring him. It's one of the best decisions we've ever made, and we are extremely grateful to him. Thank you, Robert!"
Christine Nelson

Angie's List Reviews

"Robert's outstanding service began before he even came to the house by providing me sample reports, reviews, his licenses and explaining his services and philosophy. What came through then and continued to be clear during the inspection is how passionate he is about his work. The actual inspection was extremely detailed and I felt completely comfortable asking any and all questions. Robert explained and pointed out everything he did and as a first time home buyer-this was extremely important. He is also just a nice and pleasant person who made the close to 4 hours of the inspection fly by. The inspection report really made clear things that were urgent safety issues as opposed to good to do in the future and clearly supported my successful negotiation with the seller. Robert also provides a home maintenance guide that I'm sure will be invaluable. Overall, Robert made a stressful process much easier and I would not hesitate to recommend him."
Lisa Steele

"Bob was amazing. Going above and beyond. Checking every window, outlet, etc.He was very thorough and I feel 100 percent confident about my home purchase.
He also showed me how to operate things, gave me tips, recommendations, and took as long as he felt was needed to do a first class job."
Lori Seigel

"We highly recommend the Home Detective. We worked with Robert. He showed up early to do our home inspection. He meticulously went through the house to flag things that needed to be looked over. He talked us through the inspection and gave us tips of how to save energy and money. As first time home buyers of a single family home, Robert was very helpful in explaining all units and how they worked around the house. After he was done, we walked us through the home again and he explain what he found and why they were areas of concern. He wrote up a list of things with details on what he found and recommendations. Robert was extremely knowledgeable and professional. We honestly couldn't have been happier with the quality of service that he provided. He took the time necessary to explain and did not rushed us through the process. It really made us really happy to know that we had such a great experience."
Gelitza Reyes

"Robert provided us an amazing service, he really made us feel well informed and confident about all aspects of our new home. He definitely helped and educated us on the condition of our home as well as made us comfortable with the operational and maintenance needs. His energy saving and many other suggestions will definitely save us a great deal of money as well as be better homeowners. We truly appreciated Robert service!"
Fabio Trabucchi!

"Robert was very detailed and explained everything as he was inspecting step by step. Even offered advice through out on how to maintain the home. He inspected as if he was buying the home for himself. Very very knowledgeable."
Reggie Gauthier

"If you are looking for a thorough home inspection The Home Detective will not disappoint you."
J. Paul

"Robert, The Home Detective, went above and beyond with his duties while performing my home and radon inspection. His great attitude and commitment to be helpful made the experience very enjoyable. As each minute of the inspection went on I felt more comfortable knowing the magnitude of each defect within the home. Robert did an excellent job of explaining how each discovered defect is an issue, what the recommended corrective of action for each defect is, and how to prevent it in the future. Robert is well versed on proper home maintenance and being a first time home buyer I found all of the insights given by Robert very valuable. I would recommend him to all of my friends and acquaintances."
Lane Meier

"Overall we were very please with the inspection that Robert performed and will recommend him to other buyers. Our agent recommended we use Robert the Home Detective and we were very pleased. Robert did a thorough job inspecting our home as we are first time home buyers and were new to the process. Robert showed up on time explained to us his concerns with what he found throughout the house. In addition he placed tags on various parts of the house from shut off valves to particular pipes etc. Robert is extremely professional and knowledgeable and is eager to share his thoughts and recommendations on what needs to be fixed. Robert also performed a Radon test for us that we were also please with. In 24 hours. Robert gave us our inspection package with great pictures of areas of concern and details on next steps etc....Thanks Robert we really appreciate your hard work."

Roger Small

"Robert was AMAZING! He spent over 5 hours reviewing every detail of our home with us. He made sure that we understood how to care for our home and also made himself available for questions we had after the inspection. He is great."
Danielle Starin

"I can’t say enough good things about Robert (the Home Detective); he’s the best! I’m a first time home owner and I wanted the most thorough, detailed inspector I could find. I got him! Robert is incredibly thorough, generous with his time and knowledge, and kind. I really value that he aims to be both an inspector and an educator. While going through the inspection he taught me all kinds of things I need to know about my house and various ways to maintain and improve it. But, his generosity didn’t end there: he sent along a very detailed report for me to use in the buying process, several documents helping to map out what home maintenance will involve, and informally recommended electricians, plumbers, and window stores that he knows and trusts. I even called him a few days later to talk through a few questions that had come up while negotiating with the seller and he gave me another 45 minutes of his time and expertise. I would absolutely recommend him to friends and family and will certainly hope to use him again, should I ever need another home inspector."

Barrett Emerick

"Robert was very professional and educated me on the condition and proper operation of my new home. He was very detailed in his inspection and even labeled important valves and heating/ cooling components. I highly recommend his services."
Stephen Otunba

"I was fortunate to get an appointment with Robert the day after we spoke. I was looking for someone who is very good and has a sentrilock key card. He's the answer to my prayers. He sent me samples of home inspection report and pictures few minutes after we spoke. They were pretty impressive. My husband came on time at the house. He was already at the house and have started doing some work. He probably came 10-15 mins ahead of us. His experience speaks for the quality of his work. He is very thorough. He explained to us every single detail. He also gave us tips/recommendations and things that we should keep in mind. He puts red dots on the things that he noticed so it would be easy to spot and remember. He also put those cards and instructions for the valves. That's a huge help. It took him 3 hours to complete the inspection. He sent the reports in the evening the same day of the inspection. It was very detailed and has all the things he noticed/took note of. My husband and I were very happy with his work and how the inspection turned out. We also did the radon test btw."
Albert Moy

"Robert was on time, spent 3.5 hours with us inspecting and explaining everything he saw in each room. He is extremely thorough and did not leave anything untouched. His explanations were in plain English and he later provided additional printed materials on defects he found. He not only reported the defects, but made suggestions throughout the house to increase safety and save money on heating, air conditioning, water, and appliance life and efficiency. Well beyond what was required on a home inspection. Highly recommend his services."
Barry Stadd

"Great experience! Robert and Ken showed up on time. They were both friendly and professional. Ken did initial inspection and Robert did secondary inspection. Robert worked directly with me to educate me on what would need to be addressed upon purchases of the home, the best way to maintain the home, and he answered all my questions. I didn't not feel rushed during this process as I took copious notes. As a first time house buyer, I feel ready to take on the responsibility to maintaining a house because of Robert's guidance. I appreciate Roberts willingness to stay available in the future, even for things as simple as needing a service provider recommendation."
Megan Barker

"Robert was amazing! Extremely thorough, he spent several hours going through our new townhouse and found many minor (but important) issues than most home inspectors would not find. He also took the time to explain everything he was doing and gave lots of great tips for preventive maintenance on our new home. Robert provided great value and saved us lots of money in the short and long term!"
Kevin Van Dyke

"Robert was excellent, very professional and personable. We were very impressed with his knowledge of what makes a house work! He explained everything he did and gave us very helpful hints and information on how to the extend the life of our appliances, fixtures, and general house upkeep. He was also very safety conscious, explained everything in detail, and important safety tips. Keeping his number for future use!"
Colleen Martin

"The overall experience was wonderful! As first time home buyers, Robert was approachable, informative, and professional."
Jeanette Rayman

"Throughout our entire experience working with Robert Goldberg, The Home Detective, Robert was extremely professional, knowledgeable, and reliable. Robert promptly contact my husband and me to schedule our home inspection. He proactively provided helpful examples of his previous work which helped set our expectations for what was to come. Robert was on time for our inspection and conducted himself with sincerity, enthusiasm, and thoroughness throughout the inspection. Robert took his time. He seemed to leave no stone uncovered. He offered insightful comments, recommendations, and advice. Robert clearly has deep technical and subject matter expertise. What makes Robert so special is his customer service skills. He's personable and does his job with a passion. After the inspection, Robert promptly provided his well written report and findings. Robert also articulated many times that he would be happy to answer any questions my husband and I have in the future. Robert is a top notch industry expert and professional. I would highly recommend his services."
Andreea Schwartz

The Home Detective - established 1996

"I hired the Home Detective to perform a property inspection and radon test for a home in Waldorf, Md. A 3000sq ft. colonial about 15 years old. I arrived about 15 minutes early and Robert was already at the property and ready to get started. He started by walking us around the exterior of the property, pointing out a few areas of focus, taking notes, and explaining everything. We then went inside and we were given a preview of the inspection report. I was clear, as he had sent me the paperwork 4 days prior to the inspection, the realtor had some questions, which Robert explained effectively. As we moved through the property, Robert explained, how, what, why and where for every possible component and feature of the place. I took over 5 pages of notes. He often stopped to ask if I had any questions, and spent as long as necessary to respond. He spent a total of about 4 hours on the home inspection. He was very thorough, checked every door, window, receptacle, basement, HVAC, attic, and everything else top to bottom. It was evident that he had 15+ years of experience. The realtor said it was her longest home inspection. For me, it was the best home inspection. The inspection report was delivered to us by email on the same day, withpictures. He also sent us painting tips and a list of some home maintenance items that are specific to the details of that property.
Robert was like 'Holmes on Homes'."
William White

"Best home inspector you could possibly ask for. Don't bother researching anyone else. Book Robert! Long Version: Our realtor highly recommended Robert and set up the appointment for us. Robert sent us all kinds of information prior to the appointment so that we'd know what to expect from him. I read through everything and e-mailed him back a few questions. He was quick to respond and very polite, professional, and clear. He also included tons of reviews in the materials he sent us. They were all 5 star ratings. I'm the kind of person who likes to read the negative reviews because those are the ones that usually tell you what you want to know. So I did my own Google search on him and his company to see what I could find. I couldn't find a single negative review over the course of his 20+ years in business. Needless to say, we kept the appointment. Even with all the highly detailed information Robert gave us, I still didn't really know what to expect since we're first-time home-buyers and have never done anything like this before. He greeted us warmly and one of the first things he said was, "I work for you, not your realtors." I thought that was great! He went through the house with a fine tooth comb, explaining everything to us and giving us lots of tips on how to save money on heating, cooling, plumbing, electricity, repairs, etc. He went up into the attic and into small, hot crawl spaces and other places where the standard home inspector doesn't go, per the MD SoPs. His standards are higher than the state standards for many areas around the home. I was thoroughly impressed with his dedication, attention to detail, and great customer service. You can tell that he really loves what he does, and he's great at it! I left the inspection feeling really good about the house and completely trusted Robert's assessment. He even used a drone to assess and take pictures of the roof and chimney, which came in very handy when the homeowner's association inspected the home and gave us a long list of things that needed to be fixed. With Robert's report and the homeowner's inspection, we were able to negotiate with the sellers to fix all the major things we didn't want to have to deal with ourselves. Robert and our realtors were both really helpful in identifying those things that were cheap and easy for us to fix and those things we should really stand our ground on and insist the sellers fix. It was such a relief to feel like we were valued customers of a highly intelligent and experienced home inspector. He even sent us how-to painting videos after the inspection when we mentioned to him that we would be doing some of the painting in the house ourselves!"
J.Lennow

"Very thorough and professional. Went above and beyond and explained everything clearly. Would not hesitate to recommend him."
James Gauthi

"He thoroughly went through our house checking everything. He wanted to make sure we didn't have any surprises later. He answered any question or concern we had. He also gave us tips on how to prevent things later. He's very nice and works for you. We would definitely use him later for future projects and concerns."
Sarah Shulman

"The inspection was very thorough, informative, and educational. Robert is a professional who does not cut corners and very knowledgeable about what he does. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone who needs his services."
Llamin Juwara

"It went very well. I HIGHLY recommend Home Detective. You can tell from the first phone contact with Robert that he knows what he’s doing. He was very professional on the phone and during the inspection. Robert thoroughly inspected every corner of the house and found areas of concern including gas leak, running toilet, water damage in the kitchen and much more which can be easily overlooked. More importantly, he showed me how save a lot of money on utilities bills and took the time to explain every aspect of the findings. Frankly, this inspection was like a training session for me. Robert is knowledgeable and passionate about what it does. I will do business again with Robert and Highly recommend him to everyone"
Drissa Dao

"My husband and I were both very impressed by Robert’s knowledge and professionalism. He is very meticulous in his work and really had our best interest at heart. This is our second time buying a home and our first inspectors wasn’t nearly half as thorough as Robert. We are brand new to the area as my husband just got transferred (US Navy) and he was kind enough to send us a list on things to do in the neighborhood. Overall, Robert did a magnificent job and we will definitely hire him again if the need ever arises. In addition, we will definitely recommend him to our friends!"

Liliana Williams

"Best Inspector Ever! Robert spent close to 4 hours in my mom's house revealing the good, the bad and the ugly (the too many of these luckily). He gave expert advice along the way how to enhance the value and best protect the home with lots of great tips that I will be applying to my own home! I highly recommend Robert Goldberg of The Home Detective! He knows his business well and is the Home Inspector of Home Inspectors! I believe I got ever penny of value out of the inspection with plenty of recommendations on how best to resolve every issue that he uncovered! Whether I was buying a home or selling a home, I would want Robert to inspect my home - he is the best!

Bruce Preudhomme

Liliana Williams

"Robert did an excellent job with my home inspection - he spent about 3.5 hours to inspect a small house and noted everything both large and small. In addition, as he was inspecting the home he was very helpful in explaining everything and providing a lot of great advice on home maintenance. The report was completed by the end of day and was also very thorough. In short I highly recommend Robert and would not hesitate suggesting him to other people in need of a home inspection."
Thomas Kiekhafer