Blog · BPO agents
Exterior vs Interior BPOs: What Changes in the Inspection and Report
Exterior and interior BPOs share the same basic goal: a supportable estimate of what a home would sell for. But they are different jobs in practice. One is a quick drive-by you can fit between appointments. The other means scheduling access, walking the house, and documenting every room. Knowing the differences helps you decide which orders to accept, how to price your time, and how to avoid the mistakes that send reports back.
The short comparison
| Exterior BPO | Interior BPO | |
|---|---|---|
| Access | From the street. You do not enter the property. | Inside the home, arranged with the occupant, an agent, or a lockbox code. |
| Scheduling | Whenever it suits your route, in daylight. | Depends on someone else's availability. Can take several calls. |
| Photos | Front, sides if visible, street views, address, any visible damage. | All of the above, plus each room, systems, and interior damage. |
| Condition | Based on what you can see from outside. Interior is usually assumed average or unknown, per the vendor's form. | Based on what you saw. You rate the interior and note repairs. |
| Repair estimate | Usually only visible exterior items. | Often an itemized list with rough costs. |
| Time on site | A few minutes. | Often 20 to 45 minutes, more for large or damaged homes. |
| Typical fee | Lower. | Higher, reflecting the extra time. |
Exact requirements vary. Always read the vendor's guidelines for each product, because the photo list and form fields differ from one company to the next.
Exterior BPOs in detail
An exterior BPO, often called a drive-by, is the most common product. You go to the property, confirm it exists and matches the description, photograph it from public areas, and assess what you can see.
What to watch for
- Stay on public property. Do not walk onto the lot, open gates or look through windows. Photograph from the street or sidewalk.
- Occupancy clues. Many forms ask whether the property looks occupied, vacant or abandoned. Note cars, curtains, mail, lawn condition, utility meters if visible.
- Visible condition. Roof, siding, windows, paint, driveway, landscaping, fences, signs of fire or water damage.
- Neighbourhood. Note anything that affects value: busy road, commercial use next door, nearby vacant homes, construction.
- Mismatches. If the home looks different from public records (an extra storey, a garage converted, a pool), photograph it and comment.
Because you cannot see inside, the form usually asks you to assume an interior condition, often average or similar to the exterior, unless you have reason to think otherwise. Follow the vendor's instruction on this and explain in your comments if anything suggests otherwise, such as boarded windows.
Exterior checklist
- Confirm the address and the number on the house or mailbox.
- Front photo, straight on.
- Angled views or side views from the street, if visible.
- Street scene in both directions.
- Address number close-up.
- Any visible damage, each item in its own photo.
- Note occupancy, condition and anything unusual before you drive off.
Interior BPOs in detail
An interior BPO includes everything an exterior does, plus a walk-through. The extra value to the client is a real look at the condition inside, which often matters for distressed properties, REO pricing and loss mitigation decisions.
Arranging access
This is where interior orders often lose time. The order may include a contact name and phone number, a lockbox code, or nothing at all. Call or message as soon as you accept, offer two or three time slots, and keep notes of every attempt with the date and time. If you cannot get access before the due date, tell the vendor early. Most vendors would rather extend or convert an order than receive a late report with no explanation.
If the home is occupied, be polite and brief, explain who you are working for in general terms if the vendor allows it, and do not discuss value with the occupant. Check the vendor's guidelines on what you may say.
On site
- Work room by room. Use the same order every time, for example front door, living areas, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, basement, garage, so you do not forget a room.
- Photograph systems. Many vendors ask for the furnace or HVAC unit, water heater and electrical panel. Check whether they do.
- Document damage closely. Water stains, missing fixtures, mould, damaged floors, broken windows. One clear photo per issue, plus a wide shot that shows where it is.
- Count and confirm. Bedrooms, bathrooms, living area and basement finish. Interior inspections are where you find out that public records are wrong.
- Safety first. If a vacant home looks unsafe, with structural damage, signs of squatters or hazards, leave and note why in the report. Tell the vendor.
Repair estimates
Interior forms usually ask for repairs and rough costs. You are not a contractor, and the vendor knows that. Give reasonable, round figures for each item based on your local knowledge, and keep them consistent with your photos and your condition rating. A home rated as needing major repairs with a repair list of only a few hundred dollars will draw a reviewer question.
How the report changes
Comp selection follows the same principles for both, covered in our comps checklist. What changes is how you use condition:
- Exterior: your comps should generally match the assumed condition. Your comments explain what you could and could not see.
- Interior: your comps should match the condition you actually observed. If the home needs work, include comps that reflect that, or adjust clearly and explain the adjustment. Many forms ask for both an as-is value and an as-repaired value; the gap between them should roughly reflect your repair estimate.
Photo labelling also matters more on interiors because there are many more images. Label each photo by room or item as the vendor requests. Our guide on BPO photo requirements covers this in detail.
Which should you accept?
Many agents start with exteriors because they fit easily into a day. Interiors pay more but carry more risk: access delays, travel time for appointments, and longer reports. A simple way to decide:
- Track how long each type actually takes you, from acceptance to submission, including calls and driving.
- Divide the fee by the hours. Compare exterior and interior for each vendor.
- Accept interiors when you can schedule access quickly, or when the property is near other work.
- Decline interiors with no contact information and a tight due date, unless the vendor confirms access.
For example, if an exterior takes you 40 minutes total and an interior takes you three hours once you count calls, the wait and the longer form, the interior needs to pay several times as much to be worth the same per hour. Run your own numbers; they will differ by area and vendor.
Common mistakes by type
| Exterior | Interior |
|---|---|
| Missing street-scene photos | Forgetting a room or the systems photos |
| Not noting occupancy | Waiting too long to arrange access |
| Assuming a condition that the photos contradict | Repair estimate that does not match photos or condition rating |
| Wrong house photographed on a street with similar homes | Bed and bath counts that differ from the comps grid |
Whichever type you take, the same habits apply: read the vendor's guidelines, follow a fixed routine on site, and check your report for consistency before you submit. New to the work entirely? Start with What is a BPO?