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Danger Zone: When Home Inspections Get Violent

by Isaac Peck, Publisher

Nearly four years ago, Working RE Home Inspector reported on the tragic story of Michael Alderson, a 66-year-old home inspector based in Anaheim, CA, who was murdered on an inspection due to a family dispute between two siblings who had been fighting over the home. We noted that the ongoing sibling dispute and its volatility had not been shared with Alderson prior to his inspection visit.

That lack of information is a common denominator in the troubling phenomenon of assaults on home inspectors. What you don’t know might really hurt you.

No matter what your job, there’s nothing worse than encountering real violent aggression, such as being physically attacked by a client with intent to harm you. Of all the professionals who are susceptible to this, there’s no doubt that residential home inspectors are among those who deserve it the least. Inspectors don’t go into someone’s home looking for a fight. Instead, you’ve got one central goal: a non-invasive visual observation of the property on behalf of your client.

Nobody is naïve enough to think there are no risks involved in normal home inspections. On a bad day, you might expect to encounter the dangers of faulty wiring or hidden mold. On a worse day, maybe a fall, an injury related to the hazards on the property. Bug bites and cuts on the hand, these are to be expected. But acts of violent aggression are in a different category altogether: they are intentional, and they can cause injury and worse.

The stories in this article represent a fraction of the total number of such accounts, but they have surprisingly eerie patterns and similarities. While diverse, these incidents reveal common tensions and hazards that the profession must navigate from time to time. Whether by frustrated humans or aggressive animals, attacks on home inspectors frequently occur on properties full of strife, tension, or neglect. And if there’s trouble in the home, some of that trouble might land on the inspector.

Family Tragedies and Triggered Tenants
Hired to inspect a property entangled in a bitter dispute between siblings, Anaheim home inspector Michael Alderson’s arrival escalated existing tensions, resulting in his murder (Visit WorkingRE.com to read the story). This heartbreaking case illustrates how inspectors, despite being neutral professionals, can be caught in volatile conflicts. Family property disputes that turn violent are a recurring theme in both real life and fiction, reflecting the potent mix of emotion, greed, and betrayal tied to inheritance and ownership. What is exceptional, and not as widely told, is the way such disputes hurt outsiders and third parties. It’s easy to see why the victims might be home inspectors, Realtors, movers or other participants in the housing and real estate world: the family disputes might be about the property itself. Or family members might be triggered by whatever events may have precipitated the sale of the property.

Alderson didn’t know about the danger because nobody told him. There were indications that the property sale wasn’t universally agreed upon. After the shooting, the Orange County Register quoted a neighbor of the home having seen the “For Sale” sign out front repeatedly ripped out of the ground or knocked over, only to be put back up again. And the two Realtors wounded on the scene (who both survived) were members of the shooter’s family, possibly suggesting that they could have anticipated the conflict and warned Alderson. Instead, the 66-year-old became an unwitting fatal victim of a family feud.

Equally common are stories of disputes between landlords and tenants. Evictions and landlord-tenant disputes are fraught with emotion, occasionally escalating into violence. Desperate tenants facing eviction and landlords enforcing legal rights may clash, with unresolved conflicts amplifying tensions. Studies suggest poor communication or perceived injustices can contribute to altercations. Proactive conflict resolution and adherence to legal frameworks are critical to ensure safety for all involved.

A more recent Florida incident involving Judy Schmersey suggests an additional layer to consider around conflicts on the property. During a scheduled inspection, prior disputes between Schmersey and the landlord turned violent. Schmersey struck the inspector and demanded they leave, leading to legal repercussions. That might be most people’s “end of story” moment—the tenant attacked the landlord and inspector, and that was that. Court documents revealed underlying factors, including repeated complaints about appliances (Schmersey and her partner allege they had no working stove for several months), refusal to pay rent, and an eventual eviction process. It’s easy to see how a home eviction might invite confrontation in such a context.

Rental properties present unique challenges for inspectors. One Reddit user shared their experience of a tenant, facing displacement due to a property sale, becoming hostile. Such animosity stems from tenants often perceiving inspectors as symbols of eviction or change.

In another instance, an inspector was forcibly removed from a basement by a tenant disturbed during sleeping hours. Though no injuries occurred, the inspector faced verbal abuse and physical aggression, emphasizing the risks present in tenant-occupied properties.

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Dogs and Other Animals
Inspectors also face unpredictable risks from pets. If anything, those risks are undersold a bit. One website advises: “Crate pets that may escape during inspections or harm the inspector. Some inspectors have faced attacks from animals defending their territory.” But it’s not that simple, because dogs will occasionally escape.

Brian Bassett, a Texas-based inspector, endured severe injuries from a mauling by three pit bulls that escaped during an inspection. The ordeal involved multiple surgeries to repair his lower left leg, with infection forcing the removal of two toes. Though he spent 23 days in the hospital, Bassett’s recovery took months due to the need for rehab to regain his mobility. Supporters—most of them home inspectors—raised over $37,000 on GoFundMe to help support his family and pay for his treatment.

In New Jersey, Patricia Ward (an appraiser, not an inspector) was attacked by a pit bull while assessing a short-sale property. Despite assurances from the homeowner, the dog’s aggression left Ward with severe and permanent injuries. According to Ward’s lawsuit against the Realtor who set up the appointment, and the tenants themselves, Ward initially saw the dogs in their crates when she came into the house. However, after going outside and then coming back during the assessment, Ward …

… noticed that the dogs were out of their crates and on the deck and making noise. Ward observed this and proceeded to photograph the rear of the house. At this point, she testified that she still had no reason to believe that any of the dogs would bite her. As Ward walked toward her car, one of the pit bulls charged her and she ran away in fear. At the foot of the driveway, Ward was repeatedly attacked by one of the pit bulls, which resulted in her sustaining a fractured radius and nerve damage, requiring surgery.

Moreover, while such a lawsuit seems open-and-shut for an injured plaintiff, this one wasn’t. The court partially blamed Ward for not taking precautions of her own. Ward won a verdict and damages against the homeowners, but the case against the Realtors was dismissed.

While pit bulls can be loving companions when raised responsibly, their strength can make them highly dangerous. In many cases, an attack reflects conditions within the home—stress, fear, poor socialization, or neglect. Severe mistreatment, like starvation or illegal fighting training, can further push dogs into survival or attack modes.

Other animals may attack inspectors if the home is prone to intrusions or unmanaged wildlife, adding yet another layer of risk to the job.

Common Themes
While they vary in some ways, these stories share commonalities that are essential for inspectors to understand and plan around. Think of them as lessons, takeaways, your package of knowledge to keep you aware.

First, human behavior is unpredictable. And second, stressful situations arise around people’s living spaces. We hear stories of inspectors encountering individuals—whether tenants, homeowners, or family members—who feel stress or resentment which, while only tangentially related to the inspection process, can lead to the inspector, you, being irrationally scapegoated. This can lead to volatile situations, particularly when emotions run high or financial stakes are involved.

Third, you are an outsider. Inspectors are frequently viewed as outsiders intruding on someone’s personal space. This perception can exacerbate tensions, especially when occupants perceive the inspector’s presence as a threat to their stability or privacy—but also even when they are surprised or irritated by your presence. That brings us to the fourth and final theme: poor preparation invites aggravation. Many, and maybe most of these assault/attack incidents, are a consequence of a lack of prior communication or preparedness. For example, inspectors unaware of aggressive animals or tense disputes may inadvertently put themselves in harm’s way.

Taking Charge of the Unpredictable
Given all these risks, home inspectors absolutely must take proactive steps to protect themselves. This includes establishing clear lines of communication not only with property owners and real estate agents, but with tenants themselves; don’t rely on the landlord’s representation of the facts. And it’s perfectly reasonable to inquire openly before any visit about potential hazards, such as aggressive animals or contentious disputes.

That situational awareness needs supplementing upon arrival, too. Inspectors should stay vigilant and assess their surroundings when they arrive. Being aware of signs of hostility or danger can help prevent escalation. If something doesn’t feel right, leave.

You might consider safety training too: consider learning some basic conflict de-escalation techniques and self-defense tactics as part of your professional development. And finally, you need to know animal safety protocols for yourself—don’t rely on the owners or Realtors to provide this. Request that pets be secured before your arrival; don’t enter the property unless you know this has happened.

About the Author
Isaac Peck is the Publisher of Working RE magazine and the Senior Broker and President of OREP.org, a leading provider of E&O insurance for savvy professionals in 50 states and DC. Over 14,000 professionals trust OREP for their E&O and liability insurance. Isaac received his master’s degree in accounting at San Diego State University. Reach Isaac at isaac@orep.org or (888) 347-5273. CA License #4116465.

Published by OREP Insurance Services, LLC. Calif. License #0K99465