Why I Don't Share "Finds" on TikTok

My First Live NHL Game Back in 2014!

I don’t often hold controversial opinions. I’m also not someone with radical beliefs - just your average working family man. I live a quiet, unassuming life (despite being an Edmonton Oilers fan and the lack of sleep around playoff time), and if it weren’t for my height, I’d easily blend into a crowd.

Over the years, I’ve worked for several large, well-known organizations where professionalism and neutrality were essential. That same approach has served me well in my career as a home inspector and consultant. I’ve built great relationships with fellow inspectors not only here in Nova Scotia, but across North America, regardless of our differences—political or otherwise.
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My guiding principle is simple: everyone deserves a safe, healthy, and happy home, no matter their background or life situation. I don’t believe in writing people off just because we see things differently. That said, I’m not afraid to speak up when I see something I disagree with, and this is one of those times.
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The TikTok Trend I Can’t Support
Lately, there’s been a noticeable rise in home inspectors and real estate agents sharing inspection “finds” on social media platforms like TikTok. These short videos are usually created for entertainment rather than education. I’m not talking about helpful clips showing old plumbing, faulty wiring, or worn-out shingles. I’m talking about private, personal content that never should have been made public in the first place.
These videos sometimes feature deeply personal item, such as belongings of deceased loved ones, adult products, or even the contents of someone’s fridge or dishwasher. The intent might be humour or shock value, but to me, it crosses a line. It turns someone’s private life into content, all for the sake of likes, shares, and views.

These two pictures are the most unusual things I have seen on an inspection... and the most I will ever share publicly. 

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When I enter a home for an inspection, I never forget that I’m stepping into someone’s personal space. Bedrooms, in particular, require extra sensitivity. I don’t see personal belongings as photo opportunities: they are obstacles I wish I could temporarily make disappear. If personal items do end up in my inspection photos, I take care to conceal or blur them as much as reasonably possible.

Over the course of my career, I’ve worked in just about every type of home and with every kind of client. But that’s where those details stay—with me. I don’t share them online or even to anyone in real life. I believe strongly in respecting the privacy of the people who trust me to enter their homes. While I know all too well the difficulty of marketing and standing out from the crowd in any real estate related field, some things just aren’t meant to be content.
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