Your Tyler, TX Home Inspector
Cardinal Home Inspections is owner-operated. Lisa and I own it between us — she helps on the business side, and I do every inspection myself.
Who is the inspector at Cardinal Home Inspections?
Me — Jeff Stalnaker. I do every single inspection myself. No franchise, no rotating crew, no 'whoever's available Thursday.' Cardinal is two of us: my wife Lisa co-owns it and helps on the business side — marketing, presentations and office visits — and we both teach continuing education classes for real estate offices. I run the business day to day and I'm the one in the crawl space. I'm based in Tyler. I hold TREC Professional Inspector License #26322-PI and Texas WDI License #0995554, I'm InterNACHI certified and AHIT trained, and I hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (#5047202) for drone roof work. Before all this I spent 30+ years in the pool and spa industry, including six years running my own pool service company in Florida — so if the house has a pool, you get somebody who worked on that equipment for a living.
- TREC License
- #26322-PI
- WDI License
- #0995554
- Pool industry experience
- 30+ years · owned a service company 2017–2023
- Certifications
- InterNACHI · AHIT · Drone
Jeff Stalnaker
Hi — I'm Jeff, a TREC licensed professional inspector (License #26322-PI) based right here in Tyler. I personally perform every inspection, and I'll walk you through what I'm seeing while we're standing in the house together — so you understand the home's condition before you make decisions, not after.
I inspect every kind of home East Texas has: 1920s bungalows with pier-and-beam foundations, 1970s ranch houses with electrical panels that need a hard look, brand-new construction before the drywall goes up, lake properties on wells and septic, and everything in between. Whatever you're buying, I've almost certainly been in one like it.
Before I moved into home inspections, I spent 30+ years in the pool and spa industry — and from 2017 to 2023 I owned and ran my own pool service company in Florida before moving to Texas. It's not what I lead with — I'm a home inspector first — but around here plenty of houses come with a pool, and when yours does, you get somebody who installed, serviced and repaired that equipment for a living rather than somebody glancing at it.
Here's what you can count on from me: a practical, step-by-step approach, photos of everything in your report, a report in your inbox within 12 hours, and as much time as you need for questions. I don't rush inspections, and I don't rush people. Call or text me anytime — talking through houses is half the reason I do this job.
Credentials & Training
TREC Licensed
Texas Real Estate Commission professional inspector, License #26322-PI.
InterNACHI Certified
Certified by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, plus AHIT training.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot
sUAS Certificate #5047202 — the federal licence required to fly a drone commercially. Plus InterNACHI drone pilot training.
Termite Certified
Wood destroying insect inspections — WDI License #0995554, through Pest Inspection Network, Inc. (TPCL#783068).
My Promise: 200% Satisfaction
Your peace of mind matters. If you're not completely satisfied at the time of the inspection, I refund your inspection fee and I pay for another licensed inspector of your choice, up to the original inspection fee. I can offer that because I stand behind every single report I write. Simple as that.
Every Inspection Comes With All Four
200% Satisfaction Guarantee
Your peace of mind matters. If you're not completely satisfied at the time of the inspection, I refund your inspection fee and pay for another licensed inspector of your choice, up to the original inspection fee.
90-Day Inspection Warranty
Coverage to protect your investment for the first 90 days: electrical systems, mechanical systems, structural elements, appliances, and HVAC systems.
Buyer's Protection Plan
House didn't work out? If you use me again on a second home of the same size, I take $100 off that inspection. Deals fall through — you shouldn't pay full price twice for that.
Cardinal DealGuard
My repair re-inspection program. When the seller finishes the repairs, I come back out, verify every item, photograph the work, and send a same-day report — so nobody's taking anyone's word for it at closing. Three tiers starting at $100. See the tiers →
Watch: 60 Seconds on This
Sixty seconds, no jargon. Same thing I'd tell you standing in the driveway.
In My Clients' Words
I could tell you I explain things clearly and don't rush. It carries more weight coming from them.
As a first-time homebuyer, my family really wanted a home inspection with someone we felt like we could trust and would take the time to explain everything we were concerned about, and Jeff over-delivered on both. He was extremely thorough and meticulous, leaving nothing up for guessing. From the roof, to the electrical outlets, to the utility access, to the crawl space under our house, Jeff went over everything and invested himself in the tiniest details to make sure this house met our standards. He took the time to address my specific concerns and questions about lead paint and offered guidance on projects we could address in the closing process. Thank you so much Cardinal Home Inspections for your seal of approval and for helping us buy our first home!
Mr. Stalnaker was very welcoming when we arrived to the property. He had already done probably three quarters of the inspection and immediately dove into explaining what he had already found. Very detailed and simple explanations to make it easy for us to understand. Explained what he saw and what problems could arise if the issues weren't addressed. Also gave solutions to how we could approach any of the issues. He did a very deep analysis of the whole property and didn't cut any corners in his inspection. We were very pleased with everything he did and would definitely choose him again in any future inspections.
This is our second time using Cardinal Home Inspections. Jeff is very thorough and professional. As first time home buyers, he took his time to educate us throughout his inspections and is always open to answering any questions we had. He is very detail oriented and safety standard conscious. If we ever need another home inspection, we will definitely use Cardinal Home Inspection again.
Go Deeper
The short version of how I work is above. If you'd rather see the substance, start here.
What Happens During an Inspection
Every step, start to finish.
Read moreAnatomy of an Inspection
Ten systems, what I check, what I find here.
Read moreReport Glossary
Plain English for the terms in your report.
Read moreLearning Center
Everything I've written, organized by topic.
Read moreAll 13 Services
What I inspect and what each one covers.
Read moreAreas I Serve
30 East Texas towns within about 80 miles of Tyler.
Read moreReady to Schedule Your Inspection?
Book online in about two minutes — or just call or text me and I'll get you a straight answer on price and a confirmed time. Same-week appointments are usually no problem.
📅 Book Your Inspection 📞 (903) 808-3898