The Truth About Joe Mazza From HGTV's Home Inspector Joe
Joe Mazza, the host of "Home Inspector Joe," didn't start his career as a home inspector. For 20 years, he worked in construction in New York City. That was until he felt burnout and got his home inspector license, making him more money than construction ever did, according to People. Since then, he has been helping soon-to-be homeowners choose homes that are safe and in good condition. He took to social media, posting tips on finding your forever home when he was discovered by USA Today for a segment in 2019.
In the same year, Mazza was contacted by RIVR Media production company in Tennessee to film what would later become "Home Inspector Joe." This show allows Mazza to educate an even larger audience on what to look out for when buying a home. Along with his co-star and designer Noel Gatts, they are touring, inspecting, and renovating homes with their clients so they can have their perfect forever home.
Look at every house like it's your own
"First thing I do when I pull up to a house is I say, 'All right, Joe, your wife and your little Gigi are moving into this house. What are we going to do to make sure this house is safe for them?'" explained Mazza in an interview with People.
His secret when inspecting houses is to make sure it fits the safety standards that he would feel comfortable with his wife and 9-year-old daughter Gia living there. Mazza is dedicated to making sure every house he inspects for his clients is safe for their families as well. He believes it's important now more than ever for him to spread his knowledge with many people moving from cities to buy their own homes since the pandemic, according to People. In "Home Inspector Joe," Mazza reveals all his secrets, checklists, and solutions to educate future homeowners while looking for their forever home.
A strong sense of smell is useful
As a home inspector, having a strong sense of smell can help to quickly diagnose problems in a home. Mazza has such a strong sense of smell because he lost his eyesight in his early 20s due to a condition called keratoconus, according to Distractify. Keratoconus is an eye disease that affects the structure of the cornea and can cause vision loss. Since then, however, he has had two cornea transplants, thanks to donors. Today, he has his vision back and still maintains his strong sense of smell.
Mazza uses his sense of smell to his advantage. In an interview with Realtor.com, Mazza explained that he can walk into a house and immediately tell that there's a mold problem if it smells musty. He can also smell hidden gas leaks. Of course, some obvious disadvantages come with a strong sense of smell. He is more sensitive to the unpleasant smells that he encounters when working in a dirty house, even after the inspection is done.
Let Joe be Joe
Since the start of "Home Inspector Joe," there hasn't ever been a written script. Mazza was very adamant about not wanting a script, according to HGTV. He even told his team, "let Joe be Joe, and everything will be fine." Luckily, it has worked out for them, as the show's popularity continues to rise. Even though Mazza had no prior TV experience, he did participate in a two-minute segment with USA Today, and used his Instagram page to post helpful tips for current and future homeowners. Still, he has been able to stick to his true self on the screen.
Mazza told HGTV that fortunately, it all came naturally to him. This is likely due to his extensive experience as a professional home inspector, licensed in all the states where the show is filmed. He knows exactly what he is doing in each situation, and has fun while doing it. His enthusiasm and expertise are what make him a great HGTV host.
There are some crazy houses
You never know what you're going to find walking into a house. Of all the crazy houses Mazza has inspected, there is one in particular that will likely stick with him forever. The floor of a crawl space was crunching when he walked around, and no, it wasn't due to bugs underfoot. This home had thousands of human teeth embedded in the floor, which can be seen in his post on Instagram. Despite his initial shock, Joe completed the inspection and shared his findings with the prospective homeowners. Thankfully, it was later discovered that the previous homeowner had made what were fake teeth, according to HGTV.
This is just one crazy example demonstrating why it's important to have a professional inspect your potential home before you purchase it. Clearly, it has a purpose beyond simply looking for any signs of damage to the home. It's not every day that a home inspector discovers a floor of fake teeth, but if it were to happen again, you would want to know about it before purchasing the home.
Joe films near home
Mazza is a New York native, living with his wife and daughter in Westchester County. He's licensed to inspect homes in both New York and Connecticut, the two states where "Home Inspector Joe" is filmed. The show also did some preliminary filming in Tennessee, however, as that is where Mazza and co-host Noel Gatts first met and tested their on-screen rapport, according to Distractify. They were introduced on the first day of filming, and though newer viewers might assume, no, the two are not a couple.
Mazza has been married to his wife, New York teacher Sonia Cipriano, since 2009. Together they have a daughter, Gia, aged 9 at the time of publishing this article (via Distractify). They also recently introduced a Cavapoo puppy named Rosie to their family, as seen on Instagram. Mazza expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of "Home Inspector Joe" in an interview with HGTV. He even shared that his family gathers every week to watch the show, each one of them with a smile on their face.