What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll use Otter.ai on your phone to transcribe property condition notes in real time during inspections — narrating as you walk through each room — so you leave the property with a complete, organized text record instead of a collection of handwritten notes, sketches, and voice memos to decipher back at your desk.
What you'll need
- Smartphone (iPhone or Android)
- Otter.ai app installed (free from App Store or Google Play)
- Otter.ai account — free tier (600 minutes/month) is sufficient for most appraisers
- Time needed: 15 minutes to set up; 0 extra time during inspections (replaces your current note-taking)
- Cost: Free (600 min/month) or $16.99/mo for unlimited
How-To Guide: Transcribe Property Inspection Notes with Otter.ai
Step 1: Download and set up Otter.ai
Go to your phone's app store and search "Otter.ai." Download the free app and create an account using your email. The free plan gives you 600 minutes of transcription per month — at 30–45 minutes per inspection, that's 13–20 inspections per month at no cost.
What you should see: The app opens to a home screen with a large microphone button at the bottom center.
Troubleshooting: If prompted about microphone permissions, select "Allow" — the app doesn't work without this.