How to remove realtors from equation

[ramdino]

Does anyone know of any legislative actions anywhere, pending or otherwise, that prevents real estate agents from using or recommending ONLY their favorite inspectors like has been done in the mortgage industry with the appraisers. It seems to me that is a patent conflict of interest and encourages those inspectors that are tied to Realtors for all their referrals to be less than complete on inspections.

[kurt]

Some lame half hearted stuff, but nothing with teeth.

[ramdino]

You got a link or state?

[kurt]

Massachusetts, sort of.

[Scottpat]

I think the MA law covers the selling agent only. If it is a buyers agent they an refer them, I think.... It as been years since I have looked at the MA law.

[kurt]

Yeah, me too.

It's easier to just stop thinking about realtors.

[Jim Morrison]

The MA law prohibiting selling agents from referring home inspectors has had zero impact on the profession. Zero.

If you want Realtors out of the equation, you have to ignore them, slowly build your business without them, and in a few years they'll merely be an annoyance.

[hausdok]

Exactly, Jimmy!

I've been saying that for years. It came true for me a long time ago. I'm turning away double the amount of work I can take in right now and the overwhelming majority of it comes my way by word of mouth from former clients. If I hadn't been injured last year and could physically handle all of this work now I'd be sitting pretty.

Just resolve to do a good and thorough job, pretend that every job you do is being done for your mother or the most litigious lawyer on the planet, and don't concern yourself with trying to finish up within a time that fits someone else's (realtor's) expectations and not your own. If it takes five hours to ensure that the client understands every facet of the home and all of the client's questions are answered, so be it; if the realtor doesn't like it he/she can lump it.

Ignore their body English. When they put themselves in your sightline behind the client, find a way to keep the client moving around you in a circle - it causes the realtor to have to try and maneuver too. After they find themselves blocked by a holly bush or two or can't catch your eye for a solid hour they'll realize that you're not interested in exchanging meaningful glances with them, acknowleging their subtle body cues that are directing you to emphasize or deemphasize areas and that you don't follow the "code."

If they keep placing themselves in your line of sight behind the client and are constantly looking at their watch and dropping their arm in frustration, stop and ask them, "I see you keep looking at your watch. Have you got someplace to be that's more important than this is right now? If so, just go on ahead. I'll lock up. I do it all the time."

Getting them out of the equation is nothing more than putting them out of your mind and paying attention to the only person(s) you're supposed to be paying attention to at the inspection - your client(s).

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[ramdino]

I don't know that simply ignoring them will make them go away. I have been doing this since 95 and most of my jobs still come from realtor's. I operate in a small town where we do not have a lot of turn over so once folks get here they usually stay. I get a few from past clients or referrals but not many. I have tried various marketing to work around realtor's, but no luck. I am starting to get more hits from mortgage companies from my website but that is a work in progress trying to get indexed in a larger metro area nect to me. I use to do more construction and did not relay so heavily on HI's but the business closed so I am relying more on HI's right now. Trying to rebuild my construction business as well. This area has been hit hard by the economy.

[Phillip]

Today I had a realtor and husband that wanted me to take my time and find everything I could.

Of course I was inspecting the house they where buying.

[Chad Fabry]

Subtracting realtors from the equation is the same as algebra. Keep the equation balanced- so if you subtract two turds from one side, subtract a realtor from the other side.

[kurt]

Are you sure it's only one realtor for two turds? I think it's 1:1.

[Marc]

Leave the math to a true mathematician fellas...One realtor equals half a turd.

Marc