Realtor Calls Inspections Deal Breakers

[hausdok]

He calls it the "Property Wars" - the process of negotiating, reaching a deal, getting an inspection and then being forced to re-negotiate based on an inspector's findings; and says buyers wield inspections like a bargaining chip - a deal breaker. To learn more, click here.

[ghentjr]

He is correct and he can solve the problem by recommending kiss ass inspectors who find nothing.

[hausdok]

Gee John,

You're getting cynical in your old age. []

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Marc]

That agent is dreaming. He's out of touch.

Marc

[ghentjr]

Gee John,

You're getting cynical in your old age. []

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

I may be. I keep getting exposed to the newest inspector types. Not like us old timers. Someone I know who lives in a condo building just sold her unit and in her favor, one of the big lipped inspectors came and gave the place a clean bill of health without doing a lot of things inspectors normally do, like opening the panel, running ac, stuff that takes a lot of time. He did flush, but only cause he took a leak. I think the name of the firm was "Inanout Inspectors".

[MMustola]

" I would suggest that setting limits to the post-inspection negotiations while encouraging more dialogue during the contract phase is a great combination "

So the inspector finds that the house in need of a $10K new roof and the realtor says too bad we only allowed for $500 in post inspection negotiations.

I wonder if that guy know how dumb he sounds now the he sees it in writing.

[Wasden]

I wouldn't want him to be my agent.

[Eric B]

I don't think that the agent is so far off base. Around here buyers too often use the report for "demanding" repairs to even the most trivial conditions. Inspectors tend to be merciless in their reporting by over-reacting and trying to cover their butts. What is often lost in the inspection process is a reasonable perspective of the conditions found. In my personal view, I have a legal and moral obligation to my client but at the same time I want to be fair to the seller. For those that think the inspector's job is to go in with both barrels blasting there will be strong disagreement with this.

[kurt]

What's fair? I'm not aware that anyone is concerned with fairness in a real estate transaction. I thought everyone was angling for their best deal.

People that think it's about fairness are the meat in almost all transactions I see.

[Mike Lamb]

Around here buyers too often use the report for "demanding" repairs to even the most trivial conditions. Inspectors tend to be merciless in their reporting by over-reacting and trying to cover their butts. What is often lost in the inspection process is a reasonable perspective of the conditions found.

I agree.

In my personal view, I have a legal and moral obligation to my client but at the same time I want to be fair to the seller.

Getting fuzzy here.

For those that think the inspector's job is to go in with both barrels blasting there will be strong disagreement with this.

Spoken like a real estate agent.

[Eric B]

I'm not aware that anyone is concerned with fairness in a real estate transaction.

Well, now you know one person. I'm a standout in the crowd.

[gtblum]

I have a legal and moral obligation to my client but

"But" Nothing. End of story. WTF?

You want to hear both barrels blasting? Goad me into it.

[John Dirks Jr]

Considering some of the messed up crap I've had the joy of inspecting lately, it's hard to believe I would ever have consideration for a seller.

In my opinion, the moment you decide to have consideration for a seller is the moment you begin to deny the very things the buyer is paying you for.

The bigger picture is, this gig has nothing to do with consideration for anyone. It has to do with finding stuff that needs to be fixed and reporting it. Nothing more and nothing less.

If an inspector chooses to be less picky than fine. But to do it out of consideration for the other side is something I would never do.

If anyone wants to call me a deal killer, I'll wear the badge with honor. It's all in writing, right there in the report. So bring it on!

[kurt]

I'm not aware that anyone is concerned with fairness in a real estate transaction.

Well, now you know one person. I'm a standout in the crowd.

I'm not talking inspectors, I'm talking buyers & sellers. Boiled down, it's a biz deal with big numbers. When aren't people trying to get their best deal?

And who's setting what's "fair"? The listing agent, who sets the price higher than they know is reasonable, understanding there will be a counter offer? The buyer's agent, who's actually working for the listing agent? The appraiser, where numbers skew all over the place depending on ephemera?

Why shouldn't a buyer try to get their best deal? Why shouldn't they use our report to do so? I don't necessarily like it, sometimes my clients are creeps, but it's none of my business. If they want to use my report to get a better deal, more power to them. If they want to wrap fish with it, that's fine too.

Thinking there's fairness in a real estate transaction is buying into the entire NAR "smiling happy neighborhood professional" schtick. Fine, if somebody wants to.

This is why I hold used car salespeople in much higher esteem than real estate flacks.......used car salespeople at least acknowledge they're trying to jam you, you acknowledge the same back, everyone knows that they know what you know what they know, etc., etc. It's business conducted as business, not business masquerading as smiling coffee klatch amongst honored guests.

Fairness in a real estate deal is what's decided on long after the dust's settled, not before or during the deal.

[Jerry Simon]

I have a legal and moral obligation to my client but

"But" Nothing. End of story. WTF?

You want to hear both barrels blasting? Goad me into it.

You realize he's kidding. . .

[Tom Raymond]

Is that in a real printed and distributed publication or just on the web?

It smells like the manure over at AR.

[SNations]

I can see this guy's point, to some degree. But the solution, if there is one, doesn't involve limiting the post-inspection negotiating rights of the buyer. It involves requiring much better pre-offer disclosure from the seller. Information is the great economic equalizer, and that's what we provide.

[kurt]

Exactly. What's fair? The fluffed up blather of listing agents, or a hard core analysis of technical merit?

It could be either. That's why it's called a negotiation. Limiting negotiation in any form is what's unfair. It's trying to convince the rube's to eat what's been placed on the table.

[kurt]

Nice idea. Doesn't work too well in my experience, though. It assumes all inspectors are the same.

[inspector57]

Insert "unbiased" in place of "fair" and I could agree with most of the comments but I am not hired to be "fair to the house", fair to the seller or any other platitude proposed to by the agent friendly inspector.

I am there to provide an unvarnished, unbiased opinion of the house.

Think of how you will answer the call when an upset client calls telling you that they have a problem that you should have told them about... are you going to tell them that what they are concerned about is not that big of a deal and after all, you were just being fair to the seller?

Can an inspector be too picky? Maybe, I've been told that many times by agents and sellers... but never by my clients. My clients hire me to find the truth about the house, warts and all.

[Stephen Lagueux]

if realtors want to increase their odds of selling, than they just need pre list inspections. That way sellers know what to expect and can make repairs before it goes on the market. Odds of selling have increased dramatically by having fixed what could've scared away a serious buyer.

No one would then be accused of being a deal breaker by being too picky.

[Garet]

In a buyer's market, the buyer asks for the moon in their inspection objection.

In a seller's market, the seller refuses to fix even basic safety stuff, threatening to just move on to the next buyer.

...and none of it affects how I do my job one bit.

The problem w/ Mr Geogahn's proposal is that the parties enter into negotiations based on a set of assumptions about physical condition. Unfortunately, an inspection often reveals that those assumptions are not founded in reality. It's life. Deal with it.

[rushguy]

I'm new around here, and to the inspection business, but i've been taught that a home inspector should never kill a deal, but that home inspectors owe it to their clients to let the HOME kill the deal if it warrants it. as far as negotiating... that's the realtors arena, not ours. right?

[kurt]

Please forget what you were taught about such things. Do what Garet said.....just do the job.

We're just professional list makers and list explainers.

[rushguy]

@kurt yup, that's what i was implying that i learned from my mentors... and what i tell realtors. "i'll never kill a deal, but the house i inspect might".