Pay For Play - Ethical or Not?

[paul burrell]

Check this out! In this article, real estate Columnist Blanche Evans gives some advice to a homeowner who got burned by an inspector involved in a pay-for-play relationship between a real estate office and an inspector.

Click here for the whole story.

[will5443]

Sad story for our profession. I hope those people take action.

[Jim Morrison]

That story stinks like a whorehouse at low tide. Caveat Inspector: Participate in those "Concierge programs", and you might just find yourself on 60 Minutes.

Jimmy

[Chad Fabry]

Every time an inspector whores him/her self to a group whose interests are are at odds to the best interest of the client, a darker shade of grey is painted on us all.

I don't market to realtors because I'm afraid that I might find I have a price. In lieu of having uncompensating, unwavering ethics I find solace in abstaining and therefore eliminating the temptation.

[gwharton1]

It is hard to believe that there are inspectors in our business that do this. It is sad and I resent the guilt by association. I have always marketed agents, but have made my standards clear. I was pitched these programs several times. They were always one way relationships that benefited the agencies. I always left the room mystified that they thought I was dumb enough to do it and amazed that other people will. Now, I don’t even bother to return those calls. I have been in this game long enough that the honest ones know me and the others know better than to call.

I "lost" a "top agent" last month because we refused to alter a report to smooth a sellers ego. Oh, well. There is a place for truly professional agents and inspectors to maintain arms-length business relationships, but this type of stupidity makes it hard

[Brian G]

You can't help hoping they get legal action going and nail all of the dirty players for big bucks; the HI, the realtor, and the agency. A string of huge settlements in similar cases would cause a lot of second thoughts, though I have no illusions about eradicating HI whores.

In addition to making these programs illegal, I'd also love to see my state pass a law forbidding any HI's E & O from indemnifying the agents who recommend them. Make them feel the crosshairs on their bank accounts when they send someone to a charleton like that.

Brian G.

No Free Pass For the Pimps [:-scared]

[Erby]

I don't remember it all, but it applies.

Boss asks his secretary if she would hav sex with him for a million dollars.

Secretary says "Yes!"

Boss then asks the secretary if she'd have sex with him for ten dollars.

Secretary says "Hey, what do you think I am?"

Boss says "We've already settled WHAT you are, now we are negotiating the price!"

[hausdok]

The boss should have asked:

"Now that you've said that you'd have sex with me for $1,000,000 if we do that will you then slap a sexual harrassment lawsuit on me for $5M, do the talk-show circuit and write a book?

Yeah, I know, I'm drifting. I got your meaning Erby, it's just hard to resist.

Makes a guy wish he was good enough looking for some rich lady to hit on, so that a guy could get rich off of this stuff for once.

Nevah gonna hoppen wit my ugly mug!

OT - OF!!!

M.

[cpimike]

Here in NY we have a law that weakly addresses the issue, we are hoping that the new consumer advisory board will be strong enough to do something, but based on the state test, we are not too hopeful, the test resembles an infamous online test we are familiar with.

[n/a30]

Those who know me even slight know what I am going to say. IMHO Programs such as Coldwell Banker's should be illegal because they are obviously highly unethical. The (I'm looking for the right word here) people who sell their allegiance for a referral are highly suspect.