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Posted
Originally posted by Jim Katen

For some reason, I just start to salivate in situations like this.

Does that make me a bad person?

Yes. BAD JIM, BAD! NO-NO!

There, all taken care of...wipe your chin off.

Brian G. [:D]

Posted

Well I'll be finishing the job late tomorrow unless something else happens. Given what I've seen on the outside, I'm very curious about certain items inside and the disclosure. The plot thickens.... [:-mischievous]

Brian G.

Posted

Talk about motivation to kill a deal.

SIC 'EM BRIAN!

I did a mobile castle a couple of weeks ago for a nice struggling young couple complete with FPE Sab-Lok panel, the original solid aluminum wiring, badly rusted 32 year old galvanized water supply piping and a severely rusted heat exchanger in the gas FAU. Believe me, I don't pull any punches on safety items. The client informed me that the Realtors (both buyers' and sellers' agents in the same office) and their broker badgered them at a sit down to go through with the deal. Another Realtor I won't work with again. I'll probably dodge the entire office now.

I think it's about time for inspectors to share information about the Realtors the same way the RE offices do. A blacklist of sorts.

Good luck Brian.

Posted

Well it's all over I guess (hope). I got there about 10 minutes ahead of the clients, long enough to look at the items I was itching to see inside. The clients showed up with their agent, who left after a few minutes to run an errand. They asked what I had seen on the outside...I showed 'em. Lots of cracks in the brick, some repaired / some not, two larger areas that had either been repointed or rebricked entirely, non-typical cracks in the driveway and garage floor, and a condenser unit that had settled well out of level. Oh, and a small pile of mortar & brick bits out behind the storage building. Then I showed them the doors out of square and the patched places on the interior walls. They asked to stop the inspection and pay me, which I agreed to.

The agent came back to find a dead deal, asked what was wrong, I told him. "Why didn't the other inspector find any of this?" he asks... I just said "I don't know, but I'd love to see the report on this." He has it. And the disclosure. Sure enough, the guy noted cracks found "throughout the exterior", then throws in a generic comment about settlement in all houses, blah, blah, blah, and at the very end recommends a structural engineer. He rated that item as "Fair". "Fair", but there are lots of cracks and the house needs an engineer?

Then the disclosure. Right on the first page is the name of the foundation repair company that installed 4 - 5 piers under the house 10 years ago. They claim "No problems since". Those 2 big repaired places looked a lot more recent than that. The clients have heard none of this before, of course.

So I rolled up my stuff and hit the road, case closed. I can't help wondering what else I would have found, but I hope to hear no more about it. What a mess.

Brian G.

Posted
Originally posted by Brian G.

I can't help wondering what else I would have found, but I hope to hear no more about it.

No such luck. The broker called me today asking what happened. I gave a brief rundown, and she asks if I'm an engineer by trade. "No". Then she asks if I recommended one to the clients. I said I never got the chance because the inspection was cut short, but I would have. She says I scared them off. I thought the house did that. Long story short, she apparently intends to try to hold them to the deal via the contract and is hiring an engineer to evaluate the foundation. So it ain't over.

At this point I should probably dummy up and wait to see where this goes. If it winds up in front of a jury, I'll bet when it's over all 12 will be thinking "I wouldn't want to buy that house either."

Brian G.

Posted
"I don't know, but I'd love to see the report on this." He has it. And the disclosure. Sure enough, the guy noted cracks found "throughout the exterior", then throws in a generic comment about settlement in all houses, blah, blah, blah, and at the very end recommends a structural engineer. He rated that item as "Fair". "Fair", but there are lots of cracks and the house needs an engineer?

Brian G.

The home I did yesterday morning (the one with the water heater) had a two year old engineers report with it and an inspection report about the same age. The engineer noted the floor was 3 1/8ths inch low in one bedroom, 2 1/2 inches low in another. He noted two cracks in the slab, pulled rafters in the attic but no sheetrock cracks. He stated the difference in the readings was due to the wood/carpet flooring. After all this he ended his 2 page report by saying ..."The foundation has integrity"

No repairs mentioned, no nothing.

I found fresh stress cracks above windows and doors, out of square door frames, unlevel slab, an additional crack in the slab, rafters that were pulled away from the ridge beam, etc. Oh yeah, my report said the integrity was in question and to hire an INDEPENDENT engineer and consult a reputable foundation repair company.

I'm sure the listing agent will be sending me a Christmas card this year.

I bet your agent will get her own engineer to look at it. It's not only some HI's who get led around with a leash.

Donald

Posted

Brian, don't forget we are a "Disclosure State" anything not listed on the Sellers Disclosure Statement will allow the buyer out of the deal. This is written in the RE law. A little known fact that most RE Brokers don't even know about. Tell your customers to call Robert Praytor 601-932-9191 at the commission office, he will set the RE agent straight real quick. I think state law states that the earnest money must be returned within 72 hours.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

I got a call a couple of days ago from my clients in this deal. They finally got their earnest money back two weeks ago after threatening to sue the realtor. Now they have a new realtor and another house for me to inspect. Score one for the good guys. [:-batman]

Brian G.

Defender of the Innocent, Keeper of the Faith, Scolar and a Gentleman, Lover of Art, Music, Poetry, & Beautiful Women, All Around Good Guy

(and World Class BS Artist) [:D]

Posted
Originally posted by Brian G.

I got a call a couple of days ago from my clients in this deal. They finally got their earnest money back two weeks ago after threatening to sue the realtor. Now they have a new realtor and another house for me to inspect. Score one for the good guys. [:-batman]

Brian G.

Defender of the Innocent, Keeper of the Faith, Scolar and a Gentleman, Lover of Art, Music, Poetry, & Beautiful Women, All Around Good Guy

(and World Class BS Artist) [:D]

Yaaaaah. These are the days I live for. The legend of the Good Man grows......

Posted
Originally posted by crusty

Originally posted by kurt

Originally posted by Brian G.

I got a call a couple of days ago from my clients in this deal. They finally got their earnest money back two weeks ago after threatening to sue the realtor. Now they have a new realtor and another house for me to inspect. Score one for the good guys. [:-batman]

Brian G.

Defender of the Innocent, Keeper of the Faith, Scolar and a Gentleman, Lover of Art, Music, Poetry, & Beautiful Women, All Around Good Guy

(and World Class BS Artist) [:D]

Yaaaaah. These are the days I live for. The legend of the Good Man grows......

The jury is still out in regards to SCOLAR.[:-bigeyes] About those women though....do you have any pictures you would like to share Brian???[:-clown]

Steve

Posted

You gentlemen obviously didn't give that very last part enough weight (world class...etc.).

Besides, open your mind to new possibilities. Instead of just "scholar", why not

scolar

skolar

skalah (Boston spelling)

edjucated idjit (Mississippi synonym)

I never did like silent letters anyhow. If they're silent, why the hell do we need 'em anyway?

Brian G.

Spelling Radical

Posted
Originally posted by Brian G.

You gentlemen obviously didn't give that very last part enough weight (world class...etc.).

Besides, open your mind to new possibilities. Instead of just "scholar", why not

scolar

skolar

skalah (Boston spelling)

edjucated idjit (Mississippi synonym)

I never did like silent letters anyhow. If they're silent, why the hell do we need 'em anyway?

Brian G.

Spelling Radical

Such wordplay! May I suggest the addition of "Cunning Linguist" to your resume?

And not for nothing, but its half past July and no one has posted a decent poem around here in months. Brian? Chad? The people need inspiration!!

Posted
Originally posted by Jim Morrison

Originally posted by Brian G.

You gentlemen obviously didn't give that very last part enough weight (world class...etc.).

Besides, open your mind to new possibilities. Instead of just "scholar", why not

scolar

skolar

skalah (Boston spelling)

edjucated idjit (Mississippi synonym)

I never did like silent letters anyhow. If they're silent, why the hell do we need 'em anyway?

Brian G.

Spelling Radical

Such wordplay! May I suggest the addition of "Cunning Linguist" to your resume?

And not for nothing, but its half past July and no one has posted a decent poem around here in months. Brian? Chad? The people need inspiration!!

Does that mean he speaks French too???[:-eyebrows]

Posted
Originally posted by Jim Morrison

Such wordplay! May I suggest the addition of "Cunning Linguist" to your resume?

I like it, but it think I would have to very careful with that one. There's something risque about it, but I can't quite put my tongue finger on it...

And not for nothing, but its half past July and no one has posted a decent poem around here in months. Brian? Chad? The people need inspiration!!

The committee will consider your request, and respond in due time.

Brian G.

Posted

I'm quite sure that there's never been a decent poem posted here, but I'll add another bad one to the the list.

A cunning linguist was the inspector;

an efficient word play director.

As tools of his trade, words were well played

toward the end that he might inspect her.

Posted
Originally posted by Chad Fabry

I'm quite sure that there's never been a decent poem posted here...

Say what? You should go trolling through the older "Open Discussion" pages, whipper-snapper.

A cunning linguist was the inspector;

an efficient word play director.

As tools of his trade, words were well played

toward the end that he might inspect her.

I'm afraid you have entered the Prickett Zone, that's a limmerick.

Brian G.

Posted

A quick one, for the hell of it.

"One Other Detail"

An inspector who's sharp with his words,

Is as tough to bring down as wild birds,

But there's one other detail that's telling,

Be damn sure that you check the spelling

Brian G.

Poet Laureate of Missisippi ASHI [:-angel]

Got a Dictionary a Foot Thick, But It's Heavy [:-paperbag]

  • 8 months later...
Posted

I agree with Paul statement. I always like my client to be present when doing a inspection. The defects can be explained in more detail verbally then just making a statement in your report “That there is damage to (what-ever) and have a license contractor or engineer solve the problemâ€

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