This is a funny business, this home inspection thing. You try to do the right thing for the buyer, and for the agent involved with the transaction. Most times, things work out okay. The buyer is satisfied you have done your job well, and the agent is pleased you brought up the bad points without overstating or alarming the buyer. Most of the time, everyone is happy, or at least relieved that the 'sky will not fall'.

It never ceases to amaze me however the relationship that goes sour with an agent who thought the world of me previously. This agent told so many of her agent friends, that I saw my business increase steadily when I was first starting out. She was so pleased with my demeanor, my presentation, even my stupid jokes (that calmed down the buyers). Nearly her entire office was handing out my brochures and cards.

Then - BOOM! I have fallen from grace. In this particular case, I found a VERY SMALL amount of what appeared to be mold growth in the wall of the garage, behind which was a bathroom shower. There was either a leaky pipe, or a possible leak from the bathroom above. I had to bring it to the attention of the buyer, and of course the agent who loved me. It was no big show stopper, but I must recommend a mold company evaluate the area. If I don't, and someone gets sick, or the mold grows, I can be in a world of problems, as well as the buyer.

I saw her a short time after the inspection, and she had relayed to me that the buyer was making a mountain out of a mole hill with this small mold issue.

THE BUYER was the one causing the problem. THE BUYER was looking for an astronomical credit for a small issue. THE BUYER probably backed out of the deal, or caused the situation to be dificult. Yet, THE HOME INSPECTOR is to blame, and has been banished to bogeyland.

There are some houses that are in such poor shape, and the buyers can be so easily spooked by the problems found, that they back out of the deal. Can the inspector be responsible for how a timid buyer reacts to bad new? Certainly not! You can cushion the blow as much as you can, but sometimes the inevitable happens, and the buyer backs away. If the agent paints the rosiest of pictures with a house in this condition, I feel justified blaming the agent. If you say everything is great, great ,great, and the inspector finds a lot of problems, how can you not expect the buyer to look at you with suspicion.

Most of the agents I deal with hand out brochures and cards from my competitors as well, but some invariable do say things like 'he is really thorough', or 'he is really good at what he does'. I hear this from agents I have never met at  home inspections I do regularly, so I know I am doing the right thing.

I wonder sometimes if agents, who see the loss of a commision check as a good reason to jump ship, and stop referring of the home inspector. I find this so incomprehensible because I always ask the agents if they are happy with my presentation, and the resounding answer is usually 'YES'! No t every single time, but most times. This was especially true of this particular agent. She told EVERYBODY about me. Now, I wonder if she is making call after call telling who she told previously that I am banished. - Ray