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I love it when the Seller's Realtor calls me....

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....names.

Occasionally, after I do an inspection on a property for a Buyer, I'll get a pleasant call from the Seller who needs to let off some steam, needs to rant and rave for a little while, and just needs a shoulder to cry on for about thirty minutes.

I'm that guy!

Why?

Because I like to keep up on the current state of the English language, particularly four-letter words, epithets, and names that probably are not on the list of top names for today's newborn babies.

Free flowers Just because I'll listen to you let off some steam, and rant and rave, and provide a shoulder for you to cry on for thirty minutes does not mean that I'll change my report to help you "move this forward" because the property "has been on the market for six months."

Actually, in light of what the market has been, I think six months on the market is pretty good. You done well! Congratulations!

Free flowers Now I would recommend -- and you're free to ignore my recommendations just like my Clients are -- getting to work with your Seller and your Buyer and spending at least thirty minutes with them trying to find a common ground.

I'd be willing to bet that if you're as good a Realtor as you say you are, with as much experience as you say you have, you'll be able to do it. Of course, if you need some help understanding anything that I've stated in the home inspection report, you should still feel free to call me. And if you find anytime in the future that you need to let off some steam again, or rant and rave again, or need a shoulder to cry on again, well, by all means, feel free to call me again.

I answer my phone 24/7, so you know that you can always ready me.

Good luck working with your Buyers and moving forward with your sale. I'll be rootin' for ya!

I would suggest keeping your names book secret, though, while working with your Buyers. They might not like some of the names you've chosen for them or me.

Good luck! I know you can do it!

*****

This week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

Thunderstruck Thursday: Commander of the lake - 5/29/09
If you're trying to get your ActiveRain comments in for the day.... - 5/28/09
Suicide journey leads to a 15th anniversary - 5/26/09
Memorial Day for me.... - 5/25/09

Last week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): I can't inspect it if I can't get it - 5/24/09
Be proactive with your homeowners' association - 5/23/09
How do you determine if repairs were done properly, or even done? - 5/22/09
How to lower your blood pressure naturally - 5/22/09
My first Foto Friday: Tree textures - 5/22/09
Thankful Thursday: Hydrangea - 5/21/09
My new digital SLR camera system - 5/20/09
Providing FREE HELP can be fun (if there's a rose garden involved) - 5/19/09
Manic Monday pop quiz: Concrete cracks - 5/18/09

Previous week's posts (they'll open in a new window)

SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): A visit from Mr. Monarch Butterfly - 5/17/09
Russel's Gardening Handbook: Jacaranda - 5/16/09
"Dear Home Inspector: Please try not to kill the deal...." - 5/16/09
"Dear Mrs. Realtor: No I won't...." - 5/16/09
Make your home dog friendly - 5/15/09
Frenetic Friday pop quiz: Chimneys - 5/15/09
WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): Huh? - 5/13/09
An Open Letter to the ActiveRain Powers That Be - 5/11/209
Manic Monday pop quiz: Electrical - 5/11/09
What's the point to ActiveRain points? - 5/11/09

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Posted by Russel Ray, San Diego home inspector on 05/29/2009 08:23 AM

Comments (18)

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18 Comments on I love it when the Seller's Realtor calls me....

MAY

Let's see, the inspector is the expert, I am not. If I want to find the highest and best use of my time that goes to the negotiating side - not crying and whining on the inspector's shoulder!

you're in a spry mood today. You're much nicer than I am... I would not welcome such a call, as I've already learned many of those words, and don't care for them to be directed at me for simply doing my job well.

Russel, well it goes to show that some people are so immature and unprofessional. Why do Listing agents think they are Gods and know everything? Or are they broke and desperate? If everyone would work together to solve the issues instead of acting in the manner of a 4 year old, more business would close.

Hey, Reneé - That's what I've always thought. Is whining and crying the best use of my time? I'd be willing to be that it is not. But I have lost some bets before in my life....

Hey, Alan - Sometimes one will get a caller with a different ethnic background. It is fun to hear names that I've never heard before -- LOL.

Hey, Tony - Realtors are taught the art of negotiating. It's just that her specific negotiating tactic doesn't work with me. I'm a bad-donkey.

Hard for sellers not to take it personally when an inspection reveals some issues or "faults" with their home. I remind them that when they are buyers they would want an inspector to fully scour the entire house and discover whatever the problems are.

Hey, Sara - Taking it personally is exactly why I, and most Realtors here, don't want the Sellers at the inspection. It's easier for them to read it in writing than to hear that mean, gruff voice....

Russel, I only accompany my buyers to inspections and tell my sellers that it is a private time for the buyer to have with their inspector to look over the home with great care!

As for the name calling of inspectors or anyone for that matter, it doesn't get anything accomplished and it should be kept to oneself!!

Hey, Caren - I typically agree with you, but when someone makes an effort to call me, I'll listen. I'm just such a pushover. I do know many home inspectors who would hang up on name-callers, but I think hanging up on someone, even a rude someone, is just as rude.

"Rude is as rude does", to paraphrase a Forrest Gump quote. Sometimes, Russel, people need to be reminded that many of us already know alot of those words and don't need them repeated to us.

Hey, Heather - Yes, I know, but it is interesting to listen to them pronounced with an ethnic accent -- LOL.

If the selling agent was doing their job right, they could have gone through the home with a sharper eye and give the seller some advanced notice of what they saw. Also, many times the information that is uncovered in the inspection can be new to the sellers so there should be some surprise but also acceptance, especially if it's the type of item that would have gotten attention through normal homeowner maintenance. The agent needs a refresher course on the ethics side of the business.

Hey, Ed - Nice comment. Imagine if the Seller had chose to get a pre-listing inspection. Might have saved a lot of agony, although I don't know if the agony came from the Seller via the Realtor or whether the Realtor was the one having the problem. I suspect it was the Seller, probably without even talking to her Seller yet, since she said she needed help moving the transaction forward.

Whaaaat............you are very nice.....to nice to put up with folks that are rude. Noooo. If my sellers acted like that I'd have to send them out to pasture. We almost always do pre-inspections and the sellers listen to what he say and fix the stuff. Hello......they are the experts. We are not!

As before......you flower pics are wonderful!

Maybe that agent was having a bad day. Since you were pleasant and listened to their conserns, maybe next time they will attempt a more positive way to resolve the issue.

Russel, I have to tell you, I am certain I have some qualities that just annoy the hell out of people. Going after a house inspector or septic inspector is not one of them. Oh, I know one of the things I do, I do attend all the inspections for my listings. I don't interfere, but I am there. My sellers like that actually. If there are any questions or concerns, I am there to either give an answer or get an answer. Otherwise I keep my mouth closed. But, I have never ever argued with an inspector.

OK, once I blew my stack, but not AT the inspection, nor on the phone with the company. I did voice my opinion, and it was only about behavior that was very unprofessional, and guess what? The owner of the company has since been arrested for falsifying soil sample reports from tank pulls and bilking people out of quite a bundle. But, I never recommended them, always had a funny feeling.

So there, next time somone calls you and begs screams or yells, tell them I said to grow up and act professional.

They can put that in their pipe and smoke it!

Hi Russel - There seems little point in yelling at a home inspector or an appraiser. We may not like what is found, but it is what it is, and our job is to deal with that and make it work. Sorry you have to deal with those kinds of folks, but I guess we all are destined to run into some people now and then who haven't learned to control their emotions or their language. By the way, I just took some photos yesterday of some of my geraniums that look like your first two photos here. Are you sure you haven't been poking around my back yard? I don't recall ordering an inspection. ;-)

Russell - Ceil and I were discussing this very same situation over dinner this evening (in TX we say supper) but I wanted to cover myself. I can go back to the owner encouraging a pre-listing inspection; that way he know what needs to be repaired. If it is not anything major that is great; but if there is something that needs immediate attention and may be the buyer backing out and going to another house down the street then he has lost out. As inspector's we have to look out for the person that hires us to do the inspection and report our findings. We have done our job and all the crying in the world is not going to make me change my report. It is up to the buyer, seller and realtor to negotiate and get it handled.

Hey, Anna - Glad you liked the flowers, although they didn't come from the pasture - LOL.

Hey, Steve - That's why I don't mind listening to them. I have no idea what kind of day they are having, so if I can provide the ear or shoulder, I will. Unless I'm at an inspection or something, but usually these types of calls come in the evening.

Hey, Andrea - I think we all have some qualities that annoy many people. I try to be Pleasant, Positive, Personable, Polite, and Professional, but I've found that do so annoys many people who would rather me react negatively to them trying to get my goat. As my wise old grandmother said, "Kill ‘em with kindness."

Hey, Susan - I was sneaking around at some unknown houses a couple of days ago. I guess one of them was yours - LOL.

Hey, Carl - I think many of the banks have learned from a few Sellers how not to work through a transaction. As my wise old grandmother said, "It's always easier to work with a willing buyer who's sitting at your table than it is to kick them out and try to find another willing buyer." (Well, actually, she didn't say that, but she would have, I'm sure - LOL.)

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