Do you go with your buyers to the home inspections?

While I'm not a Realtor®, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once, : ) and I think it is supportive, especially for nervous clients, to attend the inspection with them. However, it is critical not to offer advice, suggestions, or comments that might open you to liability.

As a former homebuilder, I always felt it was good for the customer's agent to join them on the inspection.  There are opposing views, but I would follow your instincts with each client. Good luck.

In the first few years I would go to inspections to grow your own knowledge.  Now after many years in teh busines....we show up towards the end of the inspection and get the "Cliff Notes" version!

Jared and Amanda - Let your buyers go if they want and if the inspector will let them but don't go your self.  If yiu need to open the place open it and have the inspector lock up.  You are asking for a lawsuit if you participate and anything goes wrong!  Your broker is right!

Jared and Amanda... I cannot address the legal liability of being present at a home inspection, however, I typically advise clients to attend the inspection and have the inspector show them the things he is writing about in the report.  I will then usually show up for about the last 30 minutes of the inspection when the inspector reviews the inspection report with the buyers so that I have an understanding of what items are noted so that I can explain them in a repair request to the sellers' agent.

My Client/Buyer and I always show up the last 20-30 minutes of the inspection.  Then when the inspector is done he/she will go over the report and walk the buyer through the house to show them where the problems are.  Congrats on all the business!!!

I guess everyone has a different outlook. I always go to the inspections from the beginning to the end. I am hired by the buyer to be at all meetings related to the purchase of their home. Just my opinion.   If the inspector is writing things down, I am certainly not going to say its not true...This is why we hire an inspector.

I go to all of mine and find it very irritating when the buyer's agent on one of my listings does not attend and then calls to tell me what is wrong. I just had that happen recently. There were concerns about water in the basement. I asked if the inspector had a meter to test for moisture. Notice this is not a question designed to elicit an opinion from the other agent but a yes/no answer, but she didn't know because she wasn't there. I could go on and on but I'm sure you get the drift:) What is wrong with attending and making no comments?

Barb, points out one of the big disadvantages of not attending with your buyer. You are simply not as knowledgeable as if you do go.

 It is a sign of courtesy, respect, and professionalism to attend with your buyer, and you just might learn something new. Frankly, I have to resist negative opinions of agents who don't go becausea) the feely they are legally protecting themselves or b) don't feel they have any more to learn or c) don't have "time."

I always attend the inspection from beginning to end.  I feel I owe it to my Buyer clients to express some interest in the proceedings.  And, I owe it as well to the Sellers.  I feel it's necessary for a licensed agent to be on-hand whenever the home has been opened for showing or inspection purposes.

I have never gone to an inspection.  But, I try to stream line a lot of the process.  Good luck!

Either my sister or I go to every inspection.  A legal liability has never been raised in my state.  I am not there to agree with the inspector.  I am there to see first hand the issues he/she will be writing up.  I am the one who will help my buyers craft a reply to inspection.  I also need to be able to speak intelligently to the other agent and explain the issue that needs to be addressed. Sellers will protest and want to argue about "condition" or the need to repair. As a buyers agent I need to be able to assist my buyer separating "want" and "need". 

If I know the inspector I may wait until towards the end of the inspection to show up.  I know the inspector will do a quick over sight with me to fill me in.  I also don't want to have my buyer feel like I have cut them adrift at a time of high stress. 

I brought this up at my last coaching session and I had a different view than your principle broker that most didn't think of. What if your client steals something from the house during the inspection? When I'm on an inspection with my clients, I'm with my clients the whole time and I know nothing will come up missing and possible lose a sale because of an upset seller.

Good point Todd. You would hope nothing like that would happen but even the thought that your client could be accused would be a nightmare.

I go on the home inspections.

Sorry but my broker would disagree with your broker.  We ALWAYS go.  We are there to represent our buyer, our client, who has hired the home inspector to review the home and recomment updates, find possible issues, and generally tell you more than you could possibly want to know about the house you are about to buy. 

If there is some sort of liablilty factor involved all you have to say is, "let me check on that." and then talk to the listing agent. 

You are there as a second set of eyes, a witness, to what the home inspector finds or says.  You just need to say OK, read the inspection report, and then talk to the listing agent. 

You owe a duty to your client to be there.

I try to go to everything I can go to with my buyers. The more I am involved the less chance on something blowing up unexpected.

Liz

I go to all inspections if I have a Buyer's Agency Agreement with my buyer.  I typically stay quiet and let the inspector do his job.  Any questions the buyer's have are directed to the inspector.  I do not try to make an opinion on anything one way or the other.  The inspector is the expert in that area, not me.

I do not go to any inspections I think that sometimes that may kill a deal if you are there let the buyer come back to you and ask questions.I think that a buyer feels that you may know more that way.

As an inspector here in Texas I welcome all who show up. Thou most do not. It would make my job easier, I could tell all involved at one time. There should never be a question of liability or ethics. If there is, then I believe the wrong inspector has been chosen. The house should tell the story. The inspector should convey the message of what is being told. If the inspector can be swayed by the fact that an agent from which ever side is at the inspection, then he/she needs to be run out of business. I got into this business for just that reason, an unscrupulous inspector who did the house my wife and I were purchasing. He was most definitely swayed because of the agent there. Things were overlooked, left out, and just flat lied. I took my knowledge of contruction and went to school to be come a Professional Real Estate Inspector. The idea of being a Professional means something. I have gone on to become an instructor to show and teach others to become Professional Inspector. My intent is to run all inspectors out of business theat don't pull up to the plate and act as a Professional Real Estate Inspector.

More agents should go to the inspections. Not only will it ease your client to know someone on their side there but you will be up to date with what is going on with the property. Learn that most inspectors are there to convey a story not to blow a deal. If the story is a nightmare then maybe it needs to be told to protect everyone involed.