HOME INSPECTIONS: A LAW THAT NEEDS TO BE TWEEKED.

Wow BIll that is a huge bummer ....I know when i am representing a buyer and their home inspector over exaggerates a report it is the last time his card is given out.....I want a fair inspection...when i say fair I mean that I want all the findings reported and discussed but I want the proper perspective assigned to each item.    If it is a suggestion  then note it....if it is a huge problem then please note it....

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on home inspectors. Sounds like the inspector saved their client $50,000. Sometimes it pays to get a pre-listing inspection that is available for prospects.

One of my sellers just lost a sale because of a septic inspector. His report did not mention anything wrong with the system - just that it failed. He then called a septic company that he works with and they quickly wrote an $8000 plus quote.

Here's the kicker. We had a contract on the home that did not close because of financing. However, the septic passed. The seller immediately called another company that we do not have a relationship with for an inspection and it passed again.

The selling agent scheduled the inspections and went on the property and entered the home without ever notifying me. That's just not right.

If she had contacted me, myself or the contractor who did the home renovation would have been onsite. This would have given us a chance to question the inspector about his findings.

Now, when a home goes under contract, I remove the key from the lock box. No realtor, no appraiser or no inspector goes on the property without me being present.

I like the idea of the two inspectors doing the inspection together.

Here we don't do pre-listing inspections and they would be "suspect" by buyers since they are not the norm.  We call in the _expert as you did....but the suspicion by the CYA home inspector has already cast the doubt...it's tough...not sure that another opinion will help a buyer who is already convinced that THEIR inspector is right.

Good points Bill.  We have a procedure for this in Florida where we can challenge the inspection and hire one ourselves.  If there's still disagreement a third one can be hired by both parties.  Of course, in an as-is contract it doesn't help if the buyer walks.  In our standard contract, we can dispute the inspection.

Bill -

Sorry to hear about your difficulties with recent inspections.  As with any industry, you're bound to find some unscrupulous folks across this country in the inspection business.  What you describe is simply unacceptable and an insult to all those inspectors who get up every morning wanting to provide an honest service.  As an inspector I would encourage anyone with such a problem to contact the applicable state organization responsible for licensing inspectors.  I believe in the case of TX, your organization is TREC?  In addition, I would encourage you to contact the professional organization holding the offending inspectors membership (ASHI, NACHI, NAHI).  Finally, I know it is probably not much of a consolation, but the word about such monkey business always finds a way of 'hitting the street'....especially if the proper organizations are contacted.  If the inspector is in fact making an issue of loose drywall tape,  I would venture he or she will be in a different line of work shortly.

Have a great day.

I have had one particular inspectors crash several sales of mine because of prior disputes we had with each other. He caused some damage to a listing and refused to own up to it. It is really bad business when it gets to that level. I just pray now that he does not get hired again on any of my listings.  I think the sellers you are blogging about might have some rights to sue, maybe refer him to an attorney and see?

We always encourage sellers to get their own home inspection, so they will know what to expect when a buyer comes through.  They can share that inspection with the buyers if they want.  In the case where the buyers also get an inspection, the buyers can weigh both of them and decide for themselves.