I have to say, when I first heard that I was being reported, it worried me because I did not know what I had done.  And I really didn't know what it meant.  The phone call started by telling me that I'm being reported.

When I found out why, I laughed out loud!  It made my day!

Report me?  To whom?  Toward what end?

I should back up.  Do you want to see what the hub bub is about?

This very cute staircase!

And I use the word "staircase" loosely.

It seems I upset the seller of this fine staircase.  Yes, the seller is indeed selling this staircase as it appertains to the house.  And the seller desires to sell the house.

On my report I identified the many problems with this staircase.

1.  It is not attached to the house.
2.  As such it wobbles dramatically.
3.  What's holding it up is the house itself.  Do you see it leaning to the right?  Leaning to the left, with enough pressure, I think it would fall over.
4.  One side is sinking.
5.  The stair treads are loosely nailed, are cracked and move.
6.  The stair treads are resting on the ground.
7.  The very stable support columns onto which the stair treads are attached are not sunk very deep into the ground.  They move easily.  They should be 24" deep.
8.  It has crushed the bath vent coming out of the wall.
9.  There is no guard/hand rail.

You get the idea.  I may have forgotten something.

After laughing, I asked the agent why I'm being reported.  The seller objected to my "editorializing" according to the agent, and that's why he was "reporting" me.  Apparently I was being "inflammatory," and had no right to editorialize on the report.  Hmmm...  you sure? 

So why the objection?  Apparently the seller was upset because at the end of one of my comments in the report I said the staircase was "wobbly, unsound and dangerous." 

You create a dangerous safety issue and I should not identify it as dangerous?

Go ahead and report me!  To whom!?  The County?  You sure you want the County showing up about this, buddy?  My home inspection associations?  They would publish this nationwide and use you as a poster boy!  The state?  Your congressman?  Who!!

AND PLEASE DO!  I want to show up at the same time as some committee of Harumphers with a couple of hula hoops.  And I am going to ask that the seller and the oldest, fattest, most vulnerable Harumpher stand on the third step and do the hula hoop dance together! 

LET'S WATCH... 

My recommendation:  when sellers object in ways that are a bit out there and over the top about a home inspection report, confront it head on!  And have them call me so I can enjoy another laugh!  We don't laugh enough.

 

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC  

Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia

www.jaymarinspect.com


 
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299 Comments on I'm Being Reported

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

AUG
26
2011

Jay, the seller's agent shoulda known better than to interfere with inspection results, period. If the agent continues to harrass you, bring it up to his/her broker first - who should appreciate you bringing it to their attention. If that doesn't work, I'm sure the local Realtor association would frown on this type of behavior. The seller's agent oughta be thanking you for making her job easier...now she has ammunition to get her client to bring those stairs into compliance. What a neanderthal!

4:07pm • #280
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Dave - this was a lot of energy for little benefit!

S&D - cobbler's kids syndrome?  It's all repairable though!

Dorte - this was a pretty fun experience!  It may never happen again though.

Eric - I agree about the last words!  But I didn't expect this to go very far and it didn't.  Just bluster.

7:38pm • #281
AUG
27
2011
343,637 Points 14 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Dear Jay -
The issue is not the stairs but personal responsibility. The Seller can report anything he wants but that won't solve the danger there. The Seller should have fixed the danger spots BEFORE he put the house up for sale. In fact, I bet it would be funny to hear the Seller try to explain to the Judge why you are at fault! 
Have a happy day,
Lynn

1:31am • #282
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thanks Lynn.  That's why I laughed.  It wasn't out of arrogance or anything, just the silliness of it all.  Report me?  To whom?  And I really want to be present!

5:33am • #283
AUG
28
2011
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Carla - it seems they got over it real quick, but what a waste of time all that was!

3:58am • #285
1 Featured Post

Uh, Uh, Uh...    

Really?

 

 

8:05pm • #286
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

That's what I thought at the beginning of the phone call Mark!  Then I started laughing...

8:52pm • #287
AUG
31
2011
1 Featured Post Outside Blog

The seller should say to himself, wow if  I repair this asap, I might have a sell.  Also buyers usually think if this is in such bad shape, what else is.  He got defensive for nothing. 

10:03am • #288
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Shannon - there were a few other things on this house! For the seller to focus on this was a bit odd. But I thought it was a bunch of bluster and it seems to have been!
6:54pm • #289
JAN
19
2012
186,125 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

So, were you ever reported? Those stairs look like the moment someone walks on them the person will go flying into the wall. :)

4:16pm • #290
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

No Pam.  Who would they report me to?!  They were just trying to intimidate me.  Didn't work.

Got a hula hoop though, should we need one?

5:46pm • #291
599,349 Points 79 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Jay,

Looks fairly similar to another staircase that we both saw pretty recently!

9:29pm • #292
JAN
20
2012
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Remember it well Brian!  Blogged about it also.  Loooove staircases!  Bummer I didn't have any hula hoops for our inspection.  I should keep a stock of them.

Interesting, your phone call yesterday.  Right after it was a phone call from the daughter of a previous client for whom I also indicated had CSST gas tubing.  This daughter's house was struck by lightening 2 days later!  I have an inspection this morning to examine the repairs done to the house (pre-drywall).  I am VERY interested to see this!  I will probably follow this was a blog also.

3:58am • #293
118,017 Points Outside Blog Hit Router

that looks so unsafe! What are you being reported for? Being honest?

1:47pm • #294
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Oh, they flew off the handle Liane with an immediate thought to "report" me.  To whom?  Who knows!  But no, it never happened.  I was really hoping they would though!

2:22pm • #295
JAN
23
2012
496,240 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Jay, great post and I hope all went well in the end.  Some people are amazing.

6:01am • #296
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thanks Bob.  The end is that nothing happened.  What could they have done to me really?

6:08am • #297
OCT
04
236,237 Points 5 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Oh it couid be worse. I thought the title said you were being deported!

9:50pm • #298
OCT
05
973,440 Points 349 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I wasn't born in any state Wayne.  I was born in Washington DC.  They would have to deport me back to there.

NOOOOO!

3:09am • #299

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Jay Markanich - N. Virginia Home Inspector

Bristow, VA

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Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC

Address: 12315 Sherborne Street, Bristow, VA, 20136

Office Phone: (703) 330-6388

Cell Phone: (703) 585-7560

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