One only has to be involved a short while in the inspection field to notice there is an unfortunate tension between inspectors and Realtors.

Realtors who have had an experience with an alarmist inspector who 'killed the deal' will cringe at the thought of a repeat performance, On the other hand, inspectors who have felt pressure to under-report by an anxious agent are upset and resentful since they are working ultimately for the buyer (but depend on the agent for referrals) and carry as much liability as the agents, perhaps more.

Who's in trouble if the inspector misses or doesn't report something in order to make the sale go though?  First the inspector for negligence, secondly the Realtor and the home seller for lack of full disclosure. Of course you can claim ignorance on the contract to any number of things, but the wise buyer sees a red herring when someone has lived in a home for years but claims to know so little about its condition.

And so, we have two polarized camps: agents who regard the inspector and the inspection process with some amount of fear and loathing, and inspectors who regard agents with the same.

I have two thoughts on this sad state of gridlock.....maybe three.

First, as you know, we inspectors have a legal duty to report according to our State's Standards of Practice, for the sake of our clients, the home-buyers.

That being said, an inspector need not by the tone of his voice or the look on his face or the writing of his report, convey to the home-buyer that what he has found is extraordinarily awful or disastrous. The inspector, as the 'expert' has a lot of influence with the home-buyer, and must use that influence wisely.

It has been my experience that most things can be fixed or rectified and while the house is the house and all broken things or unsafe conditions should be accurately described, the injection of emotionalism is rarely appropriate. This is already an emotional event for the potential buyer. So the information should be conveyed in a calm, concise and reassuring manner. Of course, if there is an unsafe condition that makes the house uninhabitable, the news may not be reassuring, but it still can be conveyed calmly.

Not many people know how to walk this fine line of fully informing, but not being alarmist, especially if there are some serious conditions with the house. We certainly strive to do so.

But what if we could change the parameters, fully disclose and yet have everyone feel good about it ? There is a better way. for everyone involved: from the seller, to the buyer, to the agent and the inspector. The solution is to change the order in which the inspection is done.  That is, the inspection should happen first.

In other words, the inspection should be ordered and paid for by the seller long before the buyer arrives on the scene. I know the seller will have immediate objections to shelling out $300 up front, but the benefits, both monetarily and otherwise, are much greater in the long run.

Suppose we convince our seller to get a 'Pre-listing Inspection'.  What are the benefits ?

• We discover the issues that the buyer's inspector would have found anyway
• Seller can choose to fix or sell as is: either way, no need to negotiate price before closing
• If seller want's to fix issues, they save 2x the $$$ by shopping contractors on their own timetable, than if they waited to find someone to fix it right before closing.
• Pre-inspected homes sell quicker, for more money than they otherwise would.
• Full disclosure protects everyone, especially the homeowner and the Realtor, from costly litigation.

The money saved by the seller in avoiding last minute negotiations ( lowering the asking price) with the buyer or hiring 11th hour contractors is a great deal more than the $300 spent up front by the seller.

So the seller is richer, the agent is richer and the inspector is happier.  What about the buyer ?

Homes that are in top condition sell quicker because no buyer wants spend cash out of pocket to fix a lot of problems. So the buyer is happier to buy a home in top condition, or to at least know that the price takes into consideration that the roof leaks and the plumbing needs updating.

But there is more we can do to reassure the buyer.

After the pre-listing inspection, the seller puts our exclusive 'No Denied Claim's' Home Warranty on the house, covering all those items that were repaired as per the findings of the inspection.

Now the buyer knows he has nothing to worry about. He has a great home and if anything does happen to the covered systems or items in the following year he knows without a doubt that the home warranty will cover it. (Regarding the seller, just add the cost of the inspection and the warranty to the selling price)

And there's one other thing only Advantage Inspection can offer.  Buyer and seller get a 10% off coupon to use on purchases at Lowes Home Improvement Stores, a value worth up to $500.

This has the potential to make the inspection FREE to the seller,by virtue of the money saved in th purchasing of supplies or appliances at Lowes to fix up the house in preparation to sell it, or for their new home.

Let's re-think the way things have always been done.  Lets do it better.  That's what Advantage Inspection is all about.

Thanks, 

Philip Lamachio, Advantage Inspection Clear View, Serving the Greater Piedmont Area

7B Corporate Center Ct.

Greensboro, N.C. 27408   336-327-5523    336-369-2173 

www.philip-advantageinspectionclearview.com

NACHI