Who has to be at the Home Inspection?

This is very good advice to share with prospective home buyers.

The home inspection provides an opportunity to learn much about their new home.

In our area home inspections take 3 to 4 hours. The buyer and the buyer's agent usually come for the last hour and the inspector walks all present parties around during this last hour to point out all that he or she has found. The only time a listing agent goes is if the buyer's agent has some kind of emergency and can't make it and can't find someone from their own office to cover for them. Sellers should not be there but sometimes are. As a buyer's agent I go to my home inspections but it is something that fewer and fewer buyer agents are doing in our area - it's actually getting to be considered "old school". To me, it just makes it easy for me to deliver a higher level of service than other agents.

Hi Scott - You're right that customs vary across the country, but I'd guess that the one constant is that the buyer should always attend. Have a great weekend!

It does differ state to state but we are required to attend as a Buyers agent but not as the listing agent Scott Godzyk. It actually reads a little different but that has also been our company policy. Don't just sit in the car but don't interfere either ...

Many of the home inspectors go alone since so many homes are vacant. This is a small town and we know them well enough to call and get a full rundown.

Scott Godzyk - I have seen some buyers trying to pass this on to their agents.

Not the best idea for sure.

Scott,

You're right...local rules can vary. Here in my market area, it's generally the buyer and their agent only. While the contract gives the sellers the right to be there, it discouraged by their agent.

Rich

Buyers and buyers agent at the end for a verbal review only.  Who the heck has time to watch someone work for 2-3 hrs.? Or who wants to?- lol.  I respect people's time.  

Sellers or sellers agents? No way.  Buyers inspections are to be confidential. The sellers/listing agents want to know about the house their selling?  Read the written report (for full disclosure) or pay for your own inspection ahead of time (the way it should be.)  

Regardless, the stuff that is discussed is verbal and more or less "hearsay." The written/documented information, in the inspection report, is what's most important, binding, and stops the he said/she said or the telephone game nonsense that usually occurs when too many ears are present. 

FWIW, here is a statemement I include in every report, which was created by one of my mentors, Russel Ray:

Information in Your Home Inspection Report shall always supersede any and all discussion and/or communication (verbal, email, written, and other forms) at the time of the inspection and prior to the report being issued unless such discussion is specifically included in writing. I often get into discussions about various things with my Clients and their Realtors at the time of the inspection. Please remember that discussions are simply that, discussions. Any verbal discussions are not the actual report, and, in all likelihood, many discussions may not appear in the report. Read your complete report immediately regardless of what you heard, or think you heard, at the inspection. Read about your prospective property before it becomes your property. Not completely reading Your Home Inspection Report immediately is a mistake that could have significant financial repercussions for you in the future. If you have any questions about any discussions at the time of the inspection, you should try and clarify those discussions with me now, not later. I will try to help you to the best of my abilities.

I attend all my homes inspections.  I've only missed one.  In the meantime, I've had inspectors tell me how rare it is to see the Buyer's Agent present.  Pity.  

Both the buyer and his agent need to be there. Allowing the inspector to ans questions as the buyer may have....

The home inspection is the time that the buyers learn a lot about the home they are buying. Usually, the inspector wants the buyer there for the last hour so he/she can go over what was found and what will be in the report. I make sure everyone gets in, but I let them do their job followed up by their report. In California, the buyer and seller agents have to write off on what THEY found in their inspection on the disclosures, not what the INSPECTORS found. And that's why I DON'T go to the home inspections, because I am not the expert. I have gone in the past if my buyer can't be there, ditto the final walk-through--usually an out-of-town buyer. In essence, I let the home inspector do his job! Ditto with other inspections. I will make sure those who need to get in to inspect, get in. As to the seller, he gets a copy of the home inspection if the buyer wants to get something fixed.

It's common for inspector, buyer, and buyers agent to attend home inspection. Occasionally the seller will be home due to kids, their schedule, or they work from home. Sellers agent rarely attends home inspections unless the seller requests that they attend.