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What do you want in an Inspector

By William DeVries

Home Inspector with Magnum Property Inspection

October 06, 2009 05:11 AM

Easy question to ask but have you really answered it.

Agents say they want whats best for thier clients, they advertise they will go to the end of the world for them, they will be there every step of the way during the purchase process, but why as an agent do you get some of the known soft Inspectors.

Or why do you not reccommend the known thorough inspectors, the inspectors that you know will do a proper inspection, follow the SOP in which we are required to, have the E&O Insurance and the tools to do the Inspection, also the cutting edge tools for an even more indepth inspection.

The question is in a nut shell would you as an agent advise your client to walk from a house if you knew that the burden of getting in would cause them to loose the house a few years down the road. Inspections and Inspectors are in a way governed by the agents, They basically offer up three names to their client and are the ones picking the three names. If the agent knows that you (the inspector) will always find issues as any good inspector should be finding with every house because there just not built to be perfect.

If they were Mike Holmes would be out of a job, and pounding the pavement like every other contractor in Ontario. But given the fact that mistakes are made in construction, building code inspections, things get missed and in the end are found with the Property Inspector being the bad guy when in fact were only the messenger.

So how do we get and keep a good relationship with the real estate agents to keep working and get referrals and still bring to our clients which were kindly reffered from the agent the truth about the house.

So the purchaser has the proper information to make a decision if the house can be affordably purchased and repaired if need be, where if they walk from that deal the agent does not get so upset that they then drop that inspector, instead of saying ok lets find you a better house that will meet your needs and is in better condition or priced at the right amount to allow for the needed repairs.

Thanks for reading the long winded post any suggestion or comments are welcomed I am always looking for a way to better myself and bring forth a professional inspection to my clients and also for the agents involved so everyone is aware of what is going on.

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Alix Pinzon

Open Mortgage, LLC NMLS # 2975 - Downey, CA

(562)743-6086

Agents want to have the inspector in their back pocket, but they don't have to respond to the summons when you get sued, so keep doing your job the way you should be doing it. Great subject!

Oct 06, 2009 05:17 AM

Linda Powers

Resort Realty - Duck - Duck, NC

On the Outer Banks

William,

Your post is dead on. As an agent, I love a thorough inspector for my buyers, and ... I would tell them to walk if the inspection were a disaster. I do tell buyers that it is your job to find every possible item on the inspection. Some will be in need of immediate repair and the other found items will help them budget for the future home repairs.

As for my sellers, I try to brace them for the worst. They usually have no idea about items that may be found. After all most folks don't notice little issues that over time can become a hazzard.

Keep up the good work. After some time in working with you and getting your reports, agents will find you are fair in your assessment. We have one home inspector here that makes me moan for my sellers, but he will also work with them to understand the issues. Tough, but really an honest inspector who is so fair.

We all know the home inspection can kill a deal, so we cringe until both sides negotiate the contract ... again.

Again, keep up the good work. You are needed for both the buyers and sellers.

Oct 06, 2009 05:23 AM

William DeVries

Magnum Property Inspection - Picton, ON

Gregg, Linda Thanks for the replies and the honest point of views, this is one of the reasons I am trying to upgrade myself in speaking and being able to portray the issues in a non threating way and also bringing the clients to the actual cost for repairs and required information to complete repairs today tommorrow and years down the road so they have the required information to make an informed decision in the purchase. Every home has a buyer and every buyer has a home, we just need to bring them together.

Cheers

Bill

Oct 06, 2009 05:34 AM

S Emo

RE/MAX Riverview Realty - Kingston, ON

Hi Bill - as you may or may not know, your business is like any other business... the word of mouth advertising is what will make you or break you. If you are doing an excellent job and treating your clients with respect, you will be a success. If you are the type of inspector who can be realistic in looking at a home and advising the Buyer as to what is a serious concern as compared to making mountains out of molehills, then you will be referred on to others. If you can look at an older home and not expect that it satisfy all of today's codes, you will be successful. If you are an inspector who doesn't attempt to scare the buyer away from their first choice to allow a second invoice on a second home than you will be cheered by many.

I wish you success in 2010.

Jan 21, 2010 04:10 AM

As I tell clients, if there looking at century homes one thing must be brought to the front, there actually a hobbie, and must be looked in this view to appreciate them, some are les expensive to do, so will cost more to really enjoy the hobbie more, some hobbies will take lots of work, some a little but you must remember century homes will always be a hobbie.

All homes are not perfect, some are worse then others, from fixers to mansions, there is a buyer for every home and a home for every buyer, our jobs as a collective are to help buyers find the house that they can afford, renovations wise, tax wise, maintenance wise, and when these are met, a wise buyer will buy.

I inspect homes for buyers, and sellers, I tell the clients what is good and bad, I show defects as they are and for what they are. We all must remember anything can be fixed, and I mean anything. Some people are just better suited financially to handle more, some are better suited to do more work for the dream home, and some just can't be bothered to do or wait to have it done. We need to address these as well when we are working with our clients.

Knowing what they can afford to renovate, what they can renovate and what the time frame is will also play into the decision of which house they want to buy to make a home. I pride my self in getting to know my clients enough to be able to help provide honest unbiased information to make this a reality for them.

Thanks for the great comments

Jan 21, 2010 12:40 PM

What do you want in an Inspector

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