I recieved a phone call today from a prospective client who lives in New Jersey. I live in middle TN. He wanted to know my opinion of the quality of home construction in this area. We had a short discusion and this is what he reveled to me.
After signing his contract he started to hear things about the lack of building code inforcement in this area and the quality of construction so he started to get nervous. He called my office to scope out his options and not knowing that he had already signed his contract I walked him through the normal process of the home inspection and assured him that if there were any serious defects in the home that through his realtor he could continue to negociate with the seller to have things resolved or worst case senario he would get his ernest money back and he could keep on looking.
That's when he told me the agent he was working with was also the listing agent of the property and that his phone call to me was after the fact.
He had declined the right to a home inspection based completely on the advice of his real estate agent.
His real estate agent had informed him/advised him that the house was in good shape and that he didn't need to spend his money on a home inspection.
In addition to the massive liability that a real estate agent places on himself/herself by offering such advice as this, what about the ethical issues involved here.
If you are a real estate agent, really, I would like to know, what is your opinion of the approch and advice that this associate of yours offered to this client.
Do any of you have advice for your fellow agents that might be tempted to offer the same advice to clients of their own. What about the ethical issues? What is the correct attitude and approach of an informed and ethical real estate agent in reguard to the clients right to a professional home inspection?
Waiting to hear back, Paul
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