Admin

Who is inspecting for HUD?

By
Home Inspector with Greens Home Design L.L.C. AZBTR #49380

I did an inspection shortly before Christmas.  The buyer is from Tucson.  She made the mistake of calling the name on the sign.  The home is owned by HUD.  The agent that was assigned to her by the guy on the sign, which never returned her phone call, said that a company inspected the home for HUD.  That company said that all the electrical equipment and plumbing was in working order.

Broken Water PipeWhen I arived at the home in Buckeye I hunted down the water meter.  That in itself was not an easy task.  There was many leaves covering the lid.  I opened the lid and cleaned the dirt from around the valve.  The dirt looked as if it had not been disturbed for at least a year.  The ring that the water company puts through the valve to lock the water off had completely rusted through.  As soon as I turned the water on it began gushing out of a pipe under the corner of the home.  I shut it off and investigated further.  Copper thieves had broken the flex connecter that supplied the house.  Not a single drop of water made it into the house.

 

 

 

 

 

Stolen copper wireWhen I went to the electric meter all the wire from there to the panel inside the home was gone.  Whoever took it sure did a lot of damage to the back door and the panel inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damaged panel

The neighbors told the buyer that the wire was stollen over a year ago.  How could the HUD inspection company certify that everything worked in this home when there was no sign that they ever even drove to Buckeye to view the home?

The buyer is buying it as-is for cash.  Should this buyer be able to force HUD or the inspection company to make the repairs?

 

For all your Arizona House Plans and Phoenix Home Inspection needs contact me.

602-326-4061

 

Comments(8)

Show All Comments Sort:
Joetta Fort
The DiGiorgio Group - Arvada, CO
Independent Broker, Homes Denver to Boulder

They SHOULD be able to! But 'should' is pretty much meaningless when dealing with huge institutions like HUD. Too bad the buyers don't have an agent representing them, that agent could go to bat for them. I know some people will say it's impossible, but I've done a lot of things people said couldn't be done, so I'd try! 

Dec 29, 2010 03:21 AM
Jeff Lundquist
United Country Premier Real Estate - Annandale, MN
Jeff Lundquist

Good luck getting HUD to do anything about repairs, that won't happen. Many times the inspections are done by the HUD hired inspectors a year or more in advance of the house coming on the market. There is also a mandatory inspection requirement every 2 weeks for the property. If that is not being done properly that needs to  be reported to HUD.

Dec 29, 2010 03:25 AM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

As long as consumers persist in calling the name/number on the yard sign, these things will continue to happen.  I have little to no sympathy for buyers who call on signs. 

I know all of the reasons htey do, but none of them make any sense.

Dec 29, 2010 03:25 AM
Loren Green
Greens Home Design L.L.C. - Buckeye, AZ
Phoenix Home Inspector & Designer

She is getting a nice size corner lot with a nice stone fenced yard.  The price is only $20,000 so the realtor is getting such a small amount that she has no incentive to fo anyting.

It is possible that the inspection was done in Nov. 2009 instead of Nov. 2010.  That could have been before the wire was stollen.  If someone was stopping in every two weeks and did more than just drive by they would have caught the damaged back door and missing wire.

Dec 29, 2010 03:37 AM
Sun City Grand Homes Surprise AZ Real Estate Leolinda Bowers Designated Broker Leolinda Realty
Leolinda Realty - Surprise, AZ
Sun City Grand in Surprise Arizona

Loren, this shows any potential buyer about the importance of having a home inspection.  It also depicts potential problems with any property, especially a bank owned.

Suggested feature

Dec 29, 2010 04:00 AM
Loren Green
Greens Home Design L.L.C. - Buckeye, AZ
Phoenix Home Inspector & Designer

Leolinda, thanks for the feature suggestion.

Dec 29, 2010 10:16 AM
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

I'd agree that the inspection was likely done well before the copper theft.  The HUD types do have some sense, not much, but some.

Dec 30, 2010 06:08 AM
Rebecca Nystrom
RE/MAX Renaissance - Phoenix, AZ

Thanks for sharing this with me.  I have to agree that the HUD inspectors are not doing a thorough job.  I went to a HUD/FHA class a month ago and the instructor (a HUD employee) had the nerve to tell the room that we, as agents, should know before submitting a bid what was wrong with a home.  Really, with no power or water and without crawling through attics?  I don't want that liabilty!

Mar 31, 2011 06:21 AM