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It's not Hard to Like Agents Like This

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Home Inspector with SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties 450.004175

It's not Hard to Like Agents Like This. 

I am a home inspector, with two inspectors on our team. While not the largest inspection company in Illinois, we are pretty big in our small part of the world. We complete approximately 600 inspections each year, and have been steadily growing for every one of the 13 years in business. In this time, I have been able to work with literally hundreds of real estate agents. I have seen first hand the various ways of selling methods employed by these agents. Again, I'm not an agent, but I have been in sales for all my adult life, having sold lumber and building materials for over 30 years. I know what excellent and also what poor customer service looks like. 

Excellent service agents have always made it a point to attend the inspection. They always are there to make sure their client is comfortable, not scared, not freaking out because I just took a picture of a loose dryer vent or a window latch that's missing or a handrail hanging off the wall going down to the basement. Those little random items can snowball into such an avalanche when I finally see something that is actually a real big-time concern, they decide to walk away from the deal. I've seen it happen so many times when I am there with just the buyer. Many times they are a first time buyer, so they're extra stressed out. 

Having the realtor at the inspection is such a huge positive influence on the buyer, it amazes me that every agent doesn't make it a priority. One of the facts that I have seen first hand is this; I get more calls from real estate agents about something that is on the report, after they decided it wasn't a priority to attend the inspection. They don't understand something, don't see why I had to add it to the report, wonder why their client walked away from the deal, and have the thought to ask me "What did you say to the buyer? They are so freaked out, you must have said something to scare them away from this house."

What's so interesting about this is, the agents who attend the inspections with their buyers know exactly what I say, and how I say it, and how we try and explain things to the buyers so there is less stress, less nervousness, less walking away from the deal, all because the agent was there during the inspection. Seems so simple, but those are the agents I love to work with.

 

 Scott Seaton-The Home Inspector With A Heart 

SLS Home Inspections @815-644-6271

Inspecting homes like yours in the Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Illinois area since 2007.

Real Estate inspections with same day report delivery. 

Mold and air quality testing

FREE 90 day Homeowners Warranty. Included with every inspection.

FREE Sewergard protection for the first 90 days. covers up to $4000 of sewer or water main repairs.

FREE Recallchek appliance recall service. Included with every inspection.

FREE Moldsafe coverage on every inspection.

FREE Platinum Roof Protection Plan with 5 year leak repair coverage.

FREE $100,000 One Year NXT Structural warranty

Visit my website at  www.illinois-home-inspector.us or 

like me on facebook at

 https://www.facebook.com/SLSHomeInspections

 
Scott L Seaton
The Home Inspector with a Heart
815-644-6271
www.illinois-home-inspector.us
faye schubert
Retired - Branson, MO
Living the Branson Lake Life

I almost experienced a catastrophe due to a poor inspector AND my agent was not present (the buyers agent was there). He left my gas stove on, set my a/c to 60 degrees (south Louisiana in summer), set all my thermostats on my roof vents to lowest temp (was raining that day) . We were out of town when this occured.  Fortunately there was a power outage and my gas stove cut off, or I'm not sure what would have happened a week later when I would have opened the door and turned on the light switch.

Feb 07, 2021 07:30 AM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp

Thanks for the comment Faye, I left a stove on one time, 10 years ago. I remembered when I pulled into my driveway. I turned around, drove 15 miles back to the vacant house, and it was indeed on. Lesson learned? Walk through the entire house before I walk out the door.  

Feb 08, 2021 07:17 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Scott - one of the many things I have learned over the years, is that business is handled differently.  Not just regionally but by individual.  Early on in my real estate career, I kearned the home inspection process was an important part of a real estate transaction and that I should be there.  Not only when representing a buyer but for a seller as well who was typically not present.  There have been experiences where I have seen/been told that brokerages or individual decisions have been made that agents and even prinicipals do not attend inspections.  To me, the more one knows, the better informed he/she/they become.  I am sure in your business(and life) you can see these and other parts of life.  And how they are "received".  

Feb 07, 2021 07:44 AM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp

Thanks Michael, It amazes me when an agent says, I don't want to know, that way I'm not liable. Liable for what? Knowing your client will need some advice and you can say, "I didn't hear that."

Feb 08, 2021 07:19 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Scott Seaton Jr. Bourbonnais Kankakee IL Home Inspector 

In 18+ years of working real estate full time, I have never, not once ever, missed an inspection.  I get pre-listing inspections for sellers and attend those and all buyer inspections. While I understand all tribes behave differently (same for title and escrow) ... my way is in alignment with real estate agents attending all inspections.  

Feb 07, 2021 09:04 AM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp

Thanks Kathleen, so you're one of the rare agents. Bet you never missed a day of school either. 

Feb 08, 2021 07:20 AM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Scott,

We would never not be at an inspection.  It is a learning experience for one, and it does assure the buyer.  A

Feb 07, 2021 09:20 AM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp

Thanks Ron and Alexandra, I have agents say that all the time. I always learn something from you at an inspection.

Feb 08, 2021 07:21 AM
Rocky Dickerson
Realty One Group - Las Vegas, NV
Superior Service!

Good morning Scott Seaton Jr. Bourbonnais Kankakee IL Home Inspector so glad that you posted this. It is so important for us as agents to be at the inspections

Feb 07, 2021 09:23 AM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp

Thanks Rocky, I 100% agree. 

Feb 08, 2021 07:21 AM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Scott,  Thank you for sharing this post on the importance of agent being present during the inspection.  So many issues could be averted and solutions found.

Feb 07, 2021 06:36 PM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp

Thanks Bob. BTW, my son follows you on AR, even though he isn't in the real estate business. He has a degree in Forestry and his Masters in Biology. Lives in southern Illinois on the border of the Shawnee Natl forest. 

Feb 08, 2021 07:23 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

I is supposed to be mandatory to attend the inspections as we are responsible for opening up the house. The inspection should be done so as to inform the buyer and not to panic them. If there are large issues they need to be addressed to the seller and if the seller doesn't make a or concession then they lose the buyer and time on market.  

Feb 13, 2021 05:39 AM