The Good The Bad And The Ugly

Home Inspectors

You probably thought I was referring to Clint Eastwood staring down a couple of hombres in the scorching desert sun preparing for a gun fight. Not at all. I was referring to Home Inspectors. Some good. Some bad. And well, let's not get into personal appearance here.

Any agent that has been a part of many home inspections know that inspectors come in different shapes and sizes. Meaning, basically, some are better than others. The same goes for any industry though, we must take the good with the bad. Right?


Unfortunately, when it comes to home inspections, there's too much at stake for all parties involved especially the buyers and sellers to leave an ispection up to a inspector of questionable experience. There is nothing worse than having to explain to a seller why they were told a light fixture needs replacment, when the only problem was that the inspector could not find the right switch.


Or why a seller is expected to pay for an engineering report showing the Manufactured Home they have lived in for nearly a decade, and bought using V.A. Financing was not installed with proper tie downs, when the only problem was the inspector was too large to fit through the crawl space access area and had no idea they were installed properly 10 years ago.


Or believe it or not, when a seller is faced with a recommendation from a home inspector to cut a hole in the homes hard wood floors to create an access area to the crawl space measuring 18"x30" because the one in the foundation is not up to today's codes and is only 12"x30". Believe it! It happens all the time. Why? Because there are no regulatory standards to enforce Home Inspector Qualifications. In other words, anyone can become a home inspector. That's right! Anyone.

Since the vast majority of real state professionals are burdened with concerns of liability, many shy away form recommending any particular inspector, and with that I cry foul. How, in the course of any transaction can an agent assure their client that the professionals involved with the many facets of a real estate transaction are qualified, experienced, and professional, if they leave the responsibility of selecting a home inspector to their clients by letting their fingers do the walking? I say you can't.


It is the responsibility of all agents to assure their clients that the home buying process is handled by competent and responsible professionals. From the agent themselves to the Mortgage Lender, the Title Company, the Closing Company and everyone in between. Although there are rare cases when a buyer or seller has selected real estate related professionals prior to the selection of a real estate agent, it is imperative to coordinate all parties during the transaction, and to advise buyers and sellers while undergoing the closing process and it helps all parties when we know the ones involved are experienced.

By arming your clients with the knowledge that inspectors are experienced professionals, buyers and sellers can avoid unnecessary showdowns and battles that leave everyone burnt from the scorching threat of inexperience.