Why You Should Be There During a Home Inspection - Angi Can or will buyers and sellers blame their home inspectors if they contract the virus? The seller still owns the place until the sign says sold. Who All Can Attend a Home Inspection On the other hand, some agents insist on attending the inspection. (story continues below) By proceeding, you consent to receive calls and texts at the number you provided, including marketing by autodialer and prerecorded and artificial voice, and email, from Realtor.com and othersPersons who may contact you include real estate professionals such as agents and brokers, mortgage professionals such as lenders and mortgage brokers, realtor.com and its affiliates, insurers or their agents, and those who may be assisting any of the foregoing. The answers vary. The agent is hired to represent the client, and representing the client means being there when needed. I am there as a resource for them and to help them negotiate, but not to make decisions. And, what works for one inspector may not work for another. As I am sitting down the block waiting for my home to be inspected for the sale, I am concerned the the inspector is in my home, with no one watching my property. My home is well maintained with an Inspection done about 2 years ago during a refinance but I cancelled and there were no deficiencies in this 45 minute inspection. You could also request a $2,000 price drop on the house because you will have to replace the water heater when you move in. Agents represent their client, and the sooner they are aware of a given issue the sooner it can be addressed. Should real estate agents attend all home inspections? - Easy Agent PRO Only the buyers and their Agent really is all that is needed. Thank you for sharing the pros and cons of the parties being at the inspection. She gave a totally unknown stranger access to my home. During a standard home inspection, your inspector will generally observe more than 200 elements throughout the interior and exterior of the home. Clients will appreciate your preparation. It is not the time to do a walk through nor is a time to upset the seller. Utah Association of REALTORS | 230 West Towne Ridge Parkway, Suite 500, Sandy, Utah 84070 | Phone: (801) 676-5200 The only people that should attend an inspection are those individuals that will be on the mortgage and their realtor because they are the ones that need to make decisions. a substitute for a professional home inspection, and carries very limited weight in the negotiation process. Also, if the buyer is present, they can get further clarification for any questions or concerns about the condition of the house. They can also ask questions about what is found during the inspection, how the home's various systems work, and what needs to be done for repairs and improvements. (story continues). A house can seem like its in good condition during a showing, but there are likely a few hidden problems that need to be addressed. Here are some common items on buyers home repair lists, although sellers may or may not be willing to fix them: Its easy to eyeball a potential problem and say, It looks like theres been water damage or That roof is looking a little worn. Its quite another to have evidence of how extensive the damage is and an estimate of how much it will cost to fix. I feel that the known realtor of the buyers, who has the code for the key, should be in there and responsible. We recommend assessing what you and your business are comfortable with in this environment, as well as following the mandates given by your state. I think realtors should be present at all times and that their clients need to be aware of keeping the house clean and NOT to leave clients alone in the home. By having clients come at the end of the inspection, you can better guide how the inspection goes, especially if you set the expectation before the inspection takes place. They feel that having the seller's agent there makes it difficult for the buyer and the buyer's agent to. While the home inspector will take photos and develop a report on the state of the house, it helps some buyers see the issues in person. This is particularly true when inspecting the attic, roof, and electrical panel. Most buyers will include an inspection window in the offer (typically 7-10 days) that the seller agrees to. Similarly, weve found that people who are present for the inspection generally find the final inspection report a lot easier to understand and talk over with their real estate professional all because they took the time to learn something about their new home! Home Inspectors: Should Clients Attend Your Inspections? Home inspectors have many thoughts when it comes to clients attending their inspections. Keep notes about the various topics you discussed with your client. Not only do I want to be shown whats wrong, but learn from an expert so that I can be better informed for the next client, says Rich-Boxman. Inspections are intended to provide the client with a better understanding of property conditions as observed at the time of the inspection, but not to tell you whether or not to buy the property. Our goal here at Windy City is to not only inspect, but to educate as well. WHY would you allow complete strangers to go through someones home unsupervised? Gordon Glidden from Inland Lakes Inspection Services in Michigan agrees. Required fields are marked *. Based upon our years of experience inspecting homes, in general, we recommend that a home buyer attend the last hour of the inspection. A home inspection is a non-invasive visual examination of the readily accessible systems and components of a home. At this point in the contract, the agents should merely be the mediators for the buyer and seller. Cathie Ericson writes about real estate, finance, and health. He never bothered to read the listing he held in his hand. It would be really interesting to see what the majority of real estate agents think about who should attend the home inspection. Follow these steps to make the most of the process. Limit the number of people coming for the inspection. the agent can often review the results of the home inspection while still allowing the buyer to come to his or her own conclusions. While it is certainly valid, the opinion of a contractor or handyman is. And, when drafting your report, pay extra attention to said topics. But even when youve taken all the precautions you can, there is no guarantee you wont receive a claim. They were sitting around my dining table talking. Do we all pass the same BRE TEST. A home inspector wont give your future home a passing or a failing grade. The buyers brought a friend and their agent did not attend,, Im very upset. I agree with you totally, I just had a home inspection and they took five hours. This, she says, makes her a better real estate agent and allows her to better serve her clients. She explains that attending home inspections has allowed her to learn more about possible problems within the home and whats typical for the area. The average cost of a home inspection can range from $300 - $450 but varies depending on different factors such as the location, age and size of the home. A Buyer's Home Inspection Checklist | Rocket Mortgage Try our service today and hire a Realtor you can trust. This way, you balance giving buyers and sellers the attention they deserve while still providing as thorough an inspection as possible. Here in Illinois, it is not unheard of for the listing agent for the home to be present, to open the doors to the property and represent the seller during the inspection, as needed. MoreYou also agree to our Terms of Use, and to our Privacy Policy regarding the information relating to you. Have any more questions about what goes into the home inspection process? If you find a seller doesn't want the buyers to attend the inspection, that's a big red flag. They had that opportunity during the open house or showing. Should Sellers Be Present at the Home Inspection? If you dont understand something, ask what the inspector means or how big of an issue a noted repair is. Also, if your inspector is doing a 3 minute elevator pitch at the end of the inspection then hes probably misleading the client/buyer. 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Copyright 2023 Citadel Insurance Services, LC. Read our stress-free guide to getting a mortgage, 7 Things Your Home Inspector Wishes You Knew, What Does a Home Inspector Look For? The buyer hires the home inspector and pays for their services. It's generally best to hire a home inspector as soon as a purchase agreement or contract has been signed. Should The Seller Attend The Home Inspection? Some inspectors are reluctant to check the air conditioning in the cold of winter or blast the heater during the scorching summer months. Im quite true that real estate agents presence during a home inspection can influence the buyers perception and opinion about the house. I think we always are looking at the buyers side. If the repairs are too extensive and too costly, you may be able to recoup your earnest money deposit especially if the seller tried to hide these issues. For example, we sometimes see this with foundation issues, since they are easy to miss and even easier to cover up. Separating your must-haves from nice-to-haves. The inspector must let his insurance provider know about the incident and possibly prepare for a general liability (GL) claim, since bodily injury resulted from the inspection. You appear to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. Generally, home inspections can take 2-4 hours to complete, depending on the age and size of the home. He makes sure that the client knows when to arrive and what to expect from the walk-through. The current opinion is that the buyers agent is not the one buying the home and should not influence the buyer about what home defects are acceptable or non-acceptable, explains Belinda Spillman, Realtor from Colorado. Having the listing or selling agent at the inspection is like having the pharmaceutical sales rep at a visit to your doctors office. So , I told my wife we have to observe. Home inspections provide an opportunity for a buyer to identify any major issues with a home before closing. The first thing to know is that the buyer can be present when the inspector is in the home. Amanda Dodge is a writer and researcher for UpNest. I think this was an interesting take on inspections and whether the agent is there or not. All rights reserved. Hire an experienced Realtor to help you buy a home. They cant stand the thought of losing control of nay aspect of the sale. When buying a home, you can negotiate with the seller to have them pay for the cost of repairs based on the findings from the home inspection report. I am the seller. If you ever have questions, even years after your home inspection, we will be here to answer them even if it means returning to your home. The inspector, the buyer, and her mother and two uncles. The difference of opinion is very interesting in this article about how some agents are insistent on going to the inspection and others will never go to it. Banks typically require appraisals when determining whether to approve a loan. When clients are on site, inspectors must assume a certain amount of responsibility for their safety. Its always important to provide thorough documentation of your inspection findings, but it is especially so if your clients cant be onsite and your inspection assets are all they have to go off of. Hire a Realtor who can navigate a competitive market. If the buyer is there, it's more likely the inspector will thoroughly check the roof and either mention defects in his report or tell the buyer about any oddities. This article has some great information. You can either request that they make certain repairs before you agree to close or request a price change on the home based on the inspection. To connect right away, call (855) 650-5492. In MOST cases, home inspectors are happy to walk you through the inspection and have light conversation! It helps protect the buyer from purchasing a home with undisclosed problems. As a home buyer, the home inspection is your last chance to uncover defects. As an inspector I find that most agents understand that our time at the home is limited and that too many distractions can lead to defects being missed. Home inspections are required for most buyers. They have a right to know how the house works and which problems need to be addressed as soon as they close on the property. We feel that by having the buyers there [at the inspection], we can better explain our findings, said Jerry Stonger from Preferred Inspection Services in California. Citadel Insurance Services, LC This is a huge investment, and the buyer has a right to be there. Its like you read my mind! So , as I said he left them in the dust today, yet I have to fork over commission to him,,,What a waste on my monies.. Despite some inspectors being against buyers and sellers attending their inspections, there were many inspectors we interviewed that advocated for clients being present. And since most buyers are the ones paying for the home inspection, it doesn't really make sense that you . The buyer can be present during a home inspection and they should. A home inspection is one of the many steps in the home buying process. Top 20 Home Inspection Mistakes Ive Made, Inspector Claims and Risk Management: An Inside Look, How to Make More Money as a Home Inspector. Any water penetration issues, such as a wet basement or moldy walls, Local code safety violations, such as missing handrails or an unstable deck, Upgrading ungrounded electrical wiring if the house was built before the 1960s, Replacing old-style galvanized water pipes or any leaking pipes, Upgrading heating/cooling systems and water heaters. This is one of the most informative information Ive read. Even when you prefer to use the middle ground approach in theory, its not always possible to apply in practice. However, some buyers prefer to attend the inspection on their own, or the buyers agent might not be able to attend due to time constraints. Agents should never influence any decisions during the inspection. But, if this gets disturbed, errors can be made that lessen the accuracy of that information.. The real Estate agent and the inspector were on first name basis. Than they are there for 4.5 hours sitting on a seller furniture using the bathroom. To learn how effective communication mitigates your risk, check out this article.
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