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The point is being a QUALITY INSPECTOR DUDE, or just being an average one.
The inspector is there to help the client. If s/he presents everything as if its of the same priority to a new buyer, particularly an inexperienced one, they s/he is not doing good service to the buyer, and is also screwing the seller.
If that's the business model that you want for an inspector, then so be it. But if the inspector wants to be an honest guy who is out there to help buyers and sellers with their houses, then this is the model to follow.
There are way too many people out in the world who only care about getting their money and getting out. This is why we have such a screwed up world.
I don't disagree that an inspector should label things as safety or maintenance items, but what does that have to do with them determining a buyer's capability to take on repairs? I just think whether the buyer is capable of fixing a leaking sink is irrelevant to the home inspector. The sink leaks, they document it, the buyer decides if they are capable to handle the repair or want to. If a pocket door doesn't latch correctly and that is a big deal to a buyer and they ask for it to be adjusted so be it. The seller can say no. They don't have to be screwed over unless they agree to be. Why should the inspector determine if the buyer can handle that repair or not? Are you saying that buyers aren't capable of thinking for themselves?
You said it was the inspectors job to determine what the client is capable of doing. That has nothing to do with documenting the types of repairs needed.
I don't disagree that an inspector should label things as safety or maintenance items, but what does that have to do with them determining a buyer's capability to take on repairs? I just think whether the buyer is capable of fixing a leaking sink is irrelevant to the home inspector. The sink leaks, they document it, the buyer decides if they are capable to handle the repair or want to. If a pocket door doesn't latch correctly and that is a big deal to a buyer and they ask for it to be adjusted so be it. The seller can say no. They don't have to be screwed over unless they agree to be. Why should the inspector determine if the buyer can handle that repair or not? Are you saying that buyers aren't capable of thinking for themselves?
You said it was the inspectors job to determine what the client is capable of doing. That has nothing to do with documenting the types of repairs needed.
All good points by Silverfall. Inspectors usually do note in their reports which items are safety related. Also when they review the report with the buyer, they will typically highlight certain issues that may need particular attention. But they don't advise the seller how to negotiate with the seller, or determine if they are capable of the repair vs contracting it out.
I'll just add that the buyer's inspector owes nothing to the seller as you seem to imply. Their job is to help the buyer understand the condition of the home. They are not there to help the seller avoid repair costs.
Their job is to help the buyer understand the condition of the home. They are not there to help the seller avoid repair costs.
That's really fine and good if they are not dishonest or incompetant. The one I hired to by my home in Maine was not dishonest.
The one my buyers hired to buy my home is. When you make pronoucements that are so clearly wrong, and incorrect, there is only one reason: not to talk about the house but to get an inexperienced buyer more money in a sellers bear market, and to get their fee completely paid for by the seller.
I've mentioned a whole bunch of things. Here's another: telling the buyer in the report that the water fixture in the shower is too stiff, doesn't close completely like it should all the way to the left, that its obviously old, and that if will be expensive to repair since there is no access.
First of all, its stiff because you need to make fine gradations of hot and cold water and you want it to stay, its quite easy to turn, and my wife is 60 years old and has no problem with it. Second, its not designed to turn off to the left, only to the right. Third, its not old, it was actually installed new two weeks ago. Finally, it has easy access, if he'd even bothered to look at the wall in the closet, he would have found a full access door, and even cut-off switches to turn the water off right before the shower.
This dude was not only dishonest, he didn't know how the faucet worked, and couldn't tell the difference between a 25 years old model and a brand new one, and didn't even bother to check whether there was access.
That's really fine and good if they are not dishonest or incompetant. The one I hired to by my home in Maine was not dishonest.
The one my buyers hired to buy my home is. When you make pronoucements that are so clearly wrong, and incorrect, there is only one reason: not to talk about the house but to get an inexperienced buyer more money in a sellers bear market, and to get their fee completely paid for by the seller.
I've mentioned a whole bunch of things. Here's another: telling the buyer in the report that the water fixture in the shower is too stiff, doesn't close completely like it should all the way to the left, that its obviously old, and that if will be expensive to repair since there is no access.
First of all, its stiff because you need to make fine gradations of hot and cold water and you want it to stay, its quite easy to turn, and my wife is 60 years old and has no problem with it. Second, its not designed to turn off to the left, only to the right. Third, its not old, it was actually installed new two weeks ago. Finally, it has easy access, if he'd even bothered to look at the wall in the closet, he would have found a full access door, and even cut-off switches to turn the water off right before the shower.
This dude was not only dishonest, he didn't know how the faucet worked, and couldn't tell the difference between a 25 years old model and a brand new one, and didn't even bother to check whether there was access.
Home inspectors are licensed out here in Oregon with our contractors board. If the inspector is licensed in your state you may want to file a complaint. It's the only way to have a shot at getting incompetent people out of the industry.
I also doubt it is his intention to get the buyer more money. I am guessing he has an ego to feed about feeling competent and wants to sound important so he is talking about crazy things. I wonder what that inspector would do at a vacation house I was just at where you had to pull up and push down to turn the shower head off. That would probably throw him for a loop.
...When you make pronoucements that are so clearly wrong, and incorrect, there is only one reason: not to talk about the house but to get an inexperienced buyer more money in a sellers bear market, and to get their fee completely paid for by the seller. ...
Actually, as suggested, there are likely other reasons - incompetence, ego, etc. An inspector making such erroneous observations is more likely to end up in a blown deal. Either way the inspector gets paid by the buyer for a fixed fee, they have no incentive to help the buyer get more money.
Which is exactly why their view is preferred...
even if the RE agents don't like it.
I think many agents are open to fixed fee payments for services. As discussed elsewhere, the issue is that given a choice, most sellers and buyers would rather have the agent work on a contingency basis for free if they don't end up selling or buying a home.
Or any other incentives related to the transaction at hand.
Which is exactly why their view is preferred...
even if the RE agents don't like it.
If you are talking about the commission incentive... I am a fee-for-service agent and when given the choice, 75-80% of sellers choose to pay a commission and pay more rather than a flat rate that is guaranteed, even it if costs them less. It's a risk-reward thing. I've been doing this for 8 years now so I have some real life experience on it.
Buyers are too hard to do on a flat rate, except in FSBO cases.
The biggest problem right now is that we have a lopsided market. In any kind of market where one side has a super huge better bargaining position based on inequity in the market, there will be cheats and other dishonest or incompetant people taking advantage of either those who are buying or those who are selling. At the top of the boom it was the same, with the banks taking advantage of people who believed that they had to have a house, any house, right now. In that market, the sellers took advantage of the buyers by selling bad property.
If all the brokers and all the inspectors and all the appraisers and all the bank personnel were skilled and competent and honest, then everything would work out fine.
But in the real market none of this is true. And in lopsided markets, its even worse, way worse.
Home inspectors are licensed out here in Oregon with our contractors board. If the inspector is licensed in your state you may want to file a complaint. It's the only way to have a shot at getting incompetent people out of the industry.
He was not licensed or it would have said on his card. It said he was a membor of some trade association. I'm not sure that PA even does license them. He was very personable, and was a really glib talker. Just what you need for a con man.
If all you need is some equipment and be a member of some you pay for dues trade association, I could be a really good home inspector. I know houses inside out from renovating one completely, and from building another one from the ground up---all myself.
Maybe this is a good job for me in my retirement. Armed with a checklist from the internet and a camera and litte glib pictues from the internet I could do this, and make $1000 a day doing it. What a great job!!!
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