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IMO your real estate agent's referrals are probably as good as your agent. If your agent is the type to tell you whatever you need to hear to get you to buy a home then he or she probably refers in other people who will help that cause. If your agent is patient about getting you in a home that is right for you so you'll refer other good clients to them then they are more likely to refer in quality help. If you feel that your agent is surrounded by dubious people then your agent is likely cut from the same cloth.
I agree that the better your agent is, the better everything will likely be, including any referral that you might get from him or her. However, the system of referrals can cause inspectors to feel that they are beholden to the agents that refer thousands of dollars worth of business to them. Even if the agent is great, the inspector may still feel reticent about hitting their house hard. And it's not just about putting things in the report or not, it's about how they are explained to the client, both written and verbal. It can be a delicate political game.
Also, there is usually another agent on the other side of the transaction and the inspector may feel more beholden to that agent. Or beholden to both. So even if he knows the buyer's agent likes the hardest possible inspection, he might not want to pi$$ off the seller's agent who might not have the same attitude. The result can be a malaise of watered down reports and watered down and sanitized discussions because some inspectors simply don't want to make enemies on either side of the transaction and they don't want the dreaded reputation as a deal killer.
Sorry but having a great agent does not make you immune to the potential inspector referral nonsense, although obviously having a good agent helps things.
Usually with Valleys I can get up decently steep ones though just using running shoes. Makes it way easier. But yeah 12/12 ain’t happening regardless of what I’m wearing, unless it’s a jet pack. My own house is a 16/12 so, never going up there either. But, it’s pretty easy to see from the ground at that angle.
I agree that the better your agent is, the better everything will likely be, including any referral that you might get from him or her. However, the system of referrals can cause inspectors to feel that they are beholden to the agents that refer thousands of dollars worth of business to them. Even if the agent is great, the inspector may still feel reticent about hitting their house hard. And it's not just about putting things in the report or not, it's about how they are explained to the client, both written and verbal. It can be a delicate political game.
Also, there is usually another agent on the other side of the transaction and the inspector may feel more beholden to that agent. Or beholden to both. So even if he knows the buyer's agent likes the hardest possible inspection, he might not want to pi$$ off the seller's agent who might not have the same attitude. The result can be a malaise of watered down reports and watered down and sanitized discussions because some inspectors simply don't want to make enemies on either side of the transaction and they don't want the dreaded reputation as a deal killer.
Sorry but having a great agent does not make you immune to the potential inspector referral nonsense, although obviously having a good agent helps things.
So you think an inspector might be “more beholden” to the seller’s agent, even though they were hired by the buyer and if they were referred at all it was by the buyer’s agent?
I mean, even if the inspector wasn’t referred at all, they probably want future referrals. Heck, using your logic one might think an inspector that wasn’t referred might work harder in order to earn referrals from the agent(s) in the future. Many would argue that they would do that by doing a good job. Skeptics would argue they would do that by getting the deal to close.
Any inspector that wants to make a living wants referrals. So what is your solution?
So you think an inspector might be “more beholden” to the seller’s agent, even though they were hired by the buyer and if they were referred at all it was by the buyer’s agent?
I mean, even if the inspector wasn’t referred at all, they probably want future referrals. Heck, using your logic one might think an inspector that wasn’t referred might work harder in order to earn referrals from the agent(s) in the future. Many would argue that they would do that by doing a good job. Skeptics would argue they would do that by getting the deal to close.
Any inspector that wants to make a living wants referrals. So what is your solution?
Their solution is to let the buyer choose whatever with no guidance, unless they guide them. I know - stupid. Take the person that might buy a house every 5 years and put them in charge of one of the most critical aspects of buying.
I’ve found it easier to list them on ignore. It shortened the thread by 6 pages!
So you think an inspector might be “more beholden” to the seller’s agent, even though they were hired by the buyer and if they were referred at all it was by the buyer’s agent?
I mean, even if the inspector wasn’t referred at all, they probably want future referrals. Heck, using your logic one might think an inspector that wasn’t referred might work harder in order to earn referrals from the agent(s) in the future. Many would argue that they would do that by doing a good job. Skeptics would argue they would do that by getting the deal to close.
Any inspector that wants to make a living wants referrals. So what is your solution?
I dont' know. How much business does the seller's agent refer to the inspector when he/she is acting as a buyer's agent? I don't really understand your point. It's not just about one transaction it's about the 'value' of the referral relationship. so it doesn't matter much that in that one transaction, the inspector was referred by the buyer's agent. If the sellers agent's referrals are worth a lot to the inspector, then he may feel beholden to him.
You say 'doing a good job' and 'work harder' but that's relative. if the inspector starts to feel that the agent is the real 'client' then they may do what they think the agent wants instead of what's right for the client/home buyer. In fact, the agent's financial interests do not align with the client's so it's a mistake to assume that doing right by the agent means doing right by the client. And the inspector may just assume that the agent wants the deal to close easily and quickly. Who knows? When there's a web of people beholden to other people, and a complicated web of interests, the normal rules of economics don't apply and a consumer has no chance of guessing what's going on.
JB, you spend all this time talking about how Real Estate Agents and now inspectors are hopelessly corrupt because they *gasp* get paid for completing their work....
Do you have the same basic distrust of hourly workers because they will undoubtedly work as slowly as they can, to get paid more... or salaried workers, who have no incentive at all to do a good job or get anything done?
The same economics and basic truths that are true anywhere else in human civilization are true in real estate. It's not disconnected from the "normal rules of economics", it's grounded in them. For long term survival in a free market economy, most people have to do good work and provide a good value or they go out of business. Period.... End of story.
FWIW, not that it matters, but seldom does the listing agent even know who the inspector was. It is not something buyers agents usually divulge to the seller or the listing agent.
FWIW, not that it matters, but seldom does the listing agent even know who the inspector was. It is not something buyers agents usually divulge to the seller or the listing agent.
Regional.
I always know who is inspecting my listings.
They have to make an appointment to inspect, and they sign their reports.
And, any repair request cites their reports.
In fact, the agent's financial interests do not align with the client's
I think this is the crux of the issue. Good agents believe that their financial interests DO align with the clients, because they want *gasp* referrals, and the best way to get them is to have happy cllents.
I’ve had a tough time finding good agents myself, but there’s not some giant conspiracy between all real estate agents to screw over as many consumers as possible. It’s just that there are a lot of people out there that suck at their jobs. In all fields. Is that % higher among real estate agents? Probably. But as mentioned, a lot of those agents probably don’t last long-term.
Their solution is to let the buyer choose whatever with no guidance, unless they guide them. I know - stupid. Take the person that might buy a house every 5 years and put them in charge of one of the most critical aspects of buying.
I’ve found it easier to list them on ignore. It shortened the thread by 6 pages!
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to RoamingTX again.
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