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Purchasing property sight unseen, seeking real estate advice about real estate inspection, buyer cannot be there for inspections, should agent be responsible for opening home
Apparently I should have posted this here instead of where I did.
I'm moving away from where I now live, and I've been searching various websites that show places for sale. I found a lot of places in the deep south from the Atlantic to Texas, from the Gulf to the northern border. I want 4 seasons and mild winters so that eliminates a lot. Every single place that appealed to me in any way, I called about or emailed for more information. Not hundreds, but not all that far from it, either. I was very clear about what I was looking for, what I could afford, and what my timetable was. I actually got calls returned from 3 agencies. I made an offer on one place, but it got sold for cashed out before I ever got a chance to start negotiating. That's life. That was also the only place that agency had in my price range. Another one would continue to talk to me, but only if I called first. I got tired of paying for the long distance, especially after I found out I couldn't do what I wanted with the property for at least a year [mortgage regs]. The remaining one is the one I'm getting. I do absolutely realize the listing agent is the seller's agent, but I also feel somewhat misled by some of the information he gave me. There's no way I could go inspect it before buying, so it's a sight-unseel as-is kind of thing. But I also had someone in the area take a boatload of pictures of it, with emphasis on the 'minor cosmetic' things that will eventually need to be fixed, the kinds of things I'd have seen if I'd been able to inspect it personally. I expected to have to do a considerable amount of fixing, and that's not a problem. The only real requirements I have are that it's liveable as it is and doesn't need electrical work. And the people who took the pictures assure me it's a good deal, even with the things that need to be done. So I called the agent and asked him about some of those things, and he tried to tell me they'd taken pictures of the wrong house! I said 'No, they also took a series from the same angles and distances you did for your website, furthermore there's a picture showing your sign in the window.'
Now, looking over the paperwork, it appears that I'm responsible for having the utilities turned on by a specific date and being available for various inspectors. I can do the utilities long distance, but again, there's no way I can be available for the inspectors. So is it fair for me to tell him that he's the one with the key, he'll need to be the one to open the door and let the inspectors in? That's the final fly in the ointment, at this point.
The remaining one is the one I'm getting. I do absolutely realize the listing agent is the seller's agent, but I also feel somewhat misled by some of the information he gave me. There's no way I could go inspect it before buying, so it's a sight-unseel as-is kind of thing. and he tried to tell me they'd taken pictures of the wrong house! I said 'No, they also took a series from the same angles and distances you did for your website, furthermore there's a picture showing your sign in the window.'
Now, looking over the paperwork, it appears that I'm responsible for having the utilities turned on by a specific date and being available for various inspectors. I can do the utilities long distance, but again, there's no way I can be available for the inspectors. So is it fair for me to tell him that he's the one with the key, he'll need to be the one to open the door and let the inspectors in? That's the final fly in the ointment, at this point.
Yes it's fair to ask him since he has the key and doing the sale to go make the property available for inspections.
I've sold lots of land sight unseen and one house. Just the 2 things you mentioned made me cringe. Somewhat misled by information he gave you, and about the comment of pix of the wrong house. I understand it was the right house. Why the heck would he say otherwise?
Even though I'm on the other end of the sale, if there is anything out of the ordinary, not a smooth deal, if the customer and I are not communicating properly and I'm not certain they are getting the whole picture or if I feel they are even remotely hesitant with me in the trust department I call it quits and don't do the deal with them. I just let them know I'll be happy to show it to them in person when they can ever make the trip.
Not one of my sight unseen buyers has ever had to question what my role was.
If they trusted me enough to pick something out for them they would not think twice about asking me to do something. I let them know this is what needs to be done and I'm here to do it since you can't get here. They also know I'm here when they are ready to come see what I picked out for them and won't be running and hiding.
It sounds like you could have very well picked out a good deal for you. I'm not getting warm fuzzy feelings about the broker.
For years I tried to figure out why people buy sight unseen from me. Within 30 minutes on the phone and some pix, they are ready to mail me a 10K check. I don't really make it that easy on them as I do make sure we BOTH feel it's a good choice and the right thing to do.
But what I did learn trying to do a sight unseen purchase myself was the difference and why people buy from me. I had to push and prod for the details that mattered. I could never get a clear whole picture of what I was buying. I trusted the agent, but he could not seem to give me what I needed for details to make my decision. Like decent pix, plats or maps. So I called it quits.
Good luck to you.
Yes it's fair to ask him since he has the key and doing the sale to go make the property available for inspections.
I've sold lots of land sight unseen and one house. Just the 2 things you mentioned made me cringe. Somewhat misled by information he gave you, and about the comment of pix of the wrong house. I understand it was the right house. Why the heck would he say otherwise?
I have no idea what was in his mind. I'm not especially impressed, but over the years I've had some seriously bad experiences with agents, even when I was right there to do the inspections. Two of the worst were giving the wrong property lines! It's one thing to be a little off when you're talking about a yard of one acre, it's another thing to say 'there's a wonderful building spot for you in the future when you've outgrown this place' and find out that 'wonderful building spot' is part of the next door neighbor's yard.
But this particular agent I think is pretty much OK, he's just not operating on all cylinders. The directions he gave me to the place - it's rural - were way off in the first place, so the people who took the pix had an interesting time even finding it.
The parts that did bother me was that he said there was only some minor cosmetic things to take care of. The exterior is an asphalt compound shingle, and I made a comment about having grown up with that and how brittle it was. He said there were a few chips, nothing major. Well, there's a whole LOT of chips, and some big chunks missing. I'll have to reside the whole thing. Most of the windows will have to be replaced too, which I'd already counted on, but the sills on a lot of them are rotting and they are patched with foam insulation. The sills of the garage doors are the same - showing rot with a lot of foam insulation. He said he hadn't noticed anything like that, but I really don't know how he could have missed it, since he actually went inside and took a lot of pix of the interior. Still, it seems to be a good deal, in spite of all, it's just that my list of fixing-ups has grown considerably. On top of that, next to the front door is the biggest chunk of missing siding, it must be the size of a large pizza. At least I know why he didn't take any close-ups of the front!
Another thing that kind of boggled me in the beginning was when he told me it was rural water with a septic tank - no problem. I asked how long it had been since the tank had been pumped. Total silence for a few minutes, then he said 'Why would anyone ever want to?" I suppose if he's never heard of it, it means that's not a problem in that area, but it still surprised me.
For years I tried to figure out why people buy sight unseen from me. Within 30 minutes on the phone and some pix, they are ready to mail me a 10K check. I don't really make it that easy on them as I do make sure we BOTH feel it's a good choice and the right thing to do.
But what I did learn trying to do a sight unseen purchase myself was the difference and why people buy from me. I had to push and prod for the details that mattered. I could never get a clear whole picture of what I was buying. I trusted the agent, but he could not seem to give me what I needed for details to make my decision. Like decent pix, plats or maps. So I called it quits.
Good luck to you.
I don't know why other people have bought sight unseen, but as for myself, I did a lot of research into various areas with places that interested me before I ever even tried to contact an agent. That eliminated a lot of places, too - I found one that would have been perfect, if I wouldn't have been the only white person! I very much enjoy ethnic diversity, but I don't want to be the token anything, especially in the deep south. I am moving because my husband died a few months ago, and he's the one who wanted to live here. I'm halfway across the country from the area where I want to be, and I can afford to do what I want, which is buy the place, but I can't afford extra trips just to look at properties. On top of that, I'm visually impaired, so I can't just take off and drive myself - I'd have to get someone else to drive me, which would mean exta $$ spent on meals and motels. That's why one of my primary requirements was that it had to be liveable - there will be one trip with a loaded U-Haul, and that will be it. I can do all the repairs myself, that's not a problem, but I don't do electrical stuff and never have - hence, the other requirement that no matter what else needed fixing, there had to be NO problems with electricity.
He did say if I decided I didn't like it, he'd be happy to list it for me again.
You did get it professionally inspected, right? You're not just relying on his statements about only cosmetic fix-ups are you?
Professional inspections are part of the closing process. If there's anything seriously wrong beyond what's apparent, the lender - he's local to the area - will refuse to finance it and I'll get my earnest money back. Even so, if I have to do major repairs the place is still worth it. The tas appraiser has it at nearly double what I'm paying.
You'll be heavily relying on your Home Inspector so make sure he knows what your major concerns are, such as the electrical system. Whether you accompany the inspector or not, the Listing Agent would still have to open the door. Can your friend who took the pictures accompany the inspector and take pictures to correspond with issues that will be highlighted in the report?
Also regarding the septic: Not sure about the laws where you're buying, but here the Seller has to provided a passing inspection report given by the local Board of Health. Anytime a septic system is pumped, its also reported to the BOH. They should be able to tell you how old it is and what, if any maintenance has been performed and by whom. If the house hasn't been maintained, I doubt the septic has either. That would be a major concern.
You'll be heavily relying on your Home Inspector so make sure he knows what your major concerns are, such as the electrical system. Whether you accompany the inspector or not, the Listing Agent would still have to open the door. Can your friend who took the pictures accompany the inspector and take pictures to correspond with issues that will be highlighted in the report?
Also regarding the septic: Not sure about the laws where you're buying, but here the Seller has to provided a passing inspection report given by the local Board of Health. Anytime a septic system is pumped, its also reported to the BOH. They should be able to tell you how old it is and what, if any maintenance has been performed and by whom. If the house hasn't been maintained, I doubt the septic has either. That would be a major concern.
I'm considering getting a buyer's agent there to take care of things. When I add up all the odd bits the selling agent didn't have the answers to, I don't exactly trust his descriptions, let alone anything else. As I said previously, I know representing the seller is his sole job, but some of the answers I've gotten have been so vague as to skirt awfully close to a failure to disclose. I've already agreed to the asking price [verbally, but not quite yet in writing], so he - or the seller - has nothing to gain and the potential to lose the sale after all by not being straightforward. It seems like he's physically incapable of saying 'this will need work' or 'that will be okay' and straight answers are what I want.
The place itself is rural, and I tend to believe that septic tanks there don't really need pumping. It's dry, not desert, but still dry. There are no trees anywhere near the house to cause root damage, and I can't think of anything else short of an earthquake or a full cement truck driving over it and cracking lateral lines that might happen. At least it isn't a lagoon.
I would definitely hire a buyers agent. Just let them know your situation and what you expect. You definitely need someone on the ground who's an advocate for you.
I would get a buyer agent. I have NEVER heard of a septic that didn't need to be pumped. If you don't get them pumped regularly it puts pressure on the drainfield and can cause early failure.
The gray water is what does into the drainfield, but all septics have some sludge that gets left behind. The sludge is what gets pumped. How often you pump depends on how many people are feeding into the septic, etc. If an agent doesn't think a septic needs to be pumped, I STRONGLY encourage you to get an agent that will pull the septic records with the county, and I also encourage you to get a septic inspection.
Your scenario is making me very nervous for you.
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I understand it was the right house. Why the heck would he say otherwise?
