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I'd like to do my own inspection, but am having a hard time finding the dialogue that expresses whether or not such a thing is technically allowed. My wife and our buyer's agent seem to be against it, but I'm not seeing anywhere that says it's not allowed.
What do you think, or Does anyone have experience performing their own inspections, or having a client perform their own inspections? Thanks in advance
I'm sure you can, just make sure any language in your inspection contingency allows you to negotiate repairs, or vacate the contract without default, without a report from a state licensed inspector.
Sure. You take on all the liability of any damages that may occur during the inspection, though, so that's a consideration, albeit probably not an overwhelming one. It really depends on the level of experience you have with evaluating homes. A trained home inspector looks at a zillion little details like a puzzle and can make some educated observations of issues that may need addressing (structural, roof, siding, plumbing, HVAC, etc.). If you feel you have that level of experience and want to forgo hiring an inspector, have at it. The fact that your wife is nervous about it, though, suggests that maybe your level of experience isn't that extensive. :-)
Your agent may ask you sign a waiver that s/he has advised you to hire an inspector and you have refused, in case something pops up in the future. Also, at least in this state, seller's disclosures are not binding unless deliberate fraud can be proven -- we are a "buyer beware" state, and the onus of inspection falls directly on the buyer.
I've had several clients who waived inspections, or did their own cursory inspections, but they were usually experienced buyers who were buying homes for investment purposes and knew they were doing some major remodeling.
I'm completely comfortable doing the inspection, and my wife is comfortable with me doing it too. Over the past 30 years I've probably done everything to a house but burn one down. I've waived inspections in the past too, as I felt comfortable enough to buy after the initial walk-through.
I may have poorly worded when I said my wife and agent were "against it". My wife is nervous that it has to be a licensed or certified inspector, probably for liability sake, if I were to become injured during the task.
My agent isn't necessarily against it either. But this is where it's a bit complicated, and I myself am still a bit nervous. You see, the only person I have hired to assist me in the inspection process is a radon gas specialist. The reason being that I don't have the equipment to test, and it's the one potential issue that I felt like I can surely go back and ask for money back to remedy if necessary(even though for other reasons, I wouldn't ask for that money back).
The reason I'm nervous is because he's not a licensed "home inspector". He is an environmental specialist and doesn't have much experience inspecting homes for purchase (I found all this out after I hired him). So when I called my agent to tell her we had found our radon inspector and had a time set up for the inspection, I also told her that I'd like to take that time to perform my own inspection of electrical, plumbing etc.
She said that since the radon guy would be the one giving me access to the property, that he'd either have to agree to hang out until I was done, or he'd have to consent to leaving me there to be the one who locked up afterward. She said that since I'm not a licensed inspector, that technically I shouldn't be there alone on the property, so it's best that I dress the part and perhaps have an official clipboard and inspection list to check off, in case the HO or someone else showed up while I was finishing my inspection.
I somewhat reluctantly went along, but I get the feeling that she is just not wanting to be present herself, therefor she is coaching me on how to go about it myself.
She said that since the radon guy would be the one giving me access to the property, that he'd either have to agree to hang out until I was done, or he'd have to consent to leaving me there to be the one who locked up afterward. She said that since I'm not a licensed inspector, that technically I shouldn't be there alone on the property, so it's best that I dress the part and perhaps have an official clipboard and inspection list to check off, in case the HO or someone else showed up while I was finishing my inspection.
I somewhat reluctantly went along, but I get the feeling that she is just not wanting to be present herself, therefor she is coaching me on how to go about it myself.
Does that make sense?
It makes NO sense to me. IMHO... your agent should go to the inspection, whether it's you, the RADON guy, or a professional home inspector. Is that really her only objection? She doesn't want to have to go be there?
In our market it is the buyer's agent responsibility to be there for all inspections. Door open to door closed. No matter who is doing the inspections.
In our market it would be UNHEARD of for even a licensed inspector to enter a home without the buyer's agent being present.
In our market, it takes MLS membership (ONLY AGENTS) to open most lockboxes and it would be a violation of our agreement with the MLS to not have a licensed agent present whenever the house open. "Contractor lockboxes" that open with a only a combination are uncommon except in vacant bank-owned properties that may have a maintenance agreement with a conservation company or some other service. An agent would NOT use such lockboxes to give out the combination to the buyer, or anyone else, to be in the house without the agent present.
Last edited by Diana Holbrook; 10-10-2017 at 08:52 AM..
FWIW, on this issue... buyer is certainly entitled to hire who they want to do inspections, in whatever specialty they choose. Buyer is entitled to "inspect" the property themselves, or choose not to inspect it.
As an agent, I would require anyone who puts themselves in danger, or has the potential to damage the house, to be bonded and insured for that work. Buyer can look, but buyer can't take it apart, until they own it.
I would, as an agent, draw the line at a buyer (who is not licensed and insured) going up on the roof, under the house, or taking anything apart, like the electrical panel. If they want to see that, they need to hire a professional who will be responsible if they or anyone gets hurt, or anything is damaged in the inspection.
I'm completely comfortable doing the inspection, and my wife is comfortable with me doing it too. Over the past 30 years I've probably done everything to a house but burn one down. I've waived inspections in the past too, as I felt comfortable enough to buy after the initial walk-through.
I may have poorly worded when I said my wife and agent were "against it". My wife is nervous that it has to be a licensed or certified inspector, probably for liability sake, if I were to become injured during the task.
My agent isn't necessarily against it either. But this is where it's a bit complicated, and I myself am still a bit nervous. You see, the only person I have hired to assist me in the inspection process is a radon gas specialist. The reason being that I don't have the equipment to test, and it's the one potential issue that I felt like I can surely go back and ask for money back to remedy if necessary(even though for other reasons, I wouldn't ask for that money back).
The reason I'm nervous is because he's not a licensed "home inspector". He is an environmental specialist and doesn't have much experience inspecting homes for purchase (I found all this out after I hired him). So when I called my agent to tell her we had found our radon inspector and had a time set up for the inspection, I also told her that I'd like to take that time to perform my own inspection of electrical, plumbing etc.
She said that since the radon guy would be the one giving me access to the property, that he'd either have to agree to hang out until I was done, or he'd have to consent to leaving me there to be the one who locked up afterward. She said that since I'm not a licensed inspector, that technically I shouldn't be there alone on the property, so it's best that I dress the part and perhaps have an official clipboard and inspection list to check off, in case the HO or someone else showed up while I was finishing my inspection.
I somewhat reluctantly went along, but I get the feeling that she is just not wanting to be present herself, therefor she is coaching me on how to go about it myself.
FWIW, on this issue... buyer is certainly entitled to hire who they want to do inspections, in whatever specialty they choose. Buyer is entitled to "inspect" the property themselves, or choose not to inspect it.
As an agent, I would require anyone who puts themselves in danger, or has the potential to damage the house, to be bonded and insured for that work. Buyer can look, but buyer can't take it apart, until they own it.
I would, as an agent, draw the line at a buyer (who is not licensed and insured) going up on the roof, under the house, or taking anything apart, like the electrical panel. If they want to see that, they need to hire a professional who will be responsible if they or anyone gets hurt, or anything is damaged in the inspection.
My two cents.
That all sounds like good two cents to me Diana.
I guess this is where I'm still a bit baffled that there aren't more stringent guidelines that govern such affairs as you've described.
In my area it appears to be the norm that an inspector just calls a "centralized showings" agency that gives inspectors lockbox codes, so I'm not at all sure that a buyer's agent technically needs to be there. My common sense would actually have it that the seller's agent would need to be present before the buyer's agent would need to be there. It seems like the listing agent would want to be there to make sure that the buyer's don't pull some hokey pokey business while inspecting the house, then try to come back and ask for refunds on what ever hokey pokey they played.
At the end of the day, I'm getting ready to put on my "inspectors uniform" and go play the part of an official inspector this afternoon. I hope I don't get hurt in process
Being a licensed inspector for liability's sake has nothing to do with whether you injure yourself, it has to do with whether you damage the property. If you injure yourself, it might be covered under worker's comp if you were in the course of employment but then again, many self employed people don't have WC insurance anyway, depending on state requirements. But if you damage the property in any way, you are going to be responsible for that damage.
I would also say that as far as negotiating repairs or money off, a professional inspection is likely to carry more weight.
To me, I think it's being penny wise and pound foolish. Go ahead and be there while the inspection is happening. Check things yourself too, but get the professional inspection and report done. This is an enormous purchase, use the belt and suspenders rather than trying to save a few dollars on a several hundred thousand dollar purchase.
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