My apologies to Jeff Foxworthy’s comedy routine, but here’s some hints to home buyers that they may not have picked the sharpest tool in the inspector box when …
- the inspector doesn’t know how to open the lock box. It’s not ROCKET SCIENCE!
- the inspector tracks mud in the home because he doesn’t have the common sense to wear the booties that GOOD inspectors carry with them.
- the inspector doesn’t know that the gas line to the fireplace must be turned on for several minutes to allow the gas to fill the line before trying to light the pilot.
- the inspector lifts the ceiling tiles in the basement and doesn’t return them to their original position.
- the inspector doesn’t know how to trip a sump pump to run when it’s not raining. Just because the pump didn’t run while he was there, doesn’t mean it needs replaced.
- the inspector pulled back the sheer curtains to check the windows and didn’t move the curtains back to their original position.
I recently had an inspector decide that a sump pump wasn’t working. He didn’t move the float to see if it did. He merely looked at the water level and made an assumption. But aside from that, he didn’t bother to call me – the listing agent – to alert me that it might not be working. This was in a vacant home with a finished basement, and rain was forecast. THAT’S TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE. Most inspectors would have alerted someone, just in case an inoperable pump would allow water to fill the floor and ruin the carpet and mechanicals.
There are certain inspectors that when their name is mentioned, agents cringe. We know who the bad (inept) inspectors are. We don’t recommend our buyers use them. But since buyers are always allowed to choose their own inspector, sometimes these inept inspectors are hired. The above inspector is one of those that causes agents to grimace. The buyer’s agent didn’t recommend him. The buyers just picked him.
Per the Purchase Contract, the buyers are responsible for any damage done to the home by their inspector. The responsible, professional inspectors carry insurance just in case they do any damage to the home. Buyers would do well to remember that when hiring their inspector.
Read more on home inspectors:
Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.
Elaine I have been lucky to not have really bad inspectors and to date, no sump pump to investigate…very interesting info regarding it though, thanks. And these are more interesting to me than the Foxworthy stuff
Gee, Carole, no bad inspectors in Cleveland! How do you get so lucky!
Are you saying you don’t use sump pumps up there?
Good stuff, Elaine! I have been involved in a number of transactions where the inspectors have been chumps.
Another equally important piece of this puzzle is there are listing agents who don’t talk their clients out of asking for remedy on EVERYTHING an inspector comes back with.
In a recent transaction, I had a buyer who killed the deal b/c the old lady selling wouldn’t put a new chimney liner in a fireplace that hadn’t been used for 20 years. She was also asked to do a number of maintenance items that were not material to the value of the home.
Hopefully you’re one of the agents who has enough rapport with your client to talk sense into them when they have a fair inspection report.
Jeremiah, of course, buyers are free to ask for what they choose. I suggest they use “HEALTH, SAFETY, STRUCTURE” as guidelines in their considerations.
Secondly, if it was a cosmetic or visible flaw that could have easily been seen at the time they viewed the home, realistically, they could have allowed for that flaw when making an offer either via the price or asking for a fix in the offer.
Regarding the chimney liner, that’s a tough one because that is an expensive fix plus if the new buyer’s plan to use the fireplace, it’s a fire hazard. Asking for the repair might depend on the price being paid.
Nice and comical, but true. Many inspectors do not know what they are doing, and luckily I have found a great inspector.
Hunter, thanks for stopping by from SC. I also know of two really good and thorough inspectors that are very knowledgeable.