Your missing the point, it’s ON LISTINGS. No matter what this can screw you royal. So what good are your referrals if you can’t inspect the listings.
So this guy is using an INachi logo for marketing (not a INachi member) and someone else’s sample report and comes to this message board to complain about ethics. :roll:
I have heard realtors placing in the MLS; that certain inspectors would not be allowed to inspect the property. This is what could really hurt you. The buyers agent would direct the buyer to another inspector, even if just to not cause an issue. Then, you have all of the other agents seeing you on a “black ball list” this will in turn hurt you also.
I would follow Russ’s advice. I would find out, what I did to make a someone hate me so much, they would risk me taking actions against them.
It only hurts you feelings when someone says things you do not like. If you do not listen and take if for what it is worth it could destroy your business.
IMHO
Russell -
When you refer to LISTINGS are you talking about inspecting listed houses for a buyer OR doing pre-listing inspections for a seller.
In my market there are FEW Realtors that have or refer Pre-Listing Inspections UNLESS the inspector is cheap / soft OR preferably both.
In short in KC being blackballed from doing PRE-LISTINGS would NOT cost most inspectors anything.
If I might answer, I believe it means that any homes that the Realtor’s office has listed for sale and a buyer brought it in by another Realtor from another office wants to use your inspection service, the Listing Office will not allow it.
If that’s the case I am pretty sure there is something ethically wrong there. Especially, if the reason they have this practice is because the Inspector is too “nit picky”. It also has to be remembered that Listing Realtors represent the seller. It is their responsibility to get the house sold, so by them so directing the buyer to use a “soft” inspector, by not allowing “nit picky inspectors” is in their best interest - and for this reason alone it is unethical. And frankly, I believe it opens them up to serious liability if one of their sold listings ever has serious issues.
Many Realtor Association Boards have an ethics committee that this can be brought to. If you cannot handle it at the local level you can also present the case to the National Association of Realtors, of which most Relators also belong to. And of course, no Realtor office wants bad local press especially when it comes to Ethics. JMHO:)
The local press will not touch Realtors because they spend a lot of money advertising. Sad but true.
It seems no one is listening to you about the fact he is using Internachi logo even though the statement he is not a member is with his thread.
He also has an Independent Inspectors of America logo that I believe, you have to agree you do not solicit work from real estate agents to belong to the association.
TORT. Get the proof and the judge will make you a rich person.
I called a Listing Agent just last week, asking for the CBS numbers for the Supra Lock-Box…the listing Agent says to me…“We need to talk before this inspection, you remember the house on Pinnacle Peak Rd you did an inspection on a couple weeks ago?”
I said no I don’t remember the exact outcome without looking at the report, why do you ask?
Well you KILLED the deal, the buyer walled, and I DON’T want that happening at this house!!!
I said I don’t KILL the deal, the house did, the condition of the house made the buyers walk after I emailed a well documented report of all the deficiencies without any verbiage the 1989 built house is going to collapse, the house is a fire hazard, or the house is about to fall down.
I simply stated the facts in my normal civilized manner with pictures of the defects clearly showing the concerns…no structural concerns, but enough repairs needed it would probably cost them another 20K-30-K in repairs, Felt under Tiles shot, Water Heater shot, one Condenser not functional, plaster in the Pool shot, 100 foot of masonry fence ready to fall into the alley in back of the property, the (detached) garage roof was shot, I could see the sun shining through the framing from the garage interior with three Trusses cut three-quarters of the way upward from the bottom chord so the Garage Door Opener would fit comfortably…basically it needed every damn thing you could think of including new valve seals or new Ball Valves at fixture supply and supply lines replaced with burst-proof, had the older non-reinforced rubber supply lines to every fixture, wax seals at all the loose toilets shot, every damn thing known to man shot…and used shaq salesman claimed I KILLED the deal…he said I’m NOT giving you the CBS Code, have the buyers agent open the door…
I said fine, have a nice day…about 10 minutes later he calls me again, stating here is the CBS Code, but PLEASE don’t kill this deal, I really need to sell this house.
I said you SOB when I done talking to your sorry asz, I’m reporting you to the Phoenix Association of Realtors for not abiding by their code of ethic’s, my secretary was listening to this all when I put it on my speaker phone.
Think I got a respond for the PAR…hell NO…80% of them are no good thieves, they’d screw their mother out of a dine if they could…I was so fuming mad I almost went to his office and blew my Irish temper, my GF talked me out of it, not worth the non-sense, he said, she said…
This is the first time I had a thief tell me NOT to KILL his Listing - deal, it must go through…I couldn’t believe my ears…!!!
His name is Marcus Roe, if anyone here ever deals with this lunatic in the future stay FAR AWAY…
He also clearly stated that HIS Inspector was going to perform the inspection, my client said NO their-he’s not, Duffy is or we’re not buying it as of now. Our contract says we chose our inspector, and we did…Duffy.
They backed out naturally, but I can’t wait to call this jackasz for another door code…rather I’ll have the buyers agent call, I’m all done with this guy…!
Absolutely incredible anyone would actually have the nerve to tell me not not to KILL the deal, I told him I have been inspecting property since he was wearing diapers…and don’t ever call me again nor will I call him…!!!
Were you really mad Dale?:p:p
Wow , this really happens i can not believe there is deal killers out there. I am glad that never happens here. ( we get rose color glasses issued at ever Inspection)
I got 4 phone calls just this week about me killing deals BTW lololol seems to be a trend
He still is. You can feel it while reading his post! 
25 year old 2-story with pool / $400,000
The Report Summary shows:
- No whirlpool access or GFCI for whirlpool
- Furnace blower door switch jumpered out / door bent and had to be screwed shut to close
- Main electrical panel deadfront has about 1" gap to panel (won’t mount flush) because drywall never cut back when basement finished out; uses 2" long sheetmetal POINTY screws/ circuits not labeled; double taps
- Defective GFCI’s at pool
- No GFCI at garage
- Extension cord wiring 3 places in house on wall surfaces
- High Radon / 12.2 pCi/l
- Pool deck sags at 1 side / pool built on steeply sloped lot and soil has eroded deck supports (4 of the posts OR their footings have 6"-10" of air between the deck and ground)
BUYER did not NEGOTIATE. He walked immediately. Went down street and bought a $275,000 house (with no pool).
Listing Agent, Seller, Buyers Friend (CEO of local engineering company) met me at house when I retreived a tool I left AND informed me how the above defects made the home sound like TOTAL GARBAGE and it KILLED the DEAL. We had a nice chat AS I explained that for the AGE this was basically a SAY NOTHING clean report.
AMAZING what people walk away from AND what sales people feel KILLED their deals. ESPECIALLY in this economy.
Inspected a house (1896 build) 2 weeks ago. Realtor was the transaction broker and client was a friend of hers. Realtor and husband had rehabed the house 2 years ago and sold it to another friend (w/o an inspection). Now trying to sell it to another friend.
Found a floor to ceiling crack in the living room, a wall to wall crack in the laundry ceiling, and multiple cracks in the ceiling and wall of the kitchen. Structural you say? Checked the crawl space and found 2 piece adjustable jack posts stiting on dirt, monolithic jack posts sitting on 2x12 boards on the dirt, cut beams and joists.
Client asked for a structural review, so I sent my pictures to a structural contractor and explained what I found (I have been a a few jobs with him and know what he looks for). He quoted an estimate of $5-8K for repairs but would give a final price after viewing. Client walked and realtor went ballistic at me, the structual guy and her client/friend.
She would have her husband (a civil engineer) and her contractor (who did the work in the first place) determine repairs. She then checked with the AHJ about my findings and he said, yes those posts are allowed. But she didn’t tell him the whole story. Sent me a scathing email about me giving info to buyers without confiming my info. Had to send her the code sections about posts and footers. She checked again with the AHJ and he said yes the inspector is correct about the code and backed up every one of my findings. He also told her that had they gotten a permit on the rehab he would have flagged everything I found. ( I talked to the AHJ later and he told me all of this).
The best part? She asked the AHJ if he would be her inspector in the future and he said “Hell no! No way am I qualified to be a home inspector. Those guys need to know way more than I do. You are lucky you hired him (me) because he just saved you from a massive lawsuit.”. Gotta love it.
I am still waiting for her apology.
There are alot of agents out there that could care less about any home inspection report. They all do not realize that a home inspection report can actually keep them from the court room, and home buyer grief later.
The agents, and us, who are all professional, will see business in the future. Those that complain better find another way of life. We all must stand behind our reports.
To all RE agents nationwide: home inspectors do not kill deals; home buyers do. So, complain to them, or to the sellers/owners of the homes who do not get pre-sale inspections or repairs performed.
I am done worrying about being labeled as a “deal killer”. I am NEVER getting those Realtor referrals anyway unless of course it’s for one of THEIR family members. Too many times issues have arisen that the client ignored my recommendation that would have put my arse on the line had they not been in the report. I like to sleep at night.
This is pretty common in Missouri, Dale. I am sure other Missouri inspectors can back me up on this. Sad but true!
I see it the same way.
I even get calls from Realtors wanting me to pay for upgrades to houses that I had inspected, even though I stated to the buyer it needed to be upgraded and wrote it in the report. Realtors are acting like other inspectors just write the check to keep the business. Unbelievable!
I was thinking that also.:shock:
Jim
Realtor talked to me today / Unhappy with current inspector - Incompetent …
Asked me 3 questons.
- How long my average inspection takes
- How long my average report is (under OR over 15 pages)
- How much is my PACKAGE price for the average home & termite inspection (under or over $285)
Nothing about how long I’ve done this; my experience; training; education; etc