Blame the Builder....or the Realtor?

1

Knowing the power of Google, I wanted to be sure to entitle this thread in the manner that I did so that our realtor friends who are fighting to license home inspectors in Kansas and Missouri while also fighting building codes and the licensing of contractors can enjoy this story, too.

In the Benton County, Missouri area…a few miles north of Warsaw, Missouri, is a development that is managed by Reece-Nichols. This site was chosen not only for its beauty, but IMO for its lack of building codes, as well.

This way, the home can be priced at the typical $160,000 range (though miles outside of the city on a community well and septic system) and can be built most inexpensively and inefficiently.

The home that I was contracted to inspect had a garage in the basement with no door separating it from the remainder of the basement which was no big deal, since the HVAC duct work and open vents allowed the carbon monoxide fumes to travel throughout the home, anyway.

Actually, the carbon monoxide was a pleasurable odor designed to mask the noxious and toxic vapors that were being emitted by the plastic hose that was allowing the septic system to vent into the garage from a basement sink that was hooked up to the septic system.

Yes…as was the washer, dryer and all other gray water appliances pumping bleach and soap into the tank so that it could not break down the waste that filled it and the two, small 200’ ft laterals stemming from it, the sink went to the septic tank and had an S-trap with the fore mentioned hose inserted into it.

Although the master bedroom was directly above the garage, the open and exposed floor joists allowed me to view the fact that there was insulation…just no drywall of any sort to slow down the fire.

As you step through the opening from the garage into the finished basement…gasping for fresh air…you enter a bathroom that is uniquely decorated with a beautiful General Electric service panel filled with breakers from a variety of manufacturers directly next to the toilet.

Before we went any further, my buyer tipped me an additional $25 over my fee and suggested we forget the rest of house and go have some lunch.

2

Are you sure it was not in TN lolol

3

Hahaha, good one.

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Google pick up this thread

5

Typical. Anything to sell a home at any cost, mostly lower. RE’s will do anything now for a sale of some sort. Business is lower than in the past decades, and anything goes. They also no longer suggest home inspections to their clients. Too bad, for them and their customers. Networking is still the best advertising, so when the word gets around…

6

I’m curious as to why you singled out Reece-Nichols Realty, rather than the builder.

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I believe Reece-Nichols announced that they no longer recommend home inspections.

8

That information should have been included in the first line of his post - IMHO.

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I don’t think their policy is going to last too long.

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My point exactly. My media, I, and Dan Bowers are about ready to hit the airwaves. She (media contact) has been working on these home inspection laws in Kansas for over a year. Subject was so complicated, that she had to dig and investigate thoroughly. Mr. Barnes and the board better buckle up. It’s coming, and it will hit them when they don’t realize it. Remember, SB 329 is still in play, and with the addition of a couple of sentences, this whole thing can go away with the stroke of a pen.

Warren Buffet, owner of the parent company of Reece and Nichols, will not put up with this. It is all about taking care of the customer, fiduciary duties, etc. Just like home builders, and lenders, some who have been prosecuted in the last few months in Kansas and Missouri, all eyes are watching all real estate related companies and transactions. This is why appraisers now have to go through third parties; new federal laws. If the RE agents, KAR, and the NAR keep crying, the feds will move in. They may not like the results. I suggest they shut-up, and concentrate on the consumer; not themselves.

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In about two weeks, I will be releasing information that will blow the roof off of the realtor/builder driven licensing effort in Missouri. You read it here, first.

My first television interview with this information will be in Kansas City in a couple of weeks.

I predict that our state will be adopting building codes and licensing builders and contractors before they attempt to harm the messenger (us) any further.

Place your bets, now.

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James, anytime you’re ready, I can be by your side.

13

Is Molly (Jeff Barnes) still a Member of INACHI?

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I will explain.

With the financial support of the Missouri Association of Realtors, the Missouri Builders Association has successfully defeated repeated attempts by various lawmakers in our state to institute a statewide building code for jurisdictions that do not have or enforce their own.

They (the MAR and MBA) fight attempts to license contractors and builders, as well.

They made up a lie that such actions increase the cost of homes and keep people from realizing the “American Dream”. Then, they turn around and try to sell these pieces of ***** for the same prices they do in areas of the State where the buildings are built properly. In other words, the inferior structures are listed for the going rate as if they were NOT inferior structures. These “savings” are not being passed on.

Reece-Nichols is one of the biggest realtors in KC and, along with others, led the fight for the licensing law in Kansas…then, when it passed, determined that it would be in their best interest to no longer recommend home inspections to their clients.

As for the builder of these inferior houses…he did what the law allowed him to do. He did not promise more than he delivered. He chose the site where there was no accountability and no standards…and built the home that one could reasonably expect to find there.

Reece-Nichols, on the other hand, has erected a building at the entrance of this place and put their name on it. They are promoting the sale of this kind of a house for the prevailing cost of homes in the area…as if it were NOT an inferior product. Do they know better?

I’ll leave that to you to decide.

15

Jim,
I know I don’t have to tell you this, but you could be opening yourself up to a whole mess of lawsuits.

Yeah, the house was a POS, according to industry best practices, manfacturer’s instllation instructions and the national codes, but if this builder only contracts to build according to “current local codes” (which is standard) then they are doing whet the contracted to do, with the buyer.

And, they may want to squash you like a little bug!

Good job, you did right and ethical and well served your client according to our SOP, but local laws (civil) may still trip you up.

Brave more, guy! My hat is off to you. I just hope that you don’t get your jewels caght in a ringer.

Carry on, carrying on.

I’ll be praying for you.

16

Defamation requires that I state something as fact that is untrue and causes damage.

I have photographs to support every finding. Still, I will change the title of the thread to make it less inflammatory. Good advice.

Besides…I think that the question posed by Jeff is valid and more worthy of in depth discussion.

Benton County is only one of many Missouri counties where all it takes is a pickup truck and a hammer to be a builder. So when these guys are installing these inferior buildings with the HVAC circulating carbon monoxide throughout the house with airborne viruses and bacterium pumping out of the indoor septic tank venting…do you blame them? No one has required them to comply with any kind of standard. No one has inspected their work to say that it is inferior or improper. Can you have a code violation where you have no code?

But then…what say ye about the appraisal? Who is holding a surgical mask over their own faces while showing the young couple the beautiful view of Truman Lake?

17

I would like to see the dryer to septic connection pictures James.

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Wise guy.

Actually, the dryer was vented into a small closet next to the toilet, opposite the electrical service panel. I do have that photo.

The washer emptied into the septic. I guess the bleach helps the good bacteria thrive.

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I is a good reader.