I had an inspection this morning at a foreclosure. The lockbox code I was given was incorrect and the buyer is having trouble getting ahold of the seller to gain access. Ill be making a return trip as soon as the correct code is given. I’ve never had to make a return trip and was curious what you guys charge.
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Re-inspection is generally what I’d charge in a perfect world but I often feel bad for the buyer since it wasn’t their fault. Of course, it wasn’t mine either and I should be compensated. The true cost is the lost opportunity to fill that slot with another inspection during that time. In the end, I try to get something but often just let it go and figure it’s built into my fees. I can tell you it happens a lot less since we started using ISN and sending out notifications and reminders to agents on both sides.
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Just another reason I don’t use eKeys!
The Realtor gets paid to provide access to homes for an inspection!
Even if I used eKeys, when it comes to REO homes, I would insist the agent be onsite to guarantee access as banks are notoriously lazy when it comes to managing these properties and typically use starving agents to do so for them!
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typically it is not the buyers fault, who knows for sure who screwed up, just go back tonorrow and accept the loss
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“Dear buyer, there is a $150 cancellation or return trip fee. If I were you, I would ask my agent to negotiate a reimbursement.”
So, this is your option to your buyer. I can inspect what I can see or return for an additional fee. You can politely tell them at “no fault of your own you lost the inspection slot”.
Hopefully, a cancellation fee is in your PIA.
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There is no hard and fast rule.
After you add a comment to your agreement about the cost of a return trip, you can decide per incident if you want.
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I handle these same as Matt, and it is very rare that it occurs for me. Also, Jeffrey has a great point in having someone that represents the property and/or the Buyer to provide the physical access (especially to unoccupied properties) because anything blatantly wrong with the property (power and/or water off, heat not working, water in basement, etc.) can be addressed immediately.
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If I was only there for a few minutes only to find out I couldn’t get in, assuming it was within 10-15 minutes I wouldn’t charge one at all.
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…including Squatters!!
I am in rural southern Minnesota, and often inspect farm homes that are/have been vacant for periods of time. It is not uncommon to enter a home with evidence of squatters present. Luckily, so far I have only walked in on sleeping bodies once. That was the day I decided I need to carry protection!
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I shrug it off as part of the biz and reschedule. It’s darn sure frustrating, but it wasn’t the buyer’s fault and good luck chasing down the seller or listing agent to collect.
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We just got screwed by Lennar on a new build yesterday (not even close to being ready). They’re paying our $150 re-inspection fee + $60 travel due to the location!! We’ve been screwed by Lennar several times before (they are by far the worst builder with staying on schedule in my experience) but I don’t remember getting them to pay up like this before. My inspector lit up the super a bit since all they had to do was call. They don’t work weekends so everyone knew Friday afternoon the house wasn’t going to be ready. Just a total lack of giving a crap.
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