Should you only depend on your home inspector?

From time to time I get approached by new potential clients of how they found out problems in their home right after they moved in. They speak very poorly of the home inspector and place the blame solely on him however always remember that the home inspector unfortunately only picks out things that can be seen with the naked eye (patent defects). There is a huge misconception that the inspector has to pick out everything or else he’s liable and that is not true. With new technologies like infrared cameras, inspectors are now able to detect moisture behind basement walls picking up latent defects that weren’t able to be seen prior to these technologies but besides that, it’s really his opinion of what he saw.
 
Even though some might disagree with me on this point, I truly believe realtors should be somewhat knowledgeable in many aspects of home construction and they should pick out problems before they reach the home inspection phase.

Early in 2015 I had a potential client call me about listing a home he had only purchased 2 years prior. I met him at the house where he later explained that water was coming into the basement from certain cracks and also seepage.  His basement was unfinished so it was very clear to tell where the problems were. Right away I spotted efflorescence on the block wall and noted 2 cracks. I explained that he didn’t have to move, by just waterproofing the house the problem would be corrected. I noted that he did not want to fix anything and just wanted to sell where I also explained that he would have to disclose that water was coming in or else he could be held liable after the fact and you guessed it, he didn’t use me to list the house! It’s okay I wasn’t too hurt lol, I rather be honest and keep my integrity!
 
In this situation, I believe the realtor and inspector were at fault for not noting these problems that I realized as soon as walked into the unfinished basement. These were basic things you learn when you take your phase courses. The problem here is that many times agents neglect and don’t pay attention to certain aspects of the home due to the fact that they know an inspector may come to look at the house. If you spot a big issue this could be the difference whether your clients place an offer on a property or not. This would avoid time wasted for everyone, money spent for the potential buyer and hearts broken when they realize that the house they loved wasn’t in good condition. Make sure your realtor is knowledgeable! Many claim to be “honest” and “good” agents but you actually realize the agent knows what they’re doing when a deal is going wrong or when a problem arises!

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comments about this blog post: marioarmani@rogers.com