The aforementioned article claims that a buyer present without an agent is trespassing, unless the seller or listing agent has given written permission. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Think about it for a minute. What Is a Buyer's Agent? - realtor.com As much as possible, Realtors try to get all home inspections to happen at once (same day, same window of time) to minimize the buyers time away from work and inconvenience to the seller. The Ultimate Final Walk-Through Checklist Before Closing on a Home - Redfin Washington, D.C. Will the seller actually be helpful during the home inspection? Some listing agents prefer to attend every buyer inspection to keep their client more comfortable. The home inspection is something that can make or break a real estate transaction. Your email address will not be published. Should Buyers and Sellers Agents Be at Home Inspections? Some will want us present. It also sounds like she's violating the REALTOR Code of ethics if she's bad mouthing another agent. All rights reserved. When in doubt, consult the law. A savvy Realtor attends the home inspection and stays quiet throughout the process. Should Sellers Be Present at the Home Inspection? - HomeCity The LISTING agent (agent representing the SELLER) should NEVER EVER attend an inspection. Sometimes the buyers agent does not attend the inspection, even though they are supposed to. How home inspections affect the sale. Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage: Pros, Cons, and Expert Advice, What Does a Well Inspector Do For Home Buyers, > How to choose a plastering company HTML view Note, Show House Ready: How Home Flippers Can Prepare Homes for Potential Buyers, Redfin Reports Home Listings, Sales Bounce Back in Florida Towns Hit by Hurricane Ian Despite Increasing Climate Risk. It becomes disclosable, saidNancy Daniels Leirer. Many times when I am inspecting a home, I . We offer free webinars for Real Estate Agents with tips on using social media to grow your client base, and other trending topics. I tell new agents there are 5 things we are not: inspectors, appraisers, bankers, lawyers or closing agents, he says. 7 reasons listing agents should/shouldn't attend home inspections The industry is adamantly divided SpeedKingz / Shutterstock.com by Marian McPherson February 26, 2016 Share this article. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. The listing agent then has actual knowledge of problems. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Such references and links are provided for convenience only and do not imply any kind of endorsement by PNC of those webpages or links, or any endorsement of the content or material therein. There are no hard and fast rules as to the number of photos, but 12 is a good start. 04/29/2014 22:19. Byron Lazine and Tim Bray debate whether listing agents should be present during the appraisal. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. This is especially concerning if you are already working with your own agent, and the listing agent knows that, and suggests or pressures you to not work with the agent you are already working with. Probably one of the biggest advantages of the seller being at the home inspection is that you can answer questions about the home. There is no law that requires sellers or homeowners to leave their property during an inspection. If a Seller is worried about "strangers" being in their home for hours and no one representing their concerns, then the listing agent should step up and be present as well. So, it's up to the homeowner and their real estate agent to decide whether or not a pre-listing inspection will affect the sale. 4. Recent Topics Yes, you should attend all home inspections with your buyers. Consult a tax advisor regarding the deductibility of interest. I (buyer) did our general inspection last week and now we're having a foundation expert come out to inspect the property tomorrow. No incentive or fear of loss should be implied for you to work directly with the listing agent. Heres how the best of the best get leads. I invite you to also read my guide on the 7 things that can fail a home inspection that sellers may find interesting. Because the buyer is also the home inspectors client, it can be argued that the inspector owes a fiduciary duty to the buyer. Real Estate Agents Should Attend The Home Inspection. What is a Home Inspection? No incentive or fear of loss should be implied for you to work directly with the listing agent. And when you work with an agent from start to finish, you build considerable trust. I appreciated this because she was able to report back right away--i.e. They still suggest their buyer clarify any issues with the home directly with the inspector. Some agents don't want to be present at a home inspection since they will be required to disclose any negative information they overhear to another potential buyer in the future. If the inspector finds something major they [the listing agent] may be putting themselves in a position to disclose to a future buyer if they attend.. When I called her about it, she said the buyer is an adult and this should not be a problem for me.. Unfortunately, far too many agents don't know any better. All Rights Reserved. As a result, home price growth is expected to continue slowing, dipping below its pre-pandemic average to 5.4% for 2023, as a whole. Silicon Valley Realtor, selling homes in Los Gatos, Saratoga, San Jose, Silicon Valley, and nearby since 1993. Should Listing Agents Be Present At The Appraisal? - Inman From buying and selling advice for consumers to money-making tips for Agents, our content, updated daily, has made Realty Times a must-read, and see, for anyone involved in Real Estate. Maximum Real Estate exposure is a marketing site designed to give Massachusetts home sellers a dominant online presence. As a buyers agent, its your job to help your clients feel comfortable buying a new home. Thats ok, though, because they have you, their real estate agent, to walk them through the process. When the Seller is at the home inspection, it makes it harder for me to fully criticize the home because the Seller frequently objects. If the listing agent attends the inspection and sees the problems the inspector discovers and that transaction does not go forward, the listing agent is obligated to tell future buyers about any problems. [2023 Guide], How Long Does A Home Inspection Take? Each of these roles is filled by someone more skilled than I am, and I will do my best to help my client better understand what each of these professionals is offering to them in reports, advice or documents, but with the understanding that only the professional in that field can give them the most accurate answer.. Your agent should take high-quality photos of the interior and exterior of your house. If done properly, you can create a strategy for negotiation and necessary repairs. Connect your local MLS to Facebook to promote all properties in your MLS or create any specific niche catalog of listing you want to sell using dynamic Facebook ads. When I sold, I stayed away while the buyers and inspector went through the house. The last one I caught doing that (she let the buyer in for an unscheduled appointment we just happened to do a site inspection on that day) had left the buyer and contractoralone in a vacant listing. Absolutely not! Ask the HOA Expert: Can a Board Control The Tenant Approval Process From Owners? Ask any agent that knows what they are talking about. they have the right to be present or represented." They shouldnt have to worry about the stranger in the corner watching their every move, or butting in with their opinions., Tom Riggins tookit one step further and saidthat no agent listing or buyer should be at the inspection. Here are just some of the ways you can use these new types of ads to stand apart from the competition: Connect your local MLS to Facebook to promote all properties in your MLS or create any specific niche catalog of listing you want to sell using dynamic Facebook ads. It depends on a number of factors such as how much of a seller credit can be used. Sellers can usually give better and more detailed answers in person, and they can physically show the Buyer how to do something. You have every right and option to choose your own agent to work with. What you'll find is this business is made up of two types of real estate agents - Those that will go the extra mile in everything they do and those who will try to do as little as possible. Anonymous. No, buying a home isnt always that kind of battle, but the transaction is certainly large enough that it makes sense for you to have your own representation. 4 9 comments Add a Comment flyinb11 4 mo. What may be a major issue for an agent, may be a negligible issue for the buyer. Should the listing agent be present at a home inspection? The Pros and Cons of Joining a Real Estate Team. Just wondering what the standard practice is based on the collective DCUM experiences. How listings agents negotiate with buyers. Should our listing agent be present at our house during the inspection or should the buyers and home inspector be left completely alone? The LISTING agent (agent representing the SELLER) should NEVER EVER attend an inspection. A reputable inspector will spend hours carefully reviewing a property to evaluate its condition. Or will the seller get in the way of the inspection and irritate everyone. Different experts have varied views regarding which stakeholders should attend the home inspection process. Hire someone whos going to help you get the best house, at the best price and terms. Many times I have been doing a home inspection where the Seller gets into a warm conversation with the Buyer. The Seller will usually give a backstory on the house, how their kids grew up there, or stories related to the house. This can cause the buyer to feel uncomfortable, or it can cause tension with the buyer and buyer's agent, ultimately risking the sale. Who is present at the home inspections? - Mary Pope-Handy Copyright 2007-2023. So sellers generally have to accept it so that the buyer doesnt cancel. Just like appraisers, home inspectors are human, and if you irritate us, it may not end well. Dont be that buyer! Let your agent take it from thereand dont worry about it losing you the house or a better deal. If there is some quirky light system or a weird way to open a door, the Seller can easily explain something. Lets put the customer service issue aside and consider agent liability when it comes to home inspections. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 2017 Housing Bubble, Recessions, and Threats Oh My! And consider reporting the listing agent who said that. Most realtors fail consider when working on their brand. So, before you even get serious about looking at homes to buy, do yourself a favor and find a great buyers agent and hire him or her. Filed Under: Buyers Resource, Sedona Real Estate. The home inspector is the only person who has to be present they are conducting the inspection, after all. But please understand, I'm telling you this for your information, not because it is a major issue. The seller's agent should just be physically present and if needed he or she can answer the questions and if not, then the agent can contact the seller via phone or e-mail and get answers immediately for the inspector's convenience. Mary & Clair sell homes throughout Silicon Valley:Santa Clara County,San Mateo County, andSanta Cruz County.with a special focus on:San Jose, Los Gatos,Saratoga, Campbell,Almaden Valley,Cambrian Park. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through a link on this page. Several agents voiced the last point, which we find curious. An exceptional real estate agents knows how to negotiate repairs after a home inspection. The answer really depends on when the inspections are done and who is paying for them. Does it make sense that a real estate agent should skip it? Its their inspection, and their time to explore and investigate the property uninhibited. Your email address will not be published. It can be very stressful for the seller to hear the home inspector finding issue with the homes systems, and on more than a few occasions Ive seen home sellers start to cry when hearing whats wrong with the house. Should You Go Directly To The Listing Agent When Buying A House? When youre looking to buy a house, you might think it makes sense to go directly to the listing agent whos listed the property for sale. What about the seller or listing agent being present at the buyers home inspections? var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Home inspections are often the deciding factor for whether or not a buyer decides to move forward with a deal. Is this a normal thing here in Los Angeles? The inspection time frame is NOT the time to tell family and friends to come by and see the house. 1. If the agent had a chance to tour the property prior to the "safer-at-home" order, they should write down what they remember observing and make their disclosure based on what was observed at that prior visit. Home Inspector Secrets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The most popular is that "It's still the Seller's home. Designed by Mary Pope-Handy using DIVI. Will the seller answer the buyers questions and put them at ease? Property inspections are a critical piece to the home buying and selling process, yet it is amazing to note that proper representation during the inspection process is often misunderstood and neglected. A wall patch usually isnt a big deal, but if the Seller is there and can give an explanation such as there was a leak last year but we fixed it then that can satisfy any doubts in the buyers mind. Agents claim that theyll never be replaced. The buyer can inspect but cannot insist that the seller or listing agent not be there. Stop! The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. When you are a buyers agent or assisting a buyer in any form, you must emphatically and repeatedly stress that you are not an expert beyond the scope of your professional real estate duties and license. Regardless of whether they hear about defects directly from the inspector or from his or her report, they WILL have knowledge of them. Home Inspection- should listing agent be present? - DCUM Weblog How Much Is A Mold Inspection? Can the Seller Be Present During a Buyer's Inspection? What is a home inspection? Makes sense, right? Title Insurance from Champion Title. Haphazardly looking at homes you come across online, or by driving by can cause you to miss homes that agents are seeing come on the market. Go find another agent. Penske Sponsored Don't Pester, and 7 Other Mistakes Buyers Shouldn't Make During the Home Inspection By Cathie Ericson Aug 7, 2022 Envelope Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest Share. Agents who do not attend home inspections will often cite "liability" as a reason for their absence. The term REALTOR is a registered trademark of the National Association of Realtors. 4. We have a fiduciary duty to protect the buyer. As much as the Internet allows you a lot more access to the inventory nowadays, it can be hard not to miss something, or overlook a great option on your own.