Different inspector than realtor suggests?

Question

A realtor I took a course from in college always impressed upon us to use an inspector you hire and not the one your realtor suggests. That there is too much room for a conflict of interest.

Thoughts? Is this a position held by others?

I’m about to need an inspection done and want to be smart about it.

Michael K Gallagher · Answer

@Logan Loughmiller our SOP on my team is to provide 3 inspector options that we, the realtors, recommend. These are usually people we have vetted, and worked with before.

We than always make it clear in writing and in conversations that the client always may go outside that and choose their own inspector.

From there it is up to the client. The only thing that matters to us is if the inspection is done by the day in the contract.

Certainly there is conflict of interest say if the realtor has an ownership stake in that company, but outside of that, at least for me it makes no difference who the inspector is!

If you are concerned about the quality of the inspection you’ll get in working through your realtor I’d suggest asking to talk to a past client that has used that inspector and speaking with them about the experience.

Good luck!

Sarita Scherpereel · Answer

@Logan Loughmiller As a realtor, I can say you’re not wrong. It’s a very difficult position to be in. It can definitely be a conflict of interest. I always recommend a list of inspectors to my clients and tell them to feel free to go with anyone they want. ￼ However , I’ve had inspectors that were not my preferred inspector really screw up and missed things. ￼ I really don’t like to give recommendations but when I’ve seen so many bad inspectors out there. An inspector my clients found on Yelp once didn’t take any photos!!!

The inspectors I work with are wonderful and some of them are fellow house hackers and investors. Most of my clients vet the inspectors before making a decision. Ultimately, it’s up to my clients to decide what they feel is best. ￼￼

Nicole W. · Answer

Sounds like you have it all covered. I have used both ones referred and ones I found. I have vetted them myself first. I have had both types miss/leave out items and both that found all items. If I had known about the GC idea too, I would have gone with one of those instead.

Michael K Gallagher · Answer

I totally understand and agree with you.  I will tell you though that in general the interpretation of the inspection report, for the most part is up to you.  You are worried, and rightfully so, that the inspector will "down grade" or "overlook" something in a grey area.  From my experience inspection reports mainly just list factual statements, or possible issues.  Its really up to you to determine how much of an issue it is.  the reports tend to read something like "cracking or splitting is floor joists is possible cause for concern, we recommend the opinion of a licensed structural engineer" or something to that effect.  The inspector more points things out, they aren't really grading anything for the most part.  Again from my experience...do with it what you will.

Logan Loughmiller · Answer

@Bruce Woodruff and @Michael K Gallagher - Thanks for the perspective. I do like my realtor as a person and she's been a realtor for 30 years, solid reputation. She did actually give me the same offer of 3 referrals for me to check out. Given how overwhelmed the housing market is here in Portland, if scheduling looks too difficult, I may default to hers anyways. Obviously not going to risk the contract over it.

It's more that I'm respecting and understanding (and not judging!) what her job is and what her relationships are. If the inspectors she uses get most of their work through her and something is "gray area" not good, it seems like the scales could easily tip to my realtor (who naturally would prefer a bump free closing) and maybe that gray area thing doesn't get mentioned or is minimized, etc.

It's a lot more work to hunt down someone reputable and reasonable on my own, but there's a lot more peace of mind knowing that I'm the point person that their primary allegiance is with.

I think that's what my college professor (who was a realtor himself) was trying to impress. Just wanted to put out feelers to see how common it was to do that, what perspectives/experiences were like. I can see both sides.

Steve K. · Answer

@Logan Loughmiller Both realtors and inspectors are looking to build their business through referrals and repeat customers. If you’re working with a quality agent who values their reputation, I would use the inspector they recommend over some random one for sure. Do go to the property towards the end of the inspection and walk through with the inspector having them point out what they found, as ultimately you’ll need to decide for yourself how to proceed with those findings.

Russell Brazil · Answer

Youve got like over $1500 in inspections with that many inspections.

Lydia S. · Answer

@Logan Loughmiller

Congratulations!!

That will vary widely depending on where you are and what’s considered normal. For example, if the house has a crawlspace, I don’t usually recommend a duct scope because the inspector can view the ductwork under the house. If it’s on a slab, duct scopes can reveal blockage, disconnects, decay, and is a great idea.

Scoping a sewer line is a great idea if there are a lot of trees on the property, people drive or park where the line runs, or the house is very old. You want to make sure the line isn’t cracked, blocked or decaying.

Your Lender will likely require a termite inspection, or at least they do here in most cases, so ask your Lender or Realtor.

By tank sweep, I assume you mean septic inspection? I believe that varies regionally as well, but they are a requirement in our state.

Is there a well to inspect?  Should the home be inspected for mold or lead?

Some things might be mentioned by the full home inspection to investigate further and you can consider those after reviewing the report, within your due diligence window of course.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

Yeah, prob way over $1500 ( but we dont know the specifics of the house)

I used to do Home Inspections back in the day, as a General Contractor and NACHI Certified and generally the Realtor recommended me to the buyer. I would say only 10% of the buyers found me themselves.

I would recommend finding a licensed inspector who is also a licensed GC. A 'regular' inspector is no where near as knowledgable. They just can't be. Until you've built some houses you don't know what's inside the walls/attic/etc. They'll miss many framing/structural defects and also many electrical issues. If the home has a crawl space, you 'll really get value from a GC.

Radon/well/septic are a must if they apply to you. Other than that, don't get carried away. In most states, a termite/pest report is required and paid for by the seller (right Realtors?)

Logan Loughmiller · Answer

Thanks @Lydia S.! That was exactly what I was looking for. Checking out the Portland InterNACHI website right now, that along with knowing what to ask will really help narrow things down.

Much appreciated!

Different inspector than realtor suggests?

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