Tips for real estate agents

The homebuyer pays for the inspection fee when they arrive at the inspection or they can pre-pay for it by card online. Let your client know the average fee is around $425. Remind your clients that the fee is minimal when compared to the negotiating power they will receive with a good inspection. 

Explain to homebuyers that the inspection is visual only, meaning inspectors do not move seller belongings or "see through walls". The inspection is a "snapshot in time" and things can change. A home inspection will reduce some of the risks of buying a home however it cannot eliminate it. Things will likely wear out and break unexpectedly. Encourage your clients to explore various home warranty options and to evaluate the home thoroughly at the final walkthrough.  

The inspection can be scheduled by phone, text, or email. The buyer's agent typically schedules the inspection as he or she can better coordinate it with everyone's schedule. The owner of the home, their family, and their pets should not be present at the home during the inspection. The home buyer should be asked to attend, towards the end of the inspection. If the inspection starts at 9AM, ask the buyer to show up around 11 AM. If the inspection starts at 1PM, ask them to show up at 3PM.  They will receive a summary of the inspection, can pay the fee, and spend time exploring the home. The buyer and their spouse should attend, not their entire family - especially in homes that are still occupied. If the buyer brings alot of people, contractors, and children, the probability of property damage or theft increases. 

The listing agent should make sure the following are readily accessible before the inspection: furnace, attic entry ladder or ceiling hatch, water heater, breaker panel, crawl space, and kitchen stove (remove all pots and pans from it). The inspector will not be moving any of the stored items and furniture in a home. If the water heater closet is blocked by a freezer, the water heater will not be inspected. The home should be "show ready" meaning clean and de-cluttered. The prospective buyer will be walking through the home and should be provided a good impression of the home. The home owner should lock up or remove jewelry, money, drugs, and guns before the inspection. The home owner should be told the inspeciton will take about 3 hours. Some home owners want to be present, however this is not a good idea because 1) they get in the way 2) the buyer of the home needs to be able to explore the home without being followed 3) the inspector needs the freedom to talk to the buyer and their agent without being eavesdropped on.  Also, there is no need for the listing agent to be there as the inspector will not discuss the inspection findings with them. However, the listing agent is more than welcome to show up when everyone has left the home to ensure the home is properly locked up, the stove is off etc..

The agent has the option of the scheduling a followup inspection, if their client is willing to pay the additional fee. For example, say the inspector found a leak under the home during the home inspection which you have asked to be repaired. The home buyer may want proof that it was repaired through a followup inspection. The original report will be updated as well. I usually charge between $100 to $200 for followup inspections. In some cases, a followup inspection may not be necessary as the buyer may be fine with contractor invoices which show the item was repaired. 

Listing agents should encourage their clients to have a pre-listing inspection on th home they are selling. This is a home inspection for the seller to know about any major issues early on in the selling process rather than last minute, weeks before closing.  The home seller will then know up front if there are any major defects in their home and can choose to fix them now or add them to the disclosure report.