Home Inspectors are counted upon to answer all sorts of questions asked by a home buyer before, during, and after a home inspection. Questions such as:
- “Should we buy this house?”
- “Would you buy this house”
- “How much money will all of the repairs cost”
- “Who pays for the repairs, the sellers or us?”
- “Is this house hazardous to live in?”
- “How much longer do we have on that roof?”
- “Is the electric wiring a fire hazard?”
The list of questions runs on and on and I have heard some good ones in the last 9 years.
However, a home inspector can overstep his bounds by answering too many questions and one, or both of two things can happen.
- The buyer will back out of the deal on that particular property and/or
- The buyers agent will be upset with the inspector for overstepping his bounds and scaring their client away from the property and it’s purchase.
Neither is a favorable outcome for the Realtor representing the buyer, the buyer, or the home inspector. Therefore, it is very important for the inspector to choose his/her battles wisely by answering only the questions that relate to the current condition of the home itself and allow the buyer and their agent to hash out the remaining concerns after they have both reviewed the inspection report. Often times, the Realtor will call me to discuss the severity of an issue before further advising their client, which I encourage.
Home Inspectors are hired by the prospective buyer to inspect the house, document the findings, and deliver the report promptly and professionally back to the buyer and their agent. We feel it is the home inspector’s’ responsibility to address any and all inquiries by the buyer
that relate to the condition of the home and the findings of the inspector on that day
. In addition, it is our responsibility to professionally and carefully suggest to the buyer that the remaining questions be presented to their agent after reviewing the full inspection report.
Certified Home Inspections prides itself on performing thorough and in-depth home inspections to potential home-buyers safely. In addition, we understand the importance of quality client/inspector communications and how they have become as equally important. Therefore, we also pride ourselves in our ability to be good listeners, provide credible information, and use ethical decision making techniques when answering all of those questions asked by the curious, anxious, and sometimes fearful potential buyers.