Should The Seller Attend The Home Inspection?

I’ve written about buyers attending the home inspection, and I’ve written about buyer’s agents attending the home inspection.  I’ve never written about home sellers attending the home inspection because I thought this was a no-brainer, but I recently learned that there are many real estate agents that feel the seller should be present during the home inspection.

When the buyers aren't there, great.

If the buyers aren’t going to attend the inspection, I have no problem with the seller being home for the inspection.  In fact, sometimes it’s actually nice because I have someone to talk to, instead of just talking to myself.  I can ask the seller about mysterious stains, I can ask why they installed something this way when it’s usually done that way… come to think of it, when it’s just me and the seller present, I ask a ton of questions.  I get to know the sellers a little, and I often get a call from them later when they’re read to have their next house inspected.  I’ll all for it.

But when the buyer attends...

On the other hand, if the buyers are going to attend the inspection, which is what happens with the majority of my business, I would much prefer that the seller take off.

On the rare occasions when the seller is present, it can sometimes make for an uncomfortable inspection.  It’s tough for a seller to have some stranger walking through their house pointing out defects.  Many sellers get angry or defensive, and oftentimes can’t help themselves from butting in with defensive comments or challenging me.  I stand behind my recommendations and opinions, but it’s a huge waste of my client’s time if I have to spend half the inspection justifying my words and actions to a seller.

I typically show up to inspections about fifteen to twenty minutes early, often before the seller has left yet.  If I get the impression that the seller isn’t planning on leaving, I’ll usually ask a few pointed questions.  "So, are you planning on sticking around for this inspection?” If the answer is yes, I’ll say “Ok… did you know the buyers are coming too?”  At this point, the seller typically gets a shocked look and says they had no idea that the buyers would be coming, and they rush to get out of the house.

On the rare occasion that the seller plans on staying, I feel out the situation.  If the seller says they’ll leave me and my clients alone, great.  If the seller answers the door with a scowl and tells me they’re not going anywhere, I politely tell them that I respect the fact that it’s their house and they can do what they want, but I would prefer they leave.  If they still don’t want to, that’s their business, but most buyers are very uncomfortable with the seller being home for the inspection.  The sellers should be gone during the home inspection for all the same reasons that sellers are gone for any showings.

The most common reason I’ve heard for people that do want the sellers present is so that they can answer any questions that the home inspector has about the house.  I have a very simple solution: have the sellers leave a phone number.  Done and done.




Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections - Email - Minneapolis Home Inspections



    

The Buyer Should Be There

The question I get from home buyers that always makes me chuckle: "Can I be there for part of the inspection?"

I want the buyer there for the whole thing!  Whenever possible.   It allows me to focus on their particular concerns, it lets me tailor the report to their needs, and it helps them to understand everything a little better.

Client Concerns

I encourage my clients to attend the entire inspection so we can go through everything together.  I try to give myself a quick tour of the house and inspect the roof before my clients show up.  This eliminates some  'down time' for my client.  After that, we talk about any particular concerns they have with the house, and I try to get a sense of what's important to them... the stuff they might not know to tell me.  Some clients are very concerned that the house is safe for children, some are concerned with security,  others are planning a big remodel and don't care if the windows in the back of the house are rotted.

The Report

Having my client attend the inspection helps me to write a much more customized report.  I make suggestions about ways to fix things,  and sometimes I suggest upgrades they could do to the house.  My clients will often ask me to put those recommendations in the report, and I also include hyperlinks in my reports to web sites if I know what my clients are interested in.  For instance, just yesterday I inspected a home for a client who was thinking about replacing his entire boiler system with a forced air furnace, so I included a link in his report to my blog about furnaces vs boilers.

When my client's don't attend the inspection, I end up having to write a report with my pickiest client in mind - you know, the person that expects every house to be perfect, and gets worried about hairline cracks in the basement floor.  I end up taking photos of a lot of things that aren'tproblems and I document that they aren't problems, because it saves worried phone calls later.  A good example is something call 'checking' in old wood beams, which is something that happens to old timbers as they dry out.   If my clients aren't there to go through everything with me, they might confuse the checking with 'cracks' in their wood beams and think it's a structural defect, when it's really just something that happens to wood over time, and has no effect on the structural integrity.

Understanding

When my clients attend the inspection, we talk about the importance of repairs.  Some problems have little impact on the home as a whole, such as a rotted storm door or a deteriorated driveway.  On the other hand, a disconnected furnace vent in the attic is a SERIOUS defect that could cause a ridiculous amount of damage over a period of just one heating season.  Without discussing these items or seeing them firsthand, it's difficult for buyers to prioritize these repairs.

If you schedule an inspection and the inspector doesn't want you to attend, this is a big red flag.  Find another inspector.

Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections - Email - Detailed Buyers Inspections

RELATED POST:  Should Agents Attend The Inspection?

Should Real Estate Agents Attend The Home Inspection?

Many real estate agents don't attend their buyer's home inspection because someone has told them that this increases their liability.  I completely disagree.  It's their conduct at the inspection that puts them at risk, not their presence.   About 75% of the agents that I regularly work with attend at least part of the inspection, and almost all of my clients attend the entire inspection.  I've identified several different types of agents throughout the years, and I''m going to give my two cents as to whether they should attend or not.

The Annoyed AgentThese agents act like they're doing their client a favor by selling them a house, and they're obviously annoyed with their client.  They moan and sigh every time I talk about something that needs attention.  They always want to write up an addendum to the purchase agreement and have the client sign it while we're still at the property, before they've even seen my report.  Stay home.

The Know-It-AllThese agents have a background in construction or they know a lot about houses, and they want to make sure everyone knows it.  Sometimes they do more talking than I do at the inspection, and they'll often downplay or disagree with items that I say need attention.  These agents give bad information, they seem to be working on their own agenda, and they're exposing themselves to a lot of liability.  Stay home.

The CriticThese are the agents that don't know me, and they're scared as heck because I'm not their 'usual inspector'.   They're afraid that I'm going to say something that will blow the deal, they look over my shoulder the whole time, and they try to question everything I say unless it's positive.  These agents clearly have their own agenda in mind, and they act bitter because the client picked me.  Stay home.

The Other Inspector
This agent attends the home inspection and tries to point out anything the home inspector might have missed, and tries to be a second set of eyes.  This agent has good intentions, but if a home inspector needs this help to produce a solid  inspection it might be time to find another home inspector.  While these agents have their client's needs in mind, they could be giving their client the idea that they're just as qualified to inspect the home.  An attorney might tell these agents to stay home - see the note at the bottom of this blog. 



The RookieThese agents may have never attended a home inspection, and they haven't sold a lot of houses.  They learn a ton about the inspection process, and they use this information to help their current client and their future clients.  These agents should definitely be there to learn.  Come along.

The Moral Support
These agents show up at the inspection because they're working with first time home buyers that need their hand held throughout the entire process.  They introduce me to the client, and they tag along for the whole inspection to provide moral support.  They don't get in the way, and their clients usually appreciate them being there.  These agents have their client's needs in mind.  Come along.

The Inspectors AssistantThese agents attend the entire inspection, and they often ask more questions than the client does.  They offer to adjust the thermostat, they go back inside while we're inspecting the outside to make sure a fan is turned on, and some have even been on the roof with me (I know I'm going to get crap for this one!).  These agents have their client's needs in mind.   Come along.

The ProfessionalThese agents show up because they feel it's their due diligence.  They don't tag along with me much, but they want to know about any big issues that come up, and they usually want to understand the issues and see them firsthand.  These agents have their client's needs in mind.  Come along.

The first three types of agents that I talked about are the type that either have been sued or should be sued.  They're doing a disservice to their clients by attending the inspection, and they don't have any business being there.  I don't work with a lot of these agents, because they don't refer me.   Most of the agents that I work with truly have their client's best interest in mind, and I see no reason for them to be afraid to attend the inspection.  Maybe I'm too much of an optimist, but I've never subscribed to the phrase "No good deed goes unpunished".

Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections - Email - Twin Cities Home Inspector


PS - About the "Other Inspector" - I read an article about this agent at the NAR web site, and I think this article might be one of the largest factors in agents not wanting to attend home inspections.   My interpretation of this article is "Rotten client does a rotten thing to real estate agent."  The whole premise of this tale is despicable.  I followed up with the author of the article because the article never tells how the story ended.  I asked if the agent had to pay for the repairs, and the author said "The insurance company paid".

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