Home Inspection Irregularities in Kansas City

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Got 2 calls in past week from 2 other local inspectors. One has been out there 5 years, the 2nd one 7.5 years. According to them, after there first 2 yrs both were doing about 230-280 inspections p/yr.

Last year both say they were off OVER 50%. One indicated he'd ONLY done 134 home inspections last year / The other said he'd ONLY done 97 inspections for 2010. Both have taken full time jobs (Maintenance Man at hotel for one and Home Depot for the other). Both said that they're now doing home inspections as a part-time occupation after work or on weekends.

I'm seeing a lot of this in my area. They both also indicated something that was puzzling them / They each said OF the few jobs they had the past 3-4 months ALMOST none were from RE Agents they'd previously worked with / BUT were eaking in a little bit at a time off the web.

Both were wondering if they'd done something BAD and were being blackballed by agents, etc.

I'm hearing this type of conversation VERY frequently in our area.

Dan Bowers, CRI, CMI

[William C. Chandler]

I would suggest they talk to the RE agents who are not referring them anymore and find out why. Don't understand why they would sit there and watch their business fall off over half and never look into the reason behind it and do something to correct it.

[Casey Patten]

If they were being honest about their numbers, it seems they hit it during the big boom. Now agents are trying anything to make a sale; easiest part for them to cut out is a quality inspection. Talking to them may/may not yield anything other than a stock "it's just tough out here" response.
I've had a couple realtors in my areas flat out tell me that agents are steering clients away from any inspection, good or bad. People need to think for themselves...but I'm preaching to the choir here!

[Gary Farnsworth]

Dan, are you fishing? Just more business for me. Yeah, right.

Agents introduced and passed home inspection laws in Kansas, and now basic, soft reports are the norm by law. Agents are telling their clients this, and buyers just are not hiring home inspections any longer because of what they are being told.

"Besides, you are buying the home AS IS, so why spend $250 on a home inspection? Inspectors are not inspecting all items now anyway. The new laws allow them to be lazy."

This is what they wanted to do all along. They scammed the legislators big time. Agents just wanted, and got, home inspectors out of their way of making commissions. They are not providing the best services for their clients, IMO.

And the same laws are coming to Missouri. Home buyers must be warned about these actions that some, if not most, agents are doing to the home buyers.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Gary -

Morning inspection was INSPECTED 2 months ago by another inspector.

Agent kept telling buyers this was a MAJOR waste of time & $$$ to use me.

As I was in the kitchen trying to respond to the Agents question as to HOW could I justify my OUTRAGEOUS fees ($550) for a home, termite and radon test on a 2200sf / 14 year old house WHEN the 1st inspector only charged $395 for the same 3 things.

As I was standing there leaning against the kitchen Island, I felt it move. I pushed it and it came off the floor. With my OLD GUY smile, I then explained to everyone that the Kitchen Island with ELECTRICAL outlets was not connected to the floor (I tilted it GENTLY over and demonstrated) this to the buyer.

I then explained that the James Hardiboard siding (which they had) was different than the Board & Batt siding the 1st inspector said was there and explained the differences. I then showed the pictures of the missing shingles AND the A/C at a 20% slope AND its conduit pulled out of the unit.

I then politely stated that I could been the $395 inspectors fee and do all 3 for $300 BUT they'd get the same quality as his was. I then pointed out that the issues above were some of the differences between $550 and $395 and asked if they wanted my $550 inspection packake OR my $300 inspection package.

WHICH do you think they went with??

[Gary Farnsworth]

I have run into the very same thing lately.

"Gee, you caught some things that the other inspector did not say anything about. He did one for a previous buyer just 4 weeks ago. The deal fell through because he could not get a loan. That inspector never said anything about the missing shingle tabs or the PB water lines".

Until the clue-less RE office brokers, the KAR and the NAR steps in, we are facing this incompetence. Home buyers, especially the first-timers, must realize that you do get what you pay for, and pay for what you do not get.

[Robert W. Jude]

The realtors I was getting lots of referrals too have told me that most clients are opting NOT to have them at all. I am sure it has everything to do with them telling the buyers not to waste their money. It is very sad for the buyers.