RE Salesman Sounds Off on "Deal Killers"

[James H. Bushart]

Enjoy.

A while ago I featured a guest post on how to select a home inspector. However, the one aspect of this task that we didn't cover is whether or not you want to hire a kick-*** inspector - otherwise known as a deal killer.

So maybe these somewhat pejorative terms seem to reveal a bias that I and other realtors (geez, I'm putting myself in the same group as other realtors?) have towards these inspectors. However, the most famous Chicago deal killer (that's how he's known among realtors) actually marketed himself for a while as a "kick-***" home inspector. He even had a cartoon similar to the one above on his Web site but it's not there now. Maybe he decided it wasn't good for his image. But his blatant use of this term reveals everything about his attitude towards the inspection process and therein lies the problem.

Don't get me wrong. A buyer has the right to hire whatever inspector he or she wants and the goal of the inspection is to uncover all the material problems with the home the buyer is about to purchase. God knows that Chicago has a ton of crappy housing stock. However, the issue with these inspectors is that they have something to prove, they lack balance in the reporting of their findings, they are confrontational, and the first time buyer that uses them may not ever buy a home. The reputation of the deal killer is so bad that we've had some listing agents choose to walk away from a deal rather than let him on the property. I myself have decided that if he ever shows up on one of my listings I will just tell the buyer's agent that the inspection findings will all be discounted by 50%.

Just to give you another example of how bad the reputation of this guy is...when you call a listing agent to find out why a previous contract was cancelled on their listing all they have to say is that _________ did the inspection.

My own experience with the deal killer working for one of my buyers was extremely unpleasant. I went into the inspection assuming we were working on the same side. Apparently he didn't see it that way. The first time I asked him a question he didn't even look up from his work and simply said "I can't talk to you without permission from the buyer". The only thing is that the buyer was standing right next to us and he could have very easily asked the buyer for permission. Instead I had to turn to my buyer and tell him to give the inspector permission to talk to me. What an idiot! Then every time I asked a question he would challenge me with "Are you trying to minimize my findings?" My response was always "Nooooo. I'm asking a question." In the end the listing agent confided in me that she had never seen an inspector act so rudely before.

At one point he was inspecting the furnace in the basement and he noticed some water stains along the side of the intake duct and declared that the basement had flooded. Except I pointed out to him that water stains from a basement flood would be along the entire base of the ductwork and not along the side. I suggested that maybe this was in fact condensation. He conceded that point to me and from that point on he treated me with a bit more respect.

In addition, his final report recommended that the house needed a new roof. Later we brought in a roofing expert who concluded that $500 worth of repairs would do just fine.

Get the picture? You can hire this guy to do your inspections but you need to understand what you are dealing with.

[Gary Farnsworth]

"Get the picture? You can hire this guy to do your inspections but you need to understand what you are dealing with".


I thought RE's never hire inspectors. It is the home buyers who do the hiring and write the check. This guy must have been burnt too many times. It amazes me that these used home commissioned sales people always complain about home inspectors, when they, themselves, do not understand their own business.

[James H. Bushart]

This salesman is wanting what is referred to in this article as a "balanced report". Is that one of those crazy deals where you list the "good" with the "bad"? If the lack of a "balanced report" is what makes an inspector a deal killer....that would make me a prolific mass murderer.

Oh...just an amusing off topic side note that I absolutely have to share. I got some spam, today, from a local real estate salesman warning me to never hire a "part time" agent. I know a few of you will really appreciate that, as I did.

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Inspection Balanced Summary:

"The roof leaks a tad during the rany season but Oh that view is to die for!"

[Bob Elliott]

I think I know which inspector he is talking about.
After hearing stories from both inspectors and Agents to go with some of the reviews I am of the opinion this guy goes overboard on minor issues and turns them in to a reason to run from the sale.
He also charges double which I know many of us like.
True that he is barred from many properties though I am not sure how they get away with that.
I got barred from all of a developers buildings once myself but that lasted about 45 minutes before I received apologies on the phone and returned.
The head of construction was arguing with me for calling out lack makeup air and lack of sealing shower stalls by arguing code.(yeah that story).
Back to subject imagine that Holmes guy showing up at the door with a sledge hammer at every inspection and throwing fits at every minor $5 item.
I get detailed myself but always explain to my clients verbally how big of a deal things are or are not.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Probably talking about an ASHI inspector / Tomacor (Tom Corbett). Tom has always marketed himself as the MOST expensive inspector in Chicago AND the pickiest.

Over 12 years ago he always bragged that 90% of his business was referrals from past customers. I've seen newspaper articles in CHI town where agents offered a buyer $5,000 off the price when they found out Corbet was coming - IF the buyer would use someone else.

I think each major market has room for 1-2 inspectors that HARD core market his way. Once you do, theres no going back / Agents have totally kissed you off - EVEN good ones.

[Bob Elliott]

The only way to stay in business if that rep is what you want is to be way over the top and flip your top 24 hours a day.
The guy must have veins popping out all over the place.

[James H. Bushart]

A house is what it is.

An accurate, thorough and unbiased report regarding its present condition...without any regard concerning the potential sale (or not)...is what we are paid to provide.

We are not there to sell the house...nor are we there to present it as being any worse than it is, either.

As a kid in the service 40 plus years ago, a group of us with an idle moment would pull out pictures of the girl we had back home and pass them around, proudly, among one another. The rule was, then, that no matter how ugly they might be...you said something complimentary...like..."Wow. She's got a nice tooth." or words to that effect.

A home inspection and report is not one of these types of occasions. One should never...ever...consider how anyone might respond to what is put in a report but should always, without fail, ensure that the information is relevant and accurate. What our client decides to do (or not) with that information is strictly his own business and has nothing at all to do with us.....if we did our jobs right.

[Bob Elliott]

It is accurate and unbiased to state that driving a car can cause accidents but scaring people in to a psych ward so they are terrified to ever get in a car is another story.
One must recognize the difference.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by belliott

It is accurate and unbiased to state that driving a car can cause accidents but scaring people in to a psych ward so they are terrified to ever get in a car is another story.
One must recognize the difference.

It is not accurate and unbiased to "terrify" people.

One does not need to remove a splinter with an axe. On the same token, it is not the job of the home inspector to take bad information and "soften" it so that it does not scare the client away from the house.

The house is what it is. Describing the condition as it is...nothing more and nothing less...is what we are paid to do. What our client does with that information is none of our business and the possible outcome of the sale has no relevance to what or how we report that condition.

About 35 years ago, I tended bar in an NCO Club and the club manager explained the importance of measuring the amount of alcohol I put into a drink. It was not for economy since, for the most part, it was tax dollars that purchased the liquor and there was little focus on that at the time. It was for the good of the customer who might be counting his drinks to determine what was "enough" before he drove himself home. While, at that time, I was not accountable for his actions when he left the bar....I could cause him to make the wrong decision on the number of drinks to buy if I poured too much alcohol. I still had to give him a full shot, for that is what he paid for.

The same thing applies to my inspection. My client has paid for the facts. If I withhold any of them....or "sweeten" them up by adding tastier substitutes.....I cheat him out of his full shot. If I over pour, I could cause him to make the wrong decision.

This is the art that accompanies the skill and it will vary from inspector to inspector. Neither extreme does any party to a real estate transaction a service.

[Bob Elliott]

"While, at that time, I was not accountable for his actions when he left the bar..."

Bars get sued for over serving all the time JB..or should I say for serving the JB

Back to subject my comment was aimed at inspectors that do the opposite and call out minor easily fixed issues as deal breakers.

It is all in the tone of voice, facial expression,attitude,and once home writing the report it is in the adjectives used around the comments and summary section focus.
We can all report the same things and be totally different at the same time.

If it was art I would call it different textures.

[James H. Bushart]

A house is what it is. A report should reflect what the house is. What the client does with that information is none of the inspector's business and should have no bearing on what he reports.

[Vince Santos]

Originally Posted by jbushart

This salesman is wanting what is referred to in this article as a "balanced report". Is that one of those crazy deals where you list the "good" with the "bad"? If the lack of a "balanced report" is what makes an inspector a deal killer....that would make me a prolific mass murderer.

Oh...just an amusing off topic side note that I absolutely have to share. I got some spam, today, from a local real estate salesman warning me to never hire a "part time" agent. I know a few of you will really appreciate that, as I did.

I always get a kick out of that. Inspectors listing the good aspects. Just screams of trying to satisfy the agent.

I'm all for fair reports but that has nothing to do with trying to sell the house

[rsmith24]

Originally Posted by vsantos

I always get a kick out of that. Inspectors listing the good aspects. Just screams of trying to satisfy the agent.

I'm all for fair reports but that has nothing to do with trying to sell the house

Like this? http://www.s135577378.onlinehome.us/...es/Report1.pdf

[Russell J. Hensel]

Listing the good aspects? I list a ton of things working properly. Who doesn't?