Why MIC doesn't work

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by jhagarty

MIC does work....
Pics from a recent MIC (Prelisting) Inspection.
Property was on the market less than 5 days...
Seller recieved a Full Price Offer (Contingent on Inspection)

- Buyer's Inspector missed these obvious defects....

Pre-listing inspections are great and I have done many for years. I don't call them "move-in certified", though. Do you?

[Nick Gromicko]

You'll find pre-listing inspections are difficult to sell. I couldn't sell one.

The MIC's done around here are almost all post-listing.

[Bruce A. King]

So a MIC inspection requires the inspector to go back and certify the repairs to the house were done? Or does the seller provide the inspector a signed document stating that he will have the issues professionally repaired?
Anything less is asking for trouble.


Around here, we call it a prelisting inspection anytime its done for a seller.


For those that are certifying their inspections, you should understand that inspectors are allowed to report their opinions which may very well differ from yours. I think every single inspection I have done on a house that was already inspected for the seller ended up causing the other inspector to issue a refund to their client (the seller) or an upset seller that did not even bother to call the other inspector.

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Pre-listing inspections are great and I have done many for years. I don't call them "move-in certified", though. Do you?

I do not call them MIC.
I call them Pre-Listing but many are done for the Seller after the home is in the MLS.
When I was affiliated with HouseMaster, they called them Pre-Inspections.

Call it whatever you want. If it works and gets more Inspections on the schedule book.... all is good...

[Christopher Currins]

Originally Posted by ccurrins;

Which was it, MIC or Pre-listing? Two different animals.

Originally Posted by jhagarty;

What do you perceive to be the difference?

Originally Posted by jhagarty;

I do not call them MIC.
I call them Pre-Listing but many are done for the Seller after the home is in the MLS.
When I was affiliated with HouseMaster, they called them Pre-Inspections.

What do you perceive to be the difference?

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

There is no difference between calling it
- MIC
- Pre-Inspection
- Pre-Listing Inspection
- Guaranteed Inspection
- Pre-Own Certified Inspection
- Seller Inspection
etc......

Call it whatever works in your market...
I have found calling it a Pre-Listing Inspection works best. I market to the Agents identifying the benefits to the Realtor and their Client.
They in turn sell it to their prospective clients (listings) as an additional marketing tool.
After the Realtor sees that it works, they are sold on the concept and continue to refer business.
I do a couple things that are unique and not a part of the MIC Program.
Again, the goal is more Inspections and more revenue.

[Nick Gromicko]

An MIC is a general home inspection, but done for the seller, and confirms a couple things (no major systems in need of immediate repair or replacement and no known safety hazards)... things no competent inspector should fear confirming. This provides some level of confidence to the real estate agents involved that a deal on an MIC home isn't going to fall apart in the eleventh hour. For that reason, buyer's agents should always show their clients MIC homes first. MIC inspections typically performed after the home is listed but before there is an offer. Sometimes, a major system is found to be in need of immediate repair. In that case, the seller can choose to hire the inspector to return to re-inspect after repairs are made. MIC always recommends that buyers hire their own inspector.

[Nick Gromicko]

Now let's see here, how many inspection is that?...

• MIC inspection, that's 1.
• Re-inspection, that's 2.
• Buyer hires his/her own inspector, that's 3.
• Seller hires MIC inspector again to inspect the home he/she is buying, that's 4.

Hm. And how about promoting the MIC inspector by providing copies of the product (report) home inspectors produce as professionals to others in need of inspections? Where does MIC do that?...

• Once to the seller.
• Once to the listing agent.
• Once to every buyer's agent that tours the home.
• Once to each of the potential buyers that tour the home.

Let's summarize by making a hypothetical tagline: MIC... less risk, more inspections, free marketing.