Thread: Looks like no referals from this agent or agency

I had an encounter with an agent who was mad as a wet hen yesterday and I needed to vent. I stopped by to return a key and in front of several people she unloaded on me about a lot of my stuff being on my report is unnecessary. She stared off by saying thanks for destroying the deal on her listing and making it never sell forever. I said are you sure it was not the property rather than my report and she said "oh no it was all you". I said ok lets talk about what you think is not necessary. She said that 54 pages is too much and the shear mass of the inspection scared the buyers off. She said that bushes should not be on a report. I said there is where we have a difference of opinion.. If I cant see the wall because the bushes are so thick, then I can determine if there is a problem. Also bushes in contact with wood windows causes rot and allows a path for bugs to the house. She just said well bushes don't belong on an inspection and the house would sell when it sells. She was so loud that 2 other agents left the room. What a pure unprofessional b****. So you nrewby's be aware. If you market to agents, you'd better cater to them or you'll get the riot act. Me, I don't even market to them. My inspections come from referrals from other clients and my web site. I don't care what they think. It's amazing that I don't get agent referrals until they or their kin want to buy a house. Do yourself a favor if your a newby and concentrate on building your referral base and stay out of the agents office.

The next time she or a family member buys a home you'll be the first one she calls.

I think you stated what the only issue the agent really had, "She stared off by saying thanks for destroying the deal on her listing". 1 page or 54 pages, it is the deal that is the agents issue. Commission trumps everything and is the first thing on this agents mind. Then there is the fear that your report will be recycled to others.

Cudos on not loosing your professional presence in wanting to discuss the agents concerns even though it fell on deaf ears and a closed mind.

Why is it that most Realtors want to be home inspectors? Many of them are not even Realtors, they only think they are.

The response I first thought of was:

Huh? 54 pages? I'm so sorry ... I must have only given you the short summary of what is wrong ...

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

The response I first thought of was:

Huh? 54 pages? I'm so sorry ... I must have only given you the short summary of what is wrong ...

Pages 55 through 75 had the hazardous, dangerous and most expensive repairs. Sorry I will get it right to the buyer/client. Thank you for bring it to my attention.......

Next time this happens to you (and there will be a next time) ask the agent to take a few minutes to write down what deficiencies they want you to leave out of the report. When they ask, "What for?" (and they will ask) tell them you'll need it for court when you get sued for not reporting deficiencies.

BTW one of my inspections yesterday was 123 pages. I think it was a new, personal record.

I have an agent in my area that on his listings, pre screens his buyers to see who's doing the inspection. When its us, (according to three of my previous clients over the past few months) he will not accept their offer if they insist on using us.
We wear that as a badge of honor...

Mis post. Sorry

I had one Realtor recently tell me that it was my fault that they misheard me on my brief summary of issues during the inspection. The Realtor honestly informed me he had not taken the time to read the report. Apparently neither did the client. And because he misheard me it was negligence on my part that what I suggested be repaired was not repaired. He continued to call me after the house closed to make sure I know the condition of items in the house, items that I had noted as defective in the report.

I also had another Realtor tell me that my report "scared the heck out of her client". Also " you needed to show more concern and emphasis on the items that the client ( whom was not at the inspection) wants repaired, so that way there was more leverage to force the seller to fix the items these items.". Also from now on the Realtor expects me to schedule a special meeting were we can all get together and discuss every item in the inspection. Her clients work and should not have to attend the inspection.

Two Realtors I will never work with again.

Our company holds a "black list" of agents we will not work for or with...

Originally Posted by cory nystul

I had one Realtor recently tell me that it was my fault that they misheard me on my brief summary of issues during the inspection. The Realtor honestly informed me he had not taken the time to read the report. Apparently neither did the client. And because he misheard me it was negligence on my part that what I suggested be repaired was not repaired. He continued to call me after the house closed to make sure I know the condition of items in the house, items that I had noted as defective in the report.

I also had another Realtor tell me that my report "scared the heck out of her client". Also " you needed to show more concern and emphasis on the items that the client ( whom was not at the inspection) wants repaired, so that way there was more leverage to force the seller to fix the items these items.". Also from now on the Realtor expects me to schedule a special meeting were we can all get together and discuss every item in the inspection. Her clients work and should not have to attend the inspection.

Two Realtors I will never work with again.

Originally Posted by Marc M

Our company holds a "black list" of agents we will not work for or with...

I never saw an agent I couldn't make cry ... ... I didn't "work for" the agent, unless they were buying the house, and, yes, there were a few which I could "work with" - they told their clients not to call or use anyone else, and if the client did, it didn't affect me, and on a few occasions they would call me for a second inspection after the first inspector didn't meet their expectations of what was to be done and how it was to be addressed.

I am sure there are several inspectors here who have that type of business.

For a number of years my one-line yellow page ad stated "Your Best Friend, Their Realtors Worst Nightmare".

My middle name conferred upon me by (some) Realtors is 'deal blower'. Raymond Deal Blower Wand.

Originally Posted by Kevin Wood

Hey Raymond I wonder if your black listed agents is as long as mine.

Black lists for agents was too much trouble ... the "white list" of acceptable agents was much shorter and could be kept on one hand ...

Originally Posted by ren ramsey

... Do yourself a favor if your a newby and concentrate on building your referral base and stay out of the agents office.

Great advice for a new or seasoned inspector. Make sure you have a Relationship Marketing program in place.

If you have not see the latest Relationship Marketing videos on InspectionNews you should check them out.

InspectionReferral.com

I don't get too many calls from agents telling me I ruined their deal. I think that most of them know that they will likely get the dial tone if they start yelling, and I'm not going to change my report.

I did get a call last week from an agent complaining that I did not number the "action" items and prioritize them for her. I told her that I was sorry she did not like my report format, but I had no intention of changing it for her, then asked if she had any other questions for me. I got the dial tone then.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

For a number of years my one-line yellow page ad stated "Your Best Friend, Their Realtors Worst Nightmare".

I like this!

Originally Posted by Marc M

I have an agent in my area that on his listings, pre screens his buyers to see who's doing the inspection. When its us, (according to three of my previous clients over the past few months) he will not accept their offer if they insist on using us.
We wear that as a badge of honor...

I would report him to the Real Estate Commission: it is the Realtors job to PRESENT ALL OFFERS TO THEIR CLIENT.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by Marc M

I have an agent in my area that on his listings, pre screens his buyers to see who's doing the inspection. When its us, (according to three of my previous clients over the past few months) he will not accept their offer if they insist on using us.
We wear that as a badge of honor...

I would report him to the Real Estate Commission: it is the Realtors job to PRESENT ALL OFFERS TO THEIR CLIENT.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by Marc M

I have an agent in my area that on his listings, pre screens his buyers to see who's doing the inspection. When its us, (according to three of my previous clients over the past few months) he will not accept their offer if they insist on using us.
We wear that as a badge of honor...

I would report him to the Real Estate Commission: it is the Realtors job to PRESENT ALL OFFERS TO THEIR CLIENT. Real Estate Agents are NOT a Kingdom unto themselves :-)

I got blistered by an agent who said from now on out she'll check to see if the house has Polybutylene plumbing and make sure I don't get the called if it does. One makes sure there's no aluminum branch circuits first.
Wear it as a badge of honor.

JLMathis

Originally Posted by Jeffrey L. Mathis

I got blistered by an agent who said from now on out she'll check to see if the house has Polybutylene plumbing and make sure I don't get the called if it does. One makes sure there's no aluminum branch circuits first.
Wear it as a badge of honor.

JLMathis

Well since the NCHILB has "strongly recommended" standard statements regarding both of these conditions, all NC home inspectors should be reporting the conditions similarly. Agents forget that the home inspector did not create the defects, only reports them. It is their job to negotiate the deal based on the conditions of the home.

Originally Posted by Marc M

I have an agent in my area that on his listings, pre screens his buyers to see who's doing the inspection. When its us, (according to three of my previous clients over the past few months) he will not accept their offer if they insist on using us.
We wear that as a badge of honor...

Report the agent to the State Realtor Board. Every Real Estate MUST present EVERY offer to their Client / Seller.

I know of agents who will pull HI brochures from their reception area while leaving the competitors.

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

I know of agents who will pull HI brochures from their reception area while leaving the competitors.

Our girl finds our stuff in the trash all the time.

- - - Updated - - -

realto.png

Just blackballed another agent about an hour ago. This one had a history of placing inspection orders for her clients before their purchase agreement was accepted, then cancelling when the offer was not accepted. She also had a history of pulling me aside and asking me to "be careful" with clients, they're first time home buyers and didn't want to scare them. Which I ignored anyways.

The final straw today: Agent's assistant placed an inspection order on Thursday with a radon test, inspection set for Monday morning, radon monitor set today. The assistant made the mistake of telling us they did not have a signed purchase agreement, only a verbal acceptance. When we baulked at scheduling the inspection she assured us that everything would be good to go.

After placing the radon monitor today the agent's assistant called and wanted to change the inspection to a different house. She told us the buyers were purchasing multiple properties, but only needed an inspection on the house they were going to live in. I told her I needed to speak with the agent herself.

The agent called me shortly thereafter. Seems she and her clients made offers on several houses with the intention on only purchasing one of them. They made the final decision on which one to buy today. I told her that the way she conducts her business should not affect my business, but because of her actions, they were. Therefore I would no longer conduct inspections for her clients. She went on and on about how her clients were disabled and I'm hurting them...Then stated, "You're hurting disabled people". I pointed out that I was not the person who cancelled the inspection, nor was I the person who facilitated multiple offers on different properties.

She continued to beg, and even did a fake sniffle. I told her she could continue, but I had already made my decision and it was getting to be late on Saturday and she needed to get on the phone and find an inspector for Monday.

Ken R.,
There was a simple solution. Agent paid for the inspections scheduled with no refund or credit for any reason. Charged to a credit card account you keep on file. This with a signed written agreement authorizing the charges placed on the card by you.

There may be a bit of conflict of interest on reports performed. But if you included a clause that if you were paid by the client (buyer), then the agent's account would be credited back that amount and only that amount. Any other scheduled inspection still was a charge and owed by the agent.

Originally Posted by ren ramsey

I had an encounter with an agent who was mad as a wet hen yesterday and I needed to vent. I stopped by to return a key and in front of several people she unloaded on me about a lot of my stuff being on my report is unnecessary. She stared off by saying thanks for destroying the deal on her listing and making it never sell forever. I said are you sure it was not the property rather than my report and she said "oh no it was all you". I said ok lets talk about what you think is not necessary. She said that 54 pages is too much and the shear mass of the inspection scared the buyers off. She said that bushes should not be on a report. I said there is where we have a difference of opinion.. If I cant see the wall because the bushes are so thick, then I can determine if there is a problem. Also bushes in contact with wood windows causes rot and allows a path for bugs to the house. She just said well bushes don't belong on an inspection and the house would sell when it sells. She was so loud that 2 other agents left the room. What a pure unprofessional b****. So you nrewby's be aware. If you market to agents, you'd better cater to them or you'll get the riot act. Me, I don't even market to them. My inspections come from referrals from other clients and my web site. I don't care what they think. It's amazing that I don't get agent referrals until they or their kin want to buy a house. Do yourself a favor if your a newby and concentrate on building your referral base and stay out of the agents office.

Nothing in this thread is at all suprising Maybe this is a good reason to have a uniform reporting system so all inspection issues are On The Table

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by ren ramsey

I had an encounter with an agent who was mad as a wet hen yesterday and I needed to vent. I stopped by to return a key and in front of several people she unloaded on me about a lot of my stuff being on my report is unnecessary. She stared off by saying thanks for destroying the deal on her listing and making it never sell forever. I said are you sure it was not the property rather than my report and she said "oh no it was all you". I said ok lets talk about what you think is not necessary. She said that 54 pages is too much and the shear mass of the inspection scared the buyers off. She said that bushes should not be on a report. I said there is where we have a difference of opinion.. If I cant see the wall because the bushes are so thick, then I can determine if there is a problem. Also bushes in contact with wood windows causes rot and allows a path for bugs to the house. She just said well bushes don't belong on an inspection and the house would sell when it sells. She was so loud that 2 other agents left the room. What a pure unprofessional b****. So you nrewby's be aware. If you market to agents, you'd better cater to them or you'll get the riot act. Me, I don't even market to them. My inspections come from referrals from other clients and my web site. I don't care what they think. It's amazing that I don't get agent referrals until they or their kin want to buy a house. Do yourself a favor if your a newby and concentrate on building your referral base and stay out of the agents office.

Nothing in this thread is at all suprising Maybe this is a good reason to have a uniform reporting system so all inspection issues are On The Table

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

Ken R.,
There was a simple solution. Agent paid for the inspections scheduled with no refund or credit for any reason. Charged to a credit card account you keep on file. This with a signed written agreement authorizing the charges placed on the card by you.

There may be a bit of conflict of interest on reports performed. But if you included a clause that if you were paid by the client (buyer), then the agent's account would be credited back that amount and only that amount. Any other scheduled inspection still was a charge and owed by the agent.

I've actually tried to do this in the past. Problem is, no agent would go for it. Because so many other inspectors in my area are willing to book the inspection w/o a signed purchase agreement they'll just get a different inspector. But, because I'm so busy, I'll typically fill the inspection slot with someone else (which I wouldn't be able to do when they don't come to an agreement with the seller 10 hours before the inspection.)

I run my business totally on the straight and narrow. And if I find agents or buyers are doing anything that someone may questions their ethics on, whether legal or not, I won't work with them. There's just way to much risk and very little profit.

About a month ago I got a call from a mortgage broker. He told me he knew and agent who was looking for an inspector who would make sure his clients would buy the home. He told me he was tired of giving inspectors referrals only to have the clients back out of the deal. I was told he would refer at least 40 clients a year to me, in return I was to guarantee nothing in the report would cause the clients to back out. He told me, "We could all make a lot of money with this".

Let me tell you, I was totally floored. Before I could even think about setting this guy up with a hidden recording device and turning them over to the Feds I rejected his offer.

But, lets break down the offer. 40 inspections at my average price would be about $14,000 per year. I do, on average, 320 inspection per year. 40 more would be an 8% increase. I don't want to do any more inspection than I already do. Therefore I would have to turn away legitimate work in order to perform any inspections for these guys. Even if I didn't, is $14,000 a year worth risking your business, your family and your freedom? Not in my world.

Back to the agent I recently blackballed. I've done 5 inspections with her clients this year. Using my average price that's $1750. However, to perform these 5 inspections I've had to use 9 inspection slots because of cancellations and such. Those 4 extra inspections slots are worth about $1400. Sure, cancellations are part of the game, but I work very hard to eliminate the risk of cancellations, so I really don't get that many. So in reality, I've only made $350 from this agent's referrals this past year. And that's just not worth it to put up with her crap.

Originally Posted by frazier jeffery

Nothing in this thread is at all suprising Maybe this is a good reason to have a uniform reporting system so all inspection issues are On The Table

- - - Updated - - -

Nothing in this thread is at all suprising Maybe this is a good reason to have a uniform reporting system so all inspection issues are On The Table

Heck NO! Just ask any inspector in TX about their uniform report and how well it works for them!

Originally Posted by Ken Rowe

.........

She continued to beg, and even did a fake sniffle. I told her she could continue, but I had already made my decision and it was getting to be late on Saturday and she needed to get on the phone and find an inspector for Monday.

Not talking about all agents, just this agent and those like her. If they want you they will go for it else they move on. Or maybe change their evil ways .Problem solved

You guys inspired me to add a new slider to my site....