Draft copy:

http://paragoninspects.com/shouldibuythishouse.pdf

Comments?

I liked it Michael. Here in MA we are " prohibited from reporting on the advisability or inadvisability of the purchase of the property"
Due to that fact when people ask me should they buy this house I tell them the state sop does not allow me to advise on this issue and also there are to many variables. I will give you the information you need from the home inspection and any other information you gather on your own to make a educated decision.

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Dave

Same here in IL, though of course some people still do so.

I started to write that for clients, but it sort of wandered off into a meditation on how to report concerns, I'm going to have to think about it a bit, and decide what to do with it.

Has been useful, though, to help me think about the question....

Good thoughts, made me think. I try to ask what the clients intentions are with the property since the investors, flipper, first time home owner, retiree, all have different intents for the property and thus different questions that I can help answer.
I would be interested in seeing your finished work on this, it might be helpful just to keep around and read every once in a while to refresh my perspective.
Jim

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Jim Luttrall
Mr. Inspector.net, Inc.
Allen, Texas 75002

Michael,

Interesting text. I too will try to get a handle on what the client's intentions are with the home without going into their financials. When asked the "should I buy" question I respond with what conditions I am concerned about. Gas leaks, overfusing, decayed trim, loose railings all fairly easy things to correct and not where I get very excited. Deteriorated mortar in stone foundation, loose brick and open joints in chimney, a pattern of cracking in the foundation and walls, corroded galvanized water and waste lines are things that really get my attention.

I try to make the client understand that before he/she gets into rehabbing the kitchen and baths etc they first need to address the major issues because if they don't, they won't be happy when they sell the house and I happen to be the one who comes out for their buyer. What I often find is that they had not budgeted for a $7,000 chimney repair, it wasn't even a thought for them.

So I think that if we can change/modify the client's thinking they can answer that "question" much more easily on their own. As inspectors we see many people get burned in many different ways. I just try to pass the experience of others on to my clients. Now of course I can't say that all R.E. agents will appreciate your effort to enlighten, but the good ones will.

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Eric Barker
Moraine Woods Consulting, Inc.
Barrington, IL

Michael,
As I was reading your text, I was wondering why you wrote it. Are you planning to put it on your web site? is it going into the real estate section of the Sunday paper? Are you going to hand it out with each inspection, or insert it into each report?

I think we have covered this topic many times here on InspectionNews, and you have covered all of the angles/views. It is well written.

However, I have to say that it was too long for me to hold my interest. I have to admit that I gave up reading word for word early, then scanned some, but when I kept scrolling, I just gave up. Maybe it's the early hours, or that I haven't had my coffee yet. It might even be the "been there, done that, talked it to death" feeling I had while reading it.

I think you could have said it all on one page, but maybe that's for the Reader Digest version.

Again, it looks like you did a great job with it, I'm just not sure of your target audience.
JF