Thread: Home Inspector/Real Estate Agent

How many, if any, inspectors on here are also licensed agents?

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Not many that will admit to it!

In the 1980's I was licensed in IL, and sold investment RE (quite successfully) 'till Lord Volkermort raised the mortgage rates to around 18%.

I let the license lapse, and never looked back

don't you think that would be considered a conflict of interest?
In my state CT. it's not allowed, but that just means we have too many lawyers.
You would have to have some strange conversations with your self in the mirror every morning also. Depending on which one of you is shaving that morning.

Several members of the home inspector association have a license but do not practice. They claim it was so they could get access to the MLS, the key system, and to better understand what the agents should be doing.

CT has too many lawyers and too much Gov't. I don't think it is a conflict if you are not inspecting the deals in which you are involved as an agent, that is if you are an honest person. There is just so much money in real estate around here, it's hard not to think about getting into it. Plus after you see some of these agents, which are successful, then it really makes you think.

I am a practicing Realtor. The state of Indiana doesn't see a problem with somebody doing both. My broker requires that I disclose that I'm also a home inspector. For me, I take it a step further and don't provide home inspection service to anyone on which my broker may financially benefit. That way there is no way conflict of interest can exists or even be perceived.

Regarding Realty, it's not nearly as easy as it looks. Dealing with all the people that are required is not easy at times. Around here about 10% of the Realtors do 90% of the work. Getting clients isn't the easiest. finding a house they want and can afford in the right area can be time consuming. Dealing with everyone to make that transaction happen can be challenging. Paying monthly, quarterly and yearly dues adds up. And when everything is done, I get a small % of 5, 6 or 7% of that commission that is not divided up equally (normally).

As being a Realtor, I feel it has helped me as a home inspector and my home inspection business. I have a better understanding of problems that occur when dealing with others (example: home inspectors), I get to see other home inspectors reports, have access to the MLS which informs me which Realtors focus on buyers, and give me the opportunity to interact with other Realtors.

Regarding ASHI, I'm not sure why they don't allow their members to be Realtors. In my opinion, it is very easy to avoid conflict of interest or even the perception of conflict of interest.

My son was a home inspector but joined the Dark Force a couple of years ago. He no longer has an active Home Inspection license or helps me with the home inspection business.

I guess we just brought him up wrong.

rick

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

So then, let us start a list of those who are just dying to go to, or have been to and returned or have been to and still remain on the Dark Side:

Another list. Wasn't that done by one of our past Presidents? Yes, yes, he's not a crook.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

KL: Changing the subject will not exonerate you, no matter how often you may try.

Who knows, maybe your name will be located right under mine on that list some day.

I see nothing wrong with Ricks son helping him out in the inspection business......as in turning leads from all the other agents in his office to Rick.........why not.....what is a son for. Who knows ...it could be 40 agents at 1 sale a month with Rick being the only referral for home inspection. Not a bad idea Hmm, maybe that is why he always appears to be the busiest home inspector in his area

Personally I find absolutely nothing wrong with an inspector also selling homes as long as he does not do the inspection on the homes he sells. That would be my only beaf. As far as anything else about it there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. What would ethics or trust or anything else have to do with it. Why would any state not allow a home inspector to also have an active real estate license. That is going a bit far. They might as well just be saying to all home inspectors and or real estate agents that they are all just an untrustworthy POS.

All this bull ethics crap in 99% of all cases is absolute bull. Certain things IO can see other are just ridiculous.

A.D, did you say something?

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

A.D, did you say something?

I didn't hear anything

Oh....Aaron Miller. Pay no attention to him I pay him to be on here to interject from time to time for entertainment.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

Oh....Aaron Miller. Pay no attention to him I pay him to be on here to interject from time to time for entertainment.

Money well spent.

Park City Board of REALTORS - Park City Board of REALTORS - Home

A.D maybe I can sell some of that billion dollars and inspect it to.

I agree that doing home inspections and Realty at the same time can result in poor performance in one or both professions. But it can be done. I had to rent an office and hire an administrative assistant. I'm getting prepared to hire a home inspector to help take some of the home inspection load (talked to some of the guys that own a multi inspection company, my CPA and even to my local lawyer once).

This was part of my business plan.

One guy I talked to was Charlie Sessums. It sounded like he knows Scott Patterson. He got Scotts business phone number after Scott moved from Mississippi.

I have an inspection on a ten million dollar home tomorrow. Lets see, 2 percent of ten million, I may need some help on this but I think that is about 200,000.

Matt,

We have some ladies here in the Rockwall area that only specialized and marketed to those $$$$$$$ of homes for years.

Well I heard one the other day say that she hadn't closed a deal in a year on a nice size home. Are those homes selling? Sure, its just there is a new agent on every corner now. Competition has gotten tough.

Those 220K commissions are far and few between I'd be willing to bet you.

rick

Rick,
For sure.

There is at least one in my area. He advertises that he's a "Licensed Contractor", "Licensed Real Estate Agent", and home inspector. He appears to get a lot of work from other agents. I just had an inspection on a 7000sf home that he had previously inspected. Whoops! He missed a few important things in the crawlspace. Did he do more than look in it from the access door? He noted that the fireplaces (4) needed cleaning. But was there mention of a missing damper? A heat pump compressor unit sitting about 20 degrees out of level? How about the kitchen and bathroom faucets in the garage apartment that were clogged? There was water at the tub, toilet, dishwasher, and sprayer at the kitchen sink but nary a drop at the spigots. An I know this is picky but a Trane heat pump air handler in the attic that had a trap in the condensate drain pipe about 8 feet from the unit, not within 6 inches as per Trane.

A.D is that your mom?

Hi (ALL) &

* Scary thought - trying to /being or wearing both hats...

What wuold a Client think ???

Flip a coin or look deep-inside to decide 'one or the other' (or just decide which is NOT your strongest role)...

I couldn't live with myself if doing both.


CHEERS

A.D, show me where I ever said I was an agent. Wow tough guy, going to beat me up. Oooooo

BTW A.D what a waste of your time looking up whether or not I am a licensed agent. All you had to do is read the post and you could have saved yourself some time. Plus is that you in that pic with a dildo on your nose

This thread is deteriorating a bit.

I don't think there's any reason an inspector couldn't be good at both, and I can see that the skills of an inspector would be very useful for an agent.

That said, the conflict situation is significant. Someone above mentioned not doing inspections on any properties where their real estate firm was involved. That would be a good rule, but I'm not sure it goes far enough. What if the inspector/agent has a buyer client that would be just perfect for the property? Even subconsciously the report could turn out to be a lot more negative. Perhaps that's a long-shot, but how is the buyer's agent supposed to know that? I could see it would make buyer's agents somewhat concerned.

For some reason, the old argument of going to the doctor who is also a mortician comes to mind after reading this thread.

There is absolutely no avoidance of conflict of interest when one is engaged in both the sale and inspection of real property. It is insignificant whether it is just appearance, or actual unethical practice.

YOu can sell land

I have a set of boxing gloves and head gear, if you are ever in park city let me know I don't respect my elders. It would be fun putting you in a rear choke

Front row Tickets Please!

pointless argument for those defending it. Smells like conflict of interest from miles away. I know because I was a real estate agent. What I can't believe is that so many of these conflicts go over without making it to the TV news. Makes me feel sick.

Now that I am thinking about it maybe I have been missing something big and should try investigative journalism

i say first round knock out by yours truly Based on simple conditioning alone.

I feel the same way about contractors, tradesmen, and handymen (excuse me, trades/handy persons) performing home inspections. I think we see evidence most everyday of incompetent and morally challenged contractors. You can freely interchange the words agent and contractor. The argument is the same.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

I feel the same way about contractors, tradesmen, and handymen (excuse me, trades/handy persons) performing home inspections. I think we see evidence most everyday of incompetent and morally challenged contractors. You can freely interchange the words agent and contractor. The argument is the same.

Just like any business.....

Some...not all.

I see a lot of good work out there. For those that never see any good work out there I would suggest you examine their inner self.

Conflicts of interest are going to happen at any job, trade, profession.

The man out there evaluating projects for total rehab for a client...then bidding on the work....then doing the work with him and his band of merry men and subs..... He is going so far beyond what most of you call a conflict of interest it is sickening but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

We have so many checks and balances in our profession there would be nothing wrong with home inspectors doing the exact same thing. We are inspecting for mostly buyers. There is a seller, sellers agent and buyers agent and all of there folks they call in for a second opinion that it is about impossible for the home inspector to get the job. and folks....it is not even the buyers home yet. The seller is standing in the way of anything you do.

Are there criminals out there in this profession as well as all other professions out there.....ABSOLUTELY.

Most of you are so cynical and suspicious and entrusting. Where did all that come from my friends. Do you all think so little of your selves and fellow inspectors. Do every single one of you think that with out a doubt you are far superior as an inspector than any tradesman or other inspector out there. Only you can be trusted and the vast majority of other inspectors are greedy unprofessional and dishonest pieces of ****

Go ahead...all of you...came back with all you got. I read all of your posts pretty close to every day. I can tell you this. Most of you are not better than your associate inspector or tradesman. You are just other human beings trying to be the best at what you do. Most tradesman are out there thrying to do the best they can do. Some of you know more about this or that and some others know a bit more than you.

Everyone of you still has the cave man brain stem still attached and a portion of the time just use it. Some of you have extremely high IQs but would have a tough time against a cave man on some issues. Some of you still drag your wives or girl friends into the bedroom by the hair. Does that make you a bad inspector.....probably not because you are releasing tension.

Simple is best. Look what happens when you deviate from simple. You get our fed gov't.

I agree with Ted.

My personal opinion is that I don't see a problem with holding several hats...depending on the circumstances.

There are many licensed contractors with real estate licenses. Most use the RE license to save themselves some cash when buying a house to rehab or when selling a house they've built. I don't see a conflict of interest with it. No more than a house "For Sale By Owner". Some of these people even do home inspections. I don't see a problem with this either as long as they have no financial interest in the transaction. Could this potentially be a problem? Sure, but I'd bet there are alot more inspectors hiring themselves out to repair the problems they've found on the inspections they've performed.

In fact, I would also bet that there are very few inspectors that don't wear several hats. Very few home inspectors do this full time. Most have second jobs or are the "house husband" when they're not inspecting.

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Yes, and that is at the very root of the problems with this profession. It is primarily populated by situationally-ethical, part-time ignoramuses.

Do you need a hug?

Originally Posted by A.D. Miller

Yes, and that is at the very root of the problems with this profession. It is primarily populated by situationally-ethical, part-time ignoramuses.

Whereas most other professions they work full time. ;-)

Originally Posted by Kary Krismer

This thread is deteriorating a bit.

Kary, up until now it has been a lot of genuflecting... now the gloves are coming off and the real thoughts and opinions are being displayed.... just because some are a little colorful...

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

Just like any business.....

Conflicts of interest are going to happen at any job, trade, profession.

The man out there evaluating projects for total rehab for a client...then bidding on the work....then doing the work with him and his band of merry men and subs..... He is going so far beyond what most of you call a conflict of interest it is sickening but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Ted, you have not proven your argument with the above comment. I see nothing wrong with a person/company being invited to determine the scope of a project, then being allowed to bid on the same project. So long as everyone is provided with the same scope of work, and someone doesn't do "...my lowest bid is $$$, can you do lower...? there is nothing wrong. It may go to the original person---because his bid was the lowest. So long as the bids were equal in work quoted---there is nothing wrong.

Now if you are objecting to a Realtor providing HI as a service in place of calling a independent HI----how is this any different than the Realtor working with a mortage company to get you a mortgage?

Originally Posted by Rich Goeken

Ted, you have not proven your argument with the above comment. I see nothing wrong with a person/company being invited to determine the scope of a project, then being allowed to bid on the same project. So long as everyone is provided with the same scope of work, and someone doesn't do "...my lowest bid is $$$, can you do lower...? there is nothing wrong. It may go to the original person---because his bid was the lowest. So long as the bids were equal in work quoted---there is nothing wrong.

Now if you are objecting to a Realtor providing HI as a service in place of calling a independent HI----how is this any different than the Realtor working with a mortgage company to get you a mortgage?

I think you missed the entire scope of my post.

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

I think you missed the entire scope of my post.

I was only commenting on a portion of your post that is implying that because a person scopes, bids, and is awarded a contract----that " He is going so far beyond what most of you call a conflict of interest it is sickening...". I disagree with you on that, and stated my reasons.

I was not commenting on you taking on everyone.

If I didn't understand your intent as you imply..... could you please restate a shortened version.

Originally Posted by Rich Goeken

I was only commenting on a portion of your post that is implying that because a person scopes, bids, and is awarded a contract----that " He is going so far beyond what most of you call a conflict of interest it is sickening...". I disagree with you on that, and stated my reasons.

I was not commenting on you taking on everyone.

If I didn't understand your intent as you imply..... could you please restate a shortened version.

You have to understand that I try, and do, give very good advice on here for the most part but always throw in a little more.

Some times it is just entertainment. I will throw things into the mix to pull the thoughts and opinions from others.

The basics of what I was saying is that a contractor goes to a home to evaluate a rehab on say a 1929 home. He is going to look at every aspect of the home and put together a proposal of what he believes it will take to turn this 1929 home into a safe, sound and well functioning home.

We do the exact same thing and more with the exception we cannot bid on the work because it is against the ethic rules (right) for the trade. If a contractor can do this directly to an owner of a home and have that opportunity to do a hard close on his proposal and turn it into a contract.....why can a home inspector not do the same thing. The fact is that there is a whole lot of people between the home inspector and the actual doing of the work. Number one...the buyer may not even buy the home. We cannot do the hard close because most of the time we are dealing with the buyer of the property and not the seller. There is a buyers agent, sellers agent, the seller and the buyer that can all go out and get separate bids on the work.

Another point was someone selling Homes and also having a home inspectors license. As long as he is not inspecting homes for the folks in his office then the scam is gone or should I say the total opportunity is about got for two Realtors to put together a scam. You have to understand that the eyes of the world are on home inspectors and Realtors. Brokers stand in the way of a rogue agent doing things dirty. They will lose their brokers license, pay huge fines and be out of a job and business.

The entire scope of my post was about trust and everyone having to be protected from everyone and everything on the planet. That is the joke. The protect the world thing....well.....you can see where that is going by the present administration pushing for programs that not only can the US not afford these programs right now but the debt we are going into to support these programs along with still having a country to run with the basics..is absurd. Lets see...markets crashing all around us throughout this tiny planert. Countries on the verge of collapse. We have borrowed ourselves to state of never paying it off and we are giving that money to countries like Greece and Spain and such....did I say we borrowed that money......

You cannot protect the world and some day everyone will figure out that sometimes folks just have to protect themselves and the governing bodies have to just let well enough alone. There are truly millions of honest folks out there. These folks will do what they can to keep it that way. Regulations for this and regulations for that, ethics committees for everything all the way down to selling flowers on a street corner.

Enough is enough. It is high time everyone went back a step or two and looked for a home inspector themselves whether it be from a list from a realtor or the list beside the google map or referrals from a friend. Whether the reator from Keller Williams down the road has his or her home inspection license and still sells homes....as long as the 2 are not mixed like inspecting what they sell....or if home inspectors have a construction business and they wish to rehab or remodel homes then let them have at it. There is enough built in protection for the home buyer that the chance of Mr flim flam man conning them into just using him for the remodel are slim to none (without getting other quotes) with all the other folks in the transaction. Has there been a home inspector that conned someone before...yes...has there been a Realtor that conned someone before...yes....has there been a contractor that conned someone before....yes. There always will be. The poor little home buyer is just going to have to get used to the idea that there are good and bad people out there. It is not up to the Home Inspectors to make sure that the buyers don't get taken by the seller, Realtor, contractor etc. We inspect, we in form, the clients follow up.

You can do everything humanly possible for your client to protect them and they still may get screwed. If you did nothing but inspect the home and left the rest up to them then they still could get screwed. Either way...I would tend to lead in favor that they won't get screwed as that is the overwhelming fact. The odds are their transaction is going to go quite well. A little give. A little take. All part of living.

And this is all from a man that did not have an inspection today but helped a friend in need. Tomorrow I will go back out there and see who I can take advantage... ..oooops... ....help out in the inspection world

Again...all with a little entertainment thrown in.

Oh my God....that is so unethical.....he should be drummed out of the business.....Give me a break. Paranoia running ramped.

Everyone should get their hammer and sickle out and start marching for protection for everyone. The same amount of food for everyone, a car for everyone, health coverage for everyone, guaranrtied work for everyone. Open up some camps in Northern Alaska for those inspectors that are bad...what is that....Gulags. Lets see how long we can survive like that. The heavy socialists countries in Europe and asia are on the verge of collapse. The U.S.S. R. collapsed. Just a matter of time.

Whoa...some serious entertainment there

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

You have to understand that I try, and do, give very good advice on here for the most part but always throw in a little more.......
Whoa...some serious entertainment there

And what, Sir, may I ask.. cranked you up into overdrive? Burnt toast in the AM?

(Tend to agree with you though...)

Originally Posted by Randy Aldering

For some reason, the old argument of going to the doctor who is also a mortician comes to mind after reading this thread.

There is absolutely no avoidance of conflict of interest when one is engaged in both the sale and inspection of real property. It is insignificant whether it is just appearance, or actual unethical practice.

You are absolutely correct Randy. I am amazed that some cannot see the clear and glaring conflicts that such a situation creates. I am starting to wonder if some posters have any idea what conflicts of interest OR ethics are. Amazing but not surprising.

Originally Posted by Mark Howe

You are absolutely correct Randy. I am amazed that some cannot see the clear and glaring conflicts that such a situation creates. I am starting to wonder if some posters have any idea what conflicts of interest OR ethics are. Amazing but not surprising.

You know what Mark

Everything I post on here is just to show everyone has a different idea what is and what is not. What one individual thinks or how they present themselves may not be what I like or think or what you like or think. It is "some people" that should not close themselves off from thought.

All the human being has is thought. With out it we are just animals (most of us are anyway)

I am quite sure that most if not all on here are quite aware what a conflict of interest is. It just may not be your idea or mine. It might not be your wifes idea or understanding but is yours.

Those "some on here" that you comment on..........Some may just not agree with you that ethics are an issue in this particular matter. Does that make them automatically totally unaware of what ethics are. No it does not. It makes them having a difference of an opinion about ethics in this particular case.

Just my opinion

Hm, did not add conflict of interest. They may feel that there is no conflict of interest on this particular matter so by being in such a way that must automatically make them totally unaware of what ethics are, huh. I think not. Instead of just agreeing with one side of the issue why would you not wish to comment to one that may differ from your opinion. It makes for much better conversation and who knows. You may do some good (in your direction) and change the opinion one that you differ with has. That is how things get done and get changed for the better (in that regards, better for you) If you get them to change there mind then you can even feel more ethical and less conflicted.

Just some thoughts.

Just a bunch of observations.

May be it comes down to point of reference. For example, the local community has an ordinance about loitering in the street, disturbing the peace, obstructing traffic, and so forth. Some people are social, and use the ordinance point of reference to guide their behavior. Others people are anti-social, and deem their own opinion a superior point of reference than that provided by the law. And that's alright, if you are ready to pay the price. In a recent instance, the price was death for two people.

There was a time when there was a fixed point of reference for ethical and legal questions in this country. It seems that is changing - a lot. The last time that this happened, there was a civil war. Perhaps that is where we are headed. It certainly appears to be a possibility, when looking at this board.

Wittgenstein's ghost speaks again . . .

Originally Posted by Joao Vieira

pointless argument for those defending it. Smells like conflict of interest from miles away. I know because I was a real estate agent. What I can't believe is that so many of these conflicts go over without making it to the TV news. Makes me feel sick.

Now that I am thinking about it maybe I have been missing something big and should try investigative journalism

I try to keep an open mind but so far nobody has written anything that made me question being a Realtor and a home inspector. Hiring a home inspector comes after the offer to buy/sell in most cases. As I wrote before, "...don't provide home inspection service to anyone on which my broker may financially benefit."

The % is small but there are a number of home inspectors that are also practicing Realtors here in the State of Indiana. My state doesn't have a problem with it. The brokers I went to interview didn't have a problem with it. My clients (regarding Realty) never had a problem with. And the amount of home inspectors/Realtors that have lost one or both of their licence because of this type of conflict is zero.

In theory I don't see a problem with it and there is no information I have found informing me there has been a problem with it.

This reminds of "Don't take pictures inside the sellers home because you can get sued" (I can't remember the reason why). "Don't include pictures in the report because you'll miss something, get sued and pay because of that picture". "Don't perform re-inspections because you will get sued"-last man out theory. "Home inspectors are not getting proper training with the IR camera which is going to result in many lawsuits". The Realtor/Home Inspector/liability sounds the same.

Have a good day all.

Always listening and hearing.

I was in construction all of my life in one form or another.

I will use an example. lets say...Florida.

I inspected in Florida and I also had a remodeling biz going.

I used to find homes for investors, inspect them completely, as a contractor, guive them a price on the work that needed to be done for what was wrong with the home, also give them a price and do the work for any updates like remodeling, cabinets, second floor decks, detatched garages etc etc etc etc and this was all as a property finder/contractor. This was all done stricktly for the resale of the home.

It all had to do with the Real Estate transaction. Now mind you I did it as a contractor not a home inspector. The next day I may be out inspecting a home for a Real Estate transaction and it may have very well be for someone selling their home or a buyer.

Now, I was doing the exact inspection I was doing as a contractor finding items in need of repair or concern.

I could not give them a price for the repairs because it was a conflict of interest ??????

Now lets just turn it to a buyer. I do an inspection for them and cannot price the work out for me to perform because it is a "conflict of interest"

Now, say this is for a buyer of a property that items are found by someone else and the buyer wants me to come and price out the work and price some additional work that they may want done. Now mind you this is all for the sake of a Real Estate transaction.

Did I say that loud enough. This is all for the sake of a Real Estate transaction and what I find in addition to what an inspector found and me doing the work has everything to do with the Real Estate transaction I am literally responsible for the sale or not sale of that home and if the buyer does by it I will do the work for them. Did you notice that I said even for work that I found over and above an inspector (which always happens) not just what the inspector found. In essence I am doing another inspection of the property and pointing items out to my client. These items to be repaired/replaced are completely contingent upon whether or not my client buys the home. I have found several items in need of repair that the inspector found and I found by doing an inspection....as a contractor....all is contingent upon the sale/purchase of the home.

Now mind you. As an honest upright, upstanding, trustworthy home inspector I never gave quotes so I or any of my subs could do the work when I was in inspector mode because those are the rules.

What's the difference. I did nothing illegally as a contractor or inspector...ever. I did the exact same thing as a contractor as I did as an inspector. Just as an inspector I could not do everything as I could as a contractor. Broke no ethics or conflict of interest clauses

Remember folks. Just some food for thought. There was absolutely nothing wrong with being a contractor.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with being a home inspector.

Nothing wrong what so ever with having 2 businesses.

Nothing wrong with being a home inspector and a contractor at the same time and never mixing the two other than the fact I was initially doing the exact same thing as a contractor in the first section of playing contractor (inspecting/evaluating the home) as I was as an inspector.

You can call it anything you wish. Evaluating a home for a client and then giving them a proposal. Or you could quite simply say that you were inspecting the home in order to pout a proposal together. Either way you were checking the home out for the client to put a proposal together to possibly get the work that had everything to do with the Real Estate transaction.

The only difference was that one of the jobs was "Home Inspector"

The other was "Contractor"

They both had to do with inspecting the home. You could not say it was inspecting when you were playing contractor. You had to use terms like evaluating, proposing etc

Please leave the It Is The Law and You Must Obey on the door step. This is a simple comparison of 2 trades that do the same thing but in one of them it is considered a conflict of interest and unethical.

What say you

(please folks....... food for thought. not upset)

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

What say you?

I think you've made your points, several times in fact and quite well, and this thread is becoming circular. You can't please everyone, no sense trying.

Dom.

Originally Posted by wayne soper

don't you think that would be considered a conflict of interest?
In my state CT. it's not allowed, but that just means we have too many lawyers.
You would have to have some strange conversations with your self in the mirror every morning also. Depending on which one of you is shaving that morning.

Here if acting as an agent you it's considered conflict of interest if you're also trying to act as an inspector for the same property and vice-versa

I am a Real Estate Broker with over 25 yrs. experience and I am also a certified home inspector. I became certified to provide a better service to my clients, I never ever do a formal inspection or charge them for it. But I do have the knowledge to be able to advise them if a home is in good condition or if something needs to be further investigated, or if they need to walk away before wasting money on an inspection to hear about a serious problem. I always include a home inspection condition in every offer I write. I think to selling someone a house and also doing the formal home inspection is definitely a conflict of interest. That is certainly the way the courts in Canada and Ontario would see it.

I do not understand why, if I am qualified and licensed as both a Home Inspector AND Builder why I could not do the work needed to the home I inspected. I have 30 years experience in the building/remodeling business and if the home owner wanted me to do the work because they know AND trust me.....what is the big deal? Would it be better to have some Joe Schmoe come in who works out of the back of his truck??

Originally Posted by Nicholas Iascone

I do not understand why, if I am qualified and licensed as both a Home Inspector AND Builder why I could not do the work needed to the home I inspected. I have 30 years experience in the building/remodeling business and if the home owner wanted me to do the work because they know AND trust me.....what is the big deal? Would it be better to have some Joe Schmoe come in who works out of the back of his truck??

Maybe you can do both, and be completely honest and ethical at the same time.
However how about if Joe Schmoe does the inspection and repairs, what do you think about that?

I don't care, as long as he is licensed and ethical, the reason I asked is I have had previous clients that want me to an inspection for them that want remodeling done but I can't do it because the State of AL & TN says it is a conflict of interest, so they have to go with someone they don't know.

The potential for conflict of interest is there whether you see it or not. Just because and honest person would not think of stealing someones identity, bank account information, etc. does not mean that you should not set up a process to prevent the dishonest from sneaking in to steal.

The theory is that you might "create" problems to report and repair where none really exist. Really it is a pretty low wall but it has been debated many, many times here over the years.
Pretty easy though, just don't do the inspection and it leaves you free to do any repairs you like on that house.
Me, I stick to doing inspections and leave the repairs to others even though I am frequently asked. Like you it is against the law in my state to double dip.

I am an Exterminator and do WDI inspections and when I find a problem I send a proposal to the listing agent The selling agent has no problem with it. I have been told over and over again that this is a conflict of interest by the listing agent. The state says it is not. I do Radon measurements and I also do the mitagation. No realtors have said this is a conflict.

Originally Posted by Nicholas Iascone

I do not understand why, if I am qualified and licensed as both a Home Inspector AND Builder why I could not do the work needed to the home I inspected. I have 30 years experience in the building/remodeling business and if the home owner wanted me to do the work because they know AND trust me.....what is the big deal? Would it be better to have some Joe Schmoe come in who works out of the back of his truck??

One major reason is that the State of TN says you can not do it! If you do and if you are caught you could find yourself without a home inspector license and if that is revoked they could also revoke your builders license. This is written in both license laws...

It is really not worth the hassle to make the few dollars doing the repairs.

Originally Posted by Jerry Martin

I am an Exterminator and do WDI inspections and when I find a problem I send a proposal to the listing agent The selling agent has no problem with it. I have been told over and over again that this is a conflict of interest by the listing agent. The state says it is not. I do Radon measurements and I also do the mitagation. No realtors have said this is a conflict.

It is the age old "Fox guarding the Hen house" sincero. Always put and keep yourself above reproach in the business world!

I have several inspector friends across the country that operate as you do but they have established different companies for each part of their business. A PC company; a HI company; a radon mitigation company; etc.. They will only offer a bid on the work as a second bid and always tell the possible client that they should obtain multiple bids.

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

How many, if any, inspectors on here are also licensed agents?

Too many???

I am licensed as both a real estate sales person and a home inspector in Texas. By commission rules, I cannot inspect a home that I am an real estate agent on. There should be no conflict of interest this way.

I have had a real estate license for 30 years. I started this inspection business with 2 other realtors. I had a construction background, but basically learned how to do inspections by following home inspectors with my buyers. Colorado doesn't have any licensing, bonding, or insurance requirements for home inspectors. Most of the agents I work with know I am licensed and can comfortably and legally give me lockbox codes because of my real estate license. Many ask for suggestions on writing the Property Inspection Notice.

I never set the world on fire as a realtor and I am more comfortable as a home inspector. I like this business (98% of the time) and prefer it over the sales side of real estate. The average good agent only does a handful of deals a year. I see far more interesting houses and meet more interesting people than I ever did as just a realtor. I still do the occasional real estate deal and it is gravy money, but the bills are paid from this biz.

Scott I have set up two companies for my PC and Radon Businesses. In NC the PC License is hard to come by. There is no Radon License or certification required so any person can do Radon anything. The Realtors I deal with know me and trust me so I don't worry about too much. I am called in to repair Radon systems from time to time and I find everything from automatic ventilors in foundation walls that were called a Radon Mitigation System to $80.00 fans you can buy at the hardware store. By keeping things seperate I have managed to keep a good relationship with most of the 685 Realtors who list me as a perferred provider.

Several home inspectors in my area are also licensed real estate agents AND contractors. I am going to post a report by a guy who claims to have: 30 years as a local code inspector, built 200 homes, and have a real estate license. He recently took an AHIT course and is now home inspecting. I have to redact the report first. Guys like this and his report give home inspectors a bad name.

Originally Posted by Jerry Martin

Scott I have set up two companies for my PC and Radon Businesses. In NC the PC License is hard to come by. There is no Radon License or certification required so any person can do Radon anything. The Realtors I deal with know me and trust me so I don't worry about too much. I am called in to repair Radon systems from time to time and I find everything from automatic ventilors in foundation walls that were called a Radon Mitigation System to $80.00 fans you can buy at the hardware store. By keeping things seperate I have managed to keep a good relationship with most of the 685 Realtors who list me as a perferred provider.

I have managed to keep a good relationship with most of the
( 0 ) Realtors who list me as a perferred provider. However by next year I hope to double the realtors that list me as a preferred provider. That would be 2 x 0 = 0.

Mitchell Captain
Allspec Professional Property Inspections

Originally Posted by Mitchell Captain

I have managed to keep a good relationship with most of the
( 0 ) Realtors who list me as a perferred provider. However by next year I hope to double the realtors that list me as a preferred provider. That would be 2 x 0 = 0.

LOL..........Around here a very influential real estate attorney advises agents to never have "preferred" referrals. But he says that if agents insist on offering names of service providers for their clients, that they have more than one name for each service and offer no preferences for who their client chooses.

I am on a number of those lists, but I have a number of agents who just give their clients my name...........and I bless them everyday for it.