Home Buyer No Conflict of Interest Home Inspections
When investigating home inspectors, you should be looking for:
- An advocate with your best interest in mind to give you an unbiased and qualified opinion on the over all condition of your prospective home or property.
- A home inspection professional that is independent of those that may have financial interests in the sale of the house.
- Experience, knowledge, training and ethics.
With that in mind, making sure that you’re hiring a home inspector with a competent opinion and who doesn't focus on your home inspection as a marketing opportunity to real estate agents, means not shopping for one by price alone.
Understanding the Inspector / Realtor Relationship
Most home inspectors solicit Realtors for work, hoping that the agent will recommend their services to the agents' clients. Agents work with many home buyers throughout the year, and each buyer will eventually need a home inspection in order to close the sale. So, it originally made sense for an agent to find one or two home inspectors that he/she could regularly recommend to clients. However, this Agent / Home Inspector relationship carries a conflict of interest.
Here's why:
- Real Estate Agents make a commission when a client buys a home.
- A client will only buy if the home's condition is acceptable.
- A negative home inspection can stop a home sale and the Agent's commission.
Now, this is not an accusation of any Agents or Home Inspectors. However, in this relationship, the Inspector may feel stated or unstated pressure from the Agent. There may be pressure to deliver positive home inspection reports or the agent may pressure the inspector to produce the report in less time at the expense of performing a more thorough inspection. After all, the Agent could easily replace the Inspector with another who may write with a more lenient eye. To be honest, there are many other Home Inspectors who would line up to get a steady flow of new clients from the Agent.
Only IHINA (Independent Home Inspectors Of North America) members sign and commit to a "No conflict of interest pledge". It is a commitment derived from a belief system motivated to preserve and maintain the highest level of ethical standards and quality of service to our clients and the Illinois home inspection industry. As the home buyer, finding a qualified inspector is your responsibility and not your agent's. After you purchase your new home, your agent will not be responsible for paying any unexpected repair costs that may result from non-thorough home inspections. Any undiscovered deficiencies will be your responsibility after closing.
When you make an offer on a home, condo or townhouse your contract should state that the offer is contingent on a home inspection conducted by a professional home inspector of your choice. Independent inspectors are hired by you, and they do not have or seek a relationship with real estate agents. Hiring a home inspector that is independent of realtor affiliations could keep you from buying a house that will cost you many thousands of dollars in repairs down the road.
Read reviews from independent home inspector clients.
Good Morning America video clip
Look for Home Inspectors Outside of Real Estate Offices
Does your inspector or their company pay to be on preferred lists with realty firms?
KETV 7 Inspection News Video
State of Illinois Standards of Practice
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