Real Estate Agent Home Inspector Referrals?

What's Wrong With A Real Estate Agent Recommending A Particular Home Inspector To A Prospective Home Buyer?  Most real estate agencies work on an average commission of 5% paid by the seller of the property. On a house selling for $350,000 there is a potential commission of $17,500. (FYI, real estate commissions are negotiable.) Sometimes a selling agent will recommend particular home inspectors to a prospective buyer, sometimes a list of three is given out. Who are these recommended inspectors? How did they "qualify" to get on the "approved" list of the agent? Is the agent recommending a thorough non-bias inspector or is the agent recommending someone who will help protect the potential commission? Unfortunately, for the prospective home buyer, some real estate agents view a thorough and non-bias home inspection as a threat to their sales commission. Do prospective home buyers have the right to use an inspector of their own choosing?  If a real estate agent tells you that you cannot use an inspector of your choosing, or insists that you use one of their "recommended" or "approved" inspectors, you should contact your attorney. A real estate broker or sales agent who tries to get you to use an inspector of the agent's choice is trying to control the home inspector selection process. Prospective home buyers must keep in mind that real estate agents who receive a commission from the property seller, are working in the best interest of their client, (the seller.) As the prospective home buyer, you are a customer of the agent, not a client. As the prospective home buyer, shouldn't the home inspector you're paying for, be working in your best interest? What Is A "Deal Killer"?  The derogatory phrase "deal killer" is often used by real estate agents to describe independent home inspectors who give buyers objective information in an inspection report, which may lead the buyer to renegotiate or to look at other properties. Many real estate agents view independent home inspectors as a challenge to their ability to generate income. They view these "deal killers" as foes and will use a number of tactics to control the inspector selection process to make sure that the prospective buyers do not retain independent home inspectors. How Does A Real Estate Agent Control The Inspector Selection Process?  There are many tactics used, some subtle and some not so subtle. The agent may discourage the potential buyer from using a certain inspector by making comments like: "That inspector is a deal killer", or "that inspector takes too long" or "we've had trouble with that inspector" or "we don't allow that inspector to inspect any of our listed properties" or "that inspector is too expensive." A twist on the fee tactic is to advise the prospective buyer that they should expect a home inspector to charge around $150 or $200. By advising home buyers to expect these low (unrealistic) fees, agents are trying to steer home buyers to certain inspectors, because the prospective home buyers might limit their search to the "arbitrary" price range set by the real estate agent. The tactics used to encourage a prospective buyer to use a particular inspector include: "We've had good luck with this inspector" or "this inspector has the lowest fee" or "we use this inspector all the time" or "this inspector only takes an hour and he gives you a report right on the spot." For instance, in the first stage of discussion about having the home inspected, the real estate agent may recommend to the buyer a "good" home inspector with whom they have worked with for several years. Some agents may have a list of three inspectors who have been carefully screened not to be deal killers. The list, however, will be long enough to protect the agent from any referral liability should the buyer want to blame the agent for any inspection mistakes. This gives the agent the perfect combination of: A) No liability for the referral; B) The buyer "chooses" an inspector the agent prefers; and C) The buyer's choice is limited to home inspectors who will not hurt the sale. Why Don't I Read About This Conflict Of Interest Situation In The Newspaper?  Simple answer, money! Look at the real estate section of any local newspaper, lots of houses being advertised by real estate agents. Those newspapers don't run those ads for free. How many home inspector advertisements do you see in the newspapers? None. Do you think a newspaper is going to bite the hand that helps feed it? Choose your own inspector! Too find a properly independent certified inspector visit the American Society of Home Inspectors website at: ASHI.org

Keep the cold at bay with these ASHI home winterizing tips

Winter's frigid temperatures are on their way, and if you wait until the cold hits to finally start winterizing your home, it may already be too late to prevent home damage.

Getting started on your seasonal winterizing checklist early will help you prevent costly repairs in the spring. To help you properly winterize your home and prepare for the colder months, the American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI advises you to CHILL by following these tips:

* C: Caulk cracks to stop chilly drafts. Worn-out weather stripping around doors and windows allows cold air to seep into the home, which increases heating costs.

* H: Hustle on important repairs. Get going on those tricky repairs, such as putting insulation around your pipes. Not sure where to start? ASHI recommends a home inspection approximately every four years; this can point you in the right direction.

* I: Inspect your fireplace and flue. Test your fireplace flues for tight seals. If you're feeling a breeze even when the damper is closed, the flue could be warped, worn or even rusted.

* L: Look for deck decay and damage. Fixing any splintering, decay or insect damage on your deck this fall can prevent further deterioration during the winter.

* L: Light your fireplace and chill out. Stay warm this winter and build a fire in your family's fireplace. First check your smoke alarms. You probably will find all of your smoke alarms have ionization detectors. Throw all of them in the trash, even if they are brand new. Replace them with photoelectric alarms. Ionization alarms will let you know when you have burned the toast, but they may not alarm you if you have a deadly, smoldering fire in the middle of the night.

Home Winter Energy Saving Investments

Stay Warm this Winter with these Energy-Saving Investments

Do you need any new appliances, or are you planning to do some remodeling? Consider these energy efficiency suggestions before you purchase.

Choose ENERGY STAR appliances and electronics.When buying new appliances, choose ENERGY STAR-certified models. For example, a new ENERGY STAR refrigerator uses about 20 percent less energy than a standard new refrigerator, and 46 percent less than one made in 1980. A new Energy Star® clothes washer uses nearly 50 percent less energy than a standard washer.

Install a programmable thermostat. If you have a heat pump, select a model designed for heat pumps. Setback thermostats can save up to 15 percent on energy costs.

Increase ceiling insulation. If your ceiling is uninsulated or scantily insulated, consider increasing your insulation to up to R-38 to reduce heating costs by 5 to 25 percent.

Seal ducts. Leaking ductwork accounts for more than 25 to 30 percent of heating costs in an average California home. Consider hiring a contractor to test the tightness of your ducts and repair leaks and restrictions in your duct. Many utility companies have programs to assist you.

High-efficiency windows. If you are planning to replace your windows, choosing ENERGY STAR windows can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15 percent.