This subject has come up a few times recently. So let me take this opportunity to clear this up. There are two sides to the home inspection issue. The buyer’s side and the seller’s side.
Here is the list of people who should attend from the buyer’s side:
The buyer(s)
The buyer’s Realtor
The inspector.
That’s it. This is not the time for the relatives and friends to come and see the buyer’s new home. Nor is it time for a contractor to come in to give estimates. The only people who should be there are the ones that are listed above.
Here is the list of people who should attend from the seller’s side:
That is correct! There is nobody listed. This means that nobody from the seller’s side should attend. The buyer has the right to be able to look anywhere in the house except into personal belongings, and also has the right to be able to speak freely. Having the seller’s Realtor, or the seller or a friend or relative there will make the buyer nervous. And rightfully so. The buyer should not have to go outside in order to speak confidentially with the inspector. We recently had an occasion where the listing Realtor sent her mother (who lived across the street) to “babysit” the buyer and the inspector. This made the buyer so nervous that she cancelled the contract.
There is also the matter of legal liability. When the inspection is in progress, the inspector is in charge and is liable for any damage that occurs. If you were the seller and asked your Realtor to be there, this could cause an issue with the Realtor’s Errors & Omissions Insurance. And there are other legal reasons that should preclude anyone from the seller’s side of the transaction from attending.
The bottom line is only the buyer’s people should attend. If there are any issues turned up in the inspection, the buyer’s attorney will notify the seller’s attorney. The seller will then have the opportunity to address these issues.
Questions? Call me, Art Reiman, Realtor at 732-598-7700