Better questions get better results

REALTORS® all over the country know how tight things are. Statistics show that most are, well let’s just say, underemployed. This tends to make us sympathetic to the needs of clients that want to keep their costs down. However, sometimes the costs that are involved in buying a home should not be the focus.

The other day, I was asked what I consider to be the WRONG QUESTION by another REALTOR®. “Do you have a lower cost home inspector, that charges less than $250.00?” This REALTOR® had a client that was trying to save on the inspection. I get that. But the typical inspection in our area is $300.00 and up depending on scope of work, size of home and age of the home. The inspector I usually use would charge $350.00.

For $350.00 or more he starts at the roof and works his way down into the crawl space. He identifies current and likely future problems, gives an idea of the costs involved in fixing and or avoiding them and how to maintain the house. His analysis and documentation is such that if there is a problem, that my client decides needs to be addressed, the seller understands why we are asking.

Without the thorough analysis and documentation, one of three things will likely happen; problems will not be identified and will create bigger costs later, the seller will not understand the reasons for the requested repairs or credits and the contract will fall apart, or the purchaser will be alarmed and the contract will blow up. More simply put, a bad inspector can keep a purchaser from getting the house that was right for them without hidden costs.

I tend to think a BETTER QUESTION to a REALTOR® is, “Do you have an inspector that you would use to inspect a house that you are buying?”

November inventory summary

This is a summary of homes in the Central Virginia MLS for the RVA and Tri-cities area

There are 8273 homes available in Henrico, Amelia, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Hopewell, New Kent, Petersburg, Powhatan, Colonial Heights, Prince George, Richmond


                Beds   Baths   SqFt          LP                LP/SqFt


High           11       10    16,248  $10,950,000      $899.25
Low             0         0        0               $1
Ave              3         2     2,151     $263,722         $116.92