Issue: 74    Date: October 5, 2002

Last weeks newsletter was about the conflicts caused by paragraph 12 of the Offer to Purchase and Contract. Here are three responses two from Realtors and one from a fellow home inspector which is a great article titled "New Age Realtor." Take the time, you will enjoy and gain from this! 

Chris, the home inspection does not need to be the emotional issue as you describe it in your Issue 73. I have been in the real estate business since June of 1977. Home inspections have always been, for the most part, a very important part of the home buying & selling process. I cannot relate to the issues in your report. It has been my observation that the primary issue in repairs required as a result of home inspections is the way they are managed. Not the repairs. Agents know that it is important to discover and correct all repair items. They do not want litigation and real estate commission inquiries after the closing. They always eat well from successful transactions.

Chris, This is a great article and I agree with it. I am a Realtor, Appraiser, and former home builder. I have also bought three homes to live in, and many more for resale and rent. I think you are dead on, and I hope you stir up the attorney's enough to get them to act.

The New-Age Realtor
By: Bruce Rudd
Rudd Residential Services
3983 Ebert Road, Winston-Salem, NC
Phone: (336) 784-9800
E-mail: Ruddres@aol.com

Enjoyed reading your last Newsletter, The Conflict, and wanted to say I appreciate the time you devote to bridging the misunderstandings between Realtors and Home Inspectors.

2003 will be Rudd Residential's tenth anniversary, and I have spent the time observing how this strange system works - sometimes with amusement, sometimes with aggravation, and sometimes in pure amazement. Good salespeople in any profession will learn how to work within any system and turn it to their advantage. I have observed this happening in Real Estate and I see the Realtors who have embraced the home inspection process becoming very successful and happy. I call them New Age Realtors.

My father was a successful salesman. He sold industrial drills. I vividly remember a day when I was about 12 years old, he told me that the key to successfully selling drills was to remember that none of his customers wanted to buy drills - they wanted to buy holes. It's all a matter of keeping your eye on the target. 

The New Age Realtors I have observed clearly see the real target. They have come to realize that the valuable commodity in their industry is not the houses, it's the buyers! If you have a buyer who believes in you, you will find a house and make a sale. It doesn't matter which house as long as you hold on to the buyer. If you have a house, you may or may not find a buyer. There are lots and lots of houses, but a limited supply of buyers.

The New Age Realtor sees that when a knowledgeable, professional Home Inspector whom they recommended (either individually or by list) shows up and conducts a truly objective, high quality home inspection, that they get credit for it in the eyes of the buyers. It's the point at which the buyer says to himself, "This Realtor really is looking out for my best interests." It's the point at which the doubts evaporate and the buyer / Realtor relationship is cemented. After that, it doesn't matter how the inspection turns out. This New Age Realtor has his/her buyer and will sell this house or the next one. As a bonus, three to seven years down the road this New Age Realtor will list this house again and sell this devoted client the next one!

When I get to work with a New Age Realtor, we really are "kicking at the same goal!"

Thanks Bruce for this great observation.

Bruce Rudd is not only a successful and highly respected home inspector but is actively involved currently serving as President of the Triad Chapter of the North Carolina Association of Licensed Home Inspectors, immediate past President of Central, NC American Society of Home Inspectors and current Secretary/Treasure of the Joint Chapters of the NC American Society of Home Inspectors. Bruce is a busy boy, and I sincerely appreciate his taking the time to respond. 

Are you a New Age Realtor? If not, you had better take note. About five of them keep me very busy. What I appreciate most about them is that when the deal falls apart, and some do, I get the call for the next one and a pat on the back for protecting their client. Received calls from three of their buyers today and two were for the SECOND inspection! Now, that's what this is all about, "keeping your eye on the target" and "kicking at the same goal!" 

 
Thought for the week
 
"No one is listening until you make a mistake."