Wish we could, but we can’t...
For years real estate agents were free to assist buyers in ways that created more value within the scope of their services. However, some of those services have been forced to a screeching halt!
Do to our current society where suing someone has nearly become a way-of-life, agents have been warned by attorneys not do the following things:
- Never attend a house inspection and follow the inspector around – By doing so, an agent can be deemed to also be an inspector, and can be held liable for any mistakes or overlooked items.
- Never do a final walk-through of a property for the buyer, or assist the buyer with checking on the items that were supposed to be replaced or repaired – Once again, the agent can be held liable for the inspection of those items.
- Never inspect a crawl space or attic for a buyer – An agent usually does not have the expertise needed to inspect those areas of the home.
Very few agents have the expertise to do any of the items listed above, and therefore such inspections would be viewed as being “outside the scope of expertise”. The Real Estate Commission and Code of Ethics warns real estate agents about doing things that are beyond their expertise.
“Most agents want to go above and beyond the call of duty for their buyers, but unfortunately we do have to be careful not to misrepresent anything that would be detrimental to our buyer or seller,” Says Heidi Hines, a local Charlotte, NC/Lake Norman/Highland Creek real estate expert.
Whenever a buyer or seller needs something inspected or wants advice concerning a possible problem with a house, they should always seek the expertise of a professional who is proficient in the area of concern.
Real estate agents are very knowledgeable about many things, and can be a valuable resource for purchasing or selling a home, but please keep in mind that their field of expertise is mostly limited to helping you find or sell a house.
“As far as all those other things,” Heidi Hines says “wish we could, but we can’t”.
And here is your morning coffee...
INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE . . . !
A lone shipwreck survivor on an uninhabited island managed to build a crude hut in which he placed all that he had saved from the sinking ship. He prayed to God for deliverance, and anxiously scanned the horizon each day to hail any passing ship.
One day he was horrified to find his hut in flames. All that he had was gone. To the man's limited vision, it was the worst that could happen and he cursed God. Yet, the very next day a ship arrived. "We saw your smoke signal," the captain said.
Hmmm! Ever have a big sale fall through? Been disappointed when a friend or loved one failed to come through for you when you needed them? Have you wondered why a goal or objective wasn't achieved as expected?
If you're over the age of 18, you've probably noticed that we don't get everything we would like, exactly when we think we should. Yet, it's amazing how certain things just show up in our lives when we least expect to see them - like the rescue ship.
It is often said that we "shouldn't get too attached to outcomes." We can set objectives, believe they can be achieved, and work to make them happen, but it's best not to get too attached to the outcome. What appears to be a worthy goal may go down in flames, only to be replaced with a magnificent result we had not anticipated.
When you find your hut in flames and fear the worst, think back to this oft quoted reminder: "Fear knocked at the door - faith answered - no one was there!"
