When will the disingenuous madness stop? The real estate and inspection industry in British Columbia has taken yet another hit, and the integrity of inspectors everywhere is being called into question.
A couple is claiming that they were tricked into buying an unlivable house in Kelowna. Everything that could go wrong with the house went wrong. There was mold, loose wiring, broken appliances and faulty floors. All of these things are from an inspector’s nightmare. Unbelievably, this is just a small sampling of the home’s problems.
In the article, “B.C. couple ‘tricked’ into buying unlivable house,” CBC News reports, “The couple spent more than $40,000 in emergency repairs and are now suing seller Fiona Perrin, realtor Sharon Black and home inspector Brad Pears, who they say all lied in order to make a quick sale.” This, unfortunately, happens all too frequently. It is a sad thing to see, the excitement of homeowners devolving into frustration and heartache. Such frustration can lead to breakups and the destruction of the family unit. An untrustworthy inspector does far more than monetary damage.
Pipes were clogged with roots. The plumbing was falling apart and sewage poured from drains and toilets. Additionally, the ceilings were too low and heaters were defunct. Colleen, one of the buyers, said, “We spent a lot of money for a house that basically imploded 12 days after we bought it.” She bought a ticking time bomb, and the inspector simply let her. It was like a sleight of hand. Where is the integrity?
While it seems that the seller, realtor and home inspector pulled a fast one and were in cahoots, the couple made the mistake of purchasing a home without first seeing it. Pictures are nice, but can easily be doctored to make the home seem better than it actually is. Any prospective homebuyer stood set foot in the house and see it with his or her own two eyes. Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases of your life. You need to do your homework. You should always bring in an independent inspector to appraise the property. Ultimately, the couple trusted professionals, and their trust was abused. What kind of world do we live in? Integrity, it seems, is in short supply.
The seller, realtor and home inspector will face fines and possible jail time. They will certainly lose their licenses. Since there are some bad apples in the bunch, here is some advice from Center Grove Inspections: if possible, always step foot in the house and try not to buy a home sight unseen (although there may be certain situations in which you have to), bring in an independent inspector and do your diligent homework.
Remember, if you are in the Indianapolis area and about to purchase a home, give the professionals and trusted experts at Center Grove Inspections a call!
For more information on the inspection industry in Kelowna, you can find the CBC article here.
-Jim
*Gif courtesy of Reaction Gifs
*Image courtesy of Michael Drummond