

613,494
It is called "fiduciary" duty.
If an agent claims to be a buyers agent, than they need to be there. Representation is about putting the clients best interest above the agents. No short cuts.
If the Buyers agent is not going to be there, than the sellers agent has a duty to protect the sellers property by being there.
If the licensee is acting as a transaction broker or non-agent with no fiduciary duties...they should still be there to make sure that they supervise who is entering the property.
Whats with all these lazy agents?
Eve
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Ryan Huggins - Thousan...
Thousand Oaks, CA
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Kathleen Daniels, Prob...
San Jose, CA
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Debe Maxwell, CRS
Charlotte, NC
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
3,692,737
No. Sellers aren't present during a home inspection in my area. It's custom to consider this the 'buyers time'. I can't imagine NOT attending an inspection for any of our buyers.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Tony and Suzanne Marri...
Scottsdale, AZ
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
4,793,702
Yes, I attend even if the selling agent is at the inspection as I am representing the sellers' interests. If the seller agent is there, I may not stay the entire time but I am there to introduce myself to the inspector, the buyers and the agent(if I don't know them). I don't get involved in any discussion and will ask the selling agent to check with his/her buyers if it is possible to listen to the inspector's recap so I can report the findings to the seller.
Although I have discovered in my AR membership that this is not common in every market or with every agent, this is not unusual in most of the areas I cover.
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Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Carpinteria, CA
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Mitchell J Hall
Manhattan, NY
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
3,386,608
If my seller wanted me there, I would be there. I know most inspectors in our area want an agent present anyway.
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
467,056
I have attended as the marketing agent, but I do not like to do it. As Nina Hollander & Debbie Laity stated, I do not want to be around to have things said to me, I may need to disclose, especially knowing how some inspectors operate.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
2,234,865
As the listing agent I don't attend the inspections. I don't want to know what the inspector finds. If I know I have to disclose. Remember the inspection is considered a fact finding mission on the house. It's not a matter of pass or fail. It's information for the buyers and sure some issues can come up. Then the buyers can deal with that under the inspection contingency according to our state regulations.
When representing the buyers, the inspector asks us to show up for the last half hour when he goes through the house with the buyers and tells us the highlights of the report.
Maybe my area is different because we are so small in population. The home inspectors are generally well known and they know they won't be working again if they screw something up and don't do what they are suppose to do.
As my broker says...at some point you have to trust people in our industry, and our local home inspections are in that trusted circle.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
5,774,106
Yes, I would, and I would not be "too busy". A
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
530,304
Tell the buyer's agent to have a sub there in his/her place, or reschedule the inspection.
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
608,993
For my listing you better beleive I would be there. I'd be there even if buyer's agent was present. I agree with @Annette Lawrence I wouldn't trust buyer or buyer's agent alone in a home they're not familiar with especially since seller wants their agent to be there. Poor buyer that their agent won't be present. In my market inspections are done prior to signing contract so why would I give buyer the upper hand in negotiations? If buyer's agent was there, I'd stay out of their way but still would need to give access and show inspector where certain hidden things are located.
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
936,768
If I'm available, I'll go. Especially if seller asks me. The buyers agent should have called and explained the situation and why they couldn't attend, etc, but it's not mandatory for buyers agents to be there.
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
930,105
Yes I would go to have an agent present, especially if seller asked. Would not be appropriate for inspector and buyers to be there without an agent. I have done this.
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
1,472,241
No, but I would reschedule so that she will be in attendance. I'm ticked off right now because an inspection that was set up 3 days ago, notice given to 3 sets of tenants, etc. and I get a text from the BA saying oops, she was supposed to schedule it for Monday and not today, Friday!!!!! And, to make it worse, I have another Buyer wanting to see the property that had to be postponed to tomorrow instead of today because of the booked inspection
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Susan Emo
Kingston, ON
921,504
You bet!
I also do not trust the buyer and buyer agent to be in the house for hours without supervision. Besides, should anything be found, I want to know what the issue is without needing to translate whatever pops into the inspectors brain.
Unfortuneately, those in attendance must be instructed, if you turn it one, turn it off. If you turn it up you must return it to original position. If you change the setting, restore it to origninal. If you break it, you will pay to fix it. Everything in this house is working, functioning well. It must be the same when you leave.
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Eve Alexander
Tampa, FL
6,056,515
1,280,948
4,434,277
444,270
In North Carolina, the buyer's agent has to attend the inspeciton if the buyer does. If the buyer doesn't attend, the agent is off the hook.
1,546,624
The buyer's agent should be there. As a listing agent, I've let inspectors into homes but a listing agent should NOT be there as the listing agent should not have direct interaction with the buyers and a world of mess can happen if you give advice to the other party.
3,448,066
Hannah, that one reason being the seller is not comfortable would be a reason enough for me to be there. And your client is correct, it is their job. However, we need to cover for the incompetents to ensure our clients are comfortable with the process.
879,191
864,758
It is the buyer's agent fiduciary duty to be present, not the listing agent. Unless, the home inspection is being paid by the seller, then yes, I would be present.
5,292,474
I always go as the buyer agent for my clients but I know of other agents that do not go.
1,014,538
If the seller asks me to be there then I will go - however I do not make a habit of going just because the buyers agent doesn't find it to be of value
1,759,237
As listing, or selling agents; we always attend. It is just part of our duty to our principals.
5,561,993
As a seller's agent I am present, but the inspection is set to my schedule!
1,618,024
3,417,456
As a listing agent i go to all inspections to be there for my seller. Knowing first hand can ward of possible problems and helps to stop buyer agents who want to re negotiate on the inspection items to get a lower price.
5,391,987
I don't... it's not my or my seller's inspection. It's the buyer's inspection. They can their agent can choose whether or not to attend. I've never had a seller ask me to attend a buyer's inspection. Besides, there just may be things we don't want to know as they would require disclosure once we do.
3,074,716
634,582
3,764,591
2,448,781
I think it is important to go if the buyer agent is not showing up - the seller shouldn't have to have the buyer in the house when unattended.
5,560,447
If your client asks me to attend with the inspector, I would definitely take my iPad (or laptop) and work while he is in the house...or send an assistant - someone who you trust to lock the doors and be sure that everything was left as the inspector found it.
2,718,403
Yes. I always attend the inspections, whether I am the LA or the Buyer's Broker. I may sit in the car working on the laptop or making calls, but I want to be on site. If there are serious issues, disagreements, misunderstandings, I want to be at the house to resolve them.
146,655
I don't believe it's necessary when using a licensed home inspector, but I will gladly attend if needed to make my seller comfortable.
508,447
I always go to my buyer's home inspections. If I'm on the listing side I don't go to the home inspection out of courtesy to the buyer's agent. And yes, it is part of our job.
4,273,331
It is required in the state of Washington to have at least one licensed real estate broker or agent attend the home inspection even if the home inspector has a MLS key box key...... so my answer is yes but it doesn't do the buyer justice if his agent wanted to hand the home inspection .....
8,241,008
No. There will be plenty to time to read the report and to ask any questions.
6,770,326
1,157,847
If I am acting as the listing agent only, I do not attend buyer inspections.
4,322,295
Hannah Williams - one agent must be present at the home inspection is what I believe.
3,986,529
If my seller wnts me there, I will be there, but I will stay out of the way of the inspector
773,896
1,875,388
5,180,649
I made a business decission years ago not to attend regardless of who I represent.
1,466,257
Hannah Williams If my seller was uncomfortable I would attend. The buyer's agent represents the buyer in all aspects of the transaction and should be there in attendance. I'm sure the agent wasn't too busy to write the offer.
5,204,299
If the selling agent cannot be there (aand what's with that?) then as the listing agent I would definitely be there
564,544
Ultimately, if the seller is uncomfortable - then arrangements must be made to be sure the seller is comfortable knowing who is in the home.
3,988,144
1,713,581