The purpose of the home inspection is for the buyer (so far as is possible) to find out what "as is" , "is".

To the extent a Realtor has knowledge of defects in a home they are obligated to report it to the buyer but that does not take the place of a home inspection - neither should a home inspection report provided by a seller - especially since the buyer was not there during the inspection.

Many defects that may not be noticed by a buyer will be readily apparent to an experienced Realtor and should be pointed out to a buyer prior to an offer.

Any Realtor that never points out defects is either deceptive or extremely inexperienced and limited in their knowledge and of limited usefulness to a buyer.  We respect and enforce the law of agency and will fully explain & disclose to our clients all information in a professional manner.

I have a rule of thumb. I tell my clients that if I can point out 5 defects a good inspector will probably come up with at least 5 times as many.   So buyers, please, get that home inspection and use that knowledge to make informed decisions.

With Kind Regards and Appreciation,

Phyllis