BLACKLISTED....

Chris Roust and the other highly qualified home inspector in Juneau have been “blacklisted” by some real estate agents!  Some agents are now advising their clients to not allow the Juneau Home Inspectors to inspect their houses. The buyers are advised that they can use any other inspector in Juneau but NOT Chris Roust.

But I am not angry. Well, maybe a little...  Actually, I consider it a compliment to be considered one of the best and most thorough inspectors in town. Remember, some agents with a vested interest in an easy sale and commission may want you to use inspectors who do not provide thorough inspections. I perform home inspections because I enjoy working with people, because I enjoy assisting my clients and because I enjoy building science.  I do not depend on inspections to feed my family.  Also, I do not depend on agent referrals for home inspection clients nor am I connected with any agent.

My home inspections and reports are, indeed, thorough and detailed. A home inspection is not cheap and I believe my clients deserve as complete an understanding of the condition of the home as possible. I do not overemphasize minor deficiencies and do not hide or overlook major ones, nor do I change my home inspection analysis to please anyone, be it buyer, seller, lender or realtor.  I report what the house tells me to report.

If all you want is a quick report to satisfy a lender or a cursory look at your home by an inspector without extensive home inspection and building safety training, you may want to use one of the engineers offering real estate inspections (see juneauhomeinspectors.org for a list of everyone doing real estate inspections in Juneau).

If you want a detailed, professional home inspection by a licensed architect with decades of building construction, building inspection and building code experience; whose reports have been verified as following the national standards of the world’s most respected home inspection association (ASHI); and whose reports include deferred maintenance items and discretionary improvements in addition to repairs recommended for immediate attention, you may want to insist on using my services. If you are paying for the inspection, the choice should be yours, - - no realtor or other party should be allowed to control your selection of an inspector.

You may also want to question why an agent has blacklisted me. Is it just to assure an easy sales commission with a minimum of negotiations? Is the agent hoping to hide problems that may cost you money down the road? Is the agent trying to prevent you from finding out about safety concerns that an "easy" inspector or cursory inspection may overlook?  Is it because I recommend safety improvements that some other inspectors do not mention?  Do they claim I am difficult to work with?  (See my Recommendations)

If you have a choice, you may want to avoid agents who do not want you to have a thorough inspection.  You may wish to blacklist them!