PacificSun.com : Realtors ask cities to adopt inspection 'principles'
by Jason Walsh
The Marin Association of Realtors is asking Marin towns to adopt stricter rules for on-site home inspections when a house is being sold.
The Realtors are calling for the 10 county municipalities that conduct on-site resale inspections to adopt six guiding principles that focus on consistency, no double jeopardy, transparency, timeliness, revenue neutrality and sensitivity to the current economic conditions.
The inspections are conducted by the towns to ensure safety and that the properties meet current building codes; inspection reports are paid for by the sellers and provided to buyers during escrow.
According to MAR, the six "principles" were prompted by reports from real estate agents about various problems associated with resale inspections in different cities and towns in the county.
David Smadbeck, president of MAR, says inconsistencies about the conduct of inspections from one town to the next has caused "issues" for agents and clients. "But rather than rehashing old problems, we want to start fresh with a clean slate for all local governments," says Smadbeck. "After the six principles are adopted, it will be much easier to monitor compliance and address issues."
The principles ask that updated building standards not be applied retroactively upon homeowners who previously performed code-qualifying work without a permit; re-inspections to confirm repairs should not raise new issues not identified in the initial report; cities should communicate resale inspection requirements in advance; the inspection process should be timely; inspection fees should not be excessive; homes that are sold as short sales should have inspection fees waived or reduced.
According to the association's housing turnover index and other data, the average number of annual home sales over the last five years that required onsite inspections were: Belvedere, 28; Fairfax, 74; Larkspur, 66; Mill Valley, 302; Novato, 499; Ross, 28; San Anselmo, 144; San Rafael, 555; Sausalito, 94; Tiburon, 123.
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Our Local city inspections in Marin can be a real problem for sellers and I certainly hope something comes of this!!!

