Good morning. In what other industry do customers sign purchase agreements before finding out what they're actually buying? Yet this is standard practice in real estate.
The Backwards Reality
In today's market, here's the standard process:
Seller lists house (agent takes photos, writes description, enters it in MLS)
Buyer tours property and makes offer
Only then, after a buyer's offer is accepted, does anyone professionally inspect what they're actually buying
This is like buying a used car without a mechanic's inspection, then discovering engine problems after you've agreed to purchase it.
Why This Hurts Everyone
When I ask listing agents basic questions about properties they're marketing—"When was the roof last replaced?" "Any known foundation issues?" "How's the HVAC system?"—most can't answer with any real certainty. They're selling something they've never properly evaluated.
This creates a cascade of problems:
Buyers make uninformed offers
Inspection periods become renegotiation nightmares
Deals fall apart over "surprise" issues
Sellers face liability for undisclosed problems
Everyone wastes time on properties that should be priced differently