As a home inspector with decades of experience and a reputation for thoroughness, I’ve been honored to serve thousands of clients who trusted me to protect their families, finances, and futures. But in recent years, a troubling pattern has emerged, one that threatens not just my business, but buyer protection as a whole.
I’m being blocked from inspecting properties. Not because I’m unqualified. Not because I’ve done anything wrong. But because I’m “too thorough.”
🚫 When Agents Interfere with Inspector Choice
In multiple transactions, buyers have chosen me to inspect their future homes, only to be told by the listing agent that access is being denied. These buyers, acting in good faith, find themselves caught in the middle, confused and disappointed.
The reason? I don’t rush. I don’t gloss over defects. I report what I see. And sometimes, what I see makes certain agents nervous.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t an occasional misunderstanding or scheduling conflict. It’s become a recurring issue across multiple brokerages, with a common thread, my inspections are too detailed for their liking.
⚖️ This Isn’t Just Unethical, It May Be Illegal
Blocking a buyer’s inspector of choice is more than unprofessional, it could be a violation of federal antitrust laws.
Under Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, it’s illegal for competitors to engage in concerted action to restrain trade or exclude others from the market. This is commonly known as a group boycott.
If listing agents across different brokerages collaborate to block a specific inspector, or even silently agree to discourage the use of that inspector, that’s a textbook example of anticompetitive behavior.
And let’s not forget the most important victim in this, the buyer.
When buyers are denied the inspector of their choice, they’re being steered away from full transparency, often toward a less-detailed, agent-preferred inspection. That’s not representation, that’s manipulation.
🔍 Why This Matters
Real estate is one of the largest purchases a person will ever make. A professional, unbiased inspection is the buyer’s primary defense against hidden defects, costly repairs, and future regret.
When agents interfere with this process for the sake of “making the deal easier,” they’re not just protecting the transaction, they’re protecting themselves. And that protection comes at the buyer’s expense.
If your inspector is being blocked, ask yourself:
What are they afraid the inspector might find?
Whose interests are really being protected, yours or theirs?
🛡️ What Buyers Can Do
Stand your ground. You have the right to choose your own inspector.
Ask for the reason in writing. If access is denied, insist on documentation.
File a complaint with the local Realtor association or MLS.
Talk to your own agent. If they won’t back you up, it may be time to find one who will.
🧭 What I Stand For
I don’t work for agents. I don’t work for sellers. I work for you, the buyer. My loyalty is to your safety, your wallet, and your peace of mind.
That’s what home inspections are supposed to be about. And that’s what I’ll continue to fight for, even if it means ruffling feathers in the process.
If you’ve experienced anything like this during your home search, I’d love to hear from you. The more we shine a light on these practices, the less room they have to hide.
4 Responses
Well said. It is disappointing to see situations like this, and it should absolutely be addressed. Realtors should always act in the best interest of their clients. There is no exception to that standard. You provide a high level of service and professionalism, and for someone to deliberately prevent a buyer from receiving the most thorough inspection available is both unethical and irresponsible. Buyers deserve full transparency and access to qualified professionals without interference.
I truly wish there was a way to bring this to light in the public’s eyes!
During the 40+ yrs of inspecting in 5 different states (3 licensed states / 2 not licensed states for home inspections), I saw this fairly often. The more thorough the inspector & the more issues he found, the more of a threat he / she became to the commissioned real estate agents paycheck. Therefore you would often start seeing the most thorough OR knowledgeable inspectors being BLOCKED or DENIED access to inspecting a house for their client. What really surprised me was that it was not always a small part-time real estate agent doing this, BUT often it was some of the largest volume, well known agents in the area. AND on quite a few occasions when we saw this was brought to the attention of the Real Estate Office Broker or the local Real Estate Board …….. It got swept under the rug.
Great article, KC. This is happening in a lot more areas now and has been for a while. It happened to me so frequently that I decided to merge with another inspection company cause it really hurt my personal business and it has followed me with this other company as well. Keep fighting the good fight brother!
It is sad, but this happens all over. I was a home inspector in the Florida Keys, and many of the agents there did the same to me or tried to stop me from inspecting a property. The smart buyers stood their ground and said that if they could not choose their inspector, they would walk away from the deal. The buyers who were afraid they would miss out on the home they wanted went with the realtor’s choice inspector. I would always tell the client that there is something they know I will find, and they dont want you to know what it is. I was always very thorough as well, typically 3-4 hrs onsite. The inspector selection is something that should be illegal for Realtors to get involved in. I am not doing private home inspections anymore, but that Realtor interference was the only part of that profession that I hated. Other than that, I really loved my job.