Diane Cipa

• RESPA reform

The very idea of a home inspection company sending a kickback to a real estate broker makes me want to puke. I can think of no better example of abusing a fiduciary duty and one more great reason for consumers to ignore referrals coming from their real estate agent when selecting inspection companies. Savvy consumers should hire inspectors who are not suffering from conflicts of interest such as maintaining a referral relationship with the real estate agent. That basic conflict alone is sufficient warning to beware, but add a kickback to the equation and you've got a more serious problem than a RESPA violation.

Excellent advice. Contracts, to be effective, must have risk and responsibility and the parties should respect the terms. Never presume that you can re-negotiate the terms. At minimum the "good faith" deposit is at risk for this very reason. You bargained in good faith and the seller has the right to retain your deposit if you change your mind.

I've been trying to get people to steal my ideas for about 8 years. We'd all have a healthier market with consumers connecting to what we do. It's not rocket science, you just need to let go of a few layers of decorum.