Episode Summary
Home buyers today face an information disadvantage that costs them thousands in hidden repairs, undisclosed hazards, and missed negotiating opportunities. PropertyLens co-founders Bob Frady and John Siegman break down why the current system leaves buyers exposed, share real stories of what comprehensive property data revealed before purchase, and explain how PropertyLens delivers what listings, realtors, and inspections leave out.
What the Report Revealed
The NAR settlement changed buyer obligations without changing buyer outcomes. Buyers now do more work, often pay their buying agents, and still walk into transactions with less information than the seller. Seller's realtors routinely answer "I'm not sure" to critical questions about flood zones, hazard exposure, and property history because disclosure rules and knowledge gaps make transparency rare.
Bob recounts eliminating a South Dakota condo in under a minute after PropertyLens revealed it sat at the edge of a 500-year flood zone. John describes running reports on 27 properties over three weekends for his daughter, flagging wildfire risk, crime exposure, and even a home 250 feet from an EPA Superfund site. These aren't hypothetical scenarios. They're the gaps that exist between what buyers see online and what they actually inherit.
The episode challenges the assumption that inspections solve everything. Inspectors only see what's visible. They skip roofs, sewer lines, and events that happened before the current owner moved in. PropertyLens fills this gap by surfacing 20+ years of weather events, permit history, environmental hazards, and system ages before buyers make an offer.
PropertyLens isn't a Carfax clone. Carfax tells you the past. PropertyLens tells you the past and projects what's coming: which systems are aging out, which hazards are likely to recur, and what insurance implications the property carries. The goal is peace of mind for some buyers, negotiating leverage for others, and informed decision-making for all.
Key Takeaways
Buyers are more exposed than ever, doing more work with less protection.
A PropertyLens report surfaces undisclosed issues in 92% of cases and delivers an average savings of $8,500.
The tool gives buyers the same intelligence that professional investors use, turning hidden costs into negotiating power before the offer goes in.
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