yes I would share it but I would still encourage them to get their own so there are no surprises down the road

I would not share without permission of my client, whose intellectual property that report is. Also wouldn't want to put any liability on myself or my client with a buyer if that buyer chose not to do their own inspection, as a result of having the report. 

Yes, it's the law.

Wow, I'm surprised at the answers to this one, lots of fraud risk to those answers if you were in Cali!

With the context missing in your question, I'll say this based on the assumed context of:  If it exists from when the seller bought this property or from a previous buyer that walked; ownership of the report is irrelevant-if it's in the file, it's a material fact on the property and a required disclosure despite who ordered it, paid for it or how old it is in CA. 

Previous reports on a house are material facts and seller disclosures we have to give the buyers in CA. So, if I sold the house to my seller years back, our reports, AVID and TDS/SPQ (old one from previous seller and new one) then and now are disclosures for our buyers.

I tell them to get their own. The other one is someone else's property & not mine to share. Old buyers info.

They'll never trust the info anyway Debbie so why bother?

We just had this happen yesterday. Buyer hired home inspector, but listing agent said the seller has a report that is only 5 months old. What if something happened during that time? We don't want to be responsible if something goes wrong so our buyer is still getting a new report... 

Debbie Reynolds - I'm no expert on home inspections, but I view them along the lines of real estate appraisals. They have one effective date, that being the day the inspector made his or her inspection. I flood or tornado could have occurred the next day. And yes, I'd share it with the buyer's agent, but they'd have to convey the fact that the buyer should get their own inspection closer to the date when they are to buy. An old inspection is a little like reading historical facts. They were relevant at the time, but maybe not now.

With permission from the party that purchased the inspection I would share.

It depends upon the particular fact situation.

Debbie,

If you have permisssion.  A

The buyer really needs to get their own home inspection.  However, if the report you have was because the Seller had a pre-listing inspection and the seller gives you permission to share it, then I would be happy to privide it to the buyer's agent.  I would still type a disclaimer on the report stating that we recommend the buyer to still have their own inspection done.  

I agree with Esther Preston. If I have permission, yes. 

Nope, I don't share - after all it's not mine to share

I'm with Ken Jones on this one - bad idea to share

As with so many things, it depends. Did the sellers have a pre-listing inspection done that came out so clean that they want to share it?  If they had one done and it revealed issues, they probably should have addressed them by now and the report would no longer be current. On the other hand, if this report came from a previous buyer, then I think it couldn't be shared withouot that buyers permission.  Having said that, again, any issues identified should have already been addressed by the seller. 

I just had this happen to me today.  Seller's authorized the distribution of the prior buyer's report.  I redacted the buyer's contact info and sent the report out.

In California we are required to share it ... include all inspection reports with the disclosures. 

That would entirely be up to my client, this is not my call.

Debbie Reynolds First off, the home inspection report isn't the agent's to give away. A buyer paid for it and it technically belongs to them. I would tell the agent to get one of their own since it would be up to date.

I would not even ask my clients...I think it is disrespectful & a couple of times when I have been asked for one for a property that has fallen out of contract I say so.  I have had a buyer's agent who offered the inspection report to me after getting the ok from her client because the client just decided to walk because he didn't read his contract & just signed & was upset about a requirement.  Then I shared it since my seller go ahead since I am fixing all the deficient conditions anyway.

They should get their own - to make it current and to avoid liability for you. If there are serious issues, the homeowner should have disclosed them.

sharsies...Learned this when I was a kid. You share because when you don't have, the other person shares and then you do have. Sharsies forever...

First, I would ask the party that paid for the report if it would be ok to share. They may want to be compensated at least 1/2 of the original price.

Second, why would another agent request an inspection report from one of your previous client(s)?.

Finally, most likely, I would tell that buyers agent to get their buyer to purchase an inspection of their own.  

In California, we do as Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor answered succinctly.  

I would share it and suggest they get their own, too....

Maybe. It would have to be current and it would be used to dispute another inspectors claim since some inspectors are not good.

They need to get one of their own.  I would share the inspectors name and see if he would just update the previous report.

Who owns the report, do you have the right to share it?

Debbie Reynolds - I usually have only pre-sale home inspection for sellers. Plus it is not in best interest of the seller to share this home inspection report - my two cents...

Debbie I would provide it since it is now part of the disclosure package.... and it is up to the buyer if they want to do another inspection....if they choose not to they would need to sign a waiver that they opted not to do it. Endre

I would and have shared the Home Inspection Report Debbie Reynolds.  I realize that every Home Inspector is not the same, and what one 'sees' another might not or 'sees' differently.  Sounds like there will be 2 Inspection Reports to compare, since the Buyer usually pays for and gets their own!

I always include in my listing presentation, to ask the Seller to get an inspection immediately with their preferred Inspector or if they wanted I used my preferred Inspector to see the problems of the property to fix them and show a more clear inspection results or let the Seller know what issues can affect the property value. I tell the Buyers agent right away, but if they still want another inspection (normally they do it again) then go ahead.

1.  Did the person who paid for the report give me permission to share it?

2.  If that Inspector missed something, or if there was a failure after the fact, could I as a Broker be liable because of misrepresentation on my part?

      I want them to get their own report.

Yes I would share it if the client that paid for the inspection agreed. It can be a good thing to get the home inspected at the time of listing and any repairs completed, can be a great marketing tool!

I would share it in most cases, especially if it will help get the property sold.

AZ RPC lines 200-202 . . . inspection reports are provided at no cost by Buyer to Seller. At that point, it's in Seller's possession. No control over what they do with it.

Our Legal says (it was a recent FB post by them, in fact) that seller need not provide the entire report, but must update the disclosures to reflect what he/she became aware of.  AZ law does not preclude seller from sharing it with a new buyer, but that inspector does not owe any duty to that buyer and the buyer cannot rely on that report.

Having said all that - we just turned one over to a buyer on a deal that just moved a backup offer into play. The inspection was just done. Buyer chose to go forward with that info. That's on them (and their agent who I am not).

If my seller is OK with it as is the person who commissioned the inspection than I would.

It is not my report so I would not share it. I would disclose any items of importance.

As the listing agent i do what is best for seller and what they request. If they so dont share, it does not get shared. It depends what is in it if i recomend to share. I always tell my seller to make repairs or disclose anything major so we dont have it ruin a sale in the future 

It depends.

Only if my client agreed to share

First Question - Has the original Seller's Disclosure Statement been updated to reflect the Inspection Report ?

Here...the law says that if the Seller...not the Buyer's agent gives permission to share it (our contract requires them to get a copy) you may do so.

I would request permission in writing from my client and if agreed, I would send the report with a written notification that the report is for information only and that the buyer should obtain their own physicial inspection. I think sharing it will cover you for any known defects that the seller has not put on the transfer disclosure and that you have knowledge of from the original report.

We would be required to disclose we had the report and advise if there were any material defects noted in the report.

In PA a material fact no matter how discovered even previous inspection must be now be disclosed by seller on seller disclosure.  Otherwise, seller and agent are committing fraud

Who paud for it? If the seller, will he allow it to be shared? If a buyer who went south, no way!

Ken Jones said just about everything I thought when I read the post! The most important point is who owns the report 

Probably not, for two reasons. It's unlikely that I would have paid for the inspection report so it's not technically mine to give, for one. Secondly, even the most trusting buyers need to hire their own inspector for their own protection.

If you are stating repairs done from a previous inspection and done recently the seller or previous buyer should give permission to share it.

If nothing stated it is irrelevant.

Only share with permission of who paid for it. I like Ken Jones answer.

Richard L. Sanderson nailed this one!

If my client was the Seller, and it was a favorable report, I would share. If it hurt my client, no.

I would share the report.

Of course, I would! I'd rather have a vendor I trust ( if approved by a buyer) than someone they pull from Yelp{etc.}

Also, why not to refer more business to my vendor?

I have to have written permission from my Buyer to share the inspection they paid for.

I would if whoever paid for the report authorized the release.

I would ask permission In Writing from the Seller to share the report with a potential buyer.

It depends. If you're the listing agent, the deal fell through and the seller has given permission to share (as noted on our repair request in NC) then I probably would if the seller also gives permission. If you're a buyer's agent on a deal that fell through and another buyer's agent ask, I'd say no. I don't believe we're allowed to share info in that situation.

Debbie,

With permission from the owner of the inspection:)

Debbie,

 I am not sure what your laws state, if complying with the law you do not have to share I would not...I would want the new buyer to get their own as well.

I would share it if it is a good inspection report - It depends. 

Sorry, the report is the property of the person who paid for it.

I can't really answer this one. Who's report is it? Did the seller order it? Was it from another buyer?

I would make copies available for showings, yes. Along with any and all receipts for repairs made by the Home Owner.

UPDATE: Other facts were revealed in comments so in that case, no I would not. I was thinking the home owner had the inspection done, and in that case, with their permission of course, I would make it available.