I recently purchased a "newly renovated" home from James Robert Blaine, who is a Howard Hanna agent. He sold me a home that he both owned and was the listing agent for. The fast moving market in Rochester does not allow for buyers to get a pre-purchase inspection if they want to be competitive. He is clearly taking advantage of homebuyers given this environment.
I obtained an inspection after the close and it revealed serious issues caused by Mr. Blaine's renovations. These fixes will require close to 7% of the purchase price to correct. These are not discretionary or cosmetic fixes. They are foundational to the functions of the home (ie: plumbing, structural walls, and electric)
I approached Mr Blaine. He took no responsibility and instead told me to contact his attorney. Given that he was both the owner and the listing agent, I would recommend avoiding working with him at all costs, on either side of a transaction. I would rate this agent and the organization with negative stars if possible. read more