"I've never seen my listing"

Since I have not viewed the interior or exterior of this property, I have no knowledge of its condition. 

That was an excerpt from an email I received once from an agent when I inquired about his listing on behalf of my buyer. 

He's never seen the property!? It's HIS listing! I was a little surpised.

I can understand a statement about not knowing the condition of a property, since as agents we are not experts in furnace repair, plumbing maintenance, or pest control. The seller is obligated to disclose known property condition (unless allowed to use the waiver) and agents must disclose known material facts. However, usually the listing agent will know a little something about their own listing.

When I list a property, I have previewed it inside and out. I check it out as part of my market analysis and if necessary I provide a list of recommended improvements in order to get top dollar from a sale. I take a lot of pictures for my files and pepper the seller with as many questions as I can, anticipating the inquisitive buyer who will inevitably want to know everything. It's my job to know the property so I can effectively market it, highlightling its unique features to enhance market appeal over the competition.

Sometimes there are things that the seller doesn't know and can't be discovered through conventional research, which is ok. That's just part of the business sometimes.

It's the not looking that can lead to surprises.