The premier source for home inspection news and information. Whether you're a homebuyer or a licensed home inspector, you'll find valuable insight on the world of home inspection training and competency on this blog.
There's an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, if we apply this wisdom to certified home inspectors, then we might say it takes a trade association to make a home inspector successful. Licensed home inspectors who take the lone ranger approach to their business, more than likely will find home inspection jobs drying up. Like so many other instances in life, when people with similar interests band together, they tend to enjoy more advantages than those who remain alone.
Home inspection is now a well-established and growing profession, with trade associations like the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI), the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), to name a few, providing resources, services and directories.
A quick look at NACHI's benefit, for example, illustrates the kinds of tools and resources available to home inspectors when they join an industry association. NACHI members receive:
- Discounts on Errors and Omissions Insurance
- Group health insurance
- A listing in the North American Directory of Inspectors
- A variety of free continuing ed courses
- Use of NACHI logos for marketing
For a full list of NACHI's benefits got to www.nachi.org/benefits.htm
Before you sign up for home inspection training, find out if the home inspection school provides you with free or discounted memberships to one of the many good home inspection trade associations. After you finish your home inspection course, you'll want to get to know as much as you can about your new industry.
In an effort to educate home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals about real estate home inspections, the California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA) recently released information on three key areas that often lead to misunderstandings between home inspectors and clients.
The biggest issue, according to CREIA, is that people don't understand the precise role of a certified home inspector. One of the biggest misconceptions is that a licensed home inspector is a specialist who will repair home deficiencies.
It's important to remember that becoming a home inspector means an individual provides a professional judgment on the condition of the house. CREIA states that the "services of a home inspector are those of an inspection generalist, who is not acting as an expert" in a field where further certification may be necessary.
The second misunderstanding "is confusing a generalist home inspection with that of a code complication inspection performed by public sector building and safety inspectors." In the state of California, it's the buyer's responsibility to contact the appropriate government agency and find out what the code is for specific issues. Any good home inspection school will emphasize this point with students.
Finally there is the issue of home inspectors estimating the costs to fix any deficiencies. Home buyers may have the idea that home inspectors can diagnose a problem, make an estimate and then go right ahead and fix it themselves. CREIA makes it clear this isn't the licensed home inspector's role: "Even if qualified, an inspector offering to perform repair work on any reported defect is in contravention of state law." In other words, home inspectors in California can diagnose the problem, but they can't go ahead and repair it - that's someone else's job.
Home buyers, sellers and real estate professionals are advised to check with local agencies to see what laws apply to home inspectors in their respective states. Anyone who is starting on a home inspection career should make sure they understand these fundamentals and then communicate them to their clients and partners in the real estate industry.
Laguna Hills, Calif. - Sept. 14, 2007 - Periodic adjustments in the real estate market, not only provide new opportunities for home buyers, but also for people interested in a home inspection career. Licensed home inspectors now have the opportunity to emphasize the importance of their services to both buyers and sellers.
Real estate home inspections provide an objective evaluation of the house that allows home buyers to make an informed decision. Home sellers, on the other hand, can have a home inspection job prior to listing a house. This will allow the seller to make any necessary repairs beforehand. In a market slowdown, home inspections give both sellers and buyers peace of mind.
Here are ten reasons why a home inspection career is a great career choice:
- Job Security - Millions of homes are bought and sold each year. Even in difficult times, this fact doesn't change. And each year more and more Americans learn how essential a home inspection is before buying or selling their house.
- Flexibility - Real estate home inspection businesses grow as you build relationships in the community. That's why many home inspectors keep their full-time jobs until their name is known by local agents and brokers. You don't have to begin all at once.
- Networking Opportunities - Be part of a profession with strong industry support. Home inspectors can join the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) and enjoy membership benefits, such as discounts on errors and omissions insurance. Allied Home Inspection School provides students their first year membership to NACHI at no cost.
- Don't Punch the Clock - Certified home inspectors make their own future. Becoming a home inspector means you'll decide what your own work priorities are.
- Be Your Own Boss - Many home inspectors are self-employed. They enjoy the benefits of making their own schedule and growing a successful business.
- Do Something You Enjoy - Utilize your skills and experience to transition into a new career as a home inspector. Whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or someone in the building trades, construction or real estate, home inspectors use the skills they've acquired over a lifetime.
- Begin Your Career Quickly - Home inspectors aren't required to have a degree or years of training. People can learn to be a home inspector with 100% online home inspection courses, which allows them set their own pace.
- Become a Pro - Specialization is a key attribute in the job market nowadays. Americans hire and trust individuals based on their expertise. Many home inspectors go on to become specialists in the detection of mold, termites or radon.
- Work in the Field - Make your office in the American neighborhood. Home inspectors enjoy a constantly changing workplace as they inspect new homes and meet new people.
- A Professional Path - Home Inspection is now a well-established profession with a network of accredited training programs, credentials and industry associations. Allied Home Inspection School graduates benefit from a quality, accredited house inspection course that prepares them to be a crucial part of every home sale.
To learn more about training for a home inspection career, please visit Allied Home Inspection School at www.homeinspectioncourse.com or call (888) 925-2108 inside California or (800) 617-3513 outside California to speak with an admissions representative.
Labels: Press Release
Adjustments in the real estate market are a fact of life. Despite a sluggish market, however, the National Association of Realtors projects that 5.9 million houses will be sold this year. In this business climate, certified home inspectors with quality house inspection training can get ahead by promoting their educational credentials to clients.
Home buyers and sellers are choosing licensed home inspectors carefully these days - they'll only work with the best. A professional home inspector class puts you head and shoulders above your competitors. It's important to realize that home buyers and sellers need the objective evaluation of a licensed home inspector now more than ever. The professional judgment of a well-trained certified home inspector helps all parties feel at ease during market adjustments. After you receive your home inspection license, you will be a crucial part of every home sale.
It's important to understand that all home inspection schools are not the same. The following are a few things to look for when choosing a distance learning school:
- Accreditation - home inspection schools should be accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)
- Live Student Support - students should be able to pick up the phone and talk to an education support representative when they have a question
- Job Placement - good schools help you get job leads, work on your resume with you and prep you for job interviews
- Industry Connections - a relationship with the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) is significant
Once you've located a good online school, make sure the house inspector school has the following:
- Instruction on important topics like mold, radon and termites
- Detailed lessons on writing a home inspection report
- Information on how to start a home inspection business once you receive your training
Becoming a home inspector means you'll eventually be a house inspection specialist. Remember, when people are concerned about something - they bring in an expert. You can be that expert!
Laguna Hills, Calif. - Sept. 10, 2007 - American homebuyers are becoming more and more sophisticated each year. They pay close attention to mortgage rates, hire certified home inspectors and are educated about mold, termites, asbestos and other home hazards. Yet all this sophistication hasn't included awareness of radon gas and the real threats it poses to people.
For many, radon gas might sound like something from Star Wars, but it is actually quite common. Radon gas is a radioactive byproduct of decaying uranium, which is naturally found in the soil around us. If this gas collects in an unventilated space, such as a room in your house, a serious health hazard is present. Professional home inspection schools train inspectors to understand this threat.
"Homebuyers need to be aware of radon gas," said George Achenbach, president of Allied Home Inspection School, which offers house inspection training. "Do you test for radon gas? should be one of the first things people ask before hiring a licensed home inspector. If not, the certified home inspector should be able to call in someone who has the right expertise." More and more these days, real estate inspection courses are teaching students about radon.
Radon gas is colorless and odorless and enters the house through ground level holes. New homes, because of their energy efficient construction, are also more at-risk of bottling up radon gas because they have little natural ventilation.
"The home inspection industry's intention isn't to scare homeowners and homebuyers about radon," Achenbach said. "It's simply to make them aware of its presence, and to understand that licensed home inspectors are a real resource." In response, home inspection schools are taking steps to educate their students about radon.
To learn more about Allied Home Inspection School, please visit www.homeinspectioncourse.com or call (888) 925-2108 to speak with an admissions representative.
Labels: Press Release
There's a lot of talk about the real estate market these days, but it's important to understand that despite slowdowns, millions of homes will be bought and sold. One might even say that it's during rough times that home inspection jobs become even more important.
Home buyers who buy in a soft market understand there are good deals to be had. Now whether these folks are looking for an investment or a home, they'll need the reassurance of a quality real estate inspection to put their mind at ease.
And how does a home inspection help buyers during a slump in the market? The results of a home inspection report will help buyers negotiate for a better price or, if the deficiencies are extensive, to move on to another property. Certified home inspectors must realize that their services are more valuable now than ever.
On the seller's side, a slowdown presents obvious challenges. As houses sit on the market longer, there is glut of properties and too few buyers. Sellers often feel a tremendous amount of pressure to lower their asking prices. This is where the overlooked pre-marketing home inspection comes into play. A graduate of an accredited home inspection school shouldn't forget to promote this service to sellers.
Home buyers who have their home inspected before they put it on the market, will gain great insight into the true value of their property. If there are significant deficiencies, they can address them before buyers see the property, plus they can also sell the house as-is, by disclosing what the licensed home inspector discovered.
If a seller has a certain price in mind, and the home inspector doesn't turn up any major deficiencies, the home inspection report will bolster their claim to a certain price, no matter the fluctuations of the market. People considering a home inspection career should understand that they can market their services whether the real estate market is up or down.
The bottom line is that in a sluggish market, both home buyers and sellers want to know that they've made the best possible deal all things considered. A licensed home inspector provides an objective evaluation about the property, which normally leads to more informed decisions. And information is the key when people are making one of the most important investments of their lives.
