The premier source for home inspector 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.
As the New Year begins, prognosticators are doing their best to get a handle on where the real estate market will end up in 2008. Yet the fact remains that millions of homes will be bought and sold regardless of where the market ends up. When you become a home inspector, you'll be part of a profession that simply doesn't stop during a market slowdown.
For certified home inspectors who own their own inspection businesses, knowledge of sound business practices are useful no matter what the market is doing. And graduates of accredited home inspection schools should expect their courses to include information on starting an inspection business.
In the November/December 2007 issue of The NAHI Forum, Rick Bunzel of Pacific Crest Inspection in Anacortes, Wash., outlined 10 ways that a home inspector can succeed when the real estate market is sluggish.
Mr. Bunzel's tips are an excellent resource for both veteran business owners, as well as recent graduates of home inspector training. The following is a summary of his business advice:
1.) The Market Doesn't Stop - Beware of negative media stories. Despite slowdowns, buyers are still making offers on homes.
2.) Business Plan - Devise a business plan with a marketing component. Consult this plan as you move forward
3.) Time Management - Block out your time. Deal with certain aspects of the business at certain times each day.
4.) The Pitch - Develop a 90-second pitch that will sell realtors on your home inspection jobs.
5.) Rise Above the Pack - Market slowdowns make good home inspectors look even better. Home inspectors with poor training and even poorer skills won't last long.
6.) Know the Numbers - Hire a good accountant and stay out of the red!
7.) Optimism - Successful salespeople and businessmen stay clear of negative people.
8.) Get Mentored - Find a successful home inspector or realtor and pick their brain. Share your business plan with them; get professional feedback.
9.) Work/Life Balance - Schedule time for your family and friends. Slowdowns are an opportunity to have more time with loved ones.
10.) The Comback - The market will pick up; be ready!
Becoming a home inspector means that you'll have to be both a skilled certified home inspector and a competent business owner, but not to worry, an accredited home inspection course will prepare you to succeed.
Labels: Certified home inspectors, home inspection jobs, home inspector training, real estate home inspection
The following article is an abridged version of a presentation that Scott Swickard, owner of InspectOC, and president of the Orange County Chapter of California Real Estate Inspection Association and American Society of Home Inspectors (CREIA/ASHI), gave in Costa Mesa, Calif., this past fall.
Don't let anyone claim that there is a "magic formula" for successfully marketing your home inspection business. If there was, everyone with the formula would be successful. No one can utilize all marketing methods consistently, and still have time for the business that you hope to generate. You must decide what you are comfortable doing, what fits your personality and business goals, and choose what's comfortable. In no way should the following list be considered exhaustive.
Branding
Branding is simply how you want your company to be known by your clients and referring agents. It does not matter whether you prefer to be known by your name "Joe Smith Inspections," or something unique like "See More Inspections." It could also be a unique tag line, such as "Joe Smith Inspections: We treat Your Dream House as our Own." Whatever name or tag line you choose, plan to have it prominently displayed on all your materials. This includes business cards, brochures, a website and inspection reports.
Passive vs. Active Marketing
There are two general methods for getting your name out, passive, where clients or agents find you, and active, where you initiate contact. We will not debate here whether it is more effective to actively market to prospective home-owners, sellers, buyers or real estate agents. Much of my business comes from clients who are repeat buyers, investors or have told friends or family members about his services. This is a great compliment, and is the result of outstanding service that was provided.
Passive
Examples of passive marketing include the Yellow Pages or other business phone listings, your outgoing message on your voicemail and website listing in search engines. This also includes having your business listed in any of a number of association search features. Wherever a potential client finds you, the creativity of your brand, or strength of your outgoing message may help capture the phone call, versus someone without a distinct business identity.
Passive marketing means simply having your business listed in a location where a potential client may be searching for your services. The more prominent you can be in these locations, the better your chances of securing the client.
Active
Active marketing should be your primary focus. It includes all outgoing communication, written, verbal and personal contact to prospective clients or agents. The following are a few examples of active marketing that have proven to be effective in the home inspection profession.
Personal Contact - Don't forget that before, during and after every inspection, you are marketing your business, through the first phone contact, face-to-face with everyone at the inspection and follow-up contact. How you present and conduct yourself, communicate your findings and follow-up are important to gaining future business.
Mailing - While this can be relatively expensive, a targeted mailing can be effective in getting a brochure or other selling message out to clients/realtors. Mailing lists can be purchased for a low cost, and can be customized as needed. This method can also be used to send a mailing to target a new housing neighborhood for 11-month warranty inspections. Printed material can have an unlimited life.
Email - Much less expensive than physical mail, email blast messages can have a broad reach, but may be less effective. The messages are easy to delete without reading, and do not have the same impact as a printed page. You can also be listed as a "spammer" which can interfere with normal electronic communication. However, if proper rules are followed for creating and maintaining your contact lists, you can reach many more potential clients through this method.
Newsletters - Newsletters can either be mailed or sent electronically. One benefit from an effective newsletter is that you can become the "go-to" expert if a potential client or agent has a question.
Advertising - This could include classified advertising in the local newspaper, or specialty advertising in trade publications. There are many such publications by local real estate organizations and other vendors soliciting the real estate industry. If these ads are seen by agents and brokers, or potential clients, it may be worthwhile.
Visits to Open Houses - Agents are frequently sitting on open houses during weekends. This may be an opportunity for you to go out and meet agents without pressures of time restraints. Be prepared to offer brochures and samples of your reports.
Real Estate Office Visits - This is a way to deliver brochures and get to know agents working in the office. You can also ask about office meetings held, and whether vendors are permitted to present general information or provide training to agents.
Association Membership - Most realtors belong to a local chapter of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) or similar organizations. Most of these chapters allow affiliate membership, which provides the opportunity to attend numerous events attended by realtors.
Agent Training - Most real estate offices are looking for vendors to provide training to their agents. If you have a quality presentation, and a reputation for giving a good presentation without putting people to sleep (it takes practice!), you may be called upon to conduct training sessions. You may have to provide lunch or snacks, but it is a small price to pay to be looked upon as an expert.
Website - While passive in some respects, a good website can become a powerful active marketing tool. If you have a website, make sure it goes beyond just the basics of describing your services and home inspections. Information about common defects, pictures of problems, and links to other important sites (CPSC, mold info, asbestos, defective furnaces, etc.) can become a valuable resource for agents and clients to use frequently. Publication/Articles - If you are good at writing original articles, there are numerous publications, including industry news and even the local newspapers, looking for information that would be useful for their readers. If the information in your article puts the inspection industry in a positive light, or you offer helpful ideas to the readers, they will hopefully have your contact information as part of the article to contact you later for business referrals.
Concluding Thoughts
When business is going strong, as many of us may have experienced in the recent real-estate boom, it is easy to overlook marketing efforts, or put them on the back burner. The key to marketing is consistency. Every week, a certain number of hours should be committed exclusively to marketing. This should include networking or office meetings, getting out and meeting agents or prospective clients face-to-face, or preparing and mailing marketing correspondence not related to a specific inspection. The number of hours is up to you, just stick to it.
To learn more about Scott Swickard and InspectOC, please visit www.inspectoc.com.
Labels: home inspection business, home inspector course, home inspector training
You've walked on them your whole life, but when you become a home inspector, you'll have to examine a floor with a whole new critical eye - determining whether the structure is sound or not. First-rate home inspection training will prepare you to inspect, not only with your head, but with your feet.
If possible, get underneath the floor to have a more thorough look at the structure. The two biggest issues to gauge are sloping and uneven floors. Certified home inspectors don't have their heads in the clouds - they're using all their senses to perform a super home inspection job. Sloping floors usually go in one direction and should be noted in an inspection report. Uneven floors often have hollows in them, where the floor sags between joists. Sagging can also be observed on a larger scale when heavy objects, like appliances, weigh down a portion of the floor.
Then there are squeaky floors, which may give "character" to a house, but licensed home inspectors need to make note of such floor noise. The problem is often the result of a weak connection between the joists and the sub flooring.
The next step is to inspect the floor covering, which may be wood finish flooring, flooring tiles, carpeting, linoleum, etc. Like much of your home inspection, water stains and water damage are opponents to look out for. It's extremely important to look for rotting wood, particularly in areas of the kitchen and bathroom. Oftentimes a firm foot in a suspect area will tell you all you need to know. When you get your home inspection license, you'll soon gather on-the-job experience that will prove invaluable as your career unfolds.
As you walk the floors of a house, always be on the look out for tripping hazards; look for floor covering that is curved, sticking up or detached in some way. Inspect carpets carefully to see that they are securely in place and not bunching up. When it comes to wood floors, check for buckled floor boards. If you're examining tile, then inspect the grout and see if it's keeping things together.
Real estate inspection is not a job, as much as it is a craft. If you view your home inspection report as the sum total of your skills, patience and knowledge, you're bound to work more like an artist than anything else. And so if Michelangelo could work artistic wonders on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, then surely home inspectors can bring the same attention to detail to the floors they step on each day.
Labels: Certified home inspectors, home inspection training, home inspector training, real estate home inspection
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!
Labels: home inspection school, home inspection training, home inspector school, home inspector training
A certified Home Inspector will tell you there's a lot to consider when inspecting a basement, but he'll also stress that the number one priority is water damage. It's estimated that up to 95% of basements will experience water penetration at one time or another. So, if you want to become a home inspector, then you better develop a keen eye for signs of moisture.
Basements come finished and unfinished, and in addition to serving as personal storage areas, they commonly house HVAC systems, electrical panels, and plumbing controls. The most pressing issue for licensed Home Inspectors is standing pools of water, but usually the problem is more subtle, involving water stains on the walls or floors. Yet this must be distinguished from normal stains, scruffs and other marks, as well as the normal damp odor that affects most cellars during the humid months of the summer.
Most people fear that water stains indicate structural problems. It's important to understand that cracks appear in most foundation walls and do not necessarily point to a cracked foundation. A licensed Home Inspector is someone who can make a call on this kind of issue. Another concern with water stains is that they point to a potential problem with mildew or mold, which for people with allergies can lead to serious health problems.
A home inspection job also includes a check of the floor joists. Any sagging, termite damage or visible mold on these wood joists will reveal a wealth of information about the house. Some basements contain a submersible pump (sub pump), which must be in good working order. It also goes without saying that support columns must be inspected carefully; it's important to see if any of the columns have been replaced. If there are any sinks, faucets or drains in the cellar, home inspection training will help the inspector evaluate them just as he would plumbing fixtures in the kitchen or bathroom.
Certified Home Inspectors don't inspect homes during heavy rain storms, so you'll have to rely on your Home Inspector training to detect the clues that might point to a moisture problem. In the end, a career in home inspection will present many challenges and areas for growth, but don't be surprised if you sometimes find yourself doing a Sherlock Holmes routine as you inspect water stains in the basement.
Labels: Certified home inspector, home inspection job, home inspector training, inspecting a basement
