If you want real leads do it the old-fashioned way, press the flesh, yes it can be scary but go the the MLS office, introduce yourself, and join as an associate member. When they have meetings, most times you can pay a fee to speak to a group of Realtors. Kept it short and simple silly.
Also find out what day tour is for the agents, what time they leave, and go the Dunkin Donuts get a box of munchkins mostly glazed they love that, no need to get coffee (they have plenty) staple your card to it and get there early enough before they leave. Slowly canvas your area. When you drop it off, look sharp, smile, keep the conversation to a minimum, and ask permission to leave your business cards in their rack. Don’t over-yack up how great you are, it’ll just scare them.
If you’re lucky the broker may even interview you, be careful here; this is a job interview! I use Grammarly to make sure my spelling is correct. I never put a sample inspection report on the web, it’s your stock in trade. Be careful not to throw it under the bus to please the agent, your client will put a bad review on you if you don’t play it straight. You have a fiduciary responsibility to them. Google is your best friend, Yahoo has its metrics set to put the bad reviews first and then they want money from you which does little to improve your ratings. Good luck!
I will admit I copied a few of those Big Ben bits(5 or 6) out of his template. But! But! I heavily edited them. They way he words that stuff, it sounds like there is a problem.
I like the one that explains flashing because frankly, few people understand what flashing is.
I also like the bit about home owner responsibility on a few items, but again, I re-worded it significantly.
The feedback I have received once I added those few narratives was positive. In fact, I think one got me an unexpected inspection out of the blue. A REA was the listing agent on one home, called me later and said “We liked your detailed inspection report, so I’d like you to inspect this home for me”.
I agree though, as base written, they are awful. There is a guy that Spectora interviewed here in FL that used Ben’s template, lock stock and barrel and finishes the reports on site. OOOFFFAH. There is zero chance I would ever do that. I always find items that need more explanation and updated narratives. I typically finish within an hour or two of getting home, maybe a bit more if I have a wind mit and 4 point. Those wind mits are a little tricky to get perfect.
Yeah, I won’t rag on him anymore than I already have I guess. It’s not that everything is bad. I mimicked some of his organization, naming, and lay out for the report structure. I found his narratives mostly not suitable for me.
Same with the “NACHI” template provided in the library. I’m not sure who put together the NACHI template, but here is a snippet from that one that made me laugh. 
Poor guys thread has gone haywire.
I think the narrative is sub-par. First, why say appears to be missing coverings? The header is more direct and saves the day “Shingles missing”. Also, to what extent is the damage? Widespread, multiple, many, several, a few or one? I seldom use cardinal directions unless it is a very large home or a commercial building. Most buyers do not know north from south. Front, right, rear is easier to them. In our report writing course, we are taught to include a potential consequence of the defect; i.e. leaking, further damage etc. Finally, there are more things going on than missing shingles, I hope there were additional comments about the condition of the roof.
In the end, it will likely be ok. Defect noted and a repair recommended. That will usually cover your butt.
Personally, I very much dislike homeowner responsibility. I do not mind an occasional maintenance tip but these issues are better presented with a home book or something outside of the report.
The home inspection report is meant to identify defects specified by the standards of practice.
Finally, newer inspectors are often compelled to add in this filler material to give the illusion their fee is justified. Smoke and mirrors.
The thing is, I respect your longevity and knowledge in this area. Do not misunderstand me.
I have been told that people LIKE the detail of my reports, which include the homeowners bit. This only started AFTER I added that stuff in.
I don’t do that many full inspections. I’m averaging somewhere around 5 a month, it seems to ebb and flow. I do get 4 points and Wind mits in conjunction with and separate from the full inspections.
I don’t think I’ve had a single client under the age of 60 and most of the homes I do are powder puffs. I’ve done a couple dogs, but outside the Villages. Maybe it’s because my audience is a different generation.
I wish I had granularity to know if anyone reads beyond the summary, but I have to think they do because that’s where the detail lies.
One final thought, I still refer to the HI report of the two homes I own every once in a while. I’m looking at some of the pics to see if “that” slab was like that or has moved, etc. I like the historical documentation. I want my customers to be able to look at my report in the future and to have the same kind of value that I’ve found from reports that were done for me.
I know my response was directed towards you, but in fact it was more of a general commentary. I do not consider you a newbie per se. You have now developed a style that works for you and are able to build a positive reputation on that.
That is an interesting point. Most of my inspection reports do not have room for filler. The defect list is overwhelming as it is. So, I tend to go straight to the facts.
I can appreciate that.
The worst home I had was something like 56 defects.
The best? 2. Yes, 2. I was sweating for the first hour. Everything was good. Heck even the gutters were clean! That’s usually a gimme. I found a dead GFCI(behind a shelf in the garage, remember, cookie cutter homes, I know where most of them are) and a valve on the washer was weeping, but only did it when the washer cycled water on and off. Water hammer caused a small little burst. No biggie really, but sheesh, that was a stretch.
After I finished, I spoke to the home owner. He was a GC home builder in New York. He literally fixed everything before the inspection began. He was shooting for zero, I found two :).
Anyway, I still read and learn and I will probably tighten those Homeowner narratives up a bit. They are just awkwardly written, even after my edits. Maybe I should plug it into ChatGPT and see what it thinks.
I thought maybe he sold drones on the side.
My mother contemplating how to handle her job to monitor the roof covering “Roof covering: Homeowner’s Responsibility”
I realize that asking people to do anything with a home can be a challenge. I also realize that I work predominantly with seniors. So this is what I have:
As a homeowner, it’s important to keep an eye on your roof because any roof can develop leaks. If your roof is difficult or impossible for you to access or walk on safely, you can use binoculars to inspect it. Look for signs of deteriorating or loosening flashing, damage to the shingles or tiles, and any debris that might be blocking valleys and gutters. Sometimes it’s enough to just look up and notice something different.
Roofs are designed to be resistant to water, but they are not completely waterproof. Over time, it’s expected that your roof will develop leaks. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict when, where, or how these leaks might occur.
To ensure the longevity of your roof, it’s advisable to have it inspected annually as part of your routine home maintenance plan. This way, you can identify and address any issues before they turn into major problems.
Why not just say that? 
(I am picking at you a little bit. You explained your style and it’s all good 
)
I figured that was better than:
Pay me granny, I’ll handle it since you’re incapable of even glancing skyward and taking the slightest responsibility for your home.
As a note, I looked at my template, I have 4 of these Homeowners bits. Roof, heating, cooling and plumbing.
What is wrong with this one? I’m not saying there is, but what’s the issue?
As a responsible homeowner, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the locations of the primary water and fuel shutoff valves in your house. Knowing these key spots can be crucial in case of emergencies or when you need to perform maintenance on your utilities.
Additionally, it’s wise to stay vigilant for any signs of water or plumbing leaks within your home. Even minor leaks can lead to significant damage over time, including water damage to walls, floors, and fixtures, as well as potential mold growth. Regularly inspecting your plumbing and keeping an eye out for any unexpected dampness or water accumulation can help you identify and address issues promptly, preventing costly repairs down the line.
This one hits close to home. My sister noticed a leak from her dishwasher. She reached under the kitchen sink and turned the valve off. The CPVC valve under the sink broke clean off. Now she has a 1/2 inch stream of 75psi water filling her kitchen. After flipping every valve in the house with no abatement, I told her on the phone to use that curb Key I left her to shut it off at the street. Everyone should know how to turn off their water. I had picked up one left at a job site and since I don’t need two, I gave her the other one and it saved the day.
PS. I hate Flow-tite valves!
Nothing is wrong. My style is a bit more brief. In my world, this is considered very wordy and cumbersome. I refer to it as filler. It can place a burden on the end user who has wade through this information in order to get to the defects.
As I mentioned, you know your market and your clientele. In my world where I am often producing 40-60 page reports just on defects, this type of filler really has no place IMO.
And gas, electric and thermostat location. This is required by my SoP.
Ah, I see. No need to wade on my reports, shrug. The defect parts jump out at you, even if you’re reading the long form. If you’re in the summary, you wouldn’t see this at all.
For what it’s worth, I end up getting a lot of homegauge reports to do repairs and egads, is it hard to follow. The pictures are numbered but might be on the next page and it is frankly just a mess as far as I’m concerned. To make it worse, the number system repeats. See “picture 2.2” kind of thing but it has to be in the same section because there are multiple 2.2s. At least using Stepford, I mean Spectora, there is a box, with all the pictures and text, all encapsulated. If you just read the summary, you just get that stuff, no fluff at all.
I use HG, I have had similar feedback from Spectora users. But I have similar issues with Spectora since I am not familiar with the software, I read it like a client and it is a bit “bouncy” for me. I tend to scroll thru the report vs. jumping to information.
Also, in the HG photo section, those labels can be renamed. Most of us are too lazy to label photos in residential and it is a negative. I label all photos in commercial.