… and now ANOTHER thread where a dishonest and unethical lead broker feels compelled to express his off-topic disdain for inspectors who personally and professionally reject him and the business model he promotes.
There are many inspectors who choose NOT to sell him personal information about their clients in exchange for these worthless gimmicks.
Some of them choose to take the extra step of separating themselves from those who not only sell personal information about their clients to him in exchange for useless warranties and other gimmicks … but who also refuse to assist dishonest lead brokers in exploiting home buyers by refusing to add language to their inspection agreements that assist telemarketing boiler rooms to bypass state regulated “Do Not Call” lists as he promotes.
So if the inspector gets a 90 Warranty for Free and it Cost him Nothing, like some of the vendors are advertising, then that’s what the warranty is worth, Nothing.
Much like the value of a soft inspection report … with the exception that, in exchange for the soft inspection report, the client’s personal information is not being supplied to alarm systems contractors and others as it is in exchange for gimmicks such as worthless warranties.
If a warranty costs nothing to anyone, even to the warranty company, then that means the warranty company never pays out, which means in terms of coverage, the warranty is worth nothing.
In terms of coverage to the consumer, the warranty is only worth (on average) the total the warranty company pays out divided by the number of warranties issued.
In terms of marketing benefit to the inspector, the warranty is only worth (on average) the value of the additional marketing it provides (additional jobs and additional fee commanded per job) less the cost of the warranty to the inspector.
From experience as a home buyer, seller, investor, and inspector, I can’t see how it helps that much with marketing.
Almost every home I’ve bought, sold, or inspected, had a 12-month warranty offered by the seller, which average around $400-$500.
Being that the 12 month warranty coverage period would overlap a 90 day warranty, and usually provides better coverage, I really don’t think offering a 90-day helps persuade an educated buyer to choose an inspector. Not when there are a lot more important factors to consider.
It doesn’t have to help “much” because these warranties typically don’t cost very “much.”
The inspector must combine the actual coverage value to his client with the marketing value to his business… add them together… and if those combined are worth more than the cost of the warranty, buy it. If those those combined are worth less than the cost of the warranty, don’t buy it.
Hey Nick, I really want to thank you for chiming in here and not just diverting away. The insight from you is valuable and at least to me you did shed some good insight into this topic.
From your last post here I actually agree and think anyone considering offering a warranty needs to sit back and analyze their business and see IF they need to offer such a thing. Has any client ever really asked them for it? Have they ever even lost a single job because of not offering a warranty?
You bring up some good info to think about.
I do have 1 last question that maybe you missed but is very important to many inspectors here.
1.Can you confirm that our clients data will not be released or sold or used for any other purpose other than Mountain Warranty if we use the Mountain Warranty service ?
Really, a big thanks to you Nick for keeping this in check and offering your input.
Without being derogatory or condescending my personal view of warranties is not that much different than what was being taught by most home inspection schools and associations when I first entered the profession. Mostly it goes like this… A home inspection is a snap-shot in time which depicts the current condition of the home and the only thing we guarantee is that our report is a true and valid representation.
Most schools and associations cautioned home inspectors against guaranteeing anything which to me makes perfect sense… In my mind (coming from a construction background) if you didn’t supply it or install it, then why would you take on the risk and liability of warrantying it? That is where I am still kinda stuck. Personally, I believe the only party who should be issuing guarantees is the seller or the listing agent representing the seller. Furthermore, I believe home inspector supplied warranties provide a false sense of security to newbie inspectors and promotes laziness in seasoned inspectors.
This is my personal opinion and the reason I’ve never implemented using warranties in my own business, but I am willing to remain open minded to changes in our profession which truly benefit the buyer, home inspector and our profession.
One also need to remember what Marc Cohen posted a few months ago:
That statement is one of the main reasons I have stayed away any warranties. I AM confident in all my work and would Never want to give the impression that I was not 100% confident in all my work.!!
But with the changing times I “Might” be interested in Mountain Warranty Services.
Thus mu questions here to Nick, Ben or marc Cohen.
Nick, I do have 1 last question that maybe you missed but is very important to many inspectors here.
1.Can you confirm that our clients data will not be released or sold or used for any other purpose other than Mountain Warranty if we use the Mountain Warranty service ?
Really, a big thanks to you Nick for keeping this in check and offering your input.
Once again, you have interjected your self-serving opinion into a thread which has absolutely nothing to do with your products or services.
The question was asked of Nick and responded to by Nick. The answer was adequate, and could have ended the discussion… but no …
And your continued antagonism, even where experienced inspectors have expressed why they, personally, do not chose to offer warranties has perpetuated this thread to the point where things will get ugly.
Do you feel that this is yet another thread where you are being picked on? Or is this simply another instance of thread hijack by you.
And now, where InterNACHI’s attorney has gone on record and opined about warranties, you choose to (once again) discourage members from following the advice of legal counsel in an effort to use a product or service.
This is reckless and a disservice.
Don’t take the advice of an attorney. They are terrible at marketing. Really?
I thought their job was to keep the client out of financial ruin and jail.
Your job is to sell, sell, sell.
Big difference.
This is not an example of how you wanted to know who’s attorney said what. It is is the opinion of THIS association’s corporate counsel, directly to the membership.
Not everyone who disagrees with you are idiots. Please respect that.
It’s thread hijack, Nathan. By an InterNACHI VENDOR.
Perhaps you should start acting as a MEMBER, and less as a VENDOR when it comes to providing advice. Perhaps you should act as a VENDOR when pushing your products.
You blur the lines.
As to the CFP thing, it was very well received in a local real estate office last week. I have already been recommended for three inspections in the past 7 days from a single office.
I have stickers I place on my rack card, along with a separate card which explains what we will not do. Also, and ironically, I was asked a pointed question by one realtor regarding whether I offered warranties. It was not a set-up. I stated that personally, I do not. I have nothing against inspectors who do, but I have always chosen to stay away from them.
It was at that precise moment that I mentioned the CFP.
Wherever you chose to make a thread personal, or go on the attack over your products or services, or try and slam the CFP… you will be met with confrontation from me.
Where you choose to keep things professional, I will keep my distance. You bring the hostility onto yourself.