So, why does the NAR and all lawmakers want licensing so bad? If I were an RE, I would be complaining against it, because the newbies would be gone, due to the educational and testing requirements. Thoughts to ponder. I know, I am off the topic of this thread.
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I have found that quality agents want quality inspectors because they know that their reputation and butt is on the line. Good agents know that houses will have defects and will help advise their client as to their options.
This downturn has weeded out a lot of those agents that were in it just for the money.
First…remember that real estate salespeople have the same…if not higher…turnover than home inspectors. Most new real estate salesmen will not be around after one year…after three…hardly any.
The majority of the members of the NAR and your state association of realtors are…what? Newbies. Many real estate brokers hire agents the same way insurance brokers hire agents…as lead sources. Once they have gone through their lists of family, friends and acquaintances and have to rely upon their own generated traffic flow…they find new jobs and are replaced with fresh meat.
I have found that reputable real estate salespeople that you and I both know are not all that actively involved in the NAR and the state asociation. They will participate in local associations and the rest of their time is divided between work and family. That is how they manage to stay in business.
We found in Missouri and Kansas that the majority of established realtors were unaware that the national association and state association even had a licensing bill. When they learned of it, they personally opposed it…but the political agenda of the NAR took precedence.
Many states have no or very weak building codes…and this is by design. Builders and real estate associations spend millions to keep it that way. No standards, no AHJ, no inspections to alert buyers of any problems…until you come along and kill the deal, pointing out the dangerous shortcuts the builder took (sometimes 15 and twenty years after the fact).
Licensing…especially when it contains rules that make it expensive to be a home inspector…makes you more dependent upon their referrals to stay in business. You kill their deal…they kill you. A few complaints to the licensing board and a blacklisting from realtor referrals and you cannot maintain your mandatory E&O…from their point of view.
That’s why those realtors who push licensing do it. They can control, to some degree, what inspectors stay in business and which don’t. It works in many cases.
douglas
(Douglas Wall, CIE, FL Lic. Mold Insp #2)
23
Makes me think of politics, yuk!
Do the best job and show up on time. I have aided many of my competition and that’s all I push on them. Most do fail, but we do dominate our portion of the business. I have taken several over the years as ride alongs and never regretted it; most are lazy and never stop, never stop, improving. Some have made it and I’m glad.
I have welcomed competition and regulation, we hired three guys in the past year. Will probably hire more when the new Florida law becomes effective. I am glad the FL DBPR has accepted NACHI as a stakeholder in determining the new regulations for home inspectors. You do not want every “Tom, Dick & Harry” to become a home inspector or in our case a mold inspector because he wants to, fear is pathic. Fear of competition, realtors is silly, do the best job and you will destroy the competition. We have proved that for several years. Home Inspectors disappear because they are not professionals or just should not be in business for them selves same is true for mold inspectors.
Low ballers and wanabe’s are in every business, I believe licensing will clean up the business. Licensing give the business creditability and eliminates the wanabe’s.
Home Inspectors come and go, but the professionals remain. Never fear a license, when it makes you creditable in the eyes of the public.
I think there-in is the problem. I am not taking anything away from anyone, but would you go to the doctor who was grandfathered in, well he/she has been practicing for years he/she doesn’t need a lic.
Yes, I am a newbie and practice in a licenced state. Amazing!!
Correct. If my market was Chicago it would be. I am sure your market research in the Midlands of South Carolina you have done you would see actually I am on the high side, but I am sure you have seen that.
Every area is different in the U.S. Denver had one the highest foreclosure rates in the U.S. and a few miles away in Boulder, you might be able to buy a town home with no yard if you have a million dollars and stand in a waiting line. Cost of living in Boulder is at least double Denver.
This is what I have done in the last 30 days to market my business here in KC:
Delivered 5,000 flyers to over 120 RE offices.
Paid for advertising in the “Real Estate Book” distributed to over 2,000 grocery and specialty stores, and RE offices.
Paid for advertising in a flyer that goes out to dozens of rural county store racks.
Became a CMI.
Sent out hundreds of e-mails to RE that alerted them to my newsletter on my website: I am currently #1 on google.
And in the last 3 weeks, I have had 19 inspections. But, a guy that has been in the business only a year, and charges $149 has done over 75 in the last month.
It is not about marketing here. It is about price, and not killing RE deals. The inspector who is cheap, and writes soft reports, gets the business.
Make your next real estate presentation titled “An agent’s duty” www.nachi.org/agentduty.htmExplain why finding a cheap inspection violates their fiduciary duty to their client.
Hell, just send out www.nachi.org/agentduty.htm with your contact info on it as a newsletter That should be enough to take the whole cake from him.
You sending out the article not only subliminally implies that you are a much better inspector but that it is in both the agent’s and his/her client’s best interest to hire you.
I forgot also that on August 19th on a radio show that I do once a month the subject of hiring contractors instead of inspectors to perform “checks” was discussed. I also do radio advertising. Check out my website under the link “home inspections”. All of what you mentioned is there.
I agree 100%… While it is always sad to see fellow inspectors go out of business I have always been a bit selfish about this concept. While I like to say competition is good for everyone I also know it takes money out of my pocket. So when things start to get bad for many around me I would always ramp up my advertising, take the time to increase my education and flaunt it…promote it and do my best to build my brand.
Again it is a world where we have to get ahead and while I hate to see people fail, it is a chance to rebuild, restructure and regrow your business and take it to a point that once the economy comes back they will say…wow…I wont even go back into the business because look who NOW has the market share…YOU DO…because of your efforts in tough times.
We were all newbies in the beginning even you. I am very sure that anyone who wants or wanted to become a home inspector did not run out and ask for state licensing so they can say “I have credibility”. :roll:
Nick, can you add something to the article about making sure your inspector you are referring is certified? Most of the Realtors in my area refer uncertified inspectors. It would be much appreciated.