Originally Posted By: gjohnson This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I found an aritcle in the paper today in my area. It was a great Article as to why you should need a home inspection and what to ask your inspector. I was really into this article. Then when I got to the last paragraph it talked about how only ASHI are who you should hire and that you should only contact their web site for inspectors.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
If you send me the article I will get a better one put in the same paper which will include information about my blind friend who joined ASHI. I might even be able to get his picture in the paper wearing his ASHI t-shirt holding his white cane. ASHI has no entrance requirements. I was an ASHI member for years without ever taking a test or a course. Reporters love this stuff.
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
ASHI still gets one of their old articles published in the small town papers now and then but it almost never happens anymore. 10 years ago ASHI is all you saw in articles about inspections. How did they lose so much market share so fast?
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I can’t figure out ASHI lost so much of their market share though. All I can figure is that they don’t give you anything for the $. We have to make sure NACHI keeps coming up with new membership benefits. We don’t want to get too comfortable.
NACHI can't take all the credit though. Here's what I think is really killing ASHI: Internet and licensing.
Internet: 15 years ago there was the ASHI list that real estate agents looked to and that was it. We still see this a little amongst older agents. The internet changed that because buyers and real estate agents do their own research now. This is why we tied up the internet so aggressively. NACHI even goes further by going and getting these clients for our membership... we don't just stand around and hope they visit our sites.
Licensing: Licensing is the death bullet for ASHI. Licensing puts all inspectors (who are licensed) onto one list. Association membership doesn't even appear. Given that level playing field, most inspectors will naturally join the association that does the most for them. ASHI does the least. Being licensed is like being up to code, if you did any less it would be illegal. The advantage one licensed inspector has over another licensed inspector will only be realized thru marketing... this being NACHI's strong point... ah... but now we're back to the internet.
ASHI is frantically digging its own grave by pushing licensing and turning its nose up to the internet.
Originally Posted By: jmyers This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Nick,
They actually buried themselves a long time ago, it just so happens that they are just now starting to realize it because it took AL GORE such a long time to invent the internet. The licensing is just adding dirt onto the mound of the already buried! 
Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
My aforementioned post is as close as I can come to figuring out why their in a world of hurt. It is strange.
Their Candidates don't come over here much. I figure they don't know any better yet. Wait till they look at the cob webs on their business phone for a while.
Their hard-core Republican Guard doesn't come over here much either. All too busy making $ on continuing education side lines.
But it sure is a big middle. A dear Jewish business mentor of mine once told me (I was only 22 at the time) "Nick, keep away from the ends, stay in the middle." He was advising me not to purchase an environmental laboratory but to just re-sell their services. I think of his advice now. The die-hard Republican Guard will never join us at NACHI and the ASHI Candidates will figure it out on their own. We need to work the middle by offering the veteran, busy inspector a great association to join.