A fellow inspector sent me the following. It’s a link to a trulia post where a CBG agent made a similar statement… Quote:
I thought you might find this interesting, written by a Coldwell Banker Gundaker Agent, and might like to post yourself. After all us Home Inspectors need to stick together.
We noticed you are looking for information about ‘Coldwell Banker Gundaker · St. Louis, Missouri Ashi’
" areas of Saint Louis County
As you may know, the house your are considering will require a municipal inspection and more than likely a fire district inspection too. In this case you would fall under Saint Louis County guidelines because the house is in an “unincorporated” area. Your agent should be your first source for this information, but I am happy to help if necessary. The homeowner is responsible for all of these inspections. You are responsible for getting your own certified inspection by an ASHI member."
Here is the link on Trulia >>> http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Unincorporated_Ballwin_Missouri-60969
Christopher Currins
CBC Home Inspections
Cohen boys (attorneys) will be on it on Monday morning. We can’t permit even one agent in the world to be out there harming consumers by steering them toward diploma mill inspectors… even on some message board. Thanks!
Nick, Mark…if I may…
I had dealt with the ASHI situation in St. Louis for almost five years and I can tell you that I never won a single argument with anyone (realtor, potential client, other inspector, etc) who had bought into the ASHI banding program by saying anything negative about ASHI.
I did, as many know, trash ASHI in many ways. Some things I attached my name to, others just kind of floated out of no-where…reporting on many of the underachievements of ASHI inspectors as well as the association. Mention my name at a St. Louis ASHI meeting and you will be booed all the way to the parking lot. But, while upsetting a whole lot of people, I never convinced anyone of anything with negative “ASHI trash”.
What I eventually did was develop a canned answer to the question “Are you an ASHI inspector?” that killed the issue every time.
When asked if I was an “ASHI inspector” I would simply say, as follows:
“Most people who have asked me that don’t even know what the letters…ASHI…stand for. So that we are clear, are you asking me if I belong to a national association of home inspectors that requires its members to pass a test in order to join, to continue their professional education with 24 hours of additional schooling every year, to conduct their inspections in accordance with a strict code of ethics and a consistent method? If that is what you want to know, the answer is “Yes”. I have been certified since 2004. Now, what is the address of the house…?”
Gentlemen…it works without fail. Even with the brand new realtors who know to ask the question, but have yet to learn exactly why they do.
I recommend this before going off with a blast that people hear as little more than one association disparaging another.
I somewhat agree. Let the Cohen boys throw the punches. That’s what they do and they are constantly sniffing for a class action.
Argue why you are the best in town. You should have a certificate printed (each course except for the mini-courses comes with limitless downloadable certificates with your name on them) for every course you’ve completed in www.nachi.org/education.htm . The courses are online and most are free to InterNACHI members, so there are no excuses.
Drown them in your expertise.