How long did it take for some of you to get your first inspection? And how did you get it and then how do you build off of that?
It took 10 years to get the first inspection. I got it while handing out business cards while I was panhandling for food money. I built off that by panhandling more and more every day!
Damn I make more money panhandling now than most make doing inspections! I made so much I sent three kids through Ivy League Colleges!!
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It took me several months, from Google. The buyer’s walked. A few years later they contacted me to inspect another home, they had decided to move to South America for a short time after the first inspection I did for them, they also walked on the 2nd house. A while after that I inspected a third home for them. They bought this one. A few years later they contacted me to inspect a 4th house for them which they also bought. The houses got nicer and larger each time. I will never forget that couple.
Patience is the key word when starting out in this profession.
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It took me 3.5 months to get my first job. I visited Realty offices around town and introduced myself. 14 jobs in the first year. 45 in the second year. 145 the third year. It wasn’t until my fourth year that I was making steady money. I was in a small town in a small county. 27,000 population in the whole county.
When I moved to Knoxville years later, I built up business much faster. I was doing pretty well after just a year. Partly because I knew what I was doing this time around and partly because the market was much bigger.
If you can find a mentor to show you the business it can be a great short cut to success.
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Looks like i could be doing uber for a while huh!
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Morning, Travis. Hope to find you well.
Like Bert, took me about 3.5 months to book my first inspection.
Moreover, about 2 years to earn just a living wage.
From there everything started to take off. All the hard work was starting to congeal and the phone rang more often.
Cautionary note… Say or do one wrong thing and you can be set back for months. From 20 calls down to 6 of 7 in a month. A realtor searches for another new inspector to take your place. A bad Google review.
Could be different for you. From what I have read over the past 15 years on the interNACHI message board, the housing sales market in your location can affect how fast you become a profitable business.
I did everything I could do to network. Talked to realtors. Website. Google ads. Joined Linkedin. BNI. I Documented my prior work and home inspection credentials for presentations.
Used Facebook. Pinterest. Social media.
One of Nick’s friends offered to show me how to market to realtors and networkwork me to become a successful home inspection business. Nathan Thornberry. Super nice guy. I kick myself in the butt (HARD!) for not taking him up on the wonderful opportunity. Nathan’s family provenance in the home inspection industry in North America are stuff of legends. No fooling. If I remember correctly his father had the largest home inspection franchise in North America and built that of a model he used overseas. This many is worth millions plus! Still mad at not taking him up on his offer. I would have been shaking hands with industry moguls all over North America..
Travis. You need to face each and every day with a smile and posative energy. Always act professional. Dress well even better when you are representing your business. Polish your marketing narrative. Hone it to a short define set of narratives you will continuously use. Be repetitive. High energy. Always posative. You drive UBER. YOu have a captive audience. Intrigue them. At the end hand out your business cards.
Get in front of realtors or social networking groups at least twice a week. I went to BNI meetings early in the morning. Not all BNI groups are the same. Glean the top ranking BNI groups near you. Sell yourself over and over again. Practice practice practice… Try to reach the broadest audiences involved in real estate purchases or sales as you can!
I worked at times 18 hours a day preparing and representing myself which is my business.
I am, we all are pulling for you buddy. It’s up to you to do the rest.
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I’m a member of the best bni group that I’ve visited here in okc. I also joined a realtor association right around the corner from my house and they have just over 200 realtors. They’ve already signed me up for events and have been very helpful. I’m hoping that I’ll start getting business by the end of this month. Which will be my first month actually networking cause last month was just setting up everything so I can do an inspection. So here’s to hard work and hi hopes that I will accrue my first inspection in my first month of networking but my second month of starting my company. I really appreciate your response and have learned a few things from it. So thank you.
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Wishing you the best.
Keep us posted along the way.
Thanks I appreciate it
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My pleasure, Travis. Truly.
Dress well, smell good with aftershave,always had a bottle in my glove compartment, pearly whites, always smile, and practice your talking points.
Likely going to be quizzed on foundations.
For sure you might be put on the spot to see how you react.
Never imbillish. Speak plainly. Don’t be afraid to say I don’t know. I haven’t encountered that situation yet. Talk soft yet direct. Always be willing to learn.
You do great.
NEVER!
Smells / Odors are very offensive to some people.
Example: Patchouli… I swear I am going to ‘Barff’ on the next Liberal that takes a bath in it before an inspection!!
If you stink, take a shower!!
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Lol…
You do know the difference between aftershave and men’s cologne do you not?
Aftershave has a light, fast-dissipating fragrance. A skin bracer. Tightens up your skin. Make you look and smell fresh.
Cologne is a fragrance product. Higher concentration of perfume oils. Lasts for hours.
Where you brought up or thrown-up? Your father never taught you good higenics for men and how to properly present yourself to professionals? Dress, smell and look sharp. Present yourself like you are going in front of a bank manager for a mortgage!
I have great hygiene and I always smell good. Ask any girl I walk by. But I also have years of experience in customer service. So know I know that line to where smell is offensive and to where it’s helpful. I was VP of my college student council for two years. So getting along and self presentation isn’t my problem. It’s the just getting started and building that trust that comes from time and experience. Now I do push the facts that I’m certified and have on the job training with a local inspector but I’d rather separate myself from his tutelage than try to bank off it. And my past experiences in construction.
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Please do not respond to Mr. Jonas’s responses.
You have the self established pedigree to go far.
For the sake of young impressive new junior inspectors. Please Jeffrey. Express yourself conjugally on the MB. They are impressionable.
I intern will tone down my rhetoric aimed at you for your 15 years of stalking me personally on this very MB with this kind of continued insulting behavior.
Time to put it to bed please.
As expressed. You just don’t care.
Not sure how anyone thinks that smells good.
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Take market saturation into consideration. If you are in an area that’s flooded with other inspectors, you could be in for a rough road. Also keep in mind not to let the race to the bottom suck you in.
I launched the during the year of the covid, and the shutdowns made it difficult to get things rolling, but landed my first paid gig within 6 weeks, if memory serves. One and a half years later, I was at the break even point. At the time there was only one other inspector located in my little town. I did pretty good during that first year and a half. Since then, up to 10 have moves into my small town and I keep losing jobs to the “cheaper guy” that hasn’t been in business very long. With that said, it can be tough getting started and keeping things afloat as well.
Good luck to you….
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Alright. It seems like there’s a lot of inspectors but even more mixed reviews about them. So I’m hoping that my people skills and knowledge will help set me apart and first gig in 6 weeks doesn’t sound bad. I actually had a productive day networking today. Even got some photos with LT Governor Brian Hill and it seemed to happen with minimal effort on my part. I just showed up to places recommended by other people and things just fell in place. But results are what really matter so I’ll see what happens. But thank you guys for responding it’s been very helpful and I know there’s more experiences and information out there so I’m still open and listening if anyone else wants to add or share.