Looking for a Mentor July 2021

I am looking for an inspector with a successful business who could provide me with some mentorship. I am preparing to leave my long-held job as a Construction Manager to do home inspections full time. I’m looking to build a solid business that can net me $150,000 a year. If you think you are someone who can help me with that, I’d love to talk to you. If you know someone, I’d appreciate the lead. I’m willing to travel to learn.
I’ve looked through the Mentoring page on the InterNachi website, but it’s really just a list of names. I can’t tell who I should reach out to.
Thanks for your help!

Try beginning with where you are located, and where you are willing to travel to.

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Thanks Jeffrey. I thought I’d look outside of my immediate area so people don’t feel like they’re training their competition. I’m willing to travel almost anywhere to talk to the right people. The mentoring page essentially just lists people’s names but nothing about their qualifications. That’s why I put it out here on this forum. InterNachil has been a great resource for me and I’m really thankful to have it.

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And your immediate area is where?

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West Bloomfield Michigan. Southeastern Michigan, 20 miles north of Detroit.

Try contacting some InterNACHI CPI’s or designated CMI’s that two is hours or further from where you would do business. Offer as a “tag-a-long” with incentives. Lunch, daily instructional fees, etc. This may be more of an “eye opener” to them. Be prepared to travel daily or for a week or so at your own expense. On a side note, a local “Angel” could always pop up…

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Thank you, that is solid advice. I think what you’re saying is to look up the highest qualified home inspectors and contact them. I am totally willing to go out of town for a week for ride alongs, I’m totally willing to buy lunches and dinners and even pay for the experience. Once I leave my full-time paying job, failure is not an option! So any preparation I put into it is a good investment.

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Do you feel like you’d be qualified and interested to do something like that? If you are, we can talk privately.
My email is martywest7@gmail.com.

Martin, I’m in Georgia. Not sure about MI’s mentoring requirements, but that’s a state or two away… :wink:

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I wouldn’t rule it out, I’ve driven to Georgia before. :slightly_smiling_face:
I’d be happy to talk about it. Michigan has no requirements of any type, so this is for my own professional development.

If Michigan has no requirements, and your willing to spend time/drive and learn from one of the best, I would contact Bert Hull @bhull1. One of the best, most respected and helpful HIs on here. Located in Knoxville TN.

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Turn it back on Larry, eh? That is his area of operations, albeit retired.

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Heard from him today

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Hope all is well.

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So you think you can make $150,000 doing home inspection. You must be dreaming because most inspectors here in Michigan are struggling with low inventory of houses and buyers waving inspection. If you have a good job in construction Management then you better keep it.

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I appreciate your input. That’s exactly what I’m trying to figure out. Is this viable? Would it be an improvement over my current situation?
Some people really seem to believe it’s possible, and some people don’t. I’m not sure how to evaluate all that.

I was wondering when someone was going to address the elephant in the room.

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So that’s the real question. Is it common? Is it rare? Is it impossible?
I’ve heard from several people that it is possible. I’ve heard from many more that it isn’t.
I’m trying to hear from the people that are doing it to find out how. Because if it is possible for some, I want to do exactly what they’re doing.

Thanks,. I did send him a message.

To net $150k you will need to bust your butt for sure. I would say you’d have to drum up at least 400 inspections per year. That is unlikely to happen in most locations nowadays. This is a low barrier to entry industry and heavy competition has kept fees stagnant. Multi-Inspection firms seem to be growing larger and displacing many of the one-man operations. I would not expect to turn a profit the first few years, unless you have many realtor connections already established.

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