Dear Representative Tietze, Commerce and Labor Committee,
As we all twist and turn around the issue of home inspector regulation in Kansas there is one glaring elephant in the room, “there is no demonstrated need”. The Kansas Attorney Generals office and the BBB have minimal complaints in comparison to homebuilders, remodelers and tradespeople. With no demonstrated need, then the next realization is that licensing is being promoted by forces other than those driven by a true need or concern for the public. Kansas regulates nobody in the home building chain and yet there are some who are claiming that home inspectors are the black plague of the home sales industry. No one has stats to back this up. Home buyers are harmed more significantly, according to statistics, by builders, remodelers, repair tradespeople and unscrupulous real estate agents and lenders. Check your local newspapers and media.
There is no statewide demonstrated need for this bill, which sets up an unwarranted state bureaucracy. No significant harm is being done to Kansas citizens at this time nor has this been proven by the sponsor of HB 2260. To support this I would direct you to review the May 2006 Feasibility Study for the State of Ohio on Home Inspector Licensure, prepared for [FONT=ErasITC-Light]The Education and Research Advisory Committee of the Ohio Real Estate Commission; Department of Commerce, Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. This is a lengthy but relevant document (142 pages) available at this web address: [/FONT][FONT=ErasITC-Light] http://com.state.oh.us/real/documents/2005.0001FinalPaper.pdf[/FONT]
A direct quote from the **Conclusion **of the Home Inspector Licensure Feasibility Study for the State of Ohio follows: “Quantifiable data did not appear to exist as to whether or not licensing actually ensures more qualified home inspectors. The data from these surveys does not support the idea that licensing creates more competent home inspectors. Real estate agents from both groups were overall equally satisfied with home inspectors in their state, and home inspectors from non-licensing states did not demonstrate any distinct disadvantage over licensed inspectors in areas of education or experience.”[FONT=MicrosoftSansSerif] Why create another level of bureaucracy that will not achieve its desired effect?[/FONT]
Buying a home is a major financial investment. The buyer puts faith in the home inspector to help ensure that the investment is sound. Buyers ask how inspectors can not be licensed. Upon hearing that home inspectors in Kansas are not licensed, a common reaction from much of the general public is one of surprise. Precisely because of questions about licensing the Ohio Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce ordered their survey. As part of the project, surveys were sent to real estate agents and home inspectors in six states; both with licensing of home inspectors and without licensing (in order to quantify the differences between these two groups). The **State of Missouri **was one of the states without licensing that was surveyed.
Do home inspectors favor regulation? When regulation statewide is instituted to have oversight over the home building chain, including builders, remoderlers and tradespeople who are all working off the same set of standards, then and only then will home inspectors join in the
parade.
In the meantime the waters are muddy and we are all swimming in deep water where we cannot see the bottom. Some would want home inspectors to stand on the bottom to promote professionalism. Our organization is not in favor of standing on the bottom in deep water when it will mean we all drown.
Our organization is solidly in favor of clear thinking and informed legislation that addresses a demonstrated need. We are not in favor of unneeded, unwarranted and job killing legislation.
Our members work both in Kansas and Missouri and have felt compelled to contact you on this issue. If you have any questions, please call or write me personally. We ask you to **VOTE NO on HB 2260. **
[size=4]Sincerely, Mark Adams President, MAREI [/size]
Cell: 417-850-5559 email: mambo@joplin.com
www.marei.org
Missouri Association of Real Estate Inspectors Ph: 888-848-4914
18921-G Valley View Pkwy. #135
Independence, MO 64055 Email: AREI4U@yahoo.com