NACHI attorney Joe Ferry offers help on this board.

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1

Originally Posted By: gromicko
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NACHI attorney Joe Ferry offered to help NACHI members with their legal questions on this board.


Joe is an attorney, understands the inspection industry, and is a licensed REALTOR. So he knows all sides.

He can't monitor the board but you can email him, directing him to the thread address you need him, and he will gladly chime in.

Here's his contact info:

Joseph Ferry
Law Offices of Joseph Ferry
2 Penn Center
Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 854-6444
Fax: (215) 243-8202
[email protected] (this one doesn't work sometime. use below)
[email protected]

Nick

2

Originally Posted By: ismetaniuk
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


This membership was a big waste of my time!

–
Igor


Top To Bottom Inspections


Glen Spey, NY

3

Originally Posted By: jhagarty
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icon_exclaim.gif

–
Joseph Hagarty


HouseMaster / Main Line, PA
[email protected]
www.householdinspector.com

Phone: 610-399-9864
Fax : 610-399-9865

HouseMaster. Home inspections. Done right.
4

Originally Posted By: jremas
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


This is certainly one area that should any questions arise be kept in the members only area. Why give out free legal advice to those who have not joined yet? One more benefit to membership.


Agree??

--


Jeff Remas
REMAS Inspections, Inc.
Northeastern PA & the Poconos
www.NEPAinspector.com

570-362-1598

5

Originally Posted By: ismetaniuk
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


This membership was a big waste of my time!

–
Igor


Top To Bottom Inspections


Glen Spey, NY

6

Originally Posted By: mbailey
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I also agree with Jeff. Good idea.

–
Mark Bailey


Stonegate Property Inspections LLC


Ponca, NE

7

Originally Posted By: rking
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I am in agreement with putting this in the members only section for both of the reasons noted previously.


And welcome Mr. Ferry, your assistance will definitely be an asset to all of us here at NACHI!

And to NACHI....Hurray, great NACHIsmo!

--
Muskoka Home Inspections
"Wisdom is the Anticipation of the Consequences"
Steering Committee Member At Large

8

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I respectfully disagree and hope to sway some over to my thinking with the following:


This (like moderating the board) is another one of those slippery slopes.

Let's say we move this thread to the members-only section out of fear of helping a non-member. What next? Move the tip-of-the-day out of reach of non-members too? We wouldn't want to give them free inspection tips. Then what? Move http://www.nachi.org/success_tips.htm into the members-only section? We wouldn't want to give away free marketing help to non-members. Then what? Move all the specific technical inspection advice from this message board into members-only? Joe Ferry is coming to some of our next chapter meetings to offer help. What do I do then? Ask non-members to hold their hands over their ears while he's on stage?

Look at the big picture. NACHI is the only association that is internationally known for helping ALL inspectors (regardless of affiliation or experience). We're widely praised throughout our whole industry (certainly in comparison to other associations). We don't bilk our members left and right. We don't have closed-door meetings. We don't delete member's threads. We don't charge for ride alongs. We don't enslave inspectors. We don't lie to legislatures. We don't deny vendors access to our site. We don't push our own continuing education courses. We don't overcharge for our exam. We don't waste our member's money. We don't charge local Chapter dues. We don't cut back-room deals. We don't even sell advertising.

Look what the NACHI Foundation is doing in terms of charitable work. Look at how we're helping the consumer by turning down 1/2 our applicants along with their $. Look at all we're doing to help our fellow Canadian inspectors with E&O insurance. Look at how many ASHI members joined us these past 2 years. Do you really think these ASHI guys joined NACHI just so they could get the http://www.nachi.org/benefits.htm ? Of course not. They join NACHI to ride the white horse...if we can stay on it.

Nick

9

Originally Posted By: ismetaniuk
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


This membership was a big waste of my time!

–
Igor


Top To Bottom Inspections


Glen Spey, NY

10

Originally Posted By: jremas
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Yes, I agree with Igor, and do not agree with your opinion on this one Nick. No one has asked to move much of anything around here to the members only section. If this is a benefit because of my paid dues then I would like to keep it as a benefit to other paid members. This will be one more reason for someone to join as they will also gain this paid membership benefit. If everything is free and open then WHY join NACHI. If we keep everything open to the public then I don’t have to renew my membership again, why should I when everything is free to me on the internet. Let the suckers who pay for membership foot the bill for my free information. Why is the NACHI client-inspector agreement available to members only? Why not post that on the internet too.


As far as the members only section that you don't like to go to,...I like that for sensitive subjects that we don't want the public and clients to read. I have heard you say that clients don't go to the NACHI site, but they DO and they will continue. It is a public domain that does come up on search engines. They also visit there to look at our standards of practice and verify our membership.

Maybe we should have the NACHI financial statements online including a copy of our official non-profit acceptance letter. That is public knowledge anyway.

My point is that not everything needs to be aired in public and many of the benefits we enjoy are a direct result of the money that we have paid to NACHI. If we leave some important items behind closed doors, maybe others will join because they know what is waiting for them.

Does anyone else want the legal information posted in the public sector? When you have a question about a potential claim, do you want it posted for all to see including your client? common sense

ps Nick, don't want to sound too harsh but this pushed one of my buttons.

--


Jeff Remas
REMAS Inspections, Inc.
Northeastern PA & the Poconos
www.NEPAinspector.com

570-362-1598

11

Originally Posted By: gbeaumont
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Hi Nick


I have to agree with my esteemed colleagues who feel this section should be for members only, the support that we are getting from Joe Ferry should be a privilege of membership, in the same vein we do not allow non-members access to our client agreement either.


our openness is laudable, but some of our “product” should be for our members benefit alone.


Regards

Gerry

--
Gerry Beaumont
NACHI Education Committee
e-mail : [email protected]
NACHI phone 484-429-5466

Inspection Depot Education
[email protected]

"Education is a journey, not a destination"

12

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I’m leaning your way but for now let me play Devil’s Advocate for a minute. Please answer these questions, they are simple questions:


1. How is Joe Ferry's advice any different than any other advice? Does his license mean his advice is helpful, but other advice is not? Should all advice that could possibly help a non-member be moved?

2. Our agreement is useless to non-members and isn't password protected to keep non-members from enjoying it so much as it is to keep non-members from accidently using it. If anything, consumers should have access to it as they do our Standards of Practice. No?

3. All members are non-members till they join. How would non-members know anything about NACHI if we keep it all vested? Why would someone know to pay to join something they can't see.

4. Are you at all afraid of the slippery slope. First we move legal thread into members-only section. Then we move inspirational. Then we move Iggy's pics. Then we move marketing advice. Then we move Nations Hazard. Then we move... pretty soon we have a great members-only section no one knows about. How will invisibility increase membership?

5. If all the member-only benefits don't entice an inspector to join, will the additional promise of being able to view the legal thread change their mind?

6. There are already plenty of member-only benefits. How can a non-member spend $289 running a newspaper ad and say it was better spent than joining NACHI and enjoying all the marketing NACHI does for its members. If such an idiot exists, do we really want him at NACHI?

7. Who decides what threads stay an what threads go?. If a fellow member starts a thread, even a free-advice-to-non-members-thread, and everyone visits and posts on it, does another equal member have the right to move it?

8. Will anyone with a law degree be banned from giving inspectors advice on the open-to-all sections of this board?

9. What do you think makes this message board the most active and popular board in the home inspection industry? Is it the nice light blue background? What is it that allowed us to pass up every other board?


Nick

13

Originally Posted By: Tom Logan
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Nick,


Even in a free society choices are sometimes Black and White.

This is a HI trade association. So in that light my recommendation is to keep all controversial non-HI related stuff off the public forum.

Consumers who choice to access this site do so for HI related issues, concerns, and more.

Nick, we consantly read your posts about how the "MEMBERS" want it free, now that the "MEMBERS" are asking you to pull back a little, so how about it?

TL

14

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.




Nick

PS I can think of a thousand other problems... ex: controversial, non-inspection-related posts or opinions within a non-controversial, inspection-related thread. Aaaahhh. Who wants that job?

15

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
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I think I have a solution.


How about we tag those threads that are inspection-unrelated so that they don't have the auto-bubble feature which keeps dragging it to the top thread in perpetuity. That way, those members who enjoy a particular inspection-unrelated thread know where to get it, but it doesn't stay on top forever.

This is a manageable solution.

Obviously we would not apply this to controversial, but inspection-related threads.

Nick

16

Originally Posted By: mbailey
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Membership should have some privileges ? my 289.00 should buy me something that non-members do not have access to. It should actually buy me a lot. A trade association is about business ? my business, your business, the industry as a whole ? but mainly it is about its members. It is about makings itself, as an association, and its members better? smarter? stronger? faster?you get the point ? than the competition.


Contrary to what keeps being said about consumers not visiting this site ? that just is not the case. The internet is a powerful tool?and is used by practically everybody in some capacity. We are so open as an org that we air a lot of dirty laundry in the public eye?some do not find that tasteful.

Legal matters pertaining to this business (as it pertains to HI?s) should definitely be not be in the public view?neither should legal advice for HI?s.

This topic and this association is about business and should be treated as such. I have said it before and say it now?this association needs more structure. Membership driven is great but only gets you so far. We are getting to big and to diverse to not have structure.

--
Mark Bailey
Stonegate Property Inspections LLC
Ponca, NE

17

Originally Posted By: dvalley
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section.


There are other issues on the table right now that also need attention. And we all know what I’m talking about.


I think we all should be able to voice our opinions on the way NACHI is


handling this and it seems to me that most of the members want changes.


Like I said…Re-Grouping is imminent.




–
David Valley


MAB Member


Massachusetts Certified Home Inspections
http://www.masscertified.com

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
18

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I will do exactly what you ask of me. But you must make the instruction clearer. A suggestion from 5 members is not a formula for me to take action on, especially when certain threads are so very popular with other members.


I have suggested a solution in my last post. It can be applied somewhat objectively. Will this help?

Nick

19

Originally Posted By: gsutterfield
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Nick


Your first post to this subject states"Joe Ferry offers to help NACHI members" Note the word "MEMBERS".

I would suggest leaving this in Misc. discussion but let Joe assist members only. This way non members could realize another benefit of joining our org.

Who knows, It just might generate more members ![icon_idea.gif](upload://6VKizmOm2U7YYmfXNtFW4XTwFVy.gif)

20

Originally Posted By: Nick Gromicko
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


Very good suggestion.


Also, how about we start a "Inspection Unrelated" section and move a few threads over there, so they're not in "Misc." It seems to me that "Misc" is often but not always inspection-related. "Inspection Unrelated" could be at the bottom of the board.

Thoughts.

Nick