Slow Down In Home Inspections

Booming out this way. Home sales are up for the fourth consecutive month and prices are down, both of which are good since over 25% of San Diego prospective home buyers can now afford a home, up from a mere 7% a couple of years ago.

Market, market, market…

Slow here also
http://housingdoom.com/2008/10/23/78-of-september-phoenix-home-sales-were-vacant/
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It is Dead slow here in NY also. The people who don’t have A1 credit are not getting loans. I have heard of instances of some people that were pre-qualified after they find their home are being told No Loan.
But furthermore maybe the banks are trying to fix the broken system and only giving out loans to those that are Excellent credit risks.

Personally I have been doing some remodeling sense the slowdown, I inform my my customers that all my inspection work comes first! so I might be off there job for days if it picks up. I also make a trip to all my realtor’s offices once a week to fill my candy houses and chat.

What do you consider busy Bob? Just out of curiosity how many home inspections did you do last week and how many do you have scheduled for this week? I thought my phone was disconnected.:slight_smile:

That is what is so difficult about this question. What I consider busy maybe what another considers slow. I was busy when I was doing 20+ inspections a week. While someone else may consider 5 inspections a week busy and I consider 5 inspections a week slow.

I’ll take the 5 a week. :smiley:

Diversify your inspection services!

If you live in a part of the country with changing seasons, then you are at the beginning of the Energy Audit season.

All the other ancillary services I offer make up for the down market. There are many HI’s going out of business that refuse to “adapt” and diversify.

Good luck and stay safe :slight_smile:

Kevin

I basically have the same philosophy as you. If you are not going to try to be the best in what you do in your area, you might as well stay at home.
Now, if I could be the best marketer in my area I would have it made.

From mid April through September I was averaging 8/9 inspections per week. October hit and I did 8 inspections, mostly in the first part of the month. Had four scheduled but they changed their mind or couldn’t come to terms either with the seller or mortgage company. Inspections and calls still come in, but at a much much slower pace. I don’t look for it to get better since this is the start of the slower season. Market Market Market which I am headed out the door to do now.

Good luck everyone!

Mr. Braun -

Right now I would sell my soul for a marketing gambit that didn’t involve:

And I can be in and out in 45 minutes; I charge $175 (but only up to 5,000 sf - then I go up $25); and I know which side of the bread the butter is on and I don’t make waves. I work for you Mr/Mrs Realtor cause I know getting you a commission is the most important part of the deal.

Mr Braun - In slow times, marketing wins out over technical skills every day.

My goal is to do at least one per day. I am doing that. But, I would like to do two or three per day. As I was on KCMO 710 last Saturday, I promoted pre-sale inspections with Bruce Brown on Dollars and Homes. I was trying to help all iNACHI inspectors in this area, and, since most home owners do not get a pre-sale inspection, it is a good time to promote that. Does your RE have homes listed? Make him/her a deal on pre-sale inspecting the homes for them. Radon, termite, etc. Offer the RE to “practice” an inspection on their listing. Take a friend. Put a sign in the yard that states the inspector’s name/company. Remember, when business is down, find out where the opportunities are. If you want your business to work, work your business.

“If opportunity isn’t knocking, build a door”. Milton Berle

Gary -

Darn good thought. Four years ago one of my brothers friends in Colorado Springs that was a Broker, told me that most of his agents were doing pre-listing inspections. He thought it was great. Why sell the house twice.

I put together a brochure and Ppt specially for this and I started hitting lenders, real estate agents, homebuying seminars, etc telling them about the great new deal. I had 6 Power Brokers invite me to come in and put on the Ppt for their agents. We did a terrific little dog & pony show for these 6 offices. The Broker PUSHED it hard. The agents listened, clapped like crazy - then said how much?

I had decided to do what I thought was a sweet deal. I was gonna take it in the shorts to try and get the Ball Rolling. I offered to do a pre-listing inspection AND termite inspection for a flat $300 up to 4,000 sf.

In every office when I said $300 they lost interest. Turns out their were about 5-6 inspectors doing these from $89 to $185 for home inspection alone, **AND **several would do the home and termite for $185 - $225.

I about fell over - At $89 - $149 many agents were paying for it themselves. Over that all I heard was - thats too much / our sellers WON’T or CAN’T afford it. The absolute most STUPID crap I’ve ever heard.

So my basic philosophy today, if the agent starts crying about what I find or report on - Is just this: Nancy, I understand your pain. I understand how upset you are that your tightwad sellers didn’t pay to get this done upfront to help find out defects in advance. But they didn’t AND you apparently weren’t a strong enough sales person to sell them on the idea, so … tough $hit - live with it!!!

Your site dropped as mine went up again.
We keep trading places.

Last year I almost quit when I got zero calls, so maybe it is luck of the draw , but the Agents have told me they are busy the last 3 weeks also.

I get lots of short sales and foreclosures.

I do not depend on Agents for business and am guessing those suffering do.

Lots of my biz has been off referals and I credit Home Inspector Pro for the great looking reports that bring in that end of it

Why do you think I promote his wares so much?.

I am not paid for it.

I have two booked this week and think I am doing ok in this market Linas.

Bob, I like HIP and everything but what do you think is so special about the “look” of the report. I don’t see any beneficial differences between HG or HIP concerning the “look” of the product.