Frank Ross's Blog

I have some questions for Realtors

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:03:48 -0700

I live in SW Utah and am a home inspector, in my 5th year, performed 1620 inspections to date. In this area I run into Realtors that say they "can't" give my name only to clients because it is the law or their broker tells them not to, but to give out 3 inspector's names to clients thus to CYA so to speak. I ask them if they like my services and my work and if they think I do a good job and they say yes. I then say, will I understand the CYA thing but say a new family moved in next door, they have small kids and you have small kids. They come over to ask you for a baby sitter if you know any good sitters that are good with small kids and you say, well, Hmmm, let me give you the names of these three sitters and you will need to phone them and interview them and then you pick. Would you do that? well, no, is the answer I get. So I suggest that giving the name of a home inspector you really trust and believe in should be the same thing. Well here are my questions.

Is it really the "law" or is it a CYA thing that is considered The Thing To Do?

What do you, the Realtor, do? Do you refer a home inspector or give out a list of names?

Also, being here for five years now, some realtors have used our services only a couple of times. I know that some realtors are part timers and some are now doing property, new homes, developements and so they tend not to get home inspections.

Is there a way for me to find out why they have not called in the past year without sounding like I am hurting for work or begging for work or offended etc.? I typically will average 400 inspections per year which is plenty good enough for me and my wife, more work than this and we would have to hire someone to help out.

Also you the Realtor, what does it take for a home inspector to get you to use them even if you are very comfortable with the guy you now are using?

Oh, one more thing. A lot of home inspectors here in my area are handing out coupons all over the place. I think it sounds like and looks like one of two things, one you are really hurting for work and two, as you know nothing is FREE so you must have bumped up your prices by $25 and then you offer the $25 discount. how do you look or feel about coupons from home inspectors?

Thank you for your time.

Frank Ross
Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
Enoch, Utah
check out our website www.pillarposthomeinspection.com

At least say Thank You

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:56:25 -0700

I did a home inspection last week on a bankowned property. I got there on time and listing agent opened up the home for me. I found the water and the gas off. Told the agent. Well it is not HIS job to ensure the utilities are on, go ahead and do what you can. No I can't do that without speaking with my clients. I call the clients and they want all utilites on so I can do a full inspection. The agent is ruffled. I tell him to call me when the gas and water is on and we can reschedule. Three days later, calls and we set it up, he said he will leave the front door unlocked. I get there. The gas is on, the water is not. Call the agent. He said he 'thought' the water was supposed to be on as well. We reschedule. I go out there again and the water and gas and electric are on. I do my inspection. My clients are very happy that I was "willing" to make three trips to the home to inspect it for them.

The thing is that this listing agent never even said thank you,OR, say can I buy you lunch or some gasoline for coming out three times? NOPE, not a word, like it is MY job to endure these kinds of things.

My gas to this home I calculated to be $6 per trip. No, it was only $12 extra that I had to pay to do the job and maybe some may say it is "part of doing business." Well, how about at least a thank you?!

I just don't get the lack of manners of some "professionals"

Call me back, please.

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:51:28 -0700

At home inspections I hear a lot of the time complaints about contractors, service repairman, builders, home inspectors and yes, even Realtors that do not return phone calls or keep appointments when they say they will be there. One complaint was about a Realtor that dropped his client mid-stream during a home transaction because he was changing to a different company. The home buyer was left in the dark and had no idea of where in the process they were and they coul not get the Realtor to return their calls so they lost the deal. Now and then while on the phone with a Realtor to schedule a home inspection and we set up a time to meet at the home they will say something like "have the inspector phone me a few minutes before he gets to the home and I will meet him there" my wife who does the scheduling tells them, he has not been late to an appointment in over 1570 appointments, he will be there at the appointed time. They seem to be impressed by my track record.

The housing market

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:37:14 -0700

In my area, SW Corner of Utah, I am seeing more homes selling. In fact my February was the best February ever in the past five years, it even was better than February of 2005! Yet, I still get Realtors complaining of the soft market and saying they have never seen it this bad and on and on and on and on. It may be just me but I think that if everyone talks this way then that is the way the market will behave. When I hear negative comments about the market from buyers, sellers OR Realtors I try my best to change their attitudes. I tell them how busy I have been and how well I am doing, (and this is no lie either) and try to get them to see that the market is improving, maybe THEIR sales are not improving, but the market is coming up. I suggest to one and all to speak positive about the market and let's see how that works. You already know how it works in the media, the negative news gets the attention of readers. Let's be positive and I bet the market will improve for all of you.

How Much Does It Cost?

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:17:16 -0800

In the words of John Ruskin,

"It is unwise to pay too much, but it is unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything. Because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better."

Home Inspectors are not "all knowing"

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:43:42 -0800

Yesterday I was setting up my equipment at a home to perform a home inspection and the woman buying the home, my client, said, "Well, I bet you can guarantee me that you will find everything in this home." I replied, "No, but I will guarantee that I will write down everything that I do find."

Every now and then clients will express their views or opinions that a home inspector should be able to find everything that is wrong with the home in the 2 ½ - 3 hours he/she will be inspecting the home. This expectation is just not right. I can say that a home inspector will or should try to find everything he / she can find in the time they have to do the inspection but after the client moves in and spends some time in the home, sure, they may find a cracked floor tile, or a squeaking door, or maybe a receptacle that was obstructed during the inspection that has no power, or possibly some other thing or two.

A home inspector believe it or not is a human being, subject to making mistakes and since they don't carry a crystal ball and have an all knowing infinite amount of knowledge or wisdom sometimes an inspector may call out something wrong. When this happens be sure to contact the inspector and see if the two of you can work things out.

A friend of mine who is an inspector in St. Charles Missouri told me he was having dinner with a friend of his who is an attorney. The attorney asked what a home inspector does and when told the attorney said that he would not touch the job of a home inspector for less than $1000 an hour because of all of the liability you are taking on.

Well, as they say, "I guess that ‘someone' has to do it?"

I have heard horror stories about home inspectors and of course only getting one side of the story. As I have pointed out before, a home inspection is a ‘snapshot in time' of the condition of the home at the time the inspection was performed.

Being asked a couple of times if I will come out to a home that someone else had inspected to see if I can find out why "the inspector missed this or that" I simply will not do that. I feel that there is no way I can recreate the exact conditions of the home when the other inspector was there. Things such as weather, clutter, stored items, people, time frame, distractions, furniture, etc. and I can't know the inspector's experience, tools he has, his training etc.

People need to understand that home inspectors are just like any other profession, they are trying to do their best and just like doctors or auto mechanics, the longer these professionals are in business the more they will learn, and better and newer equipment is developed, and they simply get better and better over time and they may be able to fix or find something today that they did not know about or know even existed last year.

If you have a problem with the job a professional you hired did for you then first contact that person and discuss the subject with him/her. Be polite and open to see both sides of the coin. Don't condemn a man until you have walked in his shoes.

January 2008 was hot!

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:49:00 -0800

I am a home inspector here in SW Utah and January our phone just did not stop ringing. I did so many home inspections that it was just crazy! Now the 5th of February I have already performed 11 home inspecitons and am booked through the 14th! I just don't get it. But have given it some thought that just maybe the buyers are seeing the prices of homes may be at their lowest and come spring the prices may creep up some so they are jumping in and buying now. This is what it seems like to me.

Will Rogers, his wit and understanding is above the rest

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:51:59 -0800

Here are some quotes from Will Rogers that I think are witty but true. What do you think?

A fool and his money are soon elected.

About all I can say for the United States Senate is that it opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation.

Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate, now what's going to happen to us with both a House and a Senate?

Anything important is never left to the vote of the people. We only get to vote on some man; we never get to vote on what he is to do.

I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.

I bet after seeing us, George Washington would sue us for calling him "father."

I have a scheme for stopping war. It's this - no nation is allowed to enter a war till they have paid for the last one.

Last year we said, 'Things can't go on like this', and they didn't, they got worse.

Now if there is one thing that we do worse than any other nation, it is try and manage somebody else's affairs.

On account of being a democracy and run by the people, we are the only nation in the world that has to keep a government four years, no matter what it does.

The 1928 Republican Convention opened with a prayer. If the Lord can see His way clear to bless the Republican Party the way it's been carrying on, then the rest of us ought to get it without even asking.

This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.

What the country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds.

Would you take a peek?

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:57:03 -0800

This is a copy of one of my blogs. I had 4 responses to it and wonder if anyone else would ming taking a peek at these sites and give me your feelings, opinions, suggestions. The call on the 15th was rescheduled for the 20th. thanks

Ok, this is a long story but the short of it is this. I have what I think is a pretty classy looking website and I did receive quite a few home inspections from my site in 07. Pillar To Post is a national franchise and the Corp offers the franchisees a "website page." Well there are several of us franchisees that have gone out and made or paid for our own website, me being one of those franchisees that did this. Now, the Corp office is saying they are going to require all franchisees to take down their sites and only use the supplied corp site. I have a conference call on the 15th set up with the corp leaders about this as I feel that the corp site is no where close to what my site is and if you google for a home inspector in my area I will come up nearly each time number one hit. But here is what I am asking.

Would you mind looking at my site http://www.pillarposthomeinspection.com/ and then look at any or all of these following pillar to post sites. Now, these following four sites are supposed to be the best sites of all of the franchisees, there are about 400 of us across the US and Canada. The franchisees have been asked to submit their text and links etc... to corp office and then corp office will put them on their individual corp webpages. Anyway, these four links are supposed to be what corp says are the best ones.

Would you look at any or all of these four sites and email me frank@pillarposthomeinspection.com with your down right honest to goodness feelings about these sites, mine included. I want to see what others have to say about the sites. I have my own opinions and will share them with you in my next blog in the next few days.

here are the four links

http://pillartopost.com/tigard

http://pillartopost.com/sekingcounty

http://pillartopost.com/swkingcounty

http://pillartopost.com/sammamish

I thank you for your time and help!

Frank

I need a favor from you

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:59:25 -0800

here are the four links

http://pillartopost.com/tigard

http://pillartopost.com/sekingcounty

http://pillartopost.com/swkingcounty

http://pillartopost.com/sammamish

I thank you for your time and help!

Frank

Snow Storm or Snow Man Making Weather

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:14:57 -0800

When life hands you snow, go out and make a snowman!

A friend of mine who lives in Toronto Canada said he had two 16 year old exchange students from Australia there to enjoy a "white Christmas". He said that they had a great dumping of snow just before Christmas so those students got their wish. The boys had not seen snow before, and it was amazing for him to see the wonderment of a blizzard through their eyes. They were outside with speed and enthusiasm to enjoy everything that they could from this situation. Admittedly some of the enthusiasm wore off after they shoveled the driveway and sidewalk and then had to redo it as soon as they finished due to the ongoing snow fall. But never the less, while neighbors stayed inside and groaned at the weather, these boys were repeatedly heading outside to enjoy all that they could make of it. He said the boys went back home to Australia with a ton of photos and smiles so big it looked like they had been to Disney World instead of in a snow storm.
Well, over the holidays I got a chance to do a lot more reading than I usually have time to do, which was great. With the New Year approaching every newspaper was filled with various predictions and "expert forecast" for 2008. And of course, what has the most attention - all the doom and gloom scenarios.
Fortunately, there were also "expert forecasts" pointing to areas of optimism and opportunity and scenarios that were quite bold.
I spent some time pondering through all of this and what it means for me as a Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspector and for the Realtors here in SW Utah. After awhile the meaning and opportunity became totally clear.
Like the exchange students in the snow, the opportunity is what you make of it. We cannot influence how many houses are going to be sold and whether that is a greater or lesser number than the previous year, or what the press and "experts" want to prattle on about in the media. We can however, totally control how we react to all of it and what we are going to do about it. Am I going to view it as a depressing blizzard and stay inside with my neighbors, moan and groan and wait for a better day or am I going to put on my parka grab my shovel and dig out and then grab my sleigh and make a great opportunity of it?

Estimates for US house re-sales for next year are around the 5 million mark.

I have to go now and get on my parka as there are snowmen to build out there.

I wish you all a successful, healthy and happy new year and a great 2008

Happy New Year 2008

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 06:57:52 -0800

2008 promises to be a great new year. May we all have a great year and put our priorities in the proper order.

Family First

Business Second

Santa

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:16:45 -0800

I want to pass this along to all of you Fathers out there. Here in Cedar City Utah they have downtown in a large auditorium The North Pole each year. They have Santa there for the kids. I was asked by the lady that sets up The North Pole if I would do a 2 1/2 hour turn being Santa. I told her that this is not my bag of tricks and that I really do not want to do it. She a friend said that she is having a hard time filling the slots and please would I do it so I said yes. For the next two weeks I really thought I want out of it and then Saturday came and I suited up and in the 2 1/2 hours there were about 60-70 kids. Some of the kids really honestly believed in Santa and it was so much fun to play along. Here is a photo of my 6 yr old on my lap, his Mother told him I would be "helping santa" and so he knew it was me and it was so much fun and I would do it again and again. Any of you Fathers out there if you want a couple of hours of pure enjoyment then go volunteer to be Santa in your town. You won't regret it!

Be sure no one is home!

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:02:41 -0800

A Realtor met me at a home "where the owner had left for California." A car in the driveway, who's car is that? Oh said the Realtor, the owner must have a second car he took to California but we will check to be sure. So ringing the door bell and knocking and then unlocking the door the Realtor enters and I follow, both saying 'Hello anyone home we are doing a home inspection" No answers. So the Realtor kind of shows me the home and leaves. I am 20 minutes into the inspection when coming down the hall half asleep is a man in a T-Shirt and nothing else on I say I am doing a home inspection, we hollered and rang the door bell. He said, as he went into the bathroom, oh I was crashed out in the back room go ahead and do your thing. So be sure the house is empty if it is supposed to be!! www.pillarposthomeinspection.com If any of you would like to swap website links just toss an email my way frank@pillarposthomeinspection.com I can usually get your link on our site in 24 hours.

A home inspector here ready to answer your questions

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:08:22 -0800

I just want to offer my services to any of you in Active Rain that may have a home inspection or home inspector question. I usually answer my email between 5 and 6 am or late at night but I will answer.

I have been a certified home inspector for 4 1/2 years with 1493 inspections performed as of this post. I carry full E&O insurance for a million dollars, Gen Lib insurance and referral insurance as well. I am certified by Pillar To Post Corp and also by the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors. I am required to take at least 24 hours of CE each year and have over 350 loged hours of CE in the past 4 1/2 yrs. I write a weekly home inspection column in The Spectrum newspaper the Home Finder Section. One thing that I do that NO OTHER home inspector does (from what I hear from the Realtors in this area) is I AM NEVER LATE TO AN INSPECTION. I have never been late in 1493 appointments and never will. Anyway, if any of you have any questions please shoot me an email at frank@pillarposthomeinspection.com or check out our website at www.pillarposthomeinspection.com

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My number two son

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:32:06 -0800

Today my son Alan who is 22 phoned me to say he is engaged and they plan to marry in August 08. Alan will be starting BYU Idaho on January 9,08. So his phone call made my day as when he phoned I was outside at an inspection and the temperature was a cold 14 degrees with of course snow and ice all over the place.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:25:37 -0800

I read a lot of business related articles from magazines and from the Internet. It is suggested by "those that know" that a business not advertise or say, MERRY CHRISTMAS as that may offend someone. Well, I simply do not agree with that advice. I believe that we should say and do what we believe in and believe is right. It is just like yesterday at a home inspection when going through a report with the client I always mention I cannot accept any kind of gift or money from a Realtor as a 'finders fee' or 'commission' as that is a conflict of interest and I just cannot do it. I was asked what if someone tried to slip 'it' under the table would I take it. I said no, as I have to do what I know is right.
When performing a home inspection I call out defects/concerns just as they are. I just write what I see. I know that is the right way and only way to do my job.
Same goes for Christmas. I have to say what I believe and that is MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you from my family and I. We want to wish you all a very Happy and MERRY CHRISTMAS and may the Spirit of Christmas be with you this season and always!

check out our website www.pillarposthomeinspection.com

Contractor Horror Story

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:23:06 -0800

My wife and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. We spent the weekend at a Utah Bed and Breakfast and had a great time. At the Bed & Breakfast the inn keeper was telling us about her and her husband's experience with the building contractor that built their home. After three years the home settled three inches and this caused cracks in the walls, broken windows and doors that would not open. She said they spent over $50,000 to have the home raised up and properly supported and spent years in court. The summary of her discussion was in court they found out the building contractor only had qualifications in framing and this is all it took for him to receive a contractor's license. She said she was really shocked this person was allowed a contractor's license with his limited amount of experience. The main problem that caused the settling she said was due to the fact the contractor's compacting machine to compact the soil had broken so he could not compact the soil and yet he still allowed the concrete to be delivered and poured.
It was an interesting story and one I thought I would pass along in case any of you reading this BLOG might be considering having a home built. You may want to research the contractor's credentials and get references.
Just a bit of food for thought.
Check out this link about contractor's licenses. click here

check out out website www.pillarposthomeinspection.com

What do I do for work?

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:12:48 -0800

The question asked me by others is basically "what do I do for work?" My answer is that I am a certified home inspector and some times that brings on the next question of "what does that mean" and I go on to tell them about my job but most times the conversation ends with my answer. Years ago I worked as an aircraft cabinet maker and built custom interiors for large privately owned jets, such as 737's. One contract the company I worked for was for a Saudi owned 737 and to customize the interior of that jet the cost was 15 1/2 MILLION DOLLARS, not counting the cost of the jet! I was asked back then, what do I do for a living, I replied, I am an aircraft cabinet maker, and usually that was the end of the conversation. Then I change my reply. What do I do for a living? I would reply, " I make dreams come true" and that would start a conversation. I have been trying to come up with a better phrase than " I am a certified home inspector" and have not had any luck yet. I wonder if any of you reading this blog have an idea or two that you would like to share.

I just signed up with ActiveRain

Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 07:23:42 -0800

I am not sure what to write. I found out about ActiveRain on the Pillar To Post Corporate bullentin board where a franchisee said he had just heard about ActiveRain where he is located in Seattle Washington. So I thought I would check it out.
I have been doing home inspections now in my 4th year. To date I have personally performed over 1100 inspections and I love this job. It is a way to meet people and to get to see the SW area of Utah that I serve. I feel that I am a real help to buyers, sellers and Realtors by helping all of these people see the full scope of the home they are interested in. I have a website, www.pillarposthomeinspection.com and many many testimonials from happy buyers, sellers and Realtors that have used my services.
I will be most happy to swamp links to your website if you would care to in order to help increase search engine rankings. That is always a good idea!
I do my reports on-site with carrying a laptop, printer and digital camera the reports are ready to go at the conclusion of the inspection. This makes it possible for a "no delay" closing due to the home inspection. I offer a 'pay you to wait' guarantee. If I am ever late to an inspection I will pay you $1 for each minute I am late. I have only been late one time in over 1100 inspections and that was due to a freak snow storm in the foothills that caused me to be a little late.
If you care to ask any home inspection related questions I would be most happy to answer them for you. I also write a weekly home inspection column in our local newspaper that covers a population of over 100,000 people. I have been placing some of articles on our website if you would care to see them.
Give me a shout if I can be of any help!