Ray's Blog

Internet presence cannot compare to relationship building.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:17:40 -0500

I used to expend great effort to be in the top slot on google and yahoo for my business - home inspection. Blogging was helpful with this, and I even tried google ad-words for this presence. I results were disappointing to say the least.

For real estate agents this is different, and for some it is essential to be at the top of the page. What ever works for you is great.

For my business, nothing compares to referral business from the agents and offices I deal with. I have found some wonderful people since I started my business. Most of them do the sort of required hand-out of 3 referrals, and let the client choose, and I get a lot of business this way.

Some inspectors feel this is unethical, and they do not want to feel they are dependant on the real estate agents, especially since this relationship can be spoiled when a deal 'goes south'. Others that have had bad experiences with agents also feel this way. Nothing is ever perfect, and some referrers do jump ship once in a while. Others would never consider any other inspector, and this feels good.

If you are properly insured, and ethical, and honest, there is no reason to not do business in this manner. I would NEVER hide a defect or lie to a client if asked to by ANYONE. My business means more to me than almost anything, and I will not compromise it.

I have a pretty decent website which I update myself, and I do receive some business through it, but nothing can compare to quality relationship building the old fashioned way - meeting people face to face. It takes a lot of time and effort, not to mention gasoline, but it WORKS! -Ray

Residential fires occur due to poorly maintained heating equipment.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:59:36 -0500

Now is the time to have your heating equipment checked and cleaned. If you have a contract with a heating oil company, they will usually clean it free of charge if you get automatic delivery of heating oil. You should also ask to have an efficiency test done to make sure all the oil is being burned - if not you can have a puffback. A puffback can spread soot throughout the entire house. Obviously, gas fire heating equipment does not have the same problems (it has its own), but in some areas, especially here on Long Island, where Meticulous Home Inspection is located, many people do not have gas, and oil heat is still quite prevalent.

House fires occur in all neighborhoods, from rich to poor, but some of the statistics are really an eye opener. Heating equipment fires are the second leading cause of fires in peoples homes, but fires from cooking are, by far, the leading cause.

Fires confined to boilers, chimneys, and chimney flues account for more than 80% of building heating fires in homes.

More than 25% of residential building heating fires result from improper or poor maintenance of heating equipment. Not having the equipment regularly serviced and cleaned is the cause of this.

My local home inspectors association MAHI (the Metropolitan Association of Home Inspectors) has monthly meetings, and we have experts in the field speak about their specific expertice. This information above was gotten from this meeting last year.

If you have not had your oil heat system serviced, you now have good reason if you did not before.

Learn not to burn! - Ray

Flipping houses is not for everyone, expecially if you don't address the big issues.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:34:46 -0500

Yet another house renovation by a flipper, and the items that should have been addressed were not. Some flippers can be so short-sighted. The serious issues that will turn off any buyer were not addressed.

This house was cosmetically renovated with beautiful siding, roofing, and sheetrocked walls and ceilings, but the step down to the diningroom is 10 inches - way too high and can cause tripping issues. This is also not to modern building codes and could have been addressed before the tile and baseboards were installed. Now its a really big job.

Several large foundation cracks were also found, and will need to be addressed from the exterior (requiring excavation) as well as the interior. The oil tank outside the house had a large spill around it, and the buyer expects the seller to have it cleaned up (see picture). So would I!

The front and rear steps were deteriorated, so they were 'resurfaced' (if you can call it that), but they were pitched towards the house which will let rainwater possibly enter into the basement. As Homer Simpson would say - "Doh"!

Only someone who wants to spend money will purchase this flip, unless you are a contractor (hopefully with more sense than this seller).

I believe the buyer will walk from this one, although I did tell her these things can be fixed. -Ray

Lead paint inspection requires an EPA certification in New York State.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:50:04 -0500

There are many inspectors who offer lead based paint inspection here on Long Island and the NYC area, but you should be aware that you must be EPA certified to test for lead based paint in the home.

When I attended the class, I was surprised at the amount of material that was covered, and the test was not easy either. Many people do not pass the test the first time around. You also need to take a refresher course every three years to keep current.

Your local paint store and the big home centers usually carry the swab test sticks, but these are not considered an accurate test, and the EPA does not allow these as a valid test.

The process is quite lengthy as well if you are to do a complete job. Paint samples must be removed from the home and bagged, labeled, and a layout of the home is made. This is destructive to the surface of what is being sampled because you must remove all layers down to the substrate material (the original surface that was painted). You must keep good records as well as the EPA could always come knocking.

There is another way to test for lead based paint. There is what is called and XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) gun. These guns are quite expensive (good ones are $20,000), but there is no destructiveness to its use. The bigger lead abatement companies will usually have this gun, and most home inspectors are not going to buy such an expensive piece of equipment. I do not have one either.

So make sure you ask if your NY state licensed inspector is EPA certified - they should have a card in their wallet with the EPA certification documentation. - Ray

In New York state you must have a lead paint certification for testing for lead paint in homes

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:33:24 -0500

There are many inspectors who offer lead based paint inspection here on Long Island and the NYC area, but you should be aware that you must be EPA certified to test for lead based paint in the home.

Your local paint store and the big home centers usually carry the swab test sticks, but these are not considered an accurate test, and the EPA does not allow these as a valid test.

So make sure you ask if your NY state licensed inspector is EPA certified - they should have a card in their wallet with the EPA certification documentation. - Ray

Do you store gasoline near your boiler or water heater?

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:47:52 -0500

Many people do not realize that gasoline in garages can ignite when a boiler or water heater comes on. Modern codes dictate that when a boiler is located (or relocated) in the garage that it must be at least 18 inches above the floor.

When any fuel burning equipment is located in a garage, even though it may be behind a wall, it is still in the garage. You may not keep your car there, but if a gasoline leak were to occur, it could cause an explosion. Even gas cans from lawnmowers and other equipment can be knocked over, and if your boiler turns on at that time - KABOOM!

Houses have been leveled, and people have been killed by this.

Keep this in mind if you have a garage, and make sure to follow modern building codes and standards when relocating your fuel burning boiler or water heater to the garage. - Ray

Why do people train dogs to be overly-viscious?

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:41:42 -0500

I love dogs. I always make friends with them at the home inspection, unless the dog is not into it, or is over-protective. I squat down low, talk in a gentle voice, and let them sniff my hand. Once they smell a stranger, they can decide if they want to be pet or not, and I don't push it. Most times, I make a friend.

Today, I was in a house in Amityville, NY and there were two Rotweillers in cages in the yard. These dogs were dying to get a piece of me. The owner stated they only will be friendly towards family members. I asked which junkyard they spent their days in and was given a look that said "what do you mean, these are our family dogs".

The neighbor spoke to me as I left, and she hated these dogs. One reason - she has children and she fears for their safety. She told me they trained these dogs to be that way.

I understand the need to protect what is yours, but this is extreme. Suppose one escapes. What if a fireman is attempting to save a life or put out a fire?

Maybe its me, but I think this is well beyond the normal realm of thought for dog obedience. This is like training a killer to kill.

-Ray

No, you cannot have the inspection report for free after the buyer walks away!

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:59:44 -0500

I have had this happen again to me yesterday. An agent calls me a month after a buyer walks away from a purchase wanting to procure an inspection report from me for free. I told him he needs to contact the original purchaser who's permission I need to release the report.

This agent was also not pleased to find I expect to be paid for this. His responce was 'You already got paid'. My responce is 'your seller is receiving a highly detailed report with photographs on the condition of the house that I spent a total of 5 hours working on'. Sorry! This has value and I don't give it away for free. Do agents work for free?

I have discounted the fee when the agent does this in the correct fashion and has the original buyer call me to give permission, but when the 'attitude' comes out in the phonecall, I tend to get defensive.

Now lets be real here. The agent wants the seller to see that there are problems with the house that are making it a tough sell, and he wants the seller to see this in black and white. Good idea. I commend you. But do it the right way.

The amount of money an inspector makes on an inspection is pittance in relation to an average commission that the agent makes, and the liability involved is much higher for the inspector than it is for the agent. Home inspectors get sued for stupid things like a failing 30 year old dishwasher.

If you want it so damn badly, then get the permission in the proper fashion, and pay for it yourself without bitching up a storm. I put a lot of effort into my report, and I get LOTS of referral business because of this. As the saying goes, "Quality doesn't cost, IT PAYS! - Ray

Don't be ridiculous, Call METICULOUS!!!

Aluminum wiring from the utility pole.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:01:58 -0500

Many people think aluminum wiring is illegal, but in many houses this is what you find. Many (but not all) service companies will replace aluminum wiring with copper wiring. Some will not.

Many people also think any wiring from the pole and to the service meter are the responsibility of the utility company, but in many places this is not so.

I also see that nobody even looks (when buying a home) at the wiring to and from the pole as many times it is in very, very poor condition to the point of being dangerous!

Wiring does loosen up over the years, and many electricians who know this re-tighten their service panel connections to assure the connections are tight.

YOU SHOULD TOO! - Ray

Bounced checks are expensive!

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:17:00 -0500

I have had a rash of bad checks from my clients lately. My bank charges $15 for returned checks, and I have to chase down clients to get paid.

These people are buying a house? And they can't even pay the home inspector?

I am pro active when it comes to getting paid, and I have no problem knocking on the door of the buyer at 7am to ask for payment. Last week I drove to Brooklyn (1.5 hours) and I woke up the client as it was quite early, but thats what it takes sometimes.

The aggravation, the time, the gas all adds up, and it costs me money, as well as my time. It may be time to incorporate credit cards into the business, although I do not want to pay these companies their fees. I like it simple - cash or check. But this check thing is out of hand lately. - Ray

Does the home inspector hand out the business cards of all his buddies in the various trades?

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:31:54 -0500

I get asked quite often by home buyers for referrals for contractors such as electricians, roofers, plumbers, etc. I do not give references out, even though I have friends in the trades. I would rather the buyer find their own contractors.

The level of trust the buyers have placed in me is enormous, and to risk having a friend possibly cause a problem if something goes wrong is more than I am willing to do. I have heard stories from real estate agents of inspectors handing out cards for his friends who own contracting companies, but I feel this is a conflict of interest.

I refer them to AngiesList.com, or recommend they speak to a friend or co-worker to find a contractor who has done work for someone who was pleased with the finished product.

The one time I recommended an electrician was to my brother and to a friend for an electrical service update - two big jobs. The electrician screwed up both, and my friend almost had an electrical fire, and my brother called me a month later to say water was dripping from his electrical panel. Yikes!

I was quite angry and embarrassed that I recommended someone who cut corners and did a crappy job. I am just glad this wasn't for a client.

Find your own contractors! - Ray

Bringing your brother the retired plumber to the home inspection is bad news.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:05:56 -0500

I was 'tested' today on my knowledge of plumbing. It seems the buyers brother had to be at the home inspection. This is counter-productive for all parties involved. I am not a plumber, nor do I wish to be one. I have plumbed entire bathrooms, and kitchens, and installed complete waste ejector systems (involving plumbing, electrical, and concrete work), as I have worked in the construction fields.

To bring in an expert to contest and hinder the home inspector wastes valuable time, and I resented being quizzed, although from the lack of retort, I must have passed the brothers' test.

In the future, I will refuse all of these games, and will not be quizzed. This is more than an insult, and it served no purpose but to cause grief and disagreement, as well as make one late to ones next appointment.

Realtors, please let your clients know they, and they alone, should attend the inspection, and not bring an entourage, or an expert panel. Inspection is not a game show like "Who wants to be a millionaire" or "Are you smarter than a retired plumber" - Ray

Sloppy wiring is no big deal!

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:53:05 -0500

Or so you thought. Some people who attend home inspections seem to think nothing of little items mentioned by a home inspector because the repair is so easy to do.

For example: loose wiring at the circuit breakers. This is an easy fix - all you need is a screwdriver and a little muscle. So it is so easy that I should not mention it? Loose wiring connections are a very common cause of electrical fires.

Todays inspection was quite frustrating for me because the homeowner was breathing down my neck discounting almost everything I said, and dismissing it as 'such a small issue' that it is hardly worth mentioning.

Sloppy workmanship, especially in residential electrical situations, can be a BIG deal. Another example:

The wiring in this particular service panel was so sloppy, with wires packed into this box that made it look like a rats nest. No big deal right? Just put on the cover and the problem disappears right? Not so. When putting the screw back to fasten the cover, the screw dug into a 'sloppy and poorly placed' wire which shorted and tripped a breaker, and gave me a shock too!

It was a big deal for me, and the buyer was alarmed after I got zapped. An easy fix? Yup. The problem existed because someone thought they knew what they were doing. Should the problem be addressed by a professional? You better believe it. -Ray

Don't powerwash your roof!

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:27:55 -0500

I saw a truck yesterday with advertizing stating 'Powerwashing of Roofs' and couldn't stop laughing. These guys are incredible. Many people get stains and fungi on roofs, and yes it is unsightly, but a good roofing contractor will never powerwash a roof.

Roofing shingles have a granular surface that slowly washes off with the rain, as it should. But to accelerate this process is asking your roof to expire early.

Some things were not meant to be powerwashed, and your roof, no matter how much fungi it has growing on it, is one of them. Use a putty knife to remove the heavy stuff, and then use a soft brush with some Clorox diluted in water to remove the rest, or better yet, call a professional. -Ray

Out of the loop for a while.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:03:36 -0500

I have not blogged in ages (months). Home inspection is very busy here on Long Island. I enjoyed blogging in the past, but have had very little time to myself.

I just came from Jamaica, Queens to do a follow up inspection on a building where I could not access the roof. This building was renovated, but done poorly. Plumbing leaks were present in the basement, some of the new electrical had issues, and signs of rats, mice and cockroaches the size of matchbox cars were visible in the basement.

I hope all the rainers who commented in the past on my blogs will forgive - I actually miss them. Anyway, hope you are all making money and are dealing with as little aggravation as possible. Bye for now. -Ray

Stupid paint jobs

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:38:23 -0500

I inspected a house today that was painted in patches all around the house. It looked as if they were trying to cover up, and this looked so obvious, that you felt they were hiding something when they painted.

It turned off the buyer so much! I couldn't believe how much it affected they way they viewed the house. If the seller had the place professionally painted, it would've impressed buyers, but they 'cheaped out', and it cost them. This was a foolish move.

Why don't these people invest in some real meat and potatoes - like paint the place properly, or remove the asbestos, or fix the pipe leaks, or put on a new roof. And they wonder why the house doesn't sell. - Ray

Is that house from the 1940's insulated?

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:24:10 -0500

Many times it is found that there is little or no insulation behind the walls of old houses. This can come as a surprise to most buyers because they just don't know. Usually, around my territory of Long Island, I have found houses that I thought would be insulated are not, and houses that normally wouldn't be insulated are insulated.

Many of the old plaster and wood lath homes are without insulation within the walls, but back when they were built, the cost of heating a home was not much of your budget. These hollow walls can have blown-in insulation added. It is unusual to find a home that is made with standard drywall without insulation, but sometimes you find the walls are hollow.

This was the case in Elmont, Long Island two days ago. The buyer was getting a tremendous deal on a foreclosure. The cost to insulate will be saved many times over once he buys the house and repairs what is needed. - Ray

Why does nobody want to buy my house?

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:14:05 -0500

I overheard a conversation yesterday between a seller and her agent. I did not want to hear it, but I did. A little old lady was distressed as her husband had died, and she needed to sell, but her house was a mess from the outside to the inside.

Forgetting the fact that she had 'extreme Brady bunch syndrome' orange shag carpet, flowery wall paper, 30 year old appliances, etc, she had not put DIME ONE into her house for 20 years.

I didn't take a home inspector to torpedo the home. Gutters were falling off, trees were overgown, driveway crumbling, rotted trim. The house was a good deal apparently, but who would want a house that nobody maintained?

I generally have sympathy for these sellers (widows), but not in this case. The woman had money (from what the agent told me), but refused to spend it on basic maintenance.

Now, someone like me who is handy will pick it up for a song.- Ray

The house that survived the lightning strikes

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:43:11 -0500

Okay Barbara. Here is the picture. Since you published so many, I though I would also. Thanks for the comments folks! - Ray

A house that has survived many lightning strikes!

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:30:48 -0500

I performed an inspection last week on a charming old house built in 1920. The house was located on Hartman Hill Rd. in Huntington, N.Y. While I did find some problems such as asbestos and mold, I was amazed to hear how often the house has been struck by lightning since the present owner has lived there.

He has personally witnessed 12 strikes, and who knows how many he didn't see. Almost each time, his system of lightning rods and grounding cables (see picture) has saved his home from burning to the ground. He has had a fire twice, but both times it did not cause tremendous damage.

The house is not on the historic register, but it should be. The original woodwork in the house is wonderful. Built-ins everywhere. Steam heat with huge cast iron radiators throughout the house. Fireplaces that look like George Washington should be toasting marshmallows by.

Unfortunately, the present owner lost his job and the house is in foreclosure. The house has suffered as it has not been well maintained. Houses like these should be restored. Especially since, it seems, you can't kill it! - Ray

Loyalty is a fleeting moment in the home inspection business.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:12:05 -0500

This is a funny business, this home inspection thing. You try to do the right thing for the buyer, and for the agent involved with the transaction. Most times, things work out okay. The buyer is satisfied you have done your job well, and the agent is pleased you brought up the bad points without overstating or alarming the buyer. Most of the time, everyone is happy, or at least relieved that the 'sky will not fall'.

It never ceases to amaze me however the relationship that goes sour with an agent who thought the world of me previously. This agent told so many of her agent friends, that I saw my business increase steadily when I was first starting out. She was so pleased with my demeanor, my presentation, even my stupid jokes (that calmed down the buyers). Nearly her entire office was handing out my brochures and cards.

Then - BOOM! I have fallen from grace. In this particular case, I found a VERY SMALL amount of what appeared to be mold growth in the wall of the garage, behind which was a bathroom shower. There was either a leaky pipe, or a possible leak from the bathroom above. I had to bring it to the attention of the buyer, and of course the agent who loved me. It was no big show stopper, but I must recommend a mold company evaluate the area. If I don't, and someone gets sick, or the mold grows, I can be in a world of problems, as well as the buyer.

I saw her a short time after the inspection, and she had relayed to me that the buyer was making a mountain out of a mole hill with this small mold issue.

THE BUYER was the one causing the problem. THE BUYER was looking for an astronomical credit for a small issue. THE BUYER probably backed out of the deal, or caused the situation to be dificult. Yet, THE HOME INSPECTOR is to blame, and has been banished to bogeyland.

There are some houses that are in such poor shape, and the buyers can be so easily spooked by the problems found, that they back out of the deal. Can the inspector be responsible for how a timid buyer reacts to bad new? Certainly not! You can cushion the blow as much as you can, but sometimes the inevitable happens, and the buyer backs away. If the agent paints the rosiest of pictures with a house in this condition, I feel justified blaming the agent. If you say everything is great, great ,great, and the inspector finds a lot of problems, how can you not expect the buyer to look at you with suspicion.

Most of the agents I deal with hand out brochures and cards from my competitors as well, but some invariable do say things like 'he is really thorough', or 'he is really good at what he does'. I hear this from agents I have never met at home inspections I do regularly, so I know I am doing the right thing.

I wonder sometimes if agents, who see the loss of a commision check as a good reason to jump ship, and stop referring of the home inspector. I find this so incomprehensible because I always ask the agents if they are happy with my presentation, and the resounding answer is usually 'YES'! No t every single time, but most times. This was especially true of this particular agent. She told EVERYBODY about me. Now, I wonder if she is making call after call telling who she told previously that I am banished. - Ray

Raindrops keep falling in my attic.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:51:18 -0500

This is an unusual situation I see from time to time. Water droplet stains on surfaces in the attic. Usually it will appear as dark stains in a random pattern on the insulation or flooring in the attic. You would think it is from a leaking roof, but this is usually not the case.

What is the cause? This was the question that the seller asked me today in a home in Lake Grove, NY.

When attics get hot in the summer, and when the humidity is high, water from the moist air can condense on the nails protruding through the roof sheathing (plywood or tongue and groove sheathing). This causes water droplets to form and drip off the nails onto the surfaces below.

If you look at the stains individually, you will see the stains are directly under the roofing nails. Attics like these need more ventilation. Call a ventilation contractor so a determination can be made, and the problem can be addressed. - Ray

My clients STILL advertize for me - FOR FREE!

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:08:22 -0500

I just got a call from a client I inspected 5 homes for 2 years ago. He finally did settle on a house in Franklin Square, Long Island. He called me today to tell me he was referring me to a relative. Great news, but it gets better.

Turns out he has told hundreds of people about me. He works in the school district and travels to many grade schools and intermediate schools in his district. He deals with many young teachers in these schools, and he seems to hear whenever someone is buying a house who works in the school district.

I was always wondering why I had done so many inspections for teachers in that area. Now I know.

I couldn't pay for this type of advertizing. I do the right thing and go above and beyond for the client. They tell their friends. and it just snowballs. This man, Tom, is going out to dinner on Meticulous Home Inspection Corp. - and we are getting LOBSTER! - Ray

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:10:08 -0500

Then its a duck. Unless it is a house that is so poorly maintained it makes Herman Munsters house look good.

This was the case in Patchogue, NY yesterday. Four real estate agents were there, as well as the seller, her carpenter, his assistant, and various family members. The buyers were quite timid, and only the wife spoke English. My ability to speak Spanish was a big help.

But the problem was the house. Major foundation issues were present. Large sections of concrete block wall were removed, with improper re-support work in place. Rusted oil tanks resting on wood blocks in the dirt outside the house. Rusted electrical boxes, amateur wiring, rotted second story decks, missing cedar shakes all over the place. This was one of the longest inspections I had ever done. And writing the report took forever because there was so much to document.

As I walked around with the buyers at the end of the inspection, I could tell they were freakin out. They didn't expect that I would find so many problems. I left feeling like they would never consider buying this nightmare.

I told them many times that 'these things can be fixed' and that 'this is typical for a house of this age', but I could not paint a good picture of this house no matter how I tried.

Of course I got snotty comments from two agents which I quickly dismissed. I did my job and felt I earned my pay for the day. And I did not endeavor to 'get hired for the next one' from this couple, as is done by some of my competitors.

I assurred the buyers that anything can be fixed, but how can you possibly bring good news about such a house? When I got home, I removed the imaginary daggers from my back. - Ray

When the going gets tough, get out and meet people.

Ray Wilson - NYS Licensed Inspector (Meticulous Home Inspection Corporation) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:53:30 -0500

Business is picking up for some people, and not for others. My monthly meeting has inspectors who are busy, but many are not seeing much business. I too have not had as much as I did last year at this time, but I am still doing between 7-12 inspections a week.

Realtor referral is by far the best way for me to get new business, and I constantly solicit agents to convince them to refer me. It doesn't always work, but if I meet 10 people in a day, and only one calls me for an inspection, it is worth it.

I have blogged about this in the past, but feel it is worth mentioning it again. The right presentation is also key when trying to get new business. The more people I meet, the more business I get. It is as simple as that.

Waiting for your ad to come out may not make the phone ring. Face to face contact is what you need to do if you want the phone to ring. - Ray