Inspectors should police themselves, shouldn't they!

You'd think so, but no mechanism exists for that policing other than the free market and some weak licensing laws.  Here's a take on it from one of my fellow home inspectors:  Posted with permission but I've decided to withhold his name.  I will send him a link to this sad commentary on our profession.  If he desires to identify himself, he can do so in the comments section.

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To all of my Fellow Home Inspectors:

I have a story to tell that may be a little long winded but bear with me; it may open your eyes as it surely did mine.

I set out last year to increase my business with the Real Estate sector.  I wanted to make my Home Inspection business viable with greater income.  Now keep in mind I have been doing this in my area for over ten years, so I know many Realtors with little repeat business from them, always to wonder why. When pressed for an answer, I always received some half baked response from the Realtors.

My business partner and I mapped out the area and offices to devote our marketing program on, seventeen offices with approximately 750 Realtors. We started in Oct. of 07 with a combination of flyers, discount coupons [we thought everybody loves coupons] and a candy jar [all chocolate] with a great photo of us, cards placed on top. You couldn't miss us unless you were literally blind, always talked and introduced ourselves and spoke at meetings. Now keep in mind we are not new to the area or game, we are well known. Our strategy was to provide information, great service and always keep chocolate in the jars every ten days, and we did this straight from Oct. 07 to Nov. 13, 08.

Now, there was always the little nagging voice in our heads as to why we were not getting more business. We asked, met Realtors, spoke, consultations, you name it because we wanted more business, honest business. I have always prided myself on doing the best for my clients, not nit picking houses apart but the issues that need to be known and by my state law.  I figured naively that that is what others would want for their clients, enough said.

Bob and I go about our route yesterday and decided to discontinue the candy and info.  Here's why.  I keep track of all my records; we had visited each office at least 30 times since we started. Now I know a little about marketing and know consistency is a large part, I also know that out of 750 agents something would stick. For our hard work we only obtained six inspections and spent approx. $3,000 in costs. By this time both of us are really scratching our heads and trying to figure out why, is it us, our report, people hate you and so on. Throughout the day as we picked up our candy jars we pondered this question further. As we were walking out of one office we happened upon the broker who is also one of the high Ramalama's on our state board and founding father, so to speak. This is what happened that has answered that annoying question of Realtor business and has slightly changed my way of looking at life.

We engaged the broker for about twenty minutes talking about the economy and home sales, and by the way, if you don't know by now they are dismal. Bob finally turns around as we are leaving and directly asks Mr. Board member why we can't get more business from the Real Estate Sector.

He looked at us for a moment, thinking what to say, and said, "You have too many bad Home Inspector's in the business."

We both looked at him as he went on to say that there are inspectors out there who are not doing what they are supposed to be doing and the agents know who they are, that's who they use.  

It took both of us time to regroup from our dropped jaws and re-compose. Now keep in mind that he seemed truly sad about the issue and said there was nothing he could do, it would have to be up to our profession to weed them out.  He also went on to state that he thought our fees were ridiculously low with the amount of responsibility we take on.

After we bid good bye, Bob and I finally had our answer, we didn't play the Reindeer games and never would. After a year + of steady marketing and trying to provide exemplary service, it does not work in this business.

The saddest part that bothers me is that this is the normal operations of a large organization that people trust with their life savings, to be lied to and steered to vendors providing sub-par expertise all to close the sale, and the public doesn't even know they are being duped.

I know there are good and bad businesses and people, but let's be realistic, I am talking about getting only six inspections out of marketing to 750 agents.  Even throwing poop on a wall sticks sometimes.

I have lost a lot of faith in agents in Real Estate and will no longer seek their business, I will continue to do it my way with Honesty and Integrity, never to suck more out of life then I give. I hope there are more Home Inspector's out there that feel the same and maybe we should have some national or regional spokes person at least informing the public about bad decisions; I for one would gladly volunteer.

Well, as I start my new day in business and life I have one consoling thought, at least I don't have to lie, cheat, be a low life or ner-do-well to survive.  At least I did it my way, regrets, I have few.

I give my consent to anyone who wants to use this letter to put on the internet, re-print or use in publication, I just ask to be informed, honestly!

Sincerely,

KRT

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The sad thing is that "those inspectors", and the agents who steer their clients to them, aren't likely to be here to read this.  They don't usually bother with mundane stuff such as continuing education beyond that minimum level required by the state or the association.

I've personally experienced this several times.  I'd call a prospective client back to see if they decided on an inspector only to be told they'd chosen someone else.  When I inquired why, they said things like: 

Our agent said you were

•·         too picky,

•·         took too long to do the inspection,

•·         cost to much,

•·         etc, etc.

Odd thing is, more times than I have fingers on both hand, "our agent" would call later to have me perform an inspection on a home that they or their relatives were buying for themselves.  That speaks volumes to me about their character and ethics.

Capitalism is a wonderful thing most of the time.  I'm not really one to whine about "there oughta be a law" and won't start now.  The free market takes out most of "those inspectors" along with the type of agent who steers their clients to them. 

But, there's always more coming along to repeat the cycle.

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