For inspectors in the know, January means just one thing—Inspection World. One of the largest and most prominent home inspector conferences in the country, the ASHI-sponsored event will be held in Phoenix, Arizona from January 4 through 7 and will include 45 education courses, exhibits featuring more than 60 products and service providers, and an array of pre-conference courses designed to keep inspectors on top of changes in the field. The problem with attending out-of-town conferences is that housing costs can stack up fast. Here are four ways to save on conference housing at Inspection World and everywhere else.
Look for Group Rates
Conference heads want to draw you into the conference and keep you there. To ease the travel burden a little, many organizers (ASHI’s included) negotiate a discounted group rate that can save you some serious dough. Info on the Inspection World discount is available here. For all other conferences and events you attend throughout the year, call the conference head in advance to ask about discounted lodging.
Check Your Apps
There’s an app for doing home inspection reports (shameless plug) and there are several for helping you track down housing on the cheap. Our personal faves include Hotel Tonight, an app for the iPhone or Android designed to find last-minute rooms. Not only does the free app find rooms for up to 70 percent off, it also comes with a $25 credit when you use the promo code NEW25. Of course there’s a risk to waiting until the last minute to book a room. Inspectors who want to book farther in advance can price compare rooms with Hotels Near Me.
Rent a Home
Bypass hotels (and their pricey rates) entirely by renting someone’s home. Through Airbnb.com, travelers can rent anything from a spare couch to an island in Fiji, suite inside an actual airplane or Frank Sinatra’s estate. While, obviously, room in Sinatra’s former pad or living large on the Fijian coast will cost you, renting a room or condo near the conference can be hundreds less than opting for a hotel room.
Use Rewards
Hotel points, credit card rewards incentives, airline miles—all of these can be traded for free accommodation at your next conference. For inspectors using business credit cards for their expenses, reward points and miles can be redeemed for free hotel rooms as well as car rentals, flights and discounts on tourist hotspots at major destinations. Most major airlines and nearly all major hotel chains have partner deals that allow rewards holders to trade airline miles for hotel points or vice versa. Points.com also allows reward card holders to facilitate their own rewards trades.