We think we are the only ones with our own unique troubles, struggles, and concerns. I have gotten to know dozens of home inspectors across the USA and Canada. One thing has become very obvious after 20 years in the home inspection business. We all share the same struggles and some of us have figured out ways to overcome them.
Not Enough Business
The most common struggle I hear about is really the easiest to overcome. Not having enough business. Sitting in your office or at your ‘day job’ worrying about it will never make the struggle go away. It will just get worse.
Overcome this struggle by marketing. Not ‘fancy, costs you tons of money’ type marketing. I mean the ‘go out and meet people’ type marketing. When you need business you need to find people who are ready, willing, and able to hire you right now. Who knows those kind of people? Realtors. Go meet some and the business will come.
Too Much Business
This may sound like a struggle you want to have but it can be tough to deal with. I hate nothing more than to turn away business because I can’t fit it into the schedule. It is just like giving money away.
Overcome this struggle by raising your prices. You will get few holes in your schedule but will make more money on each job. Its a lot easier to handle slower times when you are making more money.
Demanding Agents
Demanding agents are tough to work with. We have all known a few. They want everything done the way they want it. They need inspections done at 5pm on Saturday or want some type of discount or special treatment for their clients. I make allowances for people that have been great to work with or have referred tons of business but there is always a limit.
Overcome this struggle in one or two ways. Put your foot down and let the agent know they need to chill. They may just need to know your boundaries. If that doesn’t work you may need to cut them loose. There are hundreds of other agents out there and most are honest and wonderful to work with. Go find them.
Client Don’t Seem to Listen
We have all had them. The client that just gives you that blank stare and you know they have not heard a word you have said. It gets frustrating. Nothing you seem to say gets through. More times than not it is our own fault and we can fix it.
Overcome this struggle by listening to your client. I know it sounds weird but get your client to talk and then listen to them. They will tell you what they need and the best way to communicate. Do that you will be amazed how well they listen to you.
Finding Time for Family
Running crazy through the summer is just part of the business. We welcome the time when things slow down and we have time to breath. Our families do too.
Overcome this struggle by setting time aside for family and sticking to it. It can be next to impossible to take a vacation in the busy season so do it at the holidays instead.
The worst realtors are the ones that don’t want you to find anything. The seem to forget that we are just protecting their clients.
Demanding agents: Unless you are hired by the agent they do not set the time of the inspection you and your client do.
When I ran my inspection company I requested the client be with me. I was able to explain what was going on while showing them. The only place they could not go was the roof.
I have been in the inspection business for 14 years, thousands of inspections and never had a realtor set the time and date for the inspection. Gary
I agree, we work with these issues to do amore efficient inspections and customer service.
As a home inspector, I love this work however the only downside seems to be constant attention to marketing or inspections seem to trail off. A friend of mine and competing home inspector always markets while on his way to and from inspections seems to be busy all the time. With the family and kids sometimes that’s not always possible. No magic here just pounding the pavement seems to be the way it works. Gary/ tuxedo home inspections
Marketing yourself does not help when your bid won’t get accepted if you have a home inspection in your p and s agreement…The new trend is “if you want your bid accepted..waive the inspection and pay 30 k over asking…This is as bad as it has ever been for me…13 years ..
Hello Kevin you bring up interesting point I will be beginning my classes shortly with this being said do you think that this is a good time to start or still a viable field Thank you in advance.