What Your Home Inspection Clients Don’t Know…

Part of the challenge of being a home inspector is simply educating current and future clients about what you do. While the American public has a general idea of what home inspectors do, misconceptions abound. Here are the most common myths you may need to dispel for your clients:

What They Think:

A Home Inspection is a One-Stop Shop

According to a 2012 American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) survey of 2,262 adults, the vast majority believe that home inspectors are important but they’re not sure exactly why. 84 percent of survey respondents believe that a proper home inspection is a necessity, but 12 percent of respondents confused a home inspection with an appraisal and a walloping 28 percent “believes the purpose of an inspection is to verify that a home complies with local building codes.”

What They Think: 

A Home Inspection is Comprehensive

When home buyers enlist your services, they may think that they’re getting every inch of their pad inspected. A 2011 ASHI survey of 2,122 adults showed that the many home buyers believe that components such as septic systems, electrical wiring and plumbing behind drywall and swimming pools are always included in their home inspection even though you may not include them in yours.

According to ASHI, a standard inspection report covers home basics including:

“…the condition of the home’s heating system; central air conditioning system (temperature permitting); interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement and structural components. The report will include covered systems and components the home inspector finds that are not functioning properly, significantly deficient, unsafe, or are near the end of their service lives”

What They Think: 

All Home Inspectors are Certified

The thing home buyers seem confused on most is your credentials. 70 percent of buyers believe that home inspectors must be licensed or certified to perform a home inspection in that state. They don’t, meaning that if you do have a license, certification or outstanding credential, it’s worth your while to educate clients on how you’ve gone above and beyond and what that extra education can do for them.

June 2012 News Home Inspectors Can Use

What’s going on in the world of home inspection:

* InterNACHI is taking over the world one city at a time. The Inspector Marketing Tour focuses on helping home inspectors effectively market and promote their businesses. The best part is, it’s free (sort of). The $99 entry fee buys you a $99 voucher for home inspection products, services or InterNACHI membership. The tour kicks off in Wichita, Kansas on August 13.
* If you’re looking for a more tropical way to bone up on those continuing education credits, look to the islands. The Puerto Rico Home Inspection Semmer [sic] Jamboree happens on June 23.
* Affordable Comfort, Inc. (ACI) has a veritable boatload of conferences happening throughout the year. The 2012 ACI California Home Performance Conference kicks off June 5 through 6 in Sacramento. Sessions range from panels on retrofitting single family homes to how to successfully talk to clients. A double bonus is that a limited number of scholarships are available. If you can’t make it in June, don’t sweat it. The ACI Mid-Atlantic Home Performance Conference kicks off in October.
* If you’re still some continuing education credits short, the North Carolina Licensed Home Inspector Association can hook you up. The group offers three separate continuing ed opportunities in Asheville July 27-28, New Bern August 17-18 and Greensboro August 24-25. Early birds who register in advance get a sweet discount.

* If you missed the Atlantic City Inspection Conference this past weekend, don’t sweat it. The 2012 Pittsburgh Inspection Conference running from September 7 through 9 is now registering attendees.

* Our Communications Director is a little obsessed with homes overrun by snakes. This story has given her nightmares all week long.

News Home Inspectors Can Use: September Edition

* The National Association of Home Builders has a number of cool webinars are coming up. September 13, the group will host one on how to prepare for an OSHA inspection and September 14th, NAHB gives a crash course in using Youtube for your business.

* All of your technical questions about the home inspection biz get answered at the Great Plains Fall Education Seminar Sept 16-17 in Lenexa, Kansas or the ASHI Southeastern Conference Sept 22-25 in Duluth, GA.

* Unusual homes are frequently the trickiest to inspect, which is why InterNACHI has this guide to inspecting floating homes. In the wake of Irene, there may be a few more now than there were 2 weeks ago.

* If your online presence has stagnated, never fear. Entrepreneur Magazine has a great article on 9 reasons why your site isn’t leading to sales.

* A super cool video on how to build an underground shelter out of a shipping container. Could be useful if clients ever decide to come after you.

* Want to design your own house? WikiHouse allows you to download house components from designers around the globe, construct them to your liking and order a model of your creation. A full description is available here.

News Home Inspectors Can Use

* Registration is now open for Inspection World , the who’s who of home inspectors. This year’s conference will be held in Phoenix, Arizona from January 4 through 7 and will include 45 education courses not to mention a boatload of networking opportunities. Registration is open from now until September 1.

* In case you missed it, former ASHI president David Tamny’s presentation at the National Healthy Homes Conference is available for download right over here.

 

* You know homes from the inside out, but how do you deal with the buyers? NAHI has a webinar for that .

 

* AOL Real Estate wonders if divorce rates can predict the housing recovery. We have our doubts.

 

* Inspect this – Beehive houses in Syria provide natural air conditioning . Lucky ducks.

 

* Regardless of what kind of trouble you encounter the rest of this month, please take comfort in the fact that at least developers in the US aren’t chasing residents from their homes with scorpions.