Draw Inspections from ISGN Insp.

[Matt Fellman]

These guys just called me today and are sending some info. Does anyone have any experience with them or any feedback on draw inspections in general?

Like everything over the phone I'm a bit skeptical and it doesn't sound like a lot of money per trip. But, these days a little extra money is always useful.

[Scott Patterson]

These guys just called me today and are sending some info. Does anyone have any experience with them or any feedback on draw inspections in general?

Like everything over the phone I'm a bit skeptical and it doesn't sound like a lot of money per trip. But, these days a little extra money is always useful.

For a local job (up to 15 miles) you should be paid $50 to $75 on a residential draw inspection. They take only a few minutes on-site and 10-15 to complete the paperwork, most are all online now. It might not sound like much but it adds up.

I do not know anything about ISGN. Trinity, Granite, National and Digital Draw are the ones who have been around the longest.

[Matt Fellman]

Thanks Scott,

They pay 35-40 per stop..... which I'm thinking just isn't enough. The paperwork looks a bit cumbersome but I imagine after doing it a few times it's pretty easy. I'll probably pass just due to the lack of $$ - For $50 a stop or more I could see doing it.

[A.D. Miller]

Though I understand that some may be in a stickier wicket than I, I would not start my van for $50-$75, much less make it roll. Granted, a man must do what he is going to do, but the same man sets his own limits.

This is just my opinion, so whine all you want, it will not change a thing: If you cannot afford the down time when business is not so brisk, you are simply in the wrong business. If you can justify doing $50-$75 inspections, you can justify doing anything. In that case, selling drugs, or burglary may prove to be more lucrative ventures. And, participating in either of those professions would not bring much more shame on this one than allowing the banks and insurance companies to pimp you out for chump change.

It is a truly slippery slope, damages the fee structure and the image of this profession, and should be avoided at all costs.

[Don Burbach]

I don't know about ISGN, but I've stopped doing inspections for the others mentioned in this thread(except, never did one from National) because they wanted to lower their payment to $40 or $45. They claimed that their lenders were driving their prices down, while demanding more pictures, certifications, quicker turn-around times, and face-to-face appointments with borrowers at the new construction property.

A draw inspection for $50 is marginal if you need to drive 20 miles or less round-trip, but add a few phone calls and report time, or a long drive, and it crosses the line quickly.

Draw inspections of new construction was way down anyway because of the economy, and to keep that revenue up, it was tempting to cover a wider area, which of course is less profitable. Also, most companies started doing picture inspections of foreclosed homes and occupancy inspections which they wanted to pay $20 - $25. My response was that I couldn't take a one-way taxi ride to the property for that price.

My feeling is that every time I feel a 'down time' or loss of revenue when I might have been doing a draw inspection, I should go out and do a little marketing to Realtors.

~Don