Joining the local board of Realtors.

[daniel nantell]

Wondering if most of the Inspectors pay the $500 to join the local board of realtors, do you think its worth the cost.

[Rick Hurst]

Only if they give you a case of these. You'll need them.

[Ron Bibler]

Something to think about. real eatate agents only want you around if its to there best benefit. not yours. $ 500.00 a year can pay for a nice web-site.

I never have and now its to late for me to start over.

Best

Ron

[John Arnold]

Wondering if most of the Inspectors pay the $500 to join the local board of realtors, do you think its worth the cost.

Nope.

[Victor DaGraca]

I walked ionto the local board one day just to find out how to get a hold of a "supra key" just so I didn't need to bother their "extremely busy" agents every time I needed to get inside a property.
I was told that :
A. I needed to join the board. = $375 application fee
B. Yearly fee. = $425
C. Key deposit = $325

As I walked out I mentioned that their "busy" agents were just going to have to get off their asses and open doors for me.

look on her face = priceless

[Ted Menelly]

In Texas you have to join a Realtor association of you wish to have a Supra Key. It is about a third of what you have to pay. I am not sure what other benefits you would gain by belonging to a Realtor Association.

I know most have there qualms with buttering up to Realtors but there is such a thing as networking. Getting referrals from Realtors is not a bad thing no matter what anyone might say. As long as they know where you stand. They must be fully aware that you do not work for them and they cannot influence you or the report in anyway.

500.00 huh. What do they say you get with 500.00 ?

[Ted Menelly]

I walked ionto the local board one day just to find out how to get a hold of a "supra key" just so I didn't need to bother their "extremely busy" agents every time I needed to get inside a property.
I was told that :
A. I needed to join the board. = $375 application fee
B. Yearly fee. = $425
C. Key deposit = $325

As I walked out I mentioned that their "busy" agents were just going to have to get off their asses and open doors for me.

look on her face = priceless


You folks have to pay some serious money to be a member of these assoc.

Don't you think it is absurd. You have to join to get a Supra Key. In Texas you would think where the inspectors are licensed thru the Texas Real Estate Commission we would be able to get a Supra Key with out joining the Association. The only reason you have to join is so they can keep the keys out of the hands of every Tom Dick and Harry. If you already have a state license and have to be insured it should keep you from becoming a member of a Real Estate Association just so you can obtain a Supra Key.

[Nick Ostrowski]

Save the $500 and get those realtors to open the doors for you. In 5+ years, I have yet to not have access to a house because I don't have Supra key access. The realtor can show and leave right after they open the door for all I care. Many houses around here are still on combination lock boxes which you don't need Supra key access for.

[Ted Menelly]

Save the $500 and get those realtors to open the doors for you. In 5+ years, I have yet to not have access to a house because I don't have Supra key access. The realtor can show and leave right after they open the door for all I care. Many houses around here are still on combination lock boxes which you don't need Supra key access for.


There is no way I would depend on a Realtor to get there when I want to be there. A lot of the boxes are combos.

[Scott Patterson]

I know a fair number of inspectors that belong to various local boards. Most do it so that they can go to their meetings and "Network" with the agents at their monthly meetings.

Some belong as others have said so they have have an MLS key to enter homes with a lock box. A few belong so they can teach CE classes to the various agents.

I have been inspecting since 1995 and I have never had a lock box key. I have also never really had any problem getting into a home. When my client calls and we set the time, I tell them to tell their agent the date and time. Very seldom will the agent complain to their client. Now if I call the agent I have found that they do complain about me not having a key. So I let my client call and set it up with the agent.

In my area I would need to join 3-4 different boards and all have different key systems! Just not worth the cost, time and effort.

[James Duffin]

When I schedule an inspection I don't even ask how I'm going to get in. They know I don't have a key so someone needs to let me in.

[Rick Hurst]

So James, you only deal with pyschics for clients I assume.:D

rick

[Ted Menelly]

So James, you only deal with pyschics for clients I assume.:D

rick

I think Mr Duffin once said he has as relatives 32 realtors.

[Rick Bunzel]

Although many on this board don't believe in belonging to the Board of Realtors, it has been very good for my company. However when I was starting out in Colorado, it was a much different story. The Boulder Board of Realtors segregated the affiliates from the Realtors. Definitely a low return activity but I was transitioning into the industry and needed all the credibility I could get. Being a member help the credibility (or so I thought). Moving to the Pacific NW and a smaller association that didn't segregate made all the difference. In my first year I was nominated as affiliate of the year and in my second year I was Affiliate of the Year. I now chair the Marketing Committee and talk with the board President on a regular basis. One of the past president's is now the state president. I don't get to talk with her as much but when she has a buyer she gives me the referral. In three years I have been able build my business up to a comfortable level in a declining market. My competition who have been around far longer are not involved which has been a big boost to me.


Every market is different but being an active member of the board has given me visibility that I might not have gotten otherwise. I still let the REALTORs let me in :-)) and lock up.

//Rick

[Stuart Brooks]

I joined the local association this year for suprakey access and networking would be OK too. Very segregated. Mortgage companies, mortgage brokers, lawyers, etc. apparently hold a higher position in affiliate ranking. Inspectors are not mentioned in any newsletters or "Invites". The social functions so far have been "Formal" or a golf tournament. To use the suprakey as an affiliate, you have to have a Call Before Showing Code from the listing agent in addition to your PIN number. 99.999% of the agents don't know what a CBS number is much less let you have it. Now, if you carry $1,000,000 worth of general liability insurance you don't have to have a CBS number. BUT, you have to get a fax or email from the Realtor acknowledging that you have their permission to enter the property. The GE Suprakey access fee is $205 a year. Too much trouble, too much cost, not worth it in this neck of the woods.

[Jack Lancelotta]

We are licensed here in MD but that does not give us access to the Lockbox system. I have joined the small board in my county and now have a Sentrilock key (I had a Supra key before we switched systems). In total it costs me less than $500 a year. I get to network with Realtors for more business - never a bad idea in my view. Networking with Realtors does not mean you are their puppet and cannot perform your service objectively. I personally very much like having the lockbox access, for many reasons, including that I am compulsively early and will get a head start if appropriate, or for picking up radon testing equipment.

[Eric Shuman]

Like others, I joined the local board for Supra access. I have found having the Supra key very helpful many times. It is nice when you do not have to wait for a late or disagreeable agent and it has allowed me to fit vacant houses into my schedule because I don't have to coordinate with the agent as to when they will let me in. This has turned a two inspection day into a three inspection day more than once (on smaller houses), allowing me to have another free slot in the week to schedule another inspection.

It is an expense but it also a tax deduction.

One thing I noticed to watch for in my area are the itemized fees when the board invoices you. They were charging me a political action committee fee for a while that was not mandatory to the board dues. They finally notified me that it was a voluntary fee and I dropped it immediately.

Would not having a Supra key cost me business? I would say typically not. But having the key/membership has actually got me business a few times (it has paid for itself every year that I have had it) and has made things easier on me quite a few times.

Just becasue you join the local board does not mean you are, or have to cozy up to the agents, etc. I have never attended a board function or otherwise interacted with other members. The membership and key are tools to make my job a little easier when possible.

Eric

[Jim Luttrall]

Ditto Eric, same thing up here in DFW area, (for me anyway).

[Terry Beck]

I have been paying affilicate membership dues to two boards of realtors for a few years (only runs me about $600 for both). Originally it made sense because I got a slight discount for ads I placed in their monthly MLS publications which at that time every Realtor used as a major reference tool. Gave me great visibiliy to my main referral source, and homebuyers. Both have since revised the formats and raised the price to where it doesn't make sense anymore.

Neither board will give me access to the lock boxes (have to be a realtor or appriaser). However, in some cases it would sure be easier if I did have lockbox access, such as when all I want to do is drop off or pick up a Radon test or get a water sample. Also, neither will give me access to the web based MLS listing program (gives all the legal details of the property). And I would like to have that for information, gives me a heads up for pricing purposes, and what to expect to find (old, new, big, small) since realtors are by nature so vague when giving me info on the house.

SO - I have three questions:
How many inspectors do belong to a local Board of Realtors?
How many BOR's offer multi-lock key or card access to affiliates (inspectors)?
Hom many BOR's offer access to the MLS listiing programs?