Thread: Inspection Business Status

Just wanted to place a post and see how everyone is doing; considering the major drop in the economy including various areas. Had a pretty busy spring and summer up until last month. Last month dropped 2 inspections from the previous month of Aug. (still a good month though) and this month looks to be about 7-8 inspections short of last month if it keep this slow through the rest of the month. Got a little bit of the inspection blues, how are all the rest of you fairing? How has the past couple of months been?

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Its up its down we just had a spike in the rate 1/2% up to 61/2% that well slow things down.

Best

Ron

Down about 50% compared with last October... but.. only my third year in the business, others with a deeper referral base tell me they are doing a bit better.

Down 11% for theonth year to last year. However we are down about 30% for this compared to a normal Oct. Very slow right this minute.

Overall, much slower than a couple years ago. Closed/pending sales in my area are down in the neighborhood of 50% over last year, which was down considerably from the year before and so on.

Prices are falling like a stone which hurts personally but business wise is good. It's not pretty out there no matter how you slice it. The best news is that everyday we are one day closer to pulling out of a pretty major housing recession.

Also, I just found diesel today for $3.18/gallon!!!!!!!!!!!! And I hear it's going to fall even more. It's good to know if I were working I could drive there cheaply

Originally Posted by Matt Fellman

The best news is that everyday we are one day closer to pulling out of a pretty major housing recession.

And one day closer to dying, and we don't know when either will happen.

Hopefully, the housing recession will flip over before we do.

I have raised my prices $50 and bis. is up 12%, but winter is coming and holidays coming so it may slow down

Overall business for 2008 as opposed to 2007 is down 35% for me. But I'm getting some work with 4-5 per week.

At least I know Im not the only one out there down a little...I dont think we are going to pull out of this housing downfall for awhile yet. Im thinkin more than likely late 2009 spring of 2010 before we are out completely and the ball start rollin again.

There seems to be blood in the stsreets here in Texas right now. Almost all of the inspectors I know are doint 1-3 inspections a week right now. These are inspector who have been in buisness for 5-15 years. I don't know if people are waiting to see what is going to happen with the election or what. I guess we will see in a few weeks. I for one am doing all I can to keep Karl Marx from getting elected. I hope everyone takes a good look at why we are where we are today. Both sides are to blame, but one side more than the other. Investigate and you decide which.

Now everybody knows we don't pay enough taxes. thats what going to get this country moving along. lets all get together and send uncle sam as much as we can. Just think what good thing he can do with all that money you don't realy need?

Interst rates are up 61/2% going to 7% and hard to get the loan. that will hold thing down for a time

Best

Ron

I'm in Texas and my business has also slowed a bit, 4 or 5 per week instead of the steady 8 to 10 of a few months back. But, I figure the longer we hang in there the more some inspectors will call it quits and move to "greener" pastures leaving fewer inspectors left to carry the inspection load.

People still want our services and the fewer inspectors they have to choose from will make our bank accounts that much happier. I can't wait!

Ken, that is still pretty good. Most of the guys that I have talked to around the midwest are only doing 1-3 a week. How long have you been in the biz? Who are you receiving most of your business from? RE's, online, past referrals..? Just curious Thanks

I am about 75 inspections off of last years. Was steady through Oct. till this week. Haven't had a call in 3 days. I believe it will get worse before it is over. All the real estate agents I speak with are slow. I have been lucky and been getting allot of 1 year warranty inspections from last year. Normally I would be booked right through the end of December and drop of for Jan and Feb. I believe I will be way of this mark this year.

Going to cut way back on Yellow pages and concentrate on INTERNET presence. At least you can cancel ads on the INTERNET if things get bad where once it's in print in the book your stuck for the year.

This year the majority of my inspections where from past clients referrals and Realtor referral. hardly anything from the book.

Oh by the way, OPEC slowed production to drive gas prices back up. Enjoy why you can. Wish I had a couple thousand gallon drums.

Originally Posted by Mike Schulz

I am about 75 inspections off of last years. Was steady through Oct. till this week. Haven't had a call in 3 days. I believe it will get worse before it is over. All the real estate agents I speak with are slow. I have been lucky and been getting allot of 1 year warranty inspections from last year. Normally I would be booked right through the end of December and drop of for Jan and Feb. I believe I will be way of this mark this year.

Going to cut way back on Yellow pages and concentrate on INTERNET presence. At least you can cancel ads on the INTERNET if things get bad where once it's in print in the book your stuck for the year.

This year the majority of my inspections where from past clients referrals and Realtor referral. hardly anything from the book.

Oh by the way, OPEC slowed production to drive gas prices back up. Enjoy why you can. Wish I had a couple thousand gallon drums.

Not trying to create the negative Mike but I have a top paid spot on google, about 3rd or 4rth beside the google map and number 1 to 3 in the organic search below the google map. I have even gone against my principals and dropped my prices slightly to allow for the slow times. I have not even had a referral from past clients or realtors.

Here is the real negative. Other than 3 inspections that fell thru because of this economic crisis I have not had a call or an inspection in nine days.

I am thinking of moving into Obamas cellar for a few months till he gives me my check

I really wish we could eliminate the political comments on this excellent web site as they truly don’t contribute anything meaningful to the home inspection industry. On the other hand there is a treasure of pertinent info in the archives and excellent information shared every day by our posters.

As far as business activity in the property inspection profession goes I personally believe we are all in for a general recession, which I don’t see us coming out of until at least 2011. I also believe most of our old timers will survive with the exception of those that are tired of crawling under homes and are ready for retirement.

On the other hand those of us that have moved on into litigation support work are finding more work than one could ever imagine so there is a life after home inspecting.

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

On the other hand those of us that have moved on into litigation support work are finding more work than one could ever imagine so there is a life after home inspecting.

However, starting up in a new area where you are not known and have no contacts is harder than starting up a home inspection business in a new area. I know as I am experiencing that. The money is good, but until you become known, the money is sporadic.

The advantage, though, is that now everyone wants, no, make that demands, their monies worth, so I am expecting it to pick up.

"On the other hand those of us that have moved on into litigation support work are finding more work than one could ever imagine so there is a life after home inspecting. "

Hey Jerry
I think you got a good idea there. Working for lawyers has got to pay more than working for a home buyer.
I can see the lawyer ads on TV now...

"I got $50,000.00 for my defective windows" Mary M.

" My water heater leaked water everywhere and I got $10,000.00" Frank Y.

" I didn't know what Radon was, much less that it was in my granite counter tops, but neither did the installer. I got over $40,000)

(Lawyer talking)
Now I can't promise you that you'll get $40,000, but if you have have constructions defects in your home call XXX XXX XXXX now.
Our motto is "We make em pay through the roof"

I'm on a roll.

The "inspection" schools will change to " Construction Litigation"

Home Inspectors will add " Expert witness" to there website

Your state's Real estate assoc will begin to regulate "EW's"

On Saturday mornings you will be able to watch "The Home Detective" give testimony in court.

We will all log in every day to ExpertWitnessNews.net

And most importantly

NACHI will have a "Certified Construction Litigation Expert" designation

Rick stop your killing me. L.O.L. L.O.L. L.O.L. LO.L.

Of the tree case i have done over the years 2 of them i just flat piss off the law firm i was working for. there case had no grounds.

that was kind of fun i a lot of ways to tell them that.

The other one an inspector got lost under a big house and did not inspect a sub areas section under the piano room. when the buyer moved in and they put the new grand paino on the floor it started sinking into the sub-area. This hole room 24x24 had no access. no trap door, no cut out in the foundation. that one was a good call the inspection company just paid the bill and that was that.

I see some of these inspector that work for the law firms and to keep working you almost need to be a whore. as not all the time is there grounds for the case yet they will ask you to make up stuff or wright the report in a way that fit the case.

for any of you that are thinking of going that way keep these things in mind. its your good name on the line.

Best

Ron

Wow, ended up with 7 inspections last week. Felt good for a change, I had a couple weeks with only 3 inspections! I've been doing inspections for close to 10 yrs now and as far as business goes this is what I was doing the first 4 yrs or so. Kinda sucks

I've been on the phone and email alot with past clients who are nearing the 1 yr warranty point trying to drum up some more business. Time to do more marketing.

Originally Posted by Ken Larson

Wow, ended up with 7 inspections last week. Felt good for a change, I had a couple weeks with only 3 inspections! I've been doing inspections for close to 10 yrs now and as far as business goes this is what I was doing the first 4 yrs or so. Kinda sucks

I've been on the phone and email alot with past clients who are nearing the 1 yr warranty point trying to drum up some more business. Time to do more marketing.

With what I have done so far this month and the three I have lined up for this week I will have done 4.4 inspections a week this past month. I had not done an inspection in ten days up till the one I do tomorrow afternoon.

On that note I have thanked the big guy and everyone around me for what I have. I guess it could have been worse. I just came off the best year I had in the 4 years so far in Texas.

Wow, I guess I should be entering the litigation network...where do you get certified for this work lol lol...all in all it is good to see there are still inspectors out there doing well, I think this market is going to last awhile as expressed above by me and others...I know one thing for sure and that is that alot of home inspectors are falling out of the game left and right in this market and after the winter I think we will have lost 20-40% of the home inspectors in this industry. I sure hope the down market negates new inspectors from entering as well...one can only hope that if you stay in the biz long enough the poor inspectors will fall out of the game and you will find yourself with more work than ever. By the way has this been the case for anyone in their area yet?