Thread: Knocking on doors

I have been throwing around the idea of houses that are on the market going up knocking on the door let them know you are a home inspector. Let them know that if they do a inspection now that it could save them money in the in the end. What do you think?

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A good way to pass time and make conversation...
will it make you money..?
NO....

How would you feel about buying something from somebody who knocked on your door out of the blue?

Well if they explained there self very well and what They could do for me. MAYBE
Most of the people I talk to have no idea that they could have one pre sale.

Exactly,
Good social networking and you are getting your name out there.
Will they do a Pre-Inspection....?
No...

Will they call you when they find a home (if moving locally)...
YES
more than 50 % of the time...

You will at least get exercise!!!!! Get jobs? Not likely. Likely throw your card away before you hit the sidewalk? You bet.

I buy Girl Scout cookies when they knock on the door. Anything else - no matter how good the sales pitch? Sorry, they don't even get a chance to finish their pitch - not interested.

But you will get some exercise.

"Hello. I would like you to pay me money to tell you all the crap that is wrong with your house so you are required to disclose it to a potential buyer."

Originally Posted by Benjamin Thompson

"Hello. I would like you to pay me money to tell you all the crap that is wrong with your house so you are required to disclose it to a potential buyer."

Now that's some funny chit....and true.

I work with Realtors that have all of their Listings Pre-Inspected.

There is a marketing method that consistently makes it work benefitting the Seller, Buyer and their respective Agents.

Your marketing efforts may vary....

I do pre-listing inspections frequently. However, I don't get the jobs by knocking on stranger's doors.

There is a down side of pre-listing inspections. Just like Benjamin said, the sellers now have to disclose the findings, or fix them.

Pre-listing inspections?? Pretty good idea.
Knocking on doors to try to get the jobs?? Not such a good idea.

But at least you will get exercise!!!

Joseph,
What marketing method have you used successfully to sell pre listing inspections? Thanks in advance.

Aaron,
It is about how good of a salesman you are. Cold calling door to door sales is one of the hardest type of sale there is. For it to work you have to have some very special talents and skills. Not for the faint of heart.

Originally Posted by Darrel Hood

Joseph,
What marketing method have you used successfully to sell pre listing inspections? Thanks in advance.

Darrel,

The Listing agent sells the concept to their Client.
In this market, homes need to be exceptional or priced right for the condition.
Pre-Inspected homes sell quicker with fewer objections if properly disclosed and priced.

Listing Agent has the Seller Complete and Pay for the Prelisting Inspection.
Seller repairs or prices property in accordance with repair needs and discloses to potential buyers.

Listing agent re-imburses the Seller the cost of Inspection at time of closing from commission (as long as Home Seller remains a Client with the Listing Agent).

If contract expires and Home Owner lists with an alternative representative, no re-imbursement is made.

- Seller is made aware of the true condition of the home.
- Listing Realtor is not spending marketing efforts (dollars) on a property with unknown deficiencies.
- Buyer's and Buyer Realtor have a clearer representation of the property when initiating the AOS contract.
- Buyer may have an Inspection but unless additional deficiencies are found (those not identified or additionally discovered) the contracted price is not negotiable since the property is appropriately priced in accordance with age, condition and disclosure...

Originally Posted by Aaron Frasher

I have been throwing around the idea of houses that are on the market going up knocking on the door let them know you are a home inspector. Let them know that if they do a inspection now that it could save them money in the in the end. What do you think?

As others have said, it is an idea that can't hurt but your expectations should not be all that great. Cold calling on folks who really have no need for an inspection is going to be a tough one to sell. You might think they have a need but they don't.

I could not find a website for your inspection company, that would be the first step in getting more business and building your business. Your FB page will not do much for you, other than taking time away from you when you could be marketing.

It just takes time to build an inspection business, 3-4 years is not out of the question in today's marketplace.

Good luck with whatever you do.

My wife and daughter decided to help "Ol Dad" out last summer with a Marketing scheme... they were going to surprise me by getting me some phone calls. They began driving around to new housing developments and leaving my card on the kitchen counters in the newly constructed homes in the sub-divisions. They were thinking new home buyers would probably want to get a home inspection before investing in a new home purchase (doesn't happen very often with new homes... bless their hearts for trying!). I got a phone call one day (while on the golf course no less) from a contractor who was very excited thinking he had sold a house and that the clients had ordered a home inspection! Oh Well.... we had a good laugh out of it!

I work with a HI who dose not do Radon and he and I have a few realtors who have their new listings inspected and I do a WDI and start a long term Radon test. This has worked out well foe all concerned. I tried it no my own but got nowhere fast.

Scott,
"....Cold calling on folks who really have no need for an inspection is going to be a tough one to sell. ..."

That is what he has to overcome. Wrong mind set. You have to sell the seller the fact that they need the service. How that is done is called being a salesman and not an order taker.

I tried sending out letters with my information and business card to house on the market. Out of probably 100 letters I finally received one call. In addition they had me inspect a home for their son. So maybe if I had sent out 1000 letters I would have gotten 10 inspections. At the price of stamps, envelpes etc. is that a good return on investment? The thing is persistance pays, so I guess keep trying.

Originally Posted by Patrick McCaffery

I tried sending out letters with my information and business card to house on the market. Out of probably 100 letters I finally received one call. In addition they had me inspect a home for their son. So maybe if I had sent out 1000 letters I would have gotten 10 inspections. At the price of stamps, envelpes etc. is that a good return on investment? The thing is persistance pays, so I guess keep trying.

The rule of thumb on direct mail is to expect a 3% response rate at most. We tried it once, sending out 500 postcards. Never got a single call from them. Web presence is far more effective for us.

--Welmoed

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

Scott,
"....Cold calling on folks who really have no need for an inspection is going to be a tough one to sell. ..."

That is what he has to overcome. Wrong mind set. You have to sell the seller the fact that they need the service. How that is done is called being a salesman and not an order taker.

Good point, I guess that is why I don't care for salesperson's and why I do not hard sell inspections or my services.

I tried sending out letters with my information and business card to house on the market. Out of probably 100 letters I finally received one call. In addition they had me inspect a home for their son. So maybe if I had sent out 1000 letters I would have gotten 10 inspections.

Sample Letter for Inspectors to Send to Home Sellers:

Dear Mr. Homeseller:

I am Joe Goodinspector of ABC inspections and I noticed you are selling your home. I am writing to encourage you to contact me about inspecting your home before any more potential buyers tour it. The advantages of having it inspected now are many:

• You can have me, a certified InterNACHI inspector, do the inspection, rather than be at the mercy of the buyer's choice of inspector.
• You can schedule the inspection with me at your convenience.
• I might be able to alert you to any items of immediate concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation.
• You can assist me during the inspection, something normally not done during a buyer's inspection.
• You can help me correct any misstatements in my inspection report before I generate it.
• The report can help you realistically price your home if problems exist.
• The report can help you substantiate a higher asking price if problems don't exist or have been corrected.
• My report will reveal problems ahead of time, which:
  • might make your home show better.
  • gives you time to make repairs and shop for competitive contractors.
  • permits you to attach repair estimates or paid invoices to the inspection report.
  • removes over-inflated buyer-procured estimates from any future negotiations.
• My report might alert you to any immediate safety issues found, before agents and visitors tour the home.
• My report provides a third-party, unbiased opinion to offer to your potential buyers.
• A seller inspection permits a clean home inspection report to be used as a marketing tool.
• A seller inspection is the ultimate gesture in forthrightness on your part.
• My report might relieve prospective buyers' unfounded suspicions, before they walk away from your home.
• A seller inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour re-negotiations.
• My report might encourage your buyer to waive the inspection contingency.
• Your deal is less likely to fall apart, the way they often do, when a buyer's inspection unexpectedly reveals a last-minute problem.
• My report provides you with full-disclosure protection from future legal claims.
• Your home may qualify to be Move-in-Certified at Move-In Certified.com

I would like to talk with you in person to explain how I can help streamline your real estate sale. And, of course, I always stand ready to inspect the home you are buying, as well. Please contact me.

Joe Goodinspector
ABC Inspections
(123) 456-7890

Lisa,
Do not take the following as an attack on your letter, but as a potential to make it better. Please accept it as constructive criticism. I see potential issues in the way it is worded. Granted a personal opinion and from my perspective and experiences. Though not really a cold call door to door sale, but good direction for a presentation. If using as a mailing it is a good start. Just think some tweaking needed.

“……rather than be at the mercy of the buyer's choice of inspector. ….”
- No one is at the mercy of anyone in the process. 12 different inspectors will generate 12 different reports, some good some bad.

“…You can help me correct any misstatements in my inspection report before I generate it. …”
- May be construed as the Seller helping you write the report., rather than a factual accounting. Either the HI knows what he is doing and makes correct statements or the HI does not what he is doing and should not be there at all.

“…The report can help you substantiate a higher asking price if problems don't exist or have been corrected. …”
- The asking price is based on the condition of the home and is what the Seller is offering as a starting point for negations to purchase. Actual sale price may be higher or lower than offering price. The HI will be exposing himself to liability for representing the properties condition as having no problems. Or certifying the repairs that were done.

“…My report provides a third-party, unbiased opinion to offer to your potential buyers. …”
- If you are writing the report with the assistance of the Seller, it is not truly a third party unbiased opinion.

“…A seller inspection permits a clean home inspection report to be used as a marketing tool. …”
- If the Report is truly unbiased and has been re-inspected. There were no problems found. in the re-inspection. And the HI is willing to guarantee that another HI will not find any deficiencies in the property. And that the Seller’s HI will pay for anything that may be found post sale. Unless clean report is one without coffee stains.

“…A seller inspection lightens negotiations and 11th-hour re-negotiations. …”
- “Lightens negotiations” for the Seller only by being informed of potential issues that may rise in the negations. “11th hour re-negotiations” is way past the inspection process, past the appraisal and Buyer financing approval. It sounds good but would question the basis for the statement.

Lisa,

Excellent marketing letter.
It does work

Originally Posted by Garry Sorrells

“…You can help me correct any misstatements in my inspection report before I generate it. …”
- May be construed as the Seller helping you write the report., rather than a factual accounting. Either the HI knows what he is doing and makes correct statements or the HI does not what he is doing and should not be there at all.

I'd get that out of there. Buyers, sellers, realtors, etc. should not be helping us write our reports. Plus, that statement doesn't do anything to instill confidence in the homeowner and makes the inspector sound like a pushover.......and like Gary said that the inspector doesn't know what he is doing.

Garry,

Since so critical, can you post a copy of the letter that you use?

What about organizing a meeting at a local library , where you invite, roofers, plumbers, electricians, to educate the public. They may just want to show up to get their name out there, and as a Home Inspector you could get your name out there as well as having referrals when issues arise in a home inspection ?

Originally Posted by Benjamin Thompson

"Hello. I would like you to pay me money to tell you all the crap that is wrong with your house so you are required to disclose it to a potential buyer."

LAMO!! Yes... most defiantly some funny Chit..

Just do direct mail... Or dare I say...SEO.

Originally Posted by Joseph Hagarty

Garry,

Since so critical, can you post a copy of the letter that you use?

I think that NACHI has some on payroll that works on and generates marketing tools like this letter, if they don't they should. In today's economy I have no desire to take work away from anyone that would edit their letter.

I didn't think I was being "so critical" just truthful and offering " constructive criticism ". Please put the emphasis on constructive. Sorry that you felt that it was to critical. Lisa's response was good and did not have additional hype attached, (thanks Lisa).