Hi everyone! I know that I am having trouble getting business because I am new in the business, but I was just wondering if any of you are having a "slow" time right now because of the mortgage mess going on in this country. Would you veterans say that this time of year (holidays coming around) gets slower or does the home inspection business have no specific periods? Hope you are all doing well. I am well, just struggling to get business.

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Sheryl - I'm not an aged veteran of the business, (just aged!) but in my experience there are definitely seasons with their ups and downs, and, yes, the current real estate downturn is definitely affecting many markets. The fact that you are just starting out is only going to make things more difficult.

Just had a conversation with a very competent 15+ year inspector in my area with a really deep referral base who's business is way down.

Going strong in Mid- Tennessee!

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

It has been slow for me, but the last few weeks has really picked up.
All real estate is local. Our market values are up where some areas of the country have taken real hits.
I still think the 3 years to establish a profitable new business is about right on average, maybe longer with the recent mortgage and foreclosure events.

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Jim Luttrall
Mr. Inspector.net, Inc.
Allen, Texas 75002

Saying it is 'slow' is like saying Quasimoto had 'back trouble'.
It does seem to be picking up here, just in time for the 'slow season'.
When I started in 1997, winters were always slow, especially around the holidays. From about 2003-2006 I never had a slow time. I was patting myself on the back about how great I must be, now I know better.

Realistically, I think we are getting back to the way it used to be where we are going to have slow and busy seasons. You got into the biz at a bad time. Use your time to get out and market, schmooze and get to know people.

Some inspectors think it is wrong to market to Realtors, but the fact is, most buyers let the Realtor choose the inspector. Marketing to Realtors does not mean you lower your standards or that 'they are your client'. In my opinion, some people are afraid to market to Realtors because they are unsure of their own ethics. When things pick up maybe they will think of you first.

I am probably down by 30% or more. I see this event as a correction and thinning the herd of inspectors, Realtors, mortgage brokers, appraisers, etc.

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Good cartoon! Always a good philosophy if you aren't one of the ones getting thinned.
Problem is, many of the new inspectors are doing this as a sideline. A major slow down doesn't really thin out the part time guys, it tends to thin out the better, full time people, same in the RE buisness. We stay busy enough, but our income suffers. The part timers just go back to their vocation and come back in as things pick up. As with you Joe, HI is my career, if I can't make a living at it I will have to find something else to do with probably no intention of ever getting back into it. When I change careers, I CHANGE CAREERS, if you know what I mean.
I don't mean to imply that things are that bad, I'm still busy enough and am still actually enjoying the slow down, but as a newbee considering this? I don't know.

Hi, Ten years in business and now the business is turning into more of a hobby! Had to send wife back to work to pay for health care. JG.

Business for me in Northwest corner of Indiana is still going good. I have had an increase of business for the buyers that live in the Illinois/Chicago area. Angie's List has just started in this area and many Illinois people use it to find home inspectors around here.

Michael, I think the reason they are moving into Lake County, Indiana is that the price of houses are cheaper, the taxes are cheaper and yet they can still drive to Chicago to make the big bucks.

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I say lets merge all the home inspection organizations into one.

Seepaluce

Things are pretty slow here in North Idaho, I've been keeping busy doing renovatgions and watching the number of Hi's in the area drop dramatically, along with doing a lot of Fishing.

Last year at one time there were only 1800 homes on the market here, the last time I checked there were 4800, we went from bidding wars to "price reduced'" very rapidly, just when I was getting my business going pretty good, now I'm back to Plan "B", doing what I did for years, luckily I'm retired from the Army and another government agency so I can ride out the slow times waiting for my wife to retire when we plan to get on our sailboat and disappear into the sunset.

My business volume is the same as last year. But now i have some of the builders here calling to have the homes inspected. To make them a punch list. Thats a big difference from when they would escort me off of the property.

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Henry Valenzano CMI (Hank)
Hank@DCHI.com

Dispite the bad housing market around here business has been fine. The only difference is I am inspecting mostly bank owned/vacant homes these days which is good and bad. The bad part is bank owned homes tend to need extensive repairs. The good part is there is no furnature or other items blocking walls or floors so I can move around faster and see everything.

My inspection today was an example of the bad side with less than 2000 square feet taking almost five hours..

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Principles don't change with circumstances. That's what makes them principles.
-George Colombo