Thread: New here, makeing introductions.

Hello all, My name is Dean. From the Metroplex.

Presently I'm a graphic designer and look forward to entering into classes a Champions School of Real Estate for a PHI Lic. Now I'm in the "being poor to save money" aspect of the idea. I've done quite a bit of research and have many many ideas. I look forward to interacting with you folks.

Take care

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• Introductions Forum

Welcome Dean,

Just wondering why you decided to change fields and how you happened to choose home inspecting as the best choice of all possible careers. What attracts you to home inspecting?

the desire to be in the poor house, maybe?

Bruce - Hey, yes I to see the jump from design to inspection as quite an extrem jump but honestly, im tired of desk work. Ive worked roofing some in the past, and dock construction too, I see HI as a way where I can launch myself into other industry related jobs. I can surmise that in my youth and ignorance that makeing such a move may be a mistake but... I have some big ideas. I am just holding my breath until that wake up call. I intend to do both design and inspections... weird, I know.
Rick - Haha My wife too worries over that question. Is the market that bad? What are you seeing? full truth.
Thanks yall,
Dean

Originally Posted by Dean Prescott

Rick - Haha My wife too worries over that question. Is the market that bad? What are you seeing? full truth.
Thanks yall,
Dean

Yes, it is that bad! Folks are not buying homes because they can't sell their current home. We have so many REO homes on the market that until that inventory is reduced and the builders start building again we will not see a recovery in the housing industry.

A good week for me now is around 2-3 home inspections. My average prior to 2007 use to be 10 a week and I was booked 7-10 days out.

Some markets are better than others, my market is in the middle.

Hi Dean and welcome to the forums,

A few hours of classroom and passing a National exam does not make a Home Inspector Dean.

You stated that you have experience working on roofs and docks which is a start but that experience is not enough to be able to give clients what they deserve when they are wanting a home inspected. You want to be able to give advice to your clients based on experience and knowledge that have come from years of working in the industry and rubbing shoulders with every trade involved in each phase of construction.

Ask a local home inspector in your area if you can saddle up with him and go out on an inspection or two with him as an observer and see if thats what you really want to do before you jump in.

As far as the market goes right now, Scott has it right. It is very weak right now and Real Estate professionals are talking about this could last until next July.

I wish you the best of luck Dean in whatever you decide. Do you have some of your Graphic Art on the web? I do a little photoshop stuff myself and I would be interested in seeing some of your work.

DP,

Welcome and best of luck. You will need it with the current market conditions.

RW suggested getting a ride-a-long in the area ... may or may not happen as most HIs don't care to train future local competition ... it would be more likely to find an HI in another locale to ride with.

Liability insurance requirements of today's HIs also have many not wanting to accept ride-a-longs as well.

As SP noted the overall activity varies by region and it is down in D/FW, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, etc.. I'm in the range of SP's count at ~2-3/week where I used to be locked solid each week and a week or more in advance.

Times are tough and many HIs are doing other side work or have left entirely.

Recovery is not going to happen overnight ... Keep up with the news and you can see that sales counts are down across the board and even those in the process of selling don't always get inspected and when they do in many cases the buyer is shopping for the "drive by" inspector who only charges ~$199 and writes a soft report that makes the agent happy so they can collect their %.

Of course TREC is about to lower the bar for the passing score to become an inspector so it will be easier for you to get your license. That, in of itself, is a whole different can of worms.

Scott - Thank you for you reply, 2-3 a week now? Wow. Do you think this will change the industry all together? If I ever (now) get into this career field I hope to archive some success, but if the market wont have it than what's one to do? But honestly what industry isn't doing bad? - other than repo men.


Rick – Fortunately Texas has it only lic requirements, so I would feel at least “apt” with the training I would receive. What about ICC code compliance? Pool/Spa? Lead? Etc...? Those are things that I was going to train in to cover my basses so I would hope that I would be at least knowledgeable.


I realize that I presently am unqualified to inspect a home, and am also sure that for a while I'll be a little shaky. I am also aware that if I had it my way I “Would at least have more experience.” But aren't these things that have to be learned anyways?
I relize that if you went in for a $170,000 mortaged open heart surguy you would want the best doctor, so where's med school for me/us eh? I'd think I'm a quick learner.


You can fine some of my old stuff at: www.CreativeBinge.com/profile/drewpres
Where can I find some of your work?


Nolan – As a local Dallas home inspector your insight is appreciated. I would have thought (from an outside perspective) that the Dallas market was doing “better.”
No I didn't plan on doing ride a longs because I have heard that that would probably be dissuaded
Initially I plan on this being a second job, for about a year, so I can spend time and money additional adding on different certifications, buying better equipments and marketing.


I have also read much here about lower prices and soft reports, is this an issue of misuse of the trust people relying on home inspectors? I've heard of a push towards regulating independence. But I'm not sure of where that can go.


Why is Texas lowering its score? I don't want an easy test...




All in all everyone I appreciated your replies, this give me much more confidence in my decision to either go for it or not. Which I am still deciding. From everyones experience what is my next step if any? I've got nearly all the money saved to start something, just want to make sure I'm not shooting blanks.




Thanks,
Dean

Dean,
I will hold back some because apparently I have upset a few by being blunt and honest.
I have been about half of normal for about 3 years now. 5 is the new 10 now. While there be some guys that are "busy", they are few and far between.

To me, for someone to pay money to get training in home inspections (and go to the expense of getting a business up and running and getting licensed) should have their head examined.

As far as working on some roofs and building some docks as preparation for getting into inspections go.... its kind of like someone saying they have owned a computer for a few years, played with Photoshop, and have made some cool graphics in MS Office and thinking of getting into the graphic arts biz.

Quick learner or not, you are taking on a huge liability when you do an inspection. I shudder to think about those first inspections I did. If you miss something fairly big (not that hard to do), you might be faced with a lawsuit in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even missing small stuff will have people pissed off looking to you to make it right.

Home inspectors assume a huge liability for a very small paycheck - every job.

Sorry to be blunt. I'm just trying to be honest with you. If you find yourself in my neck of the woods, I would be happy to take you on a ride along or two. If you decide to get into the business, you can count on me to help you (phone calls/e-mails, sounding board).

I'm just saying I don't think it's a good idea, in my opinion.

Jack - Thank you for you reply, I haven't been on the forum long so I can guess people in the past have had a hard time with people being blunt... Not me, I'll take it straight.
I understand completely the liability one takes in entering this field is an amazing amount. For one person to catch everything is quite a challenge, and I believe you all should be liable to charge more, and one day may. But I cannot say for certain just yet that I would walk away. I'm kinda hard headed.
As to paying money to enter the job – I can't say I'm to far behind you on the one.
You know, hearing everyone saying so many bad things about this job certainly puts into perspective everything the guys at the Real Estate School said. For the $$$ for the class.
But what, if anythings are good?!?! I mean I thought I was going to get into an honorable profession that if I just “buckled down” “worked hard” and put my “nose to the grinder” than I may, at least, see some success.

How do I go about obtaining experience?

Is there some other profession that I could be doing that hasn't suffered?
If y'all haven't guessed I'm still on the young side (23) so I'm just trying to fill this one out.
And Jack, As to your offer to help, it is kindly received.



Thanks all,
Dean


PS, none of yall worry about my fellings - so everyone be as blunt as you need to.

The good part is doing something I really enjoy. Helping people.
If you have a bad day at the "office", you know that you don't have to go back to the same "office" the next day. You can't do that in the cubicle world.

The downside is you really don't have the "co-workers" that you can talk about ball scores or the movie you watched last night. Your "co-workers" change with each job.

The good part is you work for yourself. The BAD part is you work for yourself.

I can't think of a profession that has not been impacted by the economy.

Is there some other profession that I could be doing that hasn't suffered?

About the only thing that seems to have grown is the federal government...

Originally Posted by Dean Prescott

PS, none of yall worry about my fellings - so everyone be as blunt as you need to.

OK, then. Yoo arr makeing alott uf speling erors. Plees uze SpelChek.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

OK, then. Yoo arr makeing alott uf speling erors. Plees uze SpelChek.

Too funny Jonh

Jim - Very true

Seems we get an eager person every couple of weeks who wants to change their life and decides to become a home inspector. Not because they like homes, or building, or have a background in building but because they are tired of what they are doing now.

The entire economy is lagging. The field with the most downturn of all the professions is real estate and all its various support services, Building products, building, selling, appraising, inspecting, maintaining, etc.

It seems like moving to Detroit and looking for a job at an auto assembly plant could only be more foolish than entering the real estate industry.

Forum posters from across North America all tell the same story. The market is down in their area. Inspectors are leaving the field in droves. The most experienced with the widest referral networks are at 1/3 of their normal business. Many inspectors have taken part time jobs to keep money coming in due to the horrible market conditions.

Each new eager wannabe is filled with hope at the prospect of something new and exciting. Different from their daily grind. I understand the feeling that something great is about to happen if I change my situation by taking charge. I will attend school. I will graduate and through sheer will power can overcome all the obstacles and succeed.

In the best of times, it took a new inspector 3 years to develop enough referral base to turn a profit and earn a viable wage. When people in the industry with wide referral bases cannot make a viable wage, what are the chances a new person with no technical background, no experience in running a business, starting a business, or any other skills related to the job other than starry eyed optimism can make it succeed?

The hard blunt truth is that home inspecting is not the best choice for anyone to enter right now. If you want a different job than what you have now, find something you LOVE. Something you cannot wait to get out of bed every morning and go do. If you don't just absolutely LOVE rummaging around in muddy crawl spaces and sweating in 150 degree attics, then you need to keep looking for the right profession for you.

Not because you will take my business away. There is no business for you to take away. It is already gone. The medical field is the only field that has to stay local and will always be in demand regardless of the economy. Or mortician.

Well put Bruce!

Bruce - Very well articulated and completely accurate. This gives me much to mull over, and in the places some reality to obfuscate the naivety I have. It is much appreciated. I will continue to monitor the forums and hope that - in the near future - something near this industry returns. I just truly enjoy Customer Service and am tired of my desk job, I should tho be glad that I even have a job to be honest.

I hope you guys are at least doing well from all the negative feedback on the industry that I have received.

Thanks again all,
I'll keep y'all updated.
Dean

Originally Posted by Dean Prescott

Hello all, My name is Dean. From the Metroplex.

Presently I'm a graphic designer and look forward to entering into classes a Champions School of Real Estate for a PHI Lic. Now I'm in the "being poor to save money" aspect of the idea. I've done quite a bit of research and have many many ideas. I look forward to interacting with you folks.

Take care

The absolute best advise I can give anyone entering or changing their employment would be to go directly to a job with great benefits and a 20 to 25 year retirement plan.After that date you can do what ever you wish and never have to worry about anything financially after that date. Second job and second income with a possible second retirement.

Do what you need to set things in motion for future life, even if it is in home inspection. But as so many have said....the home inspection biz is, I repeat, Is not the place to be for some time.

I will add to that. There are home inspectors (very, very few) that just got into the home inspection biz a little over a year ago and some that have been around for a while that have 40 to 50 Realtors that refer them on a regular basis. It is called being a flim flam schmoozer. I think Nolan alluded to that. They butter the Realtors up and their report and their explanation verbally to the clients. It is a very soft report and they let the Realtors "Be in charge of the inspection". If you want to go that route, well, you will probably be one of the few still working hard.

Personally I cannot work that way. I fumble, stumble and bumble my way thru the inspection because their is that uneasiness that sets in as soon as you get to the inspection. You still have to be polite and professional to the client but the client is following the Realtors expectation of what and how an inspection should be. They have already set the client up to be disagreeable to a smooth flowing inspection. They raise their expectations about a home inspection but totally take all that away by conducting business like they do. They build the inspector up to a God like status but then instruct "their" inspector as to how things should and need to be done.

If you want to work like that you WILL be very busy even in the slowest of times.

If you cannot work like that you will be sitting right where the vast majority of inspectors are right now. Mild to slow work flow.

Dean from everything I hear California,Arizona and Florida are doing fine so it all depends on your area.
Nothing wrong with going part time till business improves.

These guys scared me just reading all the negative reaction to where I had to double check and make sure my client number has actually increased in the past year.

Over on the NACHI forum there are guys over the last few months trying to hire help so maybe it is just guys with time to be here that are suffering.
Keep everything in perspective and read all you can on inspection.
Learn the trade.

If you want to do it you will succeed.
Even if the market is down how many homes were sold in your area last month?
Did they get an inspection?

Who did them?

Originally Posted by Bob Elliott

Dean from everything I hear California,Arizona and Florida are doing fine so it all depends on your area.

?

Yes in some parts of AZ some inspectors are doing fine. That may be due to Arizona loosing over 1000 inspectors over the past couple years, and the established guys are picking up the work.
An other fact to consider getting started in this market is, are you prepared to spend $10-15,000 or more and risk loosing all of it, if the business doesn't take off.