Thread: Anyone have a positive perspective on beginning in HI?

I've been unfortunate to mostly read negative responses to newbies with interest. Many such posts attempt to denigrate & invalidate a new person's initiative, momentum, and specific efforts. In a nutshell the naysayers say that anyone new to HI is a fool for even considering it and much more of a fool if they waste effort pursuing it unless they can be independently wealthy for the several years required to start making a living at HI. Further, it feels like they resent a new guy aspiring to "join the club".

If there is another wing of the profession ... people who encourage new blood in the ranks and have some positive, encouraging things to say, I'd sure like to hear from you.

I am another aspiring HI in Atlanta. I have great aptitude and really helpful background - that is not directly trade or GC stuff. Enough to make me dedicated and optimistic. I am now about answering the question of what marketable distinctions a newbie has to sell when he does NOT have "I've been in Home Inspection for 27 years" or, "I've done more then 1800 inspectons", or "I'm a professional engineer". I have reason to believe that I will demonstrate the nut can be cracked. I will compete without any of those things early on.

I'd like to discuss and further develop ways to do that rather than collect columns of assertions about my foolishness for considering it.

Anyone game?

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WTH?

You post this once, get an answer you don't like, then post it again about 2 hours later?

Originally Posted by Ramsay Hall

I've been unfortunate to mostly read negative responses to newbies with interest. Many such posts attempt to denigrate & invalidate a new person's initiative, momentum, and specific efforts. In a nutshell the naysayers say that anyone new to HI is a fool for even considering it and much more of a fool if they waste effort pursuing it unless they can be independently wealthy for the several years required to start making a living at HI. Further, it feels like they resent a new guy aspiring to "join the club".

If there is another wing of the profession ... people who encourage new blood in the ranks and have some positive, encouraging things to say, I'd sure like to hear from you.

I am another aspiring HI in Atlanta. I have great aptitude and really helpful background - that is not directly trade or GC stuff. Enough to make me dedicated and optimistic. I am now about answering the question of what marketable distinctions a newbie has to sell when he does NOT have "I've been in Home Inspection for 27 years" or, "I've done more then 1800 inspectons", or "I'm a professional engineer". I have reason to believe that I will demonstrate the nut can be cracked. I will compete without any of those things early on.

I'd like to discuss and further develop ways to do that rather than collect columns of assertions about my foolishness for considering it.

Anyone game?

YOU REALLY DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, DO YOU?

(sigh)

Tell you what, here is something positive and helpful:

Send me $100,000 per month for 12 months and I will make you a millionaire by the end of that 12 months.

If you are a slow learner, we can continue for another 12 months and I will make you a multi-millionaire in that 24 months.

Send me an email and I will give you the address to start sending the checks to.

I offer a guaranty too: Do the above and I can guaranty that you will be a millionaire after 12 months, a multi-millionaire after 24 months.

Originally Posted by Ramsay Hall

I've been unfortunate to mostly read negative responses to newbies with interest. Many such posts attempt to denigrate & invalidate a new person's initiative, momentum, and specific efforts. In a nutshell the naysayers say that anyone new to HI is a fool for even considering it and much more of a fool if they waste effort pursuing it unless they can be independently wealthy for the several years required to start making a living at HI. Further, it feels like they resent a new guy aspiring to "join the club".

If there is another wing of the profession ... people who encourage new blood in the ranks and have some positive, encouraging things to say, I'd sure like to hear from you.

I am another aspiring HI in Atlanta. I have great aptitude and really helpful background - that is not directly trade or GC stuff. Enough to make me dedicated and optimistic. I am now about answering the question of what marketable distinctions a newbie has to sell when he does NOT have "I've been in Home Inspection for 27 years" or, "I've done more then 1800 inspectons", or "I'm a professional engineer". I have reason to believe that I will demonstrate the nut can be cracked. I will compete without any of those things early on.

I'd like to discuss and further develop ways to do that rather than collect columns of assertions about my foolishness for considering it.

Anyone game?

Feel free to email me or call if you wish the truth.

Originally Posted by Ramsay Hall

I've been unfortunate to mostly read negative responses to newbies with interest. Many such posts attempt to denigrate & invalidate a new person's initiative, momentum, and specific efforts. In a nutshell the naysayers say that anyone new to HI is a fool for even considering it and much more of a fool if they waste effort pursuing it unless they can be independently wealthy for the several years required to start making a living at HI. Further, it feels like they resent a new guy aspiring to "join the club".

If there is another wing of the profession ... people who encourage new blood in the ranks and have some positive, encouraging things to say, I'd sure like to hear from you.

I am another aspiring HI in Atlanta. I have great aptitude and really helpful background - that is not directly trade or GC stuff. Enough to make me dedicated and optimistic. I am now about answering the question of what marketable distinctions a newbie has to sell when he does NOT have "I've been in Home Inspection for 27 years" or, "I've done more then 1800 inspectons", or "I'm a professional engineer". I have reason to believe that I will demonstrate the nut can be cracked. I will compete without any of those things early on.

I'd like to discuss and further develop ways to do that rather than collect columns of assertions about my foolishness for considering it.

Anyone game?

Ramsay, I'm in the same boat you are. Have been doing part time driveby for the past month, curious as to how to expand the opportunity and income also. Making $7/ driveby, beginning to not be worth my time.

Ramsay,

Your positive attitude is a very good start. I don't know about the Atlanta area, but most of the Country is in a housing recession. The average homes sales for 2011 here in Rochester, New York has been about 150 per week this year. There are approximately 3000 Real Estate Agents and about 100 licensed home inspectors. Using the 20/80 rule, about 20 of the long time agents and inspectors get 80 % of the work. The established Realtors use established Inspectors. This makes it very difficult for new Inspectors to get enough business to operate full time. Being a Home Inspector is a very fullfilling profession and you can be a knowledgable and thorough inspector, however you must be a good saleman. You will need to spend 80 % of your time selling yourself to Realtors or a very large advertising budget. I wish I had a more positive spin to put on this or a clear cut idea of how to make it a success. I have tried all of the following: 1. Pounding the pavement and knocking on doors. 2. Networking events. 3. Taking Reators to breakfast or lunch. 4. Dropping of brochures to homes for sale. 5. Mailings to Realtors. 6. Mailings to home sellers. 7. Emails to Realtors. 8. Belonging to the Chamber of Commerce. 8. Offering half price inspections (on a one time basis) to Realtors. The competition is fierce and the housing industry is at a 14 year low. I know this sounds negative and if anyone knows the answer, I would certainly appreciate any advice myself.

Patrick, you paint a fairly realistic picture. The hardest thing to do in a down economy is to keep from compromising your values, or cheapening your professionalism by selling out to the temptation to "buy" your inspections from realtors. I have been approached twice just this week by a firm out of Ontario trying to sell me advertising space on a website hosted by a local Real Estate Firm that operates basically as a referral service. Any homes they sell, they will refer me to the buyers as the Home Inspector of choice.... all for $595 a year. Things like this are tempting when you are scratching for every home inspection you can get, but it goes against everything I feel we should be as a "Buyers Advocate"

You're Right Dub,

There are several large Real Estate Comapnies here that allow will refer you if you join as an associate for $2500 a year. They will also tell you how long you should take on the inspection and regulate the price you charge. I like to be independent and do not like to be told how long the inspection should take or what I should charge. I like my independence and like being an advocate for the buyer.

Ramsay,

I entered the HI Market in 2000 (at the time of the past recession).

Market conditions were different then, but with market ability,
you can easily overcome your competition, succeed and remain successful..