|
 |
|
Becoming A Home Inspector: What the Home Inspection Schools Dont Want You To Know
Chances are if you're reading this you've thought about becoming a home inspector. You may have even seen the ads that say you can make hundreds of dollars a day as a home inspector. Home inspection schools put many of these ads out. They paint a rosy picture about the profession and how easy it will be for you to make a ton of money virtually overnight. I'm a Professional Real Estate Inspector and I'm going to tell you what the home inspection schools don't want you to know about this profession! What the Home Inspector schools aren't telling you What these schools and the various company's selling Home Inspection courses won't tell you is how difficult it is to be successful in this business. The National school that I attended for my inspector education made it sound so easy to get started. They explained how easy it would be to start doing 1 home inspection a day with little or no effort. I have many soon-to-be home inspectors email me and call our office asking about the business. This business is like any other. It takes dedication, strong finances and time to become successful. Think you'll get started with no money up front? Many schools do not tell you about the liability side of the home inspection industry. The home inspection industry is a very high liability profession. Every home you inspect is a potential lawsuit. It doesn't matter that you may be the most thorough inspector in your area. Inspectors are sued over things that the homeowners thought they should have found whether or not you could see the defect or not. There's an old saying in this business. "It's not IF you get sued, but WHEN you get sued." If you can't live under this pressure, you'd be best off looking elsewhere. All it takes is a ladder and pickup truck...right? Well, here's more bad news. Like most legitimate businesses, it takes a little more than that. A new inspector is going to need about $5000 worth of tools just to start. Then there is about the issue of insurance. Errors & Omissions Insurance will cost a new inspector (if you can even get it) anywhere from $3500 to $5000 per year. Then there's General Liability Insurance that will run you from $400 to $1500 per year. In some states, you can't even get started without this insurance. Do you have a rainy day fund? I hope so Brother 'cause it will rain on your parade! Just like any new business, the 1st year will be a rough one. It may take you from anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to get to the point where you're bringing in a steady income. Many inspectors came into this business by doing home inspections on the side or part time. That is the approach I would advise any new inspector to take. Don't quit your day job just yet! What about the Real Estate Agents? The schools make it sound like there's an agent behind every tree just waiting for you. Odds are they have their favorite inspector already and they're not likely to use a new inspector because they do not know what to expect from you. It will take you many months up to a year or more before you'll be getting regular referrals from real estate agents. Don't count on them to feed your family when you first start. This industry can be very rewarding in many ways. However it's likely to leave a sour taste in your mouth if you enter thinking that it's a pushover to get started. I've seen way to many good people go broke trying to get started in this business because the home inspection schools left them unprepared for what they were about to face in the real world. Donald Lawson is a Professional Real Estate Inspector licensed in Texas (#5824) and Oklahoma (#454) and currently owns V.I.P. Home Inspections, a multi-inspector firm in Houston Texas. You can find out more about home inspections by visiting his site at Houston Home Inspections There is also a page with helpful books on home inspection on his site at Home Inspection Books
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Negotiate The Best Salary and Benefit Packages Salary and Benefits Negotiation How To Get More Interviews In Your Job Search Richard Bolles, job search guru and author of What Color Is Your Parachute? predicts that you can expect to search for work 1-2 months for every $10,000 you hope to earn. So, if you're looking for a $40,000 a year position, you may search for 4-8 months to land it. Back when the economy sizzled, that job search length would have seemed outrageous, but now, many people would be thrilled to only search for 4-8 months. Tell Me About Yourself The need to tell people about yourself may present itself during an informal conversation with a colleague, on the Little League field with a neighbor, on the phone with a past acquaintance, or in a face-to-face meeting for a job opportunity. "Tell me about yourself" is a favorite question that has befuddled many an unsuspecting candidate. Interpersonal Skill Building -- Yank The Suckers & Weeds According to the National Gardening Association, suckers are rapidly growing shoots rising from an underground root or stem, often to the detriment of the tree. They can be very irritating and annoying for they bear no flowers or fruit. Rather than cut them off, one way to get rid of them is to roughly yank the suckers off to remove the cells and tissues that cause re-growth. Resume Objectives ... The Hidden Pitfalls Why Use Resume Objectives Preparing For An Interview When preparing for an interview, you need to know your skills, experiences and achievements, and how to answer interview questions. Five Qualities Employers Want More than ever, employers want employees who can produce results! Here are five qualities employers seek in such employees. Choose Your References Wisely! So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task, right? Sure, you could contact three of your closest friends and ask them to be your references. They may be able to testify to your character, but do they know how well you would perform on the job? Probably not. Let's explore the types of references you must seek, the number of people you should include, and to whom references should be submitted. How To Ask For A Pay Rise! Negotiating a pay rise is not something many people do on a regular basis. By applying these keys you will be well positioned to improve your negotiation skills and feel more empowered when asking for a pay rise. Your Self-Image in the Workplace When communication breaks down in your office or factory and workers lack motivation, what are the roots of the problem? Need a Job? Put a Gun to Your Head A legendary marketing genius once said that, if he had to write a killer sales letter, he would imagine he had a gun pointed at his head and that he would be shot if his advertising didn't deliver. Ten Tips to a Job Winning Interview These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it! Spiritual Practices Offer Peace and Acceptance Facing career transitions and daily life challenges can leave us feeling lonely, stressed and anxious. How do we manage to deal with the financial and emotional stress of having a home, a car, work (or no work), kids and a spouse in this too-busy world? Stop Whining and Ask For What You Want! When you want something, the best way to get it is to make your request in a straightforward and positive way. You should not expect your boss or co-workers to read your mind and know what your expectations and desires are. Nor should you brood about the fact that someone else has not recognized what you think is obvious to everyone. History Reports: When Your Resume Equals, I Did This, I Did This, I Did This Do these sound familiar? Surviving Corporate Politics Part 2: Keeping Up Appearances Never a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression, or so the saying goes. We all know that when someone is introduced into your work environment for the first time, their peers size them up immediately. How they are dressed, how they talk, and how they set up their workspace. Especially in large companies, where there is constant personnel movement, keeping up your appearance is a full time task. In smaller companies, how you compose yourself from Day 1 is of utmost importance. We will start with the basics: Make Your Career Offshore Proof There has been a lot of talk recently about American jobs moving overseas?offshoring is the buzzword for it. During difficult economic times it is often easy to find a scapegoat to blame for a downturn in jobs. While government reports and politicians try to downplay the impact, offshoring is something to take seriously. This article will discuss the permanent effect offshoring will have on U.S. jobs and what you can do to make sure it doesn't happen to you. Who Do I Have To Kill To Get A Job? I have had more than my amount of trouble in getting a job. I did everything I was supposed to do. I went to an Ivy League school, got a 3.75 grade average, and then graduated as president of his class. Then I entered the job market. Preparation is Key Interviewing for a new job, or a promotion, can be a stressful situation. However, Preparation is the KEY! When preparing for that all important interview, take time to reflect upon your career experiences; and look for at least five good examples of your accomplishments and challenges--we will call them "bragging points". Online Resume Formats There are several types of online resume formats that can be used when contacting potential employers. When you search for job openings online, some companies will have on their websites which online resume format is acceptable.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2008 |
