Pending home sales rose in February.

[Linas Dapkus]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Jeff, if this is too personal of a question, don't answer it, but... can you tell us roughly what a good month for you is in terms of gross revenue? Also, how many assistants do you have?

Since you're getting personal, ask Jeff how being married to a Realtor affects his business success.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I have zero assistants. I'd rather not post numbers in a public section.

Originally Posted by ldapkus1

Since you're getting personal, ask Jeff how being married to a Realtor affects his business success.

Honestly, it doesn't hurt, but you should remember, I was an inspector long before she became licensed. Most of my business comes from agents who knew me before she started.

[Gary Farnsworth]

It seems to me these days that to get any business, you have to be involved with conflicts of interest. Sad for our industry as a whole.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by gfarnsworth

It seems to me these days that to get any business, you have to be involved with conflicts of interest. Sad for our industry as a whole.

That would be a sad thing, if it were accurate. I can't speak for your area, but that statement certainly doesn't apply to SoCal.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Here in Kansas, there are many people who are doing home inspections and home checks who are exempt from home inspection laws. Appraisers are reporting home defects to lenders. Engineers are doing home inspections and do not have to abide by any rules, laws, or regulations. RE's, along with their contractor buddies, are doing home "checks" for free. Insurance agents are checking homes for insurability and reporting the findings to home buyers. All who are exempt from Kansas home inspection laws. If you are a home inspector and a real estate agent, you are exempt from any home inspection law, rule, or regulation. Anytime you have a relative within the family who refers you to do a home inspection, good luck in a court of law.

Since home inspection laws were implemented, business for me has fallen dramatically. Sure some of it is due to the economy, but RE's pushed and got these laws in play. Now they themselves can report home conditions. They wanted, and got, laws that allow for basic, limited inspection reporting. When they tell buyers this, buyers no longer trust us, and use whomever their agent suggests. Sad for us veterans, and especially CMI's.

And the same laws are coming to Missouri. These examples are ways that the RE's wanted us out of the way of reporting on sub-par properties for unsuspecting home buyers.

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Originally Posted by dedwards

This is exactly opposite of an article I read today. I also read an article last week that said the NAR has been fudging their numbers.

Give the man a cigar.

[Jeff Merritt]

Better than a year ago.

http://reason.org/blog/show/national...ntory-problems

[Nick Gromicko]

High inventory is good news, not bad news. For there to be real estate inspections, you need real estate transactions, which means you need buyers and sellers. Inventory = sellers.

[Gary Farnsworth]

All we need are buyers. Lenders and investors are holding back funds to lend due to tight credit policies and government restrictions. The pendulum has swung too much the other way.

There is also a lack of trust. Appraisers are reporting home defects to lenders, who should be trusting experienced, qualified home inspectors. IMO, home inspections should be mandatory in any home sale transaction by trained, qualified, inspectors. CMI's should be getting business off the charts, but very little is coming our way.

[Michael Larson]

Why should a buyer buy now when it will be cheaper in 6 months?

[Joseph Burkeson, CMI]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Why should a buyer buy now when it will be cheaper in 6 months?

Same as it ever was... Job Transfer, Family Downsizing, Divorce, Retirement, Location, Location, Location!

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by jburkeson1

Same as it ever was... Job Transfer, Family Downsizing, Divorce, Retirement, Location, Location, Location!

True but that is a much more limited part of the market than the momo days.