Dear Missouri Association of Realtors....

[James E. Braun, CMI]

About each town in central Missouri uses different year codes. The less enforced towns, very small towns, the older the codes. I do alot of inspections for lenders so my travel area is larger than most inspectors.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

The Lake of the Ozarks area is laughable.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

James -

Two weeks ago I inspected 2 homes at the Lake of the Ozarks. Probably $250,000 - $350,000 range.

18 years old - no GFCI's at all except 1 at boat house and it wouldn't trip (ungrounded). 2 septic systems with laterals 30' +/- of the lake (one partly under the house; 1 was aereated system w/no GFCI); deck posts resting on 2x12 about 12" square boards for footings; exposed romex everywhere on interior walls, ceilings and outside walls of the homes; also in trees for the outside floodlights; soft copper gas line running out of the LPG tank down to the ground and the length of the house before going through the house wall to the kitchen range; no gas shut0off except at LPG tank; you can't pull range out more than 12" because the gas line runs thru the house wall to it and there is no excess in the gas line; another soft copper gas line runs from LPG tank to the chimney - then through the chimney wall into the firebox of the fireplace (with the gas shut-off inside the firebox under the gas logset).

The water line from the well house to the house was a radiator hose laying on the ground OR nailed to the house wall. That explained why we didn't have water that day - was frozen.

The seller seemed a little upset by our report, BUT the agent helped smooth it over for us by explaining that we were from the City and didn't know how houses were built at the lake and how desirable water front property is.

Cosmetically the homes were nice.

Yeah buddy, we gotta get home inspectors licensed in Missouri.

[James H. Bushart]

Looks like the carpet baggers are getting ready for the next legislative session.

[pcarter-old-04]

Originally Posted by jbushart

Looks like the carpet baggers are getting ready for the next legislative session.

That is frickin amazing............................

[Michael Larson]

"The home inspection school offers approved home inspection training required for a home inspection career"

Required by who?

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by pcarter

That is frickin amazing............................

To those Missouri inspectors who are in regular contact with legislators, it might be of interest to your contacts to see this ad....promising training for the "Missouri test" that has not even been written and approved by the State (meaning, those who have been pre-determined to sit on the licensing board).

This is a very enlightening error on the part of proponents for this legislation.

[sspradling]

Dan,
That's why hillbillies are dying off.
Stu

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by jbushart

To those Missouri inspectors who are in regular contact with legislators, it might be of interest to your contacts to see this ad....promising training for the "Missouri test" that has not even been written and approved by the State (meaning, those who have been pre-determined to sit on the licensing board).

This is a very enlightening error on the part of proponents for this legislation.

MAR and ASHI should taken advice from my grandpa, who raised chickens, when he said Do not count your legislation until it is past. It may not be exact but it is similar to what he meant.

Also another thing he keep on saying in an angry voice "Stop playing dodge ball in the chicken house."

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

I wonder if we sign up right now, if we can get a low HI license number.

[James H. Bushart]

From the "For What It's Worth" Department.....

The MAR put out it's long list of legislative interests, yesterday, and home inspection licensing was the next to last item listed with a very non-committal backing.

"Dirty Harry" Morrell, immediate past president of St. Louis ASHI and president of MAHI, announced last night at the ASHI meeting that he thought it unlikely that we would see a bill this year.

The Mike Parson (R-Bolivar) bill (which would have grandfathered all working inspectors in the hopes of garnering HI support) was supposed to be pre-filed in December to give it a head start and assurance of being voted on in this congress. As of today, no HI bill has been filed by Mike Parson or anyone else.

[John Cahill]

I tend to agree with James comments. Licensing is about money, political power and a false prophet called "public protection". Regulation does little to protect the consumer and in fact promotes working to the minimum. If I were to take a middle line I would accept licensing in this manner:

- Minimum education and testing is managed by the licensing agency
- General liability insurance is defined
- E&O is not required. E&O is a business decision and it is designed to protect the business not the public.
- Standards are developed and managed by individuals or trade associations
- Forms are a business choice
- Disputes are settled in arbitration or court; no state agency should investigate standards compliance
- At risk of redundancy, the only thing the state does is govern education and testing. No enforcement without a court decision.

The Texas system is not increasing requirements. They in fact recently reduced educational requirements. It takes less time to get a home inspection license than to get a manicurist or barber license. While it is harder to get licensed in Texas, education requirements in the US is overall very minimal.

I respect those that state they do not market to Realtor referrals but that is simply a very small minority. The truth is the industry is controlled by Realtor referrals and the companies that know it will always dominate the market. Dominate means they make the majority of money and stay in business. Fight it and most will go broke; only a few exceptions will survive. I have been in business a long time and I do not market to Realtors but I do get a lot of Realtor referrals. I am proud to say I work with some demanding Realtors. The scumbag agents hate me and use the minimalist. But then that is why I am a very very small company. If I wanted to expand I would certainly market to agents but that does not mean the quality of my product would be poor.

One thing I dislike about regulation is people telling me how to run my business. They are quick to point out people who do less than themselves and they think they can fix it by passing a rule and riding the white horse called consumer protection. In my opinion they simply lack enough self esteem and talent to make it work on their own or they are misled by believing it will reduce competition and result in more profit. Maybe both.

In my opinion home inspection has lost its chance to become a Profession and is rapidly becoming a commodity. Licensing causes that commodity path to accelerate.

The day of the disposable "insured" inspector, working to a minimum standard that produces a product designed to sell product is here. Sure there will be that segment of the consumer looking for that "I don't work for Realtors" guy but the real future of home inspection is foreseeable.

If you are a new inspector: comply with your NACHI Standard; market to Realtors and everyone; be service minded. Beat your competition with a good product instead of rules.

James, some rules and regulations derive from true public protection. It usually happens after someone died. I see nothing wrong with your reference to the worker who died. It is a valid reference in a debate. It is how all life and safety code are amended. Some death justifies regulation and some does not. In Texas you have to wear a seat belt but not a motorcycle helmet. I see your point.

John
A former, and now reformed, regulator.