Licensing Helps HIs/Yes or No?

[James E. Braun, CMI]

Originally Posted by dbowers

After giving it a lot of thought and listening to the Realtors lobbyist and the Trial Attorneys, I know they're not trying to hurt our industry. They just want us to be well educated, trained and financially responsible for anything that breaks or fails in a house for 1 year after our inspection.

They're tired of the unprofessional inspectors in Kansas. I know this to be true because I've sat in the Legislative Hearings and heard them say it.

They're here to help us .................

Thats Funny!
Why do Realtors refer home inspectors in the first place?
Sam Licklier, MAR lobbyist, said in a newsletter years ago that Realtors ought to teach home inspectors a lesson and not refer them. I wish Sam was a man of his word and Realtors listen to him.
And why do most Realtors refer the uncertified inspector? I guess they are more professional.

[Steven C. Meyer]

Originally Posted by dbowers

After giving it a lot of thought and listening to the Realtors lobbyist and the Trial Attorneys, I know they're not trying to hurt our industry. They just want us to be well educated, trained and financially responsible for anything that breaks or fails in a house for 1 year after our inspection.

They're tired of the unprofessional inspectors in Kansas. I know this to be true because I've sat in the Legislative Hearings and heard them say it.

They're here to help us .................

THEN EXPLAIN JUST WHY: a realtor will recommend a non deal killing inspector???? A true story, years ago when I went to sell one of my "flipper" home investments, the buyers realtor told me "don't worry about the inspection, the inspector is blind as a bat and has trouble finding his way out of the attic". Now that is a quality inspection you can "believe in"!!

If a realtor RECOMENDED a qualified professional inspector, that may blow their deal, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

If you really believe that the realtors are tired of "unprofessional inspectors" can I interest you in a bridge???

They are NOT there to help "us" or you, only themselves!!

Reality check, check anyone???

[James E. Braun, CMI]

My girlfriend who is a Realtor came home last night very mad about what a client's mother said about home inspectors. The mother said that inspectors work for the sale.
I told her, this is how the public views home inspectors. She said that I was not like that. I responded but most other home inspectors are and this is what Realtors have done to the home inspection profession. Inspectors are almost disrespected as much as Realtors because of Realtors. I then reminded her of an inspector that we both know was run out on a rail in our lovely town by Realtors. I told her that my hope of ever getting a lot of Realtor referrals diminished years ago.
My girlfriend knows that I have no problem killing one of her deals during an inspection, if there are some major issues with a home.
She can be your typical Realtor and she does not understand why the public despises her profession. I told her awhile back to stop listening to MAR and she will be a better agent because of it.

[kluce]

You guys make me appreciate the area I live in when I read your posts. Home inspectors in this area are appreciated most of the time by the Realtor and client. I feel most of the home inspectors are knowledgeable and provide a good service. While there are some Realtors that do recommend the home inspector that will be in and out in an hour, I normally don't have to deal with them since they stay away from me and I stay away from them.

It must suck to live in an area where Realtors are not there for their client and a high number of home inspectors are providing a service just for the money.

The one thing that I have seen changed around here is that when a home inspector does a bad job (at least that's what the Realtor and/or Client think), they are talking bad about that home inspector and not about home inspectors in general. 7 years ago, if a home inspector did something bad, they would have talked about home inspectors as a whole (just like how we talk about doctors and how long we have to wait even though we made appointments).

[James H. Bushart]

First and foremost, what anyone from the outside needs to understand before taking the side of either the real estate salesman or the home inspector in Missouri (and other states) is the total absence of building codes and their enforcement in the majority of the state.

Every time a well meaning legislator will propose a minimum standard for safety in the construction of buildings in this state, the well funded and powerful lobbying infrastructure of the Missouri Association of Realtors and the Missouri Builders Association will kick in to defeat this legislation.

They often quote the following statistic that they have created: "Each additional $1000 increase in the cost of a home will put it out of the reach of 400 Missouri families."

Pretending to keep housing costs down ("pretending" being the key word, for what is the salesman's commission based upon in the first place), the sacrifice that they will always suggest are the minimum nationally accepted standards to keep a building safe.

Now....after spending millions to keep building codes out of the picture, along comes this a-hole home inspector who examines the cumulative affect of a builder and several remodeling contractors who have followed him over the years (along with a few "Harry Homeowner Handyman Specials" along the way...and suggests that there might be something wrong with the house. Remember, before, how the real estate salesman and builder were concerned about keeping the price down? When the inspector comes across legitimate reasons for doing so as he uncovers certain conditions not adequately addressed by the contractors who came before him, he is a "deal killer" and must be "controlled".

Does the real estate salesman and the builder think that it might be a good idea to apply a minimum standard....to inspect for compliance at the time the work is being accomplished....to train and license electricians, plumbers, carpenters and hvac techs to perform their work in accordance with these standards? Or, as has been the case in several of our states, is it simpler to reduce the home inspector into a real estate professionally controlled commodity through licensing legislation?

Kansas has no state building codes, no state licensed builders or contractors, and NOW has a real estate salesman seated on the home inspector licensing board to see to it that home inspectors know their place. They strive to push the same on us in Missouri, and we continue to resist them.

[Gary Farnsworth]

I like your idea of not registering. They can come get me for properly serving the home buyers of Kansas. It will be a great news story, perhaps nationwide.

[James H. Bushart]

I live 28 miles from the Kansas border and I have no intention of registering with the Kansas Licensing Board.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Another idea. I could always move to Missouri.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

You guys are humiliating me and our business. Try and remember we need to be TEAM players. Apparently from what I've heard recently some of the inspectors are going beyond their place and being alarmists.

You better inspectors won't believe this, but I recently heard about some unprofessional and alarmist type inspector that told a buyer that the A/C unit could fail any day AND the buyer ought to plan on replacing it in the near future - just because it was 36 years old.

Well you can imagine how alarming that was to a 1st time buyer AND even though they'd already got the poor seller to drop his price by $2,700 THEY asked for a $1,100 credit toward a new A/C unit. When the seller refused they walked on the real estate contract / COSTING the poor agent their commission.

The kicker is the unit was running and cooling AND as the agent later said to me - That *#7@" inspector will pay for causing me to lose my $$$$$$. She also told me the home inspectors only job is to see if it works or not AND not to interject personal thoughts like life spans that can scare buyers.

She told me that this type of BAD home inspector is driving the Realtors to push even the GOOD home inspectors among us into licensure.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Who? Who hired the inspector? Who suggested the inspector? Then the agent needs to not recommend that inspector anymore if they did. The agents have the responsiblity to tell their brokers about this inspector, and not suggest him/her anymore. Find another one. Like a bad auto mechanic, find a good one. If the buyer hires the inspector, it is then between the agent and the buyer to negotiate the defect. Have the seller get the unit checked. Get second opinion. Get it further evaluated. That, may be the buyer and/or seller agent's fault. The buyer's agent also needs to understand that licensing will not solve anything; only lower the standards. She/he needs to find another inspector. The buyer should have been counsled by the agent on how to find a good inspector, what questions to ask the inspector before hiring, etc.

I have seen furnaces 80 years of age, and old Crysler A/C units from the 60's still working fine. They may have newer compressors, coils, fans, blowers, etc. The A/C is operating today, but the unit is out of warranty, is older in age, and can fail at any time. Life of unit may be limited.

Dan, you are a great person, and if I have affended you on this thread, I appologize. I just hope that by me expressing my opinions here on this message board, I will be able to run my business as I see fit in this state. It is a right to work state. I hope lawmakers and agents realize what they are getting us into.

Edit: can you define "better inspectors"? With the new licensing laws, there will be no such thing. By the way, it is the buyer who decides to walk. The agent needs to compain to him/her. Being a "bad inspector" is also her opinion. I am perhaps also a "bad inspector" deal killer because all of the defects I have found in homes that did not sell. With licensing, I will become a licensed certified deal killer.

[Brian E. Kelly]

I agree. 116 72.96%


I disagree. 43 27.04%

It might be possible thatif I lived in a part of the country ( like that would ever happen) where many professions were not licensed I would also be leery of HI licensing. But, the fact of the matter is I do not, licensing IMO works very well here in the AZ as a minimum standard. I think that 6 new inspectors got their license in the last quarter here in AZ.

If anything INACHI does more harm than good with regards to the dreaded newbie inspector some here go on about.

Now do not get me wrong, I still enjoy reading the home spun populist BS piled ever higher and deeper about the Corn Pone Realtors ruining our livelihood, it, for me though, has no basis in reality.

Yall come back now ya'hear.

[David Sorge]

Licensing accomplishes nothing except to open the door for lobby groups to manipulate your business. It essentially has the same effect that unions have in many situations...it makes everyone equal regardless of performance.

The notion that it weeds out the sub-par inspectors is naive. Need proof? Take a drive through AnyTown USA and gaze in amazement at the superior performance of state licensed drivers.

Hell, we witness the performance of state licensed contractors every day...for every reputable, quality conscience contractor, there are 3 more that can't tie their own shoes, yet can receive a license. Knowing what we already know about licensing in every other situation, I can't begin to understand how anyone but the sub-par performers would support it.

[David Sorge]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

licensing IMO works very well here in the AZ as a minimum standard. I think that 6 new inspectors got their license in the last quarter here in AZ

You guys are surely an anomaly. I know many inspectors in AZ and it does appear to work well there. Any idea why that is?

[Nick Gromicko]

Licensing is bad for inspectors (mostly because it causes fee structures to drop)...

and...

good for InterNACHI (mostly because InterNACHI provides everything a licensed inspector needs such as marketing, state-approved continuing education, business success tools, etc).

[Brian E. Kelly]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Licensing is bad for inspectors (mostly because it causes fee structures to drop)...

and...

good for InterNACHI (mostly because InterNACHI provides everything a licensed inspector needs such as marketing, state-approved continuing education, business success tools, etc).

There is no evidence whatsoever that supports your claim.

Internet Certified Inspectors probably do more to drive down prices than anything else.