May is Sweeps Month - Look Out!!!

[James H. Bushart]

This is the month where television stations fight to attract an increased number of viewers in order to be able to charge more for their advertising air time.

In the past...especially in states where licensing is being successfully resisted....this is the time of the year where that one special home inspection association approaches the local news stations to set up "sting operations" for unsuspecting home inspectors.

A home will be "pre-inspected" and the television producer and his inspector/advisor will carefully record all that is wrong with the house. Then, supposedly at random, area inspectors will be called and asked to come out and do an inspection.

Inspectors will be filmed doing 30 minute inspections, taking various other "short cuts" and - of course - failing to identify the items discovered before their arrival. They will be caught off guard and asked questions regarding their short cuts without the ability to prepare and otherwise made to look very, very incompetent. The piece will end with the reporter discussing the house bill that failed to pass this year...and warn citizens to be careful until next year's congress gets another shot.

Be prepared. Starting today, conduct every inspection as if you are being filmed and use the opportunity to demonstrate how well a real home inspector can operate without state control over his business. Keep your antennas up, your ear to the ground, and stick with the SOP on every single inspection.

Even in licensed states, set-ups like this have happened. I think the last one was in Arizona just last summer.

Good luck.