NC Politics at its Worst? by George J. Gioiella.

General Inspection Topics Legislation, Licensing, Ethics & Legal Issues
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SB 1007 - Politics at its Worst?

By George J. Gioiella (joy-ella) Independent Investigative Journalist

May 4, 2009

Re: Senate Bill 1007 (= H979)

‘Just when I though I was out, they sucked me back in’ - Michael Corleone from the Godfather Part III.

With the introduction of Senate Bill 1007 (= H979) by Senator David Hoyle and co-sponsor Don Vaughan, written by Rick Zechini, Director of Government Affairs for the NCAR along with home inspector Bruce Rudd of NC-ASHI Public Relations Committee, the North Carolina Licensed Home Inspector Association and the NC Home Builders Association once again the North Carolina corporate special interests rear their unctuous head and this investigative journalist must interrupt his semi-retirement, writing of books and fishing to keep these folks honest.

Question – This bill has a far reaching implications for consumers and the general public - where is and what happened to the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board in this process?

Chapter 143, Article 9F - North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board

§ 143-151.43. Short title.

This Article is the Home Inspector Licensure Act and may be cited by that name.

§ 143-151.44. Purpose

This Article safeguards the public health, safety, and welfare and protects the public from being harmed by unqualified persons by regulating the use of the title “Licensed Home Inspector” and by providing for the licensure and regulation of those who perform home inspections for compensation.

The corporate terrorists, after four years (2004-08) of controlling, threatening and generally disrupting the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board through former Board member James Liles (a state employee, home inspector, realtor and shill for the corporate special interests at the helm of the terrorist takeover), which this reporter wrote about extensively: http://www.guardresinc.com/files/eletter/george_j.htm and failing to impose their agenda reach a new low in mediocrity with their transparent antics in SB1007.

After much publicity, a courageous public stance by the good home inspectors of this state and an intervention by then Governor Easley resulted in a resounding defeat of their agenda Sen. Hoyle changed the bill to allow the licensing board to introduce legislation for pre-licensing education of home inspectors.

The Board did a fine job and came up with good legislation and sent it along to the NC Department of Insurance. The DOI failed to introduce the legislation opening the door to corporate special interests making their move independently of the duly appointed NC Home Inspector Licensure Board and attempting to impose not a Board rule but General Statue changes that can only benefit realtors and home builders.

If silence is golden then there is no deficit in North Carolina’s budget but a surplus - in gold. My email to the members of the NC DOI Legislative Services Office inquiring why this bill from their charge was not introduced was ignored! This journalist and the public have a right to know why this state agency failed to act on this legislation and the NC DOI needs to be held accountable.

With the exception of Fred Herndon president of the North Carolina Licensed Home Inspector Association, who feels that “political reality requires the Association to negotiate with NCAR and the HBA if we are to enact a meaningful pre licensing education program this year” my inquiry to other interested parties and participants met with no response. In this reporters view Mr. Herndon’s thinking is wrong. The end can never justify the means and choosing the lesser of two evils, (selling out to get pre-licensing education enacted this year) is not acceptable and not worth the price of appeasing an obvious enemy of the public interest. In my view should avoid choosing evil at all – but this may be why I am apolitical.

A brief overview of recent positions of the corporate special interests in areas other than home inspection will show that they did not support standardized mandatory well testing in all one hundred NC Counties and please take a moment a moment to review one of their heroes:

Lew Ranieri: No. 20 on Time’s list of 25 most responsible for U.S. housing crisis!

While Ranieri was vice chairman at Salomon Brothers Inc., he developed the capital markets as a source of funds for housing and commercial real estate, established Salomon’s leadership position in the mortgage-backed securities area, and led the effort to obtain Federal legislation to support and build the market. Ranieri serves on the National Association of Home Builders Mortgage Roundtable and was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1996.

In all fairness, three years ago Mr. Ranieri warned that this unregulated global market had spread to other financial instruments and become dangerous.

In SB 1007 the realtor and home builder special interests seek educational and credentialing parity for General Contractors with Professional Engineers and Architects when qualifying to sit for the home inspector licensing exam? Is there no end to their arrogance?

While home inspectors are a material part of the real estate transaction; with a clear public record supporting their the agenda the Realtors and Home Builders seek to control the NC Home Inspector Licensure Board, the home inspection process to facilitate the sale and make home inspectors a formal part of the rip off of our nation’s economy.

To fulfill the letter and spirit of the licensing law the home inspection industry needs to be free of political influence or pressure. I urge Governor Purdue and members of the NC Assembly to put a stop to this greed and madness, stop SB 1007 and return control of these matters where it belongs; to the North Carolina Home Inspector Licensure Board. No compromise no negotiations on SB 1007! Besides, my five year old grandson can produce more understandable and better composed legislation.

“Your influence counts – use it well and for the betterment of mankind”

©2009 George J. Gioiella and Rainy Day Media. All pertinent rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast, reproduced or redistributed in any manner without the prior written consent of George J. Gioiella. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of George J. Gioiella and George J. Gioiella is solely responsible for its news and editorial contents.

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The political whoring between the Real Estate Board, General Contractors Board and the Inspection Board… as well as numerous other departments is well known among those who keep up with the crap that goes on within our state political arena… I won’t even go into the corruption within the state itself including RE Baord and HI Board to which the FBI may be investigating… however with all that said there is a need to try in reel in some of the problems that exist.

For along time it was common practice to obtain an NCHI license by taking a GC pass the test seminar (by individuals who had no experience in the construction field) to be qualified to be an HI. Without naming any names, I know of several inspectors who took this route and are complete morons yet are giving the industry a bad name. To sit at various state CE courses can be trying at best…especially having to listen to some of the most stupid questions whose answers are should be rudimentary.

While it was the government that created this mess, because of the cries of homebuyers (and real estate agents), politicians are getting involved; the result is simply the pendulum effect…going from one extreme to the other.

I do think that Inspectors should have to prove their qualifications including showing experience in the building industry however working out the details on how that will be achieved will be interesting to say the least.

At one time there were around 2000 inspectors in NC…of which 1/3 were probably actively doing inspections…with new regulations coming down the pipe I foresee that a large pecentage will simply allow their license to expire…some of them should have expired along time ago.

Finally let me say that George is very astute in knowing the inner workings of the various Boards involved. I have been to several of his CE courses (before the Board stripped him of his status…more politics) and they were always informative and presented in a no nonsense light.

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Don’t feel bad. This is happening in every state. Most all media outlets will not run a story on home inspectors and their state liciensing boards. They do not want to ruin their RE advertising. However, due to the efforts of honeset home inspectors, the bubble is about to burst.

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George,
This wouldn’t be sour grapes because the state pulled you cert to do any more CE for licensed home inspectors would it? But I am sure it was the ‘corporate terrorists’ and 'former Board member James Liles (a state employee, home inspector, realtor and shill for the corporate special interests at the helm of the terrorist takeover).

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George has some insight into things that most of us would not pick up on right away but his writing style is hard to follow.

He also seems to inject the theory that something new is about to occur when it is already occurring like GC’s being able to sit for the test without any experience, its always been that way and I agree its a huge mistake.

Same thing with architects and engineers, most of them can’t inspect and properly report on a house in NC without a lot of additional studying and experience.

Good inspectors have certain skills that can not be taught unless they have an inspectors mentality and a desire to do a good job instead of just making money is already in their makeup. I know about some that have done thousands of inspections and I am willing to bet not a single one of them was done very well, its just not their cup of tea. Assuming a contractor, engineer or architect can do this job is reckless.

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Just because you have a driver’s license does not make you a good driver. Same in any other indusry; including home inspectors. All it does is level the playing field to it’s lowest setting.

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I think its somewhat better in NC than SC. I have seen a few reports in NC and they are much better.

Down in SC, its a different story, it really looks like the realtors have taught the inspectors how to inspect and report. Some of the realtors tried that on me when I first started, many just admitted that they only send work to inspectors who “play right”. You should see the difference in reports on the same house here in SC. And I don’t mean stuff that might have changed since the driveby inspector walked through it either.

If you hired licensed contractors out of the yellow pages who charged normal rates, the cost to fix the missed items by the agents favorite inspectors on most houses here it would be in the thousands!

I’m just waiting/planning to catch one lying to a buyer to steer them away from me, it will cost them their job, their house and more. Even the broker will suffer damages when its all over. I am dead serious, I have seen enough and its worse than disgusting. I am in my 5th year now and doing good but I do have to cover a wide area to do that. Also have zero complaints from clients. Not even a bogus complaint!

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Realtors are crooked; especially in this down market. They will do and say anything for a sale, and they are protected by their brokers, who get a piece of the action. Quite a racket, actually. Just one of the major reasons they want us licensed, and under “their” control. If you want to be a professional home inspector, act and be like one. Do not give into these “people”. You work for the client. Serve him/her well, and they will refer you to their friends and relatives. Referals are still the best advertising. Just a few reasons why we are fighting licensing here in Kansas and Missouri. Most all other inspectors in other states should feel the same way. We should all be proud in what we do, and stand up for it, and always do and say what is right for the home buyer.