New Kansas Home Inspectors Board

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

September 2, 2008

Had a conversation with a home inspector near Wichita this AM.

I'm told that 4 of the 5 Members to the new Home Inspection Board in Kansas have been appointed. They're still holding on the 5th member.

I was told that the new Board is:
1) Ron Naab in Garden City Kansas (far west Kansas) - ASHI Home Inspector
2) Kerry Parham in Wichita Kansas - ASHI Home Inspector & Pres-Elect of KAREI
3) Jeff Barnes in Wichita Kansas - ASHI Home Inspector & Pres of KAREI
4) Ed Robinson in Wichita Kansas - Trial Attorney with Morris-Laing Law Firm in Wichita

(Attorneys Bio off web site - Mr. Robinson is a trial lawyer practicing in civil litigation, appeals and alternative dispute resolution. Ed represents clients in many types of disputes, including environmental, real estate, commercial, consumer protection, and personal injury. He also handles cases at the appellate level. Ed has represented clients under various federal and state environmental statutes, as well as the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and the Kansas Lemon Law.

In addition to representing clients in disputes, Ed advises clients of their rights and obligations under federal and state environmental laws. He also developed Morris Laing's RealAssist© Program to protect home buyers from hidden problems such as mold in the home. He is also a trained mediator).


So that only leaves us 1 more Board Member to Go .............

[Nick Gromicko]

Interesting twist. A mold advocate lawyer on the Board. Hm. Kansas inspectors better get all up into mold http://www.nachi.org/green.htm ... and quick.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by gromicko

Interesting twist. A mold advocate lawyer on the Board. Hm. Kansas inspectors better get all up into mold http://www.nachi.org/green.htm ... and quick.

How fortunate it is for you and your brother to have Kansas home inspectors in such turmoil, creating new markets for your infomercials...I mean...."training videos".

[Gary Farnsworth]

As I said before, I thought I joined the best home inspection assosication available. I guess I didn't. Where is Nick in all of this? Looks like NACHI is done here in Kansas. Missouri cannot be far behind. The inspection industry is about to be taken over by law makers and attorneys. And ASHI.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Oh, And I forgot the KAREI. Anyone in Kansas, and you too, Nick, should check this out:

www.karei.org

These guys all pushed for this new law. Click on the member listing. Some of the names of members are very familiar, and have posted threads on this site. I feel I am the one who is being pushed out. No one from this Kansas organization has ever contacted me about joining. But, I feel some members of KAREI may be posting conflicting messages about NACHI. What gives here? KAREI has only been around since 2003. Where is their money coming from? Why are three board members from this organization, and not NACHI? I get the message from their site that they serve the realtors. Politics stink. Consumers will lose.

[Nick Gromicko]

Boys, boys. I had nothing to do with the mold lawyer on the board. Licensing all but wipes ASHI out in every state it is adopted. Yes, they'll likely adopt the everyone-passes NHIE, the state will put up the licensed list, the fake diploma mill ASHI will have no purpose, the number of inspectors will triple, it will become an all out marketing race... and yes Jim... we will provide all the continuing education in KS for free, forever. www.nachi.org/education.htm and all the marketing too: www.nachi.org/success.htm

I've seen this scenario played out over and over. We'll have 300 members in KS this time next year and the other associations will be hangin on by their finger tips.

And yes Jim I'll be thrilled. There, I admitted it.

[Nick Gromicko]

P.S. By Kansas law, every inspector will, by law, have to join a national association. Every existing inspector, and every new inspector that enters the profession forever and ever. Guess what association 8.5 out of 10 will choose?

www.nachi.org/benefits.htm

But again, I had nothing to do with writing the national association requirement into the legislation. Nothing.

[Gary Farnsworth]

All board members are ASHI. They can push out NACHI, and make you join other organizations. Just you wait. How does this wipe out ASHI????

[Nick Gromicko]

Uh, no they can't. They might have had a chance with an even steven board. Now, as public office holders, they can do no such thing. The law is already written to require membership in a national association. ASHI doesn't even require a proctored exam (only their full members have to take one) where InterNACHI does (see our www.nachi.org/code_of_ethics.htm 1.10 that requires a proctored exam in all states that require one. So it will be very difficult for an ASHI biased board to even approve ASHI (themselves), let alone only themselves.

Anyway, most inspectors belong to NO associaiton.

The new law does 2 things: First it requires all these non-association-inspectors to CHOOSE. Given a choice, most inspectors choose InterNACHI. Like I said, this time next year we'll have 300 members or more. Second, it wipes out nearly all private credentials, ASHI, InterNACHI, PE, BBB, whatever... and replaces it with a new credential... a license. Again, we've seen this over and over. Once the state takes over the credential issuing business, there is no purpose for credential-only associations. Realtors all point to the licensed list. Membership benefits, marketing, inexpensive CE, and business success tools become king. Know any associations that provide a lot of membership benefits, marketing, inexpensive CE, and business success tools?

KS will go as all licensed states go: More inspectors, more InterNACHI members, less ASHI members, overall lower fee structures, and more inspection schools pumping out licensed inspectors waving their newly printed licenses.

[James H. Bushart]

If NACHI is in favor of these actions in Kansas...and pending in Missouri...then NACHI has nothing to offer inspectors in these states.

These laws are harmful to the consumer and the inspector...but you are promoting it as good for NACHI.

It will not be hard to convey to any state the difference between a vending machine and a home inspector association...should it ever come to that.

I can assure you that if NACHI does not support its members who are fighting bad HI laws....it will have no members supporting NACHI in these states.

[Nick Gromicko]

I wish everyone thought like you Jim, but take your own poll on this message board and you will discover that 1/2 our members want licensing.

I try to serve only one master, despite his conflicting instructions.

As for the vending machine thing, you will note that all products it offers benefit members and most are free. Hard to complain about that.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by gromicko

I wish everyone thought like you Jim, but take your own poll on this message board and you will discover that 1/2 our members want licensing.

I try to serve only one master, despite his conflicting instructions.

As for the vending machine thing, you will note that all products it offers benefit members and most are free. Hard to complain about that.

I can assure you beyond any shadow of a doubt that, in Kansas and Missouri, one half of our members do not want licensing. Even the majority of ASHI members are fighting these laws. Where is your support for us, Nick? Is this just a one way street?

[Dave Bush]

Jim, you notice in his post, he states licensing is good for NACHI; not NACHI members, but NACHI.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by dbush2

Jim, you notice in his post, he states licensing is good for NACHI; not NACHI members, but NACHI.

Yes. I know.

When something that is bad for the consumer and harmful to inspectors is "good for NACHI"....there is something terribly wrong with NACHI.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Licensing is only good for the associations, to make money on their services. That is why NACHI and all of the others are in business. That is why they push for licensing laws. You will find that, I bet, it will be over 80% of inspectors do not want licensing. They only need information to promote and market their own business. Whether they choose to purchase them or not is up to them. Not the states. The industry can govern itself. Everyone knows who is good, or not. Auto mechanics, repairmen, contractors, etc. I do not care what Nick says. Licensing is not needed. Why is he pushing for it? Money.