New Mexico home inspector licensing/legislative meeting in Albuquerque on October 29

RANM/Home Inspector Meeting Thursday, Oct. 29

The REALTORS® Association of New Mexico (RANM) has set up a meeting with invited home inspectors to get feedback and input on the proposed Home Inspector Licensing bill that RANM again has made a priority.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 29, 3 p.m. in the Rio Grande Room at GAAR, 1635 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque.

All InterNACHI members are encouraged to attend.

I will say this again.

ANY state HI licensing program results in basic, bare minimal requirements, that result in basic reports, that the REA’s want, so as to not alarm home buyers, so the REA’s, title companies, mortgage lenders, REA office brokers can all get their cut of commissions.

Home buyers will get reports that are basic, minimalist, and when they find out, will vote the lawmakers out of office, such as what happened here in Kansas.

All trade-persons, such as plumbers, sheet rock installers, plumbers, home builders, etc. etc. will need to be licensed so they can do the repairs for the legal RE transaction. A state wide building code will have to be implemented, so the HI will know that a defect is a defect against code.

All for one, one for all. Lawsuits will erupt. Just look at other HI licensed states. Call them. HI laws must be strict, to the point, have teeth and high requirements as doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. If not, it will be a mess.

You know a bill is no good for consumers when a Realtor association is trying to pass it.:wink:

is better than nothing at all and at least a good start. Otherwise anyone could go buy a flashlight and ladder and call themselves a Home Inspector. I think States do need to better monitor what’s going on out there in their state rather than waiting for a complaint. And I’m sorry but our profession doesn’t demand the high pay that would justify being held to the same standards as a Doctor/Lawyer/Engineer.

Randy …

You’re wrong but just don’t know it. The late Cole Greenberg from Sedona who helped set up the AZ licensing was a real good 20 year friend of mine, as were several other inspectors from AZ that put that puppy into play. AS you know it was heavily slanted toward 1 home inspector association.

AZ had the BTR which many states have nothing similar to.

MY GF has to have 500 hrs of training to rub your back, BUT other than Texas in most states 80 to 120 hours of classes, liability insurance and a small fee puts a dishwasher, home handyman, house wife or computer software geek into the home inspection business as a “LICENSED” home inspector.with little or no real construction or similar experience.

In some states 1 HI group have used their $$$ to slant the Boards to their people, their SoP (as in AZ), their association test, etc, etc.

AND worse yet is that in various states once they get you licensed … ALMOST anybody or everybody that has more people, more $$$, and more political pull than you (which is almost everybody) can jerk your chain OR try to inflict rules on you that they don’t have on themselves.

When Kansas had licensing, the unlicensed state home builders, and then the realtors and trial attornies were clamoring to make E & O insurance mandatory for home inspectors ALTHOUGH we found no other licensed OR unlicensed profession in our state having this as a REQUIREMENT.

The realtors and trial attornies tried VERY hard to get the law written so it prevented inspectors from limiting their liability by time OR $$$$ while other groups including the realtors themselves had no restrictions like that.

4 years after licensing we saw no improvement OR major change in the amount of DUMB guys in our business.

Agreed!

What we hear many times is that licensing will create droids performing minimal inspections. However not having licensing does nothing from stopping to create droids that perform minimal inspections. Whether an Inspector performs minimal inspections, with or without State licensing, is all up to the Inspector! When droids become a problem it is up to the Inspectors themselves to help weed out the problem!! Unfortunately many Inspectors will not do that since they are afraid to rock the boat. So what we wind up with is many droids performing minimal inspections whether or not licensing is in effect. :roll:

This is a perfect example of why I hate this forum and rarely post. Because somebody always has to puff their chest and put people down. Why do people like you need to be a dck to people just because they don’t think like you do or agree with you. You could have very easily left the above sentence out with your reply. But no, you just had to be a dck about it. Trust me, it ain’t about hurting my feelings, because I don’t have any. It’s about being courteous and respectful.

Some people cannot handle the truth.

Why don’t the REA’s set the HI requirements for themselves? Shouldn’t the REA’s and their offices set the rules, requirements, and parameters high for any HI or tradesperson they deal with? Why can’t they? Why don’t they? Why are the low-ball cheap HI’s in business? Because the REA’s suggest, and hire them.

REA’s want the HI laws, so they can hire the cheap HI’s legally, and want high insurance requirements for the HI’s.

Remember, it is the REA’s who always want something to hide behind. And actually, they are very good at doing it.

Some thoughts and questions above for you. Home Inspector licensing laws can be a very good thing! However no matter what laws are or are not there it still falls on the Home Inspectors to keep track of their own.

Randy … Not intended to be “Dick”, just a strait fact from 35 yrs inspecting.

Emmanuel … “Why don’t Home Inspectors set the bar for themselves?”

Great question. I can’t remember how it plays out in Texas … Since you guys were the 1st licensed AND only licensed inspector state till early / mid 90’s, Could you explain how that running your own show thing has worked for you all.

I was a foundation contractor, Air Conditioning contractor, home and multi-family builder and licensed real estate broker for years. I love home inspection BUT in my whole life I’ve never seen such a group of “micro-managing” people that seem to continually be trying tell the others how to run their business OR how to hold the hammer.

Do like other groups … educate yourself AND make money.

Was this a question? If so read my posts and rephrase it in a clear manner that can be answered.

Emmanuel …

Sorry thought it was very clear. Tell me how running your own show in Texas has worked for you guys down there?

Not sure what you are specifically referring to? I do not put on shows here in Texas. Was this a rhetorical question? If not can you be more specific please?

Question and clarity. Let me assist.

How can any HI with state licensing rules and regulations make large sums of money when they are restricted by HI laws? You cannot.

This is why Nick promotes CEU’s, books, etc. to try to separate HI’s.

All HI’s working under any HI laws have to abide by them. A commodity. Every HI will then do the same reports, same inspection procedures all by law, and charge the same low fees. How then, can you expand your business, and make more money, by doing better, more thorough inspections?

REA’s want the laws, so every HI will be cheap, basic, and minimalist. And, the HI’s are bending over and letting it happen.

Emanuel …

Quit doing the tap dance around the flagpole BS. You and I both know that in Texas you guys have more than a little HELP in running your own home inspection show.

So why not tell us how thats worked for you.

Dan,

You currently hold an inactive Texas license but have been active here in the past. As a result you of all people out of this State should be well aware of how the Texas licensing system functions. You’re question(s) are broad, general, without clarity and substance. You use words and phrases that have no clear meaning. Therefore your questions are either rhetorical or intended to be vague as a method to bait or lead into something else. If you have a specific question please ask it instead of using cryptic words and phrases. Otherwise since you are a Texas licensed HI please provide us with your opinion on whatever it is you are looking to discuss.

This is from the Texas rules/laws for licensed Inspectors.

Of importance is the bold, underlined sentence above. The Texas law/rules allow licensed Inspectors to exceed the State required minimum inspection standards as long as they are not performing an action controlled by another licensed function without the Inspector also holding that license. There are many, many ways that licensed Texas Inspectors can easily exceed these minimal standards from the State! However many Inspectors choose not to and instead hide behind the minimal standards. That is where you see the Inspector/inspection becoming nothing more than a commodity!!

Emmanuel …

Your reply #9 I believe to Gary Farnsworth gave me the impression that all home inspectors had to do was raise the bar for themselves. BUT sometimes that doesn’t work and we don’t get to rule ourselves or set our own rules as you know.

Bottom Line Is: In some areas like Nevada or Wisconsin guys got pushed into licensing, and then it was mostly done.

In other states, once inspectors got pushed into licensing by other special interest groups … The fun was just starting. The rules got changed every couple of years by other parties NOT usually in our best interest, which is a lot of what I think Gary Farnsworth was alluding to in his post.

Something else Gary alluded to is a simple fact of life …In many areas of the country (not all but alot), the companies with 3-4 or half a dozen inspectors, and doing the most business are not the most thorough and not always the best qualified.

Why is that … Good marketing and the real estate sales force. I’ve seen that in most places I’ve ever lived.

That does not mean that a good thorough inspector can’t make a good living, he just has to work harder than some.

Dan,

Yes raising the bar might not work in every situation. Unfortunately even though there are many out there trying there is not enough out there trying to raise the bar. In fact the minimalist Inspectors most likely outweigh those trying since the Minimalist way seems to be the norm. However if that could change to a larger percentage that does raise the bar then the Minimalists will start to fade away. Until then we have an up hill battle.

As for ruling ourselves yes I do agree that we do not always get to rule ourselves and quite frankly not often at all. Luckily though the rules that are put in place tend to be either favor the minimalist approach (as alluded to by Gary) or are vague (as you have alluded to). Some look at this as a bad deal for consumers and tying the Inspectors’ hands. I prefer to look at it from the other direction in that it does give us quite a bit of latitude if we learn how to use it. Part of learning how to use is is raising the bar by exceeding the State required minimums at every available opportunity that we legally can (Re: other licensing laws). In doing so the following does happen.

  • The consumer receives a truly outstanding service and that does nothing else than leave a much better impression of this profession and its members.
  • If you exceed the vague standards (SOP) required by the State then you certainly don’t have to worry about not meeting them and being called to the carpet for failing to meet them.
  • If we provide a truly detailed inspection and detailed report then your E&O carrier loves you and the chances of having to deal with a claim all but vaporize!

Yes I agree with your statement, and Gary’s alluding if that is what he alluded to, regarding the rules, how they are created, how they are changed, and how some are just flat out ignorant! You know how it works in Texas and open comments during rule changes are an exercise in futility! Unfortunately there is not a lot we can do about that and must learn to work around it. Regardless of the rules and their unfortunate condition(s) if we raise the bar and perform professionally with our clients’ best interests that is all you can do to prevent being called on a rule violation when it happens.

With reference to the multi-inspector firms yes some are definitely a problem. I even use one of their reports as a sample to potential clients along with mine for the same house I inspected less than 45 days after the multi-inspector firm. Their report was a total joke! Had my client allowed me to I would have sent them both to TREC and let TREC sort it out. Some of the multi’s here are lowballers themselves and after they take their cut the Inspector doing the actual inspection and report is paid peanuts and the work product shows it. The inspections and reports help sell homes and they will always unfortunately have plenty of referrals for their poor efforts!

Yes a good and thorough Inspector must, under current conditions, work well harder than the rest to make a living. But the rewards for doing it right are worth more than having hoards of cash from multiple crappy inspections a day, 5 - 7 days a week. Maybe I am just to altruistic but I have never taken any job (as a licensed Inspector or other) and performed in a job just for the sake of making tons of money! Money is just one of the rewards for doing an outstanding job, but to look at it as the only reason to do a job then it does become nothing more than a job.

As soon as Inspectors get serious and actually raise the bar on themselves and start performing like professionals then all of us will benefit including the consumers!!