SW ASHI may be closing it's doors

[Nick Gromicko]

NICE!!!! That has to be one of the best articles I've ever read.

[Nick Gromicko]

Here is one almost as good IMHO: http://bribewatch.org/bribes/dont-ne...l-estate-agent

[Nick Gromicko]

I always tell agents and consumers both to check and make sure the inspector they are using isn't a member of any association that condones bribing.

[Nick Gromicko]

Oh, and for you inspectors who oddly join a zero-member-benefit association even though you don't bribe agents or participate in preferred vendor schemes (prohibited by NACHI, ASHI, MICB and that Independent North American org)... you are just as guilty.

Belonging to and sending your dues in to an association that permits participation in preferred vendor schemes, even though you yourself don't personally participate in preferred vendor schemes... is just as bad as... belonging to the K.K.K. even though you personally don't participate in lynchings.

[Nick Gromicko]

If any consumer is reading this and is really worried about their inspector being in bed with their REALTOR... I have a solution. I've never told anyone this solution until tonight. Here goes:

Simply call an inspector who is, lives, and works in a different market (maybe 50 or 60 miles away from the home you are buying). Ask the inspector if you can pay him extra to drive to your town and do an inspection for you. The inspector won't know any of the agents in your town and won't care about pleasing them because he knows he'll never see them again.

Yes, I know... it's brilliant .

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by bdoles2

For one, in my area foreclosures are too numerous (as they are everywhere). Homes that are foreclosed you can just forget the MIC theory.

Then you have the ones that just don't give a sh!t about their house.The reason they are selling it is because they don't want to fix the issues. Do you really think they want to pay me to tell them what they already know? Not.

Again this will work in certain regions. It won't work in this region, and I have my opinion why. To remain politically correct I'll keep that reason to myself.

I'm in the same boat, Brian.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Over the past 30 years I've known great inspectors and horrible inspectors. I've seen great inspectors in all national or state associations AND a whole lot of inspectors I would not trust to inspect my pole barn.

I go to meetings of NACHI, ASHI and NAHI. I've taught classes at meetings of all 3 and see a wide group from all across the country. Some with little experience and some with a lot of experience. During the past 30 years I've seen a whole lot of inspectors just stand there and take up space.

AND I've seen more than my fair share of guys or gals that do absolutely nothing for the association OR our profession BUT spend every waking hour trying to figure out how they can dominate or control their local or national inspection group AND continually try to shaft anyone that doesn't think their way.

AND I've seen many inspectors or groups tell everybody they follow this or that SOP and its unethical to do this or that - then do the same thing themselves.

None of the 3 groups have a lock on good guys or bad guys.

[Doug Edwards]

Ditto. What he said.

[Nick Gromicko]

Dan, that may be technically true but you have to admit, the little do-nothing association out of Minneapolis stands alone as the only inspection trade association that permits the bribing of real estate agents through preferred vendor schemes. ASHI and NACHI both correctly prohibit it.

Saying that rape happens in all countries might be true, but if rape were also legal in a particular country, you would certainly have to single that country out as particularly unethical.

I just don't see how one can include the little unethical association out of Minneapolis run by a for-profit company secretly owned by their own Executive Directoress in the same sentence as ASHI or NACHI when discussing ethics.

[Kevin Luce]

Originally Posted by wdecker

This is an interesting, very telling and often overlooked point.

ASHI was started in the Chicago area, their headquarters is just 4 miles to the east of where I live.

Chicago is, first and foremost, a union town. Even now, when unions are on the decline, you have to be Union in order to get certain jobs in the city of Cook County.

Unions started out for a good and needful reason, but those reasons have long since disappeared.

Used to be (when I was a kid) that "Da Union accepts ya, den it trains ya, den, if you know da right guys and kiss their butts, dey gets ya a job. Den you carry tools and kiss a** while ya 'apprentice'. Den, if ya get along wit everyone, dey lets ya become a journyman.

Once ya work and pay yer dues and kiss some more a**, the Union takes care of ya.

But ya GOTTA believe that if the guy doing da work ain't union, dey are taken food right out of da mouth of your children. Sometimes. ya just gotta break some knees, ya know? No scabs on this job, not while we got the union!

This is the attitude. I grew up with it and know it well. It is the call of the mediocre trying to, by shear force of numbers, trying to gain significance.

This is the attitude that I see in many of the local ASHI members. They see NACHI as a bunch of scabs, as non-union people taking away their livelihoods.

That's when they learned how to buy politicians. They have these "bought men" pass laws and change codes. "Require that all electrical has to be in conduit", "Disallow the use of PVC for supply water piping in a house", "I don't care if those 13 Mexicans framed that 4,700 SF house in two days, and did a better job than union guys could have done in 2 months, they ain't union!", "whatta ya mean, I can't get a job with the building dept, inspecting, when I get layed off? I'll just call my Alderman."

Quality and professionalism and client service are not their main driving force. PLUS, they have no idea what this darned internet thing is all about.

Don't get me wrong. There are MANY very professional and quality ASHI inspectors in this area. But, just like any organization that rose from the inferiority complex mentaility of "union group think", I contend that there are a large amount of ASHI guys who are just being passed by and really have no idea why. They were brought up to think that, once they made full membership, they could slack off and still make a living.

But, like all things in life, change is inevetable.

You are correct.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Nick -

Nothing personal to anyone that disagrees with opinion. Its like I happily tell a seller - "My opinion is my own, if yours is different I respect your right to have a different opinion although its obviously wrong".

At this point in MY AREA, almost all NAHI Members are EX-ASHI members. Nothing personal they just got tired of politics and BS. In the 30 years I've done this I've seen way too many guys claim to follow the ........... SOP and say they don't repair things they inspect (the repair company is the wifes or brother-in laws company) nor do they participate in preferred vendor arrangements (then we watch TV or read the paper and see those very same guys or groups doing that and a homeowner crying on the news).

Then I look at NAHI's standards & COE and it looks just fine. In fact although I like certain things best from all 3 groups - overall I think NAHI's standards are written a little clearer and easier to digest than most others.

NAHI CODE OF ETHICS #6

An Inspector shall not, directly or indirectly and for compensation, perform repairs on or recommend contractors to perform repairs on any component or
system included in the inspection under the NAHI Standards of Practice. An Inspector may recommend or offer ancillary inspection services.

NAHI CODE OF ETHICS #7

The inspector will not provide any compensation, inducement, or reward directly or indirectly, to any person or entity other than a client, for the referral of business to the inspector. (The purchase and/or use of
advertising or marketing services or products are not considered compensation, inducement, or reward.)

[Ted Allen]

Originally Posted by ekartal6

Who care's if an inspector is ASHI, NACHI, NAHI, MAHI- MAHI or whatever.

It has nothing to do with what kind of person we are or how good we perform an inspection. It's a call that one feels will benefit their business which is why we are working.

I totaly agree ,Nick's a fool if he thinks differently.

I have very little in the way of Biz. as I sold it to LLLLLLLLLLLL, but the people that are loyal to me pay big bucks for A Todd Allen Inspection.

Nick, you know as well as I do the market is ****, and lot's of HI's and RE Agents are going down. I wonder why you do not talk about this fact? I just want you to be honest.

[Ted Allen]

WOW, talk about red boxes, what's the matter folks are you worried about being regulated by the State because you suck as a Home Inspector and can not pass a simple test?

Well, including the most extreem test of all... The NACHI online test......... My MOM past this test and knows nothing about a residential building. Geeez folks get a grip. My kid tried it and got a 68 she is 13..

I am typing without speaking a word... LOL

[Michael Larson]

Todd you have become such a putz.

[Ted Allen]

Yes, I have.

It is all true..