buddy massey home inspections

[cmassey]

after getting my business up and running ,ive found that most realtors are loballing us ,how do i counter this

[Bob Elliott]

How does a Realtor get away with doing Inspections ?
Where are you?
Please add information to your profile.

[Tim Spargo]

You counter this by trying to explain why your service is better/different, of *more value* to their clients.

The agent is simply trying to save their clients $$$$. If they don't know the difference, it's actually commendable.

If your spouse shopped for tires and saved you $300, you'd be happy. You'd be less happy if they were junk tires, but happy if you didn't know the difference. Right?

As a Home Inspector and *Sales Manager* for your company... show 'em the difference.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

You can only hope that the Realtor loses a listing to Assist To Sell. Only then would they possibly understand.

[ldapkus]

Originally Posted by cmassey

after getting my business up and running ,ive found that most realtors are loballing us ,how do i counter this

Kick 'em in the balls, stop licking their balls for work!!!

[Wayne B. Wilson]

Take them out wine and dine them
Put a new car up for a draw
Offer 1 week paid vacation to the most refereed inspections in a 6 month period.
take a box of donuts to the agents office every day
Or simply move . It will catch up with them BTW i was kidding about the the above ideas

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

You cannot be "low-balled" by anyone unless you allow it - it's as simple as that. As Tim suggested, it's up to you to educate the caller.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

Jeff -

Of course you can be lowballed. How many times does someone call the average inspector / ask for a quote and then never call back. You got lowballed.

OR how many times did someone get referred to you / Before they even call you, their BUDDY - the agent says: "Oh we've used him before, hes really high - Let me give you the name of a guy that does a great inspection and is really affordable".

You got lowballed and NEVER knew it OR had the chance to sell around it.

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by dbowers

Jeff -

Of course you can be lowballed. How many times does someone call the average inspector / ask for a quote and then never call back. You got lowballed.

Not always the case.

I just got three bids for insulation and immediately discounted the lowest bid since the guy never even looked in my attic and tried to convince me that batt would seal my rim joist air leaks.

There are inspectors who will never get the job when a prospective client calls someone after them who can convey the value of his services better than they did...even for a higher fee.

In my experience in sales....consumers can just as easily conclude that a particular inspector (or contractor, or any service provider) is charging more than he is worth when his fee is only $125. Many....not all, but many....will pay more to get more when they are convinced that they need it and that you can provide it.

If he doesn't book with you and moves on to the next inspector on the list....he is telling you "no, thanks". It's not always your fee.

[Bob Elliott]

I almost never have that issue.
One needs to learn how to speak on the phone and if you do not then your'e out of luck.
Part of the business is good job,marketing and speech.

[Brian K. Smith]

Price does not matter once you get a good core group of agents. This year is my 10th year in real estate insp. and I still have a small group from day one that still use us.....many come and go and the key is to always be adding new agents that is if you market to them. I do they are in the business of selling homes so there is no one better imo to go after. There will always be the low ballers out there however most good agents know this and these guys may get one or two here and there.

[Paul Pendley]

Oh jeez....here we go about Lowballers again. And in CA...damn online courses.

[Dan Bowers, CMI]

California seems like a heavenly place to be ........ I keep looking in my area and unfortunately the firms that dominate and do the big volume seem to most of the time be Lowball or Soft OR better yet BOTH

Always seems to have been like that around here. Like the Sams Club for Home Inspectors

[Tim Spargo]

They're here... every shape, IQ and Size.. I mention size, I wear an XL shirt, but a 36 waist... I fit into crawlspaces and attics. I'm not tiny... but I fit <- Obv brag


We're up against it here, too.
Recently, I received an email in regards to an Home Inspection in Lancaster, CA *after* I did the inspection.... it seems there had been at least one *other inspector* before me.

It seems the sender has been very frustrated in the years past in regards to ding-bat inspectors and their inflated reports, his message was basically that of, thanks for the clear reporting methods.

He said "You must be busy, as I *understood* what you were conveying"

Having said that, I think you can convey information *clearly* no matter WHAT you use... be it NCR, Word, software... whatever.

Many will understand that the "Lintel has been structurally compromised in it's middle third." But... explaining that the "Beam in the garage has been incorrectly drilled (cut, notched) through in the middle third, as this area of a Beam can not be altered"

Off to the X Mas functions.. happy holidays