Thanks, Joshua it is so true .
Love your perfect family well done .
Here’s part 2 as well…
So true… from the site
A real estate agent’s worst nightmare is a free thinking, free spirited, free marketed, unrestrained home inspector. And worse than that… a home inspector who does not play for team REAL ESTATE or one who does not abide by “their” rules. A nonconformist if you will… In the inspection industry these guys are labeled as “deal killers, alarmist and nit-picky”. I say to you, as the home buyer, isn’t this your guy?
HOME BUYERS ADVOCATE
No agent or anyone who has any monetary interest in the outcome of a home inspection should even be allowed to recommend or have anything to do with the entire inspection process.
The public needs to open their eyes and put on their thinking caps.
Jim
Well stated sir. 100% correct
Thanks Marc, oh and it’s Jim not sir…LOL. The movement has begun and is growing. Soon the public will realize how much shenanigans actually take place and just the possibility should make them find their own inspectors and not listen to some agents that have a financial interest in the outcome o the inspection. The sooner they realize this the better of they will be.
Jim
Jim, once again I agree 100%. If you’ve done this job long enough you will see, clear as day what is happening in this business. Agents are getting waaaay too involved in our business. They have no right (like the blog clearly points out) to concern themselves in the business of you protecting your client. Period. Anyone who makes dollar one from a transaction has no business saying who should or should not be qualified (thus the list) to perform an inspection. Nor do they have the right to say who is a good inspector or a bad inspector or what is a big deal or not a “big deal”.
With agents making the time in which a buyer can get their inspections completed shorter, almost in half. I submit, how is it possible for buyers to get a good inspection by a professional in a week when those of us doing this long enough are booked out a week? So the buyer has little choice but to turn to the agents list just as that blog points out, so you may get a guy who is beholden to the agent and will fly through the house and… for half the fee which you may charge.
As the blog points out we are protectors of people and their family and investment. What we do is important and really makes a difference.
Im not a big fan of realtors at all, and I say to them stay out of the business of pushing your clients in any direction. Just keep opening doors, hanging out at starbucks, or whatever it is you do and leave the important business to us…
Agree, but I don’t think that will happen, at lease not within my working lifespan.
Don’t say it won’t happen, of course it will. I worked my butt off for 3 years and Radon testing mandatory in my state, (1 county at a time). That was the 1st of many things to come. Hopefully that will become a national regulation soon. I also have 2 of the largest TV news networks very interested in this and working with me.
What we do, (and it works better than any other marketing BS that anyone in the industry has come up with) is this. Once you have a potential client on the phone tell them straight up, you don’t mess around with any of those so called sales gimmicks that a few inspectors use that give them false dreams…LOL and Most importantly you don’t care if they buy the property or not, as that is what realtors and vendors care about.
Tell the most agents have 1 thing on their agenda and that is to get to the closing table as quick as possible.
Tell them once again that you could care less if they buy the property or not and that when they hire you, your only concern is to find the defects in the property, explain them to them and give them the best recommendations you can. If they want someone to tell them how this house is “The perfect one for them” talk to a realtor !
The typical response I get is, Wow, that’s exactly what I want, when are you available? Never has anyone replied, naaa, I want to use an inspector that works with my agent all the time so the possibility o some shady shenanigans could take place.
Once we all get the word out, the playing field will even itself out and then you can sell yourself on your own merits such as CMI, Master Electrician, 30 years experience or whatever makes you better than your competition etc… and NOT on your affiliation with an agent.
Jim
I’d say it’s already working. My company gets 95% of all our inspections from places other than agents. Dont get me wrong we still get agent referrals but the agents who refer us understand that we dont play agent games. We also raised our prices significantly and you know what? We’re no less busy as we were when we had more agent referrals.
BINGO, Marc, we still do work for many agents also, and like you they know how we feel. I never said there are not some decent agents around that actually want a real inspection, but the fact still is that, they should Not be allowed anywhere, or involved in the inspection process.
In my opinion HI associations, vendors etc… should not be kissing agent a.s…s like they do now, it should be the other way around if they should even be involved together at all, (which they shouldn’t).
The sooner laws are put in place to keep the selling o properties separate from the Inspection process, the sooner the public will get an overall higher quality and more detailed inspection (at least from the low baller, agent butt kissing inspectors that exist, and work for There Agents).
Jim
Agree 100%. And I though I was all alone on this. Im glad theres at least two of us out there. 
Marc
Don’t be silly, there are tons o inspectors that think the same. Just wait and see this way o thinking take over.
Jim
I don’t agree with your sentiments at all and I think you’re grossly disillusioned on what’s happening and been happening since the beginning of this profession. I think (and know) David is right. Like it or not, this business is controlled by Realtors, period. You, I, and any other inspectors who think the same, are going to be waiting a very, very long time for this “take over.” Thinking doesn’t do anything. A few inspectors disagreeing with what goes on between inspectors and Realtors is not going to change anything. Action is going to help “take over,” as you put it.
The thing is, many are not going to bite the hand that feeds. It’s “acceptable.” Everyone’s happy and making fat stacks & buyer’s are getting the houses that they wanted, so what’s the issue?
Unless the public is made aware of what’s happening, how it happens, why it happens, etc. etc., nothing is going to change.
Making the public aware is going to take a lot of people, time, and, especially, lots and lots of money.
A Great man once said, “It All Started With A Mouse”
Jim
And that tiny mouse will easily get stepped on and squashed once again
Sheep follow but never lead. Innovator’s and Thinkers always Lead.
3 years ago people here on this board, most all agents I spoke to and just about everyone told me I was nuts when I told them my Idea about a Public awareness campaign for Mandatory Radon Testing. Well now with the help of some high powered friends, a few crafty lawyers politician friends etc… It is now mandatory here where I am, and soon the legislation encompass more and more states until all are on board…
Go figure, I wasn’t a sheep, but rather an Innovator and thinker (out o the box).
Josh, don’t ever say never. That same great man also once said, If you can dream it, you can do it.
Jim
It will take public awareness and time, I agree with that for sure. Blog sites like this one, having your business website which speak to the public rather than the agents, marketing geared towards the buyers only and having agents speak out as well and not just the ones who got shafted by referring an inspector who got them sued, but changing the mindset of the new agents starting with the association of realtors or whatever governing body they have, wherever that may be.
I can see how it would be hard for these guys to change, especially when they are spoon fed cash. It was hard for us as well to change so i get it.
Marc, you are right on que. The important thing is that we don’t need to get low level agents to change, Just the Govt regulations then the realtor sheep will have to follow. This is what I am doing with Mandatory Radon testing in Maryland. It is working and trust me there was not 1 single agent who wanted it, now they have no choice as we got the hierarchy to shove the new regulations down their throats and they have no choice.
Anyway I totally agree that this is a long and tough road especially with all these vendors and associations that try to brainwash inspectors that agent as…d kissing is the only way to make it. LOL that is so false it’s not even funny, it is the only way THEY maker it, but there existence is not long term. The public will see, the regulations will change and the playing field will become what it should be.
Only the Good will survive, No Agent butt kissing, now giving away useless widgets rom vendors, no specific association affiliations etc… Just Good old Top Quality inspections with experience and the knowledge to do a Fantastic Inspection without any of the useless garbage and relationships many use now.
Just my 2 cents.
Jim