VAREI needs the support (membership & dues) of all Virginia Home Inspectors (NACHI, ASHI, NAHI, Independent) to continue its work in Richmond. VAREI officers volunteer (no pay and even loose work) their time to represent you in Richmond but the lobbyists do not ($$).
If you haven’t joined yet, do so today and support VAREI’s efforts in Richmond.
Mandatory licensing is coming: The Virginia Association of Realtors (VAR) will be submitting a bill this January to require mandatory licensing of all home inspectors working in Virginia. VAREI’s retired lobbyist (working as a consultant until the new lobbyist is up to speed) is in contact with VAR’s representative and working along with VAREI’s Board of Directors to word the bill to minimize the impact it will have on Virginia home inspectors.
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New construction inspection training module:** Several VAREI officers have been working directly with Virginia DPOR and the Home Builders Association on your behalf to develop a palatable Education Module required by HB2103.
I told all of you this was coming many times in the past and to get certified and then. To no avail I was laughed t and got into many debates (even with you Nick and the Morrell guy). Just remember 1 thing, I told you all !!! Also those letters do NOT tell the whole story, not even close but you will all find out soon enough…LOL
That was all for now and the past, but trust me there is more to come…LOL
I told all of you this was coming many times in the past and to get certified and then. To no avail I was laughed t and got into many debates (even with you Nick and the Morrell guy). Just remember 1 thing, I told you all !!! Also those letters do NOT tell the whole story, not even close but you will all find out soon enough…LoL
State licensing of home inspectors solves nothing, It just creates an albatross so states can fill their revenue coffers, REA’s get basic, bare minimal reports created by bare minimum standards, politicians get campaign funding from lobbyists, and home buyers get the shaft with resulting say-minimum reports.
Insurance companies get more revenue from the insurance requirements, software companies make more money, educational providers make more money, yada yada.
It is and always will be about money. Never about the consumer.
With licensing, you will have to implement state wide home building codes so you can report if a home defect is a defect. You have to license all trades people who build and repair homes for any real estate transaction.
It should be up to the REA’s and their office brokers and companies to set their office and company HI and repair person standards and requirements.
They all want to hide behind some law. Sad that most HI’s want to hide also.
Gary we both know this licensing topic has gone on since the beginning of inspections. Trust me I am not really in favor of any govt involvement in anything but…
It does do some good in this case. What it does is at least weeds out those trolls that go around doing inspections with no education or skills whatsoever, kind of like the old west. So at a minimum it at least makes home inspectors have insurance, and some knowledge as you need to take a certified state course and then pass the NHIE. Now I am not saying that makes a good inspector, but it does weed out the total riff raff and raises the bar a little bit.
I mean right now in non licensed states anyone that gives clients some widgets
whether they know the difference between a rim joist and a door knob can call themselves a Certified Expert Inspector…LOL
Right on Nick, and we are averaging 10-29 radon tests in Northern VA currently. I am setting up a 2 man crew in the Richmond (central VA) area very soon, just need to get 1 more inspector onboard.
My idea is that it should be the NAR, the REA’s, the office brokers and their parent companies to set the standards. Why don’t they?
Because they want to continue to suggest the cheap, basic inspectors, so the home will sell, so the title company, lender, office broker, REA, all get their cut of the home sale.
They want to be able to do it legally. Here in Kansas, the governor found out, and got the laws rescinded.
Unless HI laws are implemented upon the same rules as doctors, lawyers, engineers, the laws will be worthless; especially without enforcement.
Not completely disagreeing with you, but since you are in a non-licensed State, please explain to me how your competition is not doing the same exact thing…
Licensing or non-licensing is a not the issue here. Never was, never will be.
It’s heart issue, an integrity issue. If you have in mind to offer minimal service for a minimal fee, well, no licensing or non-licensing is going to change that.
If you have in mind to offer the best service out there with a good fee (or a minimal fee, whatever your business model is), well again, no licensing or non-licensing is going to change that either.
If you haven’t been as busy as you used to be for the last 2-3 years, perhaps changes need to be made in your business model. This happens in any industry. Look at blackberry. They were #1 but did not understand the change that was happening and weren’t able to adapt/change their business model.
I have no competition. Since I do mostly high end properties, the cheap HI’s who charge less, get the smaller, POS homes to inspect. I do one now and then, but it is rare for me. The REA’s who sell small homes must save a penny for the home buyer, so cheap HI’s get a lot of inspections here. The smaller, under 100k homes often take as long as a 400k home, but HI’s have to charge less due to the small size, and charge $200 or less. I won’t start my truck for that.
Every state HI laws allow, legally, basic minimal reports. REA’s do not want to hurt the sale of the low end home or risk the reduced commissions, so their lobbyists push for basic, minimal HI requirements. It is sad that the REA offices and companies still hire and suggest these low cost, basic HI’s.
So as there are lower cost homes, there will always be lower cost HI’s.
Most states will grandfather MANY inspectors that are numnuts with no skills or education or training. Texas has some heavy duty education requirements to get licensed BUT most states have 60-90 hour courses and bango you’re licensed.
Over the years I’ve trained newbies from NON-LICENSED states and newbies getting licensed or registered in states like Illinois, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Virginia. You know what … In most of those states a 21 year old with NO construction, OR anything even closely related can take a 80 hr class, pass whatever state test they give and bango you got a licensed inspector … Scary.
AND based on 35 years of experience YOU still got a butt load of numnuts out there cause many numnuts are carried along by the commissioned sales force.
Dan, agreed! Texas and NC are the two hardest states in the nation for licensing. Probably due to being the first two to require licensed and also having boards.
Funny how most state HI licensing laws are run by the real estate associations; some of the largest conflicts of interest in the real estate industry. All should be investigated, IMO.