We know a lot of stuff. If you stop to think about it, no matter what industry we’re in, we all went through a lot of training to get where we are today. It may have been in a classroom, behind a computer screen, face to face with a trainer, or some combination of all three. But, odds are we’ve …
One (Double) Report to Rule them All
Real estate agents. Certified Public Accountants. Attorneys. Personal Trainers. What do all these professions have in common, you might ask? Each one of them is in a service-based business, just like a professional home inspector. None of these people are selling you a physical product; they’re selling you their services. Most of us have probably not even stopped to think …
The Pig Farm
One of the things that we constantly discuss in these articles is the need to continually educate yourself. Arguably, the worst thing that a business owner can do is to assume that they know everything there is to know about their business. Our world is constantly changing, and business and industry are no exception. Certainly, it’s in our best interest …
So, you think you know it all?
Working in any part of the real estate industry has its challenges, but (in my opinion) the most difficult part has to be the negotiations that occur between the buyer and seller after the completion of a home inspection. (And I’m not just saying that because I’m a home inspector.) For real estate agents, this can be a nightmare situation. …
The Four-Letter Word
Code. It’s considered a “four-letter word” by some home inspectors, and the reason why we have building codes is often misunderstood. Code refers to the set of rules that specify the standards intended to (hopefully) guide the contractors who built the structure that you are now inspecting. The main purpose of codes is to provide construction guidelines that help to …
Learning Lessons in the Most Improbable Places
I always find it amusing when I discover something in my personal life that correlates to my professional life. It’s almost as if the experiences in one part of my life are attempting to prepare me for the trials and tribulations that lie ahead in other areas. Now, if I would only start paying more attention… I’m currently …
Late To the Party
I have been extremely fortunate to find myself in a very unique position in the home inspection industry. I was lucky enough to get in on the ground floor of a multi-inspector firm with my friends and business partners. I started doing inspections, growing my business to 40 inspections a month, and then hiring and training my replacement for those …
Can I Do This for Another Year? How To Keep a New Business Going
I hope that everyone is doing well and having more fun than I am at this moment. I am currently at the computer, working on bookkeeping late at night. While QuickBooks is far from my favorite pastime, it is a necessary evil of life as a small business owner. And while I may rather jab myself in the eye with …
Alone Again. Why Personal Interaction Fuels Personal Growth
As home inspectors, we are often left (alone) to our own devices. A good portion of our job is done in isolation: we walk the roof alone, we check out the attic alone, we crawl under the house alone, we spend a good portion of our inspection alone, and we typically edit and produce our reports alone. I have often …
Education, Education, Education.
I thought that I would title this post in honor of Sidney Chaisson, by using his most familiar quote: “Education, education, education.” Sidney is one of the venerable inspectors in our industry. He was the first home inspector licensed in Louisiana (LA LHI# 10001) served as chairman of the Louisiana State Board of Home Inspectors and an active member of ASHI. He …
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