Posted by: Kaplan Real Estate Education
Updated: January 15, 2019
A home inspector is more than someone that has some construction knowledge or experience. Home inspection is a business and to be successful, it must be operated as such. A home inspector must have specific skills and be willing to plan. This starts wtih writing a solid home inspection business plan that will provide a path to follow.
Whether you have never been in a home inspecting business for yourself or are a seasoned veteran, a business plan is critical for success. You must also have knowledge of construction, as well as new and old codes and how to blend them together. A home inspector is a problem solver and will need to understand the subtle signs of component failures and have the ability to direct the client to the solutions. Inspectors must be expert communicators. The presentation is important both verbally and in writing. Good home inspectors have a number of traits in common that allow them to succeed in this industry. While there are different nuances to success in a home inspection career, there are a few main truths that are undeniable and are consistent for most business ventures. Be knowledgeable, have attention to detail, be willing to continually learn, and finally have great customer service.
A typical home inspector spends his or her day in a wide-range of activities like inspecting homes for buyers, writing reports, speaking with prospective clients, and marketing to consumers and real estate agents. You should expect long days, long drives, physical demands, and that you will make mistakes. So many havea fear of making mistakes; you will and every inspector has. Because you may overlook something, a good business will carry the proper insurance, have a written contract, and adopt a Standard of Practice. These tools, as well as doing a good job, will control the home inspector’s liability.
Now that you know the benefits, challenges, and what you need to succeed as a home inspector, learn how to become one.
We compiled the knowledge of six successful home inspection professionals into one valuable eBook to give you the insider's knowledge you need to know before starting your career. We asked these pros what advice they'd give to prospective home inspectors, and where they often see new inspectors fail. This free eBook contains all of their advice in one essential resource for anyone preparing to make a career shift to home inspection.
