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What Makes a Successful Home Inspector

WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL HOME INSPECTOR
 January 5, 2021 |  Franchise, Business Tips |  inspection industry, small business, entrepreneur

By Jon McCreath, NPI, Inc.'s Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator
Pictured: Brian Shabino (middle) and Team, NPI Sioux Empire

Home inspectors have a particular set of strengths they continue to cultivate throughout their careers. These go way beyond the inspection process itself in ways that might surprise you! Here are the top traits of the most successful inspectors:

Detailed
In a field like inspecting, it’s the little things that count. Thoroughness is crucial in everything from writing a report to communicating with a customer. There can be a fine line between diligence and over-bearing perfectionism, and it’s important to find the right balance. Nobody is perfect, and stressing over it will slow you down. But crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s shows clients that you care about them as people and don’t think of them as just another sale.

Desire to Learn
Whether it’s picking up a book, talking to a mentor or simply reevaluating after you’ve made a mistake, continuing your education is crucial to becoming a well-rounded inspector. Taking it upon yourself to learn new inspection best practices shows great initiative, and your dedication will shine when you interact with clients and agents. Online classes, following along with updates from official sources and seeking advice will help keep your skills sharp.

Desire to Teach
Along with remaining a student in their career field, successful inspectors also take the time to educate others. Purchasing a home for the first time is an exciting event, but it’s also highly intimidating. Dozens of horror stories tell of dream homes turned nightmares due to missed maintenance issues. Hearing about needed repairs can send a customer’s heart racing, and it’s important to keep them calm. Take the extra time out of your day to try and help a client better understand what’s going on in their new home rather than accidentally talking them out of the purchase.

Ask for Help
“I’ll do it myself” are words often uttered by entrepreneurs who think they can do things best without any outside assistance. There’s the common misconception that asking for help is a sign of weakness, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Knowing your limits only grows you as an inspector and a business owner. Don’t stretch yourself thin trying to take on multiple projects and roles within your company. Hiring extra hands or asking for advice are two things you can do to avoid burning yourself out.

Persistence
Determination combined with a strong entrepreneurial spirit lead to success in any field. For some small business owners, they’re driven to be the best because it can mean taking home a larger check. Others are driven by internal motivators and challenge themselves to constantly be better than yesterday. Whatever your purpose, having that burning desire to achieve your dreams will set you apart from the rest of the pack. As you start your business, figure out what it is you want to accomplish and allow your goals to motivate you. Don’t let setbacks and stumbles deter you from your path.

Communication is Key
An overlooked yet highly essential part of running a successful inspection business is the ability to communicate effectively. There’s different ways to talk to agents and homeowners, and knowing this difference is significant. Inspectors that tend to be more reserved can have trouble overcoming this hurdle, but it can be done. It’ll take work to come out of your shell, but it’s something that people immediately notice and will remember about you.

Are you interested in starting your own home inspection business? Request a free, no-obligation info packet here!

 

About the Author
Jon McCreath, Technical Supervisor & Training Administrator
A former NPI franchise owner and real estate agent, Jon joined the NPI corporate team in 2019. With his inspection expertise and foundation in classroom instruction, Jon teaches and mentors new franchisees during their two-week training course in Omaha. He also handles technical support calls during and after office hours and guides franchisees through the state licensing process.


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