News and information about home inspection training
It might look harmless, but some vermiculite have a nasty personality. Much has been made about the danger of asbestos over the years. It seems you can’t flip through the channels or scroll through a website without seeing an advertisement for legal services for asbestos victims. While our society has become more educated about the…
Appliances, plumbing and every other condo feature is just as likely to suffer defects as those in a single-family home. Because condos aren’t freestanding single-family homes and are part of a larger building, some buyers think home inspections aren’t as important. While it’s true that the condo association likely handles building maintenance, the interior is…
Condensation isn’t an anomaly, it’s a collection of water from the air. You’ve seen condensation on a water glass and felt dew on the grass in the morning or evening. The dew point is where water vapor in the air reaches its saturation point. This happens at a temperature and constant barometric pressure that condenses…
The shabby look might be cute in photos, but a shabby deck endangers the whole family. Summer is in full swing, and that means more homeowners will be using their decks throughout the day and into the night. But like a lot of areas in and around the home, oftentimes a problem goes unnoticed until…
Scandalous news usually ranks higher than anything else, so it shouldn’t surprise any home inspector when a rotten one makes the whole industry look bad. Social media spreads disparaging news like wildfire and before you know it, your business might suffer. Good thing you’re not defenseless in the battle between bad press and good home…
Recent clarifications in the FHA underwriting process have inadvertently created confusion in another area. Are appraisers and inspectors really all that different? Now it’s harder to tell. Appraisers for FHA are required to assess the value of homes, and part of the assessment is an inspection that hits the high points. But real estate agents,…
What’s the last thing that a homeowner might feel like doing after learning that his house is in foreclosure? Being gracious, that’s what. It’s an unfortunate reality. For some homeowners, a foreclosure or short sale brings about heightened emotions, plenty of anger, and perhaps a bit of revenge for good measure. In the home inspection…
Jeffrey Brookfield is the Business Development Consultant with AmeriSpec of Canada. In this role he provides leadership, guidance, coaching and develops programs for the network of AmeriSpec offices across Canada. We recently checked in with him about the importance of continued training for home inspectors. Here’s what he had to say: How important is the…
There’s a longstanding belief among some home inspectors that it’s bad form or even unacceptable to recommend a contractor who can make repairs. Some locales might have regulations regarding referrals, but many home inspectors think it’s an important part of the job. Your customers probably aren’t well-versed in home systems. After receiving a report that…
New home inspectors tend to have the same question about getting their fledgling inspection business up and running: what kind of reporting software is recommended, and where to find it. That’s the topic of this month’s ICA School podcast, hosted by course author and instructor, Steve Preins. Keep reading to the end, because Steve has…
