Jowers On Referrals

[hausdok]

Always a good read, Walt Jowers explains to consumers, again, the realities of accepting referrals to home inspectors from real estate agents. Of the three categories of inspectors cited, which one are you?

To decide, click here.

[Phillip]

I know Bill since I am from Alabama and a member of ASHI and ASHI-South.

Bill is everything WJ says he is.

I believe I am in the third group. I have done many inspections for Friends and family of Realtors and also when they have a picky client or one they think that will give them trouble if the inspection is not done right.

[Chris Bernhardt]

I have had a few agents tell me right to my face that the reason they recommended me was that the client was being picky. I don't think they realize what they are saying when they say that...Oh well maybe they do.

One of the techniques to soften up a report that some of the guys around here use is to break the findings into two groups. Those that realtors approve of and those that they don't. Then the realtor will indicate to the buyer that only the items in the first group are ones they can negotiate with the seller and the ones in the bottom group are for them (the buyer) to do. They don't like mine since I make it all one list.

A few weeks ago an agent, who has called me once or twice a year for years, acted shocked when I told her the cost of the inspection (which was only $20 more then what she was use to) and she told me sorry that was too much and she was going to have to find someone else. I thought good. She was a pain in the ass anyway.

Chris, Oregon

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Chris Bernhardt

A few weeks ago an agent, who has called me once or twice a year for years, acted shocked when I told her the cost of the inspection (which was only $20 more then what she was use to) and she told me sorry that was too much and she was going to have to find someone else. I thought good. She was a pain in the ass anyway.

Chris, Oregon

Maybe it's just me and maybe it's because I spent so many years as a cop, but I refuse to let people address me in condescending tones and I really chafe when someone tries to tell me how to price my services.

I would have asked her just who the hell she thought she was; telling me how to price my services, and then I would have asked her how she'd like it if I were to dictate to her what her commission should be when she sells a home. Then I would have told her to kiss my ass and walked away. Yeah, I know, not very diplomatic, but since when have I ever been known to be diplomatic?

We must start calling real estate folks on this kind of shite. Most of them now believe that they literally control the home inspection profession. As more and more newbies get into the HI business and charge rock-bottom prices in order to suck up to agents, the agents' hold on the business is strengthening. We really do, as a profession, need to become more aggressive and stop being so lilly-livered about putting these folks in their proper place.

Chris, I'm not referring specifically to you; I'm just ranting in general at what the founders failed to do and the situation that the toadies continue to perpetuate today. If the founders had taken that attitude years ago and taught it, instead of allowing their descendents in this business to teach the whole suck up to realtors for referral thing, we wouldn't be where we are now and no agent would ever do that. I can't help but see it as one of the biggest obstacles to our business becoming a true profession.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[kurt]

Boy, timely commentary......

I just got off the phone w/the developer of condo building w/approx. $17 million in developed units; if it all sells out, the developer stands to clear several mil.

The first inspection didn't work; the developer didn't have the key (moron). My customer was pissed, offered to pay me for my time, and since the place is about 9 minutes from my house, I told him to cover me for an hours time, $125.

So, just now, the developer calls and was concerned about his being charged $125 (through my customer @ closing) for the missed inspection. He didn't feel that $125 was a fair number. I asked him what he felt my time was worth. He said he thought $35 was fair.

I started laughing, and asked him how he got his numbers. He told me he works w/lots of "really good inspectors", and they don't even charge him for this sort of thing. I told him those guys should probably be selling shoes (still laughing), and asked what the real purpose of the call was.

He said, as developer, he was trying to "control costs". I asked him why he was trying to control costs by slicing some bacon off the ass of the lowest paid guy on the totem pole, i.e., the lowly home inspector (laughing harder now)....

He said he didn't like my attitude, and didn't think I was a very good business person, because w/a poor attitude like mine, he would never send me any work, and without people like him sending me referrals, I would never succeed.

By now, I'm laughing really hard, 'cuz I already got my measly $125, my customer is happy, and Mr. Developer gets burned for a C note and change.

Can you imagine this guy? Doing several dozen half to million dollar condo's, and he's trying to cheese me out of an amount that he probably spends on a single bottle of wine when he dines out.

What is it w/these guys that give their work away? Don't they get it? (I guess not....)

[hausdok]

Yeah, I know.

Last week I read one of those columns by a real estate pundit wherein the pundit was strongly advising someone to get a home inspection. At first I thought, "Kewl!" and then he told the person that they shouldn't pay any more than $300 for a home inspection and that put me completely off my feed. Hell, when I got into this business in 1996 as a member of a franchise, our lowest fee was $275. So, adjust that for inflation over the past 11 years and where should it be today? I tell you where - a hell of a lot more than $300. However, I notice that in the same time frame the realtors commissions have pretty much stayed the same but they've been paid a whole lot more because prices of homes have gone up 200 to 300% since then.

Grrrr. [:-banghea [:-gnasher [:-grumpy]

[John Dirks Jr]

That was a good read. I don't know which one I am yet. I do hope that over time I can build my reputation to be hated by agents and builders.

[Chris Bernhardt]

I do hope that over time I can build my reputation to be hated by agents and builders.

Don't worry you won't have to try. Just follow the advice of the TIJ crew and it will happen.

Chris, Oregon

[kurt]

True enough. If you do the job right, these things take care of themselves.

Honestly though, I don't really hang my hat on being the guy realtors hate. I like the idea that I'm just doing my job well.

[Bain]

I'm not even as good as Kurt, and have to rely on the kindness of others when I come across something I don't see very often--Thanks again, Bill, for the recent help--but I work my rump off for my clients and charge accordingly. How many roofs do we climb on in a week? About a month ago, a roofer around here fell off a roof and tragically died. I could fall off a roof and die, too. Guess what? A buyer's gonna pay me an outrageous fee if he wants me to risk injury or death to look at a roof for him.

I've dated a bunch of realtor chicks, who typically were needy and manipulative--though I suppose that had nothing to do with their occupations--and have been made privy to how cutthroat agents are when it comes to their commissions.

"Your buyers didn't mention your name when they came to my open house, so I'm on record as having shown them the house for the first time. Boom! I'm telling the board I deserve half your commission."

"You f**king bitch!"

Happens all the time, along with tons of other Draconian maneuvers. So if they think you're too expensive, screw them. They're certainly out there fighting and scratching to earn(a word I use loosely) every penny they can.

Thing is, they do have power. Their buyers want to trust them. Most realtors wrongly abuse this trust by pointing a buyer toward a sycophantic home inspector. I'm sure there are lots of smiles and yuck-yucks going on while the buyer is getting hosed without even realizing it.

There are honest, well-intentioned realtors, but sadly they're in the minority.

We can survive without referrals from shifty realtors. A woman called this afternoon because there are several glowing reports about moi on our local Angie's List. There was that cliched pregnant pause when I told what my fee would be, and I wondered, like we all do at that point, if she was going to say she wanted to think about it. But she went ahead and scheduled a gig for next week. That woman will get her money's worth. I'll climb on her roof and risk falling off of it for her. I'll squirm through her crawlspace in search of every gremlin I can find.

And it's exceedingly gratifying to know that if I need help with something, there are kind souls at TIJ who will gladly offer it.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Bain

I'll squirm through her crawlspace in search of every gremlin I can find.

And it's exceedingly gratifying to know that if I need help with something, there are kind souls at TIJ who will gladly offer it.

Gee,

I dunno, John. Last Gremlin I screwed around with was a lemon. Best to just turn 'em into a planter on the front lawn. [:-jump]

OT - OF!!!

M.

[ghentjr]

No question that Jowers is a great writer. I just want to know why those "sex toy" guys advertise on his page. He may have a sideline we are unaware of.

[SonOfSwamp]

Originally posted by ghentjr

No question that Jowers is a great writer. I just want to know why those "sex toy" guys advertise on his page. He may have a sideline we are unaware of.

The Sex Toys ad has been there for a long time. Before that, there was an ad for a fancy lingerie vendor.

I'm told that the online readership of the Scene in general, and Helter Shelter specifically, is very high. People pay significant money to get those ads put next to the columns/articles that get a lot of clicks.

I have nothing to do with sales.

And, for what it's worth, I don't write the headlines either. I'm a terrible headline writer. My best one, I think, was about a crackdown on sex toys in Alabama. The headline was, "Alabama, the Dildon't State."

WJ

[John Dirks Jr]

I'll bet you the sex toy industry generates more revenue than the HI industry. I know damn well every one of you have at least clicked on those kind of links. Don't lie....

...that reminds me, I need to clear my internet surfing history...LOL

[Phillip]

I haven't yet

[Inspectorjoe]

Is it that you haven't clicked on one of those kind of links, or cleared your internet surfing history? [:-dev3]

[Phillip]

It been years sine I click on a link like that, John is right we all have sometime in our life. I have seen where folks have got virus from some of the sites they went to. If I want to get work up over something I want it to be real not a photo.