chuckhopkins76 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 DO any of you guys use Report Host or have any of you used Report Host in the past? I am searching for reporting software and found this to be the least expensive initial cost. It is $6.00 (flat fee)per report. Any thoughts or suggestions on reporting software would be appreciated.
hausdok Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 Any thoughts or suggestions on reporting software would be appreciated. Your report is your product. I'd never buy a reporting software based on cost; it would have to have every feature that I wanted in a software. If that means more expensive, so be it, I'd make it up by adding the cost into my fees. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
esch Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 Any thoughts or suggestions on reporting software would be appreciated. Your report is your product. I'd never buy a reporting software based on cost; it would have to have every feature that I wanted in a software. If that means more expensive, so be it, I'd make it up by adding the cost into my fees. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Mike has a point, but when you dont have the money you dont have the money but still yet. I attended my schooling at Charles Barnes Real Estate school and they have thier own program "home inspection lifeline" Its not perfect, but to my surprise it does a nice job and the finished report looks very nice, simple but nice. Not sure of the website, I'd google lifeline. If you attend class there the program is 99$ (or was when I attended) I beleive its somewhere under 400$ online though thier phone number is 1-405-378-2100 thier based in moore oklahoma (suburb of oklahoma city) If your state requires specifics on report writing like texas it may not be for you. They have free trials, you might download it online or call and ask for demo CD. If you decide to purchase or ask the price tell them you were referred by Matt Eschberger who took thier educational classes there, maybe they might knock some off price if you think it'll suit you =) Hope this helps, Matt
waynesoper Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 Download Homegauge for free at www.homegauge.com so you can see what paying for it gets you. ALOT!!! It is worth every penny as far as I am concerned.
gtblum Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 Download Homegauge for free at www.homegauge.com so you can see what paying for it gets you. ALOT!!! It is worth every penny as far as I am concerned. What he says. There are at least four of us here that use it. The online tutorials shorten the learning curve quite a bit.
hausdok Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 Download Homegauge for free at www.homegauge.com so you can see what paying for it gets you. ALOT!!! It is worth every penny as far as I am concerned. What he says. There are at least four of us here that use it. The online tutorials shorten the learning curve quite a bit.I can say the same for Inspect Express; in fact, I tried the Home Gauge sample and hated the look of the report and the feel of the program as I worked through it. It really doesn't matter; it's all a matter or individual preference and the better programs - Inspect Express, Home Gauge, Horizon, 3D, Inspect It - all give you a lot for the buck. However, if he's buying based on price and wants to get the cheapest thing out there he's probably going to struggle with whatever he gets anyway. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike
waynesoper Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 yes, you forgot to mention Walmart Inspectizizzle
chuckhopkins76 Posted October 13, 2009 Author Report Posted October 13, 2009 I have looked at tons of software, the price is not the major thing, I would like to just see what ya'll think. I have also thought about a narritive report and checklist system. I would like to get a pros thoughts.
esch Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 I have looked at tons of software, the price is not the major thing, I would like to just see what ya'll think. I have also thought about a narritive report and checklist system. I would like to get a pros thoughts. In that case, I think homeguage or inspect express is best fit for me although I like the layout of Homeguage a little better I use a cheap one and it takes me more time to write it because of so little gimmicks, when I can afford so I will purchase HG or Inspect Express, leaning a little bit toward homeguage atm but both really nice looking Every one varies on taste and penny pinchers (or their wife in cases unstated(*mine*)) But she thinks its a good idea now as I finish a report and proof read it for spelling and grammar then make her. =) I'm worlds worst with grammar/spelling typos Matt
John Dirks Jr Posted October 14, 2009 Report Posted October 14, 2009 Just to toss this idea out there too. I, as well as some other write our own narrative reports using MS Word. We convert to PDF then email. No cost involved. Good reports if you want them to be. A bit more time consuming initially, yes. Fewer call backs from customers asking "what the heck does this mean?" Absolutely. The more reports I write, the faster I'm getting at it. Just a suggestion.
Erby Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 I doubt that using Microsoft Word for your reporting system is what keeps customers from asking "what the heck does this mean?" Doesn't seem it would matter what reporting software you use, Word, HomeGauge or some other one. If you put crap in it, the customers will be calling. If you don't put crap in it, they don't. The problem I see is the time investment in starting with cheap system "until you can afford better". All that time invested to learn a cheap system now has to be reinvested to learn the good system and get it tweaked (and you will have to tweak it) the way you want it. Call the software dealers and see if you can't work out a monthly payment thing instead of all up front. Some will. Some won't. You won't know until you ask. -
Jim Katen Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 In that case, I think homeguage or inspect express is best fit for me although I like the layout of Homeguage a little better I use a cheap one and it takes me more time to write it because of so little gimmicks, when I can afford so I will purchase HG or Inspect Express, leaning a little bit toward homeguage atm but both really nice looking Every one varies on taste and penny pinchers (or their wife in cases unstated(*mine*)) But she thinks its a good idea now as I finish a report and proof read it for spelling and grammar then make her. =) I'm worlds worst with grammar/spelling typos It's important to understand your own strengths & weakness. I mean no offense when I say that one of your weaknesses is your writing ability. You really need Inspect Express because it's the only system out there with halfway decent boilerplate installed. The worst thing you could do, in my opinion, is to hand write your reports in a blank Word document. That's not where your genius lies. - Jim Katen, Oregon
Richard Saunders Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 The price of a good reporting system seems like alot at first ($600+) but if you don't plan on doing at least 100 inspections, why are you considering this profession. As others have said, make your best choice, you are married to your software. At $6 per inspection, I would have spent $24,000 on software at this point and you will have too 10 years down the road.
John Dirks Jr Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Although I still use MS word for my reports I have considered getting software. Of the time I've spent looking at different ones I think I like Inspect Express the best. I'll probably download the trial demo sooner or later and see how it is. About the Inspect Express demo, how far will it let you go? Will it let me do a mock report with some of my real data and pictures? Will it let me edit settings and disclaimer content and so forth? Is there a limited amount of times I can experiment with it?
Chad Fabry Posted October 15, 2009 Report Posted October 15, 2009 Is there a limited amount of times I can experiment with it? I've been experimenting with it for about 5 years. I paid for it but I'm still dinking with it.
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