BestInspectors.Net Education Center

Surveys
Help shape our industry, voice your opinions, and find out what others are thinking

Tough Times

We have been experiencing some tough times over the past year and a half or so. I am not going to sugar coat the situation. Still, I remain optimistic. The real estate market has never in the history of the US or Canada stayed down for long. It always rebounds. Home inspection is going to have a greater role than ever in the real estate transaction process. Buyers and lenders alike are going to be much more cautious for a while to come. It will take some time for the sting of recent events to go away. Home inspectors bring to the process a valuable service to help protect the interests of all who are involved.

For those of you who are thinking about giving up, I know how you feel. I've been to that point many times. I started MSI (BestInspectors.Net) in the Summer of 1992. MSI has been at death's door more than once over the past 16 years.

Each time I come back, I come back stronger. There are times when I feel that everything I have ever learned about business or life I've had to learn the hard way. That's OK though. At least I've learned. Some people never learn!

A few years ago a song that came out that for me had the right message at the right time. Even though it was not a song that would normally appeal to someone of my generation, it became one of my favorites because of the message it delivered. I was glad it was popular among the younger folks because if they heard it from their parents, they would not have listened.

Hundreds of inspectors have told me in recent months that they feel beaten up and knocked down. My response is always the same. There is no shame in being knocked down. There is only shame in not getting back up!

Lately, as I have been talking to inspectors I have thought about this song. I found a video with the lyrics. Take a few minutes and watch the video ...

Job Outlook for Home Inspectors according to the United Sates Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment change. Employment of construction and building inspectors is expected to grow by 18 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Concern for public safety and a desire for improvement in the quality of construction should continue to stimulate demand for construction and building inspectors in government as well as in firms specializing in architectural, engineering, and related services. As the result of new technology such as building information modeling (BIM), the availability of a richer set of buildings data in a more timely and transparent manner will make it easier to conduct plan reviews. This will lead to more time and resources spent on inspections. In addition, the growing focus on natural and manmade disasters is increasing the level of interest in and need for qualified inspectors. Issues such as green and sustainable design are new areas of focus that will also drive the demand for construction and building inspectors.

The routine practice of obtaining home inspections is a relatively recent development, causing employment of home inspectors to increase rapidly. Although employment of home inspectors is expected to continue to increase, the attention given to this specialty, combined with the desire of some construction workers to move into less strenuous and potentially higher paying work, may result in reduced growth of home inspectors in some areas. In addition, increasing State regulations are starting to limit entry into the specialty only to those who have a given level of previous experience and are certified.

Job prospects. Inspectors are involved in all phases of construction, including maintenance and repair work, and are therefore less likely to lose their jobs when new construction slows during recessions. Those who are self-employed, such as home inspectors, are more likely to be affected by economic downturns or fluctuations in the real estate market. However, those with a thorough knowledge of construction practices and skills in areas such as reading and evaluating blueprints and plans will be better off. Inspectors with previous related experience in construction, a postsecondary degree, and engineering or architectural training will have the best prospects. In addition to openings stemming from the expected employment growth, some job openings will arise from the need to replace inspectors who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.