Being a real estate agent opens many doors within the real estate industry to advance your professional skills sets and to increase your bottom line.
Whether becoming a Harris® Certified Coach in conjunction with being an agent, a real estate investor and/or developer, a builder, a tech developer specific to the real estate industry, architect, landscape and/or interior designer, or home inspector, the options within this industry are limited only by our imaginations.
Here are steps to becoming a home inspector:
- Check out the licensing requirements in your state. There is no single standard. Some states (Idaho, California, Georgia, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan) have no licensing requirements. Other states, such as Texas, requires a high school diploma, an apprenticeship, 128 classroom hours and an exam. Illinois requires 60 class hours, 40 hours of experience and an exam. New York requires 140 class hours and an exam. Florida requires 120 class hours and an exam.
- Check out the American Home Inspectors Training Institute (AHIT) for both in-person and online courses that fulfill your state’s certification requirements.
- Increase your knowledge of construction. Construction experience is not required but every little bit helps. As you know, home inspectors are expected to evaluate the overall state of the home’s structure, and heating, plumbing and electrical systems. And home inspectors are expected to know about the strengths and vulnerabilities of diverse housing styles such as Victorian, modern, flat/pitched roofs, etc.
- If you don’t have construction experience, take some courses at the AHIT. Course work covers structural construction, roofing, electrical, ventilation, heating/cooling, pools/spas, irrigation systems, best business practices, ethics, etc.
- Develop your people skills. Just as buyers and sellers contract with affable, relationship building agents who have knowledge and skills in market research, marketing and negotiation techniques, agents contract with affable, relationship building home inspectors who have the technical skills behind them to do the job well. Home inspectors get their initial and repeat business from other agents and homeowners associations.
- Follow study guides and take practice tests.
- Join the American Society of Home Inspectors for professional credibility and lifelong learning opportunities.
- Once certified, consider developing niche expertise just as you’ve likely developed niche expertise as a real estate agent. Consider becoming an expert mold inspector, an outdoor deck inspector, roof inspector, etc.
- Never stop learning. There is and always will be something “new” to know.
Complementing your real estate agent business with home inspection expertise and willingness will only enhance your professionalism within the industry and open up an additional revenue stream. Think about it…it couldn’t hurt.
