Chances are if youre reading this youve thought about becoming a home inspector. You may have even seen the ads that say you can make hundreds of dollars a day as a home inspector. Home inspection schools put many of these ads out. They paint a rosy picture about the profession and how easy it will be for you to make a ton of money virtually overnight. Im a Professional Real Estate Inspector and Im going to tell you what the home inspection schools dont want you to know about this profession!

What the Home Inspector schools arent telling you

What these schools and the various companys selling Home Inspection courses wont tell you is how difficult it is to be successful in this business.

The National school that I attended for my inspector education made it sound so easy to get started. They explained how easy it would be to start doing 1 home inspection a day with little or no effort.

I have many soon-to-be home inspectors email me and call our office asking about the business.

This business is like any other. It takes dedication, strong finances and time to become successful.

Think youll get started with no money up front?

Many schools do not tell you about the liability side of the home inspection industry. The home inspection industry is a very high liability profession. Every home you inspect is a potential lawsuit. It doesnt matter that you may be the most thorough inspector in your area. Inspectors are sued over things that the homeowners thought they should have found whether or not you could see the defect or not. Theres an old saying in this business. Its not IF you get sued, but WHEN you get sued.

If you cant live under this pressure, youd be best off looking elsewhere.

All it takes is a ladder and pickup truck...right?

Well, heres more bad news. Like most legitimate businesses, it takes a little more than that.

A new inspector is going to need about $5000 worth of tools just to start.

Then there is about the issue of insurance. Errors & Omissions Insurance will cost a new inspector (if you can even get it) anywhere from $3500 to $5000 per year. Then theres General Liability Insurance that will run you from $400 to $1500 per year.

In some states, you cant even get started without this insurance.

Do you have a rainy day fund? I hope so Brother 'cause it will rain on your parade!

Just like any new business, the 1st year will be a rough one. It may take you from anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to get to the point where youre bringing in a steady income.

Many inspectors came into this business by doing home inspections on the side or part time. That is the approach I would advise any new inspector to take. Dont quit your day job just yet!

What about the Real Estate Agents?

The schools make it sound like theres an agent behind every tree just waiting for you. Odds are they have their favorite inspector already and theyre not likely to use a new inspector because they do not know what to expect from you. It will take you many months up to a year or more before youll be getting regular referrals from real estate agents. Dont count on them to feed your family when you first start.

This industry can be very rewarding in many ways. However its likely to leave a sour taste in your mouth if you enter thinking that its a pushover to get started. Ive seen way to many good people go broke trying to get started in this business because the home inspection schools left them unprepared for what they were about to face in the real world.