Become a Home Inspector

From LoveToKnow Mortgage

If you want to become a home inspector you should know that you are about to enter a viable profession that is oftentimes in high demand, especially when the real estate market is thriving. Home inspectors must be meticulous and pay attention to details if they want to be successful in their profession.

The Job

A home inspector's job is to give customers a realistic review of a home. Inspectors do not appraise homes to estimate their value, but instead create a comprehensive listing of the condition of the home. Oftentimes home inspectors will notice things that homeowners may already realize, such as a need to repair water damage or some other obvious issue. Sometimes home inspectors stumble upon issues that need to be addressed that the homeowners may not have been aware of at all, such as a cracking foundation or other potentially serious issue with the home.

It is obvious that if you want to become a home inspector you should be able to spot issues that may not be obvious to everyone else. If you miss a major problem with the house and then sign your name to an inspection report stating that everything is fine you may find yourself in legal trouble. Sellers and buyers will both be upset if a home inspection is not accurate or misses a substantial issue.

Home inspectors who are not affiliated with an inspection business must also spend some time drumming up business. This is an ideal career for someone who wants to own his or her own business and stay self-employe. However, if you do not enjoy the process of marketing yourself and getting new clients then you may want to find an existing company to work for. If you plan on running your own business you'll need to review the laws in your state regarding home inspectors, and if you plan on finding a job through a company you might want to spend some time finding out about the job market for home inspectors in your area.

It will do you no good to become a home inspector if you can't find any clients or a company to pay you for your services.

How to Become a Home Inspector

Prepare to do some formal training when attempting to become a home inspector. Even if you already work in the construction industry you will still need some schooling in order to function efficiently in this capacity. You may already have an eye for spotting problems within a home – and this ability will certainly serve you well as a professional home inspector – but without proper schooling you will not be able to flourish within the profession very well at all.

If you are starting from scratch then there are things you can do to get started with your home inspection career. Whether you join a professional organization now or after taking home inspection classes is up to you, but keep in mind that many professional home inspector organizations offer schooling to members directly though the organization. Professional home inspector organizations offering training include:

You can also find home inspector training from colleges and other formal education establishments. Most places offer online training as well as training within a classroom setting. Schools offering home inspection classes include American Home Inspectors Training Institute and Kaplan.

Level of Training Required

The level of formal schooling you need in order to become a home inspector depends on two things:

  1. The requirements of the state you will work in.
  2. The requirements of the company you will work for.

Find out your state's specific requirements for professional home inspectors by looking online or contacting the appropriate government office within your state. To find out what training requirements companies within your area have for hiring new home inspectors contact the human resources department of the company you want to work for.

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