Fresh Air = Fresh Business Like many inspectors, Jack Leith, owner of A+ Inspection, takes the mold issue very seriously. He has completed numerous training courses to learn how to inspect for mold so he can provide a more complete inspection for his clients. But he had a problem. And as is often the case,...…
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20 Reasons to do Business with You! Editor’s Note: The following was written by a home inspector in response to a client’s question about why they should do business with them. How do you measure up? 1. We answer our phone during the day. 2. We work weekends by appointment for your convenience. 3. We call…
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Best Defense: Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Your Contract By Kris Thompson, Esq. Having a signature from a customer on your home inspection contract can greatly increase your ability to defend yourself if you are sued. In question and answer sessions, at round table discussions, and during consultations with home inspector clients, inspectors bring up the…
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Editor’s Note: Times have changed and so should appraisers wanting a long-term and profitable career. If you haven’t learned how to promote yourself and your business, the next down cycle could be your last. Charlie Elliott lays out a few choices. Power of Networks By Charlie Elliott, Jr., MAI, SRA An appraisal “network” can be...…
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Growing Business with Existing Clients By Ken Rossman Here’s a riddle: how do you grow your business without adding new clients? The answer is, you grow business by cultivating your existing client base. Here are a few simple ways to add to your bottom line without spending time and money chasing new clients. The appraiser...…
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Going Mobile: Today’s Super Appraiser By Matt Johnson Every ten years or so a new technology emerges that revolutionizes the appraisal and property inspection industries. The 80’s brought the fax machine. The 90’s gave us digital cameras. What would even the most old-school practitioners do without these tools today? Appraisers and inspectors were some of...…
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Appraiser Cleans House By Christie M. Bond I own and operate a two-appraiser firm in a small, under-served town in West Michigan. I have worked very hard to build a good reputation for my firm and myself. Fed up, burned out and tired of the day-to-day struggle to maintain that reputation and keep a steady cash flow, I have decided to take drastic measures with my current and future clients…. I fired them all. After six years in...…
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Appraising Disasters: When the Levee Breaks Part II: Real Work Begins By David Phillips, SRA As the date for the inspections drew closer, we enlisted the help of the Village Clerk. She was an invaluable partner in the process because she had addresses and phone numbers for most residents. After the flood, many residents went...…
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Editor’s Note: The following is excerpted from a freewheeling online discussion among appraisers about AVMs. It makes for interesting reading: if you want to know about something – ask an expert. AVMs: Ask an Expert(s) Just what is “Value” Anyway? – Since accuracy is determined by sale price, how can an AVM not be the...…
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Editor’s Note: Regulator and appraiser Larry Disney shows how USPAP is more flexible than many presume, when it comes to reassigning appraisal reports. Dos and Don’ts: Readdressing, Reassigning and Transferring Reports By Larry Disney Real property appraiser licensees often ask, “Can I readdress, reassign or transfer a real property appraisal report?” The answer is “no,”...…
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