minnesota home inspection…consumers and real estate agents. benefits • setting your own hours...

JANUARY–AUGUST 2017

Minnesota

Home Inspection• Inspector Training Programs • Inspection Reporting Systems

Enroll Today: 888.548.2485 | www.KapRE.com/MN-HI

Entering a new profession—any profession—is a difficult decision. You should clearly understand not only what that new profession will be like, but the best path to success for you in that profession.

What is it Like Being a Home Inspector?A typical home inspector spends his or her day in a wide range of activities, like inspecting homes for buyers, writing reports, speaking with prospective clients, and marketing to consumers and real estate agents.

Benefits• Setting your own hours

• Working outside

• Leveraging your skills and experience to help people

• Less physically strenuous than many other professions in the construction industry

Challenges• Clients and real estate agents are typically in a hurry—appointments are often needed

on short notice, within 2 to 3 days typically, and then the report is needed within 24 hours of the inspection.

• Clients are often nervous and looking to you to provide clarity and understanding at a time when they may have doubts.

• Understanding all the subsystems of a home can be daunting.

Is This the Right Profession for You?Everybody is different. Some people enjoy climbing a ladder to inspect a roof and are willing to get down on their knees and inspect a crawl-space. Other people enjoy record keeping, reports, marketing, and relationship building. All of these are integral parts of the home inspection business. Think about what you enjoy, what you are willing to do, and what you are good at.

Are you the kind of person who doesn’t want to be tied to a desk all day? Are you interested in construction and how things work? Are you good at identifying problems and defects? If so, then home inspection might be right for you.

Home Inspection

Top 5 Home Inspector Revenue and Expense Considerations

There are a number of revenue and expense considerations that a home inspector must be aware of and take into consideration when creating a home inspection business plan. Whether you are a seasoned home inspector or new to the home inspection industry, take the time to consider the questions below:

1 How many inspections will you be doing each year? You should expect somewhere between 1 and 100 in your first year.

2 How much will you be able to charge per inspection? A good guide would be $100 plus 10 cents per finished square foot house size. You should compare this to your local competition.

3 What are your start-up costs? An estimate would be 15% of your first year projected sales. Most full-time inspectors would shoot for $30,000 in first year sales resulting in $4,500 in startup costs. A good portion of that cost would go toward marketing your business to real estate agents.

4 Inspectors will need reporting systems that are either written forms or a software system. You should always purchase the best system you can afford. This is what your customers will remember you by. The quality of your report will fast become your best marketing tool. Kaplan offers the industries best home inspection print forms as well as home inspection software for the tech-savvy inspector.

5 What will be your cost per inspection? In other words, after you have paid all your expenses how much will be left for your salary and profit. This will vary greatly from inspector to inspector, but most one-person inspection companies try to keep these expenses below 30% of sales. That means if first year sales are $30,000, you would keep approximately $21,000.


Home Inspection

www.KapRE.com/HI-Resources

Thinking of Starting a Career in Home Inspection?Find out if a career in home inspection is right for you by visiting the Career Toolbox!

Prepare to Succeed


Kaplan Home Inspection Training gives you the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enter the home inspection profession and all of the information you need to succeed in the industry. Everything you need to know to become an independent home inspector and pass the National Home Inspector Examination is included in our series.

Expert Instructors Our instructors are all home inspection and construction professionals who know the industry and are committed to helping you get your business off to a strong start. By sharing personal experiences, they will make your learning relevant and fun.

Hands-On Learning We have created a unique learning experience by including a state-of-the-art home inspection lab in the classroom—our lab includes hundreds of old and new house components. Practicing what you learn, as you learn it, is the fastest way to build your skills and confidence. With our training methods, you’ll develop a competitive edge that will jump start your home inspection business.

Live Inspections By including field inspections as a part of our curriculum, we have created the ultimate learning experience. You will perform live inspections and learn how to write up the reports. This real-time learning will give you the confidence you need to get your business started—now.

Home Study–Professional Development If you find it impossible to make it to our hands-on learning locations, no worries; we have the next best thing. We offer a Home Study Essentials complete suite of college-level study texts that are considered the “gold standard” in the industry, as well as a comprehensive online option for those who enjoy online learning.

OnDemand Our stunning OnDemand video lectures give you the ability to access professional instruction anytime, anywhere you have an Internet connection!

Registration is Easy To enroll, simply visit www.KapRE.com/MN-HI or call 888.548.2485.

Minnesota OnDemand and Online Courses


Transition into Home Inspection...Part or Full Time: How to Start a Profitable Inspection Business OnDemand Course$245 | 14 HoursExplore home inspection as a new business opportunity!

Home inspection is one of the fastest growing professions in the nation, with some home inspectors completing 500 inspections in one year. Home inspection offers many opportunities for contractors to utilize their knowledge to perform this vital service.

In this on-demand course, you will have the chance to learn the ropes of this exciting industry and discover the possibilities for you. This is a great opportunity to launch a new business!

Topics Include: • Inspection industry • Site improvements • Management of the business • Garage, exterior dwelling, and structure

• Equipment • Electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling • Reports

Essentials of Home Inspection Home Study Course$3,499 | 300+ HoursLearn everything you need to know about home systems and components, as well as how to run a home inspection business at your own pace, from your own home!This comprehensive college-level correspondence course authored by Carson Dunlop has been the “gold standard” in home inspection education for more than a decade. It’s perfect for professionals who want flexibility in how and when they study. From roofing and exteriors to structure and mechanicals, all systems that make up the house, as well as all aspects that encompass the home inspection business, are meticulously detailed in this incredible reference set. After completing this program, you will have a solid foundation on the components and materials used in the construction of house systems. You will be able to identify improper installations, defects in construction, and faulty operation systems in a house.

Modules Include:• Communication and Professional Practice • Home Reference Book • Structure • Roofing • Exterior • Insulation and Interiors

• Plumbing • Electrical • Heating I • Heating II • Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps

National Online Home Inspection Course$999 | 100 HoursWhether you are in the process of becoming licensed or just keeping current with your continuing education needs, this 100-hour comprehensive online course reviews all major home systems and provides in-depth coverage of system and component problems, their practical implications, and inspection strategies for finding them. Interactive exercises, graphic devices, and immediate progress tracking make learning more engaging. With clear descriptions, detailed technical illustrations, and useful product summaries, this course is the fastest way to build your skills and confidence.

Minnesota Live Course


6-Day Course: ITA Home Inspection—Fast Track$1,599 | 55 HoursThis 6-day hands-on Fast Track course is just what the name implies. If you want to start a home inspection business and have a firm grasp on the basics of construction methods, materials, and building codes, then this course is for you. Our expert home inspection instructors teach you how to apply your construction knowledge to the business of home inspection. Fast-paced, hands-on, and inspection-focused, this course greatly improves your chances of success as a home inspector.

Topics Include: Day 1 The Business/On-Site Field Inspection Day 4 ElectricalDay 2 Structure Day 5 Heating/CoolingDay 3 Roofing/Plumbing Day 6 Marketing/On-Site Field Inspection

Dates and Locations

Bloomington, MN January 23–28 Monday–Saturday 8:00 am–6:00 pm

Bloomington, MN April 3–8 Monday–Saturday 8:00 am–6:00 pm

Bloomington, MN June 5–10 Monday–Saturday 8:00 am–6:00 pm

Bloomington, MN August 7–12 Monday–Saturday 8:00 am–6:00 pm

11-Day Course: ITA Home Inspection—Enhanced$2,999 | 90 HoursThis course includes 11 intensive days of solid instruction and hands-on training that will fully prepare you for a successful career in home inspection. This nationally accredited course provides you with a library of reference books, classroom materials, and detailed study guides. And you’ll apply everything you’ve learned during four actual on-site home inspections, so when you’re ready to open your home inspection business, you’ll have a competitive edge.

Topics Include: Day 1 The Scope of Inspections Day 6 Two On-Site Field Inspections

The Home Inspection Business Day 7 ElectricalOn-Site Field Inspection Day 8 Electrical

Day 2 Structure Day 9 Heating and CoolingDay 3 Exterior/Interior Day 10 Heating and CoolingDay 4 Roofing/Insulation Day 11 Marketing/On-Site Field InspectionDay 5 Plumbing

Dates and Locations

Bloomington, MN February 20–25 & February 27–March 3

Monday–Saturday & Monday–Friday 8:00 am–5:00 pm

Bloomington, MN September 25–30 & October 2–6

Monday–Saturday & Monday–Friday 8:00 am–5:00 pm

Classroom Location2051 Killebrew Drive, Suite 110 Bloomington, MN 55425

Horizon Inspection Reporting Software


Horizon Inspection Reporting Software

Are you looking for a home inspection reporting system that is instant, intuitive, and has outstanding report quality?

Horizon home inspection software gives you all of this and more. This software not only helps you produce professional looking home inspection reports, but also features work order, scheduling, archiving, and report/account components.

Inspection Reporting Made Simple with Horizon Software• Get up and running quickly, for as little as $300

• Produce professional quality reports

• Features fast, easy report writing with customizable, intuitive templates

• Instantly add photos to reports with simple photo editing

• Get work order, scheduling, archiving, and reports/receivables integrated at no added cost

• Use mobile apps in the field with your Android or Apple devices

Attend a Free Webinar or Get a Free 30-Day Trial!Visit KapRE.com/HorizonReporting

Generate Repeat Customers with Kaplan’s Inspection Reporting Systems!

MATRIX Paper Forms

Kaplan’s MATRIX paper report forms will enable you to inspect and report in a manner that has been field-tested in over 100,000 inspections. Our marketplace has proven our system to be the most complete and comprehensive report available today. The Matrix reporting systems will enable you to start building repeat business immediately.

Custom Contract Paper Forms

Do you want to customize your home inspection report to look as professional as possible? We offer home inspection reports that are customizable with your company name and logo. Just choose the form that works best for you, and we will have your company name and logo printed directly on the contract page.

First-time users could be eligible for a $400 discount! To learn more about Horizon software, visit

KapRE.com/HorizonReporting.

To learn more about Kaplan’s inspection reporting systems, visit KapRE.com/HI-Reporting.

www.KapRE.com/HI-Resources


888.548.2485 | www.KapRE.com/CO-HI

Home Inspection Forms and ChecklistsIncrease Referrals with These Professional Reporting Options!

• MATRIX Paper Report Forms • Custom Contract Report Forms • Horizon Form Software

MKT-002614


minnesota home inspection…consumers and real estate agents. benefits • setting your own hours...

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