Letter from ASHI President Mike Wagner
March 24, 2020
Dear Valued ASHI Members,
I wanted to take a moment to comment on the current environment all of us are attempting to manage. During this time of anxiety, uncertainty and continuous change, I think it is important to stay fully informed, but avoid being consumed by the information overload. This is the time to pull together, stay positive and appreciate the value we provide to our families, our communities and our businesses.
As home inspectors, we are trusted professionals. We are the fabric of our communities. We play a vital role in the real estate process and our services inform and educate consumers as they make decisions on where their families will live. We reduce financial risk, we advocate for safety and at times we save lives by identifying life/safety issues in the buildings we inspect. Our value is not defined by local or state government agencies as they do their best to manage a global pandemic. Our value is defined by the services we provide every day, by the individuals we employ and by the contributions each of us make to our economy and our communities. It is up to each of us to be fully informed in regard to our state and local business restrictions and I encourage each of you to understand and follow federal, state and local health and safety business directives as currently dictated in your area, but make no mistake, we are, and will, remain essential.
During times of adversity, a few things ring true. We have opportunities to learn, improve and grow stronger. I have heard and read some inspiring comments over the past few weeks as we as an inspection community lean on each other. This is a time to focus on our profession as a whole and the health and wellbeing of our communities. Dave Klima, owner of a multi-inspector firm in Indiana shared in a social media post that he is taking advantage of lessons learned from previous economic downturns to focus on marketing his business as well as attending to other business functions that can put his company in a stronger position moving forward. He is getting creative as he adjusts to current conditions. Great advice in my opinion. Brian Eisenman, a leader of a large inspection firm with national coverage sent ASHI national some inspiring words on the importance of the role of the home inspector in the real estate process and that we add to the solutions and not the uncertainty of the home buying process during these uncertain times. I have learned from shared experiences with numerous others across the country and a common thread is that we are all uncertain of what tomorrow will bring, but we are not alone and this will pass. Stay active in your business even if that means doing it from home, remain positive about the future and be responsible in your business decisions.
We are resilient and there is no doubt in my mind that our valuable services will be in high demand in the near future. It is time to adjust our sails and weather this storm together. I wish all of you the best as we move forward together.
Mike Wagner
2020 ASHI President