Broadcasting the ASHI Message

Early in August, I was invited to be interviewed on The Don and Gino Real Estate and Finance Show, which is broadcast on The Real Estate Radio Network every Thursday.

After thanking Don and Gino for allowing me to speak about home inspectors, I shared with them that ASHI has 80 plus chapters nationwide, so I get to do a lot of traveling to visit our members.

My hosts wanted me to describe what ASHI is and what the listening audience should look for in a home inspector. They asked me to dive right into explaining why home inspections can be as important to sellers and real estate agents as they are to homebuyers.

This gave me an opportunity to include the meaning of true certification and the importance of ASHI’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.

Adding a little appreciated levity, I said that if you don’t want to go bankrupt or get divorced when buying a home, then hire a home inspector. They can help protect you from those problems.

Sharing interesting experiences always enlivens an interview while making a point. I shared several on the radio show, including the following three:

One time, I climbed out of an attic and said to an owner, “I see you have a roof leak.” When the owner countered he knew of no such leak, his 10-year-old son added, “Dad, don’t you remember the last time it rained, you said it was a result of the roof leaking?” From the mouth of babes.

Inspections for sellers can have their humorous moments as well. When I found a problem with the laundry tub on a pre-listing inspection, the wife said to her husband, “I told you about that a year ago and now we’ll have to fix it and not get the use of it.” This seller realized that by fixing defects or disclosing them to a buyer, she is more likely to get a clean offer.

Of course, I said that the best way to get a good inspector was to go to ASHI.org and use Find an Inspector. This is true for buyers, sellers and agents. In fact, in some parts of the country — St. Louis and parts of Florida — agents will recommend using only ASHI inspectors.

I inspected a property for a lawyer. I told him his heating system was on its last legs. He called me months later to tell me it failed. He figured he didn’t need to do anything since he was advised as to the problem. It’s important to have an inspection; it’s also important to listen to the inspector and follow his/her advice. Not only money is involved; it’s often a matter of safety.

ASHI brings together more than 5,000 members to help protect people. True professionals using the gold standards will do the right thing.

Being interviewed on this show was rewarding. It was very satisfying hearing the hosts say such good things about ASHI, including how we should be proud of establishing the standards for the industry and offering clients solid ideas, options and opinions to protect their families.