Breaking the ICE

[cchadwick]

Here in Colorado the housing market has slowed a little. I am not a marketing guy but I recently found something that is breaking the ICE big time! My wife loves to go house looking (crazy I know considering the profession I'm in) inevitably you always run into the real estate agent and I have tried wearing my "Logo-ed" shirt and it never works...they never ask "So your a Home Inspector?" So I tried something new, I got this sweatshirt (I think you can get T-shirts as well) that says in big bold letters...TRUST ME...IM A HOME INSPECTOR and now I walk in and I have not only the agents coming up and talking to me but I have the other lookers asking for my card!! Brilliant! The sweat shirt is around $40 bucks and you can get it here a (link removed) It is working for me to break the Ice in the slow winter times.

[Marc]

Your site acknowledges a conflict of interest between contractor and inspector. If you can figure that out, you can also figure the conflict of interest that exists between inspector and agent.

Not to disparage. C of I's have been so pervasive for so long in our profession that inspectors forget they're there, but you already know that.

Welcome to the forum.

Marc

[Scottpat]

Here in Colorado the housing market has slowed a little. I am not a marketing guy but I recently found something that is breaking the ICE big time! My wife loves to go house looking (crazy I know considering the profession I'm in) inevitably you always run into the real estate agent and I have tried wearing my "Logo-ed" shirt and it never works...they never ask "So your a Home Inspector?" So I tried something new, I got this sweatshirt (I think you can get T-shirts as well) that says in big bold letters...TRUST ME...IM A HOME INSPECTOR and now I walk in and I have not only the agents coming up and talking to me but I have the other lookers asking for my card!! Brilliant! The sweat shirt is around $40 bucks and you can get it r It is working for me to break the Ice in the slow winter times.

For some reason, I have the feeling you are trying to get us to buy a sweatshirt!

From the .com website

is the best way to design and sell custom apparel online. You design a product and sell it. The sales money pays for the production of your design and we ship it to all of your buyers. When you use Teespring you don?t have to pay a dollar upfront, guess how many shirts you?ll need, or have to chase anyone down for cash.

[Jerry Simon]

My work shirts show my name as Balthazar. When people ask, I tell them he was an old employee, but I had to fire him because he was a real wise guy.

[John Dirks Jr]

My shirt says "Attention Realtors. To throw me under the bus, grab here and here". []

Thats funny. Here's a spin off that came to mind.

"Attention Realtors, I got a bus of my own. I appreciate the gesture but I don't need a ride on yours".

[Steven Hockstein]

A couple of comments after I looked at your website (constructive critique intended):

In NJ we are prohibited from performing any work on houses that arises from what we find as part of our inspection. I am confused by you advertising the combination of builder and real estate agent and how you are not a one and done inspection company. Do you intend to repair what you find?

I also saw this on your site: "We want to make sure it is safe and that there are no hidden problems that might cost you a bunch of money" Good luck defending that comment in the future when someone wants you to pay for a hidden defect that you did not find.

[gtblum]

My shirt says "Attention Realtors. To throw me under the bus, grab here and here". []

Thats funny. Here's a spin off that came to mind.

"Attention Realtors, I got a bus of my own. I appreciate the gesture but I don't need a ride on yours".

Those are funny!

I think I'll have one made that reads "drive knife here."

You could probably make more money selling these to inspectors, than inspecting!

[Jim Baird]

"...They asked me for some collateral and I pulled down my pants..."---Bob Dylan

[DeBolt]

Here in Colorado the housing market has slowed a little.

Has it slowed down in the Sedalia area? It doesn't seem to have slowed down much in the Denver Metro area.

On a related note, I have not been too successful in receiving business from dropping in on an open house.

The first time I tried it, I ended up adding myself to the real estate agents contact list and then was constantly spammed with properties for sale. [:-knockou