Claim OwnershipInspector Toolbelt Talk
Subscribed: 46Played: 2,778
Subscribe
© 2025 Inspector Toolbelt
Description
A weekly home inspection podcast hosted by the founders of Inspector Toolbelt - the premier home inspection software. Get tips, insights, strategies, and more from our hosts and guests to help give your home inspection business a boost. Ian and Beon are property inspection and tech industry veterans with over 20 years of experience each. Sometimes they even stay on point :)
180 Episodes
Reverse
Ready to stop coasting into December and start launching into January with real momentum? We sit down with Mark Hummel of Inspector Empire Builder to unpack how home inspectors can design a life-first vision and then build the business to match it. No secrets, no gimmicks—just the practical shift from technician thinking to CEO thinking and a system that turns goals into weekly action. We dive into the 1-3-5 framework—one, three, and five-year vision—so your annual targets tie to something b...
Quiet calendars don’t have to mean quiet growth. We break down the most common slow-season mistakes home inspectors make—and replace them with practical moves that compound into spring momentum. From why turning off your website or pausing SEO backfires to how steady AEO signals and consistent social content build authority, we show exactly where to invest attention when the market cools. We dig into real-world tactics: refreshing your website with local service pages and helpful articles, o...
Want a playbook for turning slow seasons into growth? We sit down with Tony from Villa Property Inspections to map out practical ways inspectors expand beyond a standard SOP without losing credibility or crossing ethical lines. From balcony inspection mandates in California to ADA accessibility assessments and commercial proposal tactics, Tony breaks down how the right credentials open doors—and how to present them so clients stop haggling and start booking. We dig into why maintaining a con...
Tenants keep calling for inspections, but the reality behind those requests is far more complicated than a simple walk-through and a quick report. We pull back the curtain on what really happens when renters ask for a home inspection and why many professionals choose to pass—covering lease restrictions, limited access, local rental laws, and the very real risk of getting pulled into landlord–tenant disputes. We start with the legal basics: renters in many places can request inspections, but ...
Rates are easing, inventory is finally stacking, and yet the real curveball isn’t interest—it’s insurance. We unpack why deals in Florida and California are getting derailed by carriers, how state programs like My Safe Florida Home are quietly creating repeatable inspection work, and what the latest investor moves signal for the home inspection industry. From Porch’s acquisition appetite to Spectora’s higher follow-on valuation under Radian Capital, the money flowing into software and service...
Ever wonder what separates a struggling inspector from a thriving business owner? Spoiler: it's rarely about technical knowledge. We've identified a consistent pattern—where most professionals fall short isn't in understanding building systems, but in mastering the crucial soft skills that drive business success. In this candid conversation, I reveal the five books that transformed my approach to home inspection and business ownership, and continue to serve as my go-to resources during morni...
Ever wondered why so many home inspectors struggle when they try to break into commercial inspections? James Hooper, owner of Bridgetown Inspections and Oregon Commercial Inspections, reveals the stark reality: it's not just a bigger version of what you're already doing—it's an entirely different business requiring a complete professional transformation. Hooper's journey began like many others, juggling a full-time job at UPS while building his home inspection business. After receiving incre...
We're tackling a productivity killer hiding in plain sight: excessive photo annotations. Through careful timing and analysis, we've discovered that adding just two annotations to a photo takes about 11 seconds. For inspectors who annotate all 150 photos in an average report, that's 27.5 minutes per inspection—or a staggering 91+ hours annually for someone doing 200 inspections per year. That's over two full work weeks spent drawing arrows and circles! When translated to dollars, we're talkin...
What keeps you going when home inspection gets tough? When you're rubbing your temples between appointments or crawling through another challenging crawlspace, what drives you forward? In this candid conversation, Jay returns to the podcast for another installment of "Drinking with Jay" to explore the concept of remembering your professional "why" – that core purpose that separates sustainable success from eventual burnout. Over glasses of Glendonock 12-year scotch and Ironweed Empire Rye, w...
Are you abandoning proven digital marketing strategies in favor of AI optimization? You might be shooting yourself in the foot. In this revealing episode of Inspector Toolbelt Talk, we unpack the dangerous trend of home inspectors throwing away their Google visibility while chasing AI search results. We break down the crucial distinction between transactional and informational searches - a difference that could make or break your online visibility strategy. While AI excels at answering infor...
Lance Coffman returns to Inspector Toolbelt Talk to deliver a masterclass on the current state of commercial property inspections and why it remains an exceptional opportunity for inspectors looking to diversify their business. While residential markets have struggled over the past two years, commercial inspections continue to thrive. Unlike residential inspections that depend almost entirely on real estate transactions, commercial inspectors serve a diverse clientele including current build...
Are you a home inspector pouring precious marketing resources into ranking for "home inspector near me" searches? You might be chasing a mirage. In this eye-opening episode, we tackle one of the most persistent SEO myths in the home inspection industry. What many inspectors and marketing agencies treat as essential keywords is actually a location-based query trigger that operates completely differently from traditional keyword searches. I break down exactly why two people typing the ex...
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries worldwide, and home inspection is squarely in its sights. In this thought-provoking conversation with returning guest Preston Kincaid, we explore the coming AI revolution that threatens to fundamentally alter how home inspections are conducted—and what separates the inspectors who will thrive from those who won't survive. The parallels to travel agents in 1999 are striking. When airlines introduced online booking, travel agencies nea...
The debate over AI chatbots and phone answering services in the home inspection industry reveals a crucial truth: what seems like technological progress might actually be damaging your business. This eye-opening discussion exposes the hidden costs of automation when it comes to customer communication. Research paints a sobering picture – 77% of consumers report frustration when unable to reach a human agent, while 52% say a negative AI interaction makes them less likely to do business with a...
Whether clients should attend home inspections is a question that plagues both new and seasoned professionals. After 20 years in the field and countless inspections, I've concluded that despite some challenges, having clients present during inspections creates the best outcomes for everyone involved. The most compelling reason for client attendance comes down to communication efficiency. When clients witness the inspection process firsthand, they develop a clearer understanding of their prop...
The housing market has finally reached a pivotal turning point. After years of frenzied buying, skipped inspections, and astronomical prices, we're witnessing a much-needed stabilization that brings good news for both homebuyers and inspection professionals. Our latest market analysis reveals that 44% of current listings have sat for over 60 days—representing a staggering $700 billion in inventory. This extended time on market means sellers are becoming realistic about pricing, with the aver...
Master the art of neutral language. Ever wondered how a simple observation can shield you from liability? Our latest episode of Inspector Toolbelt Talk is packed with insights on maintaining professionalism by focusing on factual observations. We delve into practical examples, like how to handle those notorious water stains on ceilings, ensuring your reports stay objective and reliable. By avoiding assumptions and speculation, you not only protect yourself but also empower your clients to mak...
The secret to building a thriving home inspection business even in challenging markets comes down to a deceptively simple principle: "Raise your prices until the phone stops ringing." Tom Perenzino, owner of Modern Home Inspections in Connecticut, reveals how this philosophy helped him build a company charging over $1,000 per inspection on average—more than double the national average—while capturing 3% market share in one of the country's most difficult real estate environments. What separa...
Ever feel like you're doing all the right marketing things but still hitting a ceiling in your home inspection business? You're not alone. In this exploration of innovative marketing strategies, we dive deep into how Coco Chanel's revolutionary approach to fashion provides a perfect blueprint for home inspectors looking to stand out. What made Chanel remarkable wasn't that she completely shattered conventions—she simply bent them in ways that felt both novel and familiar. She designed ...
For home inspectors (especially with construction backgrounds) 203k consulting might be the perfect way to expand your business while helping buyers transform fixer-uppers into dream homes. As a 203k consultant, you become the linchpin of successful renovation projects. The process begins with a comprehensive property inspection to identify minimum FHA requirements, then expands to include client renovation wishes. You'll create detailed specifications of repairs with line-by-line cost estim...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States