Home Inspection

The Home Inspection course is 90 hours and covers the major structural and mechanical systems of residential property as well as some of the challenges you may encounter in starting your own business.  During the course you will spend three days in the field actually performing inspections with as many as ten inspections completed prior to graduating the course.

There is currently no requirement to be licensed in order to be a home inspector in the state of Georgia.  This course has been approved by the Georgia Appraisers Board as continuing education, so the course has been evaluated by a state agency when licensing or certification is approved in the future.

Cost is $ 800, books are included.

What you need to know before you begin.  Georgia does not yet require home inspectors to be licensed, so there is currently no State exam to become a home inspector.  You may begin marketing your services immediately upon completion of the 90-hour course.  Georgia just recently legislated the licensing of home builders, and it is anticipated that similar laws will soon require home inspectors to become licensed.  One idea that has been suggested for this proposed legislation is to REQUIRE a home inspection of every home sale, which would result in a tremendous demand for home inspection services.
The majority of homes sold in Georgia are not currently inspected by a home inspector, and so starting out in this business will require some good marketing or business decisions such as purchasing a franchise.  Partnering with existing inspectors may be one way to start out in this profession.

Overview of the Home Inspection Profession.  With increased consumer awareness, new property condition disclosure laws, and people still buying homes in all parts of the country, the demand for pre-purchase home inspection has increased steadily. Entrepreneur Magazine calls home inspection "one of the best opportunities for the '90s," and Money Magazine ranks the home inspection profession among "America's 50 Hottest Jobs."
There are surprises in every house, and it’s the home inspector who may save Mr. and Mrs. Homebuyer a good deal of money, headache, and heartbreak over a house that only appears to be sound.
The most common problems inspections uncover include: poor exterior grading, which can lead to basement flooding or leaking; roof leaks; improper wiring; plumbing issues; and heating system malfunctions.
Most problems inspectors find are minor and can be easily remedied. But sometimes the expense can be considerable.  Buyers should, when making an offer on a house, make sure the contract always includes a home inspection contingency. If an expensive problem is found, the buyers can ask for repairs before closing, or negotiate a price reduction, or walk away from the deal without penalty.