What Does It Take to Become a Home Inspector in Georgia?There’s no denying that real estate is one of America’s most profitable industries. Thus, there’s a constant influx of investors into the market. However, not everyone must become an agent, as other opportunities are available in real estate. One of them is the role of a home inspector.

Being a home inspector involves overseeing building inspections to ensure the properties are suitable for human inhabitation. This article will examine the qualifications and specifications required to work as a home inspector. 

To learn more about this role, consider attending Reshema and Jacques Mountain’s speaking engagement at the Georgia Residential Real Estate Summit – an event organized and sponsored by Homes by Ardor and Tim Stout and Associates.

Reshema Mountain is a seasoned real estate professional and co-owner of Dream Home Inspections. Her agency has specialized in home inspections in the South Metro Atlanta Area and its environs since 2006. 

The speaking program promises to be educational and insightful, especially for those looking to start a career in home inspection.

If you are looking for more engaging information, tune in to the most recent podcast featured by Reshema and Jacques Mountain, the Icons of Real Estate Podcast! Check out the episode here!

Is It Required to Have Home Inspector Certification in Georgia?

Conditions for home inspector practice vary across different states. While some require licensing, examination, and proof of continuing education, others don’t place any qualifying label on the profession. An example of such a state is Georgia, where all you need to become a home inspector is significant knowledge of home systems and their working principles.

In Georgia, not only are governing bodies and sets of regulations supervising the practice glaringly absent, no license type specifications or license renewal cycle exist. The state also lacks pre-licensing rules. Thus, it’s safe to say that home inspectors have free rein. 

Nonetheless, it’s pertinent to possess a license or any form of qualification as a home inspector in Georgia, as most clients will be unwilling to work with someone who claims to be an expert home inspector without any substantial evidence. 

This fact is valid because Georgia is a real estate hotspot, and it isn’t rare to find scammers hustling for a slice of the cake. Thus, if your goal is to have a successful career as a home inspector, a home inspector certification or recognized training program will come in handy to prove your legitimacy. The certificate also demonstrates that you can offer great value to your clients.

Most certification courses are only a few days or weeks long. Hence, they don’t require much to complete. They’re primarily split into sections to facilitate training and foster comprehension. Many of them are cheap and very comprehensive. Thus, enrolling and earning a certification doesn’t take much.

It’s worth noting that in 1994, Georgia passed a Trade Practice Act that enforces the following for home inspectors: 

  • The provision of a scope of work
  • A mandatory visual inspection
  • A statement detailing the property’s structural elements and systems
  • Written report

Failure to do the above is a criminal offense punishable by law. The Act (Chapter 3, Title 8) further prohibits any form of an unethical home inspection, and it explains in detail the requirements for report presentation.

What Does It Take to Become a Home Inspector in Georgia?

What Does a Home Inspection Checklist Contain?

Purchasing a new property is exhilarating, and sometimes, it’s easy for buyers to get lost in the moment that they forget the little things they need to look out for in the property. Thus, buyers may treat issues such as the lighting condition, plumbing, stairwell safety, and other pertinent factors with a side-eye, making it essential to hire the services of a home inspector.

One of your duties as a home inspector is to draft a home inspection checklist that gives you a run-down of the necessary things to look out for when scrutinizing a property. The scrutiny process may expose deal-breaking defects in the property that’ll save the buyers from years of regret. 

These inspections also enable the buyer to seek expert advice on the property’s condition before purchase. To ensure that home inspection checklists are as practical as possible, they must examine the following:

  • Roof, Doors, and Windows Usability 

Property buyers are more likely to focus on the house’s interior, so they may fail to take a good look at the roof and windows. However, as a home inspector, you’ll work meticulously to inspect every nook and cranny of the house, taking note of vital areas and any discrepancies you discover.

Since these structural components are some of the most expensive to repair or maintain, your job as a home inspector is to scrutinize their conditions and estimate their durability judiciously. 

Things to look out for on the roof are the gutters, chimneys (where present), shingles, exterior vents, etcetera. Key features to inspect in the windows and doors include hinges, glass panes, cracks, and breaks.

  • Condition of Lighting, Electrical Appliances, and Other Systems

Any home inspection that doesn’t include a detailed evaluation of the major systems in the property, such as the lighting (electrical and non-electrical), plumbing, heating, and cooling systems, is a futile look-around.

Evaluating these systems and noting their working status and presumed lifespan should be the top priority of any home inspector who wishes to do a good job.

It’s conventional wisdom that a house isn’t beautiful, no matter how striking, if it lacks working systems. As a reputable home inspector in Georgia, it’s mandatory to know this fact. Thus, you’ll want to ensure that the property is in perfect condition.

  • Building Exterior and Surroundings

For any property to be habitable, it has to be in a safe area with little or no bushes, as they serve as breeding sites for rodents and dangerous animals. There’s also the need to inspect the exterior of the property and its general condition to get insight into the property’s age and structural integrity. It also exposes areas in the exterior that need retouching or repainting.

Other specifications that ought to be part of the checklist include the property’s interior, the condition of the kitchens, rooms, bathrooms, basement, attic, and furniture, if available.

What Does It Take to Become a Home Inspector in Georgia?

Our Home Inspection Training Mentorship Program

Now that you know what it takes to be a home inspector in Georgia, it’s time to take a step toward starting your career. Dream Home Inspections Mentorship Program is tailored just for people like you who either have a certification already or are eager to join the profession and need guidance in certain areas.

The home inspection is growing, and your commitment to excellence will set you apart.

As a first-time home inspector, it’s not unusual to worry about who’ll assist you in drafting your first inspection report or answer questions about unclear antecedents at work. Hence, this mentorship program aims to answer these questions by aiding potential home inspectors to reach their maximum capabilities.

The mentorship program, spearheaded by Jacques and Reshema Mountain, who has been in the home inspection business for over 15 years, is an 8-week exercise that equips mentees with tips and blueprints that guarantee a successful career a home inspector. It has a certificate that permits mentees to work as home inspectors anywhere.

During the program’s eight weeks, mentees learn how to set up tax and accounting systems properly, write home inspection reports expertly, and market their businesses. They also learn about career opportunities in the industry, receive unlimited field training, access to a community of successful home inspectors, and many more.

The home inspection training program also includes a mouth-watering bonus – mentees who complete the program receive help to set up their home inspection business in any city and state of their choice. 

Conclusion

Becoming a home inspector is a great way to join the real estate industry in Georgia without being an investor. Your success in the field is highly dependent on the skills you possess and your willingness to learn from the experts. 

The Georgia Residential Real Estate Summit, sponsored by Homes by Ardor and Tim Stout and Associates, offers you a fantastic opportunity to meet, learn from, and network with top home inspectors in the state. One of them is Reshema Mountain and Jacques, who’ll speak on launching a career as a home inspector at the event.

Plan to watch! Check it now at https://realestatemasterssummit.com/georgiasummit/reshema-jacques-mountain/

If you skip the date, the 29th of November, don’t break a sweat, the presentations will be available for streaming for FREE!