Understanding the "Product" you sell
(This information could save your clients THOUSANDS of dollars)
*Looks can be deceiving*Have a hard time finding contractors??
- NBI's Tidbits
(Snippets of life from NBI)*Picture of the Week
*What's causing these floors to buckle?
- A little Humor to brighten your day
*Cheap Parking in San Francisco
Time to Read: 5 Minutes or Less
Routinely, agents confess how little they know about the physical product they sell…(the house). At times, they are embarrassed that they can’t answer client’s questions regarding the physical aspects of the house.
Each publication, you will find helpful comments and pictures to help build your knowledge base. This information is not to make you a home or termite inspector. It’s to increase your core knowledge to make you even more valuable to your client.
Looks can be deceiving!
At first glance; this is a nice home in a nice Fremont neighborhood.
This is what we found on the back yard.
![]()
This is what we found inside. YUK ! !
![]()
![]()
This place was occupied by a young bachelor. He wanted to have a presale inspection so there wouldn't be any surprises when he found a buyer. HA!
How would you like to do a TV's "Designed-to-Sell" on this house? You would need a week and $2000 just to clean out the garbage.
Often times, we find homes that are deceiving from the outside....and inside.
Look at what we've found under "otherwise" cute homes.
![]()
![]()
Agents will work very hard staging the outside and inside. They will hold open houses and finally negotiate a deal......only to find there may be $20,000+ worth of work to be done.
ELIMINATE SURPRISES! ! !
NBI strongly suggests getting ALL inspections performed BEFORE you find a buyer. Many times, we are asked to perform a "termite ONLY" inspection. The agent advises the seller to "let the buyer get the home inspection". (Realize....A termite inspection doesn't include any of the issues noted in the above pictures. A termite inspection deals with "wood destroying organisms and pests"....not failing foundations, or loose brick being used as piers.) Ordering only a termite inspection is truly "false economy".
Finding these problems AFTER you have a signed contract:
1. Places your transaction in serious jeopardy.
2. Allows the buyer to have the upper hand in the negotiation....either by demanding the Cadillac in repair or by asking for a credit back that far exceeds the actual cost of repair.
Either way, it costs the seller FAR MORE than NBI's combination (Home and Termite) inspection.
But "What if the buyer wants their own inspection?". "What if the buyer wants to have an inspection report in their name....making the inspection company responsible to them?"
NBI resolved this problem by offering a 50% discount to buyers if we have already inspected the property for the seller. We will return to the property; review all of our previous findings and then issue a new report in the buyers name.
The buyer is happy knowing that a thorough inspection was performed by a competent company. This also eliminates the possibility of another inspection company having other findings and corrective recommendations.
Do yourself and your seller a favor. Have NBI perform BOTH inspections prior to finding a buyer.
_____________________________________________________
NBI produces the highest quality inspection reports in the industry. EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE! !
Like these pictures? We provide pictures in our Home "AND" our Termite reports. Go to www.goNBI.com for samples of NBI's home and termite reports. Click on Sample Report in the left column.
Place your inspection orders on-line, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Have you missed previous Straight Fax Newsletters? Click HERE. We have many posted for your review. They contain a lot of great information.
Have a hard time finding contractors??
It seems as though every time NBI finds a major problem during an inspection, the agent asks two questions:1. "How much will that cost?"2. "Do you know of any contractor that can do that?"NBI is constantly trying to find ways to make your job easier. We realize that when we uncover a problem on your client’s home, we create more work for you. Although we are hired to find problems, we don’t want to be a problem “maker”, we want to become a problem “solver”.
How much of a problem does it create when an inspector finds items that need to be repaired? How much time do you spend finding contractors? Do you need bids to close the deals or are estimates acceptable?
Before we spend hundreds (or probably thousands of hours) and tens of thousands of dollars establishing a solution, we want to be assured that there really is a problem that needs to be solved.
We greatly appreciate you taking the time to candidly answer the following questionnaire. The answers to this survey could eventually save you incredible amounts of time. NBI's exciting new concept is sure to make your job MUCH easier. Please....take 3-5 minutes to take this survey. You will be the ultimate beneficiary.
We will publish the results of the survey in our next Straight FAX newsletter.
(Snippets of life from NBI)Picture of the Week:
What's causing these floors to buckle?
I knew we had a problem the minute I walked into this San Jose house. Can you tell what is causing these pretty new hardwood floors to buckle?
That's right.....these hardwood floors are starting to buckle because of an extremely wet substructure. You can see the moisture wicking up onto the pier blocks.
Hardwood flooring is very tightly installed. A little moisture will cause the wood to swell and buckle. Left unchecked, this hardwood flooring would be totally ruined.
![]()
Installing an inexpensive plastic moisture barrier will trap the moisture in the soil preventing it from vaporizing up through the hardwood flooring and house.
Pictures by: Joe Zilioli (NBI Inspector)
NBI has only two things to sell, unequalled construction knowledge and “TIME”. We understand that we will never be able to sell “TOMORROW” again. NBI would rather give your client a GIANT discount for acting fast, than not filling an open time slot.
By ordering a “Last Minute Home and Termite Inspection”, your client could save up to $300.
Our normal rates are:
(Based upon homes under 2000 sq. ft.) (Prices may vary between market areas.)
Home Inspection: $375.00 Termite Inspection: $210.00 Total:.. $585.00 If you fill a combination (home and termite) inspection for the day following your call; your client will have to pay only $285.00! A $300 SAVINGS!
(Example: If you call NBI on Monday and you are able to fill an open time slot we have on Tuesday, you will receive up to a $300 discount.)
If you fill one of our time slots 2 days from your call, your client will have to pay only $385.00! A $200 SAVINGS!
If you fill one of our time slots 3 days from your call, your client will only have to pay $485.00! A $100 SAVINGS!
(Note: Our condominium inspection prices are $240, $310, and $380 respectively.)
Call our office at (800) Go-NBI-NOW (800) 466-2466 for complete details. For additional information about our company, please visits us at www.goNBI.com.
NBI produces the highest quality inspection reports in the industry. EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE! !
We provide pictures in our Home "AND" our Termite reports. Go to www.goNBI.com for samples of NBI's home and termite reports. Click on Sample Report in the left column.
Place your inspection orders on-line, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Have you missed previous Straight Fax Newsletters? Click HERE. We have many posted for your review. They contain a lot of great information.
![]()
Cheap San Francisco Parking
A fellow went into a pawnshop in San Francisco and asked to borrow $2500 for a trip to Hawaii, he was told he would have to put up collateral for security. They explained to him that they would hold it until the loan was paid with the interest owing.
"Well I guess you can hold my van and tools," he replied. " Will they be safe?"
He was assured that they were kept in a locked compound and only bonded staff were allowed access.
Three weeks later he returned to pick up his van and tools, wrote a check for $2531.00 and as the clerk was doing the paperwork he inquired, " There is something we don't understand, we checked your credit, you have a thriving business, yet you pawned your brand new van and expensive tools for money for a trip."
" Where else could I find secure parking for just over $10 a week in this town." the man replied.
Like NBI's Straight FAX Newsletter? Nearly 500 new agents per month are asking to receive our newsletter. Encourage everyone in your office to register for this worthwhile information. Send to, Answerman@goNBI.com.
What issues would you like us to discuss in future Straight Fax Newsletters? Electrical, Plumbing….Roofs??? Proper interpretation of pest control reports??? Let us know.
HAVE QUESTIONS or concerns regarding a potential home problem, ask NBI's AnswerMan at Answerman@goNBI.com
Editor Notes: Dale J. Luger founded National Building Inspectors in 1986. Mr. Luger has purchased; rehabilitated and sold over 1000 residential units in his career. His credentials as a General Contractor, Roofing Contractor (1976), CA Real Estate Broker (1982), Pest Control Operator (1987) make him uniquely qualified and knowledgeable of all aspects of real estate transactions.

