Why Now Is the Right Time To Franchise with HomeTeam Inspection Service?

By Greg Haskett, Vice President of Shared Services

Many might think that now is the wrong time to get into franchising. The economy is suffering, the real estate market is in the dumps and people think, “Why would I start a business in this type of volatile market?”

But, now is exactly the right time to jump on board. Why? First, the market is only going up. Now is the time to establish your new business as a legitimate business so that when the market bounces back, your business will already be known, your service will already speak for itself and in the height of it all, you will capitalize much more than starting afresh in a stable economy.

Second, the home inspection industry is becoming more professional every day. If we look back to 1994, 25% of homes were inspected prior to the sale of the home. Now, 90% of all homes are inspected prior to the sale. Home inspectors are becoming a necessary asset for the homeowners, homebuyers and Realtors; home inspectors are an extension of the Realtor’s team. In addition, home inspectors are required to be licensed in 35 states and the remaining 15 states are putting laws in place to require licensing for home inspectors. This industry is becoming more professional by the day and the sale of 90% of homes in the US rely on home inspectors.

Finally, additional services are emerging within the home inspection industry that create additional revenue streams for the inspectors. These services include radon testing, mold testing, energy audits, water testing, lead testing, storm assessments and more.

Though opening a new business in a down economy may seem tough, HomeTeam Inspection Service supports new franchisees before, during and after the opening to ensure success. Over the next two weeks, we’ll discuss our Fast Start and The Academy programs which are support programs to help new franchisees from the time they become a franchisee through the first year of operation.

HomeTeam Inspection Service Brand Manager Wins National Creative Award for Talents

Just this month we have the pleasure of celebrating not only our growth, but we also get to celebrate the accomplishments of our Brand Manager, Michelle Southworth.

Michelle has just won a national award for her creative talents in a competition to seek out the next design for Marshall’s 2010 football t-shirt. That’s not the only place that Michelle’s graphic design talents are utilized. Michelle is the creative brains behind all marketing and advertising collateral for HomeTeam Inspection Service.

In a Q&A with Michelle she gives an inside glimpse into the insights behind the creative.

When did you start with HomeTeam?

I started in July 2007.

What is the strategy behind HomeTeam Inspection Service creative?

The strategy behind all of our creative is to appeal to our target audience. With HomeTeam our main focus is creating pieces that are appealing to Real Estate Professionals. Keeping in mind what REALTORS® want to see from an inspection service and focusing on what is important to them. In addition, our team approach is a major point that we want to get across. We can offer a professional and efficient inspection that REALTORS’® clients will appreciate, all in about half of the time.

Have you ever given the HomeTeam Inspection Service brand a creative refresh? If so, when and why?

When I started with HomeTeam, we were in the process of launching a new logo. During this transition, my main responsibility was to re-create all of the marketing collateral with the new logo, and create a new brand image. In the past 3 years, that image has evolved, and will continue to evolve in efforts to keep our brand image relevant and appealing to our target audience.

What messages do you want to convey in the creative?

The most important message that we want to convey in our marketing pieces for HomeTeam Inspection Service is creating a professional brand image that our customers will trust. In the home inspection industry, there are a lot of people who will operate the business on their own who are not certified and do not provide professional service. Our franchisees for HomeTeam provide licensed or licensed and insured employees. Creating a professional image really helps set us apart from our competition who cannot provide the same quality service as we can.

Franchisee Profile: Brian O’Rear

How Brian O’Rear Got Started With HomeTeam…

Before getting his start with HomeTeam, Brian O’Rear spent 22 years in the United States Air Force, flying fighter jets and the stealth bomber. After retiring from the Air Force as a Colonel, Brian decided to return to Louisville to pursue his entrepreneurial dream and open his own business after looking at the option for the last 15 years of his military career. Brian explored many possible routes searching through different possible franchising concepts and even considered starting his own business. What Brian learned through his research is that by choosing a franchising concept, he could start up the company faster, get proper training and have a corporate staff with marketing ideas to help his business succeed.

What Intrigued Brian O’Rear about HomeTeam…

Brian was instantly intrigued by HomeTeam when he first saw the company name. What drew Brian to the concept specifically was the “team” aspect, as Brian had spent a majority of his life working in a team oriented atmosphere. He recognized the importance of having a professional home inspection service and realized that the market was flooded with inspectors who spent a career in construction, yet lacked in efficiency and clear specialization in home systems.

What also fascinated Brian about the concept was that he could operate his whole business out of his home, which gave him a low start-up cost, low equipment cost and the ability to begin operations in only a few months. In addition, the high profit margins that were attainable in the home inspection industry ultimately made opening HomeTeam a financial decision that Brian couldn’t resist.

Something Interesting About Brian O’Rear’s Business…

Despite opening his business in the height of the recession in one of the worst possible fields, Brian has exceeded expected revenues and number of inspections in his first year of operation. Within the first 6 months, Brian had to hire additional team members to meet the growing demand.

In addition to providing optimal service for real estate agents and home buyers, HomeTeam helps save the consumer’s time and money by providing a thorough home inspection in only 1.5 hours. Included in Brian’s regular inspections are pest control as well as mold, radon and allergen testing.