Just because a state requires licensing for home inspectors doesn’t mean some con artists won’t slip through the cracks. That recently happened in Oregon, and it can happen anywhere.

For almost any requirement, there’s a way forge a document or even steal someone else’s identity. It might seem like a lot of trouble, especially when home inspector education and licensing are widely accessible, but it happens.

It’s easy to imagine unqualified people working as home inspectors in states with no licensing or certification requirements. What’s surprising is that some people are bold enough to try it in states like Oregon, which has licensing requirements in place.

Earlier this year, a man from Bend, OR was busted for performing “illegitimate home inspections.” How’d he do it? By stealing the professional identity of another licensed contractor with the same name. The Oregon Construction Board has fined the man $80,000 and he’s been added to the state’s “Buyer Beware” list, says the Statesman Journal.

What’s more unnerving is that the poseur didn’t just perform a few illegitimate home inspections. “He was doing significant business without offering any of the consumer protections that come with licensing,” said enforcement manager, Stan Jessup, in an interview with the Journal.

There’s no way to prevent bad intentions, and it takes a team to ferret out fake inspectors operating under the radar. Fraud might always be at least a small problem for customers seeking a home inspection. But the good work of licensed home inspectors makes the industry stronger and better.

The more licensed inspectors there are in a market, the more chances consumers in the area have to pick a good one. But the benefits don’t end there. Reputable home inspectors who follow the rules have an opportunity to educate the public about fraud and how to stay safer against it.

If you live in a state that licenses home inspectors, you could become a thought leader and a voice in the community. Working together with other inspectors and home inspection association chapters in your area, you could help transform your market into one that fewer con artists want to tap into.

Every licensed home inspector who gets involved can help eliminate fraud and effect great change in the industry. You don’t have to speak at conferences or place public service ads, either. You have other tools at your disposal.

Educate consumers at your website. Display your credentials and invite people to check them out. If they can easily prove that you’re above-board, they might come to expect that of every inspector. The more inspectors who do, the more you could help drive business in the direction of inspectors who’ve earned the right to do the work.

If you blog, write regular posts about fraud. How can buyers in your market spot a fraudulent home inspector? Where should they report them? What’s the worst that could happen if customers hire an inspector who isn’t what they say they are?

As many police officers will tell you, locks keep honest people honest, they don’t really keep every criminal out. The same can be said for licensing requirements for home inspectors. Men and women who want to do a good job will follow the rules set in place by the state licensing board. People who want to work fraudulently will always try to find a way. When honest certified home inspectors educate the public about the difference, fewer home buyers will hire someone who doesn’t have their best interest at heart.

Is your home inspection business booming? Are you ready to move from the kitchen table or den into a full-fledged office away from home? Great! But where can you find a lease that not too big, not too small, and suits your needs without breaking the bank? Here are a few tips for finding commercial space that’s just right.

Probably the best first call is to a real estate agent, but not just any agent. Find one who specializes in commercial properties. They know what the market is like, where the best deals can be found and which properties might be coming available soon.

The caveat is that renting through an agent is sometimes a hassle. You might face competition for a good location. The property owner or manager might require an exhaustive qualification process with a significant lease deposit. And you might spend more time with an agent than you would cold calling property owners or managers.

Some businesses need a busy street. A coffee shop in a weird location might not get much business. But home inspectors don’t rely on walk-up foot traffic or people driving by to drive in more customers. A retail area might look impressive, but you’ll pay a lot more for the privilege.

Instead, stick to commercial areas. They might not look as fancy as a retail strip mall. But you might get a lot more for your rental money if you skip busy streets and aim for an office park or building.

Nearly every town has an area with buildings that either sit vacant for years or have a string of transient shops that filter through. Since location isn’t as important for a home inspection business, distressed office rentals might have exactly what you’re looking for.

Take a drive through underdeveloped areas and parts of town that might be a little outdated. Some vacancies have contact information in the window. Take along your phone or tablet to snap pictures of the building and the lease sign to save time on writing everything down.

Over time, some residential areas gradually go through a re-zoning process. Structures that once were homes turn into commercially zoned properties. Smaller houses are perfect for a small office, and they may have off-street parking, as well.

With a re-zoned house, you have amenities built in. There’s a bathroom, kitchen and at least an old bedroom or two ready for you to convert into offices and storage. And they have a quaint look that’s different from the average office building.

Don’t discount the possibility of taking office space in an unusual place. Some businesses rent out individual offices if they’re large on space and short on staff. You might have common privileges such as kitchen use and cleaning, as well.

You might find an old warehouse with space to rent or even a vacant mechanic’s garage. Another idea is to look in your own backyard. If you have a workshop or a large garage, could you convert it into a workspace for your home inspection business? If so, you’ll have a built-in office that’s rent-free.

One of the greatest benefits of the home inspection industry is the ability to grow as large as your motivation will take you. Maybe you prefer to take on only a few clients. Some home inspectors keep a full-time job and perform home inspections on the side. If you’ve got big dreams, you could build a company that one day needs employees. Or maybe you fit somewhere in-between.

Whatever your goals, an office away from home gives you room to think and work, and it lets you reclaim the kitchen table. With some perseverance, you’ll find an office that fits your budget and the way you like to work.

Home inspectors are torn on the topic of licensing, at least in states where it’s not yet the norm. In California, for example, many home inspectors are happy to keep things the way they are. Inspector and former contractor, Dave Pace, tells NBC Bay Area that he’s satisfied, but he also isn’t opposed to licensing if it’s done right. Pace belongs to the California Real Estate Inspector’s Association, so his standards are a bit higher than some CA inspectors who fly solo.

No licensing means no government regulations, no state intervention and sometimes even no insurance. But what you save on the front end could come back to haunt you later on. If you’re working in a state like California that doesn’t license home inspectors, here’s how you can protect yourself and your career.

In unlicensed states, prospective inspectors usually have no education requirements before hanging out a shingle and going to work. As Pace explained, he’s seen people work at a grocery store one day and start a home inspection business the next. An education sets you apart from other inspectors who only do the bare minimum.

An education can also protect you. In some unlicensed states, legislation holds inspectors to a reasonable duty of care to their customers. If you provide an inspection, you’re required to perform a responsible one. In the absence of a licensing board, state laws may give customers a legal foothold for suing if they’re dissatisfied. With an education, you’ll know how to do the job properly.

Passing a home inspection education course is a great first step, but the National Home Inspector Exam lets you prove your knowledge. Although it’s not required, it’s smart to take part. Some associations require future members to pass the exam, so why not join the ranks and schedule a test date?

While studying for the exam, you’ll probably find an area or two where you need more knowledge. The helps ensure that you’re as fit as you can be once you’ve tested and are ready to enter the workforce. It also protects you from inadvertently overlooking a home defect and finding yourself in court.

State- and national-level home inspector associations go to great lengths to cultivate a unified industry. Each association has a code of ethics and standards of practice, and continuing education isn’t uncommon, either.

Adherence to the code keeps your membership intact, which helps with marketing yourself as professional. Standards of Practice are your road map for performing a home inspection the way most inspectors in North America do. And with continuing education, you’ll stay competitive in a changing industry.

After passing an educational program and then taking the national exam, why would you subject yourself to even more education? Continuing education keeps your existing knowledge fresh and makes you aware of new laws, trends, tools, and standards.

Associations often have continuing education requirements. If you join, chances are you’ll be required to participate. If you choose not to join an association, you can still earn continuing ed credits. Contact a provider such as Quality Education Group and keep learning throughout your career.

Perhaps one of the most important characteristics of a responsible home inspector is an errors and omissions insurance policy that stays in force. If you operate a business, you’ll probably need liability insurance. Errors and Omissions or E&O is different. It protects you and your customer from loss in case you overlook a costly defect.

Liability protects you and the homeowner in case you break a window. E&O protects you and the home buyer in case you overlook a window that’s defective. Having a policy is one more way to separate you from other inspectors who try to skimp. It can also protect your business as well as your personal belongings.

Working in a state without licensing gives home inspectors a lot of freedom. There’s the opportunity to carve your own path, make your own name and do it all on your terms. But there’s also the opportunity to land in a mess if you don’t take certain precautions. Instead of thinking of your state as freedom from licensing, consider it the freedom to do better. You can build a business the way that you see fit. Take this chance and go further than your competition.

More homeowners in Maine now have access to lead testing, which could mean an uptick in business for certified home inspectors. According to an Associated Press clip at the Journal Tribune, there’s a new a federal recommendation to intervene before children get sick from lead exposure instead of testing after signs of an illness emerge.

With more lead testing and homeowners more aware of the dangers of lead, home inspectors trained in lead identification and testing could provide a better service to communities.

New federal guidelines expanded access to home inspections and testing for lead. Where about 50 children previously qualified each year for a lead inspection in the home, now the number has increased to about 200. According to the EPA, home inspectors can train to become certified in lead inspections through an approved certification program.

To find a training provider devoted to lead inspections, check out the EPA page, Locating Accredited Training Programs. You can find the nearest program by entering your zip code and the distance you’d be willing to travel. More information is available at the EPA’s Lead Hotline.

According to Bangor Daily News, children who live in some Maine towns have a greater risk of lead exposure. Bangor, Biddeford/Saco, Lewiston/Auburn, Portland/Westbrook and Sanford were identified by the Centers for Disease Control as high-risk towns for childhood lead exposure, says Bangor Daily News.

As you might expect, the number of homes that contain lead is related to the volume of older real estate in the area. The older the home, the more likely it will have lead paint and sometimes old lead water pipes. Homes built before 1978 are a particular risk. Although urban areas are more likely to have a higher incidence of lead in homes, the CDC also identified several rural areas in Maine where lead is more prevalent. Solon, Saint George, Bristol, Phillips and Milo are in the top five.

When you think about lead in and around homes, you probably think about paint. Most older homes have at least some lead-based paint on trim, floors, stairs and walls, even if it’s buried under layers of lead-free paint. But paint is just the beginning. Because of the age of homes with lead paint, lead dust can also be a problem. Children don’t have to consume an old paint chip to experience lead poisoning. Breathing lead-contaminated household dust is just as dangerous.

Another area is the soil around the house. If the home’s exterior siding or trim was ever painted with lead-based paint, chances are the soil around the house where children sometimes play contains lead. Water pipes may contaminate the water supply. Old driveways and garage storage areas may have some lead from the days of leaded gasoline.

Although lead is unsafe for people of any age, children are especially at risk of experiencing serious health effects. Over time as lead builds up in a child’s body, it can affect brain development, physical growth and cause mental disabilities.

With the expansion of lead inspection and testing access for children, more homes in Maine need an inspection by a certified, qualified home inspector trained in identification and risk assessment. If you want to help the community and grow your business, this is an opportunity to do both.

Can You Commit to Studying Before Using New Software?

Every new app has a bit of a learning curve. With some of the more intuitive apps, a few minutes is all that it takes to learn the basics and get up and running. But some home inspection software requires tech knowledge plus time to learn how to use all of the features.

More complicated software doesn’t necessarily equal software that performs better. Unless you have time to study and perhaps get help with setup and tutorials, straightforward software that’s easy to use from the day you install it might be a better choice.

Do you want photo editing, bookkeeping, and commercial building inspection reports rolled into your home inspection software? For many home inspectors, sometimes too much is just too much. Every feature that you don’t use drives up the cost and takes up more storage space on your mobile device.

If your business is home inspections, a commercial report option isn’t necessary. Unless your photography skills are terrible, a photo editing program might be unnecessary. Bookkeeping is also fluff if you prefer to handle it at the office or at home after hours. Stick with what you need and skip what you don’t. You’ll probably be happier.

One of the most convenient things about a mobile device for home inspection reporting is the flexibility. You can fill out the report, add pictures and finalize it on-site. Send it to your customer from the driveway, or look it over once more while you take a lunch break and then email it. Now imagine that to send the report, you first had to connect to a desktop or laptop computer.

Some home inspection software requires you to sync with a computer before files are saved or reports are emailed. If you’d rather eliminate extra steps, go with an app that doesn’t need the help of a desktop.

Your home inspection report should be clean, sharp, professional looking and easy to read. It should help you promote your brand and look great doing it. Can you design all that using only the skills that you’ve got? Do you think you’re stuck with an unattractive report unless you pay more or hire a graphic designer?

Fortunately, some home inspection reporting apps let you customize the report without any special skills. If you can upload your logo and contact information without any help, you’re on the right track. If you can add a swimming pool and subtract a fence without worrying about formatting issues or blank spaces, you’ve got an intuitive app that you’ll want to keep.

You’ve probably heard the drill: once you learn it, it’s easy to use! But home inspection reporting software should make your life easier, not harder, even in the beginning. If the learning curve is so steep that you’d rather write reports longhand, you’ve probably got the wrong app. If you can use it as easily on day-one as you can in the months to come, you’ve got a good tool for your business.