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Take a drive through underdeveloped areas and parts of town that might be a little outdated.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 buyers might think they know what they’re getting into with a short sale. But property that’s headed into foreclosure may have numerous problems. It’s a bargain. Maybe it’s even a steal. But foreclosures often have several strikes against them. As a certified home inspector, you can help temper customer enthusiasm with facts so they can make a better-informed buying decision.

Here’s why you should market your talent to every buyer who’s thinking about picking up real estate on the cheap.

It sounds like a rotten thing to do, and it is. But when faced with losing their home, some homeowners take it out on the property in the hopes of making the lender suffer. Unfortunately, a short sale buyer might reap more of what they sowed than the lender will ever know existed.

Lawyers.com  explains that intentional damage is a common problem. Homeowners may destroy the house, damage fixtures or remove fixtures entirely. That includes anything from cabinets to HVAC units, and especially anything of value that can be sold.

According to Zillow, some damage is difficult to spot. Without a certified home inspector, buyers may not know until it’s too late that the previous owner poured concrete down the drains or left meat to spoil in the attic.

Not every homeowner in dire financial straits has a grudge against the lender and new owner. Some, probably many, don’t have the means to tackle regular maintenance and routine repairs. As a result, a short sale house might have numerous lurking issues that need attention right away.

Buyers who are excited about buying a cheap house might not worry about the roof, especially if the interior doesn’t show signs of a major leak. But in a year or two, that might change. A roof inspection can point out home systems that are teetering on the edge of major repairs.

That’s true for any of the major systems in a home. If the HVAC system conks out, the buyer will be stuck with replacement or repairs. Appliances aren’t cheap if they’re past their prime, and neither is a structural rot repair caused by inferior or non-existent gutters.

Short sales are an option before foreclosure happens in earnest. In many cases, a short sale home will be occupied by the owner when it hits the market. But that’s not universally true. If the owner has moved out, someone or something else might have moved in.

Vacant homes are vandalism targets. Teenagers may break in and throw parties, which happened recently in Las Vegas.  Or a squatter might move in and stay.

Vacant houses may also have a pest problem. If a window is broken, that’s an access point for birds, squirrels, raccoons and many other critters. Where there are pests, there are health hazards plus extermination and removal costs to think about.

A short sale house is often a terrific bargain for buyers. They help everyone involved. The homeowner avoids foreclosure, which saves their credit. The lender isn’t saddled with a non-paying owner and property to put on the market. And the buyer gets a house that might be worth a lot more than the asking price.

It’s an all-around win as long as buyers know what they’re getting into. With the help of a certified home inspector, buyers can go into a short-sale purchase knowing exactly what they’re paying for.

There is no shortage of inspiration for people who want to start a home inspecting business. Follow your dreams. Isn’t that what all of the motivational posters say? But what about all of the things that you should never do?

Some practices can hurt your business before it gets off the ground. Others can land you in trouble with the government. If you want to succeed, avoid these 5 quick and easy ways to lose your business.

#1: Who Needs Insurance?

Home inspectors need liability insurance to protect against damage that might happen on the job. If you accidentally knock over a vase or tip your ladder into a window, liability will cover the damage. However, there’s another kind of insurance that some inspectors skip.

Errors and Omissions, usually shortened to E&O, covers you against errors and omissions or oversights in your inspecting work. If you miss a serious defect with the HVAC system or roof, your customer might file a lawsuit. E&O can protect your business if the customer incurs an expense because you missed a defect.

#2: Nobody Will Know if I Don’t Get CE Credits

Not every area requires home inspectors to earn continuing education credits, but many markets do. The same applies to home inspector associations, as credits are often part of renewals.

If you skip continuing education where it’s required, you could lose your license, your association membership or both. Do yourself and your customers a favor. Study up and keep your requirements current.

#3: I Can’t Afford to Risk Killing a Sale

If you’re like many home inspectors, referrals from real estate agents help keep you in business. If a home inspection report reveals defects that make a buyer think twice, your bread and butter might be at risk.

Some inspectors gloss over defects to preserve their professional relationship with agents. However, the customer depends on you for an honest and thorough report. Do yourself and your customers a favor: don’t be afraid to kill a sale with the truth.

#4: I Don’t Have Time for Email and Phone Calls

Buying a home is one of the most stressful ordeals that anyone can go through. If customers can’t depend on a return call or email, their stress multiplies. You might also get fewer and fewer referrals and a reputation for poor communication.

Some inspectors choose a certain time of day for communicating with customers. However you fit in those calls and messages, communication shouldn’t slide to the bottom of the priority list.

#5: The IRS Will Never Know How Much Money I Make

If you work for yourself, who could possibly know how much money you earn for performing home inspections? Without an employer who reports to the IRS, you might cut your tax duty down to almost nothing, right?

The retirement plan for tax evasion is pretty poor, so don’t risk fudging the numbers. If bookkeeping and taxes aren’t your strong suit, hire an accountant to set up a system file your taxes or both.

Working for yourself is part of the American Dream. But starting and operating a solid, above-board home inspection business isn’t easy. The more difficult route takes effort. In the long run, however, it pays off in a reputable business that gets a little stronger every year.

There’s more than one way to build a profitable home inspection business that grows. You need a steady stream of customers, but that’s only part of it. To thrive for the long term, aim for a multi-prong approach that adds jobs and income from several different directions.

If you’re at the stage in your career where growth is mandatory, here are five more ways to make it happen.

How are your marketing skills? If yours consist of a business card and your company name on the side of your vehicle, there’s work to be done. You need a website, and you should use social media regularly. If you have the time, think about starting a blog. Take every digital opportunity that you have to reach customers. If they can find you and schedule an appointment anytime, night or day, you’ll get more work than if you only take calls during business hours.

Referrals have long been the bread and butter of the home inspection industry. It takes some legwork and time to develop a referral base, but it grows if you tend to it. Visit real estate agents regularly. Check in with fellow inspectors who have sent customers your way. Send a note to past customers who have brought you business. Remember them and they’ll be more likely to remember you.

One of the most difficult things that any business owner can do is decide to raise prices. What if customers go somewhere else? What if your competition undercuts you and walks away with a landslide of business? Business trainer, Tara Gentile, says you should price yourself higher and feel good about it, but only after understanding what factors influence pricing. Read about her strategy for getting higher rates by offering customers something that’s worth it.

Every homeowner needs at least two inspections. There’s the general home inspection, which is what you do, and a termite inspection, which someone else often does. The more ancillary inspections you offer, the more opportunities you’ll have to grow your business. Here are just a few ideas. You’ll probably think of others.

If you’re an expert in a certain area, such as HVAC or electrical, you’ve got yet another way to earn extra money.

Some days, you’re probably so busy that you wonder if you’ll ever catch your breath. And then other days, you might hear more crickets chirping than rings on your telephone. Every industry has busy and slow seasons. When home inspecting slows down, which is often in colder months, commercial inspections can keep you busy. They require different skills, perhaps new training and licensing, and the jobs are much larger. But commercial inspections can keep your business hopping year-round.

If only business success was as simple as performing great home inspections. Success depends on growth, and growth requires continual improvement. If your home inspection business is getting a bit stagnant, maybe it’s time for you to branch out. Learn more about marketing, offer more services, and think about raising your rates. As long as customers know that they’re getting their money’s worth, you’ll have work in the pipeline.

Technology sure is advancing quickly in the home inspecting industry. Smartphones and tablets are nudging out clipboards, and even laptops aren’t as common on site as they were for a while. Who needs to climb a ladder when a drone can check out the roof for you?

While technology is great, it can’t replace one of the most important parts of a thorough home inspection: the human element. Here’s why a simple, old-fashioned inspection can be an advantage, not a deficit.

Technology should complement the skill set that you’ve got, not replace it. For years, home inspectors provided thorough inspections with little more than a flashlight, electrical tester and a few hand tools. It’s still possible, and those skills work as an underpinning that makes technology more useful.

What happens on site when an app fails or high-priced equipment breaks? If you’re comfortable working without technology, you can still get the job done. If you’re not, the inspection might be dead in its tracks.

Sure, a drone can get a great look at parts of a roof that you might never reach. But a certified home inspector should have the ability scale a ladder and walk the roof without skipping a beat. Experience writing inspection reports longhand means a buggy smartphone won’t slow you down.

You’ve probably heard it many times before, but it bears repeating. Most of your customers are probably buying a house. That’s one of the most stressful things that anyone can go through. A hands-on inspector who communicates well might be one of the few reassuring elements of the whole experience.

Terry Sun of SnapInspect says at LinkedIn that these are three of the “most revered qualities” that a home inspector can have:

Notice how they have nothing to do with technology? That’s because a great certified home inspector isn’t defined buy the gadgets they use. You can be a great home inspector without all of the bells and whistles.

It’s tempting to buy the latest and greatest equipment that promises to make your life easier. Just be sure that it’s really a benefit and not one more tool to collect dust.

A Flir thermal imaging device can broaden your home inspection horizons and grow your business. It’ll also set you back at least several hundred dollars, if not thousands. The same goes for a drone and many other trendy tools that catch your eye.

It pays to be prudent with technology. Before you invest, think about how it will (or won’t) complement your existing skills. You could get a lot of mileage out of a circuit tracer, which might cost $1,000 or more. But if you live in an area with high winds and lots of rain, a drone might rarely see the light of day.

A certified home inspector really only needs a few things to provide a simple, thorough home inspection: a flashlight, ladder, electrical testers, a few hand tools and a blank report to fill in. Nearly everything else is extra.

There’s nothing wrong with working in what some people might call the “old fashioned” way. That’s why Home Inspection Report offers a straightforward Word version of our inspection report. Print it out and use it on site with a pen and a clipboard, or take notes during the inspection and fill in the report on your computer later.