Saturday, May 28, 2022
We Will Buy Your Home Back
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Porch Home Assistant Gold
As part of your home inspection with us you will receive
Porch Home Assistant Gold.
Rather than attempting to explain simply watch this video.
Monday, May 16, 2022
Can you read a pair of shoes?
Thursday, May 12, 2022
My Children
On another note, we have a highly intelligent, Hispanic, bilingual, ferocious, soccer playing (with a broken finger to prove it), young lady in training now as a home inspector. She contacted us and we recognized the fire in her to be in this profession. We were looking for someone to translate for us and work one-on-one with our Spanish speaking clients. She found us. You will meet Emily shadowing us on some inspections. She will also be working part time in our office shortly helping kick our new management/marketing and booking system in gear. Later we will introduce her in a post.
On yet another note, we were contacted by a retired builder, near my age, whom many old time Realtors will recognize. We are playing that low key right now. You may meet him shadowing one of us on inspections. He is working on training, attaining his license, learning the process and our systems. Later, we will introduce him, and you will be amazed. When he is fully on board, we will begin conducting new construction progress and payment draw inspections.
Let’s not stop there! We have a fireman with extensive construction experience starting training shortly. He is considering starting out part time on attaining his license. You may also meet him shadowing us.
We are getting ready to kick marketing in gear for myself and Mark Silcott in the High Country. Coming Soon!
So, what does an old inspector do as he becomes less able to do some of the work and not interested in leaving this earth with all this knowledge and experience in his brain? Clones himself in droves. Warning, more are coming, as well as jacked up marketing to bring in work for them. You may meet them in their training process.
Are we nuts? No, going to cover more territory and offer more services. We are already set up to cover from east of Burlington to the Tennessee border and from the Virginia line to the north side of Charlotte. Target market is the complete state.
I ain’t going nowhere, but you will see less of me on small, simple inspections. Large, old, historic, expensive, commercial, I will still be around.
Why book the rest when you can have the best? www.chrisdhilton.com
Monday, May 9, 2022
Who Butters Our Bread?
Near the end of every year I look at the numbers from the previous year to determine our performance, where our business came from “who butters our bread” and how to increase it in the future. This year I am a little behind and drilled down much deeper than usual.
Don’t freak out at the length of this article. I assure you that not only will you enjoy it, but you will likely learn something you didn’t have a clue about.
Before I even begin, allow me to be very clear that we love having our bread buttered by Realtor referrals. We love Realtors, I sleep with one every night. We will take every Realtor referral we can get and are preparing a massive marketing effort to get more. That said, we prefer Realtors who honestly care more about their client’s best interest than their transaction. The other type will only refer us for possibly one inspection, if they refer us at all. Following that first inspection they will consider us too tough or too detailed. Wouldn’t you imagine that is what their client is looking for? Others will only refer us for rough or old homes. Wonder why that is?
We even have a few agents who only refer us when they have a client determined to purchase a home, in disastrous condition, that the agent prefers they don’t close on for fear it will come back and bite them in the ass. We become their insurance policy. “I referred the toughest home inspector in the business, and you still chose to close. I have done all I can do.” I had one that was literally condemned by the county just before closing. Yes, that is TRUE!
We have MANY agents who only book us on homes they or family members are purchasing. I have a few agents who I have inspected multiple homes for them, and family members, but not even one for one of their clients. They will tell me, to my face, that I am too tough for their clients. Can you even believe that? Does that scream something at you? Amazingly the clients we work with love us, especially investor clients. Out of over 7000 inspections we have conducted over 25 years, I challenge you to find even a hand full of dissatisfied clients. You will find a few and find that it wasn’t us but their expectations which were the issue. Agents, well, that could go either way.
When I began in this business, 25 years ago, most home inspection business came from Realtor referrals. The truth of the matter is that most of our competitors home inspection business still comes from Realtor referrals. Why do you imagine that most home inspectors bend over backwards to impress, “suck up” to Relators and not “kill their deal”? The problem is that most active successful Realtors have their preferred home inspector whom they recommend to their clients. Clients trust their agents and would consider no other. Hell, most have no clue how to even find another home inspector. This left me out in the cold. My decision to establish a reputation as one of the toughest home inspectors available and not to favor agent’s transactions over the client’s best interest threw even more cold water on my efforts to gain business. My lovely Realtor bride, the one I still sleep with every night, was convinced that I couldn’t make it. To be perfectly honest the first few years were embarrassingly lacking in inspection bookings. I had to find a different method to gain bookings. Began a massive marketing campaign to be number two, when those other guys were booked up. I began targeting new agents. Long before my competition I jumped on the internet and began targeting clients directly without their agent’s involvement.
Out of the 2186 buyer agents in our data base only 17% booked inspections with us in 2021. The bulk of our business in 2021 (76%) involved agents who were only involved in one transaction. Many of those new agents who had never booked with us previously. This likely indicates that we were not the agents recommend inspector but that the client chose us from the internet, referrals from past clients, friends, family members or business associates. That has been our target market for most of our 25 years in this business. 7% of our 2021 business had no agent involved.
Only 17% of our business involved agents in more than two inspections. These are the agents who prefer and recommend us. Wonder why that percentage is so low considering the volume of inspections we do?
14% of our business was from only two agents representing investors for 2021. We are under contract to do about 50% of our 2021 volume in 2022 for only one of those investors.
Other than these inspections involving investors, one of which booked 39 in 2021, no single Realtor represents even one half a percent of our business.
Still in 2022, after 25 years and over 7000 home inspections under our belt. Most of our bread is buttered, somehow, despite Relators. Isn’t that amazing?
Now - GO BRING ON THE BUTTER!!!
Book your or your clients residential, multi family and commercial inspections at:
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Winner of or $100 Gas Card Drawing for April
Realtor
Cathy Duke
with
RE/MAX of Greensboro
Best that I can tell, we have been working with Cathy’s clients for over 12 years. She is one of our top referring agents. We have done several for her family members and for her personally. In fact, we recently did an inspection, on a very nice home, for her niece. Let’s keep it in the family!!!
Interesting story about this drawing. I had an inspection booked for Cathy next week. I am at our mountain home. The listing agent called advising me of all the requirements the seller insisted on for us to inspect his home. What to wear, what we can’t touch, what we can’t open, how and when to use hand sanitizer, and so forth. Apparently, when I advised there would be three of us it became worse. My response? “You will need to call Cathy, as sellers do not dictate how we inspect their homes. The inspection was canceled, due to my refusal to comply. Cathy wasn’t pleased, but was understanding. I don’t believe either of us, or the listing agent, have ever had a similar issue previously. I do believe we have all been doing this for decades. Such is the Pandemic Mania. Cathy and I have worked together, a very long time, and she fully understands how I operate. She will book her next one with us, provided her clients are in agreement.
In the mean time Nora, at the office in Winston, inquired if I wanted her to draw for the April gas card. I said sure, draw the card and send me a photo. This is what I received. As if our last one didn’t appear to be collusion, this one is worse. Nora swears that she didn’t have a clue what was going on and this is the card she pulled out 100 miles from me.
To say that I was shocked, is an understatement. Cathy was as well when I text her.
WOW - Considering the mess we had been dealing with, There couldn’t have been a better choice. Fate did that for us.
I will be contacting Cathy to find out whether she prefers a Sheetz or Speedway card which she will receive shortly in the mail. Hey Cathy - Become eligible for the next drawing by following the instructions below, your card will not be re-entered. I think, as we have done several for Cathy recently, she sill has cards in that cage.
Word to the wise, we try to remember to get one of your business cards at our inspections, or contact you later for one. We don’t do a very good job of that. GIVE US YOUR CARD so you can WIN. There are also other ways to be eligible. Let’s fill this drawing cage up with cards. All but the one drawn remain for the full year.
Question is how do YOU win the one for May? Find out here:
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Winner of $100 gas card drawing for March
Winner of our first $100 Realtor gas card drawing for the month of March 2022 is:
New Realtor
Andrew Hill
with
Keller Williams Elite
Winston-Salem
Interestingly, Andrew is the son of one of our top referring agents, Lisa Hill, and brother-in-law of our associate home inspector, Josh Hedges, who showed up for his first home inspection. Think nepotism, nope, I swear that I walked in Nora Akers office, spun the drawing cage, stuck my hand in and pulled out Andrew's card, among all those present. I will be contacting Andrew to find out whether he prefers a Sheetz or Speedway card which he will receive shortly in the mail. Hey Andrew - Become eligible for the next drawing by following the instructions below, your card will not be re-entered.
Question is how do YOU win the one for April? Find out here:
Monday, March 7, 2022
Monthly Drawing for $100 Gas Card
On the last day of each month, 12 times a year, we will be drawing a Realtors card to receive a $100.00 gas card from either Sheetz or Speedway (your choice). Please share this with others in your office!
Sunday, March 6, 2022
Purchase Your Residential Warranties
Residential Warranty Services ("RWS") has been offering home warranties since 1988. They are the market leader in many areas of the country, and growing in other parts! They currently offer one-year warranties in ALL 50 states and Washington D.C.
Residential Warranty Services has been a member of the real estate community since 1988. It is their business to supply a service plan that is advantageous to both the buyers and sellers, while keeping policies simple and straight forward.
Their commitment to be the market leader in ensuring the cost of the home repair stays low for their customers. To continue to innovate and create avenues by which their customers can lower their cost of home ownership.
Information provided by Residential Warranty Services, Inc.
Buyers
Your dishwasher won't run. Your heat won't come on. The cost of home repair these days can be intimidating to any homeowner - especially first time homeowners. We offer protection from these issues through our home warranty coverage.
Your home warranty company will give guidance on any number of home issues. For instance, a few shingles blow off in high winds. A pipe on an exterior wall freezes occasionally. The crawl space is damp. While these issues are not covered by any type of extended home warranty, these are all issues that can be solved for minimal to no cost at all. Help is just a phone call away!
For the hundreds of other possibilities that are covered by the home warranty, a representative will go through a few simple questions and procedures to help to identify the problem with a service technician, and follow through on ensuring the proper fix is performed. With most claims, a technician visit occurs within 24 hours, and the problem is solved on the first visit. Some claims require parts that may be ordered or in stock locally. Either way, the cost to the homeowner is often the low deductible. Additional charges would apply to after hours service calls and obsolete parts. See policy for a complete list of covered components and limitations.
Nearly 80% of all policyholders that make a claim in their first year renew their policy. They see the financial benefit to being a part of a group of thousands and thousands or homeowners that can negotiate better rates of service than any single homeowner. Most policyholders save more than their policy premium each and every year when you compare their overall cost with retail contractor rates.
Sellers
Sellers benefit from home warranties each and every day. One thing that is a guarantee in any home - all motors will eventually go out. Every appliance will malfunction eventually. Sometimes eventually is right after closing, and as is often the case, the buyer looks to the seller to fix the problem they feel is the sellers responsibility.
With a home warranty, this can be avoided. The date on which the problem occurred is the primary factor in determining coverage, and for the great many of situations similar to this, the malfunction occurred shortly after closing. A buyer is much more likely to call their home warranty company when they experience a problem than call on the seller to fix it. This gives the buyer the chance to hear from a qualified professional contractor what the problem is and how it happened.
By offering a home warranty with every transaction, you are providing a proven marketing tool that can contribute to a safe and successful sale in many ways. Some home warranties suggest that homes with warranties "sell 50% faster" and for "up to 3% more," because buyers feel they have made a safer investment. While we here at Residential Warranty Services, Inc find these numbers to be on the high side, we know from experience that a home warranty can reduce the seller's liability for problems with the home that occur after the sale.
Saturday, March 5, 2022
More and More and More Reviews
Updated March 22, 2022
If you wonder through this blog you will find customer reviews scattered throughout. A little over two years age I began posting reviews on my FaceBook Page (click to visit) and not here. Today I realized that these reviews didn’t have a good home there and needed to be in one place. Therefore this page where we will add those reviews and continue to add more over the years. You will also find reviews on our Deal Killer (marketing page) (click to visit that page).
“We decided to choose Chris D. Hilton and Associates for our pre-purchase inspection and radon testing because of the fantastic reviews from others and they did not disappoint! We were able to schedule with Joshua Hedges a few days out for a weekend inspection. As first-time home buyers, we appreciated that he welcomed us to be present and to ask questions throughout the entire inspection. After showing the report to various contractors, they were blown away by the level of detail and the quality of photos taken. Joshua took the time to evaluate every crawl space and attic space and was fantastic to work with. I'd recommend their service to everyone!”
"Was highly impressed with this company during my recent inspection for a house purchase. My inspection was completed by Josh and he was very thorough and detailed in explaining his findings at the site and even more detailed when the report was sent to me by email. I have been through the home inspection process several times and this company was probably the best. Highly recommended."
"Wow, Drew Cline with Chris D. Hilton and Associates will restore your trust in what great customer service looks like in action! He was friendly, yes but also honest, transparent, patient, and thorough. When you're looking at something you know nothing about (I know nothing about the mechanical details of house maintenance and upkeep), it helps to have someone who is willing to address each of your questions diplomatically and with great patience. Although Drew had another appointment to get to, he made sure I understood his assessment and that he had addressed every question I had before he headed out. Can't say enough great things about this experience!"
"Drew Did my home inspection and he was incredibly thorough, professional, and knowledgeable. I would recommend their services to family and friends without hesitation."
“We have used their services before and they are very good. Professional, thorough, and explanatory throughout the process. I highly recommend their services.”
"Chris and Drew are two of the most thorough home inspectors I have ever worked with. Their attention to detail is unmatched. Their knowledge and expertise have saved me and my clients money on future repairs. I highly recommend Chris D. Hilton and Associates."
"The inspectors are very experienced and knowledgeable. Both were very friendly and easy to talk to. Questions are more than encouraged and answered thoroughly. The report is very concise. Mr. Hilton even acquired engineering specs and diagrams for previous repairs and presented them for our records. We are more than happy to recommend them to everyone! Thanks you guys!"
"Very thorough. Great at answering questions and explaining what he is finding as he goes along. Also terrific with kids if you have them along. Got the report issued quickly."
"Chris is the most incredible home inspector I have ever met in my life. My wife and I were blown away by his professionalism. He taught us so much about our home. Being that informed prior to the largest investment in our lives was invaluable. I would recommend Chris to anyone who is interested in hiring a master in this field. His comprehensive report alone is insurance and peace of mind for those looking to protect their hard earned money."
"With 20yrs. of real estate experience, my client's brother highly recommended Chris Hilton Home Inspections to my client, and she placed the order for her own home inspection via Chris Hilton. I must say, the process was very thorough and professional. I was quite impressed and have added him to my short list of inspectors I recommend to my clients."
On a Commercial Building (one of two for this client) “Chris and his team provided an incredible inspection experience. We hired them with little advance notice, and they were able to deliver a FAST and excellent inspection report. Not only was the inspection report one of the best and most detailed that I've seen, but he also took the time to sit down with me to review things in detail to make sure that I fully understood. He really helped provide some necessary points of clarity and facts for my family which allowed us to make a quality and informed decision. I look forward to using him in the future should the need arise. Meanwhile, I will highly recommend as I can. Thank you for your great work!”
"Chris and Drew came out to inspect a commercial property for me. I decided to go with this company because of the reviews I read and the webpage that posted their beliefs and inspection values. They did not disappoint. Chris provided me with a quote, kept in contact with me up until the inspection, arrived on time for the inspection, encouraged me to attend the inspection, directed me around the building to show me what he was seeing, remained in contact and answered questions after the inspection, and provided a wonderfully thorough and well-organized inspection report very promptly afterwards. I would highly recommend Chris and his associates for home and commercial inspections."
"Very good experience with Chris. Easy to set up an appointment online, easy to pay online and report was back quickly. Report was very thorough with pics, details and everything you need to know to make an informed decision when buying a home. Would use again and will recommend to others. Thanks!"
“I selected Chris because I truly valued the reviews of his tenure and background and felt confident that he could uncover things the classroom trained inspector likely could miss due to high level of skill, tenure of background knowledge in hands on home construction and detail. He just did just that. He was efficient and quick at getting report completed and thorough on his review of the home. I received the report way faster than expected and I’m grateful for the expertise he brings to the field.”
"I have used twice now. Best I’ve used for home inspections! Very thorough! Detailed report! Friendly and informative!"
“Drew, one of the inspectors, was FANTASTIC. He caught many things we missed and provided extremely detailed reports on all of his findings. Don’t skip out on your inspection! These guys could save you THOUSANDS or prevent you from buying a bad home! Worth every penny. Which, buy the way, these guys were some of the most reasonable priced inspectors and I again say, worth every penny! Thank you, Drew for everything you did for us! We will certainly be using this company for any future home purchases.”
"For at least 20 yrs, Chris Hilton has performed home inspections for my clients, as well as my own family. He has lots of experience and knowledge to get the job done."
"Highly recommend. Chris and Drew were prompt and very detailed with their inspection. Whenever my fiance and I had questions, they would take the time to explain and NEVER made us feel like we were bothering them. They were insightful and very knowledged. It was a pleasure working with Chris and I'm very thankful for him during this process."
"Very well. Drew not only wrote down on paper his findings but also pointed out, while he was in the home, what he put in his inspection (report). Also was very informative and explained the process to us. Would definitely recommend Chris Hilton"
"Chris is a thorough and personable home inspector. Generated a very detailed inspection report quickly after the inspection. Recommended for residential and commercial inspections."
"Drew Cline did an amazing job with my home inspection! He went above and beyond to explain anything I didn’t understand as a first time home buyer. Very genuine! I highly recommend him!"
“I was thrilled with the team from Chris D. Hilton and Associates. They were incredibly knowledgeable, through and answered all of my questions. Chris and Nora are the kind of professionals you want on your “team” when you are taking on the momentous commitment of purchasing a new home.”
"Drew Cline is a great Inspector who had to explain a lot to me (being a first time home owner) he was patient with a great and friendly personality. I definitely recommend !!! Thank you Drew."
“Mr. Hilton and his team were absolutely wonderful! They did the most thorough home inspection and also communicated to us in terms that we could understand being our first home purchase! Mr. Hilton and his team were beyond professional, kind and courteous, offering many tips and sharing knowledge! I would absolutely recommend their services!”
“As a real estate professional of over 17+ years, I look for the best in my industry to help my clients through every step of the way. When it comes to home inspections, Chris D Hilton and Associates go above and beyond the rest! Not only do you get an expert with decades of knowledge and experience, but Chris also brings an honest desire to educate and provide insight at every inspection and beyond. Whether the results are good, bad or ugly--Chris keeps it transparent, honest and informative to make sure our clients get what they need to make one, if not the biggest purchase(s) they will ever make with confidence! I trust Chris and his team with my clients, friends, family and my own personal transactions throughout the years. Thank you Chris and Associates for your dedication, hard work and pride in the work you do!”
“I have been recommending Chris Hilton and Associates for years to my buyer clients. Again, they came through with flying colors. Chris is very experienced and has a wealth of knowledge of construction issues. I insist my family use him, what does that tell you?”
"Very professional and knowledgeable. They pointed out items that many other inspectors often miss. I will definitely use them again."
On a new construction home: "Chris was very professional, answered all questions we had, and explicated in detail his findings."
Like what you have read? Book your home, or commercial building, inspection on our Website
Friday, March 4, 2022
Josh Buys His Own Historic Home
Nora’s New Haircut
Big Breaking News from Chris D. Hilton and Associates Home/Building Inspections














