Why Home Inspection is a Great Gig After Retirement
Retirement is a time for relaxing, traveling, and generally basking in the freedom of not reporting to a traditional nine-to-five job. For many retirees, though, this freedom gets old fast. After decades of work, it can be difficult to adjust to such a carefree lifestyle. Having too much time on your hands — especially if you’re on a fixed income — can lead to boredom and loneliness.
For these reasons, many retirees opt to work part-time in their golden years. Thankfully, there are plenty of lucrative, flexible part-time options for seniors hoping to fill their time and their wallets. Home inspection gigs are among the best paying of these jobs, and the process for becoming certified is easier than you might expect.
No Experience Needed
Contractors, builders, and other construction industry employees gravitate to home inspection jobs naturally. While their practical experience in the field certainly helps inform their training, you don’t need to have any experience in building or real estate to earn your home inspection license. Training programs and classes for aspiring home inspectors cover the fundamentals of property inspection to the most minute detail. Even if you’ve never been especially handy, you can learn how to spot worrisome red flags in client homes.
To demonstrate your mastery of the content, you may be required to take a standardized test like the National Home Inspectors Exam. While certification requirements vary by state, your training school will provide you with everything you need to pass on your first attempt. Don’t let the fear of learning a new trade spook you — online training programs and helpful instructors make it easier than ever to launch a career in home inspection.
Make Your Own Hours
Life without a boss can be sweet. Many people work their entire careers without ever escaping the watchful eye of a supervisor. With a home inspection gig, you can be your own boss. Many licensed home inspectors are one-man operations. While you may decide you prefer working for an existing home inspection business, many choose to run their own companies. The startup costs associated with such an endeavor are minimal, and once you become licensed, there’s no stopping you from growing your business to the size and structure that best fits your lifestyle.
For instance, if you decide you only want to work part-time, you can limit the number of home inspections you perform per week. The average inspection takes around two or three hours. Schedule one a day and you’ll still find time to sleep in, relax at the beach, or catch up on your reading!
Bring Home the Bacon
Finances can limit retirement options for many seniors. While you might have once pictured yourself retiring to a swanky beach resort, budgetary constraints often mean reining in some of those dreams. A home inspection gig can help bridge the gap between your fixed income and your goals for your golden years.
The average home inspection runs about $300 — $400, though higher cost of living areas demand higher fees, of course. After an initial investment in your education and training, the operational costs of a home inspection business are fairly minimal. Depending on your goals for marketing and long-term business growth, you can pocket much of that $300 — $400 inspection fee as profit. Schedule several inspections a week, and you’ll build a healthy nest egg for your retirement in no time.
Start Your Training Now
The best part about home inspection training? You can do it from the comfort of your own home! Unlike other gigs, home inspection can be learned entirely online. Check with your state’s licensing board to understand the specific requirements for certification, as some want home inspectors to attend in-class training courses and get field experience before becoming licensed. No matter your state’s requirements, though, ICA’s online training course is the ideal way to learn the fundamentals of this exciting, lucrative field.
Submitted by Inspection Certification Associates.
