What Makes WIN Home Inspection a World-Class Real Estate Franchise?

WIN thrives in the real estate franchise industry by offering a better, more thorough inspection and a friendly, professional experience

Home inspection is one of the fastest-growing segments of the real estate franchise industry. Within this booming sector, WIN Home Inspection is perfectly positioned as the nation’s most advanced real estate franchise. We set ourselves apart by offering a consistent, professional experience that home buyers appreciate and real estate agents respect. Training, technology and marketing support help our franchise owners develop loyal relationships in the real estate industry that lead to a steady stream of customer referrals.

The WIN home inspection franchise is raking in prestigious industry awards. We’ve been on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list for four consecutive years. In 2014, we skyrocketed up the rankings, moving up 216 places to No. 208. We also earned a coveted spot on Franchise Business Review’s Top 100 low-cost franchises in 2014.

“We have had double-digit revenue growth, and as the economy recovers and the housing market improves, demand for inspections continues to drive more business to our franchise owners,” says WIN President Steve Wadlington. “A lot of our competition fell away during the recession, and professional home inspectors were able to gain market share. As the market rebounds, we’re positioned to grow bigger and stronger.”

A huge demand for home inspections

To get an idea of the strength of the home inspection industry, look at the numbers. About 5 million homes were sold in 2013, and 77% of buyers paid for a home inspection, according estimates from the National Association of Realtors. An even greater number of Realtors — 99% — recommend a home inspection.

There’s just one problem: The demand for home inspectors is outpacing the supply. The Great Recession drove part-time and unprofessional inspectors out of business. The WIN Home Inspection real estate franchise did very well during this time, soaking up the available business during the downturn. Now that the real estate market is roaring back to pre-recession levels, WIN Home Inspection franchise owners have been gobbling up market share.

WIN’s brand and our professionalism earn a huge amount of trust in the real estate industry, and with so many competitors displaced, we’ve been able to grow even more quickly than before — evidenced by the fact that WIN’s revenue grew 31% from 2011 to 2013.

How is WIN different than other brands?

At WIN Home Inspection franchise, we believe home inspections should provide clarity and confidence, not anxiety. We believe a strong brand and consistent experience inspire confidence from both real estate agents and home buyers. This leads to WIN Home Inspection franchise owners earning referrals from agents, which boosts revenues and profits.

The brand difference is the first thing a home buyer notices. When a WIN inspector arrives for an inspection, they pull up in a white van, SUV or crossover vehicle branded in WIN colors and with the WIN logo, and they emerge dressed in a WIN-branded polo. Inspectors tote a tablet or convertible PC that is used to perform the inspection. Everything about our inspectors’ appearance and demeanor is designed to be welcoming, crisp and professional.

We refer to WIN franchisees as Strategic-Partners to reflect the close relationship between our franchise owners and corporate support. We support our Strategic-Partners every step of the way, and the quality of that backup sets WIN apart. We’re committed to providing extensive training to help Strategic-Partners understand the technical skills needed to be great home inspectors.

One example of our support is our unparalleled proprietary software that helps inspectors perform consistent inspections, guiding them through the various parts of the home, providing checklists of items to inspect and allowing the inspector to make notes that are incorporated into their home inspection report. The software streamlines the inspection process and makes it faster and easier to generate reports. That saves inspectors time, which helps them do more jobs and make more money.

Typically, our Strategic-Partners work from home and have very low overhead — not much more than the cost of a vehicle and gasoline, internet access and a cell phone. Most are owner-operators, so they don’t have to worry about payroll, hiring, firing or human-resources expenses. They keep most of what they earn.

Inspectors also have significant freedom. Of course, to be successful, you have to devote time to performing inspections, and you should expect to work harder during your first few years in business while you build relationships in the real estate community. Open houses, in particular, offer an important avenue for meeting new agents. Ultimately, though, inspectors enjoy a schedule that often allows them to drop their kids off for school in the morning and spend time with them in the evenings.