Starting a new inspection business takes guts – especially when you’re doing it solo. In episode 57 of The Ride Along, Brad Lowery and Matt Brading hear from Ashleigh Flores, the owner of Closer Look Home Inspections, about how she’s building her business from the ground up in a competitive South Texas market.
Ashleigh’s story is packed with practical advice on getting licensed, choosing gear that fits your process, setting goals you’ll actually stick to, and learning how to balance clients, agents, and business demands – fast. If you’re still figuring out how to grow your solo operation and stay sane doing it, this one’s worth your time.
Tune in to hear Ashleigh’s perspective on:
- Building a business in a unique region that spans multiple real estate markets
- Getting intentional with short-term goals (and sticking to them)
- What gear she’s using to make inspections efficient from day one
- How she’s using social media to connect with agents and clients right from the jump
Catch the full conversation with Ashleigh, Matt, and Brad, and be sure to subscribe to The Ride Along newsletter for more inspector success stories delivered straight to your inbox each week.
Transcript
Brad Lowery
Matt, the technical difficulties that we have endured just to record this episode, it’s been, I think it’s been worth it. You ready to do it though?
Matt Brading
I’m ready to do it. It’s been a nice hour wait. Let’s get it on.
Brad Lowery
Been your fault, but here we go.
Matt Brading
Not taking all the blame for this. Just so that you know, I’m not taking all the blame for this. First of all, I blame you and I blame Eric for this whole Mac situation. That is the first thing. And we’ll get into the rest later. This might be a whole podcast worth of arguing that we have to do about this, but.
Brad Lowery
Just talking about like Apple versus Windows stuff. Yeah. Hey, sound off at the comments. If you’re an iPhone or an Android home inspector, there you go. Hey, that could actually be a good segue for, for new home inspectors. What phone do I use? Well, it all depends on what inspection software you want to use. And here to talk about new inspector stuff today, Matt, we got a good guest on show.
Matt Brading
Yeah, yeah, I am. Yes, we do. We have Ashley Flores from Horizon, Texas. that Horizon City? that what it is? Basically El Paso, correct? Yeah.
Ashleigh Flores
Yes, Horizon City. Right outside of the, yeah.
Brad Lowery
Very cool. Now I’m excited to talk with you about how you got started in the industry and whether or not you can see the horizon in Horizon City or if it’s just a myth. But we’re glad to have you on Ashley.
Ashleigh Flores
Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I’m super excited.
Brad Lowery
Definitely us too. And we are going to kick things off with our usual drink of the day. But here’s the thing guys, we’ve had a little bit of pushback. I guess there’s some tea totalers, no offense. If there are people out there that don’t drink it, this segment doesn’t interest you. I’m going to try and start doing the thing in the show notes and descriptions where you can kind of like click forward to the segment that you definitely want to hear. But the drink of the day is just our little way of plugging our sponsor Inspection Fuel that’s going to be coming up. When is it Matt?
Matt Brading
That is September 8 through the 10th in New Orleans. New Orleans. New Orleans? That’s right.
Brad Lowery
New Orleans, NOLA baby, the Big Easy. Yeah, but we’re looking forward to it. That’s going to be a lot of fun. So sign up at inspectionfuel.com slash register and Ashley because you’re a guest on the show, you’re going to get a free ticket to go.
Ashleigh Flores
Awesome, thank you. I can’t wait!
Brad Lowery
Yeah, definitely. So the way we do this drink of the day, we grab a little something to sit on.
Matt Brading
Hey, wait, wait. You know, my mom’s calling. Should I answer that? I forgot to turn my ringer off. I? You think I should? I should probably call her back. I’ll call her back. I’ll call her.
Brad Lowery
I think we should let’s get your mom on the show. We’ll call her back. We could have her as a guest on the show. Matt’s mom, welcome to the show. anyway, Matt, since your mom called, what would you tell your mom that you’re drinking right now? And was she the one who gave you your drinking problems? No, I’m kidding.
Matt Brading
That’s another podcast. She would I would tell her I’m honest about my beverages with my family. I am but today if you’re asking me what I’m drinking, I’d be happy to tell you I am. Yeah, I’ve been out of town for a bit. So I’m back right and so I’m back with a local drink here. This is made in Galveston. This is Galveston. I think it’s Galveston Brewing Company. Tiki Wheat is something I usually drink only when I’m in Galveston, but I found it here locally and Cheers Tiki Wheat.
Ashleigh Flores
Ha!
Brad Lowery
Yeah, let’s get back to our childhood trauma. Here’s the take you eat Ashley. What are you sipping on for your inaugural drink of the day, ma’am?
Ashleigh Flores
So I just have some Moscato and then I throw like fruit or whatever I have like in there. It’s perfect for summer. I love it.
Brad Lowery
Nice. So it’s almost like a white sangria, almost.
Ashleigh Flores
Pretty much, just a little bubbly, little sweet thing going on.
Brad Lowery
Very cool, I dig it. And I am sipping on little Cooper family, some Texas whiskey that was given to me by the one and only Matt Braiding. This is supposed to do that. Cheers to you, guys.
Matt Brading
Yeah. Be me right here. Yeah. Cheers.
Brad Lowery
All right, so this is going to be an episode.
Matt Brading
Hopefully that wasn’t too painful for whoever, you know, if they didn’t have the ability to skip ahead. Should we go on for another minute or so about it?
Brad Lowery
Yeah, I know. Seriously. we appreciate you enduring. Just know, I think we should jump right into it. So Ashley, we’re excited to have you on. Cause one of the things that we get asked often, is a four about new home inspectors. Where should they start? how did they start to build a social media profile? What tools do they get in the tool bag? What training should they do? What organizations and coaching groups should they join? And you have gone through the wringer on all of these things. So,
Matt Brading
Ha!
Brad Lowery
Not only is it awesome to highlight a woman in the industry, but also one that’s kind of been through a lot of the paces that new inspectors are gonna be looking to go through as well.
Ashleigh Flores
Thank you, yeah, I’ve been through it all. I think I’ve been in every group and every coaching program. So I’ve definitely tried it all and keep learning more and more.
Brad Lowery
Now what brought you to the industry and what did you kind of do before and how long have you been in business?
Ashleigh Flores
Well, before I was staying with mom and I wanted to get back into doing something, but I didn’t know what. So I was just looking around and came across this and I was like, okay, I’m pretty good at learning systems and I’m very detail oriented. And I just kind of stuck with it, looked into it I was like, I can do this. So I signed up for school, went to school, got all my licensing done and that was it.
Matt Brading
Where did you, where did you get your training for licensing?
Ashleigh Flores
ATI
Brad Lowery
Nice, good stuff. I’ve heard really good things about them. I didn’t mind through InterNACHI, but what was your experience with ATI?
Ashleigh Flores
It was really good. And I did a couple years ago and I was like during more than a couple years ago, like during COVID time. So a lot of it is online and a little
Matt Brading
Do they have a local facility like you could take in-person classes if it was open? Awesome.
Ashleigh Flores
They do at certain areas. I know there’s Florida, there’s Texas, and they have one specific for each state because, you know, Texas is hard. they break it down. I think your class is basically for your state and you learn that way. And it was very informative. They take you through everything and give you all the things to study and just learn from the ground up.
Matt Brading
Right. Yeah.
Brad Lowery
Now that’s fantastic. But what made you, what drew you to home inspections in general? I mean, were you familiar with it prior to that? Did you have any exposure to it or what was, what’s kind of your story there?
Ashleigh Flores
I didn’t really have any prior experience with it at all. just kinda winged it, really. I was like okay I can totally do this. I this.
Matt Brading
As you get licensed and everything as a new inspector out there in the El Paso area, like how did you go about trying to get business? Was that what the training came in? Did they help you with that? Did I help you with that? How were you able to get to acquire business? Customer acquisition is very difficult for new inspectors that have their own business. That is probably one of the biggest hurdles. I think that’s probably the reason why we have a lot of fallout. We got a lot of license numbers.
Ashleigh Flores
Mm-hmm.
Matt Brading
But we got a lot less inspectors than that. So how did you go about getting business?
Ashleigh Flores
So from schooling I went to, I did a little on my own, little trial and error. It is very hard. It is very hard to stay motivated to keep going, especially when you’re in a competitive market and there’s a lot of inspectors around. And our city is not huge, so people use who they use. Then I joined IEB and they really filled in a lot of gaps. So the gaps from school to actually starting your business, I’d be helped immensely. Giving you a little tips, big tips, yes. And they have, so they have like a full course, but then they have like all the live things. I was like more of a lurker in the live ones because I’m just gonna like shine as new, but so informative and it’s so helpful. So helpful.
Matt Brading
Really.
Brad Lowery
So I’m assuming Mark walked you through the, if he was doing the class, his whole process of setting up your five, three, one year plan for your business, as far as coming up with your business purpose and your vision statement and mission and all of that. How did that process play out for you? And what’s kind of like the why behind your business?
Ashleigh Flores
Mm-hmm. It really helps you, especially when you’ve been doing it a while, remember what you’re doing it for and get your focus clear on how you want to grow, how you want to build and why. know, like some people just want to home inspector, be a solo inspector and continue doing that. Other people want to grow and build. So it’s a good way to figure out what your goals are and where you want to go from there. And they have multiple courses on that.
Matt Brading
So when did you get licensed and how long have you been active inspecting?
Ashleigh Flores
I think got licensed in 2023. I’ve really been active, probably like the last six months, really active.
Matt Brading
What’s your workload look like?
Ashleigh Flores
I just have about one a day. Sometimes I have two.
Matt Brading
Okay, that’s good.
Brad Lowery
That’s really good. Yeah, for six months in that’s really good.
Ashleigh Flores
It’s been steadily growing. Steadily growing. So as long as I’m growing, I’m good.
Matt Brading
So out there in that area, I mean, I don’t know what there is in terms of new development. Because like you said, it’s a small area. I know that there’s some military bases out there. Is there any business to be had on the military base? I I have heard those are some nightmare of homes. They’re not in great shape. I don’t know. mean, obviously, the military is probably not hiring anybody to go look at them. But I wonder if the people occupying them have the ability to bring in a private inspector to take a look at them and see what kind of shape they’re in. Because I’ve heard they can be pretty rough.
Ashleigh Flores
Well we don’t, yeah we have exactly what goes on in military housing but with the military being here there is a lot of people buying and so it’s constantly there’s constantly people in and out which is good a lot of new construction a lot very much.
Matt Brading
Curious? Yeah, yeah. In an AF, yeah. Really? Wow, so that’s growing out there then. That’s interesting.
Brad Lowery
So it’s almost like El Paso is just kind of expanding outwards towards where you are.
Ashleigh Flores
Basically,
Matt Brading
So and Horizon sits where from El Paso?
Ashleigh Flores
Right outside, mean, it’s, yes, maybe there’s not, yeah, there’s no, there’s north, which is New Mexico, but yeah, it’s just, we’re far, a little far out east and things are just expanding that way.
Matt Brading
Like east, I guess west is New Mexico or Mexico. So yeah, east.
Brad Lowery
Now, are you super locked in on kind of just building your book of business locally where you are, or do you branch into El Paso? Do you go up into New Mexico? Like how wide of a net did you decide to cast when you were starting out?
Ashleigh Flores
First starting out, I’m focused on opal cell. And then once I grow, once I get a little more steady, we can see where we’ll go from there. I definitely want to, but I need to focus on one area right now. And once I get that down.
Matt Brading
I think that’s a really good strategy, but that’s also very interesting because like you live in a border town. Like I am licensed in Texas, right? There’s no reason for me to get licensed anywhere else. I imagine New Mexico also requires licensing and so you’d have to get licensed in a separate state and be dual licensed to be able to do both of them. But I mean, that’s the interesting part about being in a border town. The other interesting part is I’m certain that there are other state regulations and codes that have, you know, that differ from one state to another that would be very interesting, but I imagine like the land is it’s it’s still desert So I mean the type of construction out there is pretty much the same. It’s all slab on grade and stuff, right? Yeah.
Ashleigh Flores
Correct, yes.
Brad Lowery
No, that’s awesome. Yeah. They, gotta say like, and this isn’t to be too much of a callback to, previous, ride along episodes, but the worst driving that I have ever experienced in my life, as far as weather goes. And listen, I grew up in Connecticut and lived 20 years in Virginia. have dealt with winters. I have driven in all kinds of snow. I have never driven in snow as bad as in West Texas. I went from, I guess over near Carlsbad, New Mexico and drove through El Paso. But those unplowed Texas roads, when you have three to four inches of snow on it, I was white knuckling it like I have never experienced in the Northeast. It was so bad. But, uh,
Matt Brading
Yeah, we don’t know how to deal with that. The good thing is it’ll melt before you, you know, you’ll still be worrying about it and then it’ll be melted.
Ashleigh Flores
Yeah.
Brad Lowery
Right, then it’s just God, yeah.
Ashleigh Flores
No one’s going anywhere if there’s snow.
Brad Lowery
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Matt Brading
Yeah, you’re the only one out there.
Brad Lowery
I mean, it’s okay. But have you experienced inspecting like in like Texas winter yet? Or what’s that like?
Ashleigh Flores
Not winter and for the most part we don’t really get snow we’ll get flurries but we don’t really get snow like that if we didn’t like everything’s cancelled it’s no one’s going out no one’s doing anything um more we have like flash floods so it be the just rain random
Matt Brading
That’s super rare out there.
Brad Lowery
Yeah.
Ashleigh Flores
We had that yesterday but other than that it’s just hot and dry, windy.
Brad Lowery
No, it’s the desert, yeah. Well, I love that it waited to snow until I was driving. For this series, I was getting ready to film. was driving to Phoenix and yeah, it dumped just buckets of snow. Woke up with three inches on my RV that I had to drive. It was so bad. But…
Matt Brading
You brought it. Crazy.
Ashleigh Flores
Because it does not snow here.
Brad Lowery
So, okay, what are some things that you do run into like trouble or not trouble wise, but what are some of the most major deficiencies that you’re finding on the homes that you’re inspecting in that neck of the woods?
Matt Brading
Yeah. Very rare.
Ashleigh Flores
A lot of exterior things like this morning because we had rain yesterday. Now it dries up pretty fast so there’s not really puddles but it’s still there so the exterior wall I pushed on it and just like shhh at the bottom. All without puddles. Yes, everything pretty much
Brad Lowery
Was it stucco or?
Matt Brading
There’s a lot of stucco out there. I can imagine that like with it being like dry for a long time, like long periods and we don’t, it’s not really a wet climate. And so like here, whenever they put stucco in, which I don’t think they should use here, but whenever they do put stucco out here in the Houston area, I mean, if it’s done right, then it can be okay. But I mean, if it’s not, and it usually isn’t, it can be very problematic. But out there where it’s a very dry climate, I can see like them putting it up and very haphazardly putting it up because they don’t really have to worry about the moisture, like not humidity. They don’t have to worry about rain because this is not really a big thing. So then when it does happen, we probably have like stucco and contact with the ground and all kinds of weird stuff. I can see that being the case because they just don’t think they have to worry about it until they have to worry.
Ashleigh Flores
Yes. Right and then a lot of it is sand here so the grade moves a lot and then you have water sitting next to the wall and it’s not good.
Matt Brading
Very, very interesting.
Brad Lowery
Yeah, definitely not. Now, starting out as a new inspector, what are some of the biggest things in your first six months that you’ve learned and what would be like, let’s say your top five tips to other inspectors that are just starting out and trying to get their legs under them?
Ashleigh Flores
I would say first you want to like make sure you get your processes down. It seems simple but when you’re in it, I think it can be very overwhelming when you’re new. You know, your first couple inspections you’re like, god, okay, I gotta, you know, you know what to do but then you have to execute it. So it’s about getting that down and getting into routine. And for me, what kind of throws me off sometimes is when the client is there too. So they’re asking questions and then you have to focus on remembering because it’s not ingrained in you yet. You have to remember your process while answering questions and entertaining and keeping everyone happy. That for me has been a little rough. then like staying motivated. Motivated is hard, I think, for being in your market and having ups and downs. Some weeks you have a lot and you’re like, yes, this is it. This is great and everything’s up. And then you’re like, I only got three or four inspections this week. Okay. So just keeping momentum and staying positive and keep trying everything.
Matt Brading
Yeah, it can really be feast or famine, especially in the beginning in terms of how business comes in. I like that you talk about like with the client being there, like, of course, me and Brad have differing opinions on that, but I won’t go down that road because I do think like, especially in the beginning, like you said, I mean, look, even whenever I was starting out, like I might know the answer, but it’s not just like right here where I can pull it out right away. Sometimes I have to think about it. Sometimes I might want to look through a book, but you know what? Like I don’t like the whole term fake it till you make it. But I mean, like it, and I think what we really have to understand, especially whenever we’re new inspectors and any anybody out there actually even seasoned inspectors, I was talking about this today. We don’t know everything. And I think we need to as long as we know that we don’t know everything. If we can present what we do know and what we and even what we don’t know in a real assertive way. And that’s still difficult as a new inspector because like you want to
Ashleigh Flores
Okay.
Matt Brading
You exude confidence. People are putting their confidence in you like you want to deliver that and so somehow you have to deliver that even when you’re not exactly 100% sure of yourself. It’s challenging and but that’s you know if you can get that down, you will grow.
Ashleigh Flores
Yeah, I think it is a balance and you want to do the best and you want to Know everything and I’m not I’m not afraid to be like I want to look that up for you Like I want to are that I’m giving you the proper information. I think it might be this
Matt Brading
Yeah.
Ashleigh Flores
But I’m gonna double check it for you and let you know. I think that’s most important.
Matt Brading
I did that a lot. Whenever I was new, would tell them, hey, I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this, but I want to be certain before I tell you. So just let me look it up. I’ll back to you.
Brad Lowery
The lights are now being turned off. Ashley, I want to come back to your statement about staying motivated because Mark Hummel had a great quote. He’s the head of IEB. He said, basically, the most successful people are not the ones that are the most excited always about what they’re doing. It’s the ones that are the most persistent, the ones that stick it out when it gets boring, right? Or when it gets challenging or when you feel like giving up. So what are things that you do to stay motivated and to keep plugging along as you work through your first year?
Ashleigh Flores
I just keep going on days when I don’t want to do it. I do it anyway. I mean like I don’t have I just do it. My last video didn’t do good. Okay. Well, let’s make another one. Well, I’m getting a lot of calls. So I’m probably hiring Google this week. Awesome. The next week not so much. Okay, well, let’s try and get some reviews. Let’s try to figure it out. Just to constantly keep going constantly.
Matt Brading
Yeah!
Ashleigh Flores
Different ways to improve, reach out to different realtors, whatever you have to do. I’ll do whatever I’m here to grow and be here.
Brad Lowery
That’s fantastic. No, definitely.
Matt Brading
That’s some grass roots stuff right there. Like if you get tired, just keep going.
Ashleigh Flores
There’s no other way. If you stop, if you stop then you’re losing.
Matt Brading
I love it. Yeah. And that’s, you’re right.
Brad Lowery
Exactly. Yeah, no, and I’ve noticed that that your social media game is you’re really doing a great job plugging away with that too. So tell everybody first of all, where they can find you on social media.
Ashleigh Flores
Anywhere Facebook, IG, TikTok. I’m on closer actions.
Brad Lowery
That’s awesome. And what’s your handle there on these? Add closer look inspections. All right, fantastic. Yeah. Well guys, go give her a follow seriously because she’s working her butt off. It’s fantastic. It’s been great seeing you rise up that way. Truly. Now I want to ask about some of the goal setting that you’ve done this year as you’ve been kind of planning and building your processes and your system for your company.
Ashleigh Flores
Yes.
Brad Lowery
How did you go about the KPI process and what does that look like for you? What are some goals that you have closing out the second half of the year?
Ashleigh Flores
My goals are to be more consistent with everything. I want to have a better set schedule and, you know, make more connections and just be a little more steady for right now. That’s my goal right now.
Brad Lowery
Yeah, yeah.
Matt Brading
What did you say? KPI?
Brad Lowery
Yeah, key performance indicators. like, you never like, okay, like, do you don’t have so for those of you that.
Matt Brading
I’ve never heard that before. Man, I just plow through everything. Okay. I just plow right through everything that is. That’s the best way I can describe what I do. I don’t have acronyms for what I do. It’s plow through everything.
Ashleigh Flores
Yeah
Brad Lowery
There you go. That’s it. Hey, more in section 12 money. That’s it.
Well, so for those watching, if you don’t have KPIs, those are key performance indicators. Those can be goals, numerical, tangible goals that you set that are kind of benchmarks that you want to achieve in a certain period. Right? Say, so when I started out, I wanted to make six figures. I knew that my base, my base fee was going to be such and such an amount that meant that I had to take the total that I wanted to earn before taxes and then divide that by the average fee, the average inspection fee, which would give me the number of inspections that I needed to do. And I could break that down by quarter, I could break that down by month, and then that would kind of give me an idea as to what kind of numbers I need to be putting up or growing toward and progressing toward, which would kind of give me an indication of how I was doing, right? And of course it all comes down to bottom line, but. It’s something to think about in terms of if you really want to lock in on knowing your numbers. But I mean, Matt, is there a system that you put in place for kind of reviewing things like that as you’ve been growing at edge?
Matt Brading
Plow through everything. No, mean, no, I mean, like, it’s interesting to me to hear you say that. I mean, like, because to think of like, what potential I could unlock, you know, by having some KPIs, you know, like, I don’t know. No, I mean, not really. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Like there have been times where I have set goals for myself more like on a much smaller scale. Maybe it’s a number that I wanted to get to in terms of revenue for a month or a number of inspections. But I mean, like I just know, I mean, for the longest time I was a single man operation. I didn’t really know where the sky was. OK, I didn’t know where the limit was. And so I just kept going. And, you know, once I started getting booked, I would raise my rates and then I would just keep going and keep going and just literally plow through everything until all of sudden I found somebody that said, hey, I want to come work for you. And I was like, hey, I want you to come work for me. Let me figure that out, too. And then. Next thing and now I got another guy, you know? And so like, I mean, I don’t want to say I don’t have a plan, but I don’t really have a plan.
Ashleigh Flores
You
Brad Lowery
Yeah, you just been going for it, man. Yeah, I feel like but here’s the funny thing, right? Like you have people that can sit here and nerd out about having a perfect business plan. And, you know, having like having it all down on paper, but there’s no there’s no drive to execute and to follow through, right? Because I want you like I feel like it’s good to put both together if you can. But the people that end up being the most successful are the ones that just keep freaking going like you guys have been talking
Matt Brading
I mean, maybe, right? But I think like the natural order of business, like as I grow, if I get like another inspector or something is to get somebody in my organization that has some KPIs, right? And they start figuring out how to adjust things to work towards those goals. So that way I can keep plowing through everything and they can just kind of keep me in the rut, you know, in the little plow, whatever you call that, you know, they keep me, they keep me in line.
Brad Lowery
Right. Well, here’s the interesting thing. It’s not everybody’s going to have your work ethic, right? They might be a good inspector, but they might not be willing to like, as I’ve run into this, there’s inspectors that just don’t want to market, right? They want a company. They want to join a franchise that’s going to do all of it for them, but they don’t want to actually, all they want to do is show up on the job site and do the job, but they don’t necessarily know how to go get the job. You know how to do both. So it’s like, you know, I feel like in, in you know, making a case for KPIs and really tracking and knowing your numbers that can really make even more sense when you’re having to focus on how well is this particular employee performing, right? Cause then you’re kind of giving him benchmarks, especially if it’s not somebody that’s naturally motivated, but yeah.
Matt Brading
Right. Sure. Yeah, it can be a motivator for sure. I think I …
Ashleigh Flores
I there’s
Matt Brading
I can see that. I can see that. Never thought about it in those terms, but I mean, it can be a motivator. I can see.
Brad Lowery
Yeah. Ashley, is there anything that you’ve done in that sense? What’s that say when we’re done?
Ashleigh Flores
A lot of variables when you’re starting out too. So sticking to an exact plan sounds good. But in the beginning when things are up and down and all over the place, it can be a little discouraging to be like, well I wanted to be here and how do I get here? So, I think it can be a little discouraging when you’re starting out.
Brad Lowery
Alright.
Matt Brading
That’s 100% too, especially for the single person operation. You need to be able to go with the flow. Like I say, it’s feast or famine. And so if you get 10 inspections in a week, you can’t think that every week is going to be like that. And you have to figure out ways to pivot and ways to work with what you’ve got. And I think you really have to adapt a lot. Sometimes that adaptation might be doing inspections that you aren’t thrilled about doing.
Brad Lowery
Yeah.
Matt Brading
Maybe a location that you’re not thrilled about going to, or maybe a type of home that you’re like, I don’t know. I really don’t like doing that. These days I’m busy enough that I can say, nah, that’s not the area I service or, or, you know, I don’t want to, I don’t do that type of house or something like that. I could say those things, but as when I, when I was newer, it wasn’t the case at all.
Ashleigh Flores
Take everything.
Yeah.
Brad Lowery
You’re also kind of setting a benchmark, right Ashley, where it’s like this year’s kind of going to kind of be like, okay, we’ve got our systems in place. We’ve got a baseline for operation for one year. How do we beat that next year? You know, so it’s, I feel like it’s a, it’s good to give yourself grace on that one too, in a sense. So.
Ashleigh Flores
Yeah, I think a year is a good timeline to really a year even you know look at things how they’ve grown what’s worked what hasn’t worked. Go from there.
Brad Lowery
No, that’s fantastic. Now year two is a fun one. It’s where you kind of like can sit down at the end of the year, evaluate, but then you start to see trends. And I feel like trends are very area specific sometimes. there’s ebbs and flows in the real estate market, spring market, and most places that have a winter is always going to be heavier than, you know, end of summer when, you know, back to school starts and then dead of winter. But then there’s other places like Florida where it’s just fairly kind of consistent and things almost reverse when we’ve got snowbirds down here. kind of learning when the money comes in, when the money doesn’t come in, how to adjust for when to save, when to tighten the belt, things like that. I feel like year two is kind of a great place to be figuring out some of that. Let’s talk tools though, if we can pivot to that. Some people will look to join a franchise because franchises will kind of pay the way for the inspector to get in the door as far as providing them with tools starting out. But what were some things that you were kind of looking to add to your kit? And what have you gradually been building up tool wise over the past year as far as things that you’re using in the job site?
Ashleigh Flores
I have all the basic tools and I love my camera so right now… No, you’re gonna make fun of me.
Matt Brading
Thermal camera using. No I’m …
Brad Lowery
No
Matt Brading
Not. No I’m not. I just want to know.
Brad Lowery
There’s no wrong answer.
Ashleigh Flores
No, I have the FLIR. FLIR? I don’t, I don’t know. I don’t know what joint it is.
Matt Brading
Okay, I like. Which one? Well, now I am gonna make fun of you.
Ashleigh Flores
Keep her sane.
Matt Brading
It’s got a letter and a number on top of it. I’m curious. It looks like a cell phone or is it like one that you hold like a…
Ashleigh Flores
No, it’s a handheld. It’s – I’ll get there. I’ll get there.
Brad Lowery
Yeah, yeah.
Matt Brading
Okay, okay. mean, just, you know, just about every one of those I’ve picked up has been pretty good. I mean, like the higher up you go, the more expensive it is, but the higher the resolution is, so they get better. It’s like you get what you pay for in that kind of stuff. If there makes a really good product. Sorry to interrupt. I’m a thermal junkie. Yeah, you’re good. You’re already there. It’s, I mean the fact that you’re are carrying look any inspector out there is not carrying thermal camera. I think it’s crazy. There is just way too much to be seen that that you know, we can bring to our client’s attention. So I mean the use the fact that you are using thermal in your reports is enough for me and honestly, I would rather somebody use one of the ones that attaches to your phone than use nothing at all. So no, you’re doing great. I was just curious because I like that stuff but go ahead.
Ashleigh Flores
Other than that have just their basic tools, moisture meters, gas detectors, bladders, you know, like don’t really have anything fancy starting out super.
Matt Brading
I’m not, like trying not to ask you which ones you have of all of those things right now. I’m pushing it down, pushing it down. Phoenix, yeah, Phoenix is bomb. Well, yeah, what flashlight do you carry?
Brad Lowery
Do you at least have the Phoenix flashlight?
Ashleigh Flores
Bye. I think it’s a Phoenix.
Brad Lowery
Dude, I freaking love it. Honestly, there’s nothing more exciting to me than when like the newest Phoenix flashlight comes out. It’s like this is like million lumens and I have to put my sunglasses on in the attic because it’s too bright on the highest setting, you know, like that’s how you know it’s a dang good flashlight.
Matt Brading
I’m gonna say I’m gonna believe it to Phoenix. And I don’t ever pay attention to the new ones because I found what I need and what I like. And that’s it. It’s the E35R, think, is the one that I really do. I have one sitting around here. My gear is still in my truck because I literally just came home from work. But I swear I have one sitting around here somewhere. Maybe not.
Brad Lowery
Which is what? Probably over by that speaker that was screwing up the audio for a day and half.
Matt Brading
You know what I got? I’m going to show you that speaker up close and personal next time I see you.
Brad Lowery
It’s perfect man. My gosh, so that’s no it sounds great actually I mean it sounds like you’ve got your kit pretty well built out but are you are you thinking about adding ancillaries in terms of? Right on or sewer scoping even a thing that’s done over and You’re not gonna what?
Ashleigh Flores
It is it is. I haven’t added that on yet. We’ll see maybe next year. I know it is a thing here but also that’s one things IEB taught me, was like focus on basics first. Get down because if you focus, if you’re trying to get your regular services down and then you have all these other products, your mind is going to be to everywhere. Especially when you sell to people. So.
Matt Brading
Yep, I agree. I agree. think that’s a good, cause I mean like you’re learning about everything, you know, when you tackle something new, like wait until you, you’re not learning so much anymore. I mean, we’re always learning. Like I don’t want to act like we’re not, but, you know, a bit of the job gets routine, you know, once you’ve done several hundred inspections and you’re like, okay, this is, know, I’ve seen most of the things that I’m going to see in my area. And so, you know, let me think about tackling on some type of, you know, add on service or something, learning something new, think, but just give yourself space to do that. Now I want to pivot back a little bit because we were talking about, you know, what like gear you use in terms of like phone or tablet or, you know, Android, Apple, whatever. So what are you using to, to, to write your reports on?
Ashleigh Flores
And I don’t like it.
Brad Lowery
Man.
Matt Brading
Okay.
Ashleigh Flores
I feel like it’s too clunky.
Brad Lowery
Is it just too big to carry around or?
Ashleigh Flores
It’s good. It’s too big. I’m not a fan.
Matt Brading
Man, I mean, I would. That’s the equivalent. Like what I’m carrying around. Like would be like the equivalent of like a fax machine, you know, like I mean, I mean, it’s just it’s a it’s a surface pro. I don’t have that here with me either. It’s in my truck. But but I mean, like, you know, it’s bigger than an iPad and it’s really wild. But I think did you start out doing it on your phone?
Ashleigh Flores
Yes.
Matt Brading
Yeah, no, I people do that. I am like the opposite of you in terms of like, I can’t imagine walking around with such a small device and doing it. But that’s because I have been working on a large when I first started, I was literally just using a digital camera, taking pictures, making notes and putting that stuff into a war later is terrible. Then I switched and started carrying around a bigger device and I kind of building the report on site using the camera that was on the device anyway, and that’s just how I’ve done it ever since and the convenience I felt like I had with that. I don’t even know if doing it on your phone was an option then. I mean, it probably was, but it wasn’t very popular and it’s never been with the software that I use. So I’ve never really had that as an option, but I have demoed other stuff. I just can’t imagine walking around with such a small device. Also, I’m admittedly, I have my phone in my hand all day, so I don’t think.
Brad Lowery
Yeah, I was going to say that’s funny for somebody that like has such a huge following from using his phone.
Matt Brading
Yeah, yeah, but I don’t want to work on it. I mean, not that kind of work anyway. Not it’s just it doesn’t it doesn’t compute.
Brad Lowery
Yeah. Ashley, let’s talk processes as well. So when you were learning about the method of going through the home, what did you adapt? What did you take? Who have you kind of learned from and what is your, what does your workflow look like now during the inspection?
Ashleigh Flores
I just basically do what they taught us. do here like first turn all systems on and then go inside room to room clockwise or counterclockwise whatever you want to do. Top to bottom. That’s what do to just keep it steady so you know you’re hitting every room every every piece.
Matt Brading
Yeah, I mean, I think I’ve talked about my process too. Like, I think that there are some things I feel like you need to do and it could be geographically like that could change. But like as far as like here and what I do, I feel like as long as you have a process, I think that’s the most important thing. I mean, mine’s out there. People can watch it and see what order I do things in. But the most important thing I think about inspecting is having a process. If we just follow the same thing every single time, then that is going to position us to miss a lot less. I’m not going to say not miss anything because none of us are superhuman, right? But it’s going to just if we do the same thing every time, we are going to be catching or not missing many things.
Brad Lowery
Now, definitely. Now, the other thing we got to talk about too, because we’ve talked about this at InterNACHI conference, one of our best performing episodes. We were talking about inspection vehicles. And so we got to know, what do you drive? What are you driving from the job site from one place to the next? And there’s no wrong answer here.
Ashleigh Flores
I have a piano problem.
Brad Lowery
There you go. No, that’s awesome. Which, which.
Matt Brading
I couldn’t tell which direction that was going to go.
Ashleigh Flores
Fix so can get ladders, can get all my tools, it all works.
Brad Lowery
Yep, we’ve talked to people that drive Chevy Sonics, that drive Ford Focus STs, trucks, Mini Coopers. So what made you pick that? Did you already have it before starting or you got that specifically for the job?
Ashleigh Flores
So it’s just what I had to work with. So I’m working with it and it works.
Matt Brading
Yeah.
Brad Lowery
That’s perfect.
Matt Brading
I mean, I admittedly have, you know, considered it like after seeing inspectors to go around with the hatchback. I I’m, I am a Texas boy. Okay. And like we drive trucks out here. I mean, it just, yeah, I know, I know. But, and, but I mean, like I was a truck driver well before this came in, you know, like I drove trucks before I became an inspector. That’s just how it’s kind of always been. And so it was just, I didn’t change it. It’s what I had, guess so, I guess it’s what I had. But I do see the benefit in it, especially like gas mileage and things. I see the benefit in it. And admittedly, I will tell you this. Werner, everyone know the ladder company Werner? They were awesome enough to send me a telescoping ladder not too long ago. and a half foot, brand new thing for them. It’s…
Brad Lowery
We said a newer one?
Matt Brading
Literally pounds, which I don’t know. Do you use a telescoping? Either one of you use a telescoping ladder? I was using one before it was a and a half foot as well. It was pounds and that pounds. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it makes a big difference whenever you’re carrying the thing around with the heat or oftentimes like I’m carrying it up a ladder to get up on top of a roof. But I will say that I have been going and I’ve been carrying a little giant ladder since I started inspecting. And it’s in the back of my truck. But that tailgate has been up and I’ve been going to the back seat to grab my Werner telescoping ladder. I really do like it. It feels and it’s much more stable than the other one that I had and it operates a whole lot better. And so I will say that like. I have had less of a need for a truck lately because I keep going for that ladder if I can. It’s gotta be. It’s gotta be, you know, a situation where my little giant obviously goes like 22 feet.
Brad Lowery
Okay.
Matt Brading
This one only goes 12 and a half. So I mean, like if it’ll reach it, I’m going to grabbing that thing. It’s a lot easier to carry around.
Brad Lowery
That’s why I like my extended climb, man. Which one are-
Ashleigh Flores
Yeah, I haven’t but if I might check out that wonder if it’s lighter because it does heavy so
Matt Brading
Well, I don’t know. I don’t know which one you’re carrying, but I mean, check the check the weight on yours. What’s that? Which one?
Ashleigh Flores
I have one of professional ones that everyone was like get this one. I’m like okay, so
Matt Brading
I’ve got a, the one I had before and I still have it is a, it’s a Amazon special. It’s made by some company called Yvonne or something. It was fine. It’s been working for years. There’s nothing actually wrong with it at all. But I will say that the Werner just feels a lot sturdier and I feel better on it, which I’m surprised by because I’ve never liked telescoping ladders for that reason. But this thing actually feels like a good ladder. But I mean, you know, it’s heavy in comparison, but that’s the only I mean, if you call it a downfall, I mean, it’s heavy, but it’s probably heavier duty as well.
Brad Lowery
That’s why I like my extended climb. It’s not overly heavy, but it still feels extremely secure when I’m on it. True story. So I had the 12 and a half foot extended climb originally in a previous married life. And my wife at the time, I went to Sherwin Williams, saw this and bought it. She looks at our bank statement and goes, so what did you buy at Sherwin Williams? And she’s like, this was like 250 bucks. I said, it was this ladder.
Matt Brading
Yeah.
Brad Lowery
Cause I had a Werner folding ladder and I was like, you know, I let my brother borrow it and I had this home inspection. So I just, you know, decided to pick up this new telescoping ladder. She goes, take it back. We don’t need it. And so then a few days later, she goes, excuse me, babe, what’s this other charge from Sherwin Williams? And I was like, well, I did exactly what I told you I would do. I took the ladder back and then I got the bigger one. And then that wasn’t why we got divorced but you know Yeah, right, right there might have been might have been how the fight started though
Matt Brading
Will! That’s what you claim. Maybe for her. So if Werner is listening, these two fine home inspectors here would love to try out your telescoping ladder, by the way. I think it’s awesome.
Brad Lowery
I think that would be a fantastic video that we should do is comparing different telescoping ladders. That’d be pretty cool.
Matt Brading
I can compare two of them right now. One of them I got is garbage and one of is awesome.
Brad Lowery
Oh my gosh, I love it. All right, Ashley, what is the for other inspectors that are trying to close out the year strong? What’s your biggest piece of advice to them?
Ashleigh Flores
I would just say stay consistent. I don’t really have anything else like be consistent go hard and do everything It doesn’t matter what day it is. It doesn’t matter what time it is Advertise it all the time Exactly, that’s the only way you’re gonna get anywhere the only way
Matt Brading
Plow through.
Brad Lowery
Plow through. Man.
Ashleigh Flores
You have to build the trust.
Brad Lowery
That’s perfect.
Ashleigh Flores
You have to build trust.
Matt Brading
Mean, it really is that though. I mean, I don’t think you can put it any other way. This is a tough business to gain traction in for the first couple of years as a single inspector operation. If you’re not working for a firm that can provide you with business, it is just tough to get people to want to call you. You don’t have a portfolio of work to show them. You don’t have reviews to show them or a lot of them or whatever it is.
Ashleigh Flores
Yes.
Matt Brading
It even feels better whenever like you when silly little goals like once you’ve done like 200 inspections, like you can tell people like in all honesty, like I’ve done hundreds of inspections and that sounds good. You know, I mean it was it was just under 200 inspections yesterday, but it doesn’t matter. You know, you can see even hundreds of inspections like little goals like that. I feel like really get you where you need to be to just kind of keep plowing through like setting little goals like that. Is that
Ashleigh Flores
Yeah. Yeah. Just there, but there.
Matt Brading
Is that the TPI’s or whatever? Is that TPI? I don’t even remember what it stands for.
Ashleigh Flores
Okay, bye.
Brad Lowery
API’s. Yes, plow through is a great API. The TPI. it. Yep. That’s it, toilet paper indicator. Key performance indicator. That’s it. Yep. That’s it. You got it. I love it. Well, seriously, Ashley, this has been fantastic. We’ve loved having you on the show. Seriously looking forward hopefully to seeing you at Inspection Fuel if you can make it be fantastic to see you there truly.
Matt Brading
Yeah, that’s what I thought. That’s what I thought.
Ashleigh Flores
Thank you
Matt Brading
Hey, before we close things out, there is something I’d like to say, because we got some feedback. We did get some feedback. There have been a lot of people come in on the comments on the last episode, which was great. It was the one where we talked to John Bolden about PEX, disclaimers, and all that stuff. And I’m not going to go into too much of any of that. We already did an episode on that, right? But somebody did reach out to me. They sent me an email, and we had a quick phone conversation about it. And so his name is Mickey. Thanks, Mickey, for reaching out.
Brad Lowery
Go for it, We did.
Matt Brading
I really appreciate the support. It just lets us know people are paying attention. It doesn’t matter whether you agree or you disagree. We like to hear it all. That’s what we’re here for. Not everyone’s going to agree. If we all agree, it’s going boring show.
Ashleigh Flores
Thank you
Brad Lowery
No, truly. And I love that he commented and actually freaking reached out to you. That was awesome. We’ve got a way that you guys can reach out to us. You can actually go we’ve got a website now for the for the show. It’s called the ride along dot show. And if you go there, you can leave a voicemail. And so you can actually talk to us directly. If you’ve got thoughts, we want to hear them. And especially for new inspectors or people that are fresh out of kind of like
Matt Brading
Yeah. Yeah.
Brad Lowery
Man, I remember that first year of inspecting and how tough it was. If you, if anything that Ashley’s been talking about today resonates with you, drop a line in the comments, leave us a voicemail, give your best advice for home inspectors starting out what they need processes to put in place, things they need to be aware of. We’d love to hear all of it because we’ve all been there. And if there’s anything that we want to be on the show, it’s helpful to everybody. So
Matt Brading
That’s right and sign up for the newsletter.
Brad Lowery
Sign up for the newsletter as well. It’s gonna be in the show notes down below. truly. Ashley, thank you so much again for being here. This has been fantastic. We appreciate you big time. Definitely. Where can everybody follow you again?
Ashleigh Flores
Thank you. Thank you so much. Closer Look Inspections.
Brad Lowery
Closer Look Inspections. Go look her up guys. Thanks so much. We’ll see you right here next time on, the ride along. See you then.
Matt Brading
Do it!