# Jobs a Plenty



## adorler (Feb 24, 2013)

To those looking for work, here is an add in my local Craigslist. I was going to sign up but I am an honest guy and this is WAY to much to be paid...I mean I would be rolling in a Mercedes after a month of doing this work at this pay!

Mortgage Field Inspector (Cattaraugus County)
compensation: $5.00 per job, approximately 200-300 jobs per month, can complete around 50 jobs per day.
PROPERTY INSPECTORS NEEDED IN CATTARAUGUS COUNTY. CAN LEAD TO A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WORK. GREAT PART TIME INCOME WITH FLEXIBLE HOURS.

I AM LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED MORTGAGE FIELD SERVICE INSPECTORS BUT WILL TRAIN THE RIGHT PERSON. PAY IS FOR COMPLETED INSPECTION ON PROPERTIES IN FORECLOSURE, BANKRUPTCY OR OTHER DISTRESSED SITUATIONS. YOU ARE GIVEN ASSIGNMENTS IN YOUR GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF COVERAGE. REPORTS MUST BE ACCURATE, REQUIRE PHOTOS AND MUST BE DONE WITHIN GIVEN TIME FRAMES. YOU MUST HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS, AND A SMARTPHONE PLEASE SEND A BRIEF NOTE OR RESUME TO THIS POSTING.

****Must be organized and dependable, have a reliable vehicle, and be willing to drive in all weather, smart phone, laptop, and high speed internet needed****

$5.00 per job, approximately 200-300 jobs per month, can complete around 50 jobs per day.

NEED WHOLE AREA OF CATTAURAUGUS COUNTY COVERED.

IT IS PREFERABLE THAT YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL TO GET TO YOUR TERRITORY!!
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this j


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

Here is your first assignment.
Please photo all 4 sides of the property, house number, street address and any damages or hazards. Make contact with the owner and have them call 1-800-deadbeat on your cell phone and in your presence. Hand them all included documents and photo homeowner. Documents must be signed to be paid. $5 to be mailed out within 30-45 days of submission.


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## Craigslist Hack (Jun 14, 2012)

$1,500.00 a month is KILLING IT!

Floyd Money Mayweather better lookout!:thumbup:


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## STARBABY (Apr 12, 2012)

can complete 50 jobs a day! wow!


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## Trey9007 (Nov 20, 2013)

The PP guys on this site make many posts about this and it has me scratching my head.

Sure the $5 rate is on the low side. But compared to the rates in PP, $5 inspections are IMO, BY FAR, the better choice. $1500 month. A month in which you work the equivalent of 6 days. So really its $1500 a week for going around taking pics. No truck to stock, no tools, no calling, no labor, etc...

Personally, depending on the area and the inspection type, I can make a $5 inspection work. I have certain areas where I can complete up to 10 inspections an hour. Some areas I can get 6-7 completed an hour. In the areas where I can do 10 an hour, I could make $5 work.

Currently, my lowest contract is for $6. Its in the city, and I only cover 2 zip codes that neighbor each other. This is an area I and can do 10 an hour. About 85% are simple drive bys, 10% require contact to simply hand the occupant a letter and ask a few questions or just leave letter taped to door, and maybe 5% are Vacants which are paid at a higher rate. Its been pretty profitable. Could it be better? Sure. But its something I can make work.


IMO, considering the state of this industry, inspections are the only things worth considering. I wouldnt even consider signing the PP contracts I see being offered. If you're someone who gets your PP work outside of the National/regional set up, then I can understand your dismay about the $5 inspection. However, if you're someone getting your PP work out of the National/Regional order mill, I would really re-think your views on the inspections side of the business.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

Trey9007 said:


> Sure the $5 rate is on the low side. But compared to the rates in PP, $5 inspections are IMO, BY FAR, the better choice.
> 
> Could it be better? Sure. But its something I can make work.
> 
> If you're someone who gets your PP work outside of the National/regional set up, then I can understand your dismay about the $5 inspection. However, if you're someone getting your PP work out of the National/Regional order mill, I would really re-think your views on the inspections side of the business.



I'll preface by saying if you can make it work and pay bills, God bless.

$5 inspections are not on the low side, they are beneath rock bottom.
Typical open market inspections range from $35 to $350. I know this first hand. So do the order mills, it is on the invoices they submit to their clients.
To be offended because posters are critical of regional inspection rates and requirements is to ignore the truth about what they are doing. 

Comparing inspection rates to preservation rates is apples to oranges. They both stink but it is a different field. The only similarity is in the method they use to solicit.
I could advertise for painters at $60 per room. I'd get warm bodies to show up. Some would gripe but they would stay. The ones with talent would soon realize they should be on their own making real money and beat it. Regional inspections won't be a cradle to grave career, so why limit yourself to regionals? You should be taking your skills to the clients that pay you what you are worth.


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## BRADSConst (Oct 2, 2012)

Trey9007 said:


> The PP guys on this site make many posts about this and it has me scratching my head.
> 
> Sure the $5 rate is on the low side. But compared to the rates in PP, $5 inspections are IMO, BY FAR, the better choice. $1500 month. A month in which you work the equivalent of 6 days. So really its $1500 a week for going around taking pics. No truck to stock, no tools, no calling, no labor, etc...


 But why? What value do you place on your time?

Counting my labor and company profit, I pull in $1000 to $1500 per DAY doing roofing. Is there the holy grail of volume, like inspections? No. Do I care? Not in the least. I'd much rather spend 4 days a month roofing and the rest watching TV then driving all over the place doing inspections.

My second best business decision was getting out of the P&P rat race. I know what my earning potential is and I do not sell my self short. It's a hell of a lot higher than a $5 dollar inspection. 

The last inspection I did was for a reverse mortgage. Took 45 minutes to inspect the attic, insulation, flashings and roof. Spent 1 hour on the computer typing the report. Paid $135, 7 days net.


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## Trey9007 (Nov 20, 2013)

GTX63 said:


> I'll preface by saying if you can make it work and pay bills, God bless.
> 
> $5 inspections are not on the low side, they are beneath rock bottom.
> Typical open market inspections range from $35 to $350. I know this first hand. So do the order mills, it is on the invoices they submit to their clients.
> ...


First off, Im not offended because people are critical of regional inspection rates. What I said is that some of the comments I read, have me scratching my head. Not upset. Confused.

I disagree when you say comparing PP and inspection rates, is like comparing apples oranges. IMO it all boils down to profit. I personally see more profit on the inspection side than the PP side. IMO the PP guys are just about paying the regionals to do their work. I do agree regional inspections isnt a cradle to the grave career. But neither is regional PP work. I don't limit myself to regionals. Actually 2 of my 3 clients are nationals. Im always looking for new streams of revenue The inspections I do and the kind the OP has posted don't really take any skill. They are just occupancy checks. If some one was to acquire 3 contracts similar to the one in the OP, depending on where he/she lives, one could do pretty good.


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## Trey9007 (Nov 20, 2013)

BRADSConst said:


> But why? What value do you place on your time?
> 
> Counting my labor and company profit, I pull in $1000 to $1500 per DAY doing roofing. Is there the holy grail of volume, like inspections? No. Do I care? Not in the least. I'd much rather spend 4 days a month roofing and the rest watching TV then driving all over the place doing inspections.
> 
> ...


If you notice, my comments were specifically geared towards PP guys who get their work from the National/Regional order mill. 

Im not a PP/roofing/home improvement/construction guy. Those things, when done correctly, require certain skill sets, and that's what has me scratching my head. The skills one must (or at least should) have to perform PP work is MUCH greater than the skills needed to perform occupancy check inspection. But when you compare the profitability of the two, within the Natational/Regional order mill, the profits doing inspections are MUCH higher. 

Im not sure what kind of inspections you were doing that take 45 mins. But the inspections Im referring to are simple occupancy checks that take 3-4 minutes top. Maybe 7-8 mins when doing interior/exterior.

You said it took you 1 hour and 45 mins to complete your last inspections. After adding 15 min drive time lets say it was a total of 2 hours for $135. Thats roughly $67/hr. Im assuming you needed a ladder, a larger gas consuming vehicle that can transport a ladder, maybe even a few small tools or meters to test the structural integrity, and not to mention the skill set. Compare that to $40-$50/hr doing simple occupancy checks, that take basically no special skills, a smart phone or camera, and can be performed using a simple 4 cyl car. 

I have never said that the $5 inspection or its volume was the holy grail. My only point is that if you're doing PP work that originates from the order mill, under certain circumstances, you are better off doing the $5 inspection.


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## GTX63 (Apr 12, 2012)

Unlike other contracting forums, ie drywall, plumbing, flatwork, etc, Preservation Talk does not focus on expanding or stretching out the long term benefit of being a PP/REO contractor. I, as many of the other posters, are here to help protect subs from the industry. By restricting mortgage field services to a portion of my biz, I control it.

I can complete a $250 PCR direct for a client in a few hours. Yes, I'll need a ladder, truck, etc. Those are tools that provide opportunities for bigger and better. If you are doing only drive bys and brief interior inspections, then yes, maybe you can get by with a camera and a fuel efficient car. Since you have discovered how to maximize a return on a $5 inspection, you become exactly what the regional is looking for, and unfortunately, why rates are so low in your field. Are you worth only $5 for what you are providing the client? If you believe so, then there isn't much more to say. If you think not, then why are you holding yourself back and pushing the inspection industry down?

I'm not a union guy but I am a capitalist, however, turn your circumstances around. If you had lenders paying you $75 to complete an interior inspection, what would you feel is a reasonable compensation? For less than one tenth of the amount, what type of help would you generally expect to get?
In the open market, you set your own value. Here, Safeguard tells you what you are worth, take it or leave it. With the experience you already have, you should easily be able to market yourself and make the same money and more doing 10 inspections or less per day.
The photo above is funny because it is true, and happens all the time.


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## Trey9007 (Nov 20, 2013)

GTX63 said:


> Unlike other contracting forums, ie drywall, plumbing, flatwork, etc, Preservation Talk does not focus on expanding or stretching out the long term benefit of being a PP/REO contractor. I, as many of the other posters, are here to help protect subs from the industry. By restricting mortgage field services to a portion of my biz, I control it.
> 
> I can complete a $250 PCR direct for a client in a few hours. Yes, I'll need a ladder, truck, etc. Those are tools that provide opportunities for bigger and better. If you are doing only drive bys and brief interior inspections, then yes, maybe you can get by with a camera and a fuel efficient car. Since you have discovered how to maximize a return on a $5 inspection, you become exactly what the regional is looking for, and unfortunately, why rates are so low in your field. Are you worth only $5 for what you are providing the client? If you believe so, then there isn't much more to say. If you think not, then why are you holding yourself back and pushing the inspection industry down?
> 
> ...


Im not a long time veteran in the field, but $75 for occupancy check seems a little unrealistic. Especially after seeing this, https://services.secure.bankofamerica.com/home-loans/pop-up/default-fees.go

I purposely limit myself to simple occupancy checks because it fits my niche. Inspections are just a side gig for me. I do them on the weekends. I have a regular 9-5. Other types of inspections require more time flexibility, which I dont have. I get inspections with a 7-10 day window to be completed. I cant and dont work with companies who need 3,4,5 day turn arounds, which the more expensive inspections usually require.

The rates are what they are. I am pro union. I would support an organizing effort among inspectors. But the fact is, there is no union. Therefore, we negotiate our rates with very little negotiation power. I only accept rates I think I can make work for me. If I cant make it work, I ask for what I need to make it work. Sometimes I get it. Sometimes I don't. If I don't get it, I simply stop accepting work. I currently get between $6-$14 for inspections. Each time I do a route, I take the attitude this could be my last time out, because I know the next guy is out there ready to under bid me. It is whats it is. I simply provide my service and hope for the best.

But I cant stress this more. My only point was that $5 inspections can provide much more profit than PP work that originates from the order mills. In no way am I saying $5 should be your goal. But for me personally, I entertain all offers. If theres a contract being offered with the possibility of generating $1500 over 6 days, I will listen to and evaluate that offer.


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