What ASHI Doesn't Want You To Know

ASHI Lowers Dues to Increase Declining Membership

2005-08-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

ASHI members and candidates are pleasantly surprised to find invoices reflecting a reduction in dues. That is not all that is reducing. On 11/30/2004, ASHI reported having only 3336 members and only 170 candidates that were authorized to display their logo. Candidates who do not receive direct benefit of membership (2543, as of 11/04) continue to pay dues and help fray the costs for the others, but for how long?

ASHI Recommends Inspector Under Suspended License

2005-08-16T09:03:00.001-07:00

This ASHI inspector remained on the computerized referral list while his license was under suspension by his state licensing board. ASHI's code of ethcis require inspectors to comply with the laws of their state. Does ASHI enforce their ethical standards for anyone? Apparently not when they continue to recommend, without sanctioning, an inspector who has been punished by his state for breaking a home inspection law.

2005-08-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

ASHI Members Shut Down nonachi.blogspot.com

The blog that was started in February '05 with the stated goal of affecting NACHI's membership stopped operating today. Details are sketchy. More will be printed as reliable information is gathered.

ASHI National Officer Declares All Candidates as "Members"

2005-08-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

In a recent communication to the members of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Scott Patterson, the Director of Membership for the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) published that ASHI candidates (2119 of them) are reflected in his reported number of a total of "5,957 ASHI members".

ASHI Professionalism

2005-07-28T20:39:00.000-07:00

As the Licensing Board for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues to review a complaint of his unprofessional behavior toward home inspectors who do not belong to his association, ASHI member Jim Morrison continues to spew anger and venom to those who do not agree with his militant stand against non-members of his association.

Here is an excerpt from one recent outburst on a blog he assists other ASHI members in publishing:

"Bugfart,

...The boots I'm wearing have been on more inspections than you have, and I'm still breaking them in. (It is not insignificant that those same boots also scored higher on the NACHI exam than you did.)

You post often, and authoritatively, but the fact is: You have all the credibility of a man who failed at several businesses before giving the field of home inspections a go less than one year ago.

... You are a boorish buffoon and your stuff just doesn't off your home court. Shoot, it doesn't even play there!I had done more inspections by my 18th birthday, than you have in your entire career. I'm sure I had more hours of HI continuing ed by the time I was 21 than you have accumulated in your entire life. Let the readers judge our respective credibilities.

Jim Morrison
Princeton, MA
7/28/2005 9:40 AM "

As home inspectors are continuing to pay money to real estate agents in Nebraska while ASHI continues to "investigate" the news report of its scandal after these many months, and as ASHI members continue to lose court battles defending a make-shift regulatory agency in Pennsylvania designed to thin out their competition from non-ASHI members, Mr. Morrison's ravings represent the anger and frustration of what was once the only game in town, but is now a dying fad.

If Mr. Morrison is the best that ASHI has to offer, as the credentials he boasts in his father's web site seem to suggest, then the ASHI experience cannot be a good one or one that can last.

ASHI/PHIC Leader Takes over Blog

2005-07-27T17:06:00.000-07:00

As the State of Massachusetts Professional License Board investigates a complaint made against ASHI member, Jim Morrison, for the possibility of unprofessional behavior associated with his activities at www.nonachi.blogspot.org , his fellow conspirator, ASHI member Joe Kelley, has taken over the reins.

This time, Kelley admits to editing from his blog those comments that do not agree his.

Read ASHI member Kelley's take on the recent court battles he has lost. Say goodbye to Morrison's one and only editorial position as it makes its last gasps...

ASHI-run PHIC Loses Court Battle for Legitimacy

2005-07-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

No commentary, just fact. Read it, here.

ASHI Falsely Claims an Apprenticeship for Candidates

2005-06-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

In this site bearing the ASHI logo and referring to the national telephone number for additional questions, this site claims that ASHI membership requires prior building experience and also claims that members serve an apprenticeship during thier first 250 inspections. Wow.

More False Claims by ASHI Members

2005-06-16T06:38:00.000-07:00

Although ASHI denies that it does here are more members of ASHI claiming to be certified inspectors. If ASHi actually enforces its code of ethics why do we find so many blatant violations throughout the websites, state to state and nation wide?

In defense, some ASHI members have claimed that all that the association is certifying is that they are "members". If this were true, then there would be no advertisements such as these for ASHI "Certified Candidates", would there be?

Pay your dues to help ASHI market itself as being highly integral and then you become highly integral yourself, we suppose.

Meet an Official ASHI Certified Professional Inspector

2005-06-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

You must see this one for yourself and read it in his own words. Pay close attention to his descriptions and his logo.

Blog Open Forum for Comments

2005-06-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

We held our second open forum for comments, today. The comment section wasopen from 7:00 a.m to 10:30 a.m. EDT, to give readers an opportunity to post relevent comments on the articles posted in this web log. The comments will be reviewed and those that are relevent to the topics that contain no profanity will remain. Those that simply adddress "Why don't you mention this organization or that organization?" will be deleted, as well. The purpose of this blog is accomplished by pointing out that home inspectors who belong to ASHI are no better and no worse than inspectors who belong to any other organization in spite of what their advertisement agency publicizes on their behalf.

Take time to carefully plan your comments and return for our next open forum on Tuesday, June 14, from 7:00 a.m. until 11:a.m. EDT.

Thank you.

Would ASHI Actually Oppose State Mandated Ethics?

2005-06-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here is an article written by a consumer advocacy group that claims that ASHI, in New Jersey, opposed a law that would make ASHI's code of ethics mandatory for licensed inspectors. Does that make sense?

ASHI's 1995 President Speaks...

2005-06-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Who would know more about how ASHI is supposed to run better than one of its Presidents? The following is a letter of resignation written and submitted by ASHI's 1995 president, just this past year.

The original copy is located here.

"Letter of resignation – Submitted to the American Society of Home Inspectors Executive Director

It is with a very sad heart that I write this letter of resignation from the American Society of Home Inspectors, for no other reason than I do not support the “Branding”.

I fought this idea from day one; I removed myself from a Chapter position because I could not in good faith be in the PR chair and not support “Branding”.

I know that there are many ASHI Chapter members who feel this way, we have asked our leadership to present our case to the National Board but do not feel they represented the membership, only what they felt was right.

I know that I do not have to pay dues but I am not a freeloader and will not in good faith remain a member when others are being disciplined for not supporting this project.

Last but not least – I cannot afford to be branded as being on “Administrative Suspension”. That statement would discredit me as a home inspector and as an Expert Witness. Competitors can be so cruel.

Respectfully submitted,
Patrick L. Porzio, Jr. Past President 95’"

ASHI Inspectors Given a Script to Write Branding Articles

2005-06-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

Just in case you may have thought that all of these quotes in the newspaper from ASHI members have either been solicited by the media or spoken by the local ASHI inspector, think again.

It appears that ASHI provides a news script with a "fill in the blanks" to assist in its propaganda march, telling local inspectors what to tell the media. Maybe they do this because so many of their inspectors know better and could never come up with this kind of garbage on their own.

Here is a copy of one of them.

Use the same news release for yourself, and just replace the words referring to ASHI with your own organization and, the next time you see an ASHI member, thank him for paying for it.

How Low Can They Go?

2005-06-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Read what happened to this group of home inspectors who decided to bring ASHI in to their monthly meetings. As stated by Mike Leavitt in his resignation:

"I have watched the local ASHI leadership try to represent our group without asking for any input until after their actions were taken. It scares me to know that certain ASHI leadership members are meeting both politically and with the state and local Board of Realtors getting their own views accepted as though they represent my voice too. The actions displayed have been for power and not the betterment of our profession as a whole."

Read the entire article here.

To the many who are reporting similar events in your own chapters, it is important to know that you are not alone.

Noashi

"Proud NOT to be a Member of the American Society of Home Inspectors"

Does ASHI Enforce its Code of Ethics?

2005-06-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

The following excerpt is from the Code of Ethics published by ASHI in June of 2004.

"C. Inspectors shall not directly or indirectly compensate realty agents, or other parties having a financial interest in closing or settlement of real estate transactions, for the referral of inspections or for inclusion on a list of recommended inspectors, preferred providers, or similar arrangements."

Why is it taking more than a month for ASHI to investigate the actions of its former president and others, reported as having violated this provision in Omaha?

Next week we will report on the ASHI/Brinks Security System connection brought to our attention by the blog controlled by ASHI members designed to damage another home inspection organization.

ASHI's New Category of Membership

2005-06-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Most people know that ASHI has divided its members into two categories, Candidates and Members.

Most Members describe themselves to the public as being Full Members. Okay, no harm in that.

Guess which ASHI Member has chosen to mimic an organization that he accuses of deception by calling himself and his employees "Certified members of the American Society of Home Inspectors"?

But wait, there's more. Here is an "ASHI Certified Home Inspector" working in Mississippi.

ASHI Members Form Fake "Coalition" in Pennsylvania

2005-06-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

If you are a real estate professional in the state of Pennsylvania, chances are you have heard of an organization that calls itself the "Pennsylvania Home Inspectors Coalition" or "PHIC".

It has been reported that this so-called coalition is comprised of members from two organizations - ASHI and NAHI, and its primary objective is to restrict the number of home inspectors competing against them for business in their state.

A very in-depth study of this coalition and report has been made by Nick Gromicko, the founder of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors, NACHI, who has purposefully shunned this organization - mainly due to what they refer to as PHIC's choice to force new home inspectors into situations where they must pay members of PHIC money and perform free services for them in order to stay in business.

Click HERE for more published information on this disgraceful coalition involving members of ASHI.

Comment Editing

2005-06-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

Members of several organizations had decided to use the "comment" section of this web blog to trash each other with vulgar language and references.

Nothing will be gained by allowing this type of communication to be published. The "comment" section will be closed. We are working on another way for readers to respond to these articles.

With the assistance of strategic placement in various search engines and an email effort to contact media and real estate professionals, in just a few short weeks this information will reach enough people to achieve the goal of dispelling the myth that ASHI has created about its organization.

Thank You.

Is ASHI a "Bad" Organization?

2005-06-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

Of course not. Just like the others do, ASHI promotes the industry and helps to educate its members toward making them better inspectors. It is not what ASHI "is" that is the problem. It is what it is "not".

ASHI members throughout America are beginning to believe their own hype. The articles that have been written for electronic and print media by the advertising firm they have contracted seems to have them believing their own press clippings.

The purpose of this blog is to dispel a myth - that myth being that ASHI represents a higher degree of quality or professionalism or skill than any other organization. ASHI inspectors pay higher dues in order to support their organization's expensive propaganda campaign, but all inspectors belonging or not belonging to any organization pays dues to gain the skill and experience to do well at his job. ASHI inspectors have proven to be no less inclined to make mistakes, pay bribes, or sugar coat an inspection report than any other inspector and it is time that this be made as public as possible.

The free ride is over.

Omaha ASHI Inspectors in Payolla Scandal with Real Estate Agents

2005-06-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

One of these inspectors who ASHI is pretending to "investigate" is a former president of the association. Let us all watch and see what happens here.

Omaha, Nebraska media report on ASHI members paying real estate agents for referrals.

If this were anyone but ASHI inspectors, this organization would be all over the news publicizing their indignation. Right now, they are doing their best to hush it all up. It's been a month. Anybody seen the results of the "investigation"? It has been over a month, now.

Ever wonder how an ASHI inspector gets his first 250 inspections?

2005-06-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest bragging points of ASHI, as an association, is that it refuses to refer any of its dues paying members to the public until after they have successfully completed 250 paid home inspections. Ever wonder how this is done?

If you think it is done under the guidance or supervision of ASHI, you are wrong. If the new inspector is willing to shell out several more hundreds of dollars on top of the already high annual dues he is charged, he may attend ASHI meetings and listen to speakers on various subjects, but his inspections are done on his own.

Not until after has done 250 of them will ASHI review his reports, of which 25 (only 10%) are selected at random for review.

Some multi-inspector firms who charge very low fees and pay very low commissions are anxious to hire these hungry "candidates" in order to exploit them. They are able to perform four inspections per day on unsuspecting consumers for very low commission fees until reaching their magic number.

This way, not only is the consumer getting an inexperienced inspector under the guise of a well trained one, but he is getting one forced to rush through an inspection to get to the next house. Some inspectors make as little as $30.00 per home they inspect until they are ready to turn in their reports to ASHI.

So, in the end, ASHI gets a member who accomplishes this 250 inspections in less than a year...still new to the business, with no one having ensured that the information he obtained is accurate. All that is verified is that it is reported in accordance with ASHI standards, leaving 250 unsuspecting consumers behind him.

And now, being a full member, he is the one you asked to call....

Scary, isn't it?

ASHI Member Shown Bilking Customers on Pittsburgh Television

2005-06-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

View this for yourself.

Television report on consumer complaint of inspection made by a full member of ASHI

You will see a consumer who claims to have suffered over $70,000 in damages because of an ASHI member by the name of Thomas Laurito who he says not only failed to find the obvious defects in his house, but who adds the remarks "nice house" to all of the reports he writes - or at least all of them uncovered by the consumer's attorney.

Laurito is not only a full member of ASHI and is referred to the consumers by ASHI's web site, but according to published documents, he also serves as a mentor/teacher for a club in Pennsylvania founded by two other ASHI members, called the Pennsylvania Home Inspectors Coalition (PHIC), where he trains new members.

More on the club known as PHIC, made up of a small group of ASHI members, in a later report.

ASHI Member, Jim Morrison, "a Bane to the Home Inspection Industry"

2005-06-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

ASHI member, Jim Morrison, of the Alan Morrison Home Inspection firm of Massachusetts, has been a member of ASHI for a long time. While he fancies himself as a newspaper writer, most of his publishing these days can be seen on a blog that he helps to operate called "nonachi" in which he and other ASHI members have orchestrated a very long and strenuous attack against one of the associations to which many ASHI members are joining when they leave. The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI), based in Valley Forge, PA, has been a target of Jim Morrison for over a year.

Most of Morrison's diatribe is aimed at the founder of NACHI, Nick Gromicko, who Morrison has used bitter and cruel descriptions to portray in his blog. Morrison's obsession with Mr. Gromicko is eerie in its scope and its consistency.

Unlike the ethical home inspector depicted in ASHI advertising, Morrison assumes the identity of a paid NACHI member to access its web pages and then reports his own special twist on them in his blog to those who do not have the first hand knowledge to form their own opinions. While there are very few people who will admit to reading or commenting in this blog, most who do choose to remain anonymous for obvious reasons.

Shameful behavior on the part of this member of ASHI and a very desperate measure to take against ASHI's former members who have been filling up the ranks of the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors for several years.

Just another home inspection "good ol' boys'" club

2005-06-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

If you believe everything you read, which most of it has been paid for by a surcharge bled from those who pay dues to its association, ASHI is all about quality.

In this blog, we will be reporting on the hidden side of ASHI that its members who are leaving in droves are passing on to us so that we can pass them on to you - the consumer.

ASHI will accept money from anyone and it has nothing to do with their qualifications, as you will learn. ASHI inspectors have been highlighted in media reports - from coast to coast - as incompetent and a danger to the consumer, primarily due to the overplay made by real estate agents to their claims of higher standards.

Example after example of ASHI misdeeds will be published here, for all to see, so that the consumer can realize that what club a home inspector chooses to pay dues to has little to do with his or her ability to perform their job.