Today we’d like to introduce you to Dustin Nelson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dustin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always loved houses… I have been in the Real Estate industry for over 12 years. I started out as a real estate appraiser and as an investor in real estate. After the market crashed in 2008 and appraisal and investing opportunities were not as profitable, I began looking at other avenues. I started to notice a niche in the market. As a result of the market crash, there were many homes that had been sitting unoccupied for months, even years. When it came time for these homes to hit the market again, they all needed to be inspected to determined their condition. Before the market crash, home inspections were more by choice and hardly recommended. Afterwards, most realtors, real estate companies, and banks highly recommended or required a home inspection.
This has quickly become the standard for the industry. Being that I have always loved real estate, this gave me a great opportunity to provide meaningful and fulfilling services to those looking to be homeowners. Years later, today I am operating a very successful home inspection business.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I must admit that the road to having a successful home inspection business did not come easy.
The market crash back in 2008 really put a hit on the real estate industry and made it hard to find work and clients during that period. Many existing realtors and investors pulled out of the market or quit to look for other employment opportunities.
At that time, I was trying to get into the industry as a home inspector. I ran into many obstacles. It was hard to get training, there were not as many companies working with home inspectors, and there were hardly any clients buying or selling homes. This made it almost impossible to enter the market. At the time, I was looking for a mentor or someone to show me the ropes in the industry, and no one had the time nor was willing to train or mentor me during this period. I used to sit around and cold call home inspectors for hours looking for someone to mentor me. Only to receive voicemails, no call backs, or flat out nos from those people I called. I remember feeling like my opportunity would never come and I would never be able to run my own business as a home inspector. Times in the real estate industry were rough back then!
Five Star Home Inspections – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I provide seller inspections for people who are selling their homes, buyer inspections for people buying homes, warranty inspections for warranty services related to a home, and pre-drywall inspections for new constructions. I am most known for my great customer service, detailed reports, and thorough inspections. These are the compliments I receive the most. My clients are usually pleased with the thoroughness and details included in my inspection reports. Most people say they are glad that they have used my services and that many inspectors they have used in the past were not as thorough or they were not easy to work with. I think customer service and great work ethics are the keys to success! I think my customer service and customer driven approach, has allowed me to really capitalize off of referrals from satisfied customers. I am most proud of the ability of my company to provide outstanding services to my clients during such an important time in their lives. I work with many first time home buyers who don’t know what to look for in determining the condition of a house. I feel fulfilled knowing that I am providing services that will help others make more well-informed decisions in regards to purchasing a home. I think what separates my company from our competitors is that we strive to do great, honest, work. With most companies only trying to make a sale, we are truly looking to provide a benefit to our clients/partners. My goal is that our services will help promote confidence in the Home Inspection industry and an overall better Real Estate Market.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success by the ability to take an idea or dream and turn it into a reality over time. I also define success by the number of lives I am able to positively affect. I feel the monetary benefits of success will come over time if you stick to doing great work, challenging yourself to get better, and treating clients and others how you would wish to be treated. I often set myself small goals or milestones that I measure to get me closer to the larger goal(s) I have set. I think it can become overwhelming at times to focus on the big scope of a project or task without thinking through the little steps. Sometimes this goal can be months or years out, which can cause you to lose sight or become discouraged if you don’t measure or reward yourself along the way. So, when I started my business, I used small goals to account for my progress. I started out saying I would complete my training. Once that was done, then I rewarded myself. Next, I said I would handle all the paperwork needed to establish my company, like the LLC and tax documents. Then I rewarded myself. And so on. Most of us don’t have enough time and resources to get everything done overnight, especially if you are working another job or have demanding obligations. Breaking down my path in such a way has enabled me to handle things step by step until the ultimate goal was accomplished.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.fivestarhomeinspectionservices.com/
- Phone: 404-771-5617
- Email: fivestarinspectionservices@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fivestarinspector/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiveStarHomeInspectionServices/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/fivestarinspec
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
