NAHI's Fall Conference was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania September 8-10, 2006: Freedom to Succeed. As always NAHI manages to put on a great seminar, and there certainly was no disappointment this time.

Board of Director Everett Rawlings, CRI samples the buffet

The Seminar began on Friday. There were two educational opportunities provided. The first was the PaRR (Partnership for Response and Recovery) Disaster Housing Inspection Certification and was taught by Jeff Coffey. By now I hope all of you are aware of this program. It's where home inspectors and other professionals are sent into a disaster area, most often after a weather natural disaster (flood, hurricane or tornado) and are asked to inspect and report on the condition of an individual's home. The findings of this report are used to help determine eligibility for disaster aid and other benefits for the homeowner.  If you are not aware of this program, I encourage you to learn about it by visiting www.parrinspections.com.

The other session was actually a group of sessions where the vendors that support our industry were each given an hour to promote and explain their product or service. This was a great idea! As you know, at these conferences we often have only a limited amount of time to make our way around the exhibit area and usually only catch bits and pieces of everybody's presentations. At the Affiliate Showcase, each representative was able to thoroughly and thoughtfully explain their product or service with no interruptions, no background chatter, just a pure transfer of knowledge. It was a great idea that I'm told was the brainchild of NAHI Board Member Jim Turner. I haven't seen the itinerary for the NAHI Vegas Conference but I suspect and hope it will be a part of the show.

NAHI General Counsel Jim Roach and Director of Government Affairs J.R. Burke

Saturday was the non-stop, constantly overflowing opportunity for increased knowledge.  There was just too much to choose from! I started the day attending the session on Geo Thermal Heat Pumps under the guidance of Jack DiEnna.  With the sudden increase in energy prices, this very well may become the energy source of the future.  Did you know that the average energy bill to operate a home or commercial building could be reduced as much as 75%?  We learned how to use Planet Earth to heat and cool our homes.

The next session I attended was Pre-Drywall Inspections. It was put on by our fellow NAHI CRI, John Bouldin.  John is the owner of Protechs Home Inspections in Manassas, VA.  We really can learn from each other.  John's presentation was full of educational information.  Ironically, even though we build homes from the ground up, we have to design them to carry the loads from the top down.  John explained the flow of gravity and both live and dead loads from the roof trusses all the way down to the basement wall footings.

After lunch I attended the session on Success Tips For A Changing Market.  As the real estate market softens around the country, we may have to find new ways to differentiate ourselves from the competition, ways to make us stand apart. In fact, Elizabeth Feustal even taught us ways to avoid being labeled the "Deal Killer."

Executive Director Mallory C. Anderson and Board of Director Dan Haydon, CRI

Finally, I attended the session on The NAHI Standards and Your Report.  This session was presented by another fellow NAHI CRI, Dan Haydon.  Dan is a NAHI Board member and the Chair of the Membership and Complaint Committees.  You know those reports we have to send in to NAHI every year?  Well, Dan gets to read them. Now with the knowledge gained, we know how to write them better, which will make Dan's job a whole lot easier.

I told you there was too much to choose from. Let me tell you what I missed. I missed sessions on Managing and Minimizing Your Risk, Foundation Defects and Electrical for The Home Inspector. After a long day like that, it was off to the Hospitality Suite sponsored by NAHI-PA. Thanks guys, for a little R & R plus the opportunity to interact with other NAHI colleagues from all across the country.

On Sunday I attended a session called Old Houses with Historic Blunders.  They really don't build them the way they used to!  That session was followed up by Houses vs. Nature.

PA Chapter Leaders

As a Florida resident and with all the nature we've had to deal with here for the past few years, it was very informative.  Both of these sessions were taught by Peter Drenan. The experience list of achievements and certifications earned by Peter is so long they won't even fit here. Once again NAHI provides its members with top-notch educators to share their knowledge with us.

Still on Sunday there was more! There was a session on Steel Framing and another on Water Heaters and Heating Water that I was unable to attend. Even aside from that was the opportunity for Mold Training sponsored by Pro-Lab.

I realize that it is impossible for everyone to attend. However, not being able to afford to attend these educational conferences should not be an excuse. The truth of the matter is you can't afford not to go. In lieu of that, I would ask each and every one of you that gets to read this to contact your chapter leadership and

Board of Directors Scot Tully, CRI and Allan Monat, CRI

advise them what you wished you had been able to hear about. Perhaps your chapter leadership can arrange for these or similar type sessions at your chapter events. Keep in mind, one of the greatest attributes of your NAHI Organization is the desire of your leadership that each and every one of us becomes the best we possibly can.

Together, we will continue to grow into the leading home inspector organization in the nation.  So plan on going to Las Vegas February 18th - 21st, 2007. It will be NAHI's 20th Anniversary. That in itself should be a reason not to miss it.

~Comments courtesy of NAHI Member Jim Nolan, CRI, Home Inspections By Nolan, Orlando, Florida.