Key Skills Home Inspectors Need in 2025

With 2025 comes hopeful predictions for stabilized mortgage rates and a rebound in home sales. Couple that with a rise of new homes on the market, and you’ve got a new year bursting with potential in home inspection.  

If you’re looking to take advantage of all the opportunities the new year has to offer, you’ll need to equip yourself with the right tools. We got the scoop here on the key skills home inspectors need in 2025, with input from our trusted experts.

New Year, New Skills 

Steven O’Donnell, our AHIT instructor, gave us an inside scoop on what your key differentiators will be this year. He sees 2025 as a great rebuilding year for home inspectors in two areas: refining your market strategy and developing your inspection skills.   

Refining Your Marketing Strategy — How to Build Connections 

Whether you’re a new home inspector or a seasoned pro with a wealth of experience, it’s always a good idea to brush up on your marketing skills.   

That means more than just doing the paperwork, or posting listings online. It’s about making real, meaningful connections with prospects. Here are our best tips for building more connections in 2025. 

1. Meet New People 

There are all kinds of strategies you can adopt to market yourself — from developing a social media content calendar to networking at professional conventions, the options are endless. But a lot of the time, marketing is as simple as meeting new people!  

“You have to be responsible for your own marketing, and that means building relationships,” O’Donnell says. “Go to everything. Attend open houses, mixers, broker property tours, and local board of REALTORS® events.” These events are where you plant the seeds of your network.  

O’Donnell adds that many of the real estate agents who attend these events are newer in the business and looking to develop their own networks. That means you’ll have a great opportunity to build a strong mutual partnership from the get-go. 

2. Approach Home Inspection as a Service 

Real estate is a service-based industry. That means that your role is about more than just the paperwork.  

It’s about connecting with other people. It’s about comforting nerves. It’s about offering advice and sharing wins and woes. When you foster this kind of meaningful connection with your clients — and nurture these relationships by following through with great service — you will build relationships for life, which will keep your business thriving. 

Check Out: How to Succeed as a Home Inspector 

Diversifying Your Skills — How to Stand Out 

When the market slows down, use the opportunity to develop your skills. Adding a new license, service, or skill to your toolbelt are all smart ways to leverage that extra time. Plus, every skill you add makes you that much more appealing to your clients. 

If you’re looking for more active ways of building your knowledge and standing out as an inspector, keep reading. 

1. Consider Dual Licensure 

Dual licensure is a great way to set yourself apart from the crowd. And real estate offers a wide array of licensed professions. But with so many different licenses out there, how do you choose?  

By matching your unique personality to the right role:  

Take the Career Navigator Quiz 

With a dual license, you’ll have a wider net to grow your business. As an inspector, you’re the building and safety expert of real estate. But what about the other licenses you can earn? Below, we’ve put together a little taste of the possibilities. 

Real Estate Agent 

Your Purpose: You’re the dream-maker of real estate.  

You help clients buy, sell, and lease property with a teaching heart. 

What It’s Like To Be a Real Estate Agent 

Mortgage Loan Officer:

Your Purpose: You’re acting as the financial guide in the real estate world.
You make homeownership possible for your clients and help them build wealth that continues for generations. 

What’s It’s Like To Be a Mortgage Loan Officer 

Real Property Appraiser 

Your Purpose: You’re the data scientist of real estate.  

You analyze properties using proven valuation methods and determine accurate values the real estate market relies on. 

What It’s Like To Be an Appraiser
 

2: Hone Your Home Inspection Skills With New Certifications 

Sometimes, all you need is a new certification or special area of focus to give your career the boost it needs. And adding certifications can help you earn more per inspection!  

O’Donnell recommends earning certifications for services that are in-demand in your locale. For example, mold inspection services are ideal in humid climates while radon inspection is in-demand in northern states. 

Most services can be offered as add-ons to your traditional home inspection service. Others may have the potential to stand alone and open new income avenues, depending on licensing requirements for the certification in your state. 

Explore Home Inspector Certifications 

Stay Current With Our Blog: Home Inspection Career Guide – AHIT 

You Have the Skills 

Here’s the thing: you already have the skills it takes to thrive in this career; they just need a little sharpening. AHIT is here to help you stay fresh, compliant, and competitive.  

Learn with us and be ready to grab the opportunities of 2025 and take your business to the next level. Explore our award-winning real estate education and get started today.