Home-Based Home Inspection Business Moves to Permanent Office in Manahawkin

When Wesley Goble landed a job with the U.S. Postal Service in 1995, he thought he had found his career.  But, he learned his eight years in the government position did not guarantee him job security.

"Back then, you thought you were set for life and got a good pension," said Goble.  "I saw the postal service had peaked and was making changes.  There wasn't as much job security as I thought and I wasn't going to be able to support my family the way I wanted."

That is when Goble started thinking about going into business for himself.

"Around 1999/2000, I bought a house and got it inspected," he said.  "I saw what they did and thought it was an interesting trade."

Goble said while he went to high school in Union Beach, he attended Monmouth County Vocational School to learn the building trades.  He started working in construction at age 16 in 1987 and continued in that field until taking the postal service job in 1995.

Taking his past experience and newfound interest in the home inspection industry, he found an advertisement for Pillar to Post, a major home inspection company, on the American Society of Home Inspectors website, took a second mortgage on his house and bought his own franchise.  He said his wife was very supportive of the move.

"I put together a business plan and we decided it was a risk worth taking," said Goble.  "We were young and had time to recover if it didn't work out."

Goble said he took a course on home inspection, as well as Pillar to Post's training.  He said the company offered a quick start-up and a lot of support.

"Their start-up marketing plan absolutely works," he said.  "I couldn't believe how fast the phone was ringing off the hook."

He worked out of his house in Barnegat Township for the last nine years, taking over the dining room and finally outgrowing the space.  Two months ago, he set up shop in an office at 714 N. Main Street in Manahawkin.  He hired a worker to answer the phones and previously had added a second inspector.  He said it is a less casual atmosphere and feels more like an actual business, although it was convenient to work from home and have no overhead.

Goble said being his own boss has allowed him to be more involved with his kids' activities.

"I can make my own schedule," he said.  "It's the freedom; I'm not tied down to a time clock.  I can do what I want with my family."

Goble said his schedule always seems to fill up, though.  Most of his clients are home buyers and he gets many recommendations from realtors and attorneys.  He charges a base price for a two to three-hour inspection, which includes a termite inspection.  The company also inspects bulkheads and septic systems and for asbestos and mold.

He said homes in Ocean County's shore area have issues that other places might not have because of the many houses used only during the summer.

"I see wet crawl spaces, termites and moldy conditions," said Goble.  "We see ourselves as problem-solvers.  We tell them what's wrong and what to do about it."

Elsewhere in the nation, he said more sellers are getting pre-listing inspections to take care of any problems before potential buyers view their house.

"We're seeing a few more sellers but people don't understand the value of pre-listing inspections," said Goble.  "It's harder to meet the demands of a buyer when they're crunched for time with a deal in place.  You get more value for your home if you do it before."

Goble offers discounts for active military, senior citizens and past clients.  At the end of this month, he plans to begin offering service packages, including a premium package with an appliance safety recall check.

Goble said he hopes his business continues to grow and has continued success.

"I approach every house as if I'm inspecting for a member of my family -- I care about my clients," said Goble.  "I have a lot of pride in what I do and always do my best every time."