248-388-4783
HHI HODGE HOME INSPECTIONS LLC
Serving Oxford and all of Oakland, Macomb, and Lapeer counties along with Metro Detroit in Michigan.
Your Inspector
Understanding that since I'm the person you are not only allowing to enter into your new future home but also trusting to look over the property with a fine tooth comb and report to you everything I find ( or don't find) is not lost on me. Therefore I thought you might want me to share a little about me so you know just who you are working with before me showing up the the home and we can be a great team on this part for your home buying journey.
A Brief Rundown
I originally started working in radio which is where I met a lifelong friend and mentor, Mike Staff. After several years in radio I moved to the wedding DJ world and started working for Mike Staff. I was a wedding DJ for over 20 years. I also worked in sales and as the companies Director if Customer Service. The company is large and we would have 1000-2000 events a year on the books between DJ, Photo and Video services. Mike knew I liked working with my hands, so he introduced me to some friends that worked in various trades. These connections eventually lead me to working in the trades as well. If there is a trade job out there, I have done it. Everything to framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall (mad respect to anyone that can drywall, It is an art and I am no artist), painting, etc... I loved working in the trades. It gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment.
I am married to a wonderful wife and we have two girls. My wife and I moved from Royal Oak to Oxford over ten years ago and it was the best decision we could make. The access to parks and water are a major reason we love this town along with its small town vibe. While I may be located in North Oakland County, Metro Detroit and even parts of Mid Michigan are my service areas. So even if you are buying a home in Flint, Clinton Township or Royal Oak, I will be there.
It was not a natural journey to become a home inspector. For the longest time I wasn't even aware that was a career. That is, until I purchased my first home.My agent asked if I had an inspector in mind for the home inspection? I had friends from the trades but no home inspectors, that I knew of. So, I put out feelers to my old trades colleagues and what do you know, several of them were home inspectors. Turns out a lot of tradesman make the change to the Home inspection field. I had one of them come out for the inspection and I followed him like a hawk. Watching what this job entailed. I found it fascinating, which I know might sound kind of nerdy, but it was super interesting to me.
I dove into the world of home inspecting to see what was needed to get started and more importantly, how? Surprisingly enough, Michigan does not require any licensing to become a home inspector. I thought that was odd. Anyone can be a home inspector, really? This seemed like there was a lot of trust needed between the client and the inspector. What if the person just said they were an inspector and had no idea of what things to look for? So I quickly looked into certification courses, even though they are not required. I landed on two courses and completed them both, InterNACHI and ICA. InterNACHI is a worldwide orginization and ICA is nationwide. Getting certified in both, I was starting the journey.
After speaking to several realtor friends that were excited I was joining the inspection field, they would talk about how the inspectors they worked with would "kill the deal" when talking to clients. Neither realtor was complaining that the inspector found issues, it was just the way the inspector was communicating or the lack of communicating, with the client. This is where I saw my several years as a DJ and Director of Customer Service come into play. Relationships and communication are just as important as knowing if there is faulty wiring or a leak in the plumbing system. That became my motivator with this career. To not only perform through detailed home inspections but to clearly, easily and relationally describe the findings to the client. To let them make the decision on how to move forward. I am not buying the home, you are.
When I am not inspecting your home and providing you a detailed report, you can find me on a body of water. Sun and sand are certainly my happy place. I love fishing, a backyard corn hole game, or two, or four, O.K, maybe I have a problem :) You might just see me at a concert. I mentioned I was a DJ and I love all styles of music. Seeing a live show or just jamming tunes around the house or in the vehicle keeps me going. But most importantly, sharing good times with the family and friends in-between all the craziness of work and life.
What's the next step?
Now that you know a bit about me, let's talk about you. Simply click on the schedule your inspection tab below and we can set up you home inspection. After all, we want to make sure"Your Dream Home Isn't a Nightmare".