Full-time school and work can throw anyone off balance. But every day, students make it happen without letting either responsibility suffer. Go into it with a plan, and you’re more likely to be among those who succeed. Wing it, and you’re asking for trouble.

According to a 2015 Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce study, 70 percent of college students also have a job.

Here’s how you can be like them and keep work/study life on track for the long haul.

Make Flexibility Work For You

The whole point of online study is accessibility for more people. Online programs are more flexible than brick-and-mortar counterparts as a general rule. And that’s a major benefit for people who work full time.

Self-paced online programs take flexible study one step further. Whatever your work schedule, even if it changes every week, your education doesn’t have to conflict with it. You create your own learning pace, and it doesn’t have to be the same as anyone else’s.

Plan Study Time in Advance

With all of that flexibility, some students might be tempted to wing it. What should study time matter if there’s plenty of time to finish? Unfortunately, that approach asks for problems that you can easily avoid with a study plan.

The College Board says the most successful online students map out study time in advance. Even if you only know your weekly work schedule a few days early, you can pencil in dedicated study time to further your new career goals. Keep a calendar that lets you see your work/study balance at a glance.

Spend Break Time Studying

Successful online students grab extra study time wherever it presents itself. That doesn’t just mean studying after work, but also studying on break times. Every little bit helps, even if breaks are only used for review. If your online program is accessible with a mobile device, school can be anywhere.

LifeHack recommends breaking up reading times into smaller chunks and keeping review materials handy. You can read small bits of your course materials on a 15-, 30- or 1-hour break. If you can get up earlier to pack in more study time, even better.

Don’t Wait to Ask for Help

Straighterline says too many online students wait instead of asking for help when it’s needed. That can put you behind schedule, which might not seem to matter in a self-paced course. But you might also learn less from a module if you try to squeak by without help.

Online study is just as real and rigorous as any other education program.

Don’t Assume it’s Easy

If we had to rank the reasons students drop out or fail, underestimating online education would be near the top. It’s not easy, even with a self-paced program. It’s just a lot more convenient than driving to a campus 5 days a week.

Regents University of Colorado explains that online courses are not a cakewalk. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, they say:

“Do whatever it takes to convince yourself! Think of your online classes as easy-peasy, a walk in the park, requiring no special effort and no expenditure of time. Failure, my friend, is within your reach. Don’t let it slip through your fingers now by taking your coursework seriously.”

The flexible nature of online study doesn’t mean it’s easy to balance with a full-time job. It only gives you something to work with. Creating that balance is up to you.

You need referrals. Real estate agents need a good job and professional inspection report for their clients. It sounds like an easy way to get more work. So it might surprise you to know that a lot of inspectors fumble the ball.

There’s no mysterious key to developing a good relationship with real estate agents. Communicate, educate, be honest and do a good job. That’s all agents and their clients – also your customers – really want.

#1: Communicate with the Buyer and Agent

One of the biggest paint point agents have with inspectors is a lack of communication. It can happen in a lot of different ways. Home inspecting is about sharing information. So without effective communication, everyone gets frustrated and customers aren’t as informed as they could be.

Coldwell Banker agent, Linda Reilly, tells ASHI Reporter that “buyers need a lot of handholding.” They’re nervous, and they might know nothing about the house. A home inspector worth keeping goes the extra mile to communicate with buyers and the agent. A good experience makes agents want to recommend you time and again.

#2: Invite Buyers to Attend their Inspection

Some inspectors like to work alone. But if you invite customers to attend the inspection, your work will have more value. Information is the commodity. It conveys more easily in person, where customers can see defects and hear your comments in real time.

When customers attend the inspection, it can ease nerves and put everything into perspective. Reilly explains that what seems like a small issue to you might sound scary and huge to buyers. But seeing it in person eliminates unnecessary phone calls, sleepless nights and helps the transaction run more smoothly.

#3: Don’t Worry About Being a Deal Killer

There’s a longstanding stereotype in the real estate industry. Inspectors and agents work so closely together, both sides tend to “gloss over” defects to keep from losing a sale. Unfortunately, that’s true for some unscrupulous agents and inspectors. But that’s not the way to build a business that grows.

Home inspector Bruce Fisher tells ASHI Reporter that the concerns are valid. If they really want to help each other, agents and inspectors always tell the truth. Real estate broker Dick Greenberg explains for Working RE magazine that ethics rule above all. Sometimes being a deal killer is a good thing. Playing down defects encourages buyers to make a bad investment. And once they move in, the secret will be out of the bag.

#4: Make the Report Useful and Timely

The more you work in home inspecting, the more you’ll develop mental shortcuts. But if the report doesn’t make sense to customers, isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Use the same level of care when filling out every home inspection report. Your customers will thank you, and so will the agents you work with.

When you find a defect, explain where it is and why it’s defective. Reilly says she’s seen reports with “against code” as the only defect description, and no photos to back it up. It all ties back into information. It’s your job to find it and convey it accurately so customers can understand. If they had your level of skill and knowledge, they wouldn’t need your help.

Most home inspectors develop a good rapport with at least a few real estate agents. In time, you may have a network of agents you work with frequently. They can send a lot of referrals your way. So it’s a good idea to make it worth their while.

Women in the home inspecting industry? You bet! In a field that’s historically male, women are fast becoming much more than just a margin. And it’s about time.

Inspecting has a lot to offer, such as the chance to build your own business from the ground up. You can also work as little or as much as you like. So if you have a love of houses but thought that inspecting wasn’t a good career path for women, here are 4 reasons to think again.

#1: Home Inspecting is a Flexible Career

If you’re like a lot of Americans, being tied to a desk in an office is not exactly a dream job. Home inspecting is flexible and it frees you from the shackles of 9-to-5 office work.

According to CIO, flexibility is one of things women want most in a career. Home inspectors make their own schedules, so you can work when you want and take on as little or as much work as you like. How’s that for a work-life balance opportunity?

#2: No Prior Building Knowledge is Necessary

Just because many women lack experience in building, construction and related fields doesn’t mean they’re not good candidates. Although many men come to the industry from the construction trade, construction and inspecting are very different.

#3: Women are Quickly Filling the Ranks

When inspector, Mary Anne Tonini, first started her career in home inspecting, she was one of very few. She told ASHI Reporter, “When the classes started, I was the only woman in a room of 22 men.” But she’s gaining more experience and growing her business every day.

Wendy McDowell, a new member of the American Society of Home Inspectors. She recently told ASHI Reporter magazine, “During many of my ride-alongs, I’ve noticed that it’s an advantage to be a woman. I can usually form an instant rapport with the client, especially if the client is a woman.”

Use social media, your website and even a blog to promote your business.

#4: There’s a Niche Opportunity

It’s still a bit rare to see women in home inspecting, and that can be a good thing. Differences give you a competitive advantage, says digital marketing specialist, Trenton Greener at Moz consulting company.

Marketing can be difficult for home inspectors. It’s not exactly a flashy job. You don’t sell a product. And your customers aren’t likely to give repeat business for years. But being different gives you a built-in reason to stand out and carve a niche in your community.

#5: You Can Help Your Community

Another important element of a great job for women, says CIO, is the ability to make a difference. Home inspecting is a service to the community and to individual home buyers, sellers, real estate agents and even disaster relief efforts by FEMA.

A home inspection is all about information. It’s a snapshot of the home’s current condition with all of its defects exposed. That helps your customers make an informed choice, whether it’s to buy a house, make repairs or issue financial relief after a disaster.

Home inspecting sounds like a great job with lots of freedom, but what about the pay? Good news: most professional inspectors earn a comfortable living. That’s what the U.S. Department of Labor says. And other salary experts agree.

The key is building up your business to make it profitable. An inspector who doesn’t really try to market might not earn much at all. But on the opposite side of the coin, the sky is the limit if you set your mind to it.

So, how much can you expect to earn? Let’s look at a few solid resources.

Payscale Gives a Modest Estimate

The Payscale website salary estimates for new and seasoned home inspectors is a bit conservative when compared to other sources.

They say entry-level inspectors earn about $40k annually. But on the upper end, they estimate that inspectors with over 20 years of experience earn just over $50k annually.

Depending on the cost of living in your area, that could be a solid income. And fortunately, they also explain that on the upper end of the income range, inspectors in the 90th percentile earn about $69k annually.

The U.S. Department of Labor Says Location Matters

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, home inspectors in the U.S. may bring in earnings between $34,800 and $91,600. And apparently, where you work matters a great deal.

But there’s a caveat. The DOL doesn’t differentiate between home inspectors and any other type of building inspector. So there’s a wide range of career paths included in their averaging system.

There’s a higher concentration of inspectors in busy metro areas, as you might expect. And those inspectors tend to have higher earnings. For example, inspectors in the San Francisco area earn a mean wage of about $100k annually. And inspectors in Cheyenne, WY earn a mean wage of $42,770.

The more you put into marketing, the more you’ll get out of it.

You Have the Power to Grow a Thriving Business

Every location has a low end and a high end for home inspector earnings. But the onus is on self-employed inspectors to build a thriving, lively and profitable brand. That’s not as difficult as it might sound.

Jobshadow interviewed home inspector David Swartz, of Advantage Inspection Service in Phoenix. He estimates that most inspectors earn between $50k and $100k annually. “However, it is possible to exceed $100,000 per year if you have marketing skills, hire someone with exceptional marketing skills, or work for a successful multi-inspector firm,” he said.

Home inspecting might not make you a millionaire overnight. But it’s a sound business that provides a valuable service to the community. Your work helps home buyers and homeowners go on to make informed decisions that can affect them for many years to come.

Drones are quickly becoming one of the most useful tools in a home inspector’s arsenal. And that’s great when the weather is beautiful, but what about this time of year?

You’re in luck. While older quadcopters and freezing, wet weather were sworn enemies, new technology means you can fly in almost any conditions. You’ll just need a little preparation before you set out.

Here’s how to use your drone for home inspections, even in the rain and snow.

Keep an Eye on the Batteries

Drones can quickly go through battery life on beautiful, clear days. When the weather is foul, batteries drain much more quickly. The last thing you want is a weak or (worse!) dead battery before you land the aircraft.

Drone pros, DJI, say lithium polymer batteries are less effective the colder the weather gets. And that’s because the chemical reactions that make electricity slow down in cold weather.

“This starts to occur at temperatures lower than 59oF (15oC) and is a known issue of all LiPo batteries.”

They recommend working around cold battery drain by warming batteries pre-flight, investing in a battery heater and always monitoring voltage on the main screen.

Calibrate the Gimbal On Site

Without a camera, a drone is just a quadcopter. It’s not of much use for inspecting roofs and chimney tops. Where there’s a camera, there’s probably a gimbal, and cold weather can make it run afoul.

The gimbal, says BirdsEyeView Productions, stabilizes the camera’s horizontal level for clearer imaging. But gimbal sensors aren’t fond of cold weather. They recommend a workaround:

“To try and avoid these type of problems arising we suggest calibrating your sensors outside, in colder climates, rather than in the artificial warmth of a shop or home.”

A Little Rain or Snow is OK

After investing in a shiny new drone, the last thing you’ll probably want is to take it out in snow or rain. But believe it or not, plenty of drone enthusiasts say wet weather is no problem as long as you have the right equipment.

Water-resistant and waterproof drones apparently work really well. Quadcopter Cloud says “drastic improvements and advancements” make this generation of drones safe if the sky opens up before you can land, or even if you accidentally crash land in a pond.

“Today’s high-tech quadcopters and drones have been designed to be more rugged and waterproof.”

Watch a DJI Phantom quadcopter fly through a downpour and come through it unscathed:

Watch out for Winds


Water might not be a problem, but high winds can spell a crash-bang disaster. Many drone pilots refuse to take their equipment if wind speed is in the double digits. But then again, some pilots say that you just need practice and common sense.

According to BirdsEyeView Productions, wind can even be fun if it’s not intense. Watch out for your battery life, though. High winds equal resistance and more maneuvering. And that puts a heavier strain on batteries than a calm day.

“Windy days can also be fun to fly in, as long as it isn’t very strong and you feel confident enough to control your device (and keep it away from buildings)!”

Inclement weather doesn’t just take its toll on your equipment. So don’t forget about yourself. Drone Enthusiast offers up a short list of gear that you might want for winter weather flights.

Winter isn’t ideal for drone flights, but it can be done. Advancing technology makes it possible as long as you take extra precautions and have the right gear. With those things in order, you’re ready to take off.