With our reputation for 100% transparency, truth, integrity, and non-biased factual reporting, The Inventory Institute’s endorsement program is viewed much in the same high regard as ‘Consumer Reports.’ And we will continue to work diligently and fiercely protect our reputation for honesty and ethical practices.

For clarification sake…

The following products have been endorsed by The Inventory Institute’s Product Review Committee:

• Paper Trail Inventory Management System
• My Personal Datasafe
• DigiProve
• Collectorz

The following providers are currently in the Review Process

• Inventory It
• Great Estates Home Inventory Software
• Home Inventory by Binary Solutions

That’s it. Period. No other providers, services, or products have been or are currently in the Product Review Queue. We have been offered large sums of money to endorse products, we have removed products from the queue, and we have returned products with alterations needed before an endorsement would be considered, but there are no other products, providers, or services in the queue at this time other than those listed above.

Inventory Business Review for Possible Endorsement…With the recent introduction of a variety of new ‘Inventory Business in a Box’ products and their various options and pricing structures, The Inventory Institute has been inundated with requests to review and recommend the many programs available. In response to this demand, the Institute now provides the opportunity for endorsement of your programs. If you would like to submit your Inventory Business in a Box for consideration of the Institute’s endorsement, an application fee of $2,500 per program is available for Inventory Institute members. Application fees are non-refundable and are not a guarantee of approval. Applicant programs will be thoroughly and confidentially reviewed by the Institute. The credentialing review process includes comparing your program against best practices and commonly used professional Inventory strategies. Programs not initially endorsed will have the opportunity to address Institute concerns and resubmit program for reconsideration within six months.

Inventory Software Review for Possible Endorsement…If you sell licenses for your current Home Inventory software to be used by other Inventory professionals and would like The Institute to review your product for possible endorsement, email The Inventory Institute. A one time, non- refundable endorsement application fee of $500 per software is available for Inventory Institute members.

Be aware: submitted products must pass extensive review; payment of application fee does not guarantee approval; TII recognizes and respects the weight our endorsement carries and refuses to ‘sell’ endorsements or approvals.

Before publicizing any awards, perform these simple steps to avoid wasting time, emotion, resources, and your reputation:

1. Visit the organization’s website and look around for a bit. Do they appear legit? Are previous winners easily found? Are there ways to nominate others for future contests/awards?
2. Run a cursory Google search for the organization. Pay close attention to not only the first screen of search results, but also the second or third screen. Are there an unusual amount of complaints or red flags? Remember, with any organization that has been around for a while, there are bound to be a few negative comments.
3. Run a Google search: ‘______ (organization name) sucks’ – it is amazing the things that can be learned by running this search.
4. Visit snopes.com and scam.com and search for the organization. These are very reliable sites for weeding through bogus organizations.
5. If positive comments and posts highly outnumber negative posts…it sounds like you have won, been named, or earned a legitimate award! Good for you.
6. Don’t forget the most important part of winning an award: spread the news! It’s not everyday that we win an impressive award…but when we do, we need to shout it from the rooftops!

1. This is YOUR Business – one of the most damaging things that can happen to your Home Inventory business is advice by an ‘expert’ in a well-established field. I can’t even begin to tell you all the times so-called experts and thought leaders told me that smart no property owner would ever pay even a nickle to have a third-party home inventory. It’s not because they wanted me to fail, it’s because they had never heard of a HIP and didn’t know what to think of it. Keep in mind that every now and then, no matter how thoroughly our products and services are explained, you will come across ‘old school’ thinkers that try their best to tell you all of the reasons you WON’T succeed. When you encounter someone like this – be professional but DO NOT let this effect your morale, your productivity, your intentions, and especially your goals!
2. Pen and Paper – once your goals are set, write them down and keep them in a highly visible place. I print my goals and tape them in my office, my bathroom, and in my car. I also read them into a digital voice recorder and put the MP3 on my iPod and my iPhone. I listen to the goal recording several times everyday. If this seems excessive, consider this: many times every day, I am reminded what I am working toward. (My goals also include listing the material things I plan to purchase or the trips I plan to take once the goals are accomplished. That’s my motivation!)
   
3. Measurable and Tangible – set goals that are easily documented and measured. Instead of setting a goal of be popular on social media, set this goal By (date) have X-number of Facebook ‘Likes’ Twitter followers, Klout Score of (date).
4. Regular Markers – don’t forget to have predetermined dates and measurements specifically meant as quick check-in points. Don’t wait until 3 days before your goal is scheduled to be met to check in on the status.
5. Timelines – there must be concrete dates to track and complete your goals. Without actual dates, a goal is not a goal…it is just a cool idea.

Goals have played a vital role in my home inventory success; once I started writing down measurable, tangible, and track-able goals everything else seemed to fall into place. When do you set goals? What is your ‘method’ of coming up with goal? What works best for you?

Finally, the HIPs that attended the conference had that amazing feeling of being among their ‘tribe’ when sitting in a room with 19 other HIPs! For so long, North American HIPs have felt isolated, but as a group, we have broken through the old school ‘mine, mine, mine’ way of thinking were turf protection and isolation was the norm! Twenty-one HIPs from around the country came together both in person and via live video feed to talk about the industry, best practices, business tips, free-flowing ideas, and so much more! In short, it was a 48 hour frenzy of Home Inventory; everything from general business basics to  detailed and thorough ‘HIP Nitty Gritty!’

At the end of the conference, everyone was thrilled to be among their own people!

Some may ask, “What’s the big deal? Isn’t using your logo flattering?” In a way, yes it is flattering. By using our logo, the HIP validated the importance and credibility of TII, but by not providing a link to TII’s website, it was not easily possible to view TII’s current member list.

Only current TII members in good standing have permission to use TII’s logo on their website or other places. Anyone interested researching TII members are STRONGLY encouraged to check The Inventory Institute’s member directory at TheInventoryInstitute.com. Anyone checking TII’s current member directory, can be assured to see the most current member directory.

As always, feel free to call me!
Michelle Ketterman
972-834-8592

Every Home Inventory Professional in the country should care about the entire industry because the the industry is still relatively new. When an industry is as new as ours, unless the reputation and image of the industry and its members is protected. With social media and ‘instant news’ provided by the internet, a few Home Inventory ‘bad apples’ have the potential to cast a black cloud of doubt on Home Inventory Professionals everywhere.

Imagine the damage to our profession if one or two Home Inventory ‘Providers’ uses or shares the information gained from the Home Inventory reports, and client property is damaged, destroyed, or stolen!

Even if information, data, or reports are inadvertently misplaced or unsecured with no intentional malice or deceit, the reports supplied by a competent and ethical Home Inventory Professional are very similar to a property’s shopping catalog, and without a thorough understanding of the value and importance of ironclad security measures, an inexperienced or cavalier provider could do a lot of damage to the industry’s reputation. As Home Inventory Professionals, we all need to be cognizant of our reputation and the climate and reputation of the entire industry. Only by taking personal responsibility and realizing that we all have a vested interest in the profession’s reputation can we safeguard a long and respected future in the third-party Home and Business Inventory Profession!

The phrase I hear most often is, “I wish I knew about Home Inventory Experts before…” They
are referring to the time before the fire, tornado, robbery, death, divorce, water pipe leak, etc.
The list goes on and on. Everyday life

One of the main reasons more homeowners don’t have a home inventory is because

Why do you need a home inventory? Quite simply because all sorts of things happen and life is
unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen.

1: Natural disasters: Flood, lightning strikes, other disaster, busted pipes,
2: Criminal activity: Fire, Burglary
3: Proper Insurance Amounts
4: Value of Assets
5: Illness or Relocating

FRONT ENTRANCE
Is door itself of metal or solid wood construction?
Is doorframe strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or spreading?
Are door hinges protected from removal from outside?
Are there windows in the door or within 40 inches of the locks?
Is the door secured by a deadbolt lock with a minimum 1-inch throw?
Are strikes and strike plates adequate and properly installed with 3-inch screws?
If there are no windows in door, is there a wide-angle viewer or voice intercom device?
Can the lock mechanism be reached through a mail slot, delivery port or pet entrance at doorway?
Is there a screen or storm door with an adequate lock?
Is exterior or front entrance lighted with at least a 40-watt light?
Can front entrance be observed from street or public areas?
Does porch or landscaping offer concealment from view from street or public areas?
SIDE OR REAR ENTRANCE
Is door itself of metal or solid wood construction?
Is doorframe strong enough and tight enough to prevent forcing or spreading?
Are door hinges protected from removal from outside?
Are there windows in the door or within 40 inches of the locks?

Is door secured by a deadbolt lock with a minimum 1-inch throw?

Are strikes and strike plates adequate and properly installed with 3-inch screws?

SIDE OR REAR ENTRANCE
Can the lock mechanism be reached from outside through a delivery port or pet entrance?
Is the exterior of the doorway lighted by at least a 40-watt bulb?
Is doorway concealed from street or neighbors view by porch, fence, or landscaping?
Does doorway have screen or storm door with adequate lock?
If door is sliding glass door, is the sliding panel secured from being lifted out of the track?
Is a “charley-bar” or key-operated lock used on sliding glass door?

ENTRANCES FROM GARAGE AND BASEMENT
Are all entrances to living quarters from garage and basement of metal or solid wood construction?
Does door from garage to living quarters have locks adequate for exterior entrance?
Does door from basement to living quarters have an adequate lock operated from living quarters side?
GROUND FLOOR WINDOWS
Do all windows have adequate locks in operating condition?
Do windows have screens or storm windows that lock from the inside?
Do any windows open onto areas that offer special risk to burglary?
If so, do these windows have security screens or grills?
Are exterior areas of windows free from concealing structure or landscaping?
Is exterior adequately lighted at all window areas?
UPPER FLOOR WINDOWS
Do any upper floor windows open onto porch or garage roofs or roofs of adjoining buildings?
If so, are they secured as adequately as if they were at ground level?
Are trees and shrubbery kept trimmed back from upper floor windows?
Are ladders kept outside the house where they are accessible?
BASEMENT DOORS AND WINDOWS
Is there a door from outside to the basement?
If so, is that door adequately secured for an exterior door?
Is outside basement entrance lighted by exterior light of at least 40 watts?
Is outside basement door concealed from street or neighbors?
Are all basement windows adequately secured against entrance?
GARAGE DOORS AND WINDOWS
Is automobile entrance door to garage equipped with adequate locking device?
Is garage door kept closed and locked at all times?
Are garage windows secured adequately for ground floor windows?
Is outside utility entrance to garage as secure as required for any ground floor
entrance?
Are tools, ladders and other equipment kept in garage?
Are all garage doors lighted on the outside by at least a 40-watt bulb?

• Who you are
• Where you are
• What phone number you are calling from
• What happened
• Is anyone injured
• Are there weapons involved and what kind
• Is the actor/perpetrator still on the scene
• What does he/she look like (what are they wearing)
• Is there a vehicle involved
• License number, make model, color
• If leaving, what direction, how many occupants

Remember:

• Don’t take any risks
• Don’t try to stop strangers
• Don’t try to apprrehend suspects
• Do report all suspicious activity to the police
• Do report all emergencies to 911

To put this in perspective, if there is a kitchen fire, everything in the kitchen must be listed including dishes, silverware, all large and small appliances (rice cooker, crock pot, waffle maker, popcorn machine), all food in the pantry, cook books, pots, pans, glasses, window treatments, furniture, junk drawer items, dish towels, cleaning supplies, etc.

Assuming this list could be compiled somewhat accurately, are clear photographs available? Are serial and model numbers written down accurately and completely? What if the insurance company needs further proof of ownership? Anything not listed or lacking concrete proof of ownership with thorough descriptions generally will not be reimbursed by the insurance company; items not reported accurately translate into money lost.

Without a current home inventory, there aren’t comprehensive descriptions and photographs in context capturing everything in the home before the damage was done, and the resident must rely on memory.  Needless to say, remembering everything including serial, model, and license numbers is next to impossible. That’s why responsible homeowners use a third party home inventory service.

A reputable home inventory service provides comprehensive lists with cross referenced photos of everything in a home or office. An up-to-date third party home inventory is crucial because it bridges the gap between the resident and their insurance coverage.

With years of experience providing accurate, comprehensive, and 100% confidential home inventories, Home Inventory Experts can be trusted to provide “the proof of what’s under your roof” because when it comes to filing an insurance claim, you can’t claim it if you can’t name it.

Standard home inventory prices start at $350. Don’t put it off, waiting could cost exponentially more than the cost of our service.