Fee Structure:

Our fees vary with the situation, the travel, and the amount of time we need to spend with you and your staff on-site.  Established clients rarely ever ask "How much is this going to cost me?"  They already know that our services will more than pay for themselves in time and money saved.

Planning and preparation are the key to what we do, but so often, we are called on for the "emergencies" that result from lack of planning and preparation.  Our first contact with most clients comes at a time when they already have a big problem, and they need us to help them straighten things out quickly.

The typical property preparation consultation only requires a one day visit, with a few hours of office time spent on analysis and reports.  The fee for this is generally about $600 in the Baltimore/DC area, and rises to as much as $1500 plus expenses and possibly overnight charges for properties as far as the West Coast.  This fee structure assumes reasonable notice and a one day visit to a single property.  However, "emergencies" involving a property that has already failed an inspection may require more than one day, due to the nature of "re-inspections" which are often brutally tough.  When more than one day is required, our daily rate is lower, depending on the situation.

If this seems like a "no-brainer," just call us.  If you aren't sold, please read on and think this through.

Costs:

Consider the cost/benefit of getting a higher score - the difference between a 79 and an 80, or between an 89 and a 90, means you get a year off from having REAC inspections.  If you can spend less money and enjoy a greater probability of success, wouldn't that be a "no-brainer?"

Consider the costs involved in passing the first inspection.  You make certain preparations at the property, and these are often expensive.  If you waste money and time on things that aren't necessary, the waste is likely more than our fees.  A consultation with us before you have an inspection will likely help you eliminate most of this waste, thereby paying for our services - perhaps many times over.  Even if you have a good idea of what you need to do to pass the inspection, our services are great insurance.  Our advice will probably pay for itself, while eliminating a great risk.  Wouldn't that be a "no-brainer?"

Our established clients enjoy this benefit.  Unfortunately, many of our first time clients have already experienced the following scenario before calling us:

Consider the costs in failing one inspection.  You made the preparations, and wasted some of your money and time.  Some things that you "fixed" were still found deficient.  The inspector never even looked at other things that you did fix.  The property failed, and you have to make more preparations.  The next inspection will likely be tougher than the first, and you are facing much greater consequences for failure.  You also have a 2530 flag against you, which may interrupt an acquisition or sale of another property.  A consultation with us before the first inspection may have prevented this.  Wouldn't it have been worthwhile?

Consider the costs of failing a second inspection.  You've made preparations for inspections twice, perhaps wasting a significant amount of time and money.  You or your staff have spent two or three days with inspectors.  Your 2530 flag may now be with you for six months to a year, significantly delaying or totally derailing an acquisition or sale, or disqualifying you from bidding on HUD contracts.  You've received a notice that the property may be foreclosed upon, or the subsidies abated.  If you're smart, you've already spent more with your attorney than you will spend with us.  Perhaps you have also had to make some "personnel changes."  The best possible outcome at this point is that you will now prepare, again, for a third time, and pass.

These are all real scenarios.  We are working with clients who have come to us in each of these situations.

There is a very small universe of "REAC consultants."  All of us have reasonable fees, relative to what we save you.  You should "shop" based on references and experience, not price.  What we sell is not a commodity.  It's not labor, or a quantifiable number of widgets.  What we sell is unique knowledge and expertise, the result of which is a savings of money and grief.  You should shop for our services the way you would shop for a doctor or attorney - according to ability, specialty, success rate, experience, and reputation.

Our fees are a very tiny component in the cost of REAC inspections.  In many ways, you determine your own costs.  Planning and preparation almost always save a great deal of time and money.  Our fees are the same, whether you are planning to pass your first, second, or third inspection.  Consulting with us before you ever fail an inspection is a wise investment that yields a return rather than a net cost.