After nearly 25 years as an electrical contractor, Maurie Blick found himself at a crossroads. His electrical construction business was fading, and he was searching for a new opportunity that would leverage his experience while offering something more. What he discovered in HomeTeam Inspection Service wasn't just a new career — it was a legacy he could build with his family.
"When I originally looked at HomeTeam, I had been doing electrical construction and property management for several years. Things went sour," Blick said.
The turning point came when a friend who had purchased a franchise in the heating and air industry shared his enthusiasm about the experience. "He was sky high — absolutely enthralled with the experience,” Blick said. “That tripped my interest initially.”
This sparked his investigation into franchising opportunities that might mesh with his background. He was astonished by the number of different options in the industry, but home inspections emerged as a natural fit due to his prior experience with homes and construction.
After exploring several franchise operations and having introductory meetings with a few, HomeTeam stood out.
"HomeTeam impressed me. The distinguishing element was the team concept,” Blick said. “I knew a lot of people in the industry and liked the idea of being able to bring professionals in and build a team to provide the services."
In 2004, after a trip to Cincinnati to meet with the corporate team, he committed and purchased his local franchise in Topeka, Kansas.
The early years weren't without challenges. After consistent growth between 2005 and 2008, the business faced the recession that hit the housing market particularly hard.
"It set us back quite a bit," he said, "and it took two or three years to see the market rebound."
The turning point came in 2012 when Blick’s son, Justin, joined the business. Since then, they've built a remarkably successful operation.
"For the last eight years, we've consistently ranked in the top 10% of all HomeTeam franchise owners in North America," Blick said. "Year over year, we consistently perform over 1,000 inspections and have a dominant share in our market."
Blick attributes much of his success to the support he receives from the HomeTeam franchise system. He described the brand’s current marketing resources as “absolutely astonishing,” pointing out just how quickly franchise owners can grow with this support available to them.
Beyond marketing resources, Blick also celebrates the benefit of the HomeTeam system.
“My initial interest in a franchise opportunity was driven by two primary elements,” he said. “Investing in a franchise would team me up with a corporate partner that would provide a team of experts for mentoring and support, along with a fully developed and professional marketing and branding system.”
“After watching several friends in the construction business 'sell' their businesses for what was liquidation value,” he added, “the idea of building up a successful business entity with a protected territory and some actual equity value looked very appealing.”
Perhaps one of the most gratifying aspects of the business is the connection it encourages.
“Our ability to evaluate the property condition and provide a concise and thorough report can help a client to move forward with confidence or, in some cases, pause and reflect or even reconsider,” Blick said. “It is very reinforcing and satisfying to meet people at a high point in their lives and provide them a valuable service.”
For Blick, building a business with his family provides another layer of value. While all three of his sons have worked in the business at various points, his middle son, Justin, has shown the most enduring interest and is now positioning himself to assume an ownership stake.
"I think HomeTeam was the right fit for Justin, and it's just such a satisfying pleasure to have a family business with family participation like that," Blick said.
Looking to the future, Blick is confident and satisfied with what he's built. "I've created a very successful business that continues to generate a very nice income,” he said. “I've established a secure retirement situation for myself, and I've created an excellent vehicle for my son to follow. The future looks bright."
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/hometeaminspectionservice.
HomeTeam Inspection Service
SPONSORED
After transitioning into franchising with HomeTeam, Blick has built a successful business, partnering with his son to serve his community.
After nearly 25 years as an electrical contractor, Maurie Blick found himself at a crossroads. His electrical construction business was fading, and he was searching for a new opportunity that would leverage his experience while offering something more. What he discovered in HomeTeam Inspection Service wasn't just a new career — it was a legacy he could build with his family.
"When I originally looked at HomeTeam, I had been doing electrical construction and property management for several years. Things went sour," Blick said.
The turning point came when a friend who had purchased a franchise in the heating and air industry shared his enthusiasm about the experience. "He was sky high — absolutely enthralled with the experience,” Blick said. “That tripped my interest initially.”
This sparked his investigation into franchising opportunities that might mesh with his background. He was astonished by the number of different options in the industry, but home inspections emerged as a natural fit due to his prior experience with homes and construction.
After exploring several franchise operations and having introductory meetings with a few, HomeTeam stood out.
"HomeTeam impressed me. The distinguishing element was the team concept,” Blick said. “I knew a lot of people in the industry and liked the idea of being able to bring professionals in and build a team to provide the services."
In 2004, after a trip to Cincinnati to meet with the corporate team, he committed and purchased his local franchise in Topeka, Kansas.
The early years weren't without challenges. After consistent growth between 2005 and 2008, the business faced the recession that hit the housing market particularly hard.
"It set us back quite a bit," he said, "and it took two or three years to see the market rebound."
The turning point came in 2012 when Blick’s son, Justin, joined the business. Since then, they've built a remarkably successful operation.
"For the last eight years, we've consistently ranked in the top 10% of all HomeTeam franchise owners in North America," Blick said. "Year over year, we consistently perform over 1,000 inspections and have a dominant share in our market."
Blick attributes much of his success to the support he receives from the HomeTeam franchise system. He described the brand’s current marketing resources as “absolutely astonishing,” pointing out just how quickly franchise owners can grow with this support available to them.
Beyond marketing resources, Blick also celebrates the benefit of the HomeTeam system.
“My initial interest in a franchise opportunity was driven by two primary elements,” he said. “Investing in a franchise would team me up with a corporate partner that would provide a team of experts for mentoring and support, along with a fully developed and professional marketing and branding system.”
“After watching several friends in the construction business 'sell' their businesses for what was liquidation value,” he added, “the idea of building up a successful business entity with a protected territory and some actual equity value looked very appealing.”
Perhaps one of the most gratifying aspects of the business is the connection it encourages.
“Our ability to evaluate the property condition and provide a concise and thorough report can help a client to move forward with confidence or, in some cases, pause and reflect or even reconsider,” Blick said. “It is very reinforcing and satisfying to meet people at a high point in their lives and provide them a valuable service.”
For Blick, building a business with his family provides another layer of value. While all three of his sons have worked in the business at various points, his middle son, Justin, has shown the most enduring interest and is now positioning himself to assume an ownership stake.
"I think HomeTeam was the right fit for Justin, and it's just such a satisfying pleasure to have a family business with family participation like that," Blick said.
Looking to the future, Blick is confident and satisfied with what he's built. "I've created a very successful business that continues to generate a very nice income,” he said. “I've established a secure retirement situation for myself, and I've created an excellent vehicle for my son to follow. The future looks bright."
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/hometeaminspectionservice.
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