HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Born and raised in Chicago, Kaplan isn't afraid to share his humble beginnings - actually, he's downright proud, and so he should be. After all, this is a man who was raised by a single mom and his two older sisters; his father left when he was five.
"I was designated the man of the house by the time I was five years old," Kaplan said. "I grew up quickly, and it was my job to help protect the family, negotiate and do everything else in between. I had a stronger discipline than most, I guess." "Growing up with very little financial resources, Kaplan became accustomed to creating and building his own toys and wearing 'hand-me-downs' from relatives." As a little boy, this was upsetting to him, but it was probably the best training someone could wish for. Since his mother did such an outstanding job honing and developing his skillset, he was able to eventually become the leading name in the home inspection industry.
After high school he became a union 134 electrician, a career that lasted eight years. At the time, he was also taking evening classes at Northeastern Illinois University, where he earned a degree in business. During this busy time, he was also purchasing, rehabbing and reselling homes, apartment buildings and condos throughout the Chicago land area. "By the time I was 26 years old, I had already finished my 15th property, and then that was when friends starting calling me to preview and inspect the systems in the homes and condos they were buying." "I didn't really know what I was doing, but I told the first friend that called that everything looked good, just to pacify and encourage him," he remembered. A month later, another friend asked Kaplan to do the same favor. "What was strange, was that I met the same Realtor twice, who then asked for my card .... I asked her for what?" She said, '''aren't you the home inspector?'" "A home inspector?" I thought it referred to the DNA of a home. Upon further research, I discovered that in the home inspection industry, I could make money while helping people save thousands of dollars and headaches." Two days later, Kaplan enrolled himself in a course at the Inspection Training Associates in Oceanside, CA.. Six months later, he started HIT, and after three years, he hung up his electrician's hat, and he's been on a roll ever since. "I abandoned the electrician career about a year after the company really took off," he said. "I had to keep working as an electrician for a while just to make ends meet, and I was also doing some rehabs. The first year HIT did about 13 inspections, and now we do over 4,000 per year." Within four years, HIT became recognized as the largest home inspection company in the Midwest and had the momentum and reputation to grow and expand.
Once the company became a well-oiled machine, Kaplan began to implement the two divisions which were part of the business plan from day one. One was The Home Inspection Learning Center which is a state licensed training facility offering continuing education credit hours required for real estate agents and the other was the franchise division. The Home Inspection Learning Center also offers similar classes on-line for a nominal fee.
Kaplan's goal is to now take over the franchise market and become a nationally recognized name in the home inspection industry.
Aside from working heavy hours on a job he absolutely loves, Kaplan also enjoys working out five times a week, playing a multitude of sports, writing poetry, playing guitar and being a solid support figure for his family, especially his niece and nephews.
Education and Qualifications:
- Certified Member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).
- Certified Home Inspector Trainer through American Society of Home Inspectors
- Certified Member of the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI)
- Graduated from ITA - in California - 1995
- Certified property inspector from Home Tech Seminars
- Member of the Coldwell Banker Concierge Program
- Conducted over 5,000 inspections
- Licenced Continuing Education Instructor through the Illinois Office of Banks and Real Estate lecturing to real estate professionals on a weekly basis
- Maintains licensed Continuing Education School through the Illinois Office of Banks and Real Estate
- Expert witness experience in real estate litigation
Television and Public Appearances:
- Spoke at the Sussex and Reilly home show at the McCormick Center
- Conducts quarterly seminars at Acorn Housing for lower income families on how to find and purchase healthy real estate
- Jack Taylor Show - WCIU - Channel 60 "Stock Market Observer"
- Steve Ruxton Show - WCIU - Channel 60
- Home Garden TV - "House Detective" (multiple appearances)
- Spoke at Chicago Association of Realtors Trade Show
- Conducted lecture series at multiple Chicago Public Library locations regarding the importance of home inspections
- Conducts weekly lecture series to low income individuals regarding the importance of home inspections
- Spoke at Mayor Daley's Chicago Bungalow Project
- Guest on Fox TV News at 9:00 a.m. Prime Time regarding home inspections
Publications:
- Real Estate Executive magazine - (monthly column about issues within the real estate world)
- Talking to the Boss (multiple articles and press releases regarding the importance of home inspections)
- New Homes (article regarding the importance of home inspections)
- Arlington Heights Daily Herald (article regarding ice daming)
- Evanston Review (article regarding the importance of home inspections)
- Skokie Review (article regarding the importance of home inspections)
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