There is a certain joy in giving back to your community and that’s exactly what the husband-and-wife team of Dan and Michelle Rigoli planned when they opened their Pillar To Post Home Inspectors® business last November. Their office serves Palm Beach and Martin county communities in Florida. On Valentine’s Day it’s worthwhile knowing how couples manage to work together and live together and NOT let one situation get in the way of another.
Said Dan, “I love working with my best friend. There are lots of new challenges and ‘speed bumps’, but together we are helping each other prioritize, focus, learn, and grow. As long as you always have each other’s best interests at heart you can be a successful couple in business.”
To do so they chose Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, the largest home inspection network in North America. “Their very thorough training and support programs took much of the stress out of starting a business, “said Dan. “We could see how helpful that was in our relationship and in trying to work together. We weren’t alone in this which made it so much more comfortable.”
While both Rigoli’s have rich career backgrounds and experience, they have never formally worked together in a business. Until now. Dan spent 30 years as a data solutions professional for organizations across finance, energy, health, education, and food sectors. Michelle worked as a teacher for 10 years in Irvine, Calif., and volunteers actively in their current communities. Dan and Michelle’s timing for launching their new business venture couldn’t have been better. Home inspections have become a vital part of the real estate sector, providing buyers and sellers with reliable information about the condition and value of a property.
According to Clever Real Estate, a site that allows people to look for the right Realtor, 72 percent of homebuyers who purchased in 2021 or 2022 have regrets over their home purchase. The most common factors that contributed to their remorse were spending too much money and rushing into buying.
And there are some other important considerations to mull in addition to a home’s square footage and number of bathrooms. Clever’s survey also found that almost half of homebuyers – 43 percent – made financial concessions like waiving a home inspection amid fierce competition for homes, according to CNBC. And skipping that home inspection can be costly. A survey from insurance firm Hippo found that most homeowners – 77 percent – had to pay for an unexpected repair within the first year of owning a house. Two-thirds of respondents said those fixes cost more than $1,000, said the CNBC report.
“South Florida is receiving a constant influx of new residents,” Dan said. “At the same time, existing homes in our communities are aging and buyers need help identifying and prioritizing. Inspection reports often become the ‘honey-do list.’ Another issue is that insurance is getting out of hand. We want to help people best prepare their homes for safety and get the credits they need to make their money go further. We are at a point where we want to work more directly in our local community. We love meeting people from all walks of life and I particularly felt I could use my knowledge of data solutions and finance to help people buy the right home and make sure they get the value they deserve. Homes in our area are in such demand right now.” Dan said. “I have always been handy and when it comes to technology, using drones, infrared (IR) thermography, 360 cameras, and other sensor tools in home inspections. Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is a clear market leader in new technologies in the industry.”
And advice for couples who work and live together? Michelle offered, “Stop talking about work the minute you get to the dinner table. Whether you eat at home, or go out for a meal, make that your personal time together. Try to do it until the next morning if you can.” Sage advice.
Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise public relations specialist and journalist. For Information visit https://teamrigoli.pillartopost.com or call 561-603-3377. For further information, please visit www.pillartopost.com or for info about a franchise go to www.pillartopostfranchise.com
