Prepare for the exam before deciding to sign up!
These are difficult exams. A wide range of questions and knowledge skills are
explored.
You will want all available HUD and VA guidelines. As the exams will
be administered on a nationwide basis, we cannot test on local issues. An
example of this point is you may be asked if only bolt boarding is
acceptable to HUD. Perhaps in your area this is true but in another area
this is not true. The answer would be "false". because HUD will accept screw
boarding in other locations.
All specifications are available free on the respective
guarantor's website. Alternatively, one may purchase them from SOFI. An internet
search might reveal other companies that sell this information. SIRs provides
the specifications to its membership as a benefit of membership.
Skills covered for property preservation include: gaining access; dry heat winterizations; wet heat
winterizations; debris removal; personal property removal/storage;
evictions; lawncare; basic industry knowledge (such as
who is a field rep and what is a national?); tarping/roof repair;
structural; electrical; plumbing; HVAC; job safety; water science; common
business knowledge (such as do you have to file taxes?);
industry specific business knowledge (such as if your
client sends you an eviction order, can you just go to the house and toss
the people out?). The designation for this exam is SIRs Certified
Property Preservation Specialist.
Skills covered for field inspections include: property knowledge,
interview skills, collection laws, privacy laws, general business knowledge,
industry knowledge, content identification. You will be asked what
properties are constructed of, property descriptions and photography
questions. You will not be asked about how a camera functions. The
designation for this exam is SIRs Mortgage Field Services Certified
Inspector.
Skills covered for mortgage field services
include: a random combination of the questions for the above two exams.
You will need to know all aspects of field servicing. The designation for
this exam is SIRs Certified Mortgage Field Services Specialist.
Two options for preparation:
1)
Business Ventures Consulting, Inc. offers training courses
for both property preservation and field inspections. These cover most all aspects of the
exams. You will still need all the HUD and VA guides.
2) Gather the following books, manuals, guides.
Black & Decker, The Complete Guide to Home Plumbing: A Comprehensive
Manual, from Basic Repairs to Advanced Projects, 1998, Minnetonka MN
USA, Creating Publishing International, Inc., ISBN: 0-86573-775-4
Casey, Michael, Redwood Kardon and Douglas Hansen, Code Check Building: A
Field Guide to the Building Codes, 2003, Newtown CT USA, The Taunton
Press, Inc., ISBN: 1-56158-595-5
How Stuff Works, “Introduction to How Lock Picking Works” Internet,
http://home.howstuffworks.com/lock-picking.htm November 02, 2003
OSHA, OSHA Standards for General Industry (29 CFR Part 1910) With
Amendments as of February 1, 2002, 2002, Chicago IL USA, CCH
Incorporated, ISBN: 0-8080-0759-9
Time-Life Books, Inc., Plumbing, 1989, Richmond Virginia USA, Time
Incorporated, ISBN: 0-8094-7370-4
---- Heating and Cooling, 1977, Alexandria VA USA, Time Incorporated,
#77-80200
Wing, Charlie, The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling: The Only
Guide to Choosing the Right Materials and Systems for Every Part of Your
Home, 1990, Pleasantville NY USA, Reader’s Digest Association Inc.,
ISBN: 0-7621-0194-6
Inspectors can rely on experience but will need
to know various laws and the most recent HUD guidelines regarding inspection
services. Completing internet searches, networking, utilizing
guides provided by your clients will assist.
