Today we’d like to introduce you to Graham Hunter.
Hi Graham, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My first career was in law enforcement in Nevada. I worked in both Las Vegas (“Sin City”) and Reno. I retired from law enforcement after 15 years and returned to my country of birth, South Africa, where my wife and I opened a bed and breakfast in the Western Cape.
We both love to travel, but we knew this would be a temporary chapter in our lives. At the time, my family—my mother, father, and sisters—were still living in South Africa. In total, we spent 10 years there. During that time, we built a small business from very modest beginnings into a successful bed and breakfast, eventually winning the Lilizela Tourism Award for Best Bed and Breakfast in the country in the 4-star category. With approximately 5,000 bed and breakfasts in South Africa, this was a tremendous achievement for us.
Shortly thereafter, we decided it was time to return to the United States, which we did in 2018.
Initially, I was unsure of the direction I would take next. My training and experience were not in high demand, particularly as a male in my 50s. Despite having extensive experience in customer service, the ability to function under extreme pressure, strong attention to detail, a law enforcement background, and a genuine passion for helping people, opportunities were limited.
I chose instead to rely on my experience and strengths. I had personally built and refurbished several homes while developing the bed and breakfast and have always been mechanically inclined. Studying has never been a problem for me, so I enrolled to become a home inspector. At my age (still young, I like to think), I appreciated that my “suspects” were now on foundations—and thankfully, they couldn’t run anymore.
Despite receiving offers to join larger multi-inspector firms, which were tempting when starting over, I chose to build my own company. I have now been in business for five years, and I can confidently say that we have turned the corner. Although I operate as a one-man business, I continue to grow by adhering to simple principles: honesty, integrity, and helping my clients to the very best of my ability.
I understand that no one can please everyone 100 percent of the time, but I believe that 99 percent of people can be satisfied 99 percent of the time—and that is the standard I strive for every day. Providing useful information about the condition of a client’s soon-to-be home is extremely important, especially considering that this is one of the largest purchases they will ever make. Educating my clients empowers them to make informed decisions, and while it can be difficult for them to walk away from something they once thought was “perfect,” it gives me great satisfaction when they return and we ultimately find something even better.
For me, there is no greater reward than seeing truly happy clients.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As this was my second business being built from the ground up, I knew the greatest challenge was surviving the startup. Getting your name out there and having people trust you when they did not know you or anything about you. The beginning for a lot of small businesses is rough. Those that can hang in there and make it work at all costs receive the rewards later down the road.
As a home inspector your struggles never truly go away. You rely a lot on agents. I have chosen to build my business slowly by word of mouth. By standing out and being memorable. Of course taking the time to get the best information from an inspection and being able to convey that to a client is key.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
MI6 is a home inspection company specializing in general home inspections. Because home inspections in the State of Texas are visual, non-invasive inspections, I offer ancillary services that exceed the minimum standards and give me the ability to further assess a property for my clients. This additional information enables them to make more informed decisions about the property they wish to purchase.
These services include sewer scope inspections of the main lateral lines. This service provides much-needed confirmation of the condition of the sewer lines beneath the home. If the home has a slab foundation, problems with sewer lines under the structure can become a major expense.
I also offer foundation elevation surveys. A visual inspection of a foundation does not provide the same level of information as this type of survey. The survey uses a high-precision altimeter to measure the exact height of your foundation. These measurements can then indicate whether the foundation is performing within acceptable parameters or whether further evaluation by a structural engineer is recommended.
I offer infrared thermography as well. Infrared (thermal) imaging allows a home inspector to “see” temperature patterns that are not visible to the naked eye. This technology helps identify hidden moisture, missing insulation, air-leak locations, and potential electrical hot spots. It is a non-invasive tool that guides further testing and evaluation. Thermal imaging enhances the overall accuracy and value of the inspection.
I also provide certified pool inspections, which include leak testing with a Leakalyzer. A Leakalyzer is a specialized pool-leak diagnostic tool that measures extremely small changes in water level over a short period of time. It can quickly determine whether a pool is truly leaking or simply experiencing normal evaporation. The device calculates an accurate leak rate in real time, allowing issues to be identified in minutes rather than days. This helps homeowners and buyers understand both the presence and severity of a leak.
Attention to detail and a genuine desire to assist clients are what set me apart. As a former State Trooper, helping others is simply part of who I am. I perform only one inspection per day so that my clients receive my undivided attention, both during the inspection and afterward when they want to walk through the home and have their questions answered. I never need to cut clients short or sacrifice attention to detail in order to rush to another appointment.
I chose MI6 as a brand largely because of my law enforcement background. I was proud to serve the public then, and I continue in home inspections with the same philosophy today.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Never look at anything from only one angle. Gather as much information as possible and view everything from all angles available as the situation can have different outcomes if not seen in it totality.
Pricing:
- based on square footage and age of home
- Ancillary services priced per home
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mi6homeinspections.com
Image Credits
Graham Hunter MI6 Home Inspections
