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The California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA) is a voluntary, nonprofit public-benefit organization of real estate inspectors. Founded in 1976, CREIA provides education, training and support services to its members and the real estate community. CREIA's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are recognized by the California Business and Professions Codes and are considered the standard of care by the real estate industry and legal profession in the state. CREIA Inspector Members have successfully passed the proctored comprehensive written California Home Inspector Exam on the myriad of systems and components in the construction and maintenance of residential dwellings.

CREIA's educational mission is to expand the technical knowledge of its members through continuing education. Certified CREIA Inspectors (CCI), Master CREIA Inspectors (MCI) and CREIA New Construction Specialist (CNCS) members must complete a minimum 30 hours of continuing education annually. Educational credits are obtained through monthly chapter educational meetings, chapter toolbox seminars, CREIA Advanced Mentoring Program (CAMP), state conferences in the spring and fall, and other CREIA approved sources. CREIA membership activities and programs encourage the sharing of experience and knowledge resulting in betterment of the real estate profession and the consumer public, which it serves.

If you are buying, selling, building, remodeling, upgrading or repairing a property; CREIA members provide a variety of impartial inspection services for almost every need and purpose, from a generalist inspection of an entire property to an in-depth inspection of a specific system or component.

CREIA Safety Tips for the Holidays

November-December 2009 (Palm Springs, Calif) — CREIA, the California Real Estate Inspection Association, cares about your safety during the holiday season. The following are a few tips that can keep you and your family safe while enjoying this festive season.

Electrical Safety

Use only Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved lights on your tree.
Avoid overloading the connections.
Do not leave Christmas tree lights on while unattended.
Check all light sets prior to use. Do not use damaged light sets or extension cords.
Make sure you have a working smoke detector on every level of your home.

Christmas Tree Safety

Keep your tree away from heat sources, sparks or flames.
Choose a freshly cut tree. LIVE TREES NEED WATER! Check and refill often.
Cut a few inches off the trunk before placing in water.
When your tree becomes dry, discard it promptly.
Avoid accidents by using wire or cord to secure your tree to the wall or ceiling (this will prevent it from toppling over by small children or pets).

Holiday Candle Safety

Do Not use candles near combustible materials such as curtains, drapes, bedding and or cabinets.
Do Not leave the house with candles burning.
Do Not leave children or pets unattended with a lit candle.
Do Not use candles on a Christmas tree.
Be sure that candles are in stable holders on a flat stable surface and create a 1-foot circle of safety surrounding them.

CREIA advises everyone to make sure to retain the services of a qualified, professional home inspector by using a Certified CREIA Inspector member to do a thorough, independent visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home. Since 1976, CREIA, a non-profit voluntary membership organization has been providing education, training, and support services to the real estate inspection industry and to the public. Inspectors must adhere to CREIA's Code of Ethics and follow the Standards of Practice developed by the association. These Standards of Practice have been recognized by the State of California, and are considered the source for Home Inspector Standard of Care by the real estate and legal communities.

CREIA requires its members to successfully pass a comprehensive written examination of property systems and complete 30 hours of continuing education each year. Members can accumulate credits through various sources of education including monthly chapter meetings, conferences, and other approved activities. CREIA keeps records to ensure that members are complying with the requirements. Educational topics cover a variety of technical subjects including updates and advances affecting the profession of real estate inspection.

CREIA is dedicated to consumer protection and education. To locate a qualified CREIA inspector near you click here or call CREIA at (800) 388-8443.

For the CREIA Press Release Archives click here.

CAMP - CREIA Advanced Mentoring Program

CREIA can help. CREIA continues to enhance its education, testing and mentoring program to make sure quality professionals are entering the field. Established in 2004, the CREIA Advanced Mentoring Program (CAMP) is a focused guidance and mentoring program. This program is a follow-up to the technical training programs already provided by inspector training schools and will assist those interested in preparing for the California Home Inspector Exam and other CREIA certification exams. Need more info? Click here.

CREIA Educational, Reference & Exam Preparation Publications

The education of professional inspectors is the most important thing that we do. It is our primary mission. We seek to educate our members on current construction, code and health and safety issues, as well as educating consumers about the value of a professional inspection. We provide all kinds educational programming including monthly chapter meetings, conferences, exam preparation materials, press releases, online testing, technical bulletin board, vendor resources and home-study products.

CREIA publishes its own inspector education products as well as providing discounts to members for commonly used reference and exam preparation materials — most educational products are available through our online store. For the Online Store click here.