Calvin Bailey's Blog

Keeping company with like minds.....

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:22:04 -0700

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. - Mark Twain

what more can one say about that? It says it all...doesn't it?

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
(905) 240-0182
(905) 442-0487
cbailey1@on.nachi.org
http://www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1

Inspectors at open houses....acceptable or just a nuisance?

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Tue, 22 May 2007 00:21:56 -0700

While speaking with a friend who is a real estate agent, they mntioned the fact that while doing open houses, she has home inspectors showing up to "introduce" themselves, leaving cards/flyers etc...

Being the personable type, she indicated that she didn't seem to mind - as long as the inspector is upfront about who they are. (Though with the home owner present it could be touch and go)

Personally, I have not done this type of "introductions" so I can't speak from experience on this one but I would love to hear the opinions of both agents and inspectors.....what say ye? Is the practice acceptable in your area or do you find it just a nuisance?

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
cbailey1@on.nachi.org
http://inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
Home: (905) 240-0182
Office: (905) 442-0487

The big bad "D" word....

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:48:41 -0700

What??? You mean my new home has defects?

We would all like to purchase perfect homes that never deteriorate or never require maintenance or repair. But that would be in a perfect world now wouldn't it! We need no convincing that it's NOT a perfect world, but it's surprising how many home buyers hesitate making an offer on a property just because there's a blemish or two with their prospective "dream" home.

Even before the home inspection is performed, it may not be too difficult to identify some of these "blemishes" - defective roofing shingles, cracked windows and/or peeling paint on trim, foundation cracks, drainage issues etc... can all be classified as "blemishes" which may scare off the prospective buyer. Every home - even new ones, have defects. That's why it's important to have a quality home inspection performed by a qualified home inspector -even if it's brand new. But I believe it is my job, and the job of every other home inspector to not only carefully and delicately explain to their clients, the difference between which of these "blemishes" are necessary repair/safety issues and which are common everyday maintenance issues that come with age...and home ownership, but also provide their client with possible corrective measures for such blemishes.

For example, Mr/Mrs Client, during our inspection of the roof, we found some deterioration with the roof shingles and two valleys on the east side of the roof structure. The damage is probably due to the heat of the sun on the east side of the building. The other portions of the roof structure seems to be be ok with a possible life span of 0-10 years. One possible solution is to have a roof tune up. You could have the valleys and shingles replaced just on the east side of the roof at a cost of about X dollars - ballpark.

Taking this approach will set the prospective buyer at ease about their investment decision, and will give the home inspector a good rapport with real estate professionals as well. Personally, I would steer clear of real estate agents and home inspectors who give the impression that the home you are buying/selling is perfect or blemish-free.

Remember - some blemishes are like antique furniture, they add character!

The Realtor and Home Inspector - a delicate relationship

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 01:35:01 -0700

I have read a few blogs recently regarding the sometimes strenuous relationshp that exists between the realtor and the home inspector. Realtors describing the characteristics of a home inspector as the perverbial "deal killer" and inspectors indicating being asked by shady realtors to overlook certain problems in any particular home just to "make the sale".

Realtors who ask you to hide or overlook certain things should most definately cause red flags to go up - not only in the mind of the home inspector, but the buyer/seller as well. Personally, I will definately run from doing business with such realtors - they do NOT have the clients best interest at heart. That being said, I think there are a lot of inspectors who are in fact "deal killers" and a lot of the time it is the home inspector that causes the problems.

Far to many inspectors have no people skills whatsoever. Nor do they know how to present their findings in such a way as to remain true to the ethical standards of the industry, and at the same time not killing the deal for the realtor. Sometimes, in the best interest of the client, the deal MUST be killed! However, as inspectors when we find questionable items during our inspection we need to be able to communicate those findings to the client in such a way so that if at all possible, we don't kill the deal.

Understanding and communicating the difference between what needs to be repaired verses what is just general maintenance will go a long way in calming the realtor questions about you being a deal killer, as well as the client's fears about being sucked into buying a death trap!

For example...while inspecting the roof, we find several valleys are in very bad shape. A lot of inspectors will report to the client that the roof is shot and needs to be replaced. A statement like this will very likely kill the deal! Not to mention give the realtor fits! We definately don't cover anything up, but I would investigate a little more....perhaps all that is needed is a "roof tuneup". You know, if the surrounding shingles are fine, just repair/replace the valleys. Presenting some sort of solution forces the client to see the big picture of what "could be" - it gives them hope and that makes them happy...and if their happy, Mr/Mrs Realtor is happy as well.

yes, the relationship between realtor and home inspector is definately a delicate one, but one that must be maintained nonetheless.

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
cbailey1@on.nachi.org
http://www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1

What's over your head?

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 19:42:01 -0700

You know, I have an inquisitive mind and an unrelenting sense of curiosity. It has got me into trouble more times than I care to remember, but I will save that one for another day! :)

Anyways, where I live here in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), there is a phenomenal amount of growth in the private sector. New homes are being built at an increasingly high rate of speed. I honestly believe that unless you are having a "custom" home built, the "minimum to meet code" quality of some of these newer "cookie-cutter" homes are going to cause real problems down the road for both seller and buyer.

One problem that is becoming more evident with each passing day is the quality and workmanship of the roofing systems. This is not necessarily a knock on the builder as much as it is on certain roofing companies that sacrifice quality workmanship for time, labour and a quick buck!

For instance, as I was out driving today, I noticed some real "issues" this one house had with its roof. This roof had more waves in it than the Pacific Ocean and the ridge board had a saddle look that would make every cowboy drool (both ends of the Ridgeboard were angled down towards the center). What was even more problematic for me was the fact that this house was in a newer upper class neighbourhood.

So having the unrelenting sense of curiosity that I do, I stopped to take a closer look. Apart from wondering who the roofer was that took pride in such quality workmanship, I thought about the different things that might be contributing such a display of wonder!

Without getting a closer look - especially from the attic, this "wave" look can be caused by;

the effect of moisture on the sheathing boards,
over spanned sheathing boards,
the rafters are not spaced out properly or perhaps
the sheathing is missing the "H" clips (clips that hold two pieces of plywood together)

The "saddle" look to this Ridgeboard can be caused by

broken or rotted ridgeboard,
broken or missing cross ties,
extra (over bearing) load on the roof structure

These issues may not be seen immediately after installation, but after a few weather cycles the evident becomes....well, evident! Who knows, I may let my curiosity get the better of me and actually go up and knock on the door. :)

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
cbailey1@on.nachi.org

What qualifies a home inspector to be......a home inspector?

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 19:36:06 -0700

I never let my schooling interfere with my education - Mark Twain

Just read a great post by Shane Dollman at http://activerain.com/blogsview/34630/What-to-look-for. Shane talks about what to look for in a professional home inspector. After reading, it got me to thinking ;)....

As it is in the US, up here in Canada, anyone can print up some business cards, hang a sign on their door and call themselves a Home Inspector. We have a floundering national certification process in progress up here, but we will save that one for another blog posting! :)

Back on topic....for a song and a dance and two wooden nickels, these so-called "Home Inspectors" bring disrepute not only on themselves, but the home inspection industry as a whole. They're not only setting themselves up for some major lawsuits, but they are also putting the well-being of unsuspectiing home owners at risk.

Now, I may take some flack for what I am about to say, but as someone with 13yrs of home improvements /renovations experience, I also include some (but, not all) of those who use to be electricians, engineers, builders, renovators etc, as doing just as much damage to the industry as these unqualified individuals. Having past qualifications and credentials is not necessarily a bad thing per se as they can definately be of assistance in understanding how specific components of the home are build or operate. However, an electrical engineer or electrician may not understand the reasons for the vapour barrier or how to identify mold, or a plumber may not know how to identify double tapped breakers.

Here is where the difference lies! In the fact that the home inspector is trained to look at all the different components of the home; structure, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, environmental issues, etc... and not only understand how each component operates, but how to also identify signs of breakdown or malfunction.

This is why it is of utmost importance that potential Home Inspectors - those who hold past credentials and certificates, as well as all the newbies with none - be properly trained and mentored by experienced Home Inspectors

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
cbailey1@on.nachi.org

WARNING.....AV being infiltrated by fraudulent scamers?

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 18:07:15 -0700

Prefer a loss to a dishonest gain; the one brings pain at the moment, the other for all time - Chilon

I logged on this morning to read a few blogs. As fate would have it (LOL), I received a note here on AV from someone by the name of "Miss Roffina Naina" asking me to contact her. I began thinking...."its kinda weird that she would not mention what she wanted to "talk" to me about, only mentioning that it was "private."

So I give her the benefit of the doubt thinking she saw or read something in one of my blogs or that she had a question about home inspection so I emailed her asking how I could be of assistance to her. Here is the response she sent back....

From Miss Roffina Naina
Abidjan cote D`Ivoire
West Africa.

MY Dear, Please this mail comes to you directly,kindly ready and get back to me, Good thing to write you.

I have a proposal for you,this however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honour against your will. Your profile pushed me to send you this mail, I am Roffina Niana,i am 23 years old Girl and the only daugther of my late Father Mr Richard Ehoha Naina. My Father was a highly reputable business man (a cocoa merchant) who operated in the capital of Ivory coast during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during one of his business trips abroad on 12th.August 2005.Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been master minded by an uncle of his who travelled with him at that time. But God knows the truth!,

Since then my father death took me so special. Before his death in the hospital, he told me about a box he concealed the sum of Ten million, five hundred thousand United State Dollars.(US D$10.5) deposited in one of the security company here in Abidjan, Ivory coast West Africa, which he disguised and declared the box to contain family valuables belongs to his foriegn bussiness partner instead of money, for security reasons,he do this for selfety of his life best known to him, by this way the company does not know the real content of the box. The deposit document which I have in my possession carries my late Father's name as the depositor in the security company, i Really don't know what to do. This is because I have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory coast. The death of my Father actually brought sorrow to my life that i will never forget, I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards. Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded. Now permit me to ask these few questions:-

1. Can you honestly help me as your daughter?
2. Can I completely trust you?
3 i hope you will not betray me when this fund get to you?
4. Please, Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible.

Thank you so much Yours Miss Roffina Naina

I am sure we have all seen this type of scam before! I did a search on google for "bank scams" and I received 1.2 million possible pages! The website http://www.rediff.com/money/2002/dec/09dalal.htm has a few of them listed as well

The website over at http://www.scambusters.org/scamlinks.html has some good information on how and to whom we should report such activity. If you receive any type of email or correspondence from someone like "Miss Roffina" or some other fraudster promising $$$ in exchange for assisting them in moving so-called family fortunes out of their "war sticken country" or the like, report them immediately - I know I most definately will!

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
cbailey1@on.nachi.org

Are you mindlessly addicted to blogging?

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 18:56:00 -0700

Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? ~Fanny Brice

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss

Blogging can be addicting! Many times there is nothing more fascinating than logging on and reading the content of different blogs. However without an appropriate clear cut purpose to our blogging, our blogs can lead to the irrational posting of cold, impersonal, and often confusing information. You know the type of blog I'm talking about...the kind of post that is void of any uniqueness, individuality or personality of the blogger.

Don't get me wrong, I like reading the how-to's just as much as the next person, but having that information presented in a way that reveals the uniqueness and insight of the blogger is what makes it a much more interesting read.

Whether you're a real estate agent, a home inspector, or a stager, all of us here on AV blog for different reasons. Some blog to network with associate and peers, some to gather leads, or perhaps some blog to find support from others in the field who have been through or are going through the similar situations. And you know what? I think these are all valid reasons - most definitely!!

But if we are just posting mindless information just to get our "fix", we run the risk of alienating those around us, our peers, and God-forbid - our current and future clients!

God knows we could all just post information that would fill a thousand blogs on a thousand different boards. I don't know about you, but I would rather read one page of one blog that is unique and has personality than 1000 blogs that spit out mindless technical information.

Now, being a home inspector, I like sharing and talking about the seemingly limitless points of home inspection. A lot of you like talking about the minutia of real estate or staging. Whatever you like talking about, let your uniqueness and character shine through your blogging. Do this and I believe AV will not only become the topic of discussion around many water coolers, but will become the water cooler itself!

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
Phone: 1-905-240-0182
Cell: 1-905-442-0487
Web: www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
Email: cbailey1@on.nachi.org

A Refreshing thought....

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 02:05:42 -0700

Today, like most every other day on AV, we will probably read and reread a variety of different posts about a variety of different topics from a variety of different people. Everyone wanting to be heard, everyone dispensing some type of knowledge that we all hope will contribute to the success of our fellow AV'ers.

That's what its all about! :) Nothing wrong with all this talking and chatting, but at the end of the day, doesn't it feel good to just sit back, relax, kick up our feet, quiet all the screaming voices and feel good about the things we just accomplished? To take pride in the fact that today we not only took steps towards success, but that today we were in fact successful?

But perhaps for some disappointment ruled the day. Nothing but problems, crisis and discouragement came your way. Nothing tangible that you can look at and feel proud about. I could write 10 paragraphs here about looking being encouraged and looking forward to the opportunities that tomorrow will bring, but I don't think I will bore you! ;)

I think Ralph Emerson said it best when he said;

~ Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. ~

Have a great successful day!

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
Web: www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
Email: cbailey1@on.nachi.org

Top 10 things to do to prepare for your pre-listing inspection

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:04:46 -0700

Top 10 Things to Do to Prepare for a Pre-listing Home Inspection

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
https://www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
Email: https://www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1cbailey1@on.nachi.org

Taking a bit of time to prepare for that all important pre-listing home inspection will go a long way in ensuring that you receive the best possible price or market value for your home. It can only work to your benefit to know upfront any possible repairs, deficiencies or safety issues so that you can correct them before your prospective buyer(s) view your home.

However, eventually your buyers are going to have an inspection done as well. You may as well know what they are going to find by getting there first. Having an inspection performed ahead of time helps in many other ways as well:

It allows you to see your home through the eyes of a critical third-party.
It helps you to price your home realistically.
It permits you to make repairs ahead of time so that ...

Defects won't become negotiating stumbling blocks later.
You have the time to get reasonably priced contractors or make the repairs yourself, if qualified.
You will get the best possible price for your home

It may relieve prospect's concerns and suspicions.

It may reduce your liability by adding professional supporting documentation to your disclosure statement.

It may alert you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home.

You can provide copies of the inspection report along with receipts for any repairs to any potential buyers.

Now that we have seen some of the all important reasons for getting a pre-listing inspection, lets look at how to prepare for the inspection.

1) Have a clean home

This sounds so simple yet home owners often overlook this point. Home inspectors are people first and inspectors second. They tend to carry preconceived ideas of how well a home has been maintained by how clean your home and property look. A clean house says a lot about whether the home is well maintained.

2) Be prepared and ready

Most inspectors are quite prompt. If the inspector makes an appointment with you for 9:00 a.m., have the house ready for inspection at that time. It's also common for inspectors to start on the exterior of the home, so leave the shades down or drapes drawn until you are dressed. More than one unprepared seller with nothing on but a smile has been "surprised" by a stranger stomping around in the back yard.

3) Are the utilities connected?

In all likelihood you will still be residing in your home so this will not be an issue, but if the house is vacant then you'll want to be mindful of this point since the home inspector will want to test some of the appliances such as the stove, the furnace, air conditioning etc. It's is also impossible to check receptacles for grounding and reverse polarity if the power is turned off. Not being able to test some of these items may result in a rescheduled appointment and it could delay the closing of your transaction.

4) Provide access to furnace, water heater, garage, attic etc...

The inspector will need access to areas such as your electrical panel, furnace, water heater, garage, attic, basement walls etc. Due to liability issues, most home inspectors will not move any boxes or furniture, so you will want to remove anything that is within three to four feet of such items so that the inspector can do a thorough and complete inspection.

5) Clear away bush from exterior inspection points

Nobody expects you to shovel a tunnel around your home if snow drifts are blocking the foundation but, in the winter, try to provide a path around the house. In the spring, cut down or trim back trim tree branches and clear brush from the foundation. Providing easy access to these exterior areas will allow the inspector to get a good unobstructed look at the lot grading and house foundation

6) Keep the light burning

Again, due to liability issues, most home inspectors will not light the pilot lights on your furnace, water heater etc. If your pilot lights are not lit, then fully inspecting these important items will be almost impossible and the buyer could delay closing until those inspections are completed.

7) Have your pets in another room or caged.

We all love pets, but there can be nothing more distracting than a cat or dog getting under the feet of the inspector while they are trying to do their inspection. Keeping your pets back while the inspection is going on will go a long way in ensuring the inspection is completed in a timely fashion

8) Provide repair documents

You will want to provide the home inspector with any invoices or documentation regarding any remodelling projects that you have done and for new items such as a roof or furnace. If you've upgraded the electrical from ungrounded to grounded, installed a new dishwasher or repaired a leaky faucet, find the paperwork. It will give any potential buyer peace of mind to know those items were repaired/replaced and inspected.

9) Prepare to be home for three hours minimum

You will want to make sure that you have at least three hours set aside so you can be present for the inspection. Not only will you be present to answer and questions the home inspector might have, but it will also be a great time to ask the inspector questions you might have - it will be a great learning opportunity. Being present for the inspection will also enable you to confidently highlight your home's special traits and qualities to the prospective buyer(s).

10) Is that double/double or just one cream and sugar? :)

For more excellent pointers on preparing your home for sale,
download the free ebook "Sell Your Home For More" http://www.nachi.org/sellyourhome.htm

Enjoy! :)

Calvin Bailey - owner of A Closer Look Home Inspections - lives in Oshawa, Ontario Canada with his wife and five children.

Let's vicously pursue success with the mark of excellence!

Calvin Bailey (A Closer Look Home Inspections) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:59:15 -0700

Life can get busy! Appointments to make, schedules to keep, children to care for, work to be done. There doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do all the things that need to get done.

But what is it that keeps us coming back for more? What is it that gets us up and gives us courage to take that next step forward towards our goals? I believe it is our desire for success, our desire for excellence! Whether we are real estate agents, home inspectors, insurance agents or janitors, we know we have touched success when we find ourselves leaving the mark of excellence on everyone we meet and on everything we do. I couldn't say it any better than Orison Swett Marden said when he said;

~ Just make up your mind at the very outset that your work is going to stand for quality... that you are going to stamp a superior quality upon everything that goes out of your hands, that whatever you do shall bear the hall-mark of excellence. ~

I don't know about you, but that is my goal - to viciously pursue and leave the mark of excellence on everything I do. Each and every day I need an attitude ajustment :) Being a home inspector, I will not sit back and wait for success or excellence to come to me, I will pursue it, go after it and hunt it down and leave the mark of excellence on each and every aspect of my inspections.

I have a sneaky suspicion though that I am not the only one with this attitude or desire. ;)

My hope is that the writings and postings of this blog will contribute to the success and overall attitude of excellence for those in our network.

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
Serving Durham and the GTA