It's a fact business is down for most of us, and surely many are thinking of ways to gain a competitive edge. Think about it, why are you running behind or how did you get where you are if you are always leading the pack? After giving it some thought lately, this blogger has come to the conclusion that gaining and maintaining a competitive edge is easier than some think. At the risk of restating the obvious, here are two ideas (of many scattered and random thoughts) on the subject:

 Rule 1: Show up and show up on time! It's surprising but many out there have decided that the rules of common courtesy have been suspended. Many agents that regularly refer me business have told me that one of the reasons they do is that I show up and I show up on time. It's hard to express how astonished I was the first few times I heard this, "What? You mean you have people that work with you that don't show up?" It is hard to imagine that there are people out there losing business everyday simply because they don't keep appointments or because they are always late for them. WARNING:If you are not punctual, you are losing business!

 Rule 2: Show a Little Enthusiasm! Smile! Be upbeat! Have a "can do" attitude. You don't have to go overboard or assume the phoney, baloney persona of a high pressure sales person. You don't have to morph into a new personality and try hyping up everyone around you. Just be your better self: relax, assume an open posture, listen to your clients. Most folks are aware that there are some bad things going on in the world, they don't need you to remind them! If you want to make everyone run away from you, start every conversation by being negative and complaining about the weather, the traffic, your spouse, your kids, etc. If you want to attract more business, quit talking down and start talking up.We have all heard it a million times, "enthusiasm is contagious", so let some enthusiasm infect you and animate your being!  

In this humble writer's opinion, the two thoughts outlined above mark a dividing line between winners and "also rans". Punctuality and enthusiasm are habits that can be easily developed. If you want to be ahead of the game on a consistent basis start by showing up on time and showing a little enthusiasm when you do!

One of the most common home inspection deficiencies is the comment of "no thermal expansion device installed". What is a thermal expansion device and why should one be installed? Is this really an issue or is this write up just another case of "a pain in the neck smarty pants" home inspector trying to show off for clients by raising inane and esoteric concerns "raining on the parade" and "killing the deal"?

Way back in 1974, Congress passed the Safe Water Drinking Act (Yes, Virginia that was over 30 years ago!). The act mandated that municipalities protect public water systems from contamination from users of the water system due to backsiphonage of water into the public system from the plumbing systems of private customers. To prevent such contamination, the law required that backflow prevention devices be installed between public water systems and private users. Ever since the act was passed, cities and counties have been upgrading water systems by replacing water meters and installing backflow preventers. This is an ongoing effort and in my home county, this work continues.

How can a backsiphonage occur? Imagine you are mixing pesticides with water in a bucket in your backyard; you have dropped the hose into the bucket to fill it. From out of nowhere, you hear the roar of your neighbor's teenage son's super hopped up car flying around the corner. The car comes to a sudden stop as it cleanly shears the fire hydrant  in your front yard from the water main! As water flows from the break in the main, it creates suction on the system and the pesticide laden water you are brewing in your backyard gets sucked from the bucket you are filling back into the public water system thus contaminating the system. This is a bad thing. Other than your neighbor's reckless teenage son, you probably don't want to kill your neighbors!

If there was a backflow valve installed on your system, the above incident would not happen as the backflow valve would prevent the water in your plumbing system from flowing back into the public system. So, what does all this have to do with thermal expansion devices?

Once a backflow preventer is installed (or a pressure regulating valve) on a plumbing system of a house or other building, a "closed system" is created. When water is heated its density decreases and its volume expands, and you may remember from your 8th grade General Science class, that water cannot be compressed. So, when water is heated in a storage tank type water heater that is connected to a closed plumbing system there is nowhere for the water to expand. A means of thermal expansion is needed to relieve the expansion and prevent damage to the plumbing system, such as leaks in pipes, rupturing of the storage tank of a water heater or worse collapse of the internal flue of the water heater.

Given that installation of a means of thermal expansion device is usually relatively inexpensive and an easy enough task for a licensed plumber, it is a wonder how much blood is spilled over this issue in contract negotiations!!! Check with your favorite plumber and you will find the cost to cure this deficiency to be in $125-250 range. Hardly, enough to draw a line in the sand and lose  the house you love if you are the buyer or lose the sale you want/need if you are the seller! But, many are going to rise and fall on what they see  as "principles": It's grandfathered"; "Its not a code requirement." etc, regardless of the facts!

Many get confused on whether the need for a means of thermal expansion is a building code issue or not, and well it depends: What codes have been adopted by your state or local jurisdiction? When was the water heater installed? Has the water heater been recently replaced requiring it to be in compliance with current code? Is it a closed system? Has the city/county water service installed a backflow preventer on the line? Is there a pressure regulating valve installed?

But the debate about whether or not the need for a means of thermal expansion is a code issue is not the issue. Like so many concerns that are noted in a home inspection, SAFETY is the issue. The fact that a certain condition might be "grandfathered" does not render it safe! And whether you are a home inspector or a real estate agent, concerns for the safety of your clients should always guide your approach and the information you provide.

The most successful listing agents often advise sellers to have their home inspected before putting it on the market; this is known as a "pre-listing" inspection. But why should a seller pay for the expense of a home inspection when any smart buyer is probably going to hire their own inspector anyway? Preparation is the keyword here, "forewarned is forearmed". A pre-listing inspection can reveal conditions that the seller may not know exist. Most people have never climbed on their roof, explored their attic, dragged themselves through their crawl space or opened their electric panel. These areas are the "guts" of a home and problems found in these areas can "kill a deal". By doing a pre-listing an inspection a seller can learn the true condition of their home from an objective observer. Using the pre-listing inspection and without the pressure of a pending sell, the seller working with his/her listing agent can develop a strategy that will ensure the house will be sold quickly and smoothly.

 One strategy is to correct the deficiencies revealed in the pre-listing inspection bringing the home to "top-notch" condition and top of the market pricing. Once the repairs have been made, the home can be re-inspected and a new report issued. The original report revealing the deficiencies and the new report verifying the repairs can then be used to market the home.

 Another strategy is simply to disclose the report, do no repairs and sell the home "as-is". In this way a potential buyer is not surprised when they have the home inspected; they know up front the condition of the house. This strategy can prevent a sell from being "torpedoed" by an inspection. It can also help the seller command a higher price for the home by dealing with objections openly and at the beginning of the sales process rather than at the end.

 In conclusion, although a pre-listing inspection may seem like an unnecessary expense; a pre-listing inspection can help a seller preserve their price and not lose thousands in negotiated repairs for their house regardless of its condition.