Seven Ways to Use a Home Inspection Report - 10/31/09 10:40 PM
In random order, I present to you seven different ways in which a home inspection report can be used by parties to a real estate transaction for advantage and benefit.
1.  Buyers can consider the reported conditions of the home's systems to determine their ability to afford to maintain the property.  A home with a 12 year old water heater, an 18 year old furnace and a 25 year old composite shingled roof is going to need some costly investments in the near future.
2.  Buyers can sometimes use information regarding undisclosed defects to negotiate the seller's action to repair the … (54 comments)

Home Inspections in Missouri - 10/31/09 10:41 AM
Everywhere in America real estate contracts are being written with contingencies that allow the buyer to walk away from or renegotiate his contract based upon the findings from a home inspection.  A third option is for the buyer to use the report as a "punch list" for themselves as they tackle the job of turning their new purchase into their new home.
I am a certified home inspector and have acted to help both, buyers and sellers, with descriptive reports concerning the purchases or sale of property.  In this article I will focus on the benefits to the buyer of a … (3 comments)

Help Bring FEMA to Barry County, Missouri - 10/28/09 09:56 PM
Much of the commercial property in Cassville, Missouri is built within the flood plain along with several residential dwellings, as well. Some of the residential units are literally rotting away and are havens for mold and many of the commercial dwellings are well below standards when it comes to electrical, roofing, and structural issues. The toll taken by the regular seasonal floods has made improvements to these properties appear as wasteful and affordable flood insurance is not available.
A small group of investors who have purchased the undeveloped land within the flood prone areas of Cassville would like to see their … (0 comments)

How Many More Must Die? - 10/28/09 09:24 AM
Would you believe me if I were to tell you that every single child born in the State of Missouri exits the womb with 100% of all of the skill and knowledge required by the state to electrically wire the residential care facility where you have moved your grandmother to live?
No, it is not a mystery contained in the water...the air...or DNA. Instead, it is the fact that the State of Missouri has never established any minimum basic standards for builders and contractors in the state.
While electrical fires are destroying lives, homes and businesses throughout the rural and unregulated … (0 comments)

Some Rejections are Compliments - 10/05/09 03:23 PM
A client from out of state called me and asked if I would give him a bid on some commercial property that he was wanting to buy near Cassville. I took a ride out to see it and found a run down looking motel with a recent coat of paint on it and inquired of the owners information about the septic system that they appeared to know very little about. I left my business card and returned to my office.
I could tell that this was going to be a lot of problems to look at, a lengthy report to write … (4 comments)

Why the National Flood Insurance Program Will Be Good for Barry County, Missouri - 10/02/09 09:40 PM
The NFIP is a Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding…a condition common and familiar to many in Cassville, Monett, Aurora and many other areas in Barry County.
 
This insurance is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance to meet the escalating costs of repairing damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.
 
Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement that will be made between Barry County andthe Federal Government that states if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce … (0 comments)