Happy New Year to you all. My New Years resolution is to be in the rain more frequently this year. It has been such a blessing in the past but like many I get to busy to think about clicking in sometimes. It is my belief that nearly everything that can be said has already been said. What we do here (in the rain) is to re-phrase the truths of life as we share our thoughts and ideas in order to encourage one another. The new attitude that I mentioned is the attitude that we should take one anothers struggles, trials and successes in stride understanding that we are all here for the same reason. That being to provide the best possible outcome for our clients and colleagues as we meld or way through the challenges that face us and our industry. I pray that as the New Year dawns we will draw strength from one another and that the year will be a success for you all.

Blessings

Mike Reel Integrity Home Inspections

WOW, has it been that long since I entered a post to my blog?? Business has been really good and I just forgotten about my friends in the rain. Being the Holiday weekend I have a had a bit of time to sit and relax just a mite. I began to think of what it was that brought me to the point I find myself. Just yesterday I turned 60, I have just completed my best year in business and my family is happy and healthy. What more could a man ask for? I owe more than I thought to "the Rain" for my success as an inspector because with out you folks I would not have the degree of exposure that I currently experience on the web. The folks here ask and answer questions openly and honestly which makes for a better understanding of the industry of Real Estate as a whole. It is really great to hear the thoughts of others to help me make decisions for the future. Just knowing that someone else is having the same challenges helps me through mine. Many Many thanks to all of you out there and keep up the good work.

May God richly bless you all this coming year,

Mike Reel

I love....... YES...... I LOVE the Olympics. The competition and the camaraderie that is shown between teammates, people working together for a common goal. I watch the concentration and the endurance and the consistency that these young people employ to reach their goals. It is almost mind boggling what they go through to get the job done....... Maybe I am placing to much importance on the Olympics,  but I do not think so!!! As I look at what we do as inspectors I believe there are many paralleles. If we are not willing to prepare by education, or perform with the same proficiency everytime, we will lose. I do not see us competing with others so much as competing within ourselves to do the best job or a better job each and everytime we go out. I hope you love what you do as much as I love inspecting.

GO USA, Blessings to all

I just read Kevin Corsa's post on "messy" inspection. I need some advice. I have been inspecting since 1997 and have completed over 3K homes to date. So I have seen quite a few different things in my time. Living in WV there are some fairly depressed places so we pretty much take it in stride. I was contacted by a lender to do an inspection on an abandoned property 1and 1/2 hours from my local area. The owner died in the home from a lung ailment, mice are on the floor DEAD, water is generally standing on the basement florr. The roof is leaking, mold is covering the walls. The electric is on but there do not seem to be any light bulbs, the gas and water are off. ALL this information came from the lender requesting the inspection. I have done quite a few for this bank but never have I been asked to declare a dwelling un-inhabitable and that is what they are asking me to do. If she is half right regarding the conditions I don't want to do it. I jacked the price double what it would normally cost to try and get out of it but they jumped on the amount. The underwriter said that if the report came back as anticipated that they would just condemn the property. Any thoughts other than "cut and run" ???

Blessings

If you don't take care of it now, it will take care of you later $$$$$.... Turning the thermostat on is all that is needed for cool air, right? Likely not, if you have not maintained the HVAC system year round. Neglegence or ignorance is usually the culprit when an A/C system is malfunctioning. Whether it is: overgrown vegitation at the compressor unit, weedeater damage to the fins, dryer lint release outlet to close to the unit plugging the fins, a lack of fin bathing (at east annually), lack of timely filter change (different for each type of filter) or plugged condensation lines causing rusted drain pans and rusted furnace cabinets, if not addressed as regular maintenance, these listed items can cause system failure. Encourage your clients/contacts to take the time and the FEW dollars necessary to save MANY more dollars later. This does not even address the issue of inconvenience when the system goes down. I spend a good deal of time with each client educating with regard to systems maintenace in the home to protect them into the future. I think it is part of what we should do as professionals.

Blessings

When we as inspectors are called for the purpose of performing an inspection we are automatically placing ourselves in a position of authotrity and responsibility. We are positioning ourselves daily as "professionals" in the field of Home Inspecting and for most of us this is a true statement. The RUB comes when people believe that we are HVAC, Electrical or Plumbing "experts" as well. While many of us are licensed as professionals in particular diciplines, as Home Inspectors we are not to hold ourselves out as such. When we allow the client to believe that our information is just what the "doctor ordered" then we are opening ourselves up to liability claims in the future. Most if not all of our agreement forms state in one way or another that we are not to offer resolution to issues discoverd yet the majority of us do. When this occurs we, again, offer our heads for the chopping. People place their trust in us to protect them and we all feel responsible for the clients safety (or should) and IT IS our duty to do the best we can everytime we go out. We need to be certain that we do not offer corrective action that borders on the response that a licensed professional would proffer. Remember, when you are not 100% sure you need to defer. I am afraid that we as trusted professionals, looked to on a daily basis, may have the tendency to become little gods in our own right. We may begin to feel as though (without realizing it) just maybe we do have all the answers. When this happens, when we think we have seen it all, done it all and said it all, there will be a reckoning. I love what I do and pray that you do as well. Maybe this was penned for you and then maybe it was penned for me......

Blessings to you all, Stay grounded

Oh no!!!! The sky is falling the sky is falling..... That is the way I felt two months ago when the Doctor called and said "well you need to get in here, your sugar is up and you now have type 2 diabetes". Oh no I thought , I'm BRANDED for life. But wait it gets worse, no more ce cream or sugar or treats (no I am not a dog) I just happen to call all things bad for me treats... It took a few days to come to grips with this animal but I did and so can you. I weighed 247+ pounds on any given day, my blood pressure was high (on medication) well no need to go on I was a mess. NOW, eight weeks later 32 pouds later I am singing the praises of God given self-control. God gives us a mind and He expects us to use it. For many people diabetes is preventable /controllable. I cut out potatoes, white bread, sugar and as many starches as possible and with no exersize lost the weight and brought ALL of my numbers down Cholesteraol 154, A1C 6.2 BP 117/74 etc. ANd I am pushing 60 pretty hard.

IF you are "undertall" take a look at your diet not that dirty four letter word DIET. I mean the wonderful word that describes what you are eating, diet. Make healthy choices for you and your loved ones for heavens sake.

Blessings

About three times a month it happens to me........I Show up at the home finding the water and the pilot lights off. Of course I call the Realtor to inform them that there cannot be a complete inspection performed, for obvious reasons. The Realtor will typically ask, "can't you just go ahead and turn them on so we can get the inspection completed? The buyers really do not have time left on their contract." With the price of gasoline and scheduling of other inspections in mind.....

Your response is:

1) Sorry, I am not permited to operate main shut-off valves or to light pilots

2) You are going to have to pay for my second trip out here if I only do a partial today

3) The buyer will see an increase in the inspection cost if I have to come back

4) I'll just do a partial inspection and charge the client less

5) I will just leave and you call me when the home is ready, no up-charge

6) Turn the water on and light the pilot lights and then turn them off when you leave

I know there are many answers and every circumstance is a bit different but the lack of utility service really puts us, as Inspectors in an awkward posititon. We are already seen in many circles as the "deal killers" and then when we throw the announcement that there is no way to complete the inspection it just seems to create more of a barrier. I do ask the Realtor if all of the utilities are on and if the pilot lights are lit but that does not always ensure that they will be. Thoughts???

Be Safe

Good evening to all. Please know that I do believe that you A/R folks are more in-tune with the industry than others may be and this is not pennedto defame any of you. I appreciate this forum and the opportunity to share information and ideas and I certainly do not want to do anything to jeopardize that.

I got to a 1995 model $135K bi-level home today to do a standard general home inspection for a young client and her husband. The water was off, the hot water tank was not lit. Only five light bulbs were not burned out. The refrigerator and electric range were unplugged and the water line was disconnected from the ice-maker. The disposal had a locked rotor (would not run) and when the water was turned on the spigot at the kitchen sink spewed like old faithful.

My question is twofold: Doesn't a house show and sell better if these items are functioning properly? Is it within your realm as A/R Real-Estate professionals to encourage your counterparts and owners to prepare the homes for showing and suseqent inspections?

When the systems in homes function better (when the switch is flipped the lights come on) the inspection results are generally better as well. As I see it we are in this boat together and if we all pull on the oars the process should be allot smoother.

Blessings to you all

Feeling a little down this noon time........ I just finished an inspection on a foreclosure property built about 1940. Very little long term maintenance has been performed on this property. Someone bought it for a "flipper" and then lost it to the bank for non-payment. The client was this sweet, innocent, young, recently engaged, inexperienced first time homebuyer couple. The lender would not turn on the water or gas for the kids regardless of how much I asked. I reduced my rate because of the utilities (and because I felt sorry for them). Absolutely the only thing right with the home was that the furnace was a 1994, 92% efficient unit. BUT I couldn't even test it. The list of deficiencies is way to long to waste your time here just know that it was not "Camelot", you know, the more I think of it would have to go some to be the stable at Camelot. Can you read "frustration"? I can't, as a professional tell them that "this is not the house  they need" and still be ethical. However, I would not move my kids into the home until five of the items were corrected and that is what I ended up telling them after all was said and done. I believe I did what was right but wonder why the kids did not get a realtor to help them make the right decision in the search/purchase process. Realtors seem to be able to give direction where we as home inspectors cannot. If we step into the areana of selection then we have overstepped our bounds. Venting? Ranting? Just trying to get in gear for the PM inspection. I am so glad for this forum and welcome your insight.

Blessings to all, Mike www.wvhomeisnpections.net