How to avoid problems in your new home - 02/15/08 11:15 AM
This may sound out and right silly but the best home maintenance you can perform on your home is obvious to any home inspector.  Ready for this. Keep it dry.  That is right keep water out of the outside of the home and within the plumbing pipes on the inside and fix what breaks as soon as it breaks and odds are your home will be trouble free. As a home inspector I see it all the time. The owner does not replace the roofing when he or she should.  Water stains start on the underside of the roof shingles, progress … (2 comments)

Home Inspector Qualifications - 02/15/08 11:14 AM
Many home buyers have no idea what to look for when obtaining the services of the home inspector.
Most call a few companies to ask "how much do you charge?"  a better question might be "what do you do to earn your fee".
A cheap price for an incomplete inspection performed by an inexperienced home inspector might not be such a great value in a few months when very expensive to cure problems start to show up. A higher price paid for a highly experienced professional may prove to be a much greater value if a buyer gets thousands or tens of thousands … (0 comments)

Appraisal Problem - 02/15/08 11:07 AM
House sell for what willing buyers are willing to pay willing sellers. 
When prices were rising appraisers actually started to think home values had to rise. 
Every appraiser knows if they do not "make the value" they may find less work from that lender.   I do not think any appraiser should know what a buyer is paying for a home.  It would be much more fair to all if the appraiser looked at a home and determined its value without knowing what the buyer was paying.
The main reason that would be more fair is the appraiser would not know what number … (0 comments)

Home Seller Tips - 02/06/08 11:40 AM
The two most important rooms to a buyer are the kitchen and bathrooms(s). It is very important to have both of these rooms in tip top condition. All your appliances should be in working order and be clean.  If they are old and beat up buy new ones.  If your cabinets are in bad shape, fix them and paint them.   Replacing them may or may not be cost effective. (See the answer to the next question.)Clean the bathroom: reglaze the tile, replace the shower curtain, caulk and or grout as needed.  clean the tile around the tub (grout if necessary) . … (0 comments)

Home Buyer Tips - 02/06/08 11:28 AM
Many home buyers find searching for a home to be exhausting.  Looking around for days, weeks or months and in some cases years can wear you down and drain much energy. Then one day you finally find a home that you feel is the home of your dreams.  It might not be perfect but just like picking a mate you finally realize you have to take the good with the bad.   After you put in your offer and get out of attorney review it comes time to pick a home inspector.  We hope you realize that inspector referrals provided by realtors … (0 comments)

Home inspector conflict of interest - 02/06/08 11:27 AM
Accurate Inspections, Inc., 973-812-5100 is one of ten home inspection companies in the state who  have signed a "No Conflict of Interest Pledge" Only inspectors who do not solicit  referrals from Realtors can be 100% candid with our client. 70% to 80% of most home  inspectors business comes from Realtors. Those inspectors must tread a fine line when  writing your report. Inspectors who provide too much information to clients can lose  future Realtor referrals. All we care about is you! … (2 comments)

Home inspection cost in perspective - 02/06/08 11:26 AM
Let's put things in perspective: If you're buying a $350,000 home and the inspection fee is $600, that's .172% of the cost of the home!  The cost of a New Jersey home inspection is a bargain! If the inspection turns up little wrong with the home (few do), you've bought some relatively inexpensive peace of mind.   If the inspection finds serious problems (most do), then the few hundred dollars you invest in our home inspection could end up saving you many thousands of dollars. … (0 comments)

How long have you been inspecting homes - 02/06/08 11:25 AM
Since 1993, Accurate Inspections has been answering our clients questions, explaining how systems in homes work and providing over 7,000 New Jersey home inspection clients with exceptional quality home inspections.   Michael Del Greco has over 13 years of New Jersey home inspection experience offering clients unbiased and thorough home inspections in New Jersey. Prior to starting Accurate Inspections, Michael worked as a construction manager where he coordinated the construction of single and multi-family homes as well as construction and renovation of commercial and industrial buildings. With over 20 years experience with inspecting homes and renovating homes, Michael Del Greco is one … (0 comments)

Why choose us to inspect your home - 02/06/08 11:24 AM
Most of our clients choose us based upon the recommendation of a attorney, friend or relative. We are one of the very few home inspection companies who never solicit realtor referrals because it can appear to be a conflict of interest. When we perform a home inspection for you we are free to tell you what is wrong, why it is wrong and what to do about it. The only person we are concerned with pleasing is YOU! … (0 comments)

Can Engineers and Architects inspect homes - 02/06/08 11:23 AM
Many people without specific home inspection credentials offer services. Likewise, credentials are not always what they seem. Engineering and architectural credentials alone do not prepare anyone to competently inspect homes and communicate the findings. A helping attitude, good communication skills, and mature judgment must supplement technical competence.
In New Jersey Engineers and Architects are supposed to obtain the same license I did to legally inspect homes! 
… (0 comments)

Are all home inspectors the same - 02/06/08 11:21 AM
Like any other professional,  home inspectors (even those with licenses) have varied degrees of expertise.  All home inspectors should be carefully screened.  Inspectors learn from experience.  It takes a few thousand inspections and a more than a few complaints for a home inspectors to LEARN what it takes to satisfy clients.  I spent seven years as a construction contractor prior to becoming a home inspectors in 1993. I have taught the New Jersey home inspection training class to new inspectors since 2002.   I still see things I have never seen before. Would you want the biggest investment of your life inspected … (0 comments)

How do home owners benifit from a home inspection - 02/06/08 11:21 AM
Home owners who are planning to make improvements to their homes in order to increase its market value would be well advised to have it inspected first. A home inspectors can help prioritize home improvements and offer advice on the best ways to approach repairs. More importantly, an inspectors can help the seller identify potential or undiscovered problems before those problems become material for contract contingencies. By taking a pro-active approach one can avoid the frustrations many owners encounter when they are asked to re-negotiate their contracts because of unanticipated problem areas. … (0 comments)

What is the point of a home inspection - 02/06/08 11:20 AM
All homes have strong and weak points, they are not always what they seem. Gain the perspective and sound information you need to make better decisions with a home inspection performed by an experienced professional home inspectors. A good home inspectors works through a very long checklist of potential concerns to identify the major and minor deficiencies in the home.   A good report will clearly describe the problems and illustrate them along with the what-to and how-to of repairs. … (0 comments)

How do buyers benifit from a home inspection - 02/06/08 11:20 AM
A professional New Jersey home inspection is the best way for potential home buyers to effectively evaluate the risks of a property purchase. A major concern of NJ home buyers is being suddenly confronted with major and costly problems after they take possession of a property. A professional pre-purchase home inspection can reduce anxiety by screening for problems and itemizing them in a comprehensive report. This home inspection report may include approximations of repair costs and recommendations of useful upgrades to the property systems. The general result of a professional home inspection is that property buyers make significantly more informed purchases. … (0 comments)

What to expect during your home inspection! - 02/06/08 11:19 AM
What To Expect:  Many New Jersey home buyers sometimes buy their home in New Jersey on impulse. Experianced home inspectors can help home buyers avoid buyers remorse by reporting on home defects and problems before the home buyer finds them after closing.  As professional New Jersey Home inspectors we at  Accurate Inspections,  provide our New Jersey home inspection clients with the tools they need to make an educated choice regarding the quality and condition of their potential new home.  We inspect for common defects and not so common ones. By hiring an experienced NJ Licensed home inspectors who has your best … (0 comments)

What are John Martino's qualifications to be a home inspector? - 02/06/08 11:18 AM
LICENSES New Jersey Home Inspector License # GI 0587 Radon Measurement Technician  Commercial Pesticide Applicator 
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS Independent Home Inspectors of North America American Society of Home Inspectors Member FREA Commercial and Residential Real Estate Inspector Class A Member 
EXPERIENCE INSPECTOR: Performed over 8,000 Home Inspections for the insurance industry. INSPECTOR Participated in 10 months of training inspections along side experienced home inspectors   
EDUCATION Morris County School of Technology: Completed ten month home inspector training program Seton Hall University:  Economics Major with Departmental Honors Citation with minor in Business
… (0 comments)

What are your qualifications to be a home inspector? - 02/06/08 11:17 AM
LICENSES New Jersey Home Inspector #GI0121  (2003, first year licensing was offered). Credentialed Wood Destroying Insect Inspector (2001). Radon Measurement Technician (1993 – present). Commercial Pesticide Applicator (1993 – present). Department of Housing and Urban Development Plan Reviewer/Consultant and 203(k) Loan Consultant (inactive).
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS FREA Commercial and Residential Real Estate Inspector Class A Member (2001 - present) American Society of Home Inspectors #102273  (1996 – present). Independent Home Inspectors of North America (2002 – present).
EXPERIENCE CHAIRMAN, VICE CHAIRMAN and COMMITTEE MEMBER: Appointed to the State of New Jersey Home Inspection Advisory Committee (New Jersey Home Inspection Licensing … (0 comments)

Common Building Violations Additions and Alterations Without Permits - 02/06/08 11:16 AM
Houses are seldom built perfect.  Beware of those who tell you all the work in the home was performed by craftsman who pulled all the permits and dealt with all the difficult municipal inspectors. I am sure there are many great municipal inspectors out there.  I find it hard to believe the only ones the owner tells us about are the strict ones.  I also find it hard to believe they only used the best contractors.  If there were that many great contractors out there I would still be a construction project manager.  … (0 comments)

Common Rotted Wood Under Plumbing Fixtures: - 02/06/08 11:15 AM
A water stain or two under a bathroom can cost $15,000 or so to fix.  If there is a stain under bathroom assume it is active till proven otherwise and keep in mind additional latent damages must be expected to exist.  … (0 comments)

Common Electrical Hazards - 02/06/08 11:14 AM
I have been to thousands of homes and can not tell you why or how some did not have a major electrical fire.  Many have such poor wiring and lucky owners (no fire yet) that I feel like asking the owner to go out and pick some lottery numbers for me.  Do not play with electricity, you can cause a fire or electrocute you or others.  … (0 comments)

Common Cause of Water Intrusion Below Grade - 02/06/08 11:14 AM
Water in the basement is bad.  It can create high moisture conditions conducive to mold and damage storage.  Usually surface water is the problem.  Installation of gutters, downspouts and improving drainage away from the home are ways to solve may problems.  Installation of basement perimeter drains should be a last resort, not a quick fix. … (0 comments)

Common Ceiling Stains - 02/06/08 11:13 AM
All stains are indications of an active leak unless corrective actions have been taken.  As home inspectors we lack crystal balls.  If stains exist the owner and or contractor must tell you in writing what was done to cure the problem and when or you are taking an open ended risk.  … (0 comments)

Common Roofing defects: - 02/06/08 11:12 AM
A common problem found during home inspections is problems with the roofing.  I swear people would rather sell a home than replace a roof.  Roofing removal and replacement can cost $8,000o or so for an average home.  The money is well spent because if the roofing is not changed before it fails expensive problems are just about guaranteed to occur.   … (4 comments)

 

Michael Del Greco

West Paterson, NJ

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New Jersey Home Inspection

Address: 56 Woodland Drive, West Paterson, NJ, 07424

Office Phone: (973) 812-5100

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