Scott Baker- Home Inspection's Blog

South King Chapter Meeting Reminder

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:18:03 -0600

You are invited to Womens Council Of Realtors WCR Monthly Meeting and Orientation Reminder by WCR message.


Womens Council Of Realtors WCR Monthly Meeting and Orientation Reminder Hi everyone, Please view my invitation and let me know if you can attend. Thanks!
	VIEW EVITE INVITATION

Invite More Friends by adding them to the guest list.

Add info@evite.com to your address book to ensure that you receive future Evite Invitations in your Inbox.

Don't want to receive Evite emails from this person? Update your email preferences.

Replies to this email will go directly to the sender, not to Evite. Your email address will be displayed in your reply.

Having trouble opening this Evite Invitation? Try pasting this URL into your browser:
http://www.evite.com/r?iid=KHDQCKNXWLWGYHGZLBCU&li=iq&src=email

Evite respects your privacy. To see how we treat your information, please review our Privacy Policy.

WCR Meeting Reminder

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 02:10:11 -0600

Just a reminder that the next meeting for the WCR of South King County will be meeting on December 4th @10:30 for new member orientation(all members are welcome) and the official meeting will start at 11:30. Items for business are the new officer announcements and the annual holiday gift exchange. To those whom want to participate please bring a gift to exchange of no more than $15 dollars in value. The meeting location for this month is at http://www.villagegreenretirement.com/_contact/directions.php

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pillar To Post-Post Notes November 2008

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:05:24 -0600

Pillar To Post welcomes your comments and concerns. You can contact us: Click Here

MOTIVATION

GROCERY LIST FOR LIFE
Many people find a grocery list helpful to get exactly what they want at the store in the least amount of time. There are also lists which will help each of us get exactly what we desire out of life in the least amount of time.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

SAFETY SENSE

FIRE SAFETY TIPS
With all the time we spend indoors during winter using more appliances, lights and heaters, experts say our risk of house fires jumps by more than 37%.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

HOUSE HINTS

A CLEAN HOLIDAY FOR GUESTS
Having some guests to stay over this holiday? Here are some tricks to keep your home clean both when guests first arrive, and throughout their entire visit.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

RELAXATION TIME

CANDLE SEASON
Our expert tips will keep your candles burning long and bright.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

INSPECTION INSIGHTS

GALVANIZED / LEAD PIPING
Homes built prior to the 1950's probably still have some lead or galvanized pipes, which can pose several problems and constitute a health hazard. You should replace all of this type of piping.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

COMMUNICATIONS

YOUR SMILE
There are four main grins and each strongly correlates to a distinctive personality type. What is your smile saying?

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

WINDOW TO REALITY

WAX PAPER SMARTS
Here are some smart ways to put wax paper to better use.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

HOUSEWATCH MAINTENANCE

HOW TO MINIMIZE LEAD PIPE CONTAMINIATION

Run tap water three to five minutes before you drink it.
Never use hot water for cooking or drinking because it leaches lead from the pipe.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

Serving home buyers, home sellers, homeowners and real estate professionals across North America.

Why Pillar To Post?
Pillar To Post ® is North America's leading home inspection company. We are committed to quality in the service we provide to real estate professionals, home buyers and sellers. Our training, reporting and professionalism are second to none in the industry.

We Work With You
Our goal is to enable you to have confidence in the home decision and transaction process. The inspection provides an excellent opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the home. During the inspection, we will point out and discuss areas of concern regarding the property. We then provide a detailed, unbiased report with all this information.

866-532-8989

Helping REALTORS® Help Clients and Close Deals

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:52:28 -0600

Helping REALTORS^® Help Clients and Close Deals

Pillar to Post is North America's foremost home inspection company and we are here to help you make the most of your client relationships even after the sale is complete. Our training, reporting, and professionalism are second to none in the industry; we are dedicated to helping REALTORS® close deals.

What We Offer*

Home Inspection
Pre-listing Inspection
New Home Warranty Inspection
Manufactured Home Inspection
Manufactured Home Foundation Certification through Hayman Residential Engineering Services.
Neighborhood Environmental Report
Energy Assessments
WSDA Pest Inspections
Flood Analysis Reports

How We Can Help You

Comprehensive Reports
Our customized report is generated on site at the time of the inspection making for a smooth and speedy transaction and is available online for easy access

CEU -Qualified Training
Our Continuing Education Program training modules help you meet your CEU requirements

E&O Insurance
Every Pillar To Post home inspector carries E&O insurance, protecting the referring agent

Convenient scheduling
Request an inspection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.pillartopost.com or call 1-866-532-8989

Added Value for Your Clients

Save your clients thousands of dollars with the Home Alliance Program. This exclusive program provides your clients with discounts and special offers on products and services for the home.
Our cost guide for residential construction and remodeling will provide your clients with valuable cost information if they are considering home repairs or improvements.
We sponsor Living with My Home, a CD and web site which allow your clients to learn about the practical details of homeownership. We cover the basics of how things work, plus dozens of topics to help them stay safe and enjoy their homes.

See us at booth # 4428 at the NAR Expo and
find out about special offers for your clients!

Scott Baker

Scott.Baker@pillartopost.com
www.pillartopost.com/southandsoutheastkingcounty

Next South King County WCR Meeting

December 4th

1-866-532-8989

2009 Programs Brainstorming Event

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:27:57 -0600

Calling all members of the South Sound Chapter of WCR. We will be having a programs commity brainstorming meeting on November 19th from 10:30am to 12:00pm. The location will be at the John L Scott in Federal Way. 31620 23rd Ave S Suite #101 Federal Way, WA 98003. Hope you can make it!

Oops! Marketing Manager.....Your Fired!

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:59:57 -0600

This is a real picture. No photo shop or editing was done.) I'm just starting my getting into the world of blog and was going through some of my old pictures and ran into this one. I took this one back in August. Could this be reverse psychology marketing? Guess it could...The sign lasted about 2 weeks or so and was never seen again. "Huge Price Decrease" Might have sold more homes, but those pictures are a dime a dozen. Enjoy!

$SAVE$ November 16th 6-9pm @ Sears

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:52:57 -0600

Due to Pillar To Post's relationship with Sears we have an exclusive invitation to get a head start on your holiday shopping with a special after-hours event at Sears, Sears Grand, Sears Essentials and Sears Hardware stores. They will open their doors from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 just for you, your family, and friends. During this event you can avoid the holiday crowds and be the first to take advantage of our incredible after-Thanksgiving specials. You will save an additional 10% or more* on almost everything we sell. Use the Find a Store feature on Sears.com to locate the stores nearest to you.

Here are some of the great offers* available that night:

§ 10% VIP savings on regular, sale and clearance prices

§ 15% VIP savings on all women's, men's and kids' apparel plus footwear and fine jewelry

§ 20% VIP savings on all outerwear

§ 20% on all Kenmore appliances plus your 10% VIP savings

§ 40% to 70% on all fine jewelry plus your 15% VIP savings

§ 10% savings on home theater purchases over $999 plus your 5% VIP savings (all TVs, cameras and camcorders receive a 5% VIP savings)

§ 10% VIP savings on Protection Agreements and product installation

§ 15% VIP savings on all Lands' End merchandise in Sears retail stores (20% on Lands' End outerwear in Sears retail stores)

§ 10%, 15% and 20% VIP savings are available at Sears.com from 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 through 6 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 17

No passes or coupons are required to enjoy the event savings. Invitations and the advertising circular can be found at www.sears.com/vip. So head to your local Sears store or Sears.com for this special event and invite your family and friends to do so as well.

*Some exclusions apply. See store for details or visit www.sears.com/vip for more information. Excludes Outlet stores.

Enjoy,

Pillar To Post

Calling Joe the Plumber!

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:24:17 -0600

During an inspection today I was running the water in a newly remodeled bathroom. The water was backing up in the sink and when I looked under it to see what was going on this is what I found.

The second picture is what a normal trap would look like. What one do you think would allow water to move through easier? I'm sure "Harry Home Owner" was real proud of his "Weekend Warrior" plumbing project after his 1hr clinic at the local Home Depot. "Honey! It's working fine. No leaks!" When in doubt call a professional. Plumbers need work too. Think of all the free time you could have. A job that would take Joe the Plumber 15 minutes probably took Harry half the day.

Have A Great Weekend!

History of the Women's Council of Realtors

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:59:48 -0600

History of Women's Council

Early Years
In the 1930s, the National Association of Real Estate Boards (the predecessor of NAR) witnessed a growth of women working in real estate and an increased participation of women at national conventions, as women were becoming aware of their potential in and importance to the industry.

A Women's Division had already been created in 1924 by the California Real Estate Association. Fourteen years later, 1938 National President Joseph Catherine encouraged the formation of a national Women's Council after being impressed by the California group.

At the time, NAR was already 30 years old, but most decisions were still made by local boards-most of which were resistant to offering membership to women. However, the National Association was ready to recognize women in real estate, and a positive vote resulted in the formation of a women's division at the Annual Convention in Milwaukee in November 1938. Thirty-seven ambitious women represented nine states at that meeting for WCR's inception.

Since its inception, many dedicated members have served as role models and achieved many "firsts" in the industry and in their communities. Through the decades, WCR's membership growth reflected the vast number of women choosing to work in real estate as they recognized the immense career benefits combined with a WCR membership, including:

Earnings equitable to men's because "commission is commission."
Flexible work schedules allowing REALTORS® the ability to raise a family and have a career instead of choosing one or the other.
A support system of women in the same field garnering many friendships, networking capabilities and referrals.
Confidence through connection with other professional women REALTORS®.
Recognition for their own achievements and success, as well as inspiration and courage to strive for greater successes.

Click here for an excerpt about Women's Council's early years from Jeffrey M. Hornstein's book A Nation of REALTORS®.

Women's Council Today
Today Women's Council is a nationwide community of 18,000 real estate professionals who include many of the best and brightest in the business. The backbone of WCR is its network of more than 300 local and state chapters with volunteer managers trained to position their groups as a business resource in their REALTOR® communities.

In 1998, WCR created an annual Leadership Academy for incoming local chapter presidents (adding state presidents-elect in 2006). With its in-depth chapter management training, the Academy was recognized with the prestigious Leadership Development Trophy in Chapter Relations from the American Society of Association Executives in its first year. With regular networking and educational programs delivered at the local chapter level, which are designed to keep members on top of an evolving market, it's small wonder that WCR members collectively generate more than $100 million in commissions annually.

At WCR we are never standing still. That's why in 2003 we launched an entirely new REALTOR® designation, the Performance Management Network. The first course in the new curriculum, Effective Negotiating for Real Estate Professionals, premiered with a record-breaking 330 students-the most highly attended initial offering of any WCR course to date. The designation program combines WCR's thriving referral network with new courses that address the hot topics that are shaping real estate, like effective negotiating, conflict and change management, networking to generate referrals and more.

Today, WCR is the twelfth largest U.S. women's professional organization and has one of the most successful communication networks in the NAR family. Chapters include real estate professionals who support the objectives of WCR and are interested in serving the industry, the community and fellow REALTORS®. For more on WCR's membership benefits, please click here.

History of the Women's Council of Realtors

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:17:09 -0600

History of Women's Council

Earnings equitable to men's because "commission is commission."
Flexible work schedules allowing REALTORS® the ability to raise a family and have a career instead of choosing one or the other.
A support system of women in the same field garnering many friendships, networking capabilities and referrals.
Confidence through connection with other professional women REALTORS®.
Recognition for their own achievements and success, as well as inspiration and courage to strive for greater successes.

Click here for an excerpt about Women's Council's early years from Jeffrey M. Hornstein's book A Nation of REALTORS®.

Cool Closet Doors

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:15:11 -0600

I was doing an inspection a while back in Fauntleroy & I ran into these woven closet doors. They were simply the most gorgeous closet doors that I've ever seen. The home was built in 1932 & my best guess that these are the originals. These would cost a fortune to make today. (I'm sure they were hand made) I told the client I was going to make her closet door famous! If anyone has seen doors similar to these?

Front View

Side View

4 Door Woven Closet

Oops! Marketing Manager.....Your Fired!

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:53:25 -0500

(This is a real picture. No photo shop or editing was done.) I'm just starting my getting into the world of blog and was going through some of my old pictures and ran into this one. I took this one back in August. Could this be reverse psychology marketing? Guess it could...The sign lasted about 2 weeks or so and was never seen again. "Huge Price Decrease" Might have sold more homes, but those pictures are a dime a dozen. Enjoy

Coolest Closet Doors I've Seen!

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:43:07 -0500

I was doing an inspection today in Fauntleroy & I ran into these woven closet doors. They were simply the most gorgeous closet doors that I've ever seen. The home was built in 1932 & my best guess that these are the originals. These would cost a fortune to make today. (I'm sure they were hand made) I told the client I was going to make her closet door famous! If anyone has seen doors similar to these or knows if anyone manufactures anything close to this I would love to hear from you.

Front View

Side View

4 Door Woven Closet

Helpful Tips & Information

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:10:34 -0500

Pillar To Post welcomes your comments and concerns. You can contact us: Click Here

MOTIVATION

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to "get lucky" and attract all the success and good things they want and others seem to have the worst luck bumping up against obstacle after obstacle?

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

SAFETY SENSE

DUST-FREE FANS
Want to guarantee dust-free breezes through your house? Clean all your fans the expert way and cut down on allergy symptoms.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

HOUSE HINTS

WELCOME FALL
These easy, affordable touches will cozy up your home for the cooler days and longer nights ahead.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

RELAXATION TIME

SECURE YOUR HOME FOR LESS
You don't have to break the bank to make your home more secure. There are low-cost tricks that can give you high security.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

INSPECTION INSIGHTS

60 AMP ELECTRICAL SERVICE
Many insurance companies across North America now consider homes with 60 amp services to be unsafe and inadequate.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

COMMUNICATIONS

PROBLEM SOLVER
Reveal your personal problem solving style.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

WINDOW TO REALITY

NEW USES FOR ALUMINIUM FOIL
Protect your doorknobs. Painting? Wrap foil around doorknobs to prevent splatter - its much easier than tape!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

HOUSEWATCH MAINTENANCE

WARNING SIGNS OF UNSAFE ALUMINUM WIRING

unusually warm or warped outlets and switch cover plates
smoke or sparks coming from receptacles and switches

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

Serving the home buyer, home seller, homeowner and real estate professionals across North America.

Scott Baker
(866) 532-8989

Galvanized Pipes

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:23:41 -0500

Galvanized piping- steel pipe coated with zinc to resist corrosion, has a dull silver or gray color and is threaded to other joints or appliances. the connection between galvanized pipe and copper pipe should have a dielectric coupler (brass connector) to prevent electrolysis or galvanic action that corrodes the pipe. Galvanized pipes rust from the inside out. Here are some tips and signs about galvanized pipes if you don't feel like crawling under your home to take a peek.

Problems Associated With Galvanized Piping:

It leaks at the joint connections because it is thinner at the threaded connections.

As the pipe wears, rust accumulates on the inside resulting in the restricted water flow.

Water may appear brownish,due to a build-up of rust inside the pipe(this will clear up after flowing water for a few seconds) You also may find staining in bathroom & kitchen sinks also in tubs or showers. Low water pressure may also be a sign of galvanized pipes becoming blocked with rust. (see picture)

Galvanized pipe corrodes more quickly when it comes in direct contact with copper; dielectric couplers are special connectors to prevent galvanic action or electrolysis.

It is subject to fractures more so than copper.

Trouble Selling Your Home? Try a Pre-Listing Inspection.

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:08:14 -0500

PRE LISTING HOME INSPECTIONS

WHY GET A PRE-LISTING HOME INSPECTION?

A home inspection is most commonly done when a buyer is in the offering phase of the sales transaction. But it can also be an excellent idea for the seller to have a home inspected prior to listing their property. With a pre-listing home inspection, your sellers will learn upfront about previously unknown problems or potential upgrades, allowing them the opportunity to make repairs or replace items as needed. By addressing these issues before the home goes on the market, the homeowner can list their home with confidence in its condition and can have a better chance of maximizing its value. Being aware of issues in advance will also allow for disclosure of problems when selling, which can result in cleaner offers and a smoother transaction for both parties.

THE PILLAR TO POST® ADVANTAGE

The Pillar To Post Inspection Report is generated on site at the completion of the inspection, so your client won't even have to wait for the results.
If "Feature Sheets" with a summary of the inspection results together with photographs are required, these can be supplied within a few days at an additional cost.
Our inspection reports are also available on line from the Pillar To Post web site, providing easy access for clients out of the area.
All Pillar To Post home inspectors are required to carry E&O insurance - which protects the referring agent against potential legal claims brought by a client as a result of the referral.

As North America's leading home inspection company^TM Pillar To Post is committed to provide the highest quality service to real estate professionals and their clients. You can always refer Pillar To Post to your sellers with confidence that their pre-listing inspection will be thorough, unbiased, and professionally conducted.