Thomas's Blog

The importance of third party verification

2008-06-13T11:33:27Z

I wanted to take a few minutes and speak about the importance of third party verification in two specific areas.

Obtaining permits for work performed (basement finishing, roofing, furnace installation, etc.) - many of the inspections I have conducted throughout the last few years are riddled with homeowner repairs and installations. I am well aware that I am paid to be the bearer of bad news, however an outstanding real estate agent will help prep their client and let them know how important it is that large scale projects are completed correctly and safely. Homeowners might have the know-how and skill to finish their own basement, however without the independant verification from the county code enforcement there is no verification that plumbing joints were done correcly, plumbing vents were added as necessary, electrical wires were routed correctly, etc. The list is seemingly endless. If a large scale project was not permitted, expect your inspector to call the sellers on it. The implications are many but some of the larger ones are insurance issues and the possible costs of obtaining a retro active permit.

When it comes to repairs made, based on deficiencies identified by a home inspector, the seller needs to either provide a receipt for the completed work or compensating the buyer by adjusting the price of the home. I am by no means a Realtor, nor do I want the job - I refuse to step on the toes of my client's agent. Not my job. Although I will be candid with my clients and let them know what they are up against. All too often I have seen sellers have their cousin vinny (who has the time life book series on how to wire a bird house) come down and fix the double tapped breakers in their panel. Not only does this lack professional accountability if something goes wrong, but the sellers should have a warm and safe house to move into.

My advice to the real estate community is to let buyers know that a good inspector will most likely be able to identify installations and repairs that were not professionally performed. If things weren't done correctly, someone should pay to bring the situation back up to par. The buyers deserve it!

Happy hunting! As always, please feel free to call me if you have any questions or concerns!

Regards,

Tom, Pillar To Post

Some of my favorite quotes from the Russian greats -

2008-06-13T11:15:03Z

Do not pursue what is illusory - property and position: all that is gained at the expense of your nerves decade after decade and can be confiscated in one fell night. Live with a steady superiority over life - don't be afraid of misfortune, and do not yearn after happiness; it is after all, all the same: the bitter doesn't last forever, and the sweet never fills the cup to overflowing.

- Aleksander Solzhenitsyn

Love all of God's creation, the whole of it and every grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of God's light! Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will soon perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.

- Fyodor Dostoevsky

Believe me, my dear fellow, that so long as people refuse to give up everything for the sake of which they attack and devour each other on earth, that so long as they refuse to think of putting their spiritual fortune in order, there will be no fair distribution of earthly fortunes, either.

- Nikolai Gogol

How to be an eco-friendly traveler

2008-06-13T10:58:16Z

Some great ideas and tips on how to be a smart "eco-traveler"

1. Pack lightly - even ten extra pounds per passenger requires a significant increase of fuel use for a plane.

2. Plan your trip paperlessly - Travel guides, maps, and even boarding passes are now available for download. Lonley Planet's "Pick & Mix Chapters" let readers buy only the information they need and Rough Guides offers "iToors" for iPods.

3. Reuse linens - By telling hotel staff to skip changing your sheets and towels, you can help save up to 30 gallons of water per day!

4. Don't waste toiletries - Many hotels throw away old soaps and shampoos, if even used only once (thankfully!) Preferably pack your own toiletries or take the left overs with you when you check out.

5. Think like a native - Do your best to enjoy the local cuisine, drink the water (unless in Mexico!) and use public transportation to really explore your vacation destination. (Source: Real Simple Travel)

I spent six weeks in Budapest, Hungary this past October and November and it would have been so easy to get a cab everywhere. We opted for the bus/tram pass that was only $35/month (for unlimited city transit via bus, tram, and train!) and really got the chance to experience all that Budapest has to offer!

Opt to be a bit uncomforatble and you might be suprised how much more you see!

Regards,

Tom

Pillar To Post ePostnotes for May 2008

2008-05-29T10:24:39Z

Pillar To Post: ePostNotes Email - March 2008

MOTIVATION

THE INTEGRITY SECRET
When asked what the purpose of being in business is, what do you think most people would say? I would guess that almost everyone would answer that the purpose of being in business is to make money.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

SAFETY SENSE

A LUSH GREEN LAWN
A lush green lawn is a must-have for most homeowners, but many believe that the use of pesticide and weed eater is the only way to achieve this goal.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

HOUSE HINTS

AN ATTRACTIVE YARD FOR LESS
Beautifying your yard can increase the value of your home by up to twenty percent.

Here are some of the most affordable ways to do it.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

RELAXATION TIME

LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION.
These are the three most important factors to consider when shopping for a home.

The whole subject of location is a personal choice.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

INSPECTION INSIGHTS

RAILINGS | GUARDS
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention) estimates that 40% of all unintentional deaths around the home are due to falls.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

COMMUNICATIONS

SPRING CLEANING!
Match your cleaning strategy to your personality for better results!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

WINDOW TO REALITY

KEEP YOUR KITCHEN GERM-FREE
Air-dry Dishrags
Bacteria can't survive without moisture, so let dishrags dry completely between uses.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE >>

HOUSEWATCH
MAINTENANCE

WATCH GUIDE: SAFE RAILINGS AND GUARDS
Guards that incorporate climbable elements are not ideal. An example is a bench built into guard or horizontal slats between the spindles on the guard.

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.

Residential and Commercial building inspections. Full line of Indoor Air Quality and mold testing available. Radon gas testing and EDR Environmental Reports. Home Energy Tune-uP Surveys, Water Quality Testing, and EDI Certified EIFS/Stucco Inspections!

(303) 337-6713

You can always update your email preferences or unsubscribe at anytime by replying to this email.

Concerned about Privacy? Don't be. We never sell or share your personal information.

Spring Clean Your Sinuses!

2008-05-29T09:43:13Z

This is the time of year when sinus problems hit their peak. What can you do about it without getting on some type of prescription medication with who knows what side effects?

Take Cover! Save yourself from allergy season by encasing your mattress, box springs, and pillows in “allergen-proof covers.”

Keep your house hydrated! The humidity level in your home should always stay under 50% - use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to lower and maintain the moisture level in your home for maximum benefit. For many of us who call Colorado home this isn't a problem at all

Suck it up! The benefits of vacuuming once a week are numerous. High efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters are best at “trapping particulate” and picking up dust, dust mites, and pet dander – all things that can seriously aggravate your sinuses.

Turn on the heat! When it is time to do your laundry, wash all of your drapery, throw rugs, bedding, and clothing in “very hot” (140F or higher) water. If you are concerned about the extreme temperatures, add an extra rinse cycle instead.

If the sneezing doesn’t stop, try a high-quality portable or whole-house air cleaner which helps remove fine particulates like dust mite droppings, pet dander, and sometimes even pollen from the indoor air.

Source: Shop Smart

Indoor Environment Connections - ABC Takes Extreme Approach to Radon Reduction

2008-05-29T09:12:28Z

(This article was found in the May 2008 issue of "Indoor Environment Connections" and can be viewed at http://www.ieconnections.com)

Douglas Kladder
Director, Center for Environmental Research & Training
Colorado Springs, Colorado

“Fire in the hole” is not an expression commonly used by radon mitigation contractors, but was one shouted out by Ty Pennington of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” moments before over a hundred sticks of dynamite blew a Cheyenne, Wyoming home sky high. Why was the home blown up? As indicated during the November 4, 2007 airing of the program, it was because the family was being poisoned by the presence of radon gas.

For those who read this column and are not intimately involved with radon, let me point out that C-4, nitroglycerine or even wrecking balls are not normal tools of the radon mitigation trade. There are less drastic approaches available to the mitigation contractor than tearing a home down and starting over. In fact, qualified radon contractors would advise a homeowner that, if a home was demolished and a new one constructed in its place, the radon gas source would remain since it typically comes from the underlying geology or soil. On the other hand, control measures that would reduce indoor radon levels could certainly be incorporated and presumably were so during the reconstruction of the home as part of ABC’s involvement.

Radon Experts Wave Flags
Both before and after the program, a number of radon industry folks posted blogs about how easy it would be to fi x this home for a few thousand dollars. Officials from both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Wyoming, fearing the public might over-react, were quick to point out that “radon problems can be taken care of without resorting to the detonation button.” (Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Aug. 22, 2007)

Although it is true that homes can be fixed fairly easily, including earthberm homes as this particular property was, it sure doesn’t make for interesting TV. I can hardly imagine a radon program, showing the breathtaking details of a concrete slab being cored or a four-inch pipe being routed up through the roof, would capture a number 11 spot on the Nielson ratings for the week the program was aired. Let’s face it: The show’s name contains the word “extreme” and I suspect most seasoned viewers, after 100 episodes of the show in which homes are destroyed, understand that such approaches are more theatrical than necessary.

On the other hand, viewers of reality programs produced by major networks who also
bring us national news might expect some reliable facts being presented, especially when it may impact the viewers directly. After all, according to the EPA, 6 percent of all U.S. homes are believed to have elevated radon levels similar to the one that was the subject of this program, which means a lot of viewers could either be dealing with radon or will be dealing with radon sometime in their future.

Fact or Fiction?
Apart from the obvious unnecessary demolition of the property, there were several portions of the program that bear discussion, especially for those who might mistakenly view programs such as this as vehicles of unequivocal truth.

Radon Exacerbating Asthma
Early in the program, it was indicated that the children’s asthma condition had worsened after the family had moved into the home. This apparently had developed to the point that the young daughter could no longer play the clarinet and the son had to curtail his soccer activities.

Radon is a chemically inert gas and has no interaction with the body that would trigger respiratory distress, such as worsened asthma. It does, however, break down into radon decay products that can enter the lungs and irradiate the lung tissue. However, even this undesirable interaction does not cause any immediate effects, such as triggering asthma attacks. This fact was echoed by Cornelia Maes of Region 8 EPA, when she was quoted in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle – “It is not possible that radon is making the family sick.”

This is not to say the radon shouldn’t be reduced. In fact, reducing radon in the home
would reduce the potential for developing radon-induced lung cancer for both the children and parents. So being concerned about radon is good, but not likely the cause of increased asthmatic stress.

There are a number of conditions that can trigger asthma attacks – mold, dust, VOCs, cockroaches, pet dander, etc. Without more exhaustive air sampling than what was revealed on the program, it would be irresponsible to suggest any one of these triggers as being responsible. However, during the program it was apparent that the family was generous enough to take in a variety of homeless animals. In fact, one of the goals of the makeover of their home was to provide an indoor area where the family could care for animals. Although it cannot be stated unequivocally that the presence of animals was a cause of the children’s asthma attacks, it is well known that animal dander can exacerbate asthma. I can only hope the designers of the new home took this into account, or the owners may need to acquire a new batch of dynamite.

Radon as a Poisonous Gas
Although, for the most part, the show’s script writers got it right. Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from the soil and can cause lung cancer. However, Ty Pennington’s characterization of radon as a poisonous gas may be a bit of a stretch. The effects of radon are chronic, requiring long duration of exposure when exposure levels are relatively low, rather than acute, in which the lethal effect is more immediate.

On the other hand, Webster’s Dictionary defines poisonous as “capable of injuring or killing by or as by poison; containing or having the effects of a poison” with no indication as to the time period necessary for the effects of the poison to be seen. Radon is considered to be a Group A carcinogen that causes lung cancer. Lung cancer is considered fatal. So perhaps ABC got it right and the reluctance of public health officials to scare the public has not properly characterized radon as it should be – as a slow-acting poison.

What Was Done to the Home?
As I watched the program, I was expecting to see some details on what was done during construction to reduce the radon concern. After all, elevated radon was the primary reason put forth for the makeover and logically one would expect a little discussion about the methodology for averting the presence of this “poison.” What I did see was an approximately 10-second shot of some gravel in what appeared to be a crawlspace or the subgrade before a slab was poured, a free edge of polyethylene and a perforated, rigid pipe. Pennington also indicated that a pipe would vent the soil gas to the roof.

Based on this brief comment, one might assume that this was a passive radon system in which a perforated pipe is laid under a vapor barrier and connected to a vertical run of PVC pipe that would exit out the roof. However, other specifics were not provided, such as how the plastic or concrete slab was sealed, or if an active fan was installed to depressurize the sub grade, or even if the property was tested after completion to determine if additional measures, such as a powered exhaust, were needed to adequately reduce the radon.

In attempting to obtain more specifics on what was done, e-mails and phone calls were made to individuals involved in the project. Unfortunately, e-mails to the architectural firm that designed the new home have gone unanswered. An e-mail response from the builder indicated that they were unaware of what was done as this was the responsibility of the mechanical contractor. Subsequent e-mails and phone calls to the mechanical contractor have also yielded no additional information as personnel have forwarded the requests to the owner, who as of this date has not returned repeated phone calls or emails.

We would like to think that a proper mitigation system was installed in this property. However, based on the reluctance of those involved to share details or return phone calls, there may be cause for doubt.

A concern for a proper system exists not only for the occupants of the property but also for ABC, whose liability and credibility could be at risk. This is especially true in light of Ty Pennington’s statement to the occupants after the project was completed, that there is a system that “seals away any radon gas,” implying their home is now radon-free. First, those in the industry know that reducing radon to zero is impossible since there is measurable radon even in the ambient air. Furthermore, the only means to gauge the success of a system is to conduct a radon measurement after the home is completed. Since post-construction radon testing, or results that would have come from testing, was not discussed on the program, there may also be some doubt if this simple verification procedure was performed.

The airing of this show was probably a good thing for public awareness. Sure, blowing up the house may have been extreme, but what mitigator hasn’t had a difficult house that he/she would have preferred using a little dynamite to resolve? Sure, there may have been a few exaggerations or conveniences used to create viewer empathy when connecting sick children to radon. Many radon professionals can probably overlook these exaggerations for the sake of entertainment. But what is of perhaps a larger concern is whether the system was correctly installed and effective. Otherwise, the occupants will continue to live in a home with elevated levels of a gas that is indeed cancer-causing with a false sense of security imparted to them by both ABC and the contractors involved. We urge ABC, the builders and especially the occupants to retest this home to fully determine if the radon levels have truly been reduced and, if not, to take positive steps to fully reduce it through qualified mitigation professionals.
As always, who says there is nothing new in radon?

Douglas Kladder is director of the Center for Environmental Research and Technology Inc. He can be reached by e-mail at dougkladdr@aol.com or by phone at (719) 477-1714.

Staging your home for sale

2008-05-27T11:18:00Z

Brighten Up Your Living Space in Winter

STAGING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Selling your home? Beyond the basics of completing needed repairs and addressing any issues revealed in your pre-listing home inspection, it’s also important to consider the effect your home’s appearance will have on prospective buyers. “Staging” a home should be thought of as creating an appealing but neutral space that will allow buyers to see the potential of your home. Naturally, it’s difficult to look at your own home objectively; it’s yours, after all. So consider enlisting a friend to help you evaluate your space, or you may wish to hire a professional home stager to make your home the star of the show.

Here are some tricks to consider:

Staging is more about subtraction than addition. A room stuffed full of furniture will looked small, crowded, and difficult to move around in. Ideally, only the basic furniture should remain in order to highlight the size of each room.
Get rid of clutter! Pack up your everyday items on table and dresser surfaces, knickknacks, magazines, electronics, etc. You want buyers to focus on your home, not on your “stuff”.
Remove personal items from view. While of course you love displaying your family’s photos and cherished mementos, they are a distraction for potential buyers. A buyer wants to be able to see themselves in the home and not feel as though they’re in someone else’s space.
Take everything off the kitchen counters and display a few cookbooks and a beautiful glass bowl of lemons instead. A bouquet of flowers – real or silk – on the dining table is a nice touch.
In bathrooms, get all of the clutter off the countertops and sink area. A few fluffy towels and attractive soaps can provide that “spa” feeling with minimal cost.
Be sure walls and flooring are clean and maintained. Paint any rooms where the walls are in bad shape as well as any that have strong, “polarizing” colors. A potential buyer might find your red dining room and the purple in your teen’s bedroom a real turnoff.
Have the exterior painted if its condition warrants improvement. As with interior paint, neutral colors work best.
A few large potted houseplants can soften a room and make it feel friendly and fresh.
Don’t forget the curb appeal of landscaping. Trim any overgrown bushes that may be blocking windows or walkways and remove any weeds. A few dollars’ worth of bright flowering plants can be charming when planted by a walkway, doorway, and mailbox.

Your local Pillar To Post office looks forward to serving homeowners and real estate professionals all year round.

Thomas Recke
303-337-6713
thomas.recke@pillartopost.com
www.pillartopost.com/aurora

If you would not like to receive any further information emails from Pillar To Post please click here to UNSUBSCRIBE .

High gas prices got you down?

2008-05-09T23:41:59Z

I have come across a small list of powerful websites that will help you in this gas crunch:

1) www.gasprices.mapquest.com -- this site lets you search for the lowest prices of gas, diesel, and E85. Other good info found at this site is a road trip gas calculator.

2) www.gaspricewatch.com -- this site actually tracks prices with a LIVE feed and works with over 163,000 voulenteer drivers who maintain a database of more than 127,000 gas stations nationwide!

3) www.gasbuddy.com -- this website will help you locate gas stations in your area. Also found at this site are tools to track the lowest average gas prices by both city and state in addition to charting changes in gas prices from yesterday to over one year ago.

4) www.aaa.com -- this website is organized by zip code and will offer a customized fuel savings guide tailored to your location

I know gas prices have become a huge factor in where I go and what I do. I believe that making smart trips is something we can all do to contribute!

Best wishes to each of you.

-Tom

A Few Simple Ideas To Help Avoid Identity Theft...

2008-05-04T12:10:00Z

I have been finding info about avoiding Identity Theft in many different sources and I think these points do a great job of tightening up the laces so-to-speak to keep yourself out of trouble:

1. Get your Credit Report. A credit report can be obtained free, each calendar year, from all three credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian) at http://www.annualcreditreport.com By employing credit report requests every quarter will give a significant leg up on noticing suspicious activity with any of your accounts. By law you are entitled to your own credit report (although not the FICO score, those sneaky companies) once per year at no charge to you.

2. Only carry what you need. When you go shopping, especially around holiday seasons, limit the credit cards you carry to only one or two.

3. Regularly refresh your pin codes. This is critical because MANY of us tend to pick one pin for all of our cards, on top of that when was the last time you changed your pin? I'm just as guilty as the rest but having a logical system of pin generation and trying to keep them "fresh" (no worries, only changing them once or twice a year is better than nothing!) will help you get complacent. Also, you can strengthen passwords and pins by making them at least six to eight characters and mixing numbers, letters, and symbols.

4. Stick with what you know and only use ATM machines that you are familiar with. Believe it or not there are a healthy amount of fraudulent ATM machines out there that exist only to electronically "scrape" your card's data!

5. Protect your computer before shopping online or downloading software through the internet. You should ensure you have SOME type of anti-virus software installed and make sure you keep the virus list up-to-date. One outstanding anti-spyware program that I use can be checked out here: http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html

6. Photocopy your credit cards and ID cards and keep the images in a SAFE place. Most "if this card is stolen, call this number..." are printed ON the card. If you loose it or the card is stolen you're up the creek without a paddle. By taking images of all your cards you will have not only the numbers, security codes, but also the 800 number to your card's fraud department.

I hope this helps!

Opt Out Websites!

2008-04-29T10:01:28Z

Good morning All,

I recently came across a few websites in "The Week" which will assist you in pulling your name off of mailing lists in addition to adding your info to a national "Do Not Mail" list. For what it's worth, it might be worth checking them out. Even if it keeps one solicitor away!

ALL but one are FREE (the last one charges you just 1$) and you can REMOVE your name from JUNK mail lists!!!
1. http://www.optoutprescreen.com
2. http://www.catalogchoice.org
3. http://www.dmaconsumers.org

Environmental Issues in Residential Home Buying

2008-04-22T10:24:20Z

Homebuyers are increasingly considering environmental hazards that may exist on or near a property as an important factor in their final purchasing decision. One example; Arapahoe County’s Lowry Landfill Superfund Site, 15 miles southeast of the City and County of Denver and two miles east of Aurora, Colorado, is on the EPA’s Superfund list and is currently undergoing remediation. The contamination was caused by the disposal of both industrial waste (solid and liquid) and municipal solid waste that dates back to the mid 1960s. Although it has been known as a contaminated site since 1990, the disclosure of its existence to a homebuyer is not required.

It is not just commercial sites causing problems; “Meth labs”, leaking storage tanks or other previous activity on a residential property can create issues for uninformed sellers and buyers. Consider the case of the Long Beach, CA, resident who discovered that the soil in the backyard of his newly bought home was contaminated with petrochemicals from an underground tank buried near his garage. He is now legally responsible for its cleanup. Estimated cost: $34,000 to $525,000 for the worst-case scenario. To complicate matters even more, now that he knows of the contamination, by law, he must disclose the issue to future buyers, which will almost definitely affect the resale value of his home.

National surveys of homebuyers across the country show that there is a growing trend. The bottom line is that homebuyers increasingly expect to have access to environmental hazard information pertaining to the property they are going to buy, and they expect to get this information from their home inspector or real estate agent. However, both professions typically do not provide environmental investigation or reporting, as it is a specialty outside their expertise.

In response to this trend, Environmental Data Resources (EDR), the nation’s leader in environmental information reports, will provide a solution to help Colorado real estate professionals, home sellers and home buyers alike. EDR has partnered with Pillar To Post^®, North America’s leading home inspection company, to offer a unique report tailored to the needs of the residential buyer. Since EDR has been providing environmental reporting services for commercial and industrial real estate transactions since 1991, no one is more qualified to provide this report. Each year, EDR generates over 650,000 environmental reports in support of commercial real estate transactions.

The EDR Neighborhood Environmental Report makes homebuyers and home owners aware of real or potential environmental issues on or near a property. It does this by providing information drawn from both government and proprietary records of environmental issues. EDR maintains the most comprehensive and up to date private collection of federal, state, local and tribal databases in the U.S. While based on EDR’s experience with accepted environmental reporting standards, the Neighborhood Environmental Report is formatted to provide information in a form understood by consumers. The report currently searches a neighborhood for known “meth lab” sites, leaking underground storage tanks, landfills or state hazardous waste disposal sites and Superfund sites, such as the Lowry Landfill Site, as well as potential contamination from industrial sites or farms and accidental spills.

It's important for real estate professionals to consider environmental hazards from a liability standpoint as well. Many lawsuits filed against real estate agents and brokers allege failure to disclose material property defects, and such defects can include environmental hazards. Not only do sellers and their agents have an obligation to disclose known hazards on a property, but also identify some issues that, while the seller may be unaware of them, could be considered common knowledge as they are found in databases of recorded environmental hazards. There is pending legislation in some states that will address these consumer protection issues to some degree. But to meet the desire by buyers for more complete information, EDR will help real estate professionals by using their experience with the commercial real estate marketplace to insure that the best, most relevant information is available for residential transactions.

The use of environmental disclosure reports is increasing to the point where it seems likely to become a mainstream, standard practice in residential real estate transactions in the near future. Not only are the risks and liability for the buyer and seller too significant to ignore, but, on the more positive side, disclosing this information can help instill confidence and assurance in a buyer's decision. Ultimately, environmental hazard reports will help real estate professionals give buyers the confidence they need to make a sound and wise investment.

Thomas Recke is the owner and operator of Pillar To Post^® Professional Home Inspection in Aurora, Colorado. To order an EDR Neighborhood Environmental Report, contact Thomas Recke at (303) 337-6713 or go to www.pillartopost.com/aurora/

Environmental Issues in Residential Home Buying

2008-04-22T10:23:22Z

Marketing and Vehicle Signage?

2008-04-14T09:16:41Z

This question is for all the real estate professionals out there: Does vehicle signage, brand affiliation, logos, etc. influence your decision of what home inspector you use? The reason I ask is simple, as home inspectors we have to keep our name and brand ever-present through vehicle lettering, branded shirts, branded inspection reports, etc. I for one spend a lot of money on my advertising, roughly ten percent of my yearly gross revenue is dedicated to advertising on some level.

I am about to make the leap and get my vehicle wrapped with our franchise logo and I want to see how well this is generally received among the real estate community. I am under the impression that a strong brand and logo that is simply everywhere leaves an image of permanence - something that is supposed to be valuable in this industry.

Your thoughts are very much appreciated.

Regards,

Tom

Below is what a fellow Pillar To Post franchise owner in Arvada - Thanks Scott for being my guinea pig!

The influence your inspector has on a transaction...

2008-04-13T16:58:41Z

With the somewhat tumultuous nature of the existing real estate market, a real estate professional needs to capitalize on everything in their tool belt to ensure a successful transaction. How do you make that happen? Some advice from the other side of the table; not the real estate professional, the buyer, but the home inspector.

A real estate professional that takes the bull by the horns, so to speak, will make the transaction smoother and increase the probability of a happy transaction for all parties involved. How do you ensure your client is well represented in the home inspection arena?

1. Attend the home inspection! Buyers want to know someone is going to hold their hand through the entire process. If you cannot make it to the inspection, at a minimum you should be there at the end of the inspection to go over the inspection report with the inspector. A thorough home inspection is a two-part system; the verbal aspect of the inspection findings and the written report. To see the entire picture, both halves must be understood!

2. Make sure your inspector is FULLY insured! In the last few years insurance premiums have gone up both with Errors and Omissions & General Liability. Most inclusive policies for professional full-time home inspectors will run around $3,500 for a single inspector firm to over $8,000 and up for a multi-inspector firm. If an inspector screws up, which happens from time to time, it is imperative that the inspector's policy has a "referring Realtor protection clause" which will limit the liability to the home inspector alone and no one else involved in the transaction. Premiums are a significant monthly expense - can you afford NOT to use an inspector who isn't fully insured?

3. National professional affiliation is critical. How do you know your inspector is going to be in business next year? How serious is success to the longevity of your inspector? These questions can be answered, in part, by professional affiliations. The largest and most respected home inspector organization is ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) followed by NAHI (National Association of Home Inspectors) - both organizations are not-for-profit and exist to maintain very high ethical standards within the home inspection industry. There are a few organizations that exist to make money and membership is sometimes as simple as writing a check. Both ASHI and NAHI require a comprehensive home inspection knowledge exam and an ethics exam.

4. Local professional affiliation is also critical. The Aurora Chamber of Commerce, the Aurora Association of Realtors, and the Denver Better Business Bureau - all organizations that increase accountability and legitimacy of a home inspection company. It's not always about what these professional organizations give to you, rather what you can give back to the community that supports you!

5. Professional appearance. Jeans, t-shirts, dirty car, etc. Home inspecting isn't a “job,” it is a profession where people are placing their trust in you that you will best represent their financial and personal interests. It is vital that your inspector dress the part and exceed everyone's expectations. Enough said.

6. Report generation protocol. The days of three form carbon copy reporting is dead and buried. Your inspector should be able to complete the report as he/she is conducting it, ideally with integrated digital photography. When your client is sitting at the supper table that night going over the report, they should understand what the issues identified are, specifically why they were identified, and what corrective measures are required to rectify the problem.

7. One-stop-shopping. Your inspector should be a jack of all trades, ready to perform any additional testing your client requires. Radon testing, water quality testing, indoor air quality testing, mold sampling (air and swab), EIFS/Stucco system evaluation, EDR Neighborhood environmental reporting, and Home Tune-uP Energy Surveys will make your life (and your paperwork) easier. The inspector never wants to be the guy everyone is waiting on.

8. Service is King. Your referrals are keeping the inspector and his family fed. Does his business and interaction with clients reflect this fact? This is self explanatory.

I sincerely hope my notes will help you to ensure you are getting your money’s worth with your inspector. If you are in the market for a new one or if your old one just retired, I am most certainly for hire and would be honored with your business. My contact information is as follows.

Thomas A. Recke

Pillar To Post

http://www.pillartopost.com/aurora

(303) 337-6713

thomas.recke@pillartopost.com

Mold MUST go!

2008-03-16T15:25:18Z

If your basement is musty, if there are black, green or purple blotches on or behind your walls and ceiling tile, or if there is any kind of growth thriving under your carpets or rugs, you are probably sharing your home with a colony of mold.

This is a potential health danger for your family and also a legal liability should you want to sell your home.

Because of fear over mold contamination there are so many lawsuits flying around today that sales of resale homes are in jeopardy in some jurisdictions and insurance companies are scrambling to avoid liability – with some U.S. insurers refusing to write any new homeowner policies.

Just how much of a health danger mold can be is currently being debated in courtrooms around the continent. But there’s little doubt that some people are quite sensitive to it. And there’s no doubt that there’s a lawyer poised to allege personal injury or property damage at the first whiff of a musty odor.

Even in healthy people, concentrations of mold can cause stuffy noses, irritated eyes, wheezing and skin rashes. More severe reactions include fever and shortness of breath. Persons with chronic illnesses or suppressed immune systems can develop mold infections in their lungs.

What exactly is mold? Molds are fungi, occur naturally and are found everywhere that moisture is present. As they grow they release spores that can be transported through the air, on people’s clothing or on pets. One inside a building they will grow if they encounter moist conditions and can latch onto organic materials that they use as a source of food.

The latter is easy, since homes are full of organic materials, including carpets, leather or upholstered furniture, wood, painted surfaces, wallpaper and even dust. The former is more common than most homeowners think: Moisture comes from leaking pipes, condensation from windows and doors, rain seeping through roofs or foundations, and clothes dryers that are not vented to the outside.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are six common household molds and half of them produce toxins. Since there’s no way simple way to distinguish one mold from another, all should be eliminated from homes as soon as possible.

Molds can be prevented and eliminated by removing the source of moisture. Once a home is dry and has ongoing humidity control and proper ventilation, new molds will not flourish and existing mold will go dormant.

If mold is found on non-porous elements it can be killed using a mixture of water and chlorine bleach. But contaminated absorbent materials such as insulation or ceiling tiles should be discarded.

It’s also wise practice not to store clothes or books (or anything packed in cardboard boxes) in rooms with poor ventilation or that are not air conditioned or at least dehumidified. Carpeting should not be installed directly on top of concrete floors, in areas that are frequently moist, such as bathrooms, or in areas where there is frequent condensation.

If homeowners fight mold on their own, they should wear protective gloves, glasses and a mask or respirator to prevent inhaling airborne spores. They can also eliminate some leaks and improve ventilation by installing and using exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens.

But it may take a professional such as a trained home inspector to determine the source of excessive moisture and know how to correct the problem. Poor grading, for instance, is a common cause of wet basements, the most popular room for molds to establish colonies.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like more information about mold and air sampling, indoor air quality, or occupancy clearance letters.

Thomas A. Recke

http://www.pillartopost.com/aurora

thomas.recke@pillartopost.com

(303) 337-6713

Four Common Homeowner Items To Repair

2008-03-04T16:05:06Z

Home Inspections Ensure You Know The House Inside And Out

The last thing a homebuyer wants to do is to discover any issues in the home after moving in, and the last thing a home seller wants is for an issue to appear before the sale. That's why it's so important for both buyers and sellers to have a home inspection. Simply put, the seller doesn't want a surprise he or she didn't even know about to come out that will stop the sale, and the buyer wants to make sure there are no costly repairs waiting.

Home inspections provide many positives and build a foundation of knowledge about a home and its systems that are stated in the Home Inspection Report-which contains a maintenance checklist.

"Homebuyers don't want to get a cold reception because of improperly sealed windows or a wet one because of a leaky roof," says Dan Steward, president of Pillar To Post, North America's leading provider of home inspection services. "Home inspectors check for these things. They also check furnaces, air-conditioning ducts, soot and creosote building in the chimney, crawl spaces and other hard-to-reach spaces," Steward adds.

Four Common Items To Repair:

1. If you discover the seals around sink fixtures and counter penetrations are disintegrating, that means water may be passing through and causing damage to the countertop or the underlying cabinetry. You may want to examine the seals visually, and test to see if the sink or fixtures feel loose. Repair or replace as needed.

2. Clogged filters and improper duct connections may become major fire hazards. You should check air filters for built-up grease and clean or replace as needed. Have a professional check the connections to determine if the model requires exterior exhaust.

3. Insufficient insulation in the attic can allow excessive heat loss (or gain, depending on the season) and drafts. If you suspect a problem, consult a professional to determine if additional insulation is needed and/or advisable.

4. Improperly sealed windows can allow moisture, wind and insects into the house. The caulking around windows should be checked and repaired or replaced as needed.

To learn more or to find out what other inspection services I offer, please feel free to visit my website at www.pillartopost.com/aurora or call me at (303) 337-6713

Radon Testing For Peace of Mind

2008-02-10T13:20:15Z

Radon Testing For Peace of Mind

By Thomas A. Recke

You wouldn’t live in a uranium mine or on top of a radioactive waste dump yet many homes across North America and Colorado are more dangerous than any of these places. And without a radon gas test you have no way of knowing if your client’s new house is one of them.

Most of Colorado is considered Zone 1 by the EPA, an area of “High Concentration.” To see the EPA map go to www.pillartopost.com/environmental-inspection-radon.aspx

Recent news stories continue to inform the public about this risk. A story November 13th on CW 2 News even noted that some recent studies indicate a possible link between our high Multiple Sclerosis rates in Colorado and high Radon levels. See cw2.com and click on the Unit 2 Consumer alert link.

Radon is a tasteless, odorless, colorless gas that is found everywhere and occurs naturally from the decay of uranium in the earth’s rocks and soil. When the gas decays further, some of its elements attach themselves to dust particles and lodge in our lungs. When these elements decay, they emit bursts of energy that can cause lung cancer.

Some 20,000 U.S. deaths a year are estimated from exposure to radon, the second highest cause of lung cancer behind smoking. More than ½ of Colorado’s homes are above the EPA’s action level including all of the Front Range and the Denver Metro area. If you are thinking that your client’s new neighborhood is not a concern, think again. Readings above 40, 60 and 80 pCi/L have been reported by Pillar To Post inspectors in Denver and surrounding areas along the front Range.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Colorado Department of Health, and the Surgeon General recommend radon testing, whether you are buying a home or just living in it. Most radon tests are conducted when a house is for sale, usually as a precaution by the buyer, but more and more homeowners are having tests just for their own peace of mind. In an effort to cut fuel costs and to be energy efficient, many homes are over insulated and one result is that small amounts of radon gas can accumulate and grow to unsafe levels.

A radon test is easy and relatively inexpensive -- many home inspectors conduct the test for around $100-$150 depending on whether the test is performed in combination with a full home inspection or as a stand alone test. Conducting the test and awaiting results can take just 2-3 days if you hire an inspector that uses a Continuous Radon Monitor. He can give you immediate results after the 48 hour minimum test period. But a clean bill of health (from reassuring test results or actions taken as a result of alarming results) can give you peace of mind for decades to come.

Almost all radon problems can be fixed without major expense. According to the EPA, 99% of high levels of radon can be solved for $800 to $3,500 -- comparable to having a hot water heater or furnace installed, or having the house professionally painted.

The conclusion is simple – just recommend a radon test for your client’s safety and for your own protection!

Thomas A. Recke owns the Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection franchise for the City of Aurora. Tom has over 3 years of professional home inspection experience with his company having performed hundreds of home inspections in the area. He regularly teaches continuing education classes for Realtors regarding home and home inspection topics with over 12 classes to choose from. His experience & knowledge regarding homes is invaluable as a Pillar To Post Certified Home Inspector. He can be reached by e-mail at thomas.recke@pillartopost.com, on the web at www.pillartopost.com/aurora, or by calling 303-337-6713.

Seven Warning Signs When Buying a Home

2008-02-05T14:38:36Z

Seven Warning Signs When Buying a Home

Most home buyers pride themselves on knowing how to spot a solid home or one that needs serious work.

Aside from the obvious warning signs, such as damp spots on walls or missing roof shingles--many homebuyers may remain unaware of serious yet hard-to-spot problems such as foundation damage.

What should you look for? Dan Steward, president of Pillar to Post, North America’s leading provider of home inspection services,(www.pillartopost.com) offers seven warning signs to heed when buying a home:

1. Water damage. Porous grout and cracks less than one sixteenth of an inch in a ceramic tiled shower can allow enough water through to do thousands of dollars of damage over time.

2. Improper wiring. This includes such situations as amateur (often dangerous) wiring, ungrounded receptacles, lack of ground fault circuit interrupters in wet locations, overloaded breakers, etc. The home buyer will be informed of the presence of aluminum wiring which was common in houses built in the 1960s and 1970s. These installations could be problematic and should be fully evaluated before closing the sale.

3. Attic issues. Home buyers almost never look in attics but inspectors always do, paying special attention to signs of roof leaks, missing support trusses, pest infestation, illegal venting, illegal electrical wiring, inadequate insulation, etc.

4. Chugging drains. Drains that "chug" like an upturned soda bottle or toilets that don't flush correctly could be signs that the plumbing system isn't adequately vented.

5. Roof damage. Eighty percent of new construction litigation is said to involve the roof. If the roof is bad, the rest of the house is in danger of damage too.

6. Heating and cooling systems danger. Gas-fired furnaces have the potential to introduce deadly carbon monoxide gas into the living area. If the gas company decides your furnace is unsafe prior to your move-in, they may lock it out and require replacement before turning on the gas to your new home.

7. Foundation problems. Flower beds planted too close to exterior walls could draw too much water to the home's foundation, causing damage. A damp basement might also be an indication that the foundation needs work-it's one of the most expensive home repairs around.

Before you buy, be sure that you are not going to be in the market for expensive home repairs down the road. The best way to be safe is to get a complete home inspection from a reputable and established company such as Pillar To Post.

For more tips on home buying, visit www.pillartopost.com/aurora/

Proudly serving Aurora, Watkins, Byers, Strasburg, Foxfield, Deer Trail, and Bennett Colorado.