Business success... from a gizmo or?

What about you, do you rely on the Internet or another technological gizmo to take the place of plain old hard work and service? I suppose we all do, to some extent, for me it's the extent part that I think is important to balance.

I think a few years ago, I thought having a good website with bells and whistles would generate an endless supply of customers calling and asking for my services..

So did everybody else.

What to do? Well, no one (especially a lowly home inspector like me) has all the answers. 

What did I do?? What I thought was this, if everybody is out there on the Internet, how can anyone stand out? This is the question that I asked myself... the answer is soo simple.

In today's day and age, if we as an industry or any business for that matter hasn't learned that CUSTOMER'S HAVE CHOICES, you will die a slow and miserable (proverbial of course) death as a service provider. I decided that:

• I will provide the best service possible and remember that my customer could have called anyone.
• I will continue to learn how to improve what I do and what my customer's needs are.
• I set balances between family time and work, but try to remember that it's usually pretty quick for me to answer a text or email, or send one if I can't or won't be able to call someone back right away.
• Deliver what is needed in a timely manner. Buyer's are nervous, time-frames are short... don't make people wait for days for a report or an email or...

Are Agents acting as a General Contractor when repairs are made?

As I'm around and about quite a bit.. I have seen a pattern of the agents "coordinating" repairs.. to the extent that I wonder if they are acting as a General Contractor.

The state that I'm in.. California, I'm nearly certain that they are. 

We have * a lot * of REO's that are being "fixed up"... Is the risk worth the reward?

Well then, what is the concern?

Well, quite frankly, depending on the area you live in... you could be violating the law or *even committing a crime*. Is is worth risking what you have worked for to gain the "approval" of the banks? Do agents really think that the banks will stand by you if you are stung? 

• Does the person in charge know if the folks helping are licensed? What are the implications if they are not?
• Do you know exactly what improvement require permits? What are the reprocussions if you don't obtain proper permits?
• And worse yet... what if someone gets hurt? Are *you* responsible? If the "helper/trade/sub contractor isn't licensed and the money is passing thru YOUR HANDS.. YOU MAY BE RESPONSIBLE 

I have asked a couple of agents that I know.. simply because I was concerned that they may not know what they are doing if they realized that they are throwing themselves under the bus... the responses have been (and incorrectly so)

• "I'm only the person paying them.. I have nothing else to do with it." <-- Wrong, if you are writing the checks... you're the BOSS!
• "It's the only way I can get the listings from the Asset Managers, if I don't get *everything* done, I'm less likely to keep getting listings" I'd have to ask... "Is it worth it?"

I was recently performing an inspection, when the client, who happens to be a property manager asked me "Tim, you should write an article on the pitfalls of some of these older homes people are buying in our neck of the woods". Curious, why this was brought up to me, I asked why. The property manager said he was really frustrated having to both manage and explain to his clients why. I don't write that many articles or Blogs, I hope that in my "rambling" I can help someone pick up a pointer or two that may save them or their client heartache or money: These thoughts or tips can be applied to Older or Newer Homes, or somewhere in between!

1. A complete re-pipe of the home is being quoted as part of a simple water heater replacement, as the plumber, for reasons of liability, doesn't want to touch the 40 year old original galvanized plumbing. A re-pipe is a complete replacement of the home's plumbing supply system. If you've been around a while, you've probably heard a plumber say something similar to "I'm not touching that old plumbing, it's just going to fall apart"
2. A call is made by the tenant, indicating that the toilets and bathtubs are clogged.... and the drain pipes from the home to the street are impacted with roots and in complete demise. One thing you can do as an Agent OR Buyer... is look at the Trees in the Front Yard!
   1. If it is a Tract Home - Is the tree in the Front Yard of the Home YOU ARE LOOKING AT much bigger than the other neighboring properties? If it appears that the trees were all planted at the same time, this could be cause for further review, think about it, is there waste or fresh water feeding the tree?
   2. With any home - Is there a large Tree in the front yard? Does it appear to be In-Line with the water line from the Water Meter at the curb to the home? Are there large roots at the surface? I've seen roots that were 4" or more, just sitting on the surface, depending on where you live, water supply lines and waste or drain lines can be impacted or damaged by tree roots.
3. He told me a story, the tenant called, the heater or furnace had stopped working. It was over 20 years old, the Heating and AC contractor didn't want to touch it. To make matters worse, the attached distribution system was insulated with asbestos-containing-materials. Materials cannot be deemed "Asbestos" without having been tested, but materials that are "known" to contain asbestos are generally called "Asbestos-Containing-Materials" or ACM, in the construction world. Here's a picture of this type of material, handy if you've never seen it. :Anyway, the Heating and Air contractor indicated that the: Ductwork, Heat Vent and furnace all needed replacement. He indicated this was estimated at over $6000 for Heat Only. I'm not sure what the outcome was or anything else, but, my thought was "Hopefully the investor/buyer already knew this".

I could go on, but I think you can get the point, older homes are both full of character and charmas well as their own liabilities. Sadly though, many of the older homes where I live in the Palmdale / Lancaster California Area are not very well taken care of. They are lived in and only fixed, and many times improperly when something breaks.

So what to do? The homes are going to be purchased either way, try to be informed of what you are getting into, is obviously the key.

I would encourage a professional home inspection... obviously as I'm a Home Inspector :-), the following items in my opinion, should be of special consideration if the home is over 50 years old.

1. Electrical - Older Homes can have specific electrical concerns, due to their age. What type of system is installed? Is it a Zinsco, Federal Pacific or other panels that can be both problematic or the client may even have a difficult time obtaining Home Owner's Insurance or similar. Here's a picture of a Zinsco Panel, if you have on of these get it evaluated by an Electrical Contractor who is familiar with Zinsco Panels, not all are. There are a couple of other items with Electrical Systems, such as Aluminum wiring, which was used in California in varying era's, but especially in the 60's and 70's. There are some differences with electrical wiring, some of the alloys in the electrical wiring. Electricians and Home Inspectors many times use a Sure Test Meter (although a Home Inspector is not required to use one, they are also VERY EXPENSIVE) when Aluminum wiring is present, to give the Client an overall"picture" of the wiring, when necessary in the inspector or electricians opinion, here is what my Sure Test meter looks like.  If inspected, ensure your home inspectoris qualified to perform such inspections. Or have an electrician review your system if you have Aluminum Wiring, Federal Pacific Stab Lok or Zinsco panels or any relevant condition that is discovered while you are inspecting the home or after you have moved in. To summarize, Grounding, wiring type and system or panel type are very relevant to the homes age and the Safety to the occupants.
2. Heat or Air Conditioning Systems - Older homes have specific concerns with their Heat and AC systems because of the type of materials, age of materials and other considerations.
3. New Rules are in place for Home that are Built before 1978, this affects Investment Property Owners and Contractors too http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovaterightbrochure.pdf. Take a look at the same link, only up to the "/lead" part as well.
4. Roofing - One of the things I see the most on older home's roofs are too many layers of roofing or a newer roof installed on moisture damaged materials. Unless you are experienced to recognize visual "pitfalls or safety and structural defects" of the framing and sheathing, don't walk on a roof. A poorly installed roof or a roof that is ready to be replaced can be a significant cost consideration. Be informed!
5. Codes or Building Standards - This is a topic of debate. Depending on the area you are in, Building Codes are generally going to affect Future Work. Meaning this, in general, building code is going to affect your home purchase on work that you will have performed on it. Most codes are not retroactive. There can be exceptions:
   1. Does the area you area are in require any updates or upgrades at the Point of Sale? Such as seismic bracing, low flush toilets etc.. an Experienced Real Estate agent or your Local Building and Safety department can give you a "Heads Up" on this information. I've been impressed several times by an experienced, local Real Estate agent giving a "run down" of locally required items to a buyer... I've also been sadly disappointed, we're all different and hopefully learning a bit more every day.
   2. Even something as simple as smoke detectors may not be "required" until a certain $ dollar amount of work has been done. Is this really a logical excuse not to install $30 -50 worth of smoke detectors that may save someones life. Smoke detectors and ground fault outlets are inexpensive and there is little logical reason not to have these important LIFE SAVING devices installed where they are required.

These are just some of the topics that can affect older homes, or any other home for that matter. I welcome your comments, complaints, suggestions, disagreements or contributions... they are all welcome.

Tim Spargo

Certified Inspector / General Contractor

Home Inspector in Palmdale Lancaster CA

A Palmdale, Lancaster and Southern California's Home Inspector's observations!

One of the things that I end up saying is "There's no perfect Home". What I mean is, there are no homes without defect! It's not the little one's that anybody worries about...

I perform quite a few, to say the least, Home Inspections in Palmdale CA, Lancaster, Santa Clarita along with other areas. Recently as well, I've actually been to a few homes that are being sold by someone living there. That's a surprise compared to the last year or so. Good sign for our market, I suppose.

Are there ways to "improve" the home inspection process... likely so!

• If you are selling a Home... keep the clutter down to a minimum if possible. If I can't look under a sink, a garage is so packed I can't open the side door, bathroom counters are so full that I can't see the counter top, I'm likely going to indicate that in the report, buyers may become worried that a seller is "hiding" something. Your home is lived in. That's fine, but help me help you!
• I'm going to find some things... not to worry. Here's the thing. Taking care of the obvious stuff can help us both. If at all possible, contact a Home Inspector for a Seller's Inspection. A good inspector can easily help you identify the obvious repairs needed and you can decide what you can or can't do. A defect on a Home Inspection Report is not going to be a surprise and I tell my clients that all the time. A lengthly inspection report may give the impression that your home is poorly cared for and deferred maintenance is always a concern.
• Pets!!! If at all possible.. maybe having the family dogs at a neighbor or friends home is a plus or a crate/carrier if possible. I've chased a few dogs and cats up and down the street as they've gotten out as I am going in and out of the home. Is it my fault... not really. I still try to catch them though. An inspection just the other day, I heard my client, the buyer saying "I'm not sure I realized how much the pet in the home bothered my allergies until today" Another concern or liability are BITES. In the last decade and longer I've been bitten a few times. Did I sue? No, but you, the seller may not be so lucky. Sadly enough, the last 2 times I've been bitten the Seller's Agent was at the inspection. Not really looking out for the Seller's best interest, I didn't think. I remember thinking when I arrived to the home "Is the Akita a great idea to have running loose during the inspection..?" Dogs of all shapes and sizes seem like they are afraid of people wearing tools.  Animals like me when I get there, by the time I am wearing some tools, it makes the dogs uncomfortable. Tape measure, flashlights and gadgets "dangling" in my pockets and such. It's their turf!
  
• If you are to do repairs prior to selling the home or having it inspected... that's great! But at the same time, some of the repairs that I have seen were blatent, poor attempts to cover up an obvious problem. I recently performed a roof inspection on a home that I was inspecting... the seller had paid someone to patch up a roof that needed replacement. Did the seller know the difference... who knows. But it was good money after bad.

I will post some more insights as I have time and look forward to helping my customers and colleagues where I can.

Tim Spargo - Home Inspector

Home Inspections Palmdale CA

Home Inspections Lancaster CA

Home Inspections Santa Clarita

I always inivite others to comment..

From my point of view there are several ways we can work together to provide the Client a Favorable Real Estate Purchase Experience!

I am mentioning a few things that I feel are important to enhance and better the overall experience for the client. I have gone over some of these with colleagues and thought I would put it out there:

• Email info for appointments back and forth between agents, inspector and client - Simple!
• Try to ensure that all expectations are met.... This sounds simple right? One simple thing like asking someone "What concerns do you have....?" You'd be surprised what you hear
• Be on time... I'm usually the first one there, I've found that I'm generally the only one who's not nervous, think about it. It took me awhile to realize that I'm the only one in the Home or Business that is not generally nervous about what's going on. I try to keep that in mind when dealing with the public, sometimes a small comment from anyone that is inappropriate can scare someone off.

The world of Home Inspections is always an interesting one.

Good Luck out there,

Tim Spargo

I'm writing this today as most of the purchases as we all know are foreclosures, or bank owned. Most views here are opinion and not really reflected as an inspector, especially on site.

I still see that the majority of my customers as a Home Inspector are investors, or people buying as a second property. Although, in May I did see a few more people buying for themselves.

As an inspector, I'm objective. That is to say that it's a home or business and I'm there to look at from an independent perspective. I DO keep my mouth shut from opinions that I may have and try not to interject much other than the task at hand. Which quite frankly, is less than I can say from some of my colleagues.

Anyway, I was at one the other day in the antelope valley and the customers main concern was simply whether or not FHA would approve the purchase or not. It's not my place to really say whether it will or not from my knowledge of prior loan programs, things change and can be dynamic. My concern and/or insight was simply that they were looking at a home that did need a fair amount of work and they admittedly didn't have much else by way of money besides what they are paying me and to close the transaction. My Inspection Pricesare quite fair, btw.... Does this put them in an awkward spot, moving into a home that needs a few things and they're not in a position to do much about it?

My first thought is, no... they are better off buying than renting. The benefit probably outweights the other concerns.

My second thought is, hopefully they have a "plan" to deal with deficiencies and such.

But DO people really? I hope so as it is indicative to a lot of the homes I've looked at recently displayed signs that the buyers (sadly) could never afford the home in the first place. I hope that along with even me personally being hit by some of the downturn in Real Estate that the lower prices will help my neighbors!!

In today's market I'm sure we are all seeing signs of deferred maintenance. Simple roof leaks that could have been fixed before damaging framing, drywall and other components. A simple leak in the drain under the sink that turned into damage to cabinets.. mold and whatever else.

As a Home Inspector, I see a lot of this. Homes that are in worse shape for their age. Newer homes that have been neglected almost from day one.

This raises the question, should most of the people who purchased the home originally have been there? What I mean is, there are certainly a lot of people in homes that were good "housekeepers" and ran into a bad situation. But, I've seen a lot of homes that looked like the occupants were in a struggle from day one.

With the "adjustment" that is going on, It is this persons wish that the next generation of homebuying takes into account what it takes to protect your investment in a home.In the antelope valley a good suggestion is to have a complet home inspection done to ensure objectivity

Tim Spargo

www.antelespec.com

I had a phone call today, someone was price shopping around and asked me a few questions. How long have you been in business, what is your background, are you certified and how much?

Pretty reasonable questions and seemed to know what he was looking for. I quoted a price, let him know that I had been doing inspections since the mid 90's and my background and so on...

He mentioned that the last person that he called said  "Don't bother calling around, I don't know of any inspectors that know what they are doing". I remarked that I was available, but, if I wasn't that I did in fact know of some other qualified people. He said he had mentioned it simply because it was a bit of a turn off.

This brings my point to a head, if you will. Do you sell yourself and try to let them know what you have to offer? Or, are falling victim to being negative and preying on other's shortcomings.

Just something to think about.

Tim

Did you know that most of the damage to our roofs come by way of hail here? And, over the last couple seasons that can add up to a bit of damage. Most of our leaks happen slowly on our homes and short of climbing up there, what to do?

Have a reputable roofer come and take look may be the first idea that comes to mind. Why not! If your roof is getting up there in age or you live in an area like we do in Colorado Springs, it's not a bad idea to have someone qualified to take a look!

As a matter of fact, when was the last time many of us actually had some of the most basic things looked at in our homes?

As mentioned, roofs are exposed to damage. Is the water pressure slowly creeping up as well and wearing some of the flush valves amongst other things prematurely? Has anyone looked at the electrical panel in the home since it was built? A lot of times as an inspector, I've found a number of things that people were very surprised about and had no idea that they needed to be taken care of.

As kind of a check up if you will, some inspectors will perform a basic inspection of properties that people have no intention of selling, just to make sure some of the major components are up to par.

I have done these and continue to do Basic inspections, I don't make very much at doing them. It does though, perform a service and I may meet that customer down the road for something else.

A Basic Check up from me is about $75.00 to look at the Roof, Plumbing, Roof and Heat/AC. An inspector in your area may do this as well. Not everyone has a program like that, but many do!

If I can be of service let me know,

Tim

http://www.antelespec.com

Maybe you are purchasing a home or maybe you are just walking around your home and a crack in the foundation has been called out or noticed.

What makes a crack in the foundation of concern? Lots of things, let's get started.

How big is the crack? Many times we look at the size of the crack in width. Generally a crack of 1/4" or more is worth being concerned about.

What age is the home? A 1/4" crack in a home 50+ years old depending on condition may not be as serious as a crack the same size in a home that is brand new..

Has it moved? A small crack that has not had adjoining material move in any direction is many times of not as much concern as a crack that has material to left and right or above and below that is no longer aligned.

Which direction does it go? Diagonal? Horizontal? Vertical? Diagonal? Generally we can discern as to the underlying condition and cause of crack by things such as this.

Is it uniform? For instance a crack that is larger at the top than the bottom could indicate some different underlying conditions such as settling or poor compaction.

Is it rather harmless crack near poor drainage? Situations like this could lead to moisture intrusion and may simply need to be sealed along with correcting poor drainage as well.

A good inspector can and should evaluate this for you to determine your individual situation. If further attention is needed, this information along with some suggestions should be provided to you.

This is just a quick primer into a rather complicated topic and is not meant to substitute expert analysis of your particular home or situation.