Rory Warren's (emswarren) Blog

Every home has some installed appliances. Furnaces, boilers, water heaters, kitchen appliances etc. Did you know that there are over 150,000,000 known recalls of these appliances? Of those recalls most are due to failures or deficiencies in the electrical systems. Flaws like these typically manif...

How old is your thermostat? I see really old ones all the time. They don't work well and are inaccurate. Maybe it's time to change them. You can do it yourself and save some money. Most models come with instructions and are simple to install. Just connect the red wire where it says red, white to ...

It's coming. Winter's right around the corner. Are you prepared? Have you found a way to reduce your heating expenses? I will occasionally post something here that will help you save $$ on your heat. Here's an idea; does your pull down attic staircase have an insulated cover? It should. These cov...

  What I need is a clairvoyant. Someone who can see the future. Do you know anyone like that?  Have them call me. I'll put them to work right away at a very good salary.  I wish it were that easy. Just stare at the globe and the answers appear. Well, that's not likely to happen. Still it seems th...

Do you have any secret service people? Appliance repair guys etc. who do a great job? I do, but never enough. I know the best plumber in Metrowest. I have a great electrician who I refer all the time. Lawn care...I can help you with that. I work with a great insurance agency in the area.  How abo...

Every day they ask me questions. Most of them I can answer easily. What's that valve for? How do I turn that on? Those are the easy ones. The questions that stump me are those that deal with our local restaurant scene. Where do I go for a good steak? How about authentic Chinese food? Where's the ...

Is there a value to it? You agents are the experts. I'll take your word for it. For years I have been trying to sell prelisting inspections. And to no avail. Sure we get a few each year but not the number that I would expect. What's the answer? Are we, the inspection industry, selling it incorrec...

Cool Tools : Color This! Shows How Paints And Colors Will Make A Room Look Good Visualizing a home in different colors can take a good eye and strong imagination —...

Do you read the Boston Globe? Did you see Sunday's Globe Magazine? Lisa Provost wrote an article called "The Price Chopper". This piece talks about buyers using a home inspection as a negotiating tool, and  how the sales people feel when this occurs. I disagree with much of what this article says...

Lately I've noticed that there's a lot more wrong with the homes I look at. Why is that? I didn't get new glasses so I'm seeing things the same as always. I haven't changed my philosophy about home inspection. I still look at each home the same way, but the defects are piling up. Why?   I believe...