home inspections: Future Projections
- 06/14/15 09:49 PM
Looking ahead, a downturn is imminent The real estate market has been in a historic decline now for years, although that seems to be changing. Foreclosures and short sales have been a large part of transactions. One constant that I have witnessed in spite of a poor market is that a nice, well kept house will still sell fairly quickly no matter the economic climate. A good incentive to any homeowner would be to maintain their home. As a home inspector good looks holds no sway with my assessment. Sometimes the ugly duckling is actually in better condition than the beauty queen. A pretty … (21 comments)
home inspections: Efficiency in Complexity?
- 08/07/12 10:00 PM
Having worked on my own car often when I was younger, I have noticed through the years, the automobile has gone from a simple machine to a vehicle rivaling the space shuttle in complexity. It used to be you would open the hood and there was the engine. Now when you open the hood you have to push aside a forest of wires and hose just to check the oil. As something becomes more complicated, it also tends to be more difficult to maintain. Even a simple maintenance task is made unnecessarily difficult. Sometimes however the difficulty can be the result … (8 comments)
home inspections: Knowing
- 01/09/12 12:02 AM
One saying I have grown fond of is; You don’t know what you don’t know or one might conclude, ignorance is bliss. When inspecting homes I see problems that have been created or solved depending on your point of view as an attempt to solve an initial problem. Take for example the solution to an ice damming problem caused by the record snowfall in Connecticut last winter. While inspecting the roof of this home the first thing I saw was the “solution” to the problem. Electric roof heaters installed at the end of the roof. I also saw the consequence of … (10 comments)
home inspections: A Corrosive Relationship
- 05/06/11 02:09 AM
We have all been there, hooked up with a person who literally eats the life right out of us. It could be anyone, a friend, a lover, a sibling, no matter the person slowly erodes our being. The best solution is usually to sever ties and move on. Believe it or not as a Connecticut home inspector I find corrosive relationships all the time. No, I am not talking about my clients, all though I run into a few who may be described as a toxic mix, I am speaking of galvanic corrosion. Galvanic corrosion is defined as an electrochemical process … (12 comments)
home inspections: Are You Smarter Than a Home Inspector?
- 08/21/09 01:41 AM
My apologies for the tile as I "borrowed" it from the show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader". My oldest daughter loves the show and we all have fun watching it together. If you have never seen the show Google it and check it out. The impetus for this post is a recent blog by Robert Snowden titled Is There Any Value In A Home Inspection? It was not so much the blog itself that gave me the inspiration but, a few of the responses that I found to be a little, let's say unrealistic. Whether you're a home buyer, … (10 comments)
home inspections: An Unprofessional Experience, Shelton, CT
- 08/13/07 12:38 AM
A home inspection I did the other day was like few I have ever experienced. The client was a young woman referred to me from a past client. She was extremely cautious and very apprehensive about buying a home. Because of this she asked a lot of good questions. Her agent was a veteran of 7-8 years in real estate. She was friendly and professional when we did our introductions, but as the inspection progressed that would not be the case. Once I got going we headed for the garage. First thing the agent points outs is the metal main support … (13 comments)
home inspections: Why People Should Use a Realtor, an Inspectors View
- 08/11/07 01:44 AM
Yes, that's right a home inspector writing on why people need to use real estate agents. In the last two months I have inspected several home that were FSBOs. Some of these inspections were nothing out of the ordinary, some were nightmares. The common denominator, no Realtors. Why is it when no agents are involved that people seem to think it is the home inspectors' job to advise them on resolving and negotiating home inspection issues? I am not a Realtor, and have no training or interest in that facet of the real estate process. But I continually get put on … (6 comments)
home inspections: Stained Glass Window, Meriden, CT
- 08/08/07 07:20 AM
I found this stained glass window in an older home (1888) during a home inspection in Meriden, CT. It is a beautiful example of the craftsmanship of many older homes. This was one of two similar windows. I took this picture because the light was coming in the window just right and it looked great framed by the beautiful old trim work. As a home inspector you really come to appreciate old style workmanship such as this example. Another very interesting discovery was in the basement etched on the bricks for the chimney were little recordings of history by the past homeowners. The oldest dated back to … (7 comments)
home inspections: Wallingford CT, Unsafe Electric Service Panel
- 08/03/07 07:48 AM
During my inspection this morning I found this extremely unsafe main service panel. I have never seen a main service wire of this type. That of course would be because it is not the correct type of wire for this application. It appears to be a heavy duty cord used in commercial-industrial applications for machinery. It is also way undersized for the system This was a manufactured home (Mobile Home) about 30-35 years old. The owners are close friends of mine and had asked me to look it over before they put it on the market. I am sick because they have … (4 comments)
home inspections: Energy Audits, a Small Investment for Big Savings
- 08/02/07 03:56 AM
The Home Energy Tune-uP There is a little known, nationally available energy efficiency inspection program that my company, JRV Home Inspection Services, provides called the Home Energy Tune-uP. This particular energy inspection is specifically designed for older homes. Unlike a HERS audit, which is best for new construction, a rating number is not assigned to the home. Older homes always score low and the number has no actual relevance to rectifying the energy deficiencies. The Tune-uP provides a comprehensive report that details the areas of the home that are energy deficient. What are the most cost effective upgrades including estimates on each improvement … (1 comments)
home inspections: Home Inspection 101, A Consumers Guide to Hiring a Qualified Home Inspector
- 07/18/07 02:23 AM
The purpose of a home inspection is to inform the individual buyer of the current condition of the home. The purchase contract the buyer and seller signed is contingent on the home inspection. A buyer will generally have the option based upon the inspection to; opt out of the purchase, ask for repairs or credit towards repairs or a purchase price reduction. It would seem that the importance of a good, thorough home inspection by a qualified inspector is obvious. Never the less many home buyers do not adequately research the profession before hiring an inspector. Most people simply ask the … (83 comments)
home inspections: Home Inspections-Unbiased or Over the Top
- 06/14/07 05:13 AM
The most common "requirement" in my experience that most Realtors look for in a home inspector is not overstating defects. Now it is our job to find current or potential problems and report them to our client and offer some type of recommendation in order to resolve the issue. However it is not a home inspectors job to dramatize or over emphasize a problem. The information from the home inspection should be presented in a professional manner. It is our job to explain what we discover and know to some degree the possibilities of not resolving the defect. The information should not be stated … (0 comments)
Looking ahead, a downturn is imminent 
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