National Re-Read Your Home Inspection Report Day

It seems we have a holiday for everything.  There is the upcoming day to give thanks plus we have a day to recognize moms and dads and grandparents and even secretaries.  A few weeks ago I heard  it was National Adoption Day.  We have a day to appreciate cats and dogs and even groundhogs.  And it seems there is a day to recognize every type of cancer imaginable.  Well, I'd like to propose a new holiday.

I think we should call it National Re-Read Your Home Inspection Report Day.  You know, that document you received about a week or so after your offer was accepted from some guy with a ladder who poked around for a couple of hours to find everything wrong possible with the property.  You remember, that document that caused you to go pale as you read it and kept you awake half the night thinking about it?  Chances are, if you've already made a mortgage payment or two or twenty, that report is in the back of your closet (or hard drive) collecting dust (or whatever collects on untouched computer files).

Often the next time that report is thought about is years later when you are signing on the dotted line to put your house on the market.  Gee, let's see what the buyer's home inspector might say about our house!

Unfortunately, what may have been a little minor notation five or ten years ago could now be a major defect if it wasn't taken care of properly.  For example, a little water infiltration could require a $5 tube of caulk to remedy but if it is not taken care of, could cost thousands to replace structural rot. Chimneys are another area that rapidly deteriorate if they don't get the attention they need.  It's never fun to fix a chimney or roof or furnace but it is even less fun to do it to sell your house.

I often tell buyers to go through the report and make a list of what's deal killers (items that the seller must take care of before we will go forward) and put the other items on a "honey-do" list.  Unfortunately, in the excitement of moving in, unpacking and decorating that honey do list tends to be forgotten.  So, let's designate a day to find our reports and read them.  And rather than being lulled to sleep like a plate of turkey, let's take action to repair and maintain our properties.  

Happy Thanksgiving friends.  I hope the day brings you good food, good times with family and friends and many new wonderful memories.

Heating Season

Yay!  November is here and the bickering can cease.  Eleven months of the year, I have a wonderful, strong marriage but my husband and I just don't seem to get along in October.  You see, he believes you should control the thermostat by the calendar and I think that the thermometer is a better gauge.  He believes in not turning the heat on till the first of November.   And when the house is 58 degrees, I go to local restaurants to use the bathroom.  In fact, I spend as much time away from home as possible.

The past year, I've run into more then my fair share of bad furnace situations, and so this seems to be a great time to chat about furnace safety and care.

During my real estate transactions during the past year, I've run into at least three furnaces with both cracked heat-exchangers and totally clogged furnace filters.  That's not a coincidence.  When you fail to change your furnace filters and they become clogged, a forced-air furnace must work much harder to force that warm air through your home.  That stress can cause a premature crack in the heat-exchanger.  In one case this year, the furnace was only five years old but so was the furnace filter.  It had never been changed.  So, please, please, please determine how often your filer needs to be changed and do so.

A cracked heat-exchanger can produce carbon monoxide, especially in newer high-efficient furnaces.  So can water heaters, gas stoves, gas fireplaces, automobiles and other appliances that burn gas.  That is why New York state law requires all homes to have a working carbon monoxide detector.  Since carbon monoxide is a completely odorless gas, it's not a bad idea to have a detector on each level of your home.  And a carbon monoxide detector lasts about 5 to 7 years and so it's not a bad plan to purchase a new one every 2 to 3 years and rotate them out of service.  Don't forget to change out those batteries when you do your smoke detectors.

Whenever, I list a property I strongly encourage the seller to have the heating system serviced and inspected before the property goes on the market.  That is because if there are issues, we want to know about them before a buyer does.  To learn that there is a bad furnace after an offer has been accepted, means only one thing and it is not good for the seller.  It constantly amazes me how many families do not have their heating system regularly maintained by a professional.   If you need a referral for someone that is reliable and reasonable, don't hesitate to let me know.

Carbon monoxide safety is a personal issue for me.   I lost a brother to carbon monoxide poison more than 30 years ago.  If you switch a button and it suddenly gets warm in your home, it's easy to get complacent about furnace safety but I hope this will serve as a wake up call.

Stay warm!

Less Real Estate Drama With Home Inspections Before Listing

In a typical real estate transaction in the Rochester area, the buyers find a house, write an offer, comes to term with the seller,both sides celebrate, and then the home inspection happens.  Often there are surprises, both for the buyer and the seller and that's when the real drama can begin.  Buyers get frighten and sellers get angry.  It's no fun for anyone.

Last year I sold a few homes in which the property was inspected before the house went on the market.  Sellers have the opportunity to make repairs before the house is listed. And buyers receive the report before writing an offer with a pretty clear understanding of what's been repaired and what they will need to address as the future owners.  Buyers can make a fairer offer when they have all the facts and there is no re-negotiating the contract after the inspection.

Inspecting a home before it goes on the market is not cheap.  Expect to pay between $300 and $400 for a home inspection.  Plan on another $100 or so to make sure the furnace or boiler and in top working order and if there is a fireplace, you will also want to do a chimney safety check for approximately $75 to $100.  These fees add up but rarely is a buyer's request for a repair credit less than $1000.

Last year alone, I was involved in 3 transactions in which buyers made an offer based on there being an old furnace.  During the course of the inspections, cracked heat exchangers were discovered and guess what, each buyer ended up with a band new furnace.  Happy buyers for sure, but very angry sellers.

I'm all for less drama in real estate and believe that less surprises equals less drama.  I'd love to see all Rochester area sellers have there home inspected before going on the market, or at a minimum, have the furnace serviced.  If you'd like more information, don't hesitate to give me a call or send me an e-mail.

Showing Stress

I work hard when I take a listing.  My days are filled with putting out signs, taking photos, verifying tax bills, writing ad copy, calling utility companies and much, much more.  But my job is much easier than most homeowners.

When a house is on the market, a home owner must clean the gutters, manicure the lawn, paint the front door, hind the trash cans and that's just with hopes to have enough curb appeal that we get an appointment request.  When the showing request comes in, that's when the real work begins.

Yesterday I had a showing request for a family's home that have two daughters, aged 1 and 3.   When I arrived, the house was spotless......floors mopped, counters clean, beds made, absolutely no clutter and all the lights were on.  My seller greeted me with a big smile and then I heard it!  Not one, but two crying babies!   This particular showing came right in the middle of nap time and so both girls were taken from their bed and put in car seats so they could vacate the property for the showing.

And fortunately, in this case, my seller's efforts paid off.  We receive and accepted an offer last night.  But this was the 14th showing request for this property.  In a couple of incidences, the appointments were canceled just before the showing time and in at least once case, the buyers never showed up.  In one case, the buyers couldn't afford the house but they were curious to see it anyway.  And in all the other cases, the house just wasn't right for them for one reason or another.  But for each and every showing request, this house was cleaned and staged to perfection.  And regardless of the stress this caused, they always greeted me with a smile.

I wish I always could have that much grace.

A Good Picture's Worth Thousands of Dollars

Yesterday, I wrote about some very bad photos in the Rochester MLS. Today, I'd like to provide a few tips to get your home ready to be photographed to put on the market.

Looks are everything in today's real estate market. The current public watches tons of HG-TV and their expectations are often unrealistic. A colleague recently described the current Rochester market as a beauty contest. And just as a fashion model spends hours primping before a photo shoot, plan to invest plenty of time and effort preparing your home to look its best.

The first step is to do some serious cleaning, starting with windows. The more natural light that comes in your house, the better it will photograph. Yes, dust will show up in photos. It's also important that appliances and plumbing fixtures sparkle. Take extra time in making beds and hanging towels. Little details need big attention when prepping for photos.

The next step in preparing your home is to eliminate clutter. Clear kitchen counters of everything smaller than a football and even pack up the cute refrigerator magnet collection. Old newspapers and magazines should be banished. Organize bookshelves and nick-knacks and collectibles should be packed away. If necessary, remove excess furniture to make rooms look bigger. If you need some pointers, look at pictures in furniture catalogs or ads in home-improvement magazines.

Finally, give some thought to curb-appeal. The front view of the house is often the key photo to get a buyer's attention! Depending on the season, make sure the lawn is cut, the bushes pruned or the sidewalk is shoveled on picture day. If needed, paint the front door or replace the storm door. Keep entrance decorations minimal and tasteful. Hide trashcans, kid's toys and other outside clutter. Close the garage door and remove all cars from the driveway before pressing the shutter button.

It's estimated that 80 percent of home buyers start their home search on the Internet and so you want to make sure your home looks its very best in front of the camera. If that's not something you are good at, I can recommend several Rochester area staggers with experience and expertise to help prepare your home so that it will likely sell for a higher price in less time.

Carbon Monoxide - Avoid and Prevent!

While inspecting a Wyoming County home recently, I encountered another carbon monoxide concern. This is a good time of year to consider the potential hazards associated with Carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas produced by the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, and propane in devices such as furnaces, water heaters, and stoves. Harmful interior levels of CO can result from incomplete combustion of fuel, improper installation, or blockages, leaks or cracks in the venting systems.

The most recent issue that I found during a home inspection was a blocked hot water tank vent. Issues such as back drafting, disconnected or blocked vents (along with several other sources) can cause elevated CO levels and the results range from flu-like symptoms to death. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, carbon monoxide poisoning claims approximately 480 lives and sends another 15,200 people to hospital emergency rooms for treatment.

Sometimes I am surprised that people are living in a home with significant CO concerns. I wonder how many people suffer form CO poisoning and don't know what's causing it. Someone in a "tight" house might have symptoms with only minimal amounts of CO, while someone in a house with more air leakage might get away with no symptoms. There are many sources and factors related to CO poisoning- so get informed about your particular appliances and have them serviced regularly.

Also, remember that CO detectors usually only last for 5-10 years before replacement is recommended. Different types along with location of the devises need to be considered as well. If you have a CO detector that signals concern, open windows and ventilate your home with fresh air and contact a qualified professional to investigate. If your alarm sounds and you are drowsy or light-headed, leave the house and call 911 from your cell phone or neighbors home and consider a medical checkup for CO poisoning.

If you are suffering from chronic flu-like symptoms, see your doctor and ask him if it could be low-level CO poisoning. We should all be more conscientious of this leading cause of accidental poisoning.

Adam Backus- Pillar To Post