Deadly Mistake #1: Thinking you can’t afford it. Today, buying the home of your dreams is easier than ever before. Many people who thought that buying the home they wanted was simply out of their reach are now enjoying a new lifestyle in their very own new home. Buying a home is the smartest financial decision you will ever make. In fact, most American and Canadian homeowners would be financially broke at retirement if it weren’t forone saving grace –the equity in their home. Furthermore, mortgage rates are more flexible today than ever and tax allowances favor home ownership. Real estate values have always risen steadily. Of course, there are peaks and valleys, but the long-term trend is a consistent increase. This means that every month when you make a mortgage payment, the amount that you owe on the home goes down and the value typically increases. This owe less, worth more situation is called equitybuild-up and is the reason you can’t afford not to buy. Even if you have little money fora down payment orcredit problems, chances are that you can still buy that new home. It just comes down to knowing the right strategies, and working with the right people. See below. [Read more…]
The Root Of The Problem
Many of my clients express to me their concerns about tree roots, and with good reason; tree roots can cause all types of nasty problems that will eat away at your wallets. Tree roots can cause structure or walkways to heave or they can get into your pipes and cause drainage issues. So I guess the question now is how do we prevent this from happening?, and what do you do if it already is a problem? Well the answers are both the same which may include many methods some which can be as drastic as cutting down trees that are growing too close to the home or replacing damaged pipes. If that is not an option for you you can call a licensed plumber to inspect your pipes with a video camera and assess if there are any issues. A licensed plumber can snake and or cut any tree roots growing in your pipes. You can visit your local hardware store or plumbing supply shop and purchase a bottle of root killer, although I am not a big fan of these chemicals which are dangerous and manufacturer instructions must be followed carefully. You can also cut the foot of a stocking and fill it with rock salt, tie the end, and hang it in your toilet tank so that every time you flush the salt water will enter the plumbing pipes and kill the tree roots. But as always you should contact a professional before making any repairs to ensure proper repair & safety. For more helpful tips visit our website at www.stockshomeinspection.com
www.detroit-home-inspectors.com
You may only be getting half the picture
A thermography inspection or infrared camera inspection is the latest thing in the inspection industry. Although it has been around for years it is now just starting to gain world wide popularity. Often times it is misconceived as being X-ray vision. Although it is not X-ray vision it is the closest thing on the market to it. In the hands of a trained certified infrared thermographer it can produce invaluable results. It can be used to detect leaks, missing or deficient insulation, overheating electrical components, heat/air loss and much more. It is a good idea to include a thermography/infrared camera inspection in your contingency clause. Without this state of the art technology in the hands of a certified infrared inspector your only getting half the inspection you deserve. We at Stocks Home Inspection are proud to announce that we are one of the few home inspection services in Michigan that’s not only qualified to offer this service, but is offering this service at an affordable rate!
www.detroit-home-inspectors.com
www.stockshomeinspection.com
Termite Terror
Termite. The very word strikes fear into the heart of a homeowner or prospective home buyer, and sours most real estate transactions. It is with good reason too, have you ever seen termites, they can make your skin crawl and your house fall. We all hear the stories, but are termites as bad as everyone says they are; yes & no. A mature colony of 60,000 subterranean termites will only eat about 2-4 feet of 2 by 4 wood a year. So it takes a while before any real damage to be visible. Now if you have an infestation of about 2-4 million, that’s a reason to be scared. Termites usually will never create a nest inside the home, usually they will just be there to gather food (wood/paper) to take back to the colony, which is underground close to the food source. The body of subterranean termites are very soft so the like damp areas, and cannot survive above ground in the dry air and heat. There are very effective ways to rid your home of them. The fastest and most effective way of killing them is the barrier system, termite poison is sprayed around the property killing all the termites, and preventing new ones from coming near. This method is most used especially when in the middle of a real
estate deal. The other method is the bait system, tubes or boxes with termite food (wood/paper) mixed with termite poison put into the ground. Termites will come gather the poison and take it back to the colony, this method is slow and is only effective once the termites find the tubes or boxes of poison. There are also some ways to protect your home from a termite invasion like, keeping all wood exterior parts away from direct contact with the ground, and keeping your foundation dry. So if you suspect termites, no need to fret, just contact a qualified termite inspector, or pest control expert, and I’m sure they will be happy to assist you.
Here are a few pest control company’s that can assist you and come out to your home and evaluate your homes condition & provide you with a free estimate
To Buy Or Not To Buy
In the inspection industry they say we have to walk on a fine line and be objective as possible about what we tell our customers regarding the property they are planning on purchasing. It is said that you should not tell the customer to buy or not buy a property and to leave it up to them to decide. Plus you don’t want to piss off any realtors. Well I say isn’t that what we are hired by our clients for? If not us then who is more qualified to tell them. If I am hired to inspect a home and I find it to be in a unsafe awful condition I not only tell my clients to not buy, but to run as fast and a far away as possible, and thats why people call us. They know were not going to feed them any Crap. Buying a home is a serious decision, one that takes a lot of thought and money. Shouldn’t you get a straight forward honest answer from the professional you hired? I think so.
Tips to help you get ready for “Old Man Winter”
1. Recharge Fire extinguishers
2. Wax and buff wood floors
3. Professionally Clean curtains and drapes
4. Inspect and touch up interior paint
5. Inspect exposed plumbing areas for dampness
6. Perform seasonal pest control
7. Test for carbon monoxide
8. Make sure all windows and doors are sealed properly
9. Make sure home has adequate insulation (pipes, ducts, water heater) to insure there is no heat loss.
10. Make sure all outlets have covers with insulation covers as well, you would be surprised how much heat escapes through the outlets.
11. Make sure chimney & fireplace is clean and in working order.
12. Make sure furnace is operational and filter is clean
Asbestos; what is it?, why is it dangerous?
Asbestos is a greek word meaning inextinguishable. It has been identified as a carcinogen, a naturally occuring fibrous mineral found in certain types of rock formations throughout the world. Asbestos fibers are strong, won’t burn, resist corrosion, and insulates well. That’s why until 1978 it was the staple for architectural & construction applications. Asbestos is used in products such as cement siding, roof shingles, vinyl floors, ceiling tiles, textured paints, insulation, and more. Asbestos containing material in the home doesn’t necessarily pose a health risk. Asbestos is
only dangerous when damaged, disturbed, or deteriorates over time. They release tiny fibers which become airborne and inhaled through the nose & mouth and then lodged into the lungs. According to the EPA ( Environmental Protection Agency) every year 3,300-12,000 people die from exposure to asbestos. If the asbestos material is in an area where renovations will not occur, the EPA suggest that it is best left alone. If your home was built prior to 1980, it is a good chance that your home or building contains some kind of asbestos material. You should contact a qualified asbestos abatement professional to evaluate. For more information on environmental health hazards please visit www.epa.gov
Is your drainage system draining your wallet?
The answer to the question is probably. Most homes that I have come across during a home inspection seem to lack a splash block or leader at the end of the downspout to lead the water coming down the spout away from the foundation of the property. It may seem like no big deal now, but if your home has a faulty drainage system or missing leaders than your in for big trouble. One of the major problems to a home is water damage. When there is no device to lead the water away, what happens is that the water coming down the spout will just start to pool around the foundation wall. Over time your foundation wall will start to crack and deteriorate, and then you will have water coming into the home, and once that happens more problems will follow; mold, mildew, pest, and damage to your home, which will be very costly to repair. So if your one of the many who do not have a leader or splash block at the end of your downspouts, I recommend going to your local hardware store and purchasing one for each downspout. Also check to make sure that gutters and downspouts are functioning properly and not in need of repair or cleaning.
Check out these websites for more supplies for your home: