Fact: Most of the real-estate purchase contracts contain a clause that makes the offer contingent on a professional home inspection.
Fact: In today’s market, 9 out of 10 homebuyers will hire a professional Home Inspector.
To read the rest of this entry, click below:
The Home Inspection Network: Should a Seller have a Home Inspection?
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Monday, January 15, 2007
About FABI Member Inspectors
· Only home inspectors who have met FABI's rigorous professional and educational requirements may qualify for professional membership in the organization.
· Many FABI members have engineering, architectural or technical degrees; others have had experience in various construction fields, or have been building contractors.
What else do FABI inspectors do?
· In addition to performing pre-purchase home inspections, many FABI inspectors help homeowners with analysis and solutions of specific problems, maintenance inspections, energy conservation, cracked foundations.
· FABI inspectors are also frequently called in to review new construction work in progress, restoration and home improvement plans as well as maintenance specifications and contracts. They can also inspect work upon completion to ensure that a contract has been properly fulfilled.
· If you find that you are involved in litigation regarding contractual work performed on your house, an FABI member can provide expert witness testimony. Of course, most FABI members also inspect commercial properties, multiple dwellings, condominiums, townhouses and cooperative apartments
· Many FABI members have engineering, architectural or technical degrees; others have had experience in various construction fields, or have been building contractors.
What else do FABI inspectors do?
· In addition to performing pre-purchase home inspections, many FABI inspectors help homeowners with analysis and solutions of specific problems, maintenance inspections, energy conservation, cracked foundations.
· FABI inspectors are also frequently called in to review new construction work in progress, restoration and home improvement plans as well as maintenance specifications and contracts. They can also inspect work upon completion to ensure that a contract has been properly fulfilled.
· If you find that you are involved in litigation regarding contractual work performed on your house, an FABI member can provide expert witness testimony. Of course, most FABI members also inspect commercial properties, multiple dwellings, condominiums, townhouses and cooperative apartments
Saturday, January 13, 2007
What is FABI?
• The Florida Association of Building Inspectors, Inc., (FABI), formed as a non-profit voluntary professional society, has adopted formal inspection guidelines, a professional code of ethics, and gives consumers an assurance of professionalism.
To read more, please click below:
The Home Inspection Network:FABI
To read more, please click below:
The Home Inspection Network:FABI
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Why Have a Home Inspection?
Every person buying or selling a home and every professional involved in a residential real estate transaction benefits from a home inspection.
The purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment that your customer will ever make. The prospective buyer needs to know exactly what to expect - both indoors and out - in terms of repair and maintenance to allow them to make and feel comfortable with this important decision.
Since most buyers will order a home inspection, it is important for the seller and the real estate agent professional to have a pre-listing inspection to identify flaws that should be corrected or disclosed. A positive report will expedite the sale and increase the comfort for both the buyer and the seller.
Larry
Technorati Profile
The purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment that your customer will ever make. The prospective buyer needs to know exactly what to expect - both indoors and out - in terms of repair and maintenance to allow them to make and feel comfortable with this important decision.
Since most buyers will order a home inspection, it is important for the seller and the real estate agent professional to have a pre-listing inspection to identify flaws that should be corrected or disclosed. A positive report will expedite the sale and increase the comfort for both the buyer and the seller.
Larry
Technorati Profile
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Red and Orange Wire
I had to call a licensed electrician for help on this one.
I know that a black wire is usually the hot wire and the white wire is usually neutral but what in the heck do I do with this red and orange wire?
His answer was, carefully close the cover and run!!
Larry
I know that a black wire is usually the hot wire and the white wire is usually neutral but what in the heck do I do with this red and orange wire?
His answer was, carefully close the cover and run!!
Larry
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
How I became a “retired” Home Inspector
I had been a somewhat successful Home Inspector in Florida for about three years and was looking forward to the start of the “IN SEASON” (this is the time from January through May that all of the “Snowbirds” flee the frigid north to winter and spend money in Florida. With a lot of Snowbirds looking to buy a new retirement “nest”, this was also the busy season for home sales, keeping both realtors and home inspectors busy. It is not uncommon for a home inspector to make 75% of his annual home inspection income by the beginning of July.)
It was December 7, 2005 (Pearl Harbor Day, for those who remember) and I was inspecting a condo for one of my “regular” realtors. I was early, but wanted to get started since it looked like it might rain. I set my ladder on the driveway to get a look at the roof (it was a foam coated tile and could not be walked on without damage). While scanning the roof for defects with my binoculars, I felt the ladder start to slip! Since I had both hands on the binoculars, (which meant none on the ladder or anything else stable) I didn’t have much choice but to fall with the ladder. I remember landing with my feet still on the rung of the ladder and falling over backwards. When I tried to stand, the pain in my feet was intense.
Someone called 911 and I was treated to the first ambulance ride of my life! To make a long, painful story shorter, I had shattered both heal bones and would require surgery, that ended up installing eight titanium screws and a plate in each heal. Recovery, though quicker than originally predicted, seemed long to me. I didn’t get to put shoes on again (then only loose sneakers) until March, and couldn’t drive until April.
Well, there went the “IN SEASON”, which wasn’t really that great since the over priced housing market had tanked, both nation wide and especially in Florida. Since there weren’t very many homes being sold, there weren’t very many home inspections, and a lot of home inspectors had a lot of free time.
Well, with my doctor’s recommendation that I shouldn’t climb ladders again (or more specifically that I shouldn’t fall from ladders again since, like Humpty Dumpty, he, or all the King’s horses etc. couldn’t put me back together again), my own instability and new found fear of heights (actually fear of falling, heights get the bad rap here), coupled with very little prospect of actually getting any business, prompted me to decide to retire from the home inspection business. (This was my second retirement, my first retirement was an early out from the auto industry in 2001, but that is another story).
So I decided to share my knowledge and experience by writing articles to benefit the entire home buying community, realtors, buyers, sellers and home inspectors. If you continue to visit these pages, you will find articles and more stories of interest (I hope) that will help make your home, buying, selling or just living in, experience a little easier.
Larry
It was December 7, 2005 (Pearl Harbor Day, for those who remember) and I was inspecting a condo for one of my “regular” realtors. I was early, but wanted to get started since it looked like it might rain. I set my ladder on the driveway to get a look at the roof (it was a foam coated tile and could not be walked on without damage). While scanning the roof for defects with my binoculars, I felt the ladder start to slip! Since I had both hands on the binoculars, (which meant none on the ladder or anything else stable) I didn’t have much choice but to fall with the ladder. I remember landing with my feet still on the rung of the ladder and falling over backwards. When I tried to stand, the pain in my feet was intense.
Someone called 911 and I was treated to the first ambulance ride of my life! To make a long, painful story shorter, I had shattered both heal bones and would require surgery, that ended up installing eight titanium screws and a plate in each heal. Recovery, though quicker than originally predicted, seemed long to me. I didn’t get to put shoes on again (then only loose sneakers) until March, and couldn’t drive until April.
Well, there went the “IN SEASON”, which wasn’t really that great since the over priced housing market had tanked, both nation wide and especially in Florida. Since there weren’t very many homes being sold, there weren’t very many home inspections, and a lot of home inspectors had a lot of free time.
Well, with my doctor’s recommendation that I shouldn’t climb ladders again (or more specifically that I shouldn’t fall from ladders again since, like Humpty Dumpty, he, or all the King’s horses etc. couldn’t put me back together again), my own instability and new found fear of heights (actually fear of falling, heights get the bad rap here), coupled with very little prospect of actually getting any business, prompted me to decide to retire from the home inspection business. (This was my second retirement, my first retirement was an early out from the auto industry in 2001, but that is another story).
So I decided to share my knowledge and experience by writing articles to benefit the entire home buying community, realtors, buyers, sellers and home inspectors. If you continue to visit these pages, you will find articles and more stories of interest (I hope) that will help make your home, buying, selling or just living in, experience a little easier.
Larry
Monday, January 1, 2007
Why do I need a home inspection?
· The purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment a family will ever make. The prospective buyer needs to know exactly what to expect both inside and out, in terms of repairs, and maintenance to allow them to make and feel comfortable with this important decision.
· That fresh coat of paint could be hiding serious problems. Watermarks may indicate a chronic seepage problem or be simply the result of a single incident.
· The home inspector interprets these and other clues, then presents his professional opinion as to the condition of the property, before you buy, so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises latter.
· After the inspection, you will have a much clearer understanding of what it is you are about to purchase and be able to make this decision confidently.
· If you have owned your home for a period of time, a home inspection can identify problems in the making and recommend preventative measures, which might avoid more expensive, future repairs.
Larry Sullivan
www.home-inspection-network.com
www.internetpowerseller.com
· That fresh coat of paint could be hiding serious problems. Watermarks may indicate a chronic seepage problem or be simply the result of a single incident.
· The home inspector interprets these and other clues, then presents his professional opinion as to the condition of the property, before you buy, so you can avoid any unpleasant surprises latter.
· After the inspection, you will have a much clearer understanding of what it is you are about to purchase and be able to make this decision confidently.
· If you have owned your home for a period of time, a home inspection can identify problems in the making and recommend preventative measures, which might avoid more expensive, future repairs.
Larry Sullivan
www.home-inspection-network.com
www.internetpowerseller.com
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