Welcome to the fall issue of From the Rafters.

As we look ahead to cooler temperatures and weekend tailgating, we’ve put together information you can use to better understand the home inspection process,build relationships with your customers, keep your listings in top shape, and sell more homes. Fall can be a time of breathtaking beauty, but keep your eyes on the prize. There’s work to be done!

We’ve also included some fun autumn facts to kick start the season. How many acorns will a mature oak tree drop? Scroll to the last page to find out.

As always, your partners at A-Pro are ready to provide you and your clients with fair and balanced inspections, added services such as lifesaving radon testing (see article on next page), and a host of benefits that has made us a preferred choice among real estate professionals since 1994.

All the best,

Jeff Miller
A-Pro Tennessee Home Inspection

Eight Home Inspection Terms Every Real Estate Agent Should Know

There are thousands of specialized terms that A-Pro’s home inspectors use. We’ve compiled a few basic ones you can pass on to help your buyers and sellers better understand the home inspection process.

1. HOME INSPECTION: Let’s start from the beginning. What is a home inspection? Sounds simple, but it’s critical that your clients know what they’ll be getting for their investment. A home inspection is a documented, visual, non-invasive inspection of a property from top to bottom. Through observation and operational testing of accessible features, a certified home inspector determines the current condition of the home’s major systems. Cosmetic, design, and code issues, as well as assessing specialty systems, are not part of a home inspection.
2. CURRENT CONDITION: The home inspection is not a prediction of what will happen to the home in the future. The inspector’s professional opinion only applies to the home at the point in time it was examined. As you’re aware, a homebuyer may encounter a problem after moving in that couldn’t have been anticipated by a home inspector.
3. ACCESSIBLE FEATURES: A home inspector only reports on what can be seen and accessed. The home inspection does not include digging in the yard to check underground pipes and septic, punching holes in walls to examine wiring and insulation, or taking apart HVAC equipment and appliances. Some elements of a home, such as a steeply pitched roof, may be considered unsafe to be accessed by the inspector.
4. MAJOR SYSTEMS: The inspector checks a home’s major systems: structural components; exterior features; roof; electrical; plumbing; heating and cooling; interior features; insulation and ventilation; fireplaces, and appliances. For a more extensive list of components checked, click here (add link from “home inspection checklist” page from your website).
5. SPECIALTY SYSTEMS: Specialty systems include hot tubs and swimming pools; lawn sprinkler systems; TV antennas, cable and satellite dishes; burglar alarms and smoke detection systems; some detached buildings; and well systems. These systems are not included in a standard home inspection.
6. REMAINING USEFUL LIFE: Home inspectors identify components that are significantly deficient, unsafe, present imminent danger, or are near the end of their life. The “remaining useful life” of a component is defined as the number of remaining years that a component will be functional before needing replacement. This is a subjective estimate based on the inspector’s observations and experience.
7. PHYSICAL DEFICIENCY: This is defined as a major defect, deterioration, or damaged item in a building system, such as a cracked foundation or severely compromised roof. This term also describes items that are nearing the end of their useful life or pose safety risks. These problems most often call for expensive repairs.
8. DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ITEM: Failure to address problems over a period of time can lead to what is known as “deferred maintenance items.” These deficiencies range from leaky faucets to weathered roofs.

Squirrels, Chipmunks, Raccoons…Oh My!

Protect Your Listings This Fall from Critter Invasion!

If you have vacant listings, be on your guard this fall. Cooler temperatures can bring unwanted pests inside. Basements, attics, and crawlspaces make cozy confines for squirrels, skunks, rodents, possums, and other
four-legged intruders and insects that can wreak havoc on a property you’re trying to sell.

Here are some tips to keep the critters where they belong – outside!

• Check the building’s exterior:  Remember that mice and other pests are flexible. While we may struggle to squeeze into a pair of pants after Thanksgiving, a mouse needs only a dime-sized hole to find safe passage into a house. A raccoon
  can do the same with only a six-inch opening. A bug only needs a crack. So plug up the holes, no matter how small.
• Not every hole should be filled in. For vents, simply cover with screens to keep pests out.
• Home repairs and upgrades, such as washer and dishwasher installations, electrical and plumbing work, should be inspected to ensure that all openings have been sealed.
• Make sure doors and windows have screens with no tears. Use caulk or foam to seal cracks around windows and doors. Check weatherstripping and door sweeps to see if they’re fully functional.
• Pests can be relentless. Even the best efforts to block entry may go for naught. Make periodic visits to look inside for visible evidence of pests, such as chewed baseboards or droppings. While some problems can be handled with commercial treatments, it’s never a bad idea to call in a professional, especially if you’re dealing with squirrels, raccoons, bed bugs, termites, carpenter ants, and other nuisances that demand expert assessment and removal/elimination services.

Thank You for Telling Your Clients about the Importance of Radon Testing

Now Have You Had Your Own Home Checked?

Let’s take a quick look at the hard facts about radon:

• It’s an invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas that can enter homes through cracks or openings in walls or foundations.
• Radon is only surpassed by smoking as a cause of lung cancer in the U.S., causing 21,000 deaths annually.
• As experts from the American Lung Association recently noted, high levels of radon can be a problem in any home or neighborhood in the U.S., regardless of what is indicated on the Environmental Protection Agency’s radon zone map.
• The only way to know if your home has high levels of radon is to test.
• Testing for radon in a home is a simple procedure.
• If you have elevated levels of radon in your home, steps can be taken to mitigate or fix the problem.

In 2005, then-U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard H. Carmona issued the following statement: 

“It’s important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.”

He also encouraged home radon testing every two years, and retesting any time you move or make structural changes to your home. For sellers, the EPA recommends testing for radon (and reducing levels, if necessary) before putting the home on the market. Home buyers are encouraged by the EPA to ask each seller for a copy of radon test results, as well as information on whether there is a radon-reduction system in the home. A-Pro Home Inspection service is a proud provider of radon testing throughout communities in (AREA). We’re also pleased to provide this service to many local real estate agents.

Call A-Pro of Southwest Ohio at 423 273-5950 to schedule a radon test for yourself or your clients. For more information on radon, call the National Radon Hotline at 800-557-2366.

REAL ESTATE QUESTION CORNER

Should the seller be present at a home inspection paid for by the home buyer?

This is a widely debated question in the real estate community. In the vast majority of cases the seller does not attend the inspection, but it does happen from time to time.

Most agents agree that homeowners have every right to be at the inspection, unless otherwise specified in the Agreement of Sale. Why would they want to attend? The truth is that sellers may simply be uncomfortable having an individual they don’t know examine and comment on their house without them being there. It’s perfectly understandable for individuals to be protective of their home and belongings.

But is it helpful or harmful to the sales process?

Some agents say the presence of the seller can be intimidating to the buyer, who may feel awkward asking the inspector probing questions or freely discussing problem areas. They argue that the seller can create unnecessary tension, become defensive or even combative when concerns are pointed out, get in the way of the inspection, and even undermine the sale. To mitigate this issue, many agents attend the inspection in lieu of their clients, addressing any issues that may arise and then relaying the details.

Other agents argue that there are times when the seller can provide the inspector with useful information and special instructions about features of the house (note: some say this can also be handled remotely by phone). Agents have said they’ve had instances in which an eager buyer and motivated seller were able to work out final stipulations directly following the inspection.

So the final answer? Every situation is unique.

The truth is that each seller, buyer, agent, and transaction is different. In a deal as complex as selling a home, strong emotions can be part of the equation, so it’s important for the home inspector to remain flexible and respectful of all parties to help move the process along rather than hinder it. Whether the seller attends or not, we strongly encourage all parties to allow the home inspector to perform his job without interference. Everyone benefits when this standard of practice is maintained.

Gutter Cleanup…6 Reasons Why It Belongs at the Top of Your Fall To-do List

It’s one of the easiest autumn tasks to forget – ridding gutters of debris that can block water flow. If you think it’s no big deal, here are six reasons you should make it a priority for your listings this season.

1. Wall, Ceiling, and Fascia Damage: A properly functioning gutter system will drain water down from the roof and away from the home and its foundation. Water trying to run through gutters clogged with dirt, leaves, and twigs can find its way into walls and ceilings. The result is rotting wood and compromised structural integrity. Further, wood fascia boards that hold up gutters are prone to rotting when rainwater is not able to flow freely.
2. Foundation Problems: Over time, water pooling at the foundation can cause cracks due to freezing and thawing. This can lead to
   basement and crawlspace flooding, and other issues. Even if no cracks form, the presence of water increases the risk of dangerous mold growth.
3. Gutter System Failure: Wet leaves and other materials weigh gutters down, causing them to pull away from the house or come crashing down. Save yourself the expense of costly gutter repairs and any collateral damage to the home by inexpensive cleaning in the fall and spring.
4. Siding or Paint Damage: Water cascading out of clogged gutters can run down the exterior of a home, causing unsightly water marks. While less significant than structural deterioration, an unpleasant-looking exterior can definitely leave potential home buyers with a bad first impression.
5. Roofing Problems: When blocked water in a gutter freezes (known as ice damming), it can push up against the roof and work its way under shingles.
6. Landscape Issues: Excessive water pouring out of a clogged gutter system can harm flowerbeds, shrubs, and small trees.  

 Fun Fall Facts

Oaks produce more than 2,000 acorns every year, but only one in 10,000 acorns will manage to develop into an oak tree.

According to superstition, catching autumn leaves brings good luck. Every leaf you pluck from the sky equals a lucky month next year. Looking for even better luck? Make sure those leaves don’t clog your gutters.

It’s football time! And that means one thing…lots of food and drink for all. Wrap your head around these gridiron gastronomic tidbits:

• Cases of beer sold on Super Bowl Sunday…49.2 Million
• Chicken wings sold on Super Bowl week…125 Million
• Pounds of avocados used for guacamole during Super Bowl…71 Million

So your team didn’t do so well this week? It could have been worse. In 1916, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland by a score of 222 to 0 – the most crushing defeat in college football history. Ouch!

Looking for a winning team this fall? Call A-Pro of Southwest Ohio at (423) 273-5950 to schedule a 500-point home inspection for yourself or your clients.

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