by cfbi1 | Mar 3, 2014 | Home Inspection
If you have set your sights on a particular house, then there are a few things you can do and look out for before hiring an inspector to look over the property with a magnifying glass. The things that you can look out for include,
The Foundation: Checking out the ceilings, the base of walls in each room, and keeping your eye out for obvious cracks could point to movement and shifting in the foundation. On the outside of your home check out for trees that are close to walls that could pose threats by encroaching growing roots.
Suitable Drainage: Ensure that the drainage is away from the home or property and keep your eye out for any areas that are soggy and gathering puddles of soiled waste.
Roof Condition: What is the current state of the roof? Get details of when it was last replaced, repaired, and how those repairs are holding up.
Outside Exterior: What’s the current outside condition of the home is it likely to need repainting anytime soon? What’s the condition of the gutters and down pipes are they securely fitted. Or, do they need replacing and new fixtures added?
Roof Space and Attic: Check the condition inside the attic. Is it outdated and rotting? Are there signs of leaks and water damage? Is it insulated properly?
Do you have a basement? Checking your basement for signs of dampness and making sure that there is correct insulation fitted is good practice. Ideally, any type of crawl space should be left for inspection by a licensed home inspection company.
Electrical System: Do all the switches function or are there obvious power shortages? Is the control panel up-to-date with current state safety standards? Do not be mess about with the electrical control panel always make sure that you observe first, and then call in a specialist to check if it is functioning.
The above is only a small list of what you can independently check before calling the professional inspectors. By checking these items, you will be able to have the questions ready that you need professionally answered.
by cfbi1 | Feb 28, 2014 | Home Inspection
As the home seller, know that by hiring a home inspector to look over your property means you are giving yourself the time it needs to repair any major problems. Meaning that, time is not wasted on negotiations and you can hold firm on the price that you are looking for.
If you choose not to hire a home inspector to carry out a pre-listing inspection, then you have a real threat of the sale falling through. The buyer could ask you to lower your original asking price to allow them to get the repairs fixed on the findings that were included in the completed inspection report.
The main benefit of getting your own home inspection carried out is that you are in control of the whole selling and negotiating process. You will have the upper hand, as it gives you the opportunity to find, identify problems, and have those problems fixed, thus gaining the financial advantage. .
It is always better for you to have your own report, and not just take the buyer and the hired inspector’s word for it. A home inspection may not be the most talked about service, but it does give you a legal standing. That is if the buyer should try to take court action (sue) for any problems not disclosed in the contract regarding the home. By hiring your own professional home inspector, you will have your own detailed and completed assessment to challenge any buyer, or buyer’s inspector claims.
by cfbi1 | Feb 27, 2014 | Home Inspection
Professional home inspections provide great benefits to realtor and estate agents that know how to leverage them effectively. Here are a few tips on how agents can generate more commission and increase their quality of customer service.
As an agent, it’s your duty to educate the customer on what a home inspection is. By educating your customer, it will alleviate and disperse any false expectations and myths surrounding the home inspection service and the sale of the home. The agent is meant to be the expert in this transaction so it’s important that they know how a routine home inspection goes and what it includes.
A home inspection is simply a visual evaluation of the overall condition of any home. That is needed and it’s important for a home to be assessed either before purchase or being listed on the market. Items that are not usually included in a home inspection are things like lawn sprinklers, cable TV, telephone wires, and installed alarm systems.
Most home inspection companies do offer specialist services in which things like swimming pools and Jacuzzi’s, out buildings, air testing, well water testing, and termite inspections are all included or can be added on to the pre-purchase/pre-listing home inspection service.
Once you have the completed inspection report, in your hand, go through it with the customer. The completed report will have lots of vital information included in it. If you go through the report with the customer it ensures that they understand what it’s all about and what needs done, it also shows that you as the agent have taken the time out to help them understand it.
As the agent you should do your best to be educated well on all that is involved with a home inspection, this will help you in providing a high level of service the type of services clients are looking for.
by cfbi1 | Feb 26, 2014 | Home Inspection
If you are a buyer looking for a new home, or a seller getting your property in good condition for the market, then it’s important to be aware of the damage that can be caused by a leaking roof.
Generally, a leaky roof is easily spotted and is noticeable by the water stains and tracks can easily be seen running across the underside of your ceiling. In most cases, you can trace where the leak has entered, through to the side of the ceiling from the attic, by following the discolored track.
Spotting a leak is easy, but finding the source of the leak can be a little more difficult. It’s important to understand that even a minor leak can amount to major damage. If you have a leak in your home or property then fix it straight away. That tiny drip that doesn’t really bother you can lead to serious mold issues. Mold rots framing, destroys insulation, and finally results in you paying an expensive repair bill that empties your savings.
You are less likely to have a leak in a newly constructed home, it is usually the case, the older the home the more likely it is to have a leak or two. Of course, that’s sometimes due to neglect by its current owner through the years.
One of the best ways to ensure that the property you are looking to buy is worth the asking price is to have it evaluated by a home inspector first. On the other hand, if the property you are looking to sell and you want it to sell quickly, get a home inspection, to assure the buyer there are no major problems.
Having a professional home inspector look over the property, the last thing you want to do is replace a whole section of the roof because you didn’t repair a leak right away.
by cfbi1 | Feb 24, 2014 | Home Inspection
Are you thinking of relocating to another home, if so, you will more than likely need to sell the current home that you are living in to help fund that move. Why not get an experienced, fully trained Florida home inspector, to inspect the home, and correctly evaluate it.
It would be a good idea to let Central Florida Building Inspectors inspect your property before you put it on the market and up for sale. There are some fantastic benefits that come from a pre-listed inspection. One of those benefits being that the seller can be confident that there are no major issues or detrimental factors affecting the negotiated selling price of that property within the buyers’ market.
The experienced home inspectors at CFBI will do a thorough and professional job. On completion of the inspection, you will be given a detailed report of all their findings, along with digital photos of problem areas.
Having a detailed home inspection report allows you to make the most of the time that you have and get the needed repairs fixed to improve your home’s chances of being sold. You can bypass the tough negotiations over your asking price, as your home will be in tip-top condition. This allows you to stay firm and not waiver on your desired asking price.
If you are interested in a pre-listing inspection, contact CFBI today to learn more about their services. They have many different types available that could be helpful in order determine the best price for your home or property.
A home inspection service is an excellent way to get an experts opinion on the true condition of your home allowing you to get the repairs performed in time before putting your home or property up for sale on the market.
