Buying a home can be exhilarating…owning a home can be exciting; the Raleigh Home Inspector is able to routinely observe the excitement evident when a new home is being purchased. Investing in your own home is smart, too, for a number of reasons. For most of us, the financial investment is a considerable one. I haven’t heard of too many homes being given away lately, have you? And I’ve posted here  before on various considerations regarding Home Maintenance. So what can the prudent home-buyer do to protect that substantial investment? What does it mean to “protect your investment”?

1) First, you should arrange for the services of a professional Raleigh Home Inspector to inspect the home prior to your purchase so that you know the physical condition of the property. I am often surprised at just how little time a prospective buyer, who is already under contract to purchase the property, has actually spent at there. I have stated before that a Home Inspector is paid to be suspicious even when there is nothing particular to be suspicious about…and that’s what you need prior to plunking down a significant amount of money for that new home…someone who is suspicious and someone who is not “in love” with that beautiful new home. A professional Home Inspection will provide you with valuable insight as to the physical condition of the property without emphasis on the floor plan of the house or the colors of the interior walls or of the condition of the wall-to-wall carpet. Having a Home Inspection will be mostly invaluable to you in your purchasing decision because the Inspection Report will identify areas of concern that you may not have yet considered. Is there any indication of damage from past plumbing leaks? What about from roof leakage? Are there any obvious electrical hazards present that need to be corrected? Is that garage overhead door operating safely?  The Home Inspector should also teach you a bit about the home because homes don’t generally come with  Owners Manuals. Where is that main water shut-off valve located in case you were to have to turn off the water…..right now? What is the most efficient way to operate the heat pump system?

The Raleigh Home Inspector Suggests That A Good Maintenance Plan Can Go A Long Way Toward Protection Of Your Investment

2) So now you’ve made a really good and informed purchase…you’ve signed on the dotted line and now you are the home-owner. Not a home-owner…THE Homeowner. It’s yours. It’s your baby! Not just part of it but the whole enchilada. Your perspective of how to protect your investment has just changed. Now, you have to maintain the home and do everything that you can to make sure it’s value is maintained. And that is a tall order and one that is often taken lightly or outright misunderstood. The maintenance of a home requires a significant general commitment as well as considerable expenditures of both time and money. Home Inspectors routinely report on various conditions that are quite costly to correct and, often, these issues could have been prevented with a good maintenance plan and some affirmative action. Anything to do with water is a recurring and prominent theme with a home. Keeping the exterior well maintained is important…the siding and wood trim need to be periodically prepared and painted to prevent deterioration. Plumbing leaks, and roof leaks, need to be discovered as quickly as possible to prevent damage…there’s that water “thingy” again.

And what’s going on in those spaces of the home …those places into which most people rarely venture. What’s happening in that crawl space or attic space? You need to know what’s happening, and to know, you have to go there or have someone else check it out for you. Having your cooling and heating systems serviced is important to their well-being and to their longevity. And the list goes on.

3) At some time in the future, you are going to decide you want to sell your home. Maybe you need to upgrade to larger spaces or maybe you’re in need of down-sizing. Irrespective of your motivations, you’ll want to be able to fetch the most amount of money that the market will bear. Right? So pay attention to the way the home looks. Pay attention to how it presents itself. Drag out that dusty ole’ home-buyers hat, put it on, go out to the street, and take a good long, hard and unbiased look at your home. Walk around the exterior. What do you see? Do you see well-manicured shrubbery or scraggly bushes brushing up against the exterior walls? Do you see blinds hanging askew in the windows? Do you see “stuff” around the perimeter of the exterior? While a Home Inspector doesn’t pay too much attention to cosmetic items, you can bet your hard-earned money that your prospective buyers are doing just that. Do you remember how the home looked the first time you saw it? So spruce up the exterior. Clean and tidy up the interior. Know that, just as you did, your prospective buyer will form a first impression and that you want that first impression to be a positive one. Protecting your investment begins with your due diligence prior to purchase and doesn’t end until you have sold your investment for the fair price that you deserve. Hopefully, and with a good maintenance plan, that price will be one that is profitable for you.

For more articles related to homes, home-buying, and Home Inspections by the Raleigh Home Inspector, Gary Gentry, visit his Expert Author page at e-Zine Articles.

Of course, says the Raleigh Home Inspector, there’s always the food at the NC State Fair. I mean, who goes to the fair and doesn’t imbibe themselves…right?? The stand-by “staple foods” (for myself at any rate) are the London Broil sandwiches (with cheese, mushrooms, and a touch of hot sauce)… and the roasted corn…and the eclairs from the Gingerbread house…and…oh, never mind!  It’s always interesting to see what kind of… bizarre… food they’ll being serving up. Last year it was the Krispy-Creme Burger. And this year, they actually had deep-fried butter…yep, a stick of butter…deep-fried. And no, I didn’t partake of that particular

The Raleigh Home Inspector Still Isn't Sure About Deep Fried Butter...But..err,...To Each Their Own

debauchery though I am, somewhat hesitantly and sheepishly, willing to admit that I did indulge in the consumption of one of those Funnel Cakes….with cherries and a bit of powdered sugar, of course.
We always enjoy the animal exhibits…and this year we took in a couple of the equestrian shows.

To me, one of the most interesting, and entertaining things at this years fair was that we were able to   catch a glimpse of DiVine, an 8+ foot tall animated vine that was simply mesmerizing to watch.

Actually, DiVine is Kirsten Heinrich, a classical and modern ballet dancer who has toured with the San Diego Ballet…her skills, strength, grace, and athleticism are all readily apparent; and her abilities to stay upright on those stilts as well. All of us felt quite fortunate to be able to see her perform. When our attention was initially drawn to her sudden but fluid movement, my first thought was “What the heck is that?”…and it just got more and more enjoyable to watch after the initial surprise. DiVine was truly  awesome to watch.

DiVine Blends Right In

What "DiVine" Talent....!

If you are in need of a professional Raleigh Home Inspector to assess the property that you are considering purchasing, then give Quality Residential Inspections  a call today at 919-848-4833… If the home will require Radon In Air testing, then we can schedule that for you as well.

Simple, everyday conservation acts to help save the environment

(ARA) – The “going green” trend is going strong as more Americans discover that doing their part for the environment is now simpler than ever. Many small, everyday acts can help the environment – things as simple as using a water purifier instead of buying bottled water or switching to concentrated laundry detergents.

Procter & Gamble’s environmental education program, Future Friendly, offers these helpful hints for changes that can benefit the environment and, in many cases, your pocketbook.

It's often the little things that matter...and that can add up to big conservation savings

Cleaning up your act

Doing a load of laundry seems like an innocent enough chore, right? Actually, our laundry habits can consume a lot of resources, from using more detergent than necessary to using energy to heat the wash water. Fortunately, greening your practices in the laundry room can be simple.

* Follow on-package dosing instructions – A third of Americans simply guess how much detergent to add to their laundry, with many just filling the cap or scoop to the brim, according to a recent Ipsos survey. In fact, 59 percent of those polled said they learned to do laundry from their mother, and 43 percent have never changed their laundry habits because they’ve never seen a reason to. It’s important to follow the recommended dosing instructions which are generally marked on the cap or scoop.

* Use concentrated detergent – Concentrated powder versions of Tide and Gain are now available, enabling you to use less detergent per load with the same great results. This concentrated formula means the detergents’ packaging has been reduced, creating less waste to toss in the trash or recycling bin.

* Wash in cold water – Most of the energy consumed in a typical load of laundry is used to heat the water, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.  Switching to cold water for every load can yield significant energy savings and, when using specially formulated products, you won’t have to trade-off product performance to realize the environmental benefits.

Water, water everywhere

Water is a precious commodity that needs to be protected to ensure the health of the planet and our communities. Consider these water conservation tips as you go about your daily activities:

* Use a water purifier – While bottled water is a convenient aspect of modern life, the downside is the disposal of all those empty plastic bottles. When you compare the annual capacity and average price of a faucet-mount water filter to the price of water bottles that would hold the same amount of water, switching your household to a water purifier such as those available from Pur could keep more than 1,000 bottles out of the landfill and save around $600 a year.

* Skip pre-washing your dishes – Pre-washing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher can consume up to 20 gallons of water, according to EnergyStar.gov. If you use a good quality “complete” dishwasher detergent such as Cascade Complete, all you need to do is scrape off large food particles then place the dirty dishes in the washer – and you’ll save around 2,600 gallons of water a year (based on 12.5 gallons of water used to pretreat, at four loads per week). EnergyStar also recommends running the dishwasher only when it’s full and skipping the heat drying cycle.

So, try to make it a point to be just a little more “Green” in the activities that you engage in every day.

Quality Residential Inspections provides Home Inspection and ancillary testing services, e.g. Radon testing, to the entire Triangle region of North Carolina. Contact us today at 919-848-4833 or Schedule Your Home Inspection here.

“I really appreciate the attention to detail with regards to the inspection.”

and…

“Mr. Gentry,  I have sent the inspection [report] to my uncle who is a contractor…His first remarks were of how detailed the report was…”

Erik went on to say… ” If the opportunity arises I’ll be sure to recommend your services to others!”

Thank You, Erik, for your kind words!

We truly appreciate Erik and Lauren…and we wish them and their family the very best of good fortune and happiness in their new home.

When buying a home, you need one of the sharpest tools available from your tool bag...Quality Residential Inspections

If you are buying a home in the Triangle Area of North Carolina, then you need the services of Quality Residential Inspections and the Raleigh Home Inspector in your tool bag…a tool and resource that you can rely upon for your due diligence and count on to protect your best interests during your real estate transaction.

You can schedule your Home Inspection right here on our website!

Gary Gentry, Quality Residential Inspections

There are many differing opinions as to what constitutes a good Home Inspection report and this is evidenced by the large number of report formats and the myriad of various software programs that are used to create reports. Having been in the Home Inspection industry for more than 15 years, I was creating written (gulp…yes, hand-written) reports using carbon copy report forms, in triplicate (three copies…press hard, please) back when there weren’t any computers involved in the process. In fact, I had to be drug, not quite actually by my hair, and not quite literally…but almost…kicking and screaming, into what I’ll refer to as the modern computer age. In retrospect, it was a definitive change for the better (in most ways, anyway…I have yet to have my wrist “crash”…but I digress). As the owner of a Raleigh Home Inspection firm, I have my own professional opinion as to what goes into the production of a good Home Inspection, and as to what a good Home Inspection report should be.

There is differing opinion amongst professional Home Inspectors as to whether a checklist style of report should be used…or whether a narrative style report should be used. In the former, issues or problems (I have never have liked referring to issues as problems, even though an issue may very well be, and likely is, a problem for someone…) are conveyed to the reader using boxes that are checked off. In the latter, issues are presented using narrative, wherein each problem is identified by writing out those issues. In reality, most reports are a combination of the two. The combination style of report is the one that I prefer and recommend to other Home Inspectors; descriptive commentary e.g. materials or types of components, can be conveyed using a check box with the real issues conveyed using narrative.

So, what are the…ingredients…necessary to create and provide a good Home Inspection report?

To preface any discussion regarding this subject topic, and from a clients perspective (who is likely relying on the contents of the report to make a well-informed real estate purchasing decision), it is important that the Inspector be experienced, knowledgeable about most all related issues that might be encountered, and be entirely professional toward both the Home Inspection process as a whole and toward the client/buyer specifically. This must be, in my opinion, accepted as a given and be considered a baseline requirement. The overall philosophy of the Inspector should be to provide their client with not only a good inspection experience, but an excellent inspection experience. Of course, it should be herein acknowledged that if the home has a really large number of serious issues, then the experience may not seem like such a good one to the client at the time…but that’s likely (or should be) the fault of the condition of the home itself rather than the fault of the Inspector. In the event of a less than stellar report resulting from an Inspection of a particular home, the client is able to revel in the fact that their professional Home Inspector, and their most excellent and professionally produced Home Inspection report precluded their buying the proverbial Money Pit and their having any number of unexpected or unanticipated expenses associated with their home purchase.

Obviously, any report absolutely must provide the client value…with, at the very least, a good representation of the condition of the property. If a report doesn’t do that, then the report is likely not worth anything…it would be worthless even if it were free.

Among other things, a Good Home Inspection Report should:

• Be well organized and well presented; the report should layout and presentation should be logical…it should be organized so as to provide a sort of road map, if you will, around and through the home
• Be well written…and be readily understandable by anyone irregardless of whether or not they have ever been to the physical property and irrespective of their technical background. The report should, to every extent possible, be devoid of technical nomenclature that requires yet more explanation to be understood; it should be concise and clear. A report that has to be interpreted is of little overall value
• Provide enough detail, description and direction to provide not only the client, but anyone involved in the transaction e.g. real estate agents, attorneys, mortgage lenders, etc., with a clear representation of the physical condition of the property
• Contain enough, but not an excessive number, of digital photographs relating directly to significant or serious issues. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words…this is true of a home inspection report. Photographs make it immeasurably easier to identify and understand any particular issue. On the other hand, a report loaded with photographs that lend no additional value to a report and are provided as filler content, or to provide a CYB (Cover Your Buttocks..) function for the Inspector, are best left out of a report
• Be presented using plain, but grammatically correct language. There is no place in a professional Home Inspection report for misspelled words, fragmented sentences, and general misuse of the English language (or whatever language is appropriate). A report filled with these types of deficiencies is, and again in my opinion, directly indicative of the professionalism of the Inspector
• Be presented in a straight-forward manner…if there are reportable issues present, then they should be presented in such a way as to leave no doubt that they are, indeed, issues. There should be no Soft-Shoeing…no Song and Dance…no Weasel-wording…just straight talk, accurate description, and effective commentary. Further, there should be some commentary provided to explain why an issue is an issue, and how to go about correcting that issue or otherwise obtaining other professional opinion regarding its correction
• Contain a well-designed Summary Section…a section of the report where all significant, and potentially significant, issues are clearly identified. General information, suggestion regarding routine maintenance, or recommendations regarding the upgrade of the property should not be included in the Summary section of the report. That type of information should most certainly be provided in the report for the benefit of the client…just not in the Summary section of the report

A client in search of a professional Home Inspection should inquire of any potential candidate Inspector as to what type of report they produce…nor should they be at all shy or hesitant about asking that the considered Inspector to provide a sample of their inspection report. That way, a client will have a very good representative idea of what they can expect from the Home Inspector. The nursery rhyme that goes…Patty Cake…Patty Cake, Bakers Man…Bake Me A Cake As Fast As You Can…may have been good for Mother Goose; but when it comes to a Home Inspection and the resulting report, you may or may not want to get it just as fast as you can… but you certainly, absolutely, and most unequivocally want it to be just as GOOD as you can get it!

If a Home Inspection report incorporates all of the previously identified components, then it is highly predictable that the result will be a Good inspection report…and maybe even an Excellent inspection report. Isn’t that what a consumer should be searching for…and be entitled to receive I might add, in exchange for their hard-earned dollars… a most Excellent Home Inspection report?

Click HERE to Review a sample report such as those routinely produced for the clients of Quality Residential Inspections.

As a Raleigh Home Inspector and the owner of a Raleigh Home Inspection company, we are all too often made directly aware of damage to outside HVAC equipment as result of the presence of Fido… You see, the trouble with dogs, and especially male dogs, is that they inherently like to urinate on things vertical…trees, fences, automobile tires and……your outside air conditioning equipment. It would seem that some dogs think the equipment is their own personal fire hydrant.

The damage caused by a dog to an A/C unit can be striking

The potential result of  “Come on, pooch, go outside and go potty” takes on a whole new meaning when it comes time to replace that expensive equipment. The damage that can be done is striking.

Hmmm...Not good!

The best preventative measure is to separate the dog and the equipment…perhaps the installation of a fence around the unit to provide a barrier for that Bulldog…an obstacle for that Shepherd…an impediment for that Labrador. And it should be relatively easy and inexpensive to incorporate. Just be sure that you don’t construct any solid barriers too close to the equipment because you need to maintain an adequate free space around the equipment.

If you need a professional Home Inspection in the Raleigh and greater Triangle Region of NC, then give us at Quality Residential Inspections call at 919.848.4833….or Schedule Your Home Inspection Online today.

Home inspections help you sell

(ARA) – When you’re ready to sell your home in the current market, you need to take every step you can to ensure a timely sale at the price you want. A surplus of homes for sale means that yours needs to stand out in style, amenities and quality to make an impression on potential buyers. The more steps you take to make your house sale-ready, the better results you’ll get.

Currently, home sales are at a historic low — so what do you need to do to buck that trend? Updated decor and proper staging certainly help present your home well, but don’t think that cosmetic fixes are all you need. Buyers want to know the home they’re considering is safe and sound, and the best way to establish that is to hire a home inspector.

Twenty years ago, it seemed extravagant to hire a home inspector, but today it’s standard practice. Buyers will often bring their own inspectors to the table, so you need to start by hiring one yourself. Hiring a professional will give you a realistic perspective on what’s going on in the bones of your home.

“In a down market, a pre-sale inspection can make a home stand out,” says David Tamny, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors. “More and more, sellers are obtaining pre-sale inspections to help uncover and address potential issues before the first prospective buyer walks through the door. This simple step allows for better planning and lowers repair costs, adds value to the home, and it could increase the likelihood of an offer.”

Even if someone in your family is handy, a professional home inspector will be able to point out issues that might go unnoticed by someone who doesn’t know the ins and outs of inspecting. Today’s buyers are quick to point out flaws uncovered by the home inspectors they bring with them, particularly if the flaws could compromise health or safety.

Buyers can use problems as bargaining chips, causing previously agreed upon prices to be lowered or even the cancellation of a deal. Inspections help uncover imperfections that often can be fixed easily and inexpensively, so it’s worth it to get your home inspected before you list it.

In addition, a good inspection can raise the likelihood of an offer being placed on your home. Buyers are looking for security. If you can show them your home has been inspected, they’ll feel more comfortable with it. That confidence often equates to more dollars in your pocket when you agree to the sale.

The areas covered in home inspections are: the major systems and components such as the foundation, exterior siding, flashing and trim, the roof, plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling units. In addition, some home inspectors offer additional services including radon testing, energy assessments and pool and spa inspections.

The current housing market requires a proactive approach to selling, and to get the result you want, you have to think about every aspect of your home. Having a home inspection can add value to the property, speed up the negotiation process, increase the likelihood of an offer and, most importantly, help sell your home

Courtesy of ARAcontent

If you want to maximize your potential for a “quick sale” and avoid repair-related issues late in the transaction process, then give Quality Residential Inspections a call at 919-848-4833 for your pre-sale or pre-listing Home Inspection by your Raleigh Home Inspector.nd

Gary.

Jesse & Gerri Fort
Cary NC

Now that is the kind of satisfaction that we strive for from all of our clients……when the Raleigh Home Inspector gets this kind of feedback from our clients, we know that we’re doing something right!

Contact us today to schedule your Raleigh Area Home Inspection!

Quality Residential Inspections
919.848.4833

An Average Raleigh Home Inspection Will Take Approximately 3 Hours

homes may take significantly longer because, simply, there is more to observe and to report upon. We typically schedule our first Home Inspection of the day at 8:30 AM.

Typical fees for a QRI Home Inspection average around $350.00 – $500.00 and are quoted upon request in accordance with our fixed fee schedule. Various factors affect the fee. If you are comparing home inspection firms , the fees that they charge should not be your most important consideration. We know what QRI inspection services are worth and we assume that other Home Inspection firms know what their services are worth. Remember, you are considering a major purchase.

It may not be wise or prudent to base your Home Inspector selection on a difference of $25.00 or $50.00 in quoted fees. With QRI, an un-biased, thorough, and professional Home Inspection is a “given”; service is what really matters and QRI provides the best service available.

Forms of payment accepted include cash, check, VISA and MasterCard.