My house is 10 years old.  I received an insert from the mortgage company.  It is an offer to purchase a home warranty.  Everything in my house is original except the disposal. I have never purchased one!  My clients often do.  You are going to have to help me here. This one is underwritten by HomeSure of Virginia.  I am not familiar with them.  It covers everything that my disaster insurance does not - appliances, systems, etc.  Everything. Terms:  $38/month, added to my mortgage payment.  Deductible $60 per service call, 24/7.  (That is cheap compared to some I have seen)  They have their own "pre-qualified" service agents, of course.  Also, there is an offer to purchase anything at a 30% discount BEFORE it breaks.  Not bad it seems. I have until Feb 28 to decide. -- What do you think... 01/26/2009

If you are interested in quick answers to leaky house questions, general or specific, there is a useful website to log on to.  Your Leaking House, created and maintained by Carl Brown and Dale Duffy.  It is populated by knowledgeable home inspectors nationwide who contribute and share their experiences and solutions.  More than anything it is a site created to allow inspectors to vent - new construction, old construction, remodeling - it is all discussed.  Roofs, stucco, faux stone, vinyl, foundations, flashing and brick - you name it, if it leaks, you will find it there. We all need to learn.  Beyond that, sometimes we need quick answers. DON'T BE SHY!! And, don't think for a minute that sometimes home inspectors do not need help from other inspectors! There are aspects of the site tha... 01/23/2009

For a long time now, I am signed on to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to receive their emails. The send me recall notices. I told them which things I wanted notices on – consumer products, toys, tools, electrical, etc. – and they send me emails when testing orders a recall. I do it to help myself be a better home inspector. Some days I get four or five. I get them nearly EVERY DAY. I cannot keep up with it all! I do not know how the CPSC keeps up with it all! They must have a quillion employees. I am forever writing down products, brands, serial numbers – it is a never-ending effort. And it is shocking! Here is my problem – for the categories that I am emailed about, way over 90% of the recalled products are manufactured in China. Maybe 1 or 2% of the recalls are manufact... 01/22/2009

A while ago, I arrived at a house to do a home inspection.  I habitually get to home inspections early to get various things done before others arrive.  The buyer's realtor knew that, she knows me too well, and she told the listing agent.  I was met early by both realtors, buyer and seller.  They told me that the seller was a single, very senior, recently-widowed woman who desperately needed to sell the house for financial reasons.  They outlined all that had been done to the house to ready it for sale.  And, oh, that there was a new, one-year old roof. The message was not too subtle.  At the time I thought they were trying to sway my opinion before I had one. Feeling undue pressure, I was not happy about it then, but I was happy to hear yesterday of the end result.  I had an inspection... 01/21/2009

Recently I did and inspection on a new home on which I had previously done a pre-drywall inspection.  That was three months previous! The builder was VERY slow to finish the house. The supervisor said they had "taken their time to get it right." At this point you are supposed to cough and say, "Um, okaaaaay!" He also challenged the buyers that if I found "anything" (his word) he would be surprised. They have their final walk through next Monday morning. Boy, is this supervisor going to be surprised!! There was the typical stuff on a new home - the attic unit AC condensate line that does not drain - the master bedroom AFCI which, when tripped, also turns off the master bath AND hall bath water closet fan and light - the overflow drains in all three bath tubs that are NOT connected and wo... 01/19/2009

I did an inspection.  I do them now and again. This one involved a dual agent - she "represented" both sides of the deal, buyer and seller. She did not tell me that prior to the inspection. It would not have made a difference anyway, but she should have been upfront. The house was a flip.  It was seriously remodeled.  The term "severely remodeled" could also apply. There was much done to this house, and VERY unprofessionally.  During the inspection, I used the word "unprofessional" a lot.  There were electrical things done that were "unprofessional."  Plumbing "unprofessional." Drywall "unprofessional."  Siding "unprofessional."  Floor tiling "unprofessional."  It went on.  Who knows what multitude of sins were covered by unprofessional work. Then I used another word, a four-letter word... 01/18/2009

BRISTOW RAW LAND There are 2 "ACTIVE" "A1" zoned lot parcels available for sale in the community of Bristow. These lots range in price from $399,900 for 1.30 Acres and $4,650,000 for 12 Acres. The Average Days on Market for these lots is 367 days. There are 2 "ACTIVE" "M1" zoned lot parcels available for sale in the community of Bristow. These lots range in price from $235,000 for 1.76 Acres and $2,050,000 for 4.08 Acres. The Average Days on Market for these lots is 131 days. There is 1 "ACTIVE" "M2" zoned lot parcel available for sale in the community of Bristow. This lot is priced at $2,300,000 for 7.61 Acres. The Average Days on Market for these lots is 44 days. Lastly, there are NO lot parcels within the Bristow community "UNDER CONTRACT". In addition, there are NO lot parcels avail... 01/17/2009

I have received three calls* in two days for freezing pipes.  That is not so unusual... It's where the pipes are freezing that makes this so odd.  You see, in every call, it is the kitchen sink cold water pipe that is freezing! It has been very cold and got to 5 degrees F last night at my house in Northern Virginia.  We get that now and then, but not often.  I say "cold" fully realizing that 5 degrees is T-shirt weather for some of you people...  but that is beside the point. Often in the past I have gotten calls because the pipes servicing the large master bath tubs have frozen.  It is a large, enclosed space, with plumbing inside.  Sometimes the exterior wall(s) does not get properly insulated.  Because of that I always look for complete insulation there on pre-drywall inspections. Bu... 01/17/2009

Two more months of resales in Braemar's townhouse inventory has given us the opportunity to examine average sales price for the final two months of 2008.  Townhouse sales in this Braemar Tonwhouse Report, as always, are divided into two categories:  No Garage and Garage.  No Garage Townhouses had five resales in November and December.  The average sales price dipped slightly to $203,297.  That's down from $207,250 last report (September-October 2008).  That's less than a 2% drop in average sales price in two months.  Not bad considering the last drop was over 12% last report.  Seller subsidy (closing assistance from seller to buyer) has gone down from $3,000 to $2,682.  Unfortunately, the number of days it is taking to sell one of these townhouses has gone up from 75days last report, to... 01/07/2009

Why is there no time to do it right the first time, but enough to come back later and try to fix it? How profitable can that be? Why, on a final walk through, does a builder create a list, sometimes a huge list, of things they agree they will come back for later? Why not give it your best shot the first time? Interestingly, when I do an inspection on a house that was built by a builder for himself, I usually say, “Why are you getting an inspection?” It is said only half tongue in cheek. Is it unfair to say that? Not in my experience… those houses are different! Consider the blog title. How would you respond to these ads? Sparkle Water Company, “Our Water Meets the Minimum Standards Required By Law.” How much of that would you store in the basement for emergencies? Bob’s Bridge Builders,... 01/06/2009

Another two months of home sales in Braemar is giving us the opportunity to reflect once more on property values in the neighborhood.  This particular post will focus on the Heritage Series homes.  That includes the following models:  Yardley, Waverly, Zachary & Exeter.  They are what I like to call the "Mama Bear" homes built by Brookfield in Braemar. As the market has declined, the Heritage Series homes have continued to be in steady demand.  With two resales this report (both Yardley models), the average sale price is now $357,450.  That's hardly any change at all from last report's $357,500 (September and October 2008).  The average seller subsidy (seller closing cost assistance to buyer) was $5,475 this report, down from $8,750 last report.  That's the second straight reporting per... 01/04/2009

It's time for another Braemar Property Value Report for the Courtyard Series homes built by Brookfield.    These courtyard homes are near zero lot line homes...five to a single pipe stem or driveway.  They include the Clarendon, Ballston & Arlington models. The averages for this report are based on one resale in November and December 2008; an Arlington model. The average sale price went from $299,500 last report (September-October 2008) to $290,000 this report.  The average seller subsidy (closing cost assistance from seller to buyer) is up significantly from $2,850 last report to $8,400 this report.  The worst news is that the average number of days it is taking to sell these homes stands at 211...up from 52 days last report.  This is a trend that will likely reverse itself in the Spri... 01/04/2009

Another two months of home sales in Braemar is giving us the opportunity to once again reflect on property values in the neighborhood.  This particular post will focus on the Carriage Series homes.  That includes the following models:  Maplewood, Norwood, Oakdale & Parkdale.  They are the detached garage homes built by Brookfield in Braemar. As the market has declined, the Carriage Series homes have been in consistent demand by buyers.  These smaller single family homes are a great alternative for first time home buyers that may otherwise buy a townhouse.  The average sale price this report, after three resales in the past two months, is now $282,967.  That's an increase from $278,167 in September and October 2008!  The average closing cost contribution was $3,333 this report, up from $... 01/04/2009

Another two months of home sales in Braemar is giving us the opportunity to once again reflect on property values in the neighborhood.  This particular post will focus on the Arista Series homes built by Brookfield.  That includes the following models:  Canterbury, Allister and Buckingham.  They are the largest single family homes built by Brookfield in Braemar. This Braemar Property Value Report gives us an average of two Canterbury resales, both with fully finished basements.  The average sale price is now $435,250.  That's up from $410,000 last report (September & October 2008). Before you get excited, please note that one of the two resales was the model home on which you may have based your decision to purchase a Canterbury.  It is extremely upgraded and the sales price, even in th... 01/04/2009

Pretend you saw this ad in the paper: We Build To the Minimum Standard Required By Law! When was the last time you saw that ad from a builder?  Never?  Why not? Would you buy that house? Would you take your clients to speak with that builder? Or to view that house? Why have you never seen that ad?  Because that isn't how they say it.  What do they say instead? All Our Homes Are Built Strictly To Code! Well, the code is the minimum standard required by law.  Explain to me the difference between those two ads above.  There isn't any! This very conversation happened just this past week.  Just before a new construction inspection, to me, and in front of my clients, the buyers, a supervisor said this: Supervisor - (proudly smiling) "You won't find much wrong with this house.  We build all ou... 01/03/2009

My name is Gray Kitty.  Ms. Chris Ann and her husband, Mr. James, have been taking care of me for a long time.  I am a male cat and was really wild when they first met me.  I would not let them come near me.  They don't know if I was feral, or previously owned and abused.  I'll never tell. Then they captured me and had me "fixed". My temperment started to change.  I didn't feel as wild.  And I started to become more friendly.  Before I knew it, I was trusting these two humans.  And I actually enjoy them!  It started with a pet here or there, but now I am hooked.  I love lap time with Ms. Chris Ann and Mr. James.  And if they let me, I would spend hours on their lap sleeping.  I purr and purr.  I gently knead my paws on them.  And I have learned that rubbing my face on their head is also... 01/03/2009

Boy, how things have changed! The photo below is me - taken during the last hurray before summer vacation ended.  I am 4 1/2 years old and getting ready for kindergarten.  We used to go to Shady Side, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay, every year.  My favorite thing was the boating.  I had my own boat.  I would get up early and go boating before the adults got up.  I remember it vividly.  In this photo the water is probably shallow enough for me to wade in.  But I remember going so far out I would get yelled at, from the shore, 100 yards away.  I thought that was funny.  Sometimes I would jump out and swim to shore.  It got me punished.  Look carefully at the picture!  By the way, that is my 18 month-old brother on the beach.  Things have changed... If this photo had been taken last Septe... 01/01/2009

My husband and I were awakened this morning to the sounds of siding expanding and contracting with very strong and sustained sounding winds.  We knew from weather forecasts that we were expecting high winds today, but this is ridiculous.     This is only the beginning.  The winds will likely get even stronger.  We've lost some trees, but thankfully nothing from the house (siding, ridge vents, etc.).  Our neighbors inflatable holiday decorations are threating to blow down toward our house.  Already we've seen more trash than we can believe, go flying past our house.  I don't remember wind storms like this happening before, and I've lived in Northern Virginia my whole life.  This seems to be something that has started happening the past few years.   Totally bizarre! 12/31/2008

What’s that? It is one to which the old catch phrase applies – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Or is your business the cynical opposite? “Do unto others before they do unto you.” I prefer the former. I meet both kinds of businesses and people. And worse. A careful consideration of the chapter from which the catch phrase comes (the Biblical Luke 6) reveals much more. This is teaching is NOT only meant for those who accept or follow the Bible. It really is meant for everyone. It holds society to a higher standard. It holds us to a higher standard. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. The phrase, “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise,” is in the middle* and is not the focus of the instruction. What is the focus? Our enemies! In fact, especiall... 12/29/2008

I am doing at least one new construction inspection every week, either pre-drywall or final walk through.  In every case, the line, "You don't need a home inspection" comes up.  It starts with the sales agent representing the builder.  "You won't need a private home inspection.  We are putting our best supervisor on your house.  He is terrific.  He will catch everything."  You would not believe how often my clients tell me this one... From there it continues with the supervisor.  "You know, I am on site every day.  I see everything that comes into and goes up in this house.  You won't need a private home inspector - you have me."  Okay, never mind the fact that on most new home construction the supervisor changes two or three times.  Does the one communicate with the other?  I can tell ... 12/27/2008