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Jul 07

Free Termite Inspections are Usually not Guaranteed!

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Often, home inspectors will offer “a free termite inspection” included with their home inspection price. Almost always, home buyers aren’t aware that such termite inspections come with no guarantee whatsoever! When a licensed pest inspector prepares an inspection report, the inspection is also usually not guaranteed, so that if termites are discovered after the home is purchased, the purchaser is not protected against paying for related repairs. They usually will, however, guaranty most houses if they are treating them with pesticides. Unless, for example, there is no moisture termite barrier on the foundation top under the sill plate.  Newsday published an article on this subject and outlined how real estate lawyers in many states will recommend an independent termite inspector:

“The engineer found no termites, but when he wouldn’t give a guarantee, I suggested [the buyers] bring in a licensed pest controller,” Minella said. With a written guarantee, buyers would be protected against paying for repairs in case termites were found after they moved in.”

In some of my home inspection cases, separate licensed termite inspectors found infestation problems and these reports were used as negotiation tools because the buyers wanted the houses regardless. The slightly higher cost for a separate termite inspection may be worth it for a number of reasons. Pest applicators that offer WDO (wood destroying organism) termite reports are usually competitively priced because the inspectors anticipate that some of these inspections will lead to work down the road. As a matter of fact, this gives them an incentive to make an extremely thorough inspection in order to find infestation. In one case, a termite inspector found a clean house but found infestation under a log right next to the house. In this situation, treatment was recommended in the report.

I became certified through InterNACHI to inspect for termites and other WDO (wood destroying organisms) that I offer for free along with a home inspection, using a separate WDO inspection form.

(Revised 12-07-16)

Termite photo by Scott Bauer

Tags: Long Island termite inspections, Home inspectors offer termite inspections, Hamptons NY termite inspectors

Jun 08

Twin Fork NY Home Inspections

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Recently, I had the privilege of performing various inspections on both the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island that were filled with surprises. On the plus side, an antique clam rake was found in the crawl space of one house and a spare toilet hookup was found pre-existig in the garage of another. Two serious drawbacks included the discovery of termites and evidence of asbestos-like material on heating pipes.

I won’t state which houses had which, but the home buyers are thankful to have known about these issues before deciding on a final purchase offer. Both buyers intended to go ahead with the purchase of their homes.

When I asked one purchaser why he called SHI he said that he had called someone else recommended by a real estate agent, but the other company did not answer the phone in a timely manner. At SHI we aim to respond quickly and inspect carefully.

Recent SHI home inspections on the North Fork and South Fork:

619 Maple St, Greenport, NY

20 Phoebe Scoy Rd, East Hampton, NY

650 Old Shipyard Ln, Southold, NY

292 Little Noyac Pth, Southampton, NY

165 Springville Rd, Hampton Bays, NY

If you want to close a deal fast and need a reliable inspector for either your North Fork or South Fork home purchase, give SHI a call at 631 377 2046.

Tags: North Fork NY home inspector, North Fork NY home inspections, best North Fork inspector, fast North Fork inspector, South Fork home inspector, South fork home inspections Twin Fork NY inspector

Apr 30

Hamptons Designer Housing Market Update

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200px-Cuckoo_clock_by_Pascal_Tarabay1Last week, 27East reported how Hamptons Cottages & Gardens magazine hosted a panel discussion that featured discussions by a variety of professionals related to the real estate industry in the Hamptons and, with regard to creativity and real estate, the situation is a bit paradoxical. In one sense, it’s a designer’s market:

“Mr. Collé, who said that today’s buyers are “less interested in cookie-cutter houses” and more passionate about custom-designed homes, said that he has been seeing more and more demand for “bigger and better” residences. That means more and more teardowns of existing older homes on ideally located properties, he reported.”

And yet, in another sense, the population of creative artists and designers that helped to give the Hamptons a sense of mystique seems to be on the wain:

“The artists and writers are being squeezed out by the hedge fund managers, she paused. “And the people clipping the hedges.”

Like SOHO in NYC and Red Hook in Brooklyn, the Hamptons seems to be following a similar pattern for artists and writers.

In March, Deal Book reported how hedge fund titan Steven A. Cohen paid $60 million for an oceanfront home on Further Lane in East Hampton. But this is chump change. The day before the home purchase news has it that he purchased Picasso’s “Le Rêve” for $155 million from the casino owner Stephen A. Wynn. This was apparently one of the priciest private art deals ever transacted. The art of the deal.

The HC & G Hamptons real estate update and forum included Builder Jeffrey Collé, NYC&G features editor Carmela Ciuraru, HC&G contributing editor Heather Buchanan and author Steven Gaines joined HC&G publisher Pamela Eldridge.

Image of designer cuckoo clock by Pascal Tarabay is courtesy of Creative Commons.

Post originally published at Warren’s Nursery

Tags: art and real estate, Hamptons designers, Hampton real estate update, buy designer home Hamptons NY

Feb 22

Hurricane Sandy Wiped Out Most Low NY Insurance Rates

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It used to be that places like Florida and Louisiana stood out as high risk locations with higher insurance rates. Add a few Northeast Frankenstorms into the mix, however, and that’s bound to change. What does this new storm trend signify for the real estate industry? Well, for one thing, higher homeowner insurance rates in the Northeast and ikely a negative affect on the sales market.

The Insurance Information Institute has come out with a remarkable prognosis that Hurricane Sandy caused more insurance costs than the historic 9/11 destruction did. Insured losses from Hurricane Sandy are expected to be in the range of $25 billion, according to global reinsurance firm Munich Re. If this ends up to be true, then that would surpass the $24.6 billion that private insurers paid following the destruction of the World Trade Center, outlined Robert Hartwig, president and economist at the Insurance Information Institute. But, that’s not all. This will also have a dramatic effect on New York’s historically low insurance rates.

Northeast insurance rates to rise

In a video interview, Robert Hartwig explained how one storm alone would not increase rates. However, the fact that three serious storms that have effected the Northeast in the last 14 months will definitely have consequences with regard to present relatively low insurance rates.

“Insurers are not allowed by law to recoup past losses, but what they are allowed to do and what they need to do to obviously remain financially strong and so that they’re there for the next time an event like this strikes is to charge a rate that reflects the risk.”

Home inspectors don’t have much work when people can’t afford houses and don’t buy them. High insurance costs are certainly a factor in this equation. People often choose companies like Geico because they draw from a pool of low cost insurance providers in order to find the best possible insurance rates. It definitely pays to shop around for the best possible insurance rates before you make your choice. Though costs are rising, some rates are a lot lower than others. One thing is certain, check to see how well the company handles actual claims before committing.

Tags: Robert Hartwig insurance, Robert Hartwig quotes, Insurance Information Institute, III, find best insurance rates in NY, difficult afford a house, Long Island insurance

Feb 15

Recession Buster – $425 Guaranteed Maximum Fee for a 4BR Home Inspection in Suffolk NY!

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guaranteeSHI has lowered the fee for a home inspection of up to four bedrooms including a basement. It used to be $500 and now it is $425 with no extra travel fees or hidden costs for any location in Suffolk County NY! Because of inflation, this price will not be indefinite. So call at the time of your inspection to verify the current price. Give us a call at 631 377 2046.

Tags: best price home inspections Long Island, best price home inspections in Suffolk NY

Nov 27

Increased Home Inspections After Hurricane Sandy

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Grace-presbyterianThere have been some aftershocks of Hurricane Sandy in the real estate market that have been noted in the aftermath of the storm. For example, homes that had already been inspected have been reinspected – just in case there were any fresh damages caused by the storm. A press release from the Business Journals site describes the situations:

“Many home sales as well as contracts that are in progress will be put on hold until homes can be inspected or re-inspected for damages caused by the hurricane. If you’re selling your home, don’t be surprised if a buyer interested in your property wants a second inspection of your home. And if your home is under contract, be aware that properties in areas impacted by the hurricane may require another appraisal by the mortgage lender. Estimates at property damage range from $60 billion to as much as $90 billion to date on homes in seven states.”

The site lists a number of other factors as well: Fewer homes are listed, sales contracts are being put on hold, fewer people are looking to buy homes near the damaged areas, lower home prices, and, as a plus, there are lower interest rates. The article offers a summary of the situation:

“Hurricane Sandy has inflicted much damage to homes and businesses along the East Coast. It would be difficult to overstate the devastation of this storm,” Habib says. “To some, the storm could bear some bad news extending well beyond property damage. For potential home buyers, lower home prices and continued low interest rates may offer a small silver lining to an otherwise distressing situation. Ultimately, buyers who were on the fence may find that the cost of purchasing a home has become even more attractive,” Habib says. “That means good news for both home buyers and home sellers.”

Hurricane Sandy changed the landscape in more ways than one. I pray that the victims of the tragedy find a sense of peace and the help they need in this time of great need. About 50 members of Grace Presbyterian Church, who were able to go on a Saturday, went on a bus to Breezy Point, NY in order to help victims with the clean up of their homes. That’s the context of the photo of damages included in this post.

Tags: increased home inspections after Sandy, two inspections common after Sandy

Nov 11

Keys to Winterizing Your House

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winterize

According to CBS News, about 150,000 homes on Long Island, New York still do not have power. The storm was on the 29th of October. Today is November 11th. That’s about two weeks without electricity. I’m quite certain that most of those 150, 000 homeowners who still have no power have considered every possible manner of winterizing their houses for maximum warmth. And, even if you have have no break in your electricity, it’s never too late to winterize your home.

There are a number of websites that offer good advice on why and how to winterize various aspects of your house. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ve outlined what some of the top-rated articles have to offer and then added my additional two cents worth in the summary.

I. The Boston Globe summarizes, How to winterize your home: A procrastinator’s manual with 8 tips

Some notable tips include, 1) Make sure that your windows are all locked, which ensures the weather seal is tight. 2) Insulate the wood rim joist that separates the foundation from the upper wood framing. Most homes are uninsulated here. 3) Make sure the fireplace flue is closed when not in use. Even if you use your fireplace regularly, you can close it when not in use and add a note to the fireplace mantle.

II. MSN Real Estate offers, 10 ways to winterize your home — now

Again, some of these may seem obvious, but you don’t want to overlook them. 1) Clean the gutters. When snow and ice build up on your roof, the last thing you want is to have your gutters clogged so the eventual thawing water has no outlet. 2) Reverse ceiling fans. If you have high cathedral ceilings, all the warm air is up at the ceiling. Taking time to reverse the fan direction for the winter makes sense. 3) Use window coverings. MSN recommends thin plastic films. Personally, I would rather have some nice heavy wall curtains or insulated roll-down blinds. I’ve done some work installing European-style curtains and it seems it was not just the aesthetic that governed the use of the thick, lush fabrics of wall-height curtains.

III. About.com summarizes, Winterizing Your Home: Preparing Your Home for Winter

This website paints the picture of home winterization with a broad brush. 1) Empty gas from lawnmowers. Gas attracts water, which actually can produce harmful microbes and such in a gas tank and engine. Today’s gasoline has ethanol, which attracts even more water. If you don’t empty it, use a marine-type gas stabilizer in order to condition gas in any tank so it is ready for winter. 2) Trim trees and branches. If you were just hit with hurricane Sandy, it may already be too late for this advice, However, if you have some branches dangling over your house, now would be a good time to have them cut because a sever ice storm may be just around the corner. It may be work cutting down entire trees that may fall on your house. 3) Prepare emergency items. Again, if you’ve been a victim of a hurricane, you may have realized this need in hindsight. Emergency flashlights, batteries, matches, emergency water, canned/dry food. These are all common items. But you may want to take it a step further and get some wick laps that burn low-smoke oils (with some oil, of course), a generator, plenty of gasoline in 5 gallon jugs, a wood-burning stove, and, just in case, a bug-out bag, just in case you have to flee from your warm and cozy home due to some emergency situation.

A couple of options these articles overlooked include, firstly, winterizing the hatch to your attic. This is perhaps the greatest source of heat loss in many homes. Secondly, if you have the money and a flair for unique interior designs, consider beautiful cloth wall coverings in the rooms of your home. Many old European homes have unitized cloth wall surface coverings, sometimes known as wall fabric. It may have helped to cover cracking plaster, but you can choose it for its insulation value and its unique aesthetic. The installation may include a foam under-layment which will give a room an added warm and an extra sense of peace and quiet. This website offers some classic visual examples. A home in the Hamptons utilized Thibaut grass-cloth wall covering, which may also be used on an insulated under-lament.

If you have procrastinated, it’s not too late to take some measures to winterize your home. Because I have a degree in architecture and design, and experience in interior design as well, I can also help you with selecting and implementing cloth wall coverings for your home. Why not winterize your home with a little bit of style?

Tags: tips for winterizing home, how to winterize you house, prepare your house for winter, make energy efficient house, most effective insulating techniques, winterize your home with style,

Thumb image of un-winterized home from Boston Globe.

Oct 28

What is Greatest Source of Home Energy Loss?

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As the winter season approaches and energy costs increase, people may be wondering, “What is the greatest source of heat-energy loss in a typical home?” and “How can I save on heating bills?” The answer is quite simple, “Air infiltration is the greatest source of heat-energy loss and a few simple solutions can help dramatically.” As a licensed home inspectors, we have been trained to detect problem situations that may be noted on a report and remedied by home sellers and potential home buyers.

The greatest source of air infiltration in a typical home is the hatch that leads up to the attic. In cold climates, this

hatch can be a problem because attics are typically insulated on the floor and the hatch door is usually just a thin piece of uninsulated plywood. This is not good. There are at least three remedies for this situation.

 

Firstly, an insulated hatch cover that rests upon the hatch area above would be a first line of defense against the cold. Weather stripping at the connection between the hatch door and the surrounding floor is also important. Attached is a photo of a simple loose-fitting insulated hatch door cover that simply rests on top of the hatch area, as noted in photo from Sustainable Life Solutions.

Secondly, an insulated cover can be placed underneath the existing stair hatch to offer another line of defense. This product in the photo is also provided by the same company. This additional hatch cover has a finished look and is ready to install.

hatch-cover-150x150Thirdly, weather stripping may be applied at all locations where edges of closing pieces meet together, including the original plywood door connection, the insulated hatch cover above and on the edges of the lower hatch cover.

These simple solutions can help to save money on energy bills in winter. Other sources of thermal drafts include fireplaces, AC wall units and outlets that are poorly insulated. SHI can visit your home and give you a high-tech energy inspection using the latest infrared technology to determine the sources of heat loss in your home.

Tags: greatest source of energy loss in home, Infrared home energy inspections, how to save on heating bills, home energy conservation,