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by Wally Conway,
Host
of the Home and Garden Show on WOKV
Spring has sprung! Even more important than buds, birds, and bees,
spring brings buyers! When buyers are looking for a place to nest,
they would really rather not see problems. As it turns out, nearly
every home inspected has problems or imperfections of some sort
or size. Most issues are very minor and simple to correct. Almost
all are a result of deferred maintenance.
Most of these simple deferred maintenance problems, when discovered
during the home inspection, cause the majority of the headaches
when trying to bring a contract to close. With the five quick checks
described below it is probable that 90% or more of the minor maintained
items typically discovered in the home inspection could be eliminated,
and with them a great portion of the time and stress associated
with their correction:
- Dirty Filter and Coils in the Heat Pump. The clean and
efficient flow of conditioned air as well as the longevity of
this very expensive system is dependant on proper airflow. A once-per-year
professional cleaning and check-up is almost always under $100.
Routine filter replacement can be done monthly by a homeowner.
- Poor Caulking of Ceramic Tile in the Tub and Shower Area.
The cost to repair or replace a rotted shower wall often exceeds
thousands of dollars. This is an avoidable event! A homeowner
can accomplish caulking of tiled areas easily for under $20. If
a crack in the caulk or grout is visible, you can believe it's
large enough for water to pass!
- Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) not Properly Functioning.
GFCI's are the electrical outlets that have the "press"
and "test" buttons. These devices are critically important
in reducing the chance for electrocution. The homeowner can test
the devices by pushing the "test" button. The cost of
a new GFCI is less than $10. They can be installed in less than
15 minutes.
- Amateur Workmanship. When something looks like an amateur
did it, that means an amateur did it, even if the perpetrator
was paid for his work! When amateurs do things, the materials
are often improper for the intended purpose or of poor quality.
Many times they are both. Seldom are proper permits pulled or
inspections performed when work is performed by amateurs. Amateur
work is also difficult to maintain. Amateur work and the people
who perform it always complicate a closing.
- Wood Rot. Closing contracts sure would be simpler without
wood rot. It sure would be nice to see a home listed that said
"clear WDO on file". Consider doing the WDO inspection
at the time of listing to greatly reduce the greatest challenge
in Florida real estate.
The act of selling real estate can be made simpler, more enjoyable,
and more profitable by educating buyers and sellers about preventative
maintenance. Spring is a time of renewal - renew your interest in
home care and take a few simple steps to keep safe, comfortable,
and ready for some summer sun!
Copyright © Florida HomePro, Inc. and Wallace
J. Conway. All rights in all media reserved.
About the Author: Wally Conway is your weekly Host of the Home
and Garden Show on WOKV, and author of the book "Secrets of the Happy
Home Inspector", available at GoHomePro.com.
Wally's expertise and experience has been sought after by HGTV's "House
Detective", DIY Network's "Finders Fixers", the National Association
of REALTORS®, newspapers, and corporations. As a speaker, writer, and instructor,
Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right
amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit WallyConway.com
for more information!
Reproduction of this article: Permission is granted to use this article
in any media provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety as shown
above, with the authors resource box/bio included including links to http://www.gohomepro.com
and http://www.wallyconway.com
as the original publisher.
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