From the category archives:

Home Inspections

Fixing Home Water Damage

by Bill Gassett on June 4, 2011 · 13 comments

Fixing home water problems

If you have ever been in the unfortunate position of having a pipe burst in your home, a washing machine hose give way while you were gone for the weekend, or a finished basement become flooded by a 100 year storm, you know what a royal pain in the $#@ it is to clean up and remedy water damage!

There are few things that can damage a home more than water. One of the most important things you can do when faced with a water damage problem is to tackle it right away.

Without taking immediate action the threat of getting mold becomes very likely which can further increase an already expensive proposition.

If you can get take care of the water in under 48-72 hours you stand a much greater chance that you can keep the mold at bay.

If it all possibly the 1st thing that you are going to want to do is take everything out of the area where the water damage has occurred and get it into a warm and dry environment. Even if it means taking these things outside that is what you should do.

The next step will be to either get in touch with a water damage and restoration company or take the same steps they would make in getting the water re-mediated from the home.

Open doors and/or windows ~ It goes without saying that you want to get as much fresh air circulating throughout the home as soon as possible.

Purchase or rent high powered fans ~ Most of the time opening the windows is not going to be enough to dry out serious water infiltration. You are going to need to get a hold of a few large fans that circulate a tremendous amount of air. Most of the fans needed to solve a water issue are going to run at least a few hundred dollars to purchase. Renting a fan could run you about $25 – $50 a day.

Water in the basement ~ If the water is in the basement an additional suggestion would be to use a large dehumidifier which can suck all the moisture right out of the area.

Of course one of the 1st things you should determine is how the water actually got into the basement in the 1st place. Was it ground water, water from a crack or surface water that is being improperly directed towards the home. Sometimes something as simple as a gutter or downspout coming away from the home can be the culprit.

See fixing basement water problems for a complete list of possible basement water problem solutions.

Check the sump pump ~ If your basement has an operational sump pump you will want to make sure it is working properly. On many occasions a sump pump can fail causing the water to flood a basement. If you find this is the case you can always purchase a pump to get a significant amount of water out of a basement. For smaller jobs a wet vac should suffice.

Water damage repair & restoration

When water damage occurs in your home you will be able to salvage some things but definitely not others. Some of the items that potentially can  be saved include sub-flooring,  hardwood flooring and linoleum provided you dry them quickly. Draperies and other such cloth goods can also be salvaged with a cleaning and disinfectant.

Most of the time you are not going to be able to save such things as insulation, drywall, plaster, laminated furniture, and carpet padding. These items absorb water very quickly and offer the perfect environment for mold to grow.

If the water damage in the home is extensive you may want to really consider hiring a professional restoration specialist that will  come to your home with the whole gamete of remedies including dehumidifiers, air purifiers, fans, and special equipment to dry floors. A professional water damage specialist will also employ cleaners to quickly and efficiently dry out a water damaged home.

Beyond these typical steps, a water damage specialist may also employ the use of wall driers, sanitizers, and mold and mildew remediation techniques to ensure that what is already a bad situation doesn’t get worse over time.

When fixing water damage in a home, addressing the problem head on becomes paramount. Keep these tips in mind if you are faced with this unforeseen issue.

Other Real Estate articles worth a look:

_________________________________________________________________

About the author: The above Real Estate information on Fixing home water damage was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 25+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Upton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, Sutton, Worcester and Douglas.

Tagged as: , , , , ,

{ 13 comments }

Removing Radon From Well Water

by Bill Gassett on December 7, 2010 · 1 comment

Massachusetts Radon removal from wells

Radon water testing

One of the roles of any good buyer agent when selling a home to a buyer client in Massachusetts is to educate them on the home buying process including the “contingencies” that they should have in their Real Estate contract.

The contingencies in a Massachusetts Real Estate contract usually consist of some or all of the following: A mortgage financing clause, a home inspection, pest inspection, mold inspection, water testing and lastly a radon inspection.

A Realtor’s job is to always look out for the best interests of their client. They have a fiduciary responsibility to make sure they protect and educate their buyer. Testing for radon in the air is quite common. Testing the quantity and quality when there is a well present at the home is also quite routine.

I have found while working as a seller’s agent that often times many Realtors are remiss in suggesting to their buyer to test the well for Radon in the water. Before I get into the details about why this can be a costly mistake let me tell you a little bit about Radon.

What is Radon?

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas found beneath the ground. It occurs naturally and is produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Radon has the ability to dissolve into our water supply.

How does Radon get into the water?

Most radon that is found in homes in Massachusetts as well as many other parts of the country is typically found in the air. It is far less common to see radon in well water. Radon enters into a home from seepage through cracks in the basement floor and walls. When you live in an area where there is an abundance of granite you are more apt to find radon in the water supply. High levels of radon gas are formed and travel through the granite and into the groundwater which is then transported to your private well.

For radon to become a soluble within the water that travels through the cracks in the bedrock, it first has to come in contact with a radium source that is in the process of breaking down into the radon gas. During the transformation, the radon atoms that are created, will either go from the rock and into the water, or they will stay in the rock and not effect the water at all. Because of how radon is formed it is very sporadic.

When radon is found to be present in well water showering, washing dishes, and laundering can release radon gas into the air of the home.

How to find out if there is Radon in well water?

This is where I said above that it can become very costly for a buyer if their Realtor is not paying attention. When you are buying a home with a well one of the contingencies you should have in your contract is the ability to test for Radon in the well water!

There are some home inspectors who perform well tests as part of their service but if not you will want to get someone who specializes in well testing. Whoever does the water test will take a sample of the water that will get sent to a lab for testing. YOU MUST ask for the well to be tested for Radon as it is not part of a standard screening with most laboratories.

How to remove Radon from well water?

Removing radon from water

So what happens if the test comes back positive and you have radon in the well water? Removing radon from well water can be done easily enough but is far more expensive than removing radon from the air. While the removal of high radon in the air of a home can typically range from $900 to $1300 for a standard radon mitigation system, you can expect the cost of radon removal in water to cost thousands.

There are two methods of removing Radon from well water. One is called a Radon Aeration system and the other a Granular Activated Carbon system or GAC system for short.

An aeration system is generally recognized as the best system for removing radon from well water although it is much more expensive. An aeration system can run around $3500-$8000. The aeration system is usually installed next to the well tank where the water enters the house. The aeration system consists of a plastic tank where the water gets air injected into it. Radon gets released as it comes in contact with the air. There is a venting system attached that takes the gas up and out of the house generally through a pipe up to the roof.

A granular carbon treatment (GAC) system is also usually installed where your water supply 1st enters the house. The GAC tank is installed after other water treatment systems such as a water softener. A GAC tank is filled with a coconut based activated carbon. The Radon gets trapped in the millions of pours in the carbon as the water passes through. Fresh carbon is able to hold 90% of the atoms until they decay.

The benefit to a carbon system is cost. Generally speaking you can expect to pay between $1500-$2000 for a GAC Radon system. The other plus is that with a GAC Radon treatment system the carbon will also capture other water contaminants. The only downside is that if there are a lot of other contaminants in the water it can shorten the life span of the carbon filter which can become costly to replace.

If the Radon level in the water exceeds 20,000 pCi/l per liter it is recommended that an aeration system is used over a GAC system.

Health risks from Radon in water

The reason why you want to remove radon from the water supply is not due to the fact that you are going to start glowing if you drink the water. When there is radon in the water each time you turn on a faucet you are letting radon into the air!

According to a few websites, radon in the air is estimated to cause as many as 20,000 additional lung cancers per year. Drinking water that has radon in it is only estimated to cause around ten additional cancers patients per year. As you can see there is a huge difference in where radon can hurt you. The risk from ingestion is very minimal.

Remember this: Radon is caused by the breakdown of Radium. It is a gas that can be very sporadic in nature. It is very possible that the home next door could have radon in the water or air and you do not or vise versa. You can not make the blind assumption that if the neighbors home has it so do you.

Other Real Estate articles worth a look:

_________________________________________________________________

About the author: The above Real Estate information on removing radon from well water was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 24+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Upton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, Worcester and Douglas.

Tagged as: , , , , , ,

{ 1 comment }

Realtors Should Be Attending Home Inspections With Their Clients

by Bill Gassett on June 30, 2010 · 55 comments

Massachusetts Realtors not attending home inspection

In the Real Estate industry it is usually pretty easy to spot a truly dedicated Realtor who has a passion for their business. It is also just as easy to spot a pretender that does as little as they can get away with.

Unfortunately, there are very low barriers to becoming a Realtor. Take a test and you are in business as soon as a broker hires you.

Many agents that get into Real Estate do so because they think it is easy money. After being in the Real Estate business for a while some agents tend to develop bad habits and become very lazy.

As a Massachusetts Realtor who has been in the field for the last 24 years, I have met some agents that are fantastic and others that I can’t believe are allowed to practice. See picture above.

There are so many consumers that do not know the rules of the game and don’t realize when the Realtor they have hired is doing what they should be under their job description.  One area that is quite common to see a Realtor not fully representing their clients best interests is at the attendance of the buyers home inspection.

A good buyers agent should be at the home inspection representing their buyer client. Likewise, the sellers agent should also be there to represent the seller during the home inspection.

A great Realtor who is a true advocate for their client is going to walk the walk and talk the talk. How can you properly represent your clients interest in a home inspection if you are not there to hear what has been said by the home inspector? The answer is simple – YOU CAN’T!

Buyer’s agent attending home inspection

As a buyers agent the Realtor must put their clients interests 1st and negotiate for the best terms and conditions for their client. If a buyers agent is not at the home inspection it makes it far more difficult to negotiate the best terms and conditions for the buyer. Part of attending the home inspection is understanding how potential defects will affect the value, as well as what the cost is to remedy such defects. A buyer’s agents job is not to just drive a buyer around until they find a home. Complete buyers representation is seeing the transaction through until closing.

A good buyers agent who is in attendance can get a feel for how important issues that have arisen are rectified. The job description of a buyers representative includes counseling their clients on what is appropriate and reasonable for the seller to correct. For example, if a safety issue is discovered a buyer is more than likely want to get that fixed especially if it poses a real danger.  There is always a fine line though on what is reasonable and appropriate. Part of negotiating is getting the things that are most important addressed in some fashion. This is one of the many roles of a buyers rep.

Seller’s agent attending home inspection

Home inspection Massachusetts

I see buyer’s agents in attendance far more than I see the listing agent being present. This means one thing….There are lots of Massachusetts home seller’s that are getting poor seller representation at home inspections. It is just as important that the seller’s listing agent is present at the inspection. Maybe even more so than the buyers agent!

The listing agent should be there to hear exactly what the home inspector says about the property as it relates to defects. There are two very important factors on why this holds true.

Just as there are good and bad Realtors, the same holds true for home inspectors. There are some inspectors that do an absolutely great job of conveying the facts to a buyer and then explaining how those facts relate to what is or isn’t appropriate.

In my eyes a true professional will make a buyer have a complete understanding of what they are dealing with and whether or not the defect is common for the age of the property and life expectancy of the item in question. On the other hand some home inspectors are “drama queens” and love to make the most minor defect into a catastrophic event.

In the event you have a home inspector that falls into this category a good listing agent in attendance can ask the inspector questions that may alleviate any fears that may have been caused due to the nature in which the issue was explained. There have been plenty of times where I have been able to temper a buyers fears by just asking the home inspector a few simple questions.

Let me make this clear…I do not interfere in any way from the inspector doing his or her job!

The second major reason why a listing agent should attend the home inspection is buyer exaggeration. There are plenty of buyers that love to use the home inspection as a 2nd round of negotiations. In some cases this is warranted and other cases it clearly is not!

There have been plenty of times where I have heard exactly what a home inspector has said about a particular item and the buyer has turned it into something much more involved. Of course when this happens the buyer ends up asking the seller for a credit or a reduction in sale price. More often than not the credit they are looking for is way out of whack with what is appropriate. There have been times where the inspector has said nothing needs to happen and the buyer has still asked for a credit.

This would happen even more if I was not in attendance to hear what the inspector said. When I am in attendance, I can later explain to the seller whether there is a legitimate  need to address an issue or not.

Massachusetts Realtor not giving home inspection advice

If you are thinking of selling your Massachusetts home when you interview the Realtors make sure you ask them if they will be in attendance at the home inspection representing your interests! If you start hearing excuses on why the agent may not be attending I would give serious consideration to someone who will be there for YOU!

You may even hear from a real estate agent that they don’t attend home inspections because someone has told them that it increases their liability.  That’s hogwash! I completely disagree.  It’s the Realtors conduct at the inspection that puts them at risk, not their presence. Know when to open your mouth and when not to!

Realtors should not be tempted to provide a service that’s outside of their expertise. I am clearly not an inspector and I don’t confuse my buyer or seller clients by acting like one.

One other home selling tip is to make sure you fill out the Massachusetts sellers disclosure statement. Make sure the buyer has looked at it prior to when they make an offer. It is far more difficult for a buyer to ask you to remedy issues from a home inspection if they were already aware of them before they made an offer!

Home inspections are an important part of the home buying and selling process in Massachusetts. It makes sense that both parties have proper representation. In other states it may or may not work the same way. Please keep this in mind.

Related Real Estate articles:

Testing a Massachusetts well when buying a home

Massachusetts home warranty benefits

Massachusetts bedroom misrepresentation with septic systems

_________________________________________________________________

About the author: The above Real Estate information on Realtors should be attending home inspections was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 24+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Upton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, Worcester and Douglas.


Tagged as: , , , ,

{ 55 comments }

Home Warranty Benefits For Massachusetts Homes

by Bill Gassett on June 22, 2010 · 9 comments

Home warranty Massachusetts

Home warranties are something you see every now and then being offered by a Massachusetts home seller who is looking to provide a perk and piece of mind to a prospective home buyer.

The seller pays for the warranty upfront and the Realtor advertises that the property comes with a home warranty.

A home warranty is basically a service contract that covers the repair and or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring things that can break down in a home including appliances and home system components such as heating systems, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical items.

A home warranty gives a buyer piece of mind after they move into a home that if a repair crops up they will be covered and it will not turn into a major unexpected expense.

Home warranties used to be popular by just those folks that were selling their home. This is no longer the case as lots of Massachusetts home owners purchase a plan even if they are not selling their home. The typical cost of a home warranty goes for between $350 to $600 per year. There are usually different types of plans that can be purchased and the cost will vary depending on how much you desire to have covered. In other words there are certain levels where you can have just the basics covered like the kitchen appliances, all the way to the major systems in the home.

When an issue crops up that is covered under the home warranty you make a call and a service contractor comes out to view the issue. They are there to make sure that the issue is covered under the plan that you hold. The fee for a service call is in the neighborhood of $50-$100 dollars. Most of the time with these warranties you can expect that only a repair will be made unless it is absolutely necessary for the problem item to be replaced.

People often ask does it matter how old the appliances or systems are when purchasing a home warranty? The answer is that it does not, however the component needs to be in good working order. You can not expect a warranty to be purchased for something that is already defective and asked for it to be covered under the home warranty plan. If only things were that easy! You can expect the home warranty contract to be filled with clauses that will protect the home warranty company for a components prior condition.

Massachusetts service contractor

In addition if the service contractor determines that you have not been taking care of a particular item the warranty could be voided. For example, lets say the heating system has an issue and is not working properly. If the technician comes out to your home and sees you have not been maintaining the system by regularly changing the filters they may reject your coverage.

The other thing that you need to consider with a home warranty is that although they tell you that you will get a similar product if it fails, it may not be exactly the same. Why could this be an issue? You may have a brand of appliance that you think is rock solid. The fact that you just happen to really like it does not mean that you will get the same brand back if a replacement is needed. You could start out with General Electric and end up with Whirlpool!

So if you are thinking of purchasing a home warranty who should you go with? One of the most respected and well know home warranty companies is American Home Shield. They are the founding and leading Home Warranty Company, and have over 35 years of experience of providing warranty coverage. At the time of this writing they have over 1.3 million home warranties in force nationwide, and over 11,000 contractors in their service network.

American Home Shield leads the industry in delivering innovative home warranty products to their customers. Whenever I have recommended a home warranty to a client, I have always chosen American Home Shield.

According to the American Home Shield website their basic coverage includes: heating systems, water heaters, plumbing and electrical systems, ovens, ranges, garbage disposals, microwaves and cook tops as well as ceiling and exhaust fans and plumbing stoppages.

Or you can expand your coverage to include:

Central A/C,  refrigerator, clothes washer, clothes dryer, garage door opener, well pump, pool, spa.

Other well known home warranty companies include 1st American, Old Republic and Fidelity National Home Warranty.

Do I think home warranties sell homes? No I do not but I think they can on some occasions bridge the gap in negotiations if there are older components in a home that may break down shortly after the sale takes place.

On many occasions a home inspector will point out to a buyer that something in the home may be getting close to the end of it’s useful life. In homes where there are components that have reached the end of their lifespan a home warranty could end up saving you quite a few bucks!

Other related home selling articles:

Massachusetts seller’s disclosure statement

Staging Massachusetts homes

Breaking a Massachusetts Real Estate contract

Massachusetts home buyer turn offs

_________________________________________________________________

About the author: The above Real Estate information on home warranty benefits for Massachusetts homes was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 24+ Years.

Thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

I service the following towns in Metrowest MA: Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Medway, Franklin, Framingham, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Upton, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Northboro, Bellingham, Uxbridge, Worcester and Douglas.

Tagged as: , , , , , ,

{ 9 comments }

Massachusetts Bedroom Misrepresentation With Septic Systems

April 30, 2010

Tweet One of the things that Massachusetts home owners who are serviced by a private septic system need to be keenly aware of when selling their home is to make sure they do not misrepresent the bedroom count. When a home is serviced by a septic system in Massachusetts the advertised bedroom count must meet [...]

31 comments Read the full article →

Testing a Massachusetts Well When Buying a Home

March 20, 2010

Tweet As a home seller or buyer in Massachusetts there are always questions that come up regarding testing the water when a home is serviced by a private well. If you happen to be buying a Massachusetts home that is serviced by a well and not by public water you better make darn sure that [...]

7 comments Read the full article →