As inspectors, our job is to help clients see beyond the paint and plaster, separating serious concerns from harmless imperfections. Some issues signal costly repairs ahead, while others are purely cosmetic and easy to fix.
Painting is one of the simplest and most rewarding home projects you can tackle yourself. With just a few supplies and the right shade, you can completely transform a space, whether you’re brightening it with soft neutrals like white, gray, or tan, or making a bold statement with rich, vibrant hues.
FPE Stab-Lok panels are widely recognized as a red flag for home inspectors, electricians, and insurers alike. But what led to this poor reputation among industry professionals?
Millions of Millennials are finally feeling comfortable transitioning from renter to owner, and their unique needs are having an effect on which properties are most sought after.
As we enter into the fall, the college football and NFL seasons are finally underway. Practice is over, and the time for speculation and prognostication has ended. Now it’s time for players to make plays, and for all of the hours put in during the offseason to lead to some tangible results. In other words, it’s game time. Success at any level of football ultimately goes back to the playbook: both the team’s knowledge of the plays and whether those plays fit the team’s personnel. The right playbook really can be the difference between just another mediocre season and taking home some hardware, so you can bet that fans everywhere are hoping their teams did their homework heading into this season. In our everyday lives, we usually do not have the benefit of a playbook to help us make our decisions. We don’t have a personalized guide we can follow to file our taxes, no coaches telling us which car to buy, and no scouting report that outlines how we should raise our kids. But when it comes to buying and maintaining a home (shockingly), we sort of do. When purchasing a house, buyers order a home inspection from a
The experience of moving into a new home has an element of excitement and an element of stress. Either way you slice it, a new home is a new adventure. While adults tend to have the maturity to navigate moving with an adequate amount of grace, change is tough on a kid. Inevitably, emotions can run high. Some moves are planned, but others can be more short notice, the result of a career change or a dream home becoming available. Most families try to move during the summer, seeking a smoother transition for school-aged children, but moving during the school year can have its own benefits with the right preparation. If you’re anticipating a major move during this school year, here are a few tips to help your kids through the transition. Mid-Year Moves vs. Summertime SwitchesFirst things first, summer is a clear favorite for homebuyers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best time for kids to get a first impression of their new school or their new neighborhood. Parents that facilitate their kids’ transition to a new home, especially one in a new town or a new state, should prioritize plugging their kids into a new community. Oftentimes,
Becoming a new homeowner can feel intimidating to some. Between maintaining your yard, keeping major systems in good repair, and identifying costly projects like installing new flooring or countertops, there’s certainly a learning curve that comes along with the homeownership experience. With that said, veteran homeowners will undoubtedly say the experience is worth it! Over time, new homeowners naturally have to pick up many skills to keep their property in tip-top shape. Starting with simple fixes, their knowledge of home systems tends to expand until they’re ready and confident enough to DIY a new deck, handle a moderate plumbing repair, or dive into any ambitious “handyman” job. Understandably, these types of projects can still feel far-off for most newer homeowners, but there are options for those looking to get their feet wet with a more approachable DIY job. Refinishing wooden furniture is a fabulous way to give a piece new life, and although this task requires time commitment and determination, the basic knowledge required is not very demanding. So, if you’d like to take your first steps in becoming a DIY Pro around the house, here’s a basic outline on how to refinish your furniture. Step 1: Clean Once you’ve
Between wearing green, spotting four leaf clovers, and being surrounded by little men with red beards, St. Patrick’s Day is full of lighthearted and strange traditions for families and friends to enjoy. Everybody can always use a little extra luck in their lives, and throughout the years, families have come up with plenty of unique traditions to usher in some good fortune as they move into their new homes. In the spirit of the season, let’s take a look at some of these superstitions to make your next move jinx-free! Lay a Positive Foundation Depending on how early in the process people begin to interact with their new home, many believe in writing positive messages on the frames of their houses and behind the drywall, and even scattering coins in the foundation in hopes that good, fortunate days are ahead. These traditions may be traced all the way back to “foundation deposits,” where groups in ancient Egypt and Sudan buried sacrificed animals, valuable tools, and pottery underneath cornerstones of important buildings in blessing rituals (according to historians at the Egyptian Museum in Manchester). Today, items that new homeowners place within their foundation and in their framing are a bit more
Optimism in the housing market among Gen Zers and millennials is on the rise thanks to mortgage rate drops from the Federal Reserve (per reports at Business Insider). While this is great news for those who have been waiting to jump into the housing market, people who are waiting for lower housing prices are likely to be disappointed as mortgage rates are just one piece of the puzzle. A lack of inventory and high demand mean that housing prices aren’t likely to see a substantial change anytime soon, so when is the right time for a new homebuyer to start looking? For many reasons, it might be this spring! The Housing Market is SeasonalIt’s no secret that the housing market is largely seasonal, especially in regions that see a large amount of snow. The hassle of moving during inclement weather obviously isn’t ideal, plus homebuyers can have an inaccurate view of what the home and its neighborhood even looks like if it’s covered in snow. Because of these factors, warm weather tends to bring the busiest time of the year for real estate agents – but this doesn’t necessarily mean summer is the best time for everyone to buy a
In the world of property inspections, one of the most common industry adages is “no home is perfect.” From excessive mold to roofs nearing the end of their lifespan, it’s a rare occasion when a home inspector walks through a home and doesn’t discover a substantial issue worth addressing before closing a sale. Homeowners across the country are undoubtedly thankful for the problems (both big and small) they became aware of thanks to their buyer’s inspection, but there’s one common misconception that leaves many new homeowners with avoidable headaches. The Misconception: New Homes Don’t Need Inspections Many home buyers mistakenly believe that if they’re buying a newly constructed home, they don’t need to order a home inspection. The truth is, brand new homes are not immune to major problems, issues that can accumulate into costly repairs down the road or lead to inconvenient downtime without key home systems functioning. To understand why new homes also benefit from a buyer’s inspection, let’s delve deeper into how a home is built and explore some of the common issues inspectors find in newly constructed houses. Inspections Throughout Construction Throughout a new home’s construction, building code inspectors employed by the city or municipality periodically
As inspectors, our job is to help clients see beyond the paint and plaster, separating serious concerns from harmless imperfections. Some issues signal costly repairs ahead, while others are purely cosmetic and easy to fix.
Painting is one of the simplest and most rewarding home projects you can tackle yourself. With just a few supplies and the right shade, you can completely transform a space, whether you’re brightening it with soft neutrals like white, gray, or tan, or making a bold statement with rich, vibrant hues.
FPE Stab-Lok panels are widely recognized as a red flag for home inspectors, electricians, and insurers alike. But what led to this poor reputation among industry professionals?
Millions of Millennials are finally feeling comfortable transitioning from renter to owner, and their unique needs are having an effect on which properties are most sought after.
As we enter into the fall, the college football and NFL seasons are finally underway. Practice is over, and the time for speculation and prognostication has ended. Now it’s time for players to make plays, and for all of the hours put in during the offseason to lead to some tangible results. In other words, it’s game time. Success at any level of football ultimately goes back to the playbook: both the team’s knowledge of the plays and whether those plays fit the team’s personnel. The right playbook really can be the difference between just another mediocre season and taking home some hardware, so you can bet that fans everywhere are hoping their teams did their homework heading into this season. In our everyday lives, we usually do not have the benefit of a playbook to help us make our decisions. We don’t have a personalized guide we can follow to file our taxes, no coaches telling us which car to buy, and no scouting report that outlines how we should raise our kids. But when it comes to buying and maintaining a home (shockingly), we sort of do. When purchasing a house, buyers order a home inspection from a
The experience of moving into a new home has an element of excitement and an element of stress. Either way you slice it, a new home is a new adventure. While adults tend to have the maturity to navigate moving with an adequate amount of grace, change is tough on a kid. Inevitably, emotions can run high. Some moves are planned, but others can be more short notice, the result of a career change or a dream home becoming available. Most families try to move during the summer, seeking a smoother transition for school-aged children, but moving during the school year can have its own benefits with the right preparation. If you’re anticipating a major move during this school year, here are a few tips to help your kids through the transition. Mid-Year Moves vs. Summertime SwitchesFirst things first, summer is a clear favorite for homebuyers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best time for kids to get a first impression of their new school or their new neighborhood. Parents that facilitate their kids’ transition to a new home, especially one in a new town or a new state, should prioritize plugging their kids into a new community. Oftentimes,
Becoming a new homeowner can feel intimidating to some. Between maintaining your yard, keeping major systems in good repair, and identifying costly projects like installing new flooring or countertops, there’s certainly a learning curve that comes along with the homeownership experience. With that said, veteran homeowners will undoubtedly say the experience is worth it! Over time, new homeowners naturally have to pick up many skills to keep their property in tip-top shape. Starting with simple fixes, their knowledge of home systems tends to expand until they’re ready and confident enough to DIY a new deck, handle a moderate plumbing repair, or dive into any ambitious “handyman” job. Understandably, these types of projects can still feel far-off for most newer homeowners, but there are options for those looking to get their feet wet with a more approachable DIY job. Refinishing wooden furniture is a fabulous way to give a piece new life, and although this task requires time commitment and determination, the basic knowledge required is not very demanding. So, if you’d like to take your first steps in becoming a DIY Pro around the house, here’s a basic outline on how to refinish your furniture. Step 1: Clean Once you’ve
Between wearing green, spotting four leaf clovers, and being surrounded by little men with red beards, St. Patrick’s Day is full of lighthearted and strange traditions for families and friends to enjoy. Everybody can always use a little extra luck in their lives, and throughout the years, families have come up with plenty of unique traditions to usher in some good fortune as they move into their new homes. In the spirit of the season, let’s take a look at some of these superstitions to make your next move jinx-free! Lay a Positive Foundation Depending on how early in the process people begin to interact with their new home, many believe in writing positive messages on the frames of their houses and behind the drywall, and even scattering coins in the foundation in hopes that good, fortunate days are ahead. These traditions may be traced all the way back to “foundation deposits,” where groups in ancient Egypt and Sudan buried sacrificed animals, valuable tools, and pottery underneath cornerstones of important buildings in blessing rituals (according to historians at the Egyptian Museum in Manchester). Today, items that new homeowners place within their foundation and in their framing are a bit more
Optimism in the housing market among Gen Zers and millennials is on the rise thanks to mortgage rate drops from the Federal Reserve (per reports at Business Insider). While this is great news for those who have been waiting to jump into the housing market, people who are waiting for lower housing prices are likely to be disappointed as mortgage rates are just one piece of the puzzle. A lack of inventory and high demand mean that housing prices aren’t likely to see a substantial change anytime soon, so when is the right time for a new homebuyer to start looking? For many reasons, it might be this spring! The Housing Market is SeasonalIt’s no secret that the housing market is largely seasonal, especially in regions that see a large amount of snow. The hassle of moving during inclement weather obviously isn’t ideal, plus homebuyers can have an inaccurate view of what the home and its neighborhood even looks like if it’s covered in snow. Because of these factors, warm weather tends to bring the busiest time of the year for real estate agents – but this doesn’t necessarily mean summer is the best time for everyone to buy a
In the world of property inspections, one of the most common industry adages is “no home is perfect.” From excessive mold to roofs nearing the end of their lifespan, it’s a rare occasion when a home inspector walks through a home and doesn’t discover a substantial issue worth addressing before closing a sale. Homeowners across the country are undoubtedly thankful for the problems (both big and small) they became aware of thanks to their buyer’s inspection, but there’s one common misconception that leaves many new homeowners with avoidable headaches. The Misconception: New Homes Don’t Need Inspections Many home buyers mistakenly believe that if they’re buying a newly constructed home, they don’t need to order a home inspection. The truth is, brand new homes are not immune to major problems, issues that can accumulate into costly repairs down the road or lead to inconvenient downtime without key home systems functioning. To understand why new homes also benefit from a buyer’s inspection, let’s delve deeper into how a home is built and explore some of the common issues inspectors find in newly constructed houses. Inspections Throughout Construction Throughout a new home’s construction, building code inspectors employed by the city or municipality periodically
