Do-It-Yourself Windowpane Replacement

Valuable Negotiation Tips for Homebuyers

You’re looking to build your dream house – and you have just identified some homes for sale that are a perfect fit for you – except they’re slightly out of budget. While price negotiations are usually part of real estate deals, not every homebuyer out there knows how to negotiate properly, or approach this part of the house sale process the right way, thus missing out on a chance to get the best deal out of their respective dream homes.

That’s why we came up with this list of valuable negotiation tips:

• You can’t leverage the home inspectors’ report if you don’t choose your home inspector carefully. Buyers often assume that they can use the home inspection report to negotiate a better deal – but that’s only true if these reports are done by professional, qualified, credible, and trustworthy home inspectors. So choose them carefully. Untrained inspectors will make it harder for the seller to trust whatever findings they come up with. When deciding on a home inspection company, remember to verify things like trainings, certifications, local licenses, and even education programs. In Chicago Metropolitan Area, as well as in Chicago-Joliet-Naperville Metropolitan Statistical Area, HouseMaster stands as one of the largest (and most experienced) organizations for professional home inspections.

• Be present at the actual inspection. Attending the home inspection will certainly make for a more well-informed homebuyer, but that’s only one of the many reasons why it’s helpful to be present at the inspection. Apart from a basic walk-through, home inspectors will also usually provide easy-to-understand demonstrations of how the house operates, where the important shut-off valves are, and where defects and damages have been seen. Attend the second home inspection, too, if you can: this is when you can verify whether the repairs that the inspector recommended in the first report have actually been made – or at least noted for negotiation purposes.

• Know what’s important. The home inspection report will contain lots of details, big and small, but make sure you focus your efforts on what is actually important. Look at major elements. Sidewalk cracks and wallpaper peeling aren’t pleasing to the eyes, but there might be other defects in the house that will cost more than 500 bucks to repair. Pay attention to that, because they’re the elements that are likely to be negotiable.

• Avoid souring a deal. It’s important to be realistic and professional about price negotiations – don’t exploit too ruthlessly. Instead of negotiating $2 for every $1 of actual repair expense, provide and present cost estimates. This will make your requests much more substantial, and your negotiations much more friendly.
• Ask about warranties. It never hurts to consider a home warranty, especially if the seller has some major systems in the house that are a bit out of date. Start with a period of one year. Who knows? The seller might even consider paying for coverage, as this reduces the risk of swallowing heavy replacement costs.

The key to price negotiations is educating yourself about the condition of the house you’re buying. Home inspections will certainly help you prepare. The above tips, meanwhile, will help you engage with the seller in more realistic negotiations.

For more information on home inspections, home buying, and home maintenance, visit HouseMaster.com.

Trivia That All Homeowners Should Know

Ever wonder what it takes to run and keep a house? Being a homeowner isn’t exactly rocket science, but it does take a lot of work and a sense of awareness, and there have some things that you have to know about – before home inspections suddenly reveal your house to be full of defects and damages.

Here are bits and pieces of homeowner trivia that can help keep your home running as smoothly and sweetly as it ought to.

• A termite’s waist is thicker than a flying ant’s waist. How is this related to home ownership? Well, those termites probably have been eating your house – thus, the fattening diet. So be on the lookout!
• An ant has a sweeter tooth than a termite. Sure, carpenter ants gnaw at wood for nesting, but termites actually eat the wood – their cellulose.
• Which is colder? 30 degrees Celsius or 30 degrees Centigrade? Confusing, right? They both start with Cs. What’s more, both temperatures actually do indicate the same temperature. The Centigrade scale was formally changed to Celsius in 1948.
• The air supply temperature of a warm air furnace is typically hotter than that of a heat pump. That’s because a standard furnace delivers hot air in the 130-140 degrees F range, while a heat pump’s usual temperature range is 90 to 100 degrees F.
• Let’s talk a bit of DIY here – particularly nails that sometimes leave us mathematically confused. Do you know that a six-penny nail is two inches long, and a ten-penny nail is three inches long?
• Oak wood is fifty percent (approximately) denser than pine wood.
• Hot water cools to a lower temperature faster than cold water can, but cold water will reach freezing temperatures faster than hot water can.
• A 20-watt compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb produces more light than the standard 75-watt incandescent bulb. It’s also expected to last 10 times longer. That means you have more reasons now to switch to CFLs: not only are they more energy-efficient; they’re brighter and more durable, too.
• Propane is heavier than natural gas. Most liquid petroleum (LP) gases are, accumulating at low points, and that’s why they pose a higher risk.
• Ever asked yourself if those gutters should be hung as level as possible? A bit tricky, but the answer is that gutters should actually be angled toward the roof’s downspouts and drains. This angle will facilitate water flow better.
• Flat roofs are more prone to leakage than other roofs. But if you’ve just had a flat roof done, no need to worry. A simple checkup by home inspectors can help you maintain that before problems occur.
• When purchasing an A/C system, it is advisable to avoid an A/C that has a larger capacity than required. That’s because it will reach the thermostat setting before it has removed a reasonable amount of moisture from the air – thus causing the “cave effect” of going cold and damp.
• Grout and caulk aren’t exactly interchangeable when used in a bathroom. Grout will dry hard – so it’s best to use it around rigid tiles. Caulk, meanwhile, remains flexible after application, making it useable around the edges of bathtubs, shower stalls, and other areas where movement may occur.
• An ever-so-slight gap around three sides of an exterior door can – without a storm door – can cause energy loss equivalent to an opening the size of a brick. That’s why weatherstripping is so important.
• Not all basement water penetration problems are caused by underground springs. In fact, very few of them are. Most water penetration problems can actually be blamed on roof and surface water that isn’t being directed away from the foundation.
• One ton of A/C capacity is equivalent to 12,000 BTUs. To generally cool an average house, it would typically require 30,000 to 42,000 BTUs of cooling capacity.
• It is not true that setting your heat thermostat at 72 degrees F will direct your furnace to deliver air to the room registers at a steady 72 degrees F. That’s because forced air furnaces deliver steady register temperatures in the range of 130 to 140 degrees F. Heat pumps, meanwhile, typically deliver hot air in the 90-100 degrees F range.
• The ambient temperature is a room with an activated ceiling fan isn’t necessarily going to be lower than that in a room without a fan. Yes, it may feel cool due to the movement of air, but due to the heat generated by the fan’s motor, the ambient temperature will actually be marginally higher.

These bits and pieces of homeowner trivia are general guidelines to help you run a house and keep it safe. If you suspect problems or potential major defects in your home, it is always better to call in professional home inspectors to determine what exactly the situation is. For more on home safety and maintenance information, visit HouseMaster.com.

HouseMaster Home Inspections on Fox Business

The Real Deal on Foreclosed Properties

The way the real estate market has behaved – amidst and after the recent economic downturn – there’ll be plenty of opportunities for qualified homebuyers – not just in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, but in various states across the nation. According to HouseMaster, one of the largest organizations for home inspections in America, the market has seen a 28% rise within one year on foreclosure activities, with more and more prospective buyers finding it easier to prepare for the process of acquiring properties following a default on mortgage.

There is one danger that buyers in the foreclosure market have to be aware of, says Kathleen Kuhn, President and CEO of HouseMaster. “While it’s true that lower prices draw more buyers to foreclosed properties, they still have to take into consideration things like abuse, neglect, or deferred maintenance. Unassuming buyers think it’s automatically a good deal when the price is right – but foreclosures aren’t necessarily a great buy if the property has lots of defects.”

Without information on the condition of the house, these buyers are prone to making potentially poor investment decisions. That’s why Kunn suggests a solution: professional home inspections.

“If buyers want to make educated real estate decisions,” she notes, “then they must first determine whether there are conditions within the foreclosed property that could, in the long-term, affect and decrease its value. Home inspections are one way of doing that.”

Things that buyers should be on the lookout for include: moisture-related problems; defective gaskets, valves, and hoses; leaks; vandalism; insect and rodent infestations; and damaged waste and sewer lines.

Kuhn also noted that the three kinds of foreclosure properties can lure typical buyers into making hasty investments – without having inspected the property for the above-mentioned defects.

1. Short Sales – Pre-foreclosure sales fall into this category, which essentially describes the cases when a homeowner who is facing foreclosure decides to sell at a low price the as-of-yet un-foreclosed property. Short sales are supposed to benefit all parties – the seller avoids foreclosure, the qualified buyer obtains a reduced price, and the banks avoid the foreclosure process and cost – but home inspections are still a must before final decisions are made. It’s ideal for buyers to call professional home inspectors before making the offer and before closing the offer – as this means that they will have checked the condition of the house twice during the whole sales process.

2. Real Estate Owned (REO) – This pertains to homes that have been foreclosed and are now owned by a bank. Because sellers/ homeowners have been taken out of the equation in the buying and selling of REO properties, it’s normally the lender who deals directly with prospective buyers. Of course, while REO properties are usually sold without any repairs being made, it doesn’t mean that buyers cannot negotiate a better deal with the banks. A professional report by qualified home inspectors can be presented to document in detail the defects and condition of the foreclosed property, thus giving buyers leverage to adjust offers to the banks.

3. Auctions – This is one of the riskiest ways to buy foreclosed properties, not only because auctioneers sell the houses “as is” (without changes to the condition), but also because they usually provide only limited times for interested buyers to look at the house. Can home inspections be done? Perhaps, but in a lot of cases, Kuhn notes, the inspection happens without any of the utilities being turned on, or without any access to crucial areas like crawlspaces and attics.

Knowing what your options in each kind of foreclosed property will give you the information you need to get the best house at the best price. But you need not do it alone, says Kuhn.

“It’s a great and exciting time to buy a home, but if you’re considering a house in various stages of foreclosure, then it’s best to conduct the necessary home inspections first. It’s a great investment that will allow you to make even more great real estate invesments.”

For more information on home inspections, the home buying and selling process, and home maintenance, visit housemaster.com.

Money Matters – HouseMaster on NBC

Home Inspections: Why Good Things Come to Those Who Don’t Always Wait

Good things come to those who wait.

Apparently, in the housing market, this doesn’t necessarily hold true.

With the number of homes for sale now at an all-time high, combined with the effects of a worldwide economic downturn, people are seeing a decline in home prices – the first in nearly a decade. Many buyers are holding out, hoping to get better deals than what the market is currently offering. However, according to Kathleen Kuhn, President and CEO of HouseMaster (one of the largest home inspection organizations in North America), waiting isn’t necessarily the smartest move – it might actually be better to buy now.

“These days, there are a few savvy buyers finding ways to negotiate good deals,” Kuhn says. “They understand that the listing price isn’t necessarily the seller’s bottom line. How are they negotiating? Well, these buyers are leveraging the reports of professional home inspectors to get the best price out of the properties they’re interested in.”

Here’s how it works. After the bidding and signing of contracts, a home inspection is performed. This generally includes an evaluation of electrical systems, plumbing, heating and cooling systems, structural elements, and other home operations. Home inspectors then document and report on all areas of concerns, and in cases where they find a defect or a potentially problematic system, the home buyer can use these as leverage in order to negotiate a better deal.

Contrary to what some buyers or real estate sellers may think, this is no small matter. Research conducted by HouseMaster has shown that an astounding 40% of resale homes have defects that would cost about $500 to $1000 to repair.

Kuhn explains: “If the property is as the buyer expected, then it’s easy to push through the deal with confidence. If there’s something wrong, a roofing problem or something of the sort, they can discuss this with the seller and have it addressed, possibly even negotiate a lower price for the house. That’s why home inspections are so important; they can alert the buyers before they make the final decision.”

With home inspections, homebuyers holding out to wait for lower prices can do something more proactive to negotiate better deals. Indeed, while it’s good to wait for opportunities, it’s even better to just make them happen.

For more information on the home inspection process, home maintenance, and home ownership, visit housemaster.com.

$25 Fixes to Help Sell Your Home

Home Maintenance 101: What You Should Know

A home is only as sweet as how properly it is maintained. Indeed, after a house sale you might have to allocate a bit of your budget to keeping the house, and making sure you weed out all potential property problems. That’s why homebuyers should take into account the costs of maintaining one’s property. In general, a house will require 1 to 3 percent of its actual value to pay for maintenance costs – and that percentage doesn’t even include major repairs and emergencies.

Prevention is always better (and cheaper) than repair and renovation

Problems with a house are like diseases left untreated: they become potentially more costly over time. That’s why it’s smart to regularly have your house checked out by professional home inspectors; prevention, after all, is the smartest and most financially sound way to go. “It is ideal if homeowners can plan a preventative maintenance schedule,” says Kathleen Kuhn, President and CEO of HouseMaster, one of the largest home inspection franchises in North America. “That way, problems minor and major can be fixed before they do even greater damage to the house.”

Kuhn recalls several home inspections in Chicago in which homeowners were surprised by the extent of damages they didn’t even know existed in their homes. “These damages could have been fixed earlier,” Kuhn says, “but because they were left unchecked, the minor problems had by then become significant defects.”

Home inspections give homeowners an idea how to hold – or even increase – the value of their properties. Keeping things in good condition – especially in cases when you’re trying to sell the house – can help you sell at higher prices than when the property has been neglected. Moreover, investing in monitoring and small preventative repairs can weed out other potentially more expensive problems in the long-term.

With proper preventive maintenance, homeowners can avoid emergency repairs. The longer a house is left unchecked or the more urgent the issue, the more expensive the contractor’s fees and services become.

Maintenance also minimizes homeowner insurance premiums. If you want to keep premiums low and reasonable, then it’s best to correct the defects of your house before they officially represent an insurance claim.

Having problems with things like the roof? Did you detect a small problem with your floor coverings? These defects may be minor now, but address them before they become major. You don’t want your home interiors and furniture pieces suffering from consequential damage, too.

Come up with a checklist for home maintenance

Houses come in all sizes and shapes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with a maintenance checklist for common elements that you can check regularly. Be sure to include things like: grading and drainage; fencing and gates; driveway and walkway cracks; deteriorating or damaged sidings; roofing and weatherproofing conditions; gutters, leaders, and water lines; seals on windows and doors; and ventilation openings. If unsure about anything, you can always consult professional home inspectors and ask questions.

It pays to research

There’s a vast amount of DIY and home improvement resources out there, but it’s important to do research about your own house first before diving into any kind of maintenance project. Learn more about how your house operates – and what you can do to keep it in best shape. Read some books on home maintenance and consult the professionals. HouseMaster, for example, has an online library of informative articles on home inspection, home maintenance, and home ownership, complete with tips, checklists, quizzes, and other resources.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to do your own repairs. You can leave that to the experts, all of whom are willing to help you identify potential problems and save you a lot of money.

“More homeowners in Chicago Metropolitan Area are beginning to change their mindsets now,” thinks Kuhn, who thinks it as equally important to monitor homes as monitoring financial and investment portfolios. “Homeowners in Chicago, Cook County, and nearby Illinois counties like Lake County, McHenry County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County, Grundy County, Will County and Kankakee County – they’re all calling HouseMaster for home inspections, as well as for questions on specific issues. They’re beginning to understand that maintenance is a must, and that to make an investment on services like ours is to save money – lots of it – in the long run.”

Red Flags When Buying a Forclosure – HouseMaster on Fox