Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Home Inspectors Get Ready...You're going to be busy!
Unless you've been sleeping with your head in the sand for the last couple of years, you've witnessed the most drastic real estate nose dive in our generation. With property values at an all time high in the early 2000's it turned completely around and affected just about every industry related to real estate. One of the industries affected was the home inspection industry since much of the business generated for home inspectors is from home sales.
Many inspectors have diversified into environmental related areas that are often part of the home buying purchase such as radon, mold and lead inspections. However, for many inspectors who were content just doing home inspections, they found themselves with minimal work.
Well, that's all about to change.
With the current governmental regime's push to make our country more energy efficient, home inspectors are going to find them selves right in the middle of it...and that's a good thing.
The plan is that every home is going to be energy labeled and if this develops as laid out, the best pre-trained group of people out there to make this happen are those thousands of home inspectors that have felt the void of the real estate down swing.
With the government "encouraging" home owners to have their homes energy assessed, each home will be tagged with an energy efficiency rating similar to the rating that appliances receive. This rating will help assist home owners in knowing how much of an energy hog their home is. This rating can provide information for better mortgage rates when refinancing and also to better market their home when deciding to sell. On the flip side, if the house isn't very efficient, it could also put one’s house in a less desirable situation compared to a more efficient home.
So, what does this mean for home owners?
We all better take a good look at our homes energy efficiency qualities because it's going to make a difference, for some of us sooner than later, especially if you are planning to sell. Luckily, they'll be plenty of home inspectors ready to provide this valuable service for you and the many thousands of home owners out there.
And what does this mean for home inspectors?
If an inspector isn’t educated to perform energy audits, they will have to get additional training beyond their home inspection knowledge to be able to effectively examine the energy effectiveness of a house. For many home buyers, this service most likely will also become part of the home inspection process at the time of a real estate transaction.
So home inspectors get ready to be busy again…. regardless if the homes are selling or not.
Many inspectors have diversified into environmental related areas that are often part of the home buying purchase such as radon, mold and lead inspections. However, for many inspectors who were content just doing home inspections, they found themselves with minimal work.
Well, that's all about to change.
With the current governmental regime's push to make our country more energy efficient, home inspectors are going to find them selves right in the middle of it...and that's a good thing.
The plan is that every home is going to be energy labeled and if this develops as laid out, the best pre-trained group of people out there to make this happen are those thousands of home inspectors that have felt the void of the real estate down swing.
With the government "encouraging" home owners to have their homes energy assessed, each home will be tagged with an energy efficiency rating similar to the rating that appliances receive. This rating will help assist home owners in knowing how much of an energy hog their home is. This rating can provide information for better mortgage rates when refinancing and also to better market their home when deciding to sell. On the flip side, if the house isn't very efficient, it could also put one’s house in a less desirable situation compared to a more efficient home.
So, what does this mean for home owners?
We all better take a good look at our homes energy efficiency qualities because it's going to make a difference, for some of us sooner than later, especially if you are planning to sell. Luckily, they'll be plenty of home inspectors ready to provide this valuable service for you and the many thousands of home owners out there.
And what does this mean for home inspectors?
If an inspector isn’t educated to perform energy audits, they will have to get additional training beyond their home inspection knowledge to be able to effectively examine the energy effectiveness of a house. For many home buyers, this service most likely will also become part of the home inspection process at the time of a real estate transaction.
So home inspectors get ready to be busy again…. regardless if the homes are selling or not.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Who's breaking the law?
Newsflash to anyone buying a house in New York:
If your realtor insists that you use "their" home inspector, it's illegal. It's called "steering" and it's against the law -Article 12 B of the Home Inspection Law. Any home inspector on a "preferred vendors" list is BREAKING THE LAW and should take action to remove themselves.
Real estate companies may not know the home inspection law but home inspectors should. Real estate companies soliciting this service to home inspectors may also find out as well. Freedom of choice is a right not a privlege. Limiting the opportunity of choices that a buyer has is unethical and against the law.
If your realtor insists that you use "their" home inspector, it's illegal. It's called "steering" and it's against the law -Article 12 B of the Home Inspection Law. Any home inspector on a "preferred vendors" list is BREAKING THE LAW and should take action to remove themselves.
Real estate companies may not know the home inspection law but home inspectors should. Real estate companies soliciting this service to home inspectors may also find out as well. Freedom of choice is a right not a privlege. Limiting the opportunity of choices that a buyer has is unethical and against the law.
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