|
Inspections TheColorado Contract to Buy and Sell Real Property (CBS-1) containsspecific language that affords buyers the opportunity to inspect thephysical condition of any property they are under contract to purchaseprior to actually closing on that property.There are a multitude ofopinions and approaches to the entire inspection process. This is an outline of how we approach the property inspection. Oncewe have found a home that the buyer wants to purchase and we actuallyhave that home under contract the “Due-Diligence” periodbeings. “Due-Diligence” is a short period of time,generally a couple of weeks for the buyer to get their financing inorder and perform the inspections and investigations necessary to have a clear picture of the property’s condition. In the old days the motto was Caveat emptor , Latin for " let the buyer beware ".Times have changed and the advent of Buyer Agency has certainly createda more level playing field. During the actual inspection our goal is to expose any potential health, safety, structural or mechanical issues. Theinspection is our time in the house with a trained professional, timeto discover the true condition of the property you are about to buy.This is why the choice of an Inspector is an important one. Propertyinspectors are not licensed or regulated but there are organizationsthat set guidelines, standards and promote general competence in the field. Organizations like The American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI , National Association of Home Inspectors NAHI ,Additionally, personal referrals and past experiences can help find askilled inspector. Membership in one of the above organizations should be a minimum requirement. Inspectorsgenerally follow a specific routine as well as a set of standards orguidelines, when they perform an inspection (here are ASHI’sguidelines). The inspection usually begins with the roof and exteriorand then progresses in towards the center of the home. The inspectionshould address all of the major systems of the home as well as any structural, health and safety issues. It’simportant to note the home inspector is a generalist. When there areserious structural, mechanical or electrical issues, the inspectorshould recommend further evaluation by a licensed specialist (much like a Doctor). Afterthe inspection, the purchaser can request repair, replacement orremuneration for any conditions they deem unacceptable. The prospectiveseller then has then right to address the buyers concerns. Ideally both parties agree and we proceed to the closing. Inmany cases the inspection becomes a re-negotiation of the contract.Additionally, the inspection phase of a real estate transaction canbecome an emotional struggle. The seller feels like they have alreadybent as far as they are willing and now the buyer is coming back askingfor more. The buyer on the other hand feels like the seller agreed onthe price because they knew these issues existed and they aren’tgoing to get stuck with someone else’s problems. A good brokerwill keep the entire transaction in perspective for their clients,present facts and facilitate what is right, not necessarily what is easy. The climate of the “Front Range” creates some unique inspection issues. Here is a list of common inspection issues:
Most Common Inspection Issues: Afterhundreds of “Home Inspections” we have learned to spot sometrends. The purpose of this page is to share what we have learned soour clients (buyers and sellers) can have a better understanding of what to look for before going to the property inspection Herein the Front Range of Colorado we can experience extreme weatherconditions, from intense sunshine and driving rains to cold and snow.These conditions can wreak havoc on a homes exterior. During the courseof a property inspection these are the issues we generally find on the exterior inspection.
TheOldach Window Company, originally from Nebraska, built and sold windows in the Front Range thru the 80’s and into the early 90’s. Oldachproduced and sold an affordable wood window that was used in the late80’s and early 90’s by many of our areas builders. At thetime the thought was that any wood window was better then a vinyl or aluminum window. Unfortunately,the Oldach wood windows couldn’t stand up to the drastic elementsand wide range of weather we see here in the Front Range. Most of theOldach wood windows we see these days have failed. Here are a couple of examples of what we see on a daily basis...
Drying Wood: Thefundamental problem with these particular windows is the type of woodthey are made from. This particular wood tends to dry out in theintense Colorado sun. The photograph below shows the exterior of an un-maintained Oldach wood window. Drying wood on an exterior window frame
Broken Thermoseals: Theseare a dual paned window with a hermetic thermo seal between the twopanes of glass. The primary problem we see with these windows isfailure of the thermo seals. This failure leads to condensation and fogging between the window panes.
Fogged Oldach Wood Window
Failing Stop Gap Trim: Failurein these windows usually starts on the exterior of the window. There isa small piece of trim on the window called the “stop gap”trim. As you can see in the following photo, the trim piece dries and shrinks, exposing the sealant behind the glass. Failed Stop Gap Trim
Delaminating Stucco Stucco is a popular exterior cladding for homes here in thePike’s Peak Region. Our climate is extreme and we can see widetemperature ranges in the same day. The intense sunlight also tends tobake wood and composite products like Masonite. Stucco at the mostbasic level is cement. It is generally applied over an appropriatesubstrate, usually some kind of wire mesh. Stucco, if applied correctlyshould be maintenance free for longer then most people tend to stay ina home. In our area we generally see stucco problems arise fromimproper application. Historic homes in the downtown part of ColoradoSprings were generally wood frame with wood lap siding. In an effort toalleviate the ongoing maintenance wood homes require, many homeownersturned to Stucco as an easy alternative to their maintenance woes.Unfortunately many of these applications didn’t include theappropriate substrate. Over time, many of these installations havebegun to fail. The most common form of failure in delamination, this isa condition where the stucco begins to pull away from the substrateallowing moisture and decay to begin work on the house. Here are some pictures of a classic downtown stucco delamination.
Forced Air Furnaces Themajority of the inspection issues we see here in the Pikes Peak regiontend to be related primarily to deferred maintenance. The biggestculprit tends to be the furnace, especially forced air natural gasfurnaces. Based on the design of these units, they actually serve adual purpose, first heating the air while at the same time filteringsome amount of dust and particulates. The dust and particulates areactually what causes the trouble. Regularly changing filters is a greatway to start and certainly helps but forced air natural gas furnacesneed regular maintenance, preferably by a licensed professional,ideally two times a year (before and after heating season). Dirtyfurnaces are responsible for a host of heating problems. Here is a list of possible problems created by a dirty or poorly functioning furnace
Furnace maintenance is the single most overlooked item on a propertyinspection. Additionally, this is usually a red flag that there aremore then likely other issues. If you do nothing else before putting your home on the market, have your furnace professionally cleaned.
|
