Spring Into Action: Home Maintenance

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Spring Into Action: Home Maintenance

Spring Into Action: Home Maintenance

Spring has sprung! Even more important than buds, birds, and bees, spring brings buyers! When buyers are looking for a place to nest, they would really rather not see problems. As it turns out, nearly every home inspected has problems or imperfections of some sort or size. Most issues are very minor and simple to correct. Almost all are a result of deferred maintenance.

Most of these simple deferred maintenance problems, when discovered during the home inspection, cause the majority of the headaches when trying to bring a contract to close. With the five quick checks described below it is probable that 90% or more of the minor maintained items typically discovered in the home inspection could be eliminated, and with them a great portion of the time and stress associated with their correction:

Dirty Filter and Coils in the Heat Pump. The clean and efficient flow of conditioned air as well as the longevity of this very expensive system is dependant on proper airflow. A professional cleaning is most always well under $100. Routine filter replacement can be done by a homeowner for about a dollar.

Poor Caulking of Ceramic Tile in the Tub and Shower Area. The cost to repair or replace a rotted shower wall often exceeds thousands of dollars. This is an avoidable event! A homeowner can accomplish caulking of tiled areas easily for under $20. If a crack in the caulk or grout is visible, you can believe it's large enough for water to pass!

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) not Properly Functioning. GFCI's are the electrical outlets that have the "press" and "test" buttons. These devices are critically important in reducing the chance for electrocution. The homeowner can test the devices by pushing the "test" button. The cost of a new GFCI is less than $10. They can be installed in less than 10 minutes.

Amateur Workmanship. When something looks like an amateur did it, that means an amateur did it, even if the perpetrator was paid for his work! When amateurs do things, the materials are often improper for the intended purpose or of poor quality. Many times they are both. Seldom are proper permits pulled or inspections performed when work is performed by amateurs. Amateur work is also difficult to maintain. Amateur work and the people who perform it always complicate a closing.

Wood Rot. Closing contracts sure would be simpler without wood rot. It sure would be nice to see a home listed that said "clear WDO on file". Consider doing the WDO inspection at the time of listing to greatly reduce the greatest challenge in Florida real estate.

The act of selling real estate can be made simpler, more enjoyable, and more profitable by educating buyers and sellers about preventative maintenance. Spring is a time of renewal - renew your interest in home care and take a few simple steps to keep safe, comfortable, and ready for some summer sun!

Wally Conway is President of Florida HomePro Inspections, and has been featured regularly on HGTV's "House Detective". Wally has recently written a book entitled "Secrets of the Happy Home Inspector", available at GoHomePro.com or Amazon.com. As a speaker, writer, instructor, and host of The Happy Home Inspector radio show every Saturday at 3 PM on WOKV 690, Wally blends the right amount of up-to-date information with just the right amount of humor, insight, motivation, and real-world application. Visit WallyConway.com for more information!

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Geithner likely treasury pick; Clinton 'on track' (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama intends to name Timothy Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve, as his treasury secretary to confront the nation's intense economic turmoil, senior Democratic officials said Friday.

Neb. lawmakers OK age limit for safe-haven law (AP)

AP - Gov. Dave Heineman signed into law Friday a bill adding a 30-day age limit to a safe-haven law that allowed 35 children Â— including teenagers as old as 17 Â— to be abandoned at state hospitals. The law, approved hours earlier by the Legislature in a 45-3 vote, goes into effect Saturday, and makes Nebraska the 14th state with a 30-day age cap. It had been the only state with a safe-haven law without an age limit.

Fla. teen commits suicide with live Web audience (AP)

AP - A college student committed suicide by taking a drug overdose in front of a live webcam as some computer users egged him on, others tried to talk him out of it, and another messaged OMG in horror when it became clear it was no joke. Some watchers contacted the Web site to notify police, but by the time officers entered Abraham Biggs' home Â— a scene also captured on the Internet Â— it was too late.

Federal regulators shut 2 California thrifts (AP)

AP - Federal regulators on Friday shut down two big thrifts based in Southern California, saying they fell victim to the acute distress in the housing market in that state.

Democrats lay out conditions to consider aid for automakers (AP)

AP - Democratic leaders ordered Detroit's Big Three automakers Friday to submit what amounts to a detailed loan application to Congress so lawmakers can decide whether to give the beleaguered industry an emergency $25 billion lifeline.

Bush rallies China's help on North Korea (AP)

AP - In a last dash of diplomacy, President George W. Bush on Friday sought China's help in pinning down North Korea to keep its shaky promises of nuclear disarmament.

Gates would like to add US forces in Afghanistan (AP)

AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday he would like to add significant U.S. forces to the war in Afghanistan before national elections scheduled for next year, and that grim depictions of backsliding in the seven-year-old war are "far too pessimistic."

Germany drops attempt to ban Scientology (AP)

AP - Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said Friday.

Suspect arrested for greasy imprints in Neb. town (AP)

AP - Police have arrested a man suspected of leaving greasy, graphic imprints on the windows of stores, churches and schools in a small Nebraska town. A 35-year-old man was caught in the act by police early Wednesday morning, Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott said Friday. The man hasn't been charged yet, but authorities believe he is the vandal some townsfolk have dubbed the "Butt Bandit."

Knicks set themselves up for 2010 with 2 deals (AP)

AP - The New York Knicks traded Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford in separate deals Friday, parting with their two top scorers to free up coveted salary-cap space for the summer of 2010. Crawford was sent to Golden State for forward Al Harrington. Hours later, Randolph was shipped to the Los Angeles Clippers along with reserve guard Mardy Collins for Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas.

Obama moves to pick Timothy Geithner for Treasury (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama on Friday moved toward nominating Timothy Geithner as Treasury secretary and charging the respected head of the New York Federal Reserve with helping pull the United States out of an economic nosedive.

Citigroup talking to U.S. government as shares dive: source (Reuters)

Reuters - Citigroup Inc has begun talks with the U.S. government as its plummeting share price raises doubts about the bank's ability to survive, a person familiar with the matter said.

GM cuts output, jets as U.S. demands turnaround plans (Reuters)

Reuters - Detroit automakers began work on turnaround plans demanded by Congress in return for $25 billion in aid as General Motors Corp said it would cut production more and give up two of its controversial corporate jets.

General Motors board weighs bankruptcy option: report (Reuters)

Reuters - The board of directors of embattled U.S. automaker General Motors Corp is considering "all options" including bankruptcy, according to a report on the Wall Street Journal's website late on Friday.

Wall Street stages late rally on Geithner news (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stocks stormed higher in a late rally on Friday to cap another volatile week as investors welcomed reports that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen his point person to combat the U.S. economic crisis, instilling confidence about the administration's ability to take action.

U.S. eyes "surge" of over 20,000 for Afghanistan (Reuters)

Reuters - The Pentagon is considering a plan to send more than 20,000 troops to Afghanistan over the next 12 to 18 months to help safeguard elections and quell rising Taliban violence, officials said on Friday.

U.S. Bancorp acquires deposits of failed Downey, PFF (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. banking regulators seized California banks Downey Savings and Loan and PFF Bank & Trust late Friday as the housing crisis claimed two more victims from the financial crisis.

Suspected U.S. missile strike kills 4 in Pakistan (Reuters)

Reuters - A suspected U.S. drone aircraft fired missiles in the North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan killing at least four people, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.

Obama readies economic team as global recession fears rise (AFP)

AFP - The economic team of US president-elect Barack Obama came into view as fears mounted on the global financial crisis and more mass job cuts loomed worldwide.

Bush bows out, China assertive at APEC summit (AFP)

AFP - US President George W. Bush began Friday his last scheduled foreign trip, meeting the leader of increasingly important China ahead of a summit aimed at containing a spiraling financial crisis.

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