BlogArizona Category: Home Maintenance, Repairs & ImprovementsThis page contains all BlogArizona posts related to Home Maintenance, Repairs & Improvements. Read a specific post by clicking on a title below, or scroll further down the page to read through all posts in this category.Thursday, April 10, 2008Don't Install Satellite on Your Roof This WayThis is bizarre but sad. Don't try installing satellite TV like this guy did. He used a gun to shoot a hole (from inside the house) through the exterior of the house instead of punching it another way. His wife was apparently on the roof when it happened and she was shot. Even dumber, he shot twice and it was the second shot that killed her. This happened last month but they just recently decided that no charges are being filed against the husband. Moral of the story: Use the right tool for the job, and don't start shooting guns through the house when your wife is on the roof (or any other time, really).
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on April 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack Sunday, April 06, 2008Selling a Home in AZ and Not Sure What to Disclose to the Buyer?I recently received an email with this question about disclosure of sex offenders when selling a home in Arizona:
First, I have to say that I'm not an attorney so I can only address this question in the general sense and from a Realtor's perspective. So do not consider my answer as legal advice, and ALWAYS consult an attorney for questions about your own specific situation. Second, don't believe everything you read in the mainstream media! Of course, you can't believe everything you read on the internet either. But I do know bloggers who are much more thorough about checking facts than some of the major media outlets. Arizona legislators are constantly updating our laws, and real estate disclosure is a hot topic. However, I don't think a change to the law is the source of confusion in this case. From my experience, I'd say all of the sources quoted are technically correct. I think this is the USA Today article that was referenced in the question, here's the AZ real estate attorney who was mentioned, and here's the Arizona Association of Realtors (AAR) Residential Seller Advisory form. The AAR Residential Seller Advisory does indeed state, "By law, sellers are not obligated to disclose that the property is or has been... located in the vicinity of a sex offender." But if you keep reading, it goes on to say, "However, the law does not protect a seller who makes an intentional misrepresentation." And then the top of the next page says, "Sellers are required by law to disclose all known material (important) facts about the Property to the Buyer". So what is considered to be "material" or "important"? Generally, anything that may affect a buyer's decision to buy is definitely material and should be disclosed. To be safe, I tell sellers that EVERYTHING is material to the buyer. At least, a seller has to assume that everything is material because they don't know what's material to the buyer. Every buyer is different... what seems minor and unimportant to the seller may very well be minor and unimportant to one buyer. However, that same item may be extremely important, and thus material, to another buyer. If it ends up in front of a judge, I would guess that anything and everything the buyers find out later, that the seller knew and didn't disclose, will be considered material! The AAR Residential Seller Advisory reinforces this idea with it's heading, "When in doubt, disclose!". If the sellers know there's a sex offender living down the street and the buyers ask, I would tell the seller to disclose it, in writing, to protect both the sellers and the buyers. Even if the buyers don't ask, I would still tell the sellers to disclose it, in writing. It doesn't matter if the buyers are older or don't have kids. You cannot assume they don't care about a sex offender living nearby. They may have grandchildren who visit and play outside, or friends that come over and bring their kids. My point is, you shouldn't try to get inside the buyer's head and figure out what is, or is not material. Only the buyer can decide that. Just disclose it and let the buyers make that call... whether it's a maintenance problem, or something you know about the neighbors, homeowners association, schools, etc. Disclose whatever you know. I know many people are reading this thinking, "Disclose it, even if it they don't ask? That would probably kill the deal." Well, it's better to kill the deal now than end up in court later. And actually, being honest from the beginning by making full disclosure reduces the risk of a last minute deal-breaker, 29 days into the transaction. As a seller, if the deal isn't going to close, don't you want to know right away instead of AFTER your house has been off the market for a month? Full disclosure isn't just for sellers either. It's a two-way street. Buyers should also disclose anything that might be material to the sellers, like if they know something which may affect their ability to qualify for a mortgage. The "golden rule" can (and should) be applied to real estate transactions, just like anything else in life. Every transaction is smoother, less stressful and turns out better in the end if both parties are honest and upfront with each other from the beginning. But buyers, don't be naive! You should NOT rely on the sellers to disclose all material facts about the property you're buying. Even if the sellers are honest people, they may not know all the material facts. So buyers must also do their "due diligence" by investigating everything that's important to them. The AZ Department of Real Estate advises buyers to read and investigate the items on this checklist for Arizona home buyers. While the law may require certain disclosures, "Buyer Beware" is a reality!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on April 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBack Monday, February 25, 2008AZ Home Inspector Licensing Board going away?Arizona Home Inspectors need your help! Arizona's home inspector licensing agency, the AZ Board of Technical Registration (BTR) is inefficient, expensive and allegedly corrupt. In fact, Arizona lawmakers are thinking about eliminating the BTR altogether (SB1171), and moving home inspector licensing to the Registrar of Contractors (ROC). As most of my readers already know, I'm co-owner of Homewerx Home Inspections, one of the Valley's leading home inspection companies since 1999. As such, I sincerely appreciate your support on this matter. While I do NOT support eliminating the BTR, it definitely needs some change - starting at the top with the guy in charge. It's unfortunate, but AZ home inspector licensing seems to be alot more about money and power and industry organizations than it is about quality home inspections. There are some real problems and conflicts of interest that have just been ignored at the BTR, and we all know that problems don't just go away when they're ignored...they get worse! Now, the BTR is so inefficient and lacking accountability that I think the whole idea of protecting homebuyers got lost somewhere along the line. Home Inspectors don't trust the BTR, consumers kind of laugh at them. And the cost of inefficient government regulation is real... look at how much it costs to be a home inspector in Arizona compared to other professionals licensed by the same agency. And look at how much Arizona home inspectors pay compared to home inspectors in other states. "Wow" is all I can say! Home Inspection companies inevitably pass these ridiculous costs onto the homebuying consumer, who is already strapped for cash in case the BTR hasn't heard. And a home inspection is an out-of-pocket expense - those are the ones that really hurt and will be a deal-breaker alot quicker than borrowed money will. So please Help support the 'little guy', and you will help keep Arizona home inspection prices down plus eliminate government incompetence at the same time. Thank you again for your support!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on February 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack Tuesday, February 19, 2008Selling Your House? Don't Take the Curtain Rods When You Move.By the title of this post, you might think I'm getting ready to talk about the difference between personal property and real estate fixtures, and what you can take with you when you move versus what has to stay with the house. Nope. This post is actually just something funny my Dad emailed me, which I thought my readers would enjoy. By the way, don't do this! She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases. On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things. On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candle-light, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of spring-water. When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells dipped in caviar into the hollow of the curtain rods. She then cleaned up the kitchen and left. When the husband returned with his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days. Then slowly, the house began to smell. They tried everything; cleaning, mopping and airing the place out. Vents were checked for dead rodents and carpets were steam cleaned. Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting. Nothing worked!!! People stopped coming over to visit. Repairmen refused to work in the house. The maid quit. Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move. A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they could not find a buyer for their stinky house. Word got out and eventually even the local real estate agents refused to return their calls. Finally, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase a new place. The ex-wife called the man and asked how things were going. He told her the saga of the rotting house. She listened politely and said that she missed her old home terribly and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back. Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a price that was about 1/10th of what the house had been worth, but only if she were to sign the papers that very day. She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork. A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home.... And to spite the ex-wife, they even took the curtain rods!! I LOVE A HAPPY ENDING, DON'T YOU? ORIGINAL SOURCE: UNKNOWN
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on February 19, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Friday, January 18, 2008AZ Termite Inspector Licensing Agency Going Away
Amid allegations of "cronyism, inefficiency, overregulation and instability", the executive director was recently fired by the seven member Commission. In protest, the 3 Commission members who voted against firing the executive director have resigned. A committee of Arizona lawmakers have since voted in favor of, and are introducing a bill to disband the SPCC altogether. Under the new bill, regulation & licensing of pest control professionals, including termite inspectors, will be transferred to the AZ Department of Agriculture. Arizona lawmakers also considered transferring the SPCC's duties to the AZ Registrar of Contractors (ROC) or the AZ Board of Technical Registration (BTR). However, agricultural pest control is already regulated by the AZ Dept. of Agriculture, so they are the most logical choice. Last I heard, the bill was supposed to be introduced in early January when the AZ Legislature reconvened. While I have not officially seen anything stating the bill has been introduced or approved, I was told by one of my State Representatives in early January that the SPCC's duties will be transferring to the AZ Department of Agriculture. I think he told me a time frame, but I don't remember what it was. So it sounds like a pretty done deal, even if it has not been officially approved. AZ Governor Napolitano mentioned late last year that she would consider the recommendation to get rid of the SPCC, and the State Representative I spoke with did not say the SPCC might go away, he said it was going away. Additionally, the SPCC (like all such agencies) is subject to review every ten years. I believe the SPCC's sunset review is due in June of this year, and even in the absence of other legislation, I don't think the SPCC is expected to be re-authorized or renewed. So, the "good ole boy network" at an Arizona licensing agency...could it really happen? Of course, I'm being sarcastic - yes, it really happens and probably more than you'd ever believe. I have personally witnessed the type of abuse of power alleged here at another AZ licensing agency. Luckily, it was not not directed at me personally. However, I would bet that it's much more widespread than the public really knows. That's a real shame since these licensing agencies are intended to protect the public. But when the agency is corrupt, it doesn't protect anybody - it just raises the cost of doing business. And that cost is ultimately passed on to the consumer, which means the licensing agency ends up hurting the very consumers it was supposed to protect. By the way, I want to apologize to my loyal readers for my recent "vacation" from blogging. Between the holidays, visiting relatives and another project I've been working on, the time has just gotten away from me. But I promise to post again soon. In fact, my friend the AZ Mortgage Guru recently sent me a very interesting article, which got me doing some research on another Arizona licensing agency. And what I found is definitely worth coming back to read. So be sure to check back in a few days and read all about it! Related articles:
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on January 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack Saturday, December 08, 2007Indoor Air Quality & Pollutants in Your HomeDuring the last 20 years, many homes have been made tighter to conserve energy, to decrease the amount of heated air that leaves the house in winter, and likewise, decrease the amount of cooled air that escapes in the summer. At the same time, of course, there is less fresh, cold air getting into the house in the winter and less fresh hot air entering the house in summer. This may seem like a good idea; it isn't. Because the air inside your house is in an enclosed space, the concentration or level of pollutants can be much greater in the air inside than outside. A tighter house has a lower ventilation rate. As a result of ventilation decreases, the concentration of pollutants inside the home increases. Indoor air pollutants pose the greatest risk to people who are at home the most; babies, children, the elderly and chronically ill. Ironically, these are the very same people who are most susceptible to pollution in the air. Some indoor air pollutants like radon and asbestos are life threatening. While others may not be life threatening, they can make your life miserable causing eye, nose & throat irritation, shortness of breath, dizziness, lethargy, fever and digestive problems to name a few. There are three basic ways to reduce and alleviate indoor air pollution:
There are many different types of indoor air pollutants: the by-products of combustion, including environmental tobacco smoke; respirable suspended particles; carbon monoxide; nitrogen dioxide; volatile organic compounds (VOC's); biologicals; and electromagnetic fields (EMF's). Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and nonirritating gas that can interfere with the supply of oxygen to the body tissues. Its sources can include unvented kerosene & gas heaters, leaking chimneys & furnaces, car exhaust, gas stoves and tobacco smoke. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) refer to a large number of organic vapors that contaminate the air. It's common for VOC levels to shoot up temporarily, during and following new construction, renovation or refurbishing. Therefore, it's important to increase ventilation as much as possible during and following any renovation. Some VOC's are carcinogenic and there are numerous sources of VOC's including: household products (paints, paint strippers & other solvents); new carpeting, drapes & furnishings; wood preservatives; aerosol sprays; cleansers & disinfectants; moth repellents & air fresheners; stored fuels & car supplies; hobby supplies; dry cleaned clothing; and environmental tobacco smoke. When present indoors, tobacco smoke can be a major source, or significant part of indoor air pollution. Biologicals include things like fungi, molds and dust mites. Higher levels of humidity tend to encourage their growth. The two major actions to control biologicals are controlling the moisture and keeping your home as clean as possible. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF's) are a combination of electric fields and magnetic fields that radiate from electric cables, wires, fixtures and appliances. They include any appliance that either: uses electric bulbs; has an electric motor, such as a refrigerator, freezer, clothes washer, hair dryer, shaver, food mixer, blender, vacuum, etc.; or has an electric heating element, such as a clothes dryer, iron, electric blanket, stove/oven. The data is not conclusive regarding EMF health hazards. It seems to indicate that the most likely health effects of exposure to EMF's would be in the areas of cancer and reproduction. While a cause and effect relationship has yet to be established, a statistical association has emerged between exposure to EMF and cancer risks and reproduction malfunctions.
Here's one (probably unknown) step to control and mitigate EMF in your home: If you have an electric blanket, use it to warm the bed and turn it off before you get into the bed!
Posted by Martin Spilo on December 8, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack Monday, October 29, 2007Inspecting an Asphalt Shingle Roof in Phoenix, AZTo the untrained eye, the roof on this home looks pretty good. While most roofs have To an experienced Home Inspector, this roof does not look good at all. Although it's a fairly new roof, it was not properly installed. The nails used to attach the asphalt shingles to the house are too short. Therefore, the nails are starting to come out and the shingles are not securely attached. So this roof is really just waiting for the right wind storm to come along and blow it off the house. Additionally, as the nails come out, they leave damage (holes) behind where water can penetrate the shingles and cause damage to the materials underneath. Be sure to have a home inspection before you buy or build a house. Don't inspect it yourself or have a friend who's handy look it over. Call someone who inspects houses every day and knows exactly what to look for. Call a licensed AZ Home Inspector.
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on October 29, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Friday, October 26, 2007AZ Home Inspector Adventures - Inspecting a Phoenix HouseAs a home inspector, I get to know a person's home very well during the several hours I'm there poking around. To do my job properly, I have to look in closets, open cabinets & drawers, and scrutinize literally every corner of the home. And believe me, I've seen everything from drug stashes, to tenants illegally hooking up to power using automotive jumper cables, to a half-dozen weiner dogs trying to run up stairs to follow me (which was hilarious by the way - have you ever seen a weiner dog trying to run up stairs?!). Performing hundreds of home inspections a year, I definitely come across my share of interesting and even funny situations. Sometimes I find conditions with the house that are unique or in some way worthy of blogging about. Other times, the most memorable part of my inspection has nothing to do with the house at all. In fact, some of the funniest things I come across seem to involve children and pets. Perhaps it's because I always try to introduce myself to the 'little folks' when I enter a home, just to let them know I come in peace (both children and pets seem to appreciate that). Some will follow me around and become my best pal as I do the inspection. Others do not accept my peace offering at all, and either hide or just watch me very closely during the inspection. As I mentioned, I've even been stalked by a herd of weiner dogs. So as you can tell by now, this post has nothing to do with the home inspection itself, as the title might I never met the owners, and I still don't know why this cat sat in the corner for 2 hours. But I did eventually make peace with him, and he even let me pet him before I left the property!
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on October 26, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Friday, August 03, 2007Monsoons Make Arizona Homebuyers Rethink Toscana
While the monsoon floods are fun for Arizona kids, homeowners don't find flooding quite as entertaining. Drainage is something homeowners always need to be concerned with, and it's something that should definitely be considered when purchasing real estate. This week, Phoenix, AZ residents of Toscana found out the hard way just how important drainage really is, even when buying a luxury condo. A BlogArizona reader sent me the following email with questions about the recent Toscana floods:
Here's a local news story about the flooded parking garage at Toscana, and here are some videos about the Toscana flooding.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on August 3, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Tuesday, July 31, 2007Pigeons Can Cause Real Damage to Your RoofAnybody who has ever had a pigeon problem can tell you how difficult it is to get rid of them. Once they decide to nest on your house, it becomes their home too and they don't want to leave. If ignored, over time the debris left behind by the pigeons will interfere with proper roof drainage, and can cause water intrusion problems that are costly to repair. So it's imperative that you keep your home pigeon-proofed, especially if your neighborhood has a significant pigeon population. I'm by no means a pigeon expert, however I recently had to re-pigeon-proof my own home. There are a variety of options available, from simply blocking off desirable perching areas, to more extreme measures such as installing pigeon spikes or applying hot foot gel that burns their feet when they step in it. It's my understanding that the poisons which were used in the past are now illegal in many places, which is fine since the other products seem to work without harming the birds. There are also services that remove the birds humanely, and then release them in a galaxy far, far away. However you choose to deal with your pigeon friends, my advice would be to save yourself a bunch of time and frustration and hire an expert. While pigeon problems are really no laughing matter, below is a funny YouTube video that was played at my Arizona ASHI® meeting this past weekend. While I don't endorse trying this at home, anybody that's ever fought a pigeon problem can appreciate this video. Enjoy, and remember...an ounce of inspection is worth a pound of repair!
Funny Pigeon Video: (click below to play) Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on July 31, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Saturday, July 21, 2007Home Maintenance and Do-It-Yourself BasicsHomeowners often make repairs and/or improvements to their home right after moving in, and prior to selling. Whether you're doing a major remodeling job or just installing new carpet or wallpaper, sometimes the most simple advice can also be the most helpful. So always remember the basics:
And last but certainly not least...an ounce of inspection is worth a pound of repair!
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on July 21, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack Thursday, July 19, 2007Homeowners Beware: A Lack of Building Permit Can Stop a Potential SaleIf you’re thinking about making some changes to your dwelling then the first thing I would recommend doing is checking with the city to make sure the proposed changes do not require a building permit. The most obvious benefit is your safety and security. However, recently I’ve also come across another benefit. It can help you sell your home more easily. When buyers are short like they are right now, you want to make the transaction as smooth as possible. In the past two months I’ve come across two very different situations involving lack of building permits. In one case the house sold with little problems after a few days of sweat, so the seller lucked out. However, in the second case the transaction had to be canceled. What makes it even worse is that the buyer ended up selling their own home and now they are without a home. Why did this happen? The owner of the property they wanted had made some improvements without a permit. The buyer received a clean approval on the loan; however, the appraisal didn’t make it through. The appraiser had noted the major changes to the property and mentioned the addition to the property didn’t seem to be legal. The lender wanted to make sure their collateral was in good shape so they requested that the seller obtain a permit and have the city certify that the property additions were legal. After many days of waiting, the city finally said the structural changes were not legal and suggested that the owner tear down some parts of the home. Wow! Now this is not a situation you want to be in at any time, and certainly not in today’s buyers market. Not only did this stop the transaction but it could have been a problem if the owner had to make any insurance claim or if the owner faced a legal situation with injury or damage. I’m sure the owner would have very little recourse in such a situation. So, to better protect you and your property, before starting a project, I suggest calling the city to ask if your changes will require a permit. Here are some useful websites:
Posted by Shailesh Ghimire, AZ Mortgage Guru on July 19, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack Saturday, June 16, 2007Summer Maintenance Links for Arizona HomeownersI intended to spend some time blogging this wonderful Saturday morning. However, as the real estate market picks up speed for summer, so does my schedule. So instead, I'll spend my day off doing 2 home inspections and a mold test. Oh well, that's just how life goes sometimes! So for today, I'll just post some links to maintenance information that will help to prepare you, your family and your home for this summer season. Swimming Pool Safety & Maintenance
Maintaining Your Home's Air Conditioner |
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If you haven't already heard, the licensing agency for 
