State of the Art Mold Test Now Available Lighthouse Laboratories is now providing state-of-the-art DNA testing for Stachybotrys Chartarum (toxic or black mold) through the collection of a simple dust sample. The test uses real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methodologies developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DNA test is considered highly...…
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Avoiding Complaints Are You Doing All You Can? The following is excerpted from the Liability Reporter, a risk management e-newsletter for real estate home inspectors and appraisers published by the Organization of Real Estate Professionals (www.OREP.org). Home Inspector Checklist* 1. Do you always obtain a signed pre-inspection agreement from the client? 2. Does your pre-inspection…
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Understanding Residential Construction from the Ground Up Expand Your Knowledge, Gain CE Credit Appraisers who would like to understand residential property “from the ground up” can expand their knowledge of the systems of a home while earning continuing education credit through two courses offered by Mckissock. New HUD guidelines, which expand the role of appraisers...…
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Editor’s Note: Do you have a survival plan if the real estate market slows dramatically like it did in the early and mid 90s? Barry Lebow has been there and back and has some excellent advice for appraisers and home inspectors on how to prosper in hard times. The key is being prepared. Making the...…
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They say a word to wise is sufficient - let’s hope so.
Of all the stories in the premier issue of Working RE, appraisers were most passionate in their response to 2006: Cleaning Up the Lending Mess. The story, written by long-time appraiser Stewart Heller, is set in the future but based on his very real…
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Calling All Appraisers! Valuing Cell Sites By Sean Heath A homeowner, concerned about a new wireless site going in next to her condominium, stood up to speak at a recent City Council meeting. “I realize that it takes a lot of antennas to make a wireless world work but does it have to go through...…
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It all starts with a phone call. A prospective homebuyer/seller calls about your services and fees. The impression your firm makes over the telephone, in large part, will determine whether the caller hires you.
Bill and Jeanne Sutton run the Bay Colony Home Inspection Co. in Milton, Mass. – one of the best in the business.…
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Want more visits to your website? Then be more linkable.
Here’s how search engines work. Spiders, also called crawlers or bots, crawl across the Web collecting keywords and links from web pages. Spiders navigate the Web using hypertext links the same way we do. Each time a spider finds hypertext on a page, it follows the…
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Editor’s Note: Here is the second in an ongoing series of risk management strategies from Alan Carson designed to help inspectors insulate themselves from liability. This installment examines the value of a good contract and the importance of establishing realistic expectations in the mind of your client. Inspecting Your Contract By Alan Carson Many believe...…
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In almost all cases mold grows where there is excess moisture in a building or on building materials that contain cellulose or other organic material. This means that to find mold you must first “find the water.”
Mold grows by using moisture in the form of water and vapor. Catastrophic events such a roof leak, sewage…
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