Sure, purchasing a home when interest rates are high might seem counterintuitive, but there are still several potential benefits: Negotiation Power: In a high-interest-rate environment, there might be fewer buyers, which could give you more negotiating power. Sellers may be more inclined to entertain lower offers or offer other concessions to close the deal. Fixed-Rate […]

In Part 1 of our series on the importance of roof flashing, we looked at some general defects (corrosion; and loose, missing, damaged, and misaligned pieces); poor installation practices; and issues with step, headwall, sidewall, and valley flashing. Today, we turn our attention to flashing for a masonry-constructed chimney, one of the most common areas […]

Flashing is one of the elements of a well-built house that doesn’t draw much attention until it goes bad, as it’s often known to do (there are a number of reasons for this that we’ll discuss below). If you think you’ve found the right property in your search for a new home, you should be […]

When searching for the perfect home, it is highly unlikely that eager shoppers—especially in this seller’s market—will be asking many questions about air leaks. To a homebuyer more interested in the building’s finished basement, new deck, and proximity to a preferred school district, air leaks may seem like a minor issue. However, home inspectors understand […]

In our previous blog post, we took a hard look at wood rot—one of the more common and costly problems that can affect wood structures in a home, from siding to door trim, window framing to cabinetry and decking. Today we turn our focus to composite wood, another popular choice in home construction that has […]

In certain parts of the country, April is the month of the year that sees the most rain. While this is excellent news for avid gardeners and those hoping to save on watering their yards, the increased wetness has its negative side—namely, its effect on the wood structures in a home. With this in mind, […]

Here’s one of the most common questions posed to real estate agents by home-shoppers who have found a property they’re interested in: “Is it okay for me to perform my own home inspection?” This is usually followed by a statement like, “I’m pretty handy around the house. If there’s a problem, I’ll find it.” The […]

In Part 3 of our series on what home inspectors look for when examining the exterior of a home, we turn our attention to some other critical components that, if left unchecked, could end up costing a potential homebuyer money in addition to posing safety concerns. As we’ve mentioned in parts 1 and 2, the […]