When do I need to replace my roof?

Oklahoma weather is hard on roofs. The extreme temperature shifts from summer to winter, along with strong winds, can cause shingles to crack and split. If these cracks are not repaired, ice and snow during the winter can cause the crack to expand and eventually cause the roof to leak. Strong winds in particular are challenging on Oklahoma roofs. Wind can lift the edges of poorly installed or worn shingles and peel the layers of shingles, causing leaks and damage. In most cases, you can expect a well-installed asphalt shingle roof to last anywhere from 15-30 years, depending on the quality … Continue reading...

What a Home Inspection CAN’T tell you

You hire a home inspector to look over the house you want to buy with a fine-tooth comb and tell you what issues they uncover. A good home inspector WILL thoroughly examine your home and will always find something - but there are limits. Home inspectors are bound by a set of rules that limit what they can and cannot tell you. I highly recommend every buyer get a home inspection, but there are certain things a home inspector CAN'T tell you. Here is what a home inspector CAN'T tell you: Whether to by this house You would think this would be an easy question, and I often hear buyers … Continue reading...

Do I need a home inspection on new construction?

The home inspector uses a Microsoft Surface table to record their findings. In the lower part of the picture is a device that checks for moisture. This is used to detect minor leaks or potential mildew. I love how even home inspectors are going high-tech with their tools!

We often get the question "why should I pay for a home inspection on a newly constructed home? Doesn't it come with a one year warranty?" A valid question for sure. In my experience, you should ALWAYS pay for a home inspection, regardless of whether the home is newly constructed or a run-down rat trap being sold "as-is". A good home inspector has trained, experienced eyes to look for minor flaws even where you may see perfection. I have often walked into a beautifully constructed, very expensive brand new home home and thought "wow, this is awesome!" Yet the inspector can walk into the same … Continue reading...

The home we love has cracks in the walls. Is this a deal breaker?

Not necessarily. Oklahoma has a lot of clay in the soil, and it is common for the soil to shift during extreme weather, especially our hot summers. This shifting over time can cause foundations to shift, resulting in cracks. In addition, or high winds can cause walls to shift and crack even if the foundation is solid. There are primarily two ways cracks develop in the exterior walls. Foundation cracks Much of central Oklahoma has clay based soil, which expands and contracts depending on weather and soil moisture content. And many Oklahoma homes are built using concrete stem walls and slab … Continue reading...

Inspecting your Dryer Vent

When purchasing a home here in central Oklahoma, one thing to look at is the dryer venting.  Your home inspector will check this important item but here are a few tips you can watch out for: Ensure dryer vented outside Never ever allow your dryer to vent inside your home. The moisture from your clothes will go into your home, even your garage, and cause mold and mildew problems as well as possible structural damage. If vented indoors, your air conditioner has to work that much harder to cool your home. In addition, the moisture carries lint from the clothes, and as this lint builds up it … Continue reading...

Scary Home Inspections

When purchasing a home here in central Oklahoma, it is imperative as a buyer that you have a home inspection performed by a qualified and licensed home inspector.  Normally purchasing a home is the largest single financial commitment most buyers make, and buying a home with a multitude of problems can cause a financial strain to a new home buyer. Your first step as a new buyer is to pick your home inspector.  Remember, this person is working for you, the buyer.  Their job is to find every single little problem that can affect the integrity of the home, and report that information in writing … Continue reading...

To Pier or Not to Pier – Only a Structural Engineer Knows for Sure

Earlier this week a home inspector looked at our seller's home and and recommended a piering company come out and take a look at the home for the buyer. The piering company comes out and what do you think they recommended? Yep. Twelve new piers at about $1,000 per pier, on a 1,500 square foot home. You would think the house was falling apart and sinking into the ocean! Of course, asking a piering company if a house needs piers is like asking a roofer if a house needs a new roof, or a stockbroker if you should buy stocks. They don't make any money if they tell you "no". Our seller and … Continue reading...

Easy to Fix Top Ten Items Found on an Oklahoma Home Inspection

As a busy metro area Realtor, we attend a lot of home inspections with our home buyers. During these inspections we invariably see the same repair items over and over. Here are the top ten items we typically see at a home inspection. These are usually quite easy fixes that should be done by the homeowner prior to the inspection. 1) Garage door electronic eye attached too high You know those little electronic eye things on the side of your garage door rails that you have to jump over when you are trying to get out the garage door before it closes? Those are designed to protect kids (even those … Continue reading...

eBay and Selling your home – what do they have in common?

Selling on eBay is all about reputation. As you sell on eBay you receive positive - or possibly negative - comments about each transaction. Your reputation as a seller is right out there for everyone to see, and a poor reputation means your ebay sales will be non-existent. After having sold hundreds of items on eBay ranging from pickup trucks to tractors to smaller items such as motorcycle parts, bags and luggage, I have created a stellar reputation of 100% customer satisfaction in every single transaction. How? There are two steps. Disclosure The first key to a successful transaction on … Continue reading...