What Will a Home Inspector Do?

What exactly does a home inspector do and how long does it take to inspect the home? These are questions I often get asked from time to time. It’s important to understand everything that a home inspector can do and what you should expect out of your inspection.

Home inspections can take anywhere from one hour to four hours depending on the size of the home and the extent of the inspection. Homes that have several outbuildings, larger homes or more square footage will naturally take longer. Homes that are difficult access may also take longer. It’s important that homeowners try to allow access to the attic, crawlspace and any other odd or inconvenient places to help the process along. The average home inspection takes about two hours and we always suggest that the home buyer or future homeowner accompany the inspector to ask questions and understand all the details of their new home.

A home inspector will inspect the grounds, exterior surfaces, windows and doors, the roof, attic if applicable, interior rooms, basements, crawlspace, plumbing, electrical and heating and cooling systems.

Grounds: the home inspector will inspect to the grounds to make sure there’s no evidence of standing water, verify proper drainage, check for any leaks and make sure that the driveways, sidewalks, walkways, septic tanks and downspouts are all working properly and are in good condition.

Structure: A home inspector will verify the ridge and fascia board lines, siding, foundation and window and door frames to verify if they are square, sagging, bold or level.

Exterior surfaces: Home inspectors will verify there is adequate clearance between the ground and wood siding materials, verify structural integrity on masonry, stucco, vinyl or aluminum siding, exterior paint and all exterior surfaces.

Windows and doors: Your home inspector will check for wood frames, joints around the frame, no broken glass or broken seals, and double checked the drip caps installed over Windows if applicable.

Roof: A thorough inspection of the roof is generally required, however, if a home inspector suggests an additional inspection with a qualified roof inspector or roof installer this is something to consider. Most home inspectors will checked that there is no evidence of leaks, that all of the shingles or composition shingles are intact, verify the gutters, flashings around chimneys and check for decay or stains.

Attic: If the home has an attic your home inspector should verify that there is no damage inside the attic and that it has adequate ventilation. Your inspector will check that there is no plumbing, exhaust or appliance vents terminating in the attic and that there is no electrical splices.

Interior rooms: This is where your home inspector will probably spend most of the time verifying that there are no significant cracks and that most items are in good working condition. They will rate the level of condition for heating and cooling sources in each room, adequate number of three-pronged electrical outlets in each room, light switches, fireplaces, working vents, appliances in the kitchen, leaks in bathrooms and verify that everything is in good working order. If there’s something that is not working or needs to be corrected, your home inspector will make note of it.

Basement and crawl space: If the home has a basement, the inspector will check that there is no evidence of moisture or exposed foundation and that everything is been insulated properly. In crawl spaces, inspectors will verify adequate ventilation, no evidence of insect or pest damage and a proper insulation between crawl spaces and heating areas and no evidence of moisture.

Plumbing and electricity will be checked on both interior and exterior rooms and locations in the inspector will verify that everything is up to code. Heating and cooling systems will be checked and items such as smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors will be verified that they are in good working order and that there are enough for the size of the home.

SCHEDULE YOUR CONSULTATION TODAY FOR BUYING OR SELLING IN ORLANDO

Each home is different but most home inspectors have a good checklist of items that must be inspected. For more information or for Clermont real estate tips and properties, browse the website or call me for personalized service.

Related Resources:

5 Reasons Rental Properties in Clermont are a Solid Investment

With home prices rising, rental properties are becoming more and more popular. It’s a great balance right now and if you’ve been on the fence about investing in real estate, let me give you some excellent reasons why it’s a solid investment and how you can get in the real estate world around Clermont.

#1. Appreciation potential.

One of the best things about rental properties is that you can use a loan to purchase property and increase the potential return. This is called leverage and when you buy an investment property using more debt than equity, the investment is highly leveraged. If the property appreciates each year by 5% to 6%, your appreciation applies to the entire asset, not just your initial investment. Plus, it’s one of the only investments that you can continually make money while it increases its potential return.

External Related: Should you invest in a co-op condo?

#2. Tax benefits.

If you own a rental property, you can write off the interest on the mortgage and any credit card you use to make purchases for the property. You can write off insurance, maintenance costs, property taxes, and any travel expenses you incurred while managing the property. There may also be more specific deductions on your type of rental property and its location. It’s important to talk to a CPA or licensed tax professional to make sure you’re getting the most out of your investment property.

#3. It offers a wealth of different results.

There are several different ways you can make money on an investment property: long-term capital growth to save money for retirement, positive monthly cash flow from rental income, and adding value to renovate or update an outdated rental property. You can write off the maintenance costs and increase rental prices with a little bit of elbow grease. Some properties may even allow you to subdivide or develop more of the property to increase your cash flow.

#4. Great passive income option.

Not ready to quit your day job? No problem. Investing in real estate is a great way to get started. As long as your property is occupied you should be able to receive a steady stream of monthly income while also paying down the mortgage on the property. This can be even more passive if you choose a property management company to take care of managing the maintenance, tenants, and rental collection of the property.

#5. It works.

One of the best reasons that rental property is a solid investment is that it really works. It’s not a new concept and rental properties are really the core of real estate investing. People always need a place to live and people will always need rental properties. Not everybody will buy all of the time. Student loan debt is at an all-time high, which makes it difficult for many millennial’s to buy a home, so what are they doing? They are renting. Shouldn’t you be the landlord?

From property management to general homebuying, rental investments and listing management, give me a call. There are plenty of great investment properties throughout Clermont, Mineola and Winter Garden. Let’s talk investing today. – Find Real Estate Investments in Clermont

Golf Course Homes for Sale in Clermont FL July 2017

Golf Course Homes for Sale in Clermont FL July 2017

Clermont FL residents are lucky to have so many beautiful golf courses to visit as a day guest but what if you want to live on the golf course? Living on a golf course home in Clermont FL is more than a convenience of a hole in one, the views are amazing.
If you are a buyer looking for a golf course home for sale in Clermont FL, there are two neighborhoods that offer Golf Course lots and two additional Golf communities that are zoned for 55+.
Legends Subdivision is a golf community that offers 24hr Guard gated entrance, on-site restaurant, fitness, community pool, playground, tennis court, basketball court and golf. Homes in the Legends range from moderately priced interior and golf course lots to estate homes with golf course lots as well as interior lots.

Palisades Subdivision is another golf community with interior and golf course lots as well as lake view lots. It is not a gated community, offers a community pool, playground, golf, restaurant.

If you are a buyer looking for a golf course home, I would highly recommend scheduling a round of golf at both so you could experience in person.

As of July 24, 2017, there are 21 homes available with either Golf Course View or Golf Course frontage with a price range of $259,900 to $459,900.

Lowest priced home at $259,900 is located in the Legends Subdivision with a Golf Course view, built in 2001, 2088 square feet, four bedrooms and two baths.
Highest priced home at $459,900 is also located in the Legends Subdivision and has a Golf Course frontage. The home was built in 2005, offers 4856 square feet, five bedrooms, three baths, pool. This home overlooks two fairways and water.

Whether you’ve been a Clermont resident for a very long time or just planning on moving to Florida, the only way for you to find out which community would fit better to your needs is to tour it in person. All the online photos are great but we all know, sometimes, places look different in person than online. Be sure to work with a local REALTOR® so you can find out everything you need to know before buying.

Sellers, did you know Clermont FL home prices have been increasing since 2016? Do you know how much your house is worth in today’s market? It may worth more than you think. Call or text me at 407-929-1852 to get a FREE market analysis. With low inventory of homes that are priced under $300,000 and high demand, now is a great time to sell your Clermont home.

If you are looking for a golf course home for sale in Clermont FL, I can set a search directly from MLS so you are notified when there’s a new listing or a price range on the one you’re following. Remember, looking at homes online is great but true availability is in MLS. If you’ve been calling around after finding a home online and were told “sorry, that’s already under contract” or “sorry, that was SOLD two years ago”. Whether you’re looking for a golf course home, home with a pool, an estate home, foreclosure home or a starter home, I would love to assist you finding your dream home. Call or text me at 407-929-1852, email bethatalay@gmail.com or visit www.WhereToLiveInOrlando.com

Golf Course Homes for Sale in Clermont FL July 2017

5 Attributes You Need in a Real Estate Agent

You planning to sell your house or buying a new house. Regardless, you probably need a real estate agent. Why? Well, you can try and sell your house yourself and risk losing out on a lot of money by not pricing it correctly or knowing how to facilitate the transaction with a potential buyer. Trust me, I’ve seen too many homeowners try to sell their home themselves only to get frustrated, angry, and downright exhausted.
If you’re planning on buying property without a real estate agent know that eventually, you will have to deal with a real estate agent because most homeowners will choose to list their property with an agent and therefore, as a buyer, you have to deal with the listing agent of the property you want to buy. That really isn’t having someone working for you.

Whether you are buying or selling, the benefits to using a real estate agent are innumerable. When looking for the right agent, you might be looking for something different based on whether you are buying or selling a property.

Here are five attributes you need in a real estate agent and will start with the buying agent first.

#1. An agent that works solely for you.

When you purchase a property you don’t want to go through the listing agent to purchase that home. The listing agent’s primary duty is to sell that property, not necessarily find you the best home for your needs and budget. That agent was contracted with the seller first, and therefore, must sell that property. If you don’t have your own representation, your needs, budget, and priorities may not be taken into consideration.

#2. They really listen to what you want.

You don’t want an agent that thinks they know what you want. You want an agent that truly listens to your needs, concerns, deal breakers, and reads between the lines as to the type of home you really want and need. You might say you are looking for a three bedroom, but you know that working from home is a passion to the agent might try to find you a four bedroom home or at least a three bedroom property with a bonus room for those future home office needs. A good real estate agent also will not show you homes outside of your price range. You can afford what you can afford and a good agent will do their best to find you the home you need in your price range.

For sellers:

#3. Find an agent that actually sells homes.

I know that might sound funny, but you’d be surprised at how many agents there are out there that list homes but never actually sell that. The listing either expires or the agent gets fired. This is because they are not pricing it correctly, to begin with, and/or they are not marketing it to potential buyers. A great agent will market to other buyers agents and buyers through print, online, social media, and in person. Ask how many homes the agent has really sold themselves as a listing agent and how motivated they are to get your home sold but still make sure you get a profit.

#4. Honesty.

Of course, whether you are buying or selling you want your real estate agent to be honest but a good listing real estate agent needs to be honest about pricing it correctly and what you need to do to get in shape for selling. A hungry real estate agent will do anything and say anything to get the listing. An honest real estate agent will tell you what it really takes to get the property sold.

For both buyers and sellers:

#5. Communication.

I can’t tell you how important communication is during this time. Your real estate agent needs to communicate any changes to purchase and sale contract, updates on where the listing is, any changes to the listing or to a contract, updates on advice and feedback from showings, and simply get a hold of you that works for your lifestyle.

Communication is a huge in every aspect of life but when it comes to buying or selling, it helps to be proactive in communication. You the real estate agent and then asked them you like to be communicated with him to get your needs met and your goals are attained.

If you are ready to buy or sell throughout the Orlando area including my specialty areas such as Clermont, Winter Garden, and Mineola, call me today.

Home Inspection Concerns for Lake Front Homes in Clermont

Buying waterfront property can be complex and you should work with an agent who is familiar with this type of investing. The following are four concerns when it comes to the inspection on a lake front home.

Four Inspection Concerns on Lake Front Homes

1) Have the inspector check the slope and terrain of the property for proper drainage of rain water away from the home. This is even more important when living where the soil is already moist from being near a lake.

If you have a dock, get that inspected too for sagging or any other problems. You might be able to get the seller to finance any repairs or replacements.

2) Purchasing a home with a septic tank? The septic system needs to be inspected to ensure that it’s being properly serviced and that no waste is leaking into the soil or lake. Additionally, once you own the home, make certain to have the tank pumped out every two years to prevent back ups and run offs into the lake.

3) Check for buggy bothers and wood damage. If termite damage is discovered on the inspection, you can have the seller pay for it before the deal goes through. Or you might find wood damage which might be caused by moisture traveling up from the lake to the house through the soil resulting in mold. Mold eats structures and is hazardous to your health as well.

4) Has your house been swimming? An inspector will be able to tell if the house has flooded and if it happens often. Flood waters cause a lot of damage to electrical systems, foundations, wood and can also cause mold. These damages can be quite severe and extremely expensive to fix.

If the home has signs of flooding you should probably just walk away from it. If you’re considering raising the home, and it’s possible and you’re willing to pay the hefty price to do it, talk to surveyors and contractors. Many water front home owners are now raising their homes because they want to remain where they are, but need to prevent future flooding.