Inspection Blog

Existing home sales surged 10% in October, its highest pace since February 2007.  Experts point to the first time homebuyer tax credit and increased housing affordability as the driving forces; prior to the extension, there was a flurry of activity as folks sought to beat the deadline.  Economists caution that a measurable decline should be anticipated in December and early next year, before

Following decades of suburban sprawl, a renewed emphasis on walkable communities is coming on strong.  Factors driving the trend: increased gas prices, an aging population, health awareness and, of course, convenience.

Recent studies estimate the amount spent on gas to be between 20-30% of household income (those with teenagers on the higher end), as living in suburbia requires driving

Inspect-It 1st has authored a new, free whitepaper entitled: "Common Home Defects Found During a Home Inspection that Impact Energy Bills, and Their Quick Fixes." 

While not an energy audit, the standard home inspection does often uncover defects that, if corrected, could make the home more energy efficient.  The good news is, many of these repairs or replacements are easy and low cost.  As your

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) reports an increase in foreclosure scams, with scammers now trying to sell endangered homeowners phony 'loan modification' assistance.  Many imply they are affiliated with government programs when they are not.  As a result, homeowners lose thousands of dollars a piece for phony assistance.

If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, one of the best

Some important things to know about the $8,000 credit available this year:

1. The home must be purchased between 1/1 and 12/31, 2009 and you (or your spouse) cannot have owned a home in the preceeding 3 year period.
2. The exact amount of your credit is determined by (a) the value of your home: the credit is 10% of the purchase price, up to a max of $8k, and (b) your income: the amount of your credit may

May is designated as National Electrical Safety Awareness Month by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), and Inspect-It 1st offices nationwide are engaging in activities and programs to raise awareness in their local communities.  Each year ESFI designates a theme for its campagin, and this year the organization is focusing on counterfeit electrical products.  You may be

ReInspections are when the inspector returns to the property where a full home inspection was previously performed, to verify that repairs or replacements requested by the buyer have been completed.

Some ways in which a ReInspection differs from the original standard home inspection:

>The client (buyer) defines the scope of the inspection (i.e. what items they want inspected).

>Because of the

In a recent article put forth by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the National Fire Protection Association reported that 1 out of every 21 home structure fires was related to a dryer or washing machine, with dryers accounting for 92% of incidents.

The leading cause of home clothes dryer and washer fires was failure to clean (29 percent), followed by unclassified mechanical failure

We are very proud that John Elson, our Technical Leader and Director of Education, had his article, "Staying Positive in Today's Real Estate Market" featured in the February, 2009 edition of the ASHI Reporter, published by the American Society of Home Inspectors.

In the article, John references a quote from Benjamin Disraeli: "The secret of success is constancy to purpose."  No matter the

For those individuals with cash and strong credit scores, there are certainly deals to be had in the current real estate market.  Many homes are being sold ‘as-is', which can lead people to forego having an inspection performed.  The typical reasoning is that the property is such a ‘steal', that any needed repairs/replacements will still be worth it.  However, making a decision to buy without