Since 1994, A-Pro has been helping its clients make smarter, better and more informed decisions as they buy or sell a home. As one of the leading Home Inspection Springfield MO service companies, A-Pro not only offers you the best possible home inspection, service, and value, but also provides you with the peace of mind that your investment is protected through our iron-clad 120-day assurance guarantee.
WE SAFEGUARD SELLERS FOR 120 DAYS WITH OUR UNPRECEDENTED “CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED HOME PROGRAM”
Today, home inspections are conducted in the interests of the buyer alone. But A-Pro has changed all that with our 120-Day Guarantee available to sellers.
Now, listed homes that are inspected by our CHI master inspectors carry the status “Certified Pre-Owned HOME,™” a meaningful designation that goes a long way in helping to ease the concerns of a potential buyer.
As a seller, you want to make your home as attractive a value as possible.
Making it an A-Pro “Certified Pre-Owned Home” gives you a distinct selling advantage.
That’s because your home will have undergone a complete, 500-point inspection before it goes on the market, which means it’s guaranteed against hidden and undiscovered problems that might otherwise delay (or even kill) the sale transaction. The benefits of and A-Pro Pre-Certified Inspection help create a powerful marketing tool that can be used during the process of selling a house:
A FREE Home Radon Test for
The Entire Realtor Community.
Dear All Agents:
As a real estate agent, you probably recommend radon
testing to your clients.
But have you ever had your own home tested?
Dennie Edwards — a real estate agent of 31 years —
never did.
That is… not until he discovered a 4.5 centimeter mass on
his left lung.
It was cancerous.
He would soon discover that the radon levels in his home
were nearly two and a half times the EPA’s recommended
level.
I just came across his story (at right) and as someone in a
strong position to do prevent this sort of thing from
happening… I decided I was going to do something about
it.
That’s why A-Pro is offering a free home radon
test to anyone in the local Realtor® community.
As a home inspector, and someone whose business has been blessed and prospered at the hands of so many Month, Day 2007 agents in this community… it’s the least I can do.
I also think it’s a great way to increase awareness… and
ensure that real estate agents recommend radon testing
to their clients NOT just for liability sake — but because
radon exposure is as preventable as it is dangerous.
That goes for your home, too!
So call now for your free radon test, a $175 value,
and learn a bit more as I test your home for dangerous
levels of this invisible killer.
With kindest regards,
A-Pro Home Inspectors
P.S. It’s okay to pass this along to other Realtors in your
organization. This free radon testing is available for the
home of ANY local real estate agent in areas that A-Pro franchise owners serve.
Radon is an
invisible killer. Get
Tested.
Real Estate Agent
and Cancer Survivor
Dennie Edwards tells his story:
“In April of 2004, I had a
very bad cold, so my
doctor performed a chest
x-ray to check for
pneumonia. I’ve never
smoked, so you can
imagine how shocked I
was that he found a 4.5
centimeter mass in my left
lung.
Even though I’ve been a
real estate agent for 31
years, I had never
bothered to test my house
for radon. I always
informed my clients that radon testing prior to
purchase was an option
(to protect my liability),
but truthfully, I really
didn’t care if they
tested or not.
Now I had to wonder
whether my lung cancer
had been caused by radon
exposure. While the
doctor scheduled my
surgery, I scheduled a
radon test. The result was
10 pCi/l, (two and a half
times the EPA’s
recommended Action
Level). I had lived in the
home for 12 years…
Two days later I had
surgery. I thought I was
surely going to die. When I
woke up choking with
tubes in my throat, panic
set in. They had removed
my entire left lung.
I’m getting better. I can
walk up to a mile. But, I
can no longer dance, lift
things, or exert myself. My
clients now get a very
personal testimonial about
the importance of testing
for radon.”
Free Radon Test for Real Estate Agents
________________________________
Useful Links
More Radon Exposure Survivor Stories
Read more about radon health risks
View the EPA Public Service Announcement
* Not available in all areas. Call toll free to see if we have an A-Pro inspector near you.
From The Home Inspector
A home inspection can be a stressful time for home sellers. Most people are proud of their house, and don’t want someone pointing out imperfections in the home they love.
In addition to being stressful for the seller, a home inspection can also be a hindrance to the sale itself. In most cases, even if there is a sales contract it is usually contingent on an inspection. Buyers may be experiencing “buyer’s remorse” that has started since signing the contract. They may be hypersensitive to negatives about the home, both real and perceived. As the seller, you want the buyer’s inspection experience to be low-stress and your home to be inviting and comfortable.
Here are 10 tips for the home seller to prepare for home inspection.
By Todd Tuvell, CHI, PHI
Licensed Home Inspector
Senior Inspector Tuvell is the owner/operator of A-Pro Home Inspection Wilmington and A-Pro Home Inspection Kansas City has been personally performing professional home inspection services since 1995.
I’m sure you have watched those television reality shows and know the nightmares that can arise from home renovations when done incorrectly. Subpar materials, poor workmanship or jobs left incomplete.
Our Inspectors can assess a renovation job near completion to make sure everything is being done correctly.
This can save you time, money and a whole lot of hassle, if your contractor hasn’t completed your renovations properly.
Sometimes buyers ignore the need for a home inspection because they don’t understand the purpose. Inspectors are confused with appraisers. The latter confirms the home’s market value to the lender but it offers consumers no protection in terms of the overall condition of the home.
Buyers shouldn’t let anyone convince them that they don’t need an inspection. Even people moving into new construction or foreclosure home should consider hiring a professional home inspector.
If an inspector identifies problems in either a new or an existing home, the seller could adjust the price or terms in the contract to the buyer’s benefit.
It doesn’t pay to try to save a couple bucks by having a friend with building experience walk through the home. Experienced inspectors know what to look for and how to classify the problems he or she sees. In some states, only licensed professionals can conduct inspections.
When your offer to purchase has been accepted, you usually have a period of time, as outlined in the purchase and sales agreement to complete the home inspection process. This is generally 7-10 days. If the findings demonstrate repairs are necessary or desired you have then you notify the seller of any unsatisfactory results.
There can be several parts to a home inspection, including the general home inspection, termite inspection, well inspection, septic inspection, radon testing and possibly environmental testing. Depending on the property, the market and your experience in home buying, you may want all but at the very least a comprehensive home inspection.
Home Inspection. The inspector will visually:
How Much Do Home Inspections Cost? Costs for home inspections vary, depending on the size and type of property as well as the number of inspections being performed. Expect to pay somewhere around $250 -$600+.
Also, keep in mind, that the inspector(s) may suggest that you ”further evaluated”. For example, an inspector may note that there is a foundation crack. The inspector will recommend that you have a structural engineer analyze the crack to determine if you should be concerned or not. This would be an additional expense to you.
Renegotiating the Contract. The buyer(s) should use the inspection to renegotiate the purchase price, if necessary. If there are any undisclosed problems found with the inspection, then it is perfectly acceptable for the buyer to request that the seller repair the items, reduce the selling price or ask for money in lieu of repairs being made. Getting the seller to actually do the repairs is completely out of the buyer’s control.
As-is Sales and What if the Seller Refuses to Make Repairs? If you’re buying a house as-is, that means that the seller is not making any warranties about the condition of the property. However, that does not mean the seller will not necessarily make repairs or offer to reduce the selling price of the property if a problem is discovered that is unexpected from the home inspection.
For example, a buyer hires a home inspector and the inspector points out that a furnace is aged and that it may have to be replaced. However, if that furnace is only a few years old, the buyer could reasonable expect that furnace to be in serviceable condition. Upon receiving the results of the home inspection, the buyer discovers that the furnace needs modifications and or servicing due to the fact that it was not running properly. The buyer can certainly request that the seller make repairs, although the seller may still refuse.
If a seller refuses to make repairs you requested, you have a few options:
Contact your A-Pro Senior Inspector for further details or pricing for all your inspection needs.
It’s important to clean the coils on your refrigerator a couple times each year. This will help your refrigerator from overrunning. It will also help it use less electricity, be more efficient, and will help contribute to its longevity.
Refrigerators have a compressor that forces a cooling substance called -refrigerant through the coils. Evaporator coils in the freezer eradicate heat from inside. This heat is emitted into the exterior through the condenser coils.
The coils are thin tubes, some with connecting fins like a radiator on an automobile. A number of coils are supported at the rear of the refrigerator. Others are located under the refrigerator, where a fan ventilates air across the coil. When you stand next to the refrigerator you can feel a breeze by your feet, the is a indication the condenser coil and fan is working.
As the exterior condenser coils become dirty, they are not as efficient at transferring heat. You will be shocked at how much dust has collected on the coils.
To clean the coils, first locate them.
As you can see, cleaning is simple.
Tip: If you have pets, you need to clean the coils at least every 120-days.
Any questions at all, just call your A-Pro inspector today.
Why was the home foreclosed in the first place?
Did the home have hidden defects or flaws that weren’t discovered until after purchase? At A-Pro, we think so, Greg Mangiaracina, President of A-Pro Home Inspection Service “those that did not undertake an inspection before purchase would be the first in the foreclosure line,” He went on to say “because they would spend their life savings on a down payment and have no money left for necessary repairs. And that they would eventually lose interest in the home.”
Also keep in mind that if a homeowner is not paying their mortgage, chances are that they are not paying for repairs or maintenance either.
Hire, a certified home inspector before placing a bid on a property so that you know how much to offer and don’t end up with unexpected repairs that are not budgeted for.
At A-Pro we take out the guesswork. Our “CHI” certified home inspectors will help you make a wise decision so that you and your investment is protected. Our inspectors are licensed, insured and bonded and stand behind their work with a 120-day ironclad “if we don’t report it, we repair it” guarantee. That way, you the real estate agent and everyone is protected. Be smart, be protected, have your foreclosure home A-Pro inspected.