Foreclosures

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0408dfc3.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="3cfa1e20.jpg" border=0 width="161" height="226" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <I><B>"Foreclosed properties have their own unique </B></I><I><B>inspection requirements".</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>If you are purchasing a foreclosed property, call</B></div> <div> <B>608-274-2747</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0418dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> Residential Inspections<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#336699" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Residential Inspections"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Credentials"><U><B>Credentials</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id90.htm" 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<B>Unfortunately during difficult economic times, home foreclosures become common.  A foreclosure is a sad and emotional event for those losing their homes, as well as a burden for the lending institutions that receive the properties back and then must resell them.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Vandalism</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Some disgruntled homeowners strip foreclosed properties of cabinets, appliances, plumbing and electrical fixtures, copper plumbing pipes and electrical wiring, water heaters, and even furnace and air conditioning systems.  Others deliberately vandalize the home when they vacate, breaking windows, busting holes in the walls, even blocking drains and then turning on all the water faucets.  Flooding a property can quickly cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage and serious mold contamination problems.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Mold Problems</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Any property can develop mold problems whether occupied or not; however, foreclosed properties, particularly when they sit vacant for a while, are much more prone to mold contamination.  This is due to less maintenance, as well as the fact that most of the moisture in buildings is not generated by the occupants, but rather by foundation walls, basement floors and crawl spaces.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The problem then becomes worse when these vacant homes are not climatically controlled to maintain the correct temperatures and low humidity levels to prevent mold.  The mold can then begin germinating and spreading on indoor surfaces in as little as 48 hours.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Indoor moisture problems can also compound with the introduction of evaporative moisture within sewer gasses that can enter a building through plumbing fixture drains when the water inside the drain traps dries out from lack of use.  This can happen in as little as three weeks and occurs frequently in vacant properties.  There are also mold spores that enter the building with the moisture from the sewer system, making matters even worse as the spores germinate inside the building. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mold can spread throughout a building without the knowledge of the seller, particularly when the selling party is a lending institution that is not occupying the building.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mold contamination is seldom readily apparent and very difficult to see for an untrained person.  </B><B>When someone does notice some visible mold, they often think that what they see is the extent of the problem, when in fact there may be much more mold present that they do not see, </B><B>and it may have then become much more difficult and costly to remove. </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Odors</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>When entering a vacant or foreclosed home, if malodors of any kind are detected, they indicate an indoor environmental problem that should be professionally investigated.  Sometimes the odors will only be present in a certain room or in a basement.  Very often the best time to pay attention for possible odors are immediately upon entering a building.  Also, if chemical deodorizers are being used, they are almost always an indicator of an indoor environmental problem.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The odors are not caused merely from properties being vacant, they are caused from metabolic gasses emitted from active growth of mold and bacteria in a building, and/or from unhealthy gasses from the sewer system that have accumulated to unsafe levels indoors.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Biological odors are not always obvious to everybody.  In the same room, one person might smell or react to airborne pollutants while another person may not be able to notice any odor or experience a reaction.  Some people just have better senses of smell or are more sensitive to pollutants. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sometimes biological odors can become fainter and stronger intermittently </B><B>depending upon indoor air pressures or the amount of moisture currently in the air.  </B><B>Therefore, the slightest hint of an odor would suggest the importance of a proper indoor environmental inspection.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>There could be visible mold in a building that is not generating an odor because it is temporarily dormant and waiting for humidity levels to rise again.  In any case, if one smells a dank or musty odor, mold is almost always actively growing somewhere nearby.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Malodors in foreclosed properties </B><B>can also be caused from urine and fecal matter residue left behind from pets.  These contaminants may have absorbed into carpet, walls, or concrete flooring.  Sometimes these odors are distinctive and sometimes they can be subtle, but in any case, they need further investigation to determine the extent of the problem.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Real Estate Agents</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>When selling or buying a property that has been foreclosed upon, it is always in the best interest of your client, and your professional reputation, to have a timely environmental inspection performed by a professional who has the proper equipment and experience and can offer practical advice.  This will help prevent excessive costs later, upsetting surprises to new homebuyers, and reducing the </B><B>potential for law suits</B><B>. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>If an agent demeans conditions, suggests simply spraying bleach on visible mold or opening windows to eliminate odors, it is not in anyone's best interest, and often opens the doors to greater liability.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Financial Institutions</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>When a lending institution has knowledge that a property is going to be foreclosed upon, a mold and moisture inspection should be promptly scheduled to verify current conditions, followed by a plan to prevent indoor environmental problems from occurring during the vacancy period.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Simply placing a dehumidifier in a property with some chemical deodorizers is not a solution.  Moreover, to prevent liability, if a property already has known odors or visible mold, real estate agents and potential buyers should not be allowed in the property until the extent of the problem has been identified and corrected.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>A professional inspection will reveal the extent of possible concerns and explain practical solutions in a written report to resolve possible problems and get the property ready for market.  If mold was discovered, it is best to follow up the remediation with a mold test and a clearance inspection that will document </B><B>in a written report that </B><B>proper remediation had been performed.  This document helps to increase salability and reduce seller liability.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Contact Residential Inspections when professional inspections are needed on foreclosure properties.</B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>To schedule a foreclosure inspection, click this link:   </B></FONT><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact / Fees"><U><B>Contact / Fees</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>©  Copyright 2011   Residential Inspections LLC,  All Rights Reserved</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>