CHB (VIEWPOINT) BLOGS

We do not understand how a 2,500 square foot homes in Thomasville, GA. would be using 2 or even 3 A/C units. This doesn't make any sense, So when looking at homes in Thomasville, South Georgia I would definitely take a look at how many A/C units the home has if not you could most probably spend more for your electric bill then mortgage. Let’s not forget the excusive use of 2 & 3 50 gal water heaters & 2 & 3 A/C Units in new homes built.  These water heaters are working 24/7.

Many people buy an air conditioner that is too large, thinking it will provide better cooling. However, an oversized air conditioner is actually less effective — and wastes energy at the same time. Air conditioners remove both heat and humidity from the air. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity. This leaves the room with a damp, clammy feeling. A properly sized unit will remove humidity effectively as it cools.

  Green Built homes use less energy than a standard or low-end built home and a green home A/C unit requirements is less then half the size of a standard built home.

http://www.mamapedia.com/article/home-building-1-or-2-story-utility-cost-concerns

I found today an interested article that buyers and sellers should read. All 10 things are very interesting, but the one that stuck out the most was #7. Why? because today I ran across a very interesting review posted by a brokerage office.

If a buyer is interested in buying a home that buyer should be or should have a family member setup and make sure that someone is available for all inspections and the home buyer should get their own inspector and not use one that is recommended by any realtor and a realtor should not recommend any inspectors to use. Recommending any one would be a conflict of interest (COI). Sometimes you learn this thing the hard way, but by then it is too late you already purchased a box not a home.

http://finance.yahoo.com/education/real_estate/article/101456/10_Things_Your_Real_Estate_Broker_Wont_Tell_You

7. "I won't let termites - or pesky inspectors - kill a deal."

If a broker is selling a house, you figure he knows the place pretty intimately - after all, he talks a good game about the new kitchen, the big closets, the heated garage. What you need to worry about, though, are the home's features that he keeps to himself. Steve Van Grack, chairman of the Maryland Real Estate Commission, says, "We have had cases where [brokers have] been deceptive about termites and flood damage."

You'd figure that the home inspector, who comes to check out the place before you close the sale, might notice those things. And he will - if he's not in cahoots with the broker. "Realtors give potential homebuyers lists of home inspectors," says S. Woody Dawson, a structural inspector in Connecticut. "Those are people who will rubber-stamp the house" in return for repeat business. As one who works outside those lists, Dawson says that he sometimes butts heads with overly controlling brokers. "One time I had a broker tell me that unless I told her the results of my inspection - which is confidential between myself and my client - she wouldn't let me get up on the roof. I got out my ladder and told her that unless she was big enough to stop me, I was going up there. She wasn't big enough."

5 ways homebuyers are kept in the dark
 

1.         Home inspections from agent-referred inspectors
Home inspectors typically get their work from real-estate agents, and homebuyers seldom consider the problems with using an inspector recommended by an agent. This relationship, however, is one of the darkest corners of the real-estate business.

Why you're in the dark
Some agents — by no means all — pressure home inspectors to turn in a "good" report, says Barry Stone, a home inspector in San Luis Obispo County, Calif. In his syndicated column, "

Here's why: Real-estate agents don't get paid unless a home sale goes through. A pre-sale home inspection that uncovers problems can be the kiss of death to a sale. At the least, the sale is slowed down.

"Realtors constantly make these hints. They'll say, 'It really matters to me to close this deal,' " Stone says. "They won't come right out and tell you that they don't want you to disclose everything, but they'll hint at it."

2. Dual agents
Most states allow a real-estate agency — sometimes even the agent herself — to represent both buyer and seller in the same transaction. This is known as dual agency.

Why you're in the dark
Many real-estate agents with great integrity insist they can give both sides their loyalty and confidentiality. Or, if a conflict arises, they’ll step aside and ask a colleague to assist you.

But critics call it a conflict of interest. What happens when a buyer instructs the agent to get the lowest possible price and the seller of the house tells the same agent to get the highest possible price?

Also, confidentiality is at risk. That risk exists even if real-estate agents simply work in the same agency, says John Sullivan, a Realtor and president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents: "You're using common fax machines and office equipment. There are just too many instances where your information is subject to being disclosed."

Traditionally, real-estate agents worked only for sellers. Today, state laws, which vary widely, govern agent-client relationships. (Find your state's real-estate commission and read the laws and rules at the Association of Real Estate License Law Professionals.)

3. Agent incentives
With the flooded home market these days, some sellers are offering to give agents incentives — cash, cars, trips and other prizes. They figure that agents are more likely to show their property when there's something in it for them. Also, agents often can earn a bonus from their own agency for selling one of the agency's listings.

Why you're in the dark – This is a big one in

“Manipulation at it best” 99% of all properties are sold by the same listing agent. and it is not because they have the best properties.

The NAR ethics code requires agents to put clients' needs ahead of their own. But agents aren't required to disclose bonuses and incentives until the last minute, on your HUD-1 statement. Noncash prizes and trips need not be disclosed. DUAL AGENTS CAN NOT NEGOTIATE “They Are Useless” When using the same listing agent as your buyer’s agent, even if they are from the same office. They are just expensive paper pushers.

How to turn on the lights:

Demand disclosure. Ask your agent to agree to tell you if a property has incentives or bonuses attached.

Craft an agreement that benefits you. Write a clause into your agent agreement that any bonuses or incentives attached to a property you buy go directly to you.

Read More @

http://realestate.msn.com/5-ways-homebuyers-are-kept-in-the-dark

How good can the quality be if these big homes when the person building is not licensed as a builder and has no building knowledge. I know building inspectors fallow the building code to the minimum, but this gives new meaning to “minimum code” more like bare to below as per my opinion.  “Good ol' boy network” My first conversation with this person was when he started building next to one of our homes. I asked if he is the builder he responded “YES” I told him that the subcontractors were burning construction materials he told me that he told them to burn it. I informed him that what he is doing is illegal, to please stop. He responded with “I don’t care”. I and a few residents called the fire department and they had to come out three times before he was fined, he stopped. It is bad enough that the real estate market is down, now we have to add these big and small cheap and bare minimum code built homes in Thomas County.   

When buying a remodeled old home like from 1800, 1930 to 1978. One of the main concerns when remodeling an old home would be the removing of old materials. For Example:  asbestos and lead based paint as well you have old electrical wiring, A/C unit and plumbing. Thomasville, GA has it's share of old homes.

Removing any of these materials are not cheap or easy and needs to be done right by professionals. If the home does not have any harmful materials the homeowner or the contractor should have documentation of no finding from the proper agencies performing the testing, then you are good to go, but if it was done without the assistance of the proper agencies then the removal of these materials was done wrong and the employees working on this home were exposed to these harmful fibers and so would be the buyers of these homes. Realtors selling these types of homes should have all property disclosure documents uploaded to the listing in order to provide the proper information that the home is safe and eliminating the possibility of exposure for any visitors. If no documents are provided as to the outcome of the testing or removal of the old materials, consumers would need to perform the proper testing of the indoor air and possibly the exterior grounds to ensure that it is a safe home.  If documentation does not exists of proper agencies of no problems with the home RUN!!!!.

Throughout the United States, asbestos is a concern

Asbestos:

Asbestos is a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance.

How Can Asbestos Affect My Health?
From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an increased risk of:

• lung cancer;
• mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the chest and the abdominal cavity; and
• asbestosis, in which the lungs become scarred with fibrous tissue.

The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers is also greater if you smoke. People who get asbestosis have usually been exposed to high levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Most people exposed to small amounts of asbestos, as we all are in our daily lives, do not develop these health problems. However, if disturbed, asbestos material may release asbestos fibers, which can be inhaled into the lungs. The fibers can remain there for a long time, increasing the risk of disease. Asbestos material that would crumble easily if handled, or that has been sawed, scraped, or sanded into a powder, is more likely to create a health hazard.

http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/pubs/ashome.html

Lead-Based Paint:

Old lead-based paint is the most significant source of lead exposure in the U.S. today. Most homes built before 1960 contain heavily leaded paint. Some homes built as recently as 1978 may also contain lead paint. This paint could be on window frames, walls, the outside of homes, or other surfaces. Harmful exposures to lead can be created when lead-based paint is improperly removed from surfaces by dry scraping, sanding, or open-flame burning. High concentrations of airborne lead particles in homes can also result from lead dust from outdoor sources, including contaminated soil tracked inside, and use of lead in certain indoor activities such as soldering and stained-glass making.

Health Effects of Exposure to Lead:

Lead affects practically all systems within the body. At high levels it can cause convulsions, coma, and even death. Lower levels of lead can adversely affect the brain, central nervous system, blood cells, and kidneys.

The effects of lead exposure on fetuses and young children can be severe. They include delays in physical and mental development, lower IQ levels, shortened attention spans, and increased behavioral problems. Fetuses, infants, and children are more vulnerable to lead exposure than adults since lead is more easily absorbed into growing bodies, and the tissues of small children are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Children may have higher exposures since they are more likely to get lead dust on their hands and then put their fingers or other lead-contaminated objects into their mouths.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/homes/hip-lead.html

Examples of Where Asbestos Hazards May Be Found In The Home:

· Some roofing and siding shingles are made of asbestos cement.

· Houses built between 1930 and 1950 may have asbestos as insulation.

Where Can I Find Asbestos And When Can It Be A Problem?
Most products made today do not contain asbestos. Those few products made which still contain asbestos that could be inhaled are required to be labeled as such. However, until the 1970s, many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. Common products that might have contained asbestos in the past, and conditions which may release fibers, include:

· STEAM PIPES, BOILERS, and FURNACE DUCTS insulated with an asbestos blanket or asbestos paper tape. These materials may release asbestos fibers if damaged, repaired, or removed improperly.

· RESILIENT FLOOR TILES (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber), the backing on VINYL SHEET FLOORING, and ADHESIVES used for installing floor tile. Sanding tiles can release fibers. So may scraping or sanding the backing of sheet flooring during removal.

· CEMENT SHEET, MILLBOARD, and PAPER used as insulation around furnaces and woodburning stoves. Repairing or removing appliances may release asbestos fibers. So may cutting, tearing, sanding, drilling or sawing insulation.

· DOOR GASKETS in furnaces, wood stoves, and coal stoves. Worn seals can release asbestos fibers during use.

· SOUNDPROOFING OR DECORATIVE MATERIAL sprayed on walls and ceilings. Loose, crumbly, or water-damaged material may release fibers. So will sanding, drilling or scraping the material.

· PATCHING AND JOINT COMPOUNDS for walls and ceilings, and TEXTURED PAINTS. Sanding, scraping, or drilling these surfaces may release asbestos.

· ASBESTOS CEMENT ROOFING, SHINGLES, and SIDING. These products are not likely to release asbestos fibers unless sawed, drilled or cut.

Sray Foam Insulation:

Spray foam insulation in the attic area will help any home by reducing the heat in an attic space and at the same time help the A/C unit from working as hard. This will not give you an energy efficient home. If the home is not started with the concept of building it energy efficient from the ground up and many steps taken to achieve a proper rating by a third party it is not an energy efficient home. And there is no such thing as energy efficient spray foam! Spray foam are available as a closed cell or open cell but not available as an energy efficient spray foam.

Thomasville, GA has it's share of old homes and new homes built to bare and below minimum code.

Documentation of proper removal from proper agency, even if the agency did not find any Lead, Mold, or Asbestos it should be documentation if not DO NOT BUY that old home.

http://greenhomeguide.com/askapro/question/energy-efficient-homes - NO, YOU CAN NOT Thomasville, GA. REALTORS. This would be faults advertising.

You can't fix stupid, but you can fix ignorant - Get informed about dual agency or lose money!

Editor's note: This article is part of an ongoing series focusing on dual agency and other forms of real estate representation. View a full list of "Beyond Dual Agency" articles. Consumer groups frown on it, calling it, at best, "nonsensical," at worst,

Dual agency can carry a different meaning in different states -- it can refer to the practice of a single agent representing both buyer and seller in the same transaction, and it can also refer to the practice of two agents from the same office who separately represent a buyer and seller in the same real estate transaction -- that form of representation is referred to as "designated agency" in states that have implemented rules governing the practice.

So Why Does Dual Agency Even Exist?

Brokers want to double-dip on their own listings. What are the benefits of dual agency? to a Buyer or Seller NON,

A listing agent who also represents the buyer is a dual agent. Dual agents cannot operate in a fiduciary ("trust,") relationship with either party and must treat both sellers and buyers equally. They cannot share confidential information but they cannot give confidential advice.

A dual agent in California was sued by the seller because she told the buyer to ask for a carpet allowance from the seller. It is very difficult to obtain the highest and best price for the seller when the agent also represents the buyer. The dual agent cannot advise on home price nor terms nor negotiate on anyone's behalf.

Brokers have invented a fig-leaf called Disclosed Dual Agency in order to cling to the doubled commissions.

No Dual Agency!

Dual Agency is the process by which one real estate broker represents both the seller and the buyer in a transaction. It is legal in Georgia, provided it is fully disclosed and consented to by all parties. It is also of questionable ethics at best! Agents in some states are forbidden to engage in Dual Agency.

So What Benefit Does a Buyer or Seller Have When Using a Dual Agent?

Buyer = NON, 

Seller = NON,

Dual Agency = Full 6% Commission

The Florida Everglades are not the only place posing a big problem with snakes.

Builder Holds a Florida & Georgia Real Estate Lic.