Hurlbuthomes.com Blog

NOTE: The following article is courtesy of RISmedia. However, I'm going to make some of my own comments on it as well, so see those in RED and feel free to contact me with any questions.

RISMEDIA, December 21, 2009—It’s easy pickings out there for many potential homebuyers. Housing prices are at their lowest in more than a decade, inventories are high, analysts are predicting a new wave of foreclosures and the government is offering two substantial tax credits for which many homebuyers qualify. Remember, "Easy" is a subjective term. Many of the homebuyers I've helped this year have found themselves in multiple offer situations and a lack of foreclosed inventory in their price range.

But bargain buyers beware, warns Vince Mastronardi, whose property preservation business has been busy preparing foreclosed homes for sale.
“Buyers need to educate themselves about the potential pitfalls of purchasing distressed property,” says Mastronardi, president of On-Site Specialty Cleaning & Restoration. “It’s not so much what damage occurred, but the source of that damage and how long before the problem was addressed.” Also note, the tips and advice are coming from a person that's hired to fix this stuff.

These 10 signs may indicate that trouble is around the corner.

1. Unheated house in winter months. If the home has been properly winterized, there’s no need for heat. But if the home has not been properly winterized, pipes will burst and cause water damage. Most of the homes in our area are Winterized starting in October, but it DOES make inspecting the house difficult and sometimes an added expense for the potential buyer. Be ready to pay a de-winterization fee and a re-winterization fee IN ADDITION to your normal home inspection.

2. Missing sinks, toilets and other fixtures. Make sure they’ve been properly removed and not ripped from walls and floors. It is fairly common for people to be LESS than careful when taking everything, INCLUDING the kitchen sink.

3. Peeling, bubbling, and discolored paint; swelling in walls or ceilings (especially around kitchens and bathrooms) or a musty odor all indicate water damage and, potentially, the presence of moisture and mold.

4. Fungus growth inside cabinets, behind drawers and built-ins. Fungus could mean that there has been water damage. Since water falls down, look for the source above the mold.

5. Blocked drains or pipes will cause future problems and may have already created sewage backups.

6. Black cobwebs, greasy gray residue on walls and/or a strong oily odor. This could point to potential soot damage or a malfunctioning furnace. Always look at the cold air return in the home to see how dirty it is to give you a GOOD idea of how well the furnace has been maintained.

7. An older home with extensive renovations. Check with the city for pulled permits in order to get remolding details. If asbestos is present and has been disturbed, be sure it’s been remediated by a certified specialist. You'll need extra time built into your offer to check these things and it's not always easy to get that additional time from the bank selling the home.

8. Excessive painting of every nook, cranny, door and floor may mean that the seller is covering up mold. I haven't found too many foreclosed homes with excessive painting. Usually they're sold as-is, BUT good advice in ANY home none the less.

9. Discolored subflooring. From the basement, check the subflooring above for stains and small holes, both caused by mold.

10. Air Quality. The air quality within a home tells a lot about the home’s condition. Be sure to include air and surface testing in your home inspection. It’s a few hundred dollars well spent. I need to investigate with the inspection company that I normally use to see if this test is even available through them, or where they'd recommend having it done. I've never even heard of this being done.

“Time and technique are the most important factors of effective clean-up and preventing future problems like mold or contamination,” Mastronardi explains. “Ideally, professional cleanup begins within a few days of the damage; technicians are trained, certified or licensed; and equipment is specialized and up to date.”

Ask the seller to explain how the damage was fixed. Plus, check out the company that performed the repairs to ensure it has industry-recommended certification. If needed, follow-up with the seller or repairing company for specific repair details. This will be REALLY difficult to get from a bank owned home. Often they've taken over the home and haven't even done a personal inspection themselves. The inspections have all been done by real estate agents and inspectors. So odds are likely that if they've done work, it wasn't ordered by them, but the agent listing the home and any records may be hard to come by.

Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-12-20/10-trouble-spots-to-consider-when-purchasing-a-foreclosed-home/#ixzz0aLLjzydo

McLean, VA – Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.94 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 17, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 4.81 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.19 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 4.38 percent with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.32 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 4.92 percent.
The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) averaged 4.37 percent this week, with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.26 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.60 percent.

The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM averaged 4.34 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, up from last week when it averaged 4.24 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 4.94 percent.

Courtesy of the Washington Association of Realtors