Buyer takes a bath
Most people believe that a newly constructed home is always perfect and safe; is it true? The answer is “No”. In order to save on construction costs, for example, some developers do not adhere strictly to the blueprints when building a home; they cut corners or use poor quality materials. Recently, I inspected a new Read More
Creating Good Real Estate Options for Illinois Home Buyers: Not an Option in Illinois
State Senators and Representatives have chosen to thwart Illinois home buyers from clear disclosure in 2012 and beyond. As if the real estate equation wasn’t oppressive enough already! As of January 1st, 2012, the state will place into law the new Illinois Home Inspector Licensing Act. This act intimidates good inspectors from doing their job Read More
Home Buyer Headaches
The real estate purchase process has seduced many of us into owning properties we can’t afford leaving hundreds or possibly millions of Americans upside down in their mortgage and unable to make required repairs on their buildings. American citizens all over the country are unwilling to sell flawed, damaged, or poorly built homes and condominiums Read More
“Home construction at lowest level since October”- Well, Duhh!
In an article entitled Home Construction at Lowest Level since October The Associated Press reported, “Home construction plunged last month to the lowest level since October as the economy remained weak and demand for housing plummeted”. Frankly, I am not surprised. With over 11,000 inspections under my belt I have found that new construction tends Read More
Home Buyer Ju-Jitsu 101: Free Public Seminar
Tomacor is committed to educating the public about the myriad of issues which can arise when purchasing property. This education, in turn, empowers people to make educated decisions during the purchasing process. After 25 years in the industry, Tom Corbett has learned all that you need to know to get quality property at affordable prices. Read More
Buying New or Relatively New? Here is What to Look for Before Making an Offer.
Floors 1. Everyone knows that stainless steel appliances are state of the art in the construction and development industry. When shopping for a new home or condominium, look for stainless steel appliances. They paid more for them! 2. Don’t forget to bring a hard rubber hand ball or marble. Roll it along the floors in Read More
The Three Little Pigs: A Masonry Fairy Tale
It’s funny how much truth there is in fairy tales. One of my favorite fairy tales, The Three Little Pigs, holds a lot of truth for homebuyers today. Recent green building standards have encouraged people to build home out of straw bails, yet wood frame homes compose the vast majority of the buildings that we Read More
Flashing and Weep Hole HORRORS!!!
In the last week I have inspected four more buildings with huge problems related to the mistakes in masonry and construction detailing while the building was being built. In every case, the required flashing and weep holes were missing over windows and doors or they were poorly installed, sending water into the building. It makes Read More
Stairway to Heaven
Three weeks ago I spent an entire day in a North Shore single family home where the buyer was demanding that the seller repurchase the property. The main topic of examination and cross examination involved the installation of three flights of stairs in the new building. First, some background: The house was sold in the Read More
Want Mold? You Got It!!!
Your home is probably the perfect environment for mold to flourish. Mold spores simply need a little condensation and some type of organic substance, such as wood or cloth, to use as nourishment. Give these two conditions, and in no time mold will be engulfing your bathroom tiles or basement walls. Not only are the Read More
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