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The inside line on how to hire a home inspector You wisely decided to hire a home inspector Now the question is which one Its an important question Home inspectors are not ed or regulated by the govern ment and as a result some inspec tors are much better than others So bow do you make sure the one you hire is good The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors was formed to encourage profes sionalism In the industry and pro tect the consumer When somebody buys a home theyre putting an awful lot of money on the line The decision should not be made on a whim or guesswork So when they go to an inspector for good advice they should get what they pay for says Jeff Clarke president of the OAHI Requirements for OAHI membership are rigorous says Clarke A candidate has to have at least 250 professional inspections under his belt pass three written exams on home inspections and serve a oneyear apprenticeship before hes accepted In addition members need to maintain an annual quota of con tinuing education credits to keep up with new technology and building practices Members must adhere to the associations Code of Ethics which demands Conditions that ensure honest conduct and objec tive inspections in the interests of the client They must also follow the associations strict Standards of Practice which outlines the minimum requirements of a home inspection An inspection should cover the structure and mechanical systems of the house including the central heating and air condi tioning systems interior plumb ing and electrical system roof ing ventilation walls ceilings floors windows doors founda tions and basement The inspector has two main goals in evaluating a home First to describe the materials and systems Second to identify what needs to be repaired says Clarke But there are limits to what a home inspector can do For in stance most inspectors wont design repairs or comment on en vironmental issues Home inspectors are not ap praisers They assess the physical condition of the proper ty while appraisers determine the homes market value When choosing a home inspec tor keep these questions in mind Is the inspector an OAHI member This is important because only members must follow the associations Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics How long has the inspector been in business as an inspector Is the inspector experienced in residential construction Is the company free of any connections that might cause a conflict of interest How long will the inspection take Usually Hi to hours Less time isnt enough to do a thorough inspection Does the inspector supply a written report What will it include Get specifics Ask to see a sample report How much will it cost Usually to for an averagesize house Does the inspector encourage you to attend the inspection An inspectors refusal should raise a red flag A qualified home inspector can save you worry and money in what may be the biggest pur chase of your life Summerthe season for house sales Repairing cracked paint Traditionally slow real estate market activity has been a strong characteristic of summer months In past years many houses that were listed in spring have sold by summer There has also been a greater tendency for real estate salespeople to take the summer easy having done well in the spring months This year however these traditions do not hold true Uncertainty brought about by the current economic recession coupled with greater opportunities from low mortgage rates mean that real estate agents cant afford to be inactive during these summer months There are still a large number of listings out there and lower interest rates signify the I REAL ESTATE AND YOU Jamie Johnston potential for sales Agents are anxious to capitalize on these opportunities especially after our recent real estate slowdown Generallyspeaking fullservice companies supply their sales force with the marketing materials and resources necessary to effectively promote their listings However with most desk rental type operations the salesperson is expected to purchase their marketing materials up front and out of their own pocket Your sales representative may or may not have the finances to support the efforts needed to market your pro perty The same problem may also arise if your listing is with a small company at this time The way to guarantee that your marketing activity is continued at an acceptable level is to get a marketing plan in writing Some companies even include a marketing warranty at the time your listing is signed If not you are certainly within your rights to request a written commitment For a free copy of our How To Sell Your Home brochure please call or visit a Canada Trust Really office near you Todays Beaver home improvement tip Is about something called alligatoring and it has nothing to do with chasing unwanted reptiles out of your house is an extreme case of paint cracking caused because a second or third coat of paint was applied before the previous coat was dry In some cases caused by using an undercoat that was not made for use with the type of finish coat applied The only solution to this problem is to com pletely sand away the cracked or alliga- surface If the area affected is wide you may need to use power sanding equipment After the sanding or scraping has com pletely removed the cracked paint from the surface brush the area thoroughly to remove dust and loose paint parti cles Then apply one coat of a good quality paint first making sure the undercoat is compatible with the finishing coat you plan to apply Allow the undercoat to dry thoroughly and then apply a coat of top quality house paint Patience is the key here wait for all paint to dry before applying the next layer This way you can be completely assured of an alligatorfree paint surface Good luck and remember if you need further advice or assistance pick up a brochure or talk to the approachable home improvement experts at Beaver Lumber NATIONAL REAL BRAND REALTY INC REALTOR an mdependent member broker Sales Representative Associate Broker MAIN ST NO 3 ERIN FAX HOUR ANSWERING SERVICE Toronto Line 416 Acton Line 8534264 put Fireplace and walkout from family room to beautifully tread yard Step from golf course for summer and winter fun Call Mara or Don Parker FRENCH MANOR ELEOANCB Youll love the and custom detail ft n well landscaped acres 1 area of fine homes I Call Don or Parker J BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME acre building lot In a desirable area fust south of Erin Village Make an offer Asking Call Lund none JUSTALITTLEBIT COUNTRY Super bedroom family home on lovely a lot Builders own home Quality throughout Call Cathy LOVELY COUNTRY ACRE Just north of Georgetown Large family home with lichen stone fireplace In living room bedrooms upstairs be two mare Please call to view MAIN STREET COMMERCIAL Well butl 3 year old building located on the Main St of It total Breakdown ft finished retail sq It of flees and workshop ft apartment Ideal for restaurant gas bar Call Ed Betsey or Diana Arnold 1MB HANDYMAN SPECIAL Yes a handyman special with a Main street location Exterior were talking metal moving weed eating fence fixing and cosmetic care In were talking paint and paper rugs and windows Call Rick Curry torallthedetalls NUTS-FRUIT-HORSES-COWS-POTATOES- GRAIN CORNBERRIES WHAT A FARMi acres and a bright and comfortable bedroom home surrounded by landscaped grounds Rolling land a pond some bush a bank barn plus large steel machine shed and a well setup workshop Super for horses or cattle and all beautifully maintained and cared for Contact Helen Richards or Don Sanderson MOTIVATED- Vendor will assist with financing Af fordable housing on a good size lot Call Cathy Buckrell or all the information A MUST SEE I This 1300 sq ft bedroom bungalow shouldnt be overlooked Private yet main drag ac cessibility Comes complete with fridge stove washer dryer TV antenna wrotor and tower electric garage door opener Call Rick Curry PRIME COMMERCIAL PROPERTY with fabulous views backing onto the Credit River Zoned 3 for many purposes bedrooms skylight In bathroom country kit chen with pine cupboards and flooring tile countertop living room with and oak flooring plus dining room All Showing Plus Priced to sell at Please call Ma Ida HORSEY FARM I Highly productive acre farm acres tile drained Fully fenced including 10 fenced paddocks for horses Bank barn plus more spacious barns Excellent set up lor hogs plus good horse barn Comfortable bedroom storey brick Excellent valueatMn ACREAGE A RARE FINDf acres near Hunt Club and Rolling hills pastoral views hardwood bush and your own private spring muslbewalkedlSSHJHW FOR FURTHER INPORMATIONON THESE PROPERTIES PLEASE CALL HELEN RICHARDS DIKE CAN AFFORD TO BUY II your yearly family In come exceeds and you have saved SI 3000 towards the purchase a house we have the home for yowl At todays interest rates It will carry for about SUM per You may qualify lor O Call Arnold or Ed Betsey for details Site 5198332358 CATHY BUCKREU Sates Rep 418 RICHARD CURRY Sates Rep 5198332232 MAIM Sites Rep 5198332430 PARKER Assoc Broker HELEN Sates Rep 519B55634 J DON SANDERSON Saks Rep 519855 6384