Episode 8 - Home Inspections: Sniffing Out the Issues

Episode 8 (9 out of 10 dentists survey recommend our show. Also, we have a special guest!):

 

In The Rundown, Michael and Brad highlight the latest mortgage news and real estate market stats. Michael makes his next prediction for where interest rates are headed. So far batting a thousand! Brad reviews the last 7 days of real estate market activity and how the market is trending. 

 

In The Scoop, we're thrilled to have our first guest, Randy Cottrell from Blue Crab Inspections! We're talking the specifics of home inspections - what's included, how they're done, what types you can have, and even some unexpected kinds of inspections you might want to consider (hint: they're not just for buyers anymore).

 

In this week's The Unreal, we talked about a video Michael saw suggesting it's a good idea to borrow from yourself, not from the bank. Hmmmm....

 

In The Spotlight we feature Verde Pizza at 641 S Montford in Canton. They're @verdepizza on Instagram. If you like pizza, you have to try them - some of the best in the area! Plus they have salads, calzones, etc - and if you're gluten free (Brad finally listed to his much smarter kids and went gluten free, and now all is right with the world), their gluten-free crust is fantastic! Check them out!

 

Episode Highlights

• What happened with mortgage applications over the past week? The sound effect of the week is "ooof."
• Rates are higher and applications are down, but homes are still selling - especially the HGTV-ready properties
• "Almost anything in a house is fixable."
• Michael is a math wizard
• Randy is a second-generation home inspection professional
• We do air quotes on a podcast - is that a sign of a more serious problem?
• The importance of emotional IQ in home inspections
• Rick at Blue Crab is the bomb
• [30:19] What goes into the home inspection process?
• [32:26] The home inspector's not going to find everything - it's a visual inspection
• [33:24] Brad steps on the lede
• [34:23] For the outside inspection, we're focused on keeping Mother Nature out
• [34:52] Shaking the toilets
• [37:30] Do sellers try to hide things from the inspector?
• [42:00] Highest radon listing we've ever seen
• [48:00] Should buyers attend the home inspection?
• [51:12] How about the buyers' dad?
• [54:05] Concern about Randy's head fitting through the door from all the kudos
• [57:20] We don't care about nail pops and other cosmetics
• [1:00:50] Can an inspector help clarify how serious issues are?
• [1:03:24] How people sometimes inflate the cost of repairs
• [1:07:05] Inspectors see some crazy things
• [1:11:10] The time they found 300 cats
• [1:12:20] Should a seller get a home inspection before listing?
• [1:14:49] Giving your home a regular physical
• [1:19:52] The Unreal - Borrowing from yourself, not the bank?
• [1:25:36] The Unreal - Girl Scout cookie prices
• [1:27:46] The Spotlight - Verde Pizza!
• Next episode: we're focused on Preparing Your Home for Sale (in preparation for the "spring" market)

Hosts

Michael Becker, Sierra Pacific Mortgage
NMLS #200085
[e-mail]
[phone] (m) / [phone] (office)

Brad Cox, The Vesta Group of Long & Foster Real Estate