A Charming New Year

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality. Those born in snake years are wise, charming, gregarious, introverted, generous, and smart. Audrey Hepburn, Bob Dylan, Jean Simmons, Oprah Winfrey, Virginia Woolf, Brad Pitt, Greta Garbo, and Sir Roger Bannister were born in the year of the snake.

Fireworks and Family Feasts

At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children “lucky money” in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.

The Lantern Festival

In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each others homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year’s Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.

The lantern festival is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.

Myth 1: It is not needed to attend a home inspection because my inspection report will tell me everything I need to know.

Fact: Although an inspection report will provide you with plenty of information about the home you wish to purchase, a lot of the written words are often misunderstood. Attending a home inspection and speaking with the inspector can clarify and explain many of the problems in depth. The same information will be listed on the report but often times misconstrued.

Myth 2: Appraisals can take the place of a home inspection.

Fact: This is a risky myth due to the fact that these two services are very much different. First time buyers or uninformed buyers may think that because an appraisal was done, a home inspection was also completed. It is not safe to assume that an appraisal will cover even a fraction of what a home inspection covers. Every real estate agent should advise their buyer to have a home inspection completed. Typically, appraisers are employed by lenders to estimate the value of real estate involved in a loan transaction. An appraiser hired by a lender works in the best interest of their client. A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house. Home inspectors are usually employed by the prospective home buyer. A home inspector hired by a buyer works in the best interest of their client, the home buyer.

Myth 3: A home inspector will be able to tell how well the home will hold up in the future.

Fact: A home inspector will tell you when a component or building system is reaching the end of its service life. There are many factors involved in predicting when a system may fail, so there really is no accuracy. An inspector can only report on what he can see on the present day/time of the inspection. There are too many variables that allow for an accurate prediction. For example, if a home inspector tells you that the air conditioning system is in good shape and should last for many years and you chose not to perform routine maintenance like changing the filter, you may have altered the outcome of it expectancy.

Myth 4: All home inspectors are licensed and certified.

Fact: Not all states required home inspectors to be licensed or certified. Hawaii actually does not require home inspectors to be licensed or certified. Some programs do not require that the individual pass a final exam or even pass a field test. Take the time to research and find out as much as possible about the home inspection company as possible before hiring them. The best way to find a qualified home inspection company is to visit the ASHI Web site, which has a search page that allows you to type in your ZIP code and get a list of certified inspectors in your area.

Credit: American Society Of Home Inspectors

(April 18, 2012) – According to a survey released today by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 85 percent of those surveyed believe distressed properties, such as foreclosures and short sales, can be good deals. More than four out of five (84 percent) respondents state they would be more likely to purchase a foreclosed or short sale property if a home inspector found it to be in good condition. This boost in confidence delivered by a home inspection conducted by an ASHI-Certified Inspector (ACI) may be an additional factor to help increase sales of these distressed properties, depleting surplus of inventory and spurring the recovery of the housing market.

The online survey[1]was recently conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of ASHI to better understand current consumer perceptions about the value of a home inspection. Almost nine in 10 (88 percent) adults say a home inspection increases their confidence about the condition of a property. Eighty-four percent of adults believe home inspections are a necessity, not a luxury.

“It is encouraging to learn having a home inspection increases homebuyer confidence,” said Marvin Goldstein, ASHI president. “We look forward to prospective buyers acting on the security brought by home inspections to breathe even more life into the recovering housing market.”

Interestingly, while homeowners are aware of the importance of a home inspection, more than one in four (28 percent) mistakenly believes the purpose of an inspection is to verify that a home complies with local building codes. More than one in 10 (12 percent) confused a home inspection with an appraisal.

“ASHI is focused on raising consumer awareness about the value and components of a home inspection,” said Goldstein. “We will continue to take active steps to clarify for homeowners and home buyers alike what should be expected during an inspection conducted by an ACI, and set high standards for our members to help ensure their customers are well-informed and satisfied.”

ASHI Certified Inspectors subscribe to the ASHI Standards of Practice, which visually examines the condition of the home’s roof, attic and insulation, foundation, basement and structural components, as well as interior plumbing and electrical systems. For a complete list of what’s included in a home inspection, please visit www.ASHI.org.

ASHI is the only home inspection association accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for its Certified Inspector Program. Because not all home inspectors are required to be state-licensed, ASHI-Certification is a badge of professionalism and on-the-job experience consumers should look for when hiring an inspector.

Building Specs Hawaii was proud to be a sponsor of the Big Brothers Big Sisters “Bowl for Kids’ Sake” fundraiser. The charity event took place on Saturday, September 15th, 2012 at Aiea Bowl. With top local companies such as Prudential Locations also vying for the first place title, Building Specs arrived to give them a run for their money! All in all, it was a great day filled with fun and camaraderie, and most importantly, a day marked for a good cause… FOR THE KIDS!

1. I’m getting an appraisal so I don’t need a home inspection.

The appraisal is performed for the benefit of your mortgage lender to protect  their interest. A pre-purchase home inspection is performed for YOUR benefit to  protect your interest as a homebuyer. An appraiser may find some defects and  will often recommend specific repairs or updates, but the primary purpose of the  appraisal is to determine the value of the home.

A home inspector will inspect the home from roof to foundation and everywhere  in between, and report on the conditions of structural and mechanical systems.  How many years until the roof needs replacement? Is the foundation solid? Where  are potential sites for water intrusion? These are questions your appraiser  would not normally address.

The appraisal is normally a mandatory out-of-pocket cost for homebuyers,  while the inspection is optional. You may wonder if it is worthwhile to spend  money on a home inspection, when you know that you still have to pay for the  appraisal. Your home is a significant investment. Skipping the home inspection  may save a few bucks today, but could cost you thousands later on.

2. The seller has to fix everything the home inspector found.

The inspection report is NOT a fix-it list for the home seller. In fact, with  a few exceptions for municipal code compliance, the seller is not required to  make *any* repairs to the home. That said, if the inspection turns up  significant defects, it is a good idea to talk to your Realtor to figure out  what, if anything, the seller is willing to fix or contribute towards  repairs.

If the seller is agreeable, it is normally in your best interest to get an  estimate for a repair and ask the seller to pay towards that or lower the  selling price, rather than having the seller fix it themselves. You want to be  sure the repairs are done by a licensed professional, not the seller’s cousin  “Handy Andy.” Lastly, remember that a home’s purchase price is just the  beginning. You will need to budget for regular maintenance and occasional  repairs in order to keep your home in good shape.

3. I can just get Uncle Bob to look at the house for me, he has remodeled  houses for years.

I’m sure Uncle Bob, or your friend or cousin with decades of construction  experience is a great guy who knows plenty about homes. I absolutely agree that  you should bring him along to your second showing, where you decide if you might  like to put in an offer on your chosen home. He could be able to give you a good  idea of the condition of the home and maybe even spot a major defect.

However, a 20 minute look around is NOT a home inspection. The Realtors are  not likely to allow Uncle Bob to poke around for 2 hours or more without a  license or insurance. If you are able to renegotiate your purchase contract, can  you imagine coming to the table with,”my Uncle Bob says the roof needs to be  replaced… ?” You need a qualified, licensed and insured home inspector and a  professionally written inspection report.

4. New homes don’t need an inspection.

It is true that building codes have become more stringent in recent years and  that they are often designed with safety in mind. However, the municipal code  inspector who issues a certificate of occupancy is rarely spending a couple of  hours closely inspecting the home.

Many builders do not allow inspections during the building process due to  liability issues. That does not mean that the home cannot be inspected after you  move in. It is common for many new homes to be sold with a 1-year warranty. Make  use of your warranty by having the home inspected during the first year. The  most popular time to do a home warranty inspection is in the 11th month.

5. Homes sold “as-is” don’t need an inspection.

How do you know what “as-is” includes without a home inspection? The seller  must disclose known defects, but what about defects that are undiscovered?

You may not be able to renegotiate the price of an “as-is” home based on the  inspection report, but remember that is not the purpose of a home inspection.  The inspection will give you a more complete picture of the conditions of your  chosen home, beyond the sellers disclosure. A home is a significant purchase,  and the home inspection is an important tool to help you determine if you are  making a sound investment.

6. A home can pass or fail an inspection.

A home inspection is an unbiased assessment of the visible conditions of the  home. Under no circumstances should an inspector offer their opinion on whether  or not you should purchase the home. To do so is a severe breach of ethics.

Many homebuyers have not considered this, so a common question posed to the  home inspector might be “Would you buy this home?” My honest advice is this: you  can change everything about a home except it’s location. You need to figure out  how much you are willing to spend on updates, what defects you are willing to  live with, and whether the home you have chosen fits your criteria. Hopefully,  the inspection will be a useful tool in making this decision.

In the end, only YOU, the homebuyer, can decide if the home has passed the  home inspection.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7200157

Our Inspector Jesse Maka’ina’i embraced his third child, a baby GIRL!

Welcome to the world Kaieako’olau Maka’ina’i!!!

Courtesy of the Washington Post

Click here for a larger, print version of the coupon.

Building Specs Hawaii, LLC would like to honor the military with a special offer; $15 off condominium inspections, $20 off townhouse inspections, and $25 off single family home inspections!

The offer is only valid to active duty military personnel. To redeem this coupon print it and present it at the time of inspection along with a valid military ID. This discount cannot combined with any other special offers.