Thursday, February 28, 2008

Buyers, Builders, Re-Modelers Beware!

Getting ready to purchase your new home? Ready to re-model or add on to your existing home? Are you building that dream home on the lot with the million-dollar view? If you live in the City of Los Angeles and answered, “Yes” to any of these questions then we have a surprise for you!

The Los Angeles City Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering has adopted policy requiring the homeowner to pay for and provide a video inspection of the main sewer line lateral when an application for a building permit is made on any structure built prior to 1965. The lateral is the portion of the property’s main sewer line that connects the property to the city sewer pipe. The city inspector will review the video to determine the condition of the sewer lateral and can require the sewer line to be rehabilitated or replaced at the property owner’s expense.

A property owner can obtain information about how this affects their specific property by contacting the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works at 213-978-0265.

Chris Griffin, a licensed plumber for 20 years and the president of Sewerline Check Professionals (a private sewer-line inspection agency based in the Los Angeles area) illustrates, “Imagine you’ve just completed your remodel or new construction project. Most likely you have gone over budget, because that’s what most of us do to get the good stuff! The city building inspector tells you that before the certificate of occupancy will be issued a video inspection of the main sewer line lateral will be required. Then imagine the city officials telling you that the line is in need of repair or rehabilitation at a cost of many thousands of dollars. Then you’re told that this cost will be your responsibility because the City of Los Angeles places the responsibility of the sewer pipe from the structure to the city sewer connection under the street, public right of way or easement on the private property owners.”

Griffin goes on to say “I have seen this scenario all too often when the unsuspecting home owner or builder is taken by surprise at the end of their project.” Main sewer line laterals can be quite costly to rehabilitate or replace. The cost can vary depending on the depth of the sewer line though in many cases a minimum of $6,000 to $8,000 to rehabilitate the line can be expected. If the line is in such poor condition that it needs to be replaced, a typical associated cost could be $12,000 or higher.” Surprise! Was this in your budget?

Have no fear, you can determine the condition of the main sewer line prior to building or remodeling your home or while in the purchasing process by having a sewer line video examination performed. This video examination will let you know just what condition your sewer line is in and what type of pipe it is made of. The sewer line inspector will be able to give you information as to what the city may require for your particular circumstance.

Contact Chris Griffin at 818/951-7660 or chrisg@sewerlinecheck.com

Posted by LaRocca Inspections in 23:38:31 | Permalink | Comments Off

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

FAQ’s for homebuyers

John LaRocca, a real estate professional in Los Angeles for 30 years submitted this list of frequently asked questions for homebuyers.

• Whether someone is getting a completely updated house or a fixer, what are the most important things to have in good shape, when buying a home?

Plumbing, Electrical, Roofing, Foundation and Heating/Cooling systems. These are the basic components and the most important parts of a house. They are also the big-ticket items if you have to repair or replace them and are a gauge of your future costs in maintaining the property. Look at the “guts” of the house. If you were buying a used car and it had a new paint job, that would be great but you would really want to find out about the engine, brakes and transmission. It’s the same with a house – find out about these 5 major systems and see if they were upgraded along with the rest of the house.

• When considering a house, what are 4 things a buyer should look at that are big red flags?

1) Moisture stains on the ceilings, walls or flooring. Moisture is the number one enemy of any structure. It not only causes damage and deterioration to the property but can lead to mold growth and other issues. It’s a big red flag for potential bigger issues.

2) Unpermitted work. All construction work to the property is supposed to have permits from the city. Unpermitted work is not going to be done per building department standards and is generally of inferior grade. Many times it is done in an unpermitted fashion because it cannot meet building and safety standards and be passed by the city. If the unpermitted space is not on city records and included in the square footage, banks may not lend on it, and therefore the loan may be less.

3) Sloping floors and other indications of the house being out of square. Older homes are going to have to settlement and be somewhat out of level of out of plumb due to their age, but when it gets to the point where windows and doors are not working or have been severely altered to fit then there may be foundation issues. Foundation issues can be varied and included grading and drainage problems, they are expensive to fix. If the house is not square or level or it feels like you are walking downhill when going through a room, the foundation must be fully checked out as it can be an indicator of bigger problems.

4) Poor maintenance to the property in general as shown in things like peeling paint, worn roofing and windows that don’t work. Poor maintenance usually extends beyond the things you can see. If the owners are not fixing the visible things, they are not going to fix the things you can’t see.

• When a home is upgraded, what are some of the hidden problems that buyers should look for?

Any upgrade to a property should include the major systems. And if they were not fixed then the house wasn’t fully upgraded. Too often the buyer is impressed by how pretty it looks and doesn’t realize that if the basic components of the house are not changed; they are buying the same old house with new paint on it. Hidden problems include old rusty piping in the walls, deteriorated sewer lines, damaged chimney structures, roofing at the end of its useful life, worn out heating systems, older cloth covered wiring in the electrical system and older foundation systems that do not meet today’s seismic (earthquake) standards. The buyer should have professional inspectors the true condition of each of the critical systems. Another factor with recently upgraded homes is that the systems may not have been out in use so were not tested in real life conditions. Many times when subjected to actual living conditions, problems show up that were not evident before.

• When a house is a fixer, what should a buyer beware of?

Anyone buying a fixer needs to understand the magnitude of the repairs that will be needed to bring the property to a new standard. Even experienced contractors can under estimate what it is going to take to fully upgrade a house it is common to uncover hidden problems and unforeseen costs during the course of a “fixer” upgrade. Such things as the cost to comply with new code upgrades and various job delays add to construction and carrying costs and eat into the profit margin. Sometimes a fixer can seem like such a good deal but all the costs need to be figured in and then a contingency added on at the top. If you are tight on money, this may not be the property for you.

• What are some good tips you can give a buyer?

1) Team up with a good real estate agent. They should be looking at the right house for you, not just trying to sell a house.

2) Do a full inspection of the property. Include inspections of the sewer line and the chimney. These are hidden from view and can be expensive to fix. Any money spent on inspections will save you from unforeseen expenses later on – don’t skimp on them.

3) See the house you are looking at buying more than once. Go see it at night or in the morning or even on weekends. Walk around the area a little when you go there. This may help you find out if there are neighbor issues (such as loud music at night) and give you different perspectives on the property.

• What are the biggest mistakes most buyers make?

The first mistake is buying with their heart and not their head. It’s easy to fall in love with the million-dollar view when they should be falling in love with their major systems.

The next mistake is not getting a full battery of inspections or hiring a discount inspector thinking they are getting a qualified professional. You want the best you can get out their telling you about the house. And you want to check out all the parts of including things like mold and other potential hazards. Saving a few hundred dollars on inspections may cost you thousands in repair costs later. Real estate is a huge investment and should be treated as such.

• When buying an older home (say anything over 20 years), what should a buyer know?

No home is perfect. There are going to be flaws and little issues. Don’t let them detract from your enjoyment of the house. And realize that older homes take more maintenance and things wear out. Budget for these and maintain your house. It will make it easier for you to sell when you are ready to move.

John LaRocca / LaRocca Inspections 818/951-1795 john.larocca@laroccainspections.com

Posted by LaRocca Inspections in 19:30:41 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

SELLING YOUR HOME? Attracting Buyers to Write an Offer in a Highly Competitive Market:

John LaRocca, a real estate professional for 30 years, tells us, “Most sellers offering their property for sale just want a buyer to make a full price offer and close the transaction as quickly and painlessly as possible.” However, there are many houses for sale giving buyers many listings to choose from.


Motivating a buyer to write an offer on your property when they arrive at an open house can be as simple as following some key house-showing tips.

1. Have the house well lit and open the drapes to give it the “light and bright” feel.

2. Handle pet or other unpleasant odors. Baking some cookies or bread for the showing is an inexpensive great touch, which creates a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

3. Clean up the house, especially the kitchen, bathrooms, stained walls, ceilings and floor coverings.


4. Eliminate clutter. Remove all the excess “stuff” from the home.


5. Clean up the yard, and get rid of any junk or debris.


6. Straighten up the garage and dispose of junk and excess storage.


7. Redo weathered and peeling paint, giving the house a “well-kept” look.

8. Secure your valuables; don’t leave money, jewelry or other valuables lying about.

9. Remove the pets, especially dogs during showings. Animals under foot may be a nuisance to some potential new buyer.


10. Organize and make available any documents you have, especially building permits, contracts for repairs or additions, warranties, guarantees or manuals for new items such as appliances.

Make the buyer’s experience as pleasant as possible because you never get a second chance to create a first impression.


Now the job is to get through the escrow period and close the deal. LaRocca says, “Sellers who want to reduce the possibility of renegotiating the deal in the middle of escrow should have a professional property inspection of their own to uncover any major defects before going into escrow.”


LaRocca says, “With the information from a pre-listing inspection added to the seller’s disclosure the seller and the listing agent can relax because the buyer’s inspection is not likely to uncover any significant issues that might prompt a renegotiation of the price during escrow.”


Real estate transactions can be complicated, but following these steps can simplify the process to a successful closing.


John A. LaRocca can be reached at (818) 951-1795 or www.laroccainspect.com

Posted by LaRocca Inspections in 00:37:21 | Permalink | Comments Off