TIPS FOR PREPARING TO SELL YOUR HOUSE                    (Get  Checklist )
One Fact that home sellers should be aware of is that the buyer's home inspection can easily become a second round of negotiations, especially if the house was not pre-inspected before it hit the market.
The buyer may ask you to fix a big list of problems that were documented by their inspector, they may ask you to give them a price reduction or a worse case scenario they may just walk away from the deal .
 It can be very discouraging to lose the first interested buyers because you were blind-sided by the number of things they asked you to fix & if you do not have the money to fix them before closing you may loose the deal.  Having a Pre-listing Home Inspection is the best way to prevent these problems.

All this hassle can be avoided by getting a Seller's Pre-listing Inspection.
A Seller's Inspection will greatly reduce the chances of running into surprise defects and will give you time to budget for repairs & talk to contractors. You may even be able to use the inspection report as your disclosure & speed things along.  It is far more difficult for a buyer to renegotiate after a buyer’s home inspection if the defects have already been disclosed to them in a pre-listing report before they made an offer.

Home preparation is an important part of selling Real Estate in a timely manner, getting your home ready for the inspection helps this process along .

• The better shape your house is in the easier it will be for buyers to get financing & the faster your house will sell.
• Knowing the guidelines used by organizations like VA, FHA & Rural Development can help you prepare your house for the market. (See Our Free PDF Library)

“In a joint study by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and NAR, nearly 4 out of every 5 homes sold in the nation are evaluated by a professional home inspector before they are sold.
Also, NAR reports that REALTORS® recommend buyers get a home inspection nearly 99% of the time.” 

There is no guarantee how an inspection will affect a home sale, but when combined with online report viewing and our open house kit a Seller's Inspection report can support the timely sale of your property. 

If there are no "Major" defects found, your home will get a "Move-In Certified" yard sign, indicating it is ready for all financing and can be occupied with no improvements required before closing.

Visit ourSellers Page for more info.

LEARN HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR HOME INSPECTION:
You can prepare for any home inspection by first eliminating defects that you know about, this will result in a cleaner inspection report which notes fewer defects.
On inspection day you should make it easier for the home inspector to do his/her job. This will make for a more accurate inspection report.
Download our Checklist of easy and simple things you can do to prepare for a home inspection.


Home Inspection Solutions Missoula MT
Bob Ruby - Dianne Keast

(Bob Ruby, Home Inspection Solutions Missoula Montana, 406-646-6182)
Down Payment Assistance Montana & Idaho CDC helps qualified borrowers build a stable future through home ownership. HomeNow Down Payment Gift ProgramBuilding a Solid FoundationThe HomeNow Down Payment Gift Program is designed to help potential homebuyers in Montana by providing a gift which funds up to
100% of the borrower’s cash requirement to close.  The gift is 3.5% or 5% of the loan amount for the down payment, closing costs, and other related mortgage loan expenses. The gift does not require repayment and no second lien or deed restriction will be placed on property title. HomeNow is not limited to first-time homebuyers and can be used for housing purchases and rate/term refinances. Homebuyer education courses are not required, but are recommended. Homebuyer education classes are available in many communities or online.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?
Visit the Website to Find Out:
http://mtcdc.org/down-payment/homenow/

Radon in Missoula
(Bob Ruby, Home Inspection Solutions Missoula Montana, 406-646-6182)
Radon is a naturally occurring colorless, odorless, radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock.

• In the U.S. the average indoor radon level is 1.3 pCi/L. In Missoula County, the average is 7.2 pCi/L. This is more than 5x the national average. Results vary from 4.5 in 59801 to 9 in 59825  (See the bar chart)
   This is like recieving approximately 350 chest x-rays in a year or smoking 14 cigarettes a day.

When this gas is drawn into a home or building, it can build up to dangerous levels and be inhaled into the lungs. Radon and it's decay products can release radiation into lungs and damage the tissue. In fact, radon exposure is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the USA.

Because of Montana's geology, many homes in the state and Missoula County have high levels of radon gas.
Missoula levels are high. For example, nationwide 7% of buildings contain elevated levels of radon. In Missoula, 54% of homes have high levels (see pie chart). This is over 7x the national average.
When the Health Department looked at test results throughout the County, no pattern was observed. Homes in the valley, in the foothills, and it all reaches of the county had high levels*.

All zipcodes in our county AND surrounding areas have averages are above the EPA Action Level of 4pCi/L.
Interestingly, one house may test high but a neighbor's home may be low. This is due to differences in the ground structure and to a lesser degree, the home construction. All the more reason to test every home.
In a location like Missoula, building homes to be radon resistant from the start makes good sense.

Should You test my home for radon?
The only way to know your radon level is to test. Tests can be either short term (2-90 days) or long term (> 90days). Short term tests are inexpensive and available at the Health Department and local hardware stores. Test kits are also available at the radon hotline 1-800-SOS-RADON (767-7236).

Are levels of radon below 4pCi/L considered safe?

The EPA has established that a level of 4pCi/L is the action level or the level above which homes should be fixed. Does this mean that it is safe if you are at 3.9pCi/L? The answer is no. There is no safe level of radiation. A radon level of 4.0pCi/L is equal to 200 chest x-rays per year or 16 cigarettes per day. The U.S. Congress has set a long-term goal that indoor radon levels be no more than outdoor levels, about 0.4 pCi/L.
* Based on 2012 study of zip code data from MCCHD test kit sales

Test kits can be purchased at the Environmental Health Department located on the 2nd floor of the City-County Health Department building, 301 W Alder, Missoula Mt 59801. ( for  $7.00 )
 hardware stores, or online at http://.www.radonkit.org
Download Radon Info to Print

This Information is from Missoula Radon Coalition

LEARN MORE  ABOUT RADON HERE

FIND A LOCAL MITIGATOR

Murphy Contracting
Provides radon testing and mitigation for Missoula
and all surrounding areas.
Certi Certified and a member of NRPP
and AARST. Fully licensed and insured.
406-531-3680
http://www.mtradon.com


Radon Solutions
406-836-0786
http://www.radon-mt.com/index.html

(Bob Ruby, Home Inspection Solutions Missoula Montana, 406-646-6182)
There are many different types of cladding or covering for the exterior of homes that give them their particular style and appeal.  Different cladding types have their own particular pros and cons, as well as maintenance issues.  Here are some facts and tips for homeowners whose homes have vinyl siding.
Homeowners, remodeling contractors and builders often choose vinyl siding as an alternative to wood and aluminum because it’s attractive, durable, easy to maintain, and cost-effective.  Vinyl siding is made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and is often textured to resemble wood or stone in a variety of colors.  Vinyl siding came into use as an exterior cladding in the late 1950s.  Today, it’s the most common choice for exterior cladding. 

Advantages:

• Vinyl siding is very durable.
• It will last for decades when properly installed and maintained.
• It will not fade. 
• It will not rust. 
• The outer layer contains pigment that adds color to the siding and resists breakdown from UV radiation from sunlight.  If scratched, the siding will reveal the same color as the unscratched exterior, so minor imperfections are not too noticeable. 
• As long as the siding has been properly installed, maintenance is very simple, limited mostly to spray-washing once a year or whenever necessary. 

Disadvantages:

• In extreme weather conditions, vinyl siding is susceptible to damage, as is any other type of siding. 
• In severe cold, vinyl siding can become brittle and more susceptible to cracking. 
• Extreme heat can also cause vinyl to melt or distort.  There are reported cases of sunlight reflected from nearby windows that has caused vinyl siding to warp and melt.
• Vinyl siding is not a form of insulation—it is simply an exterior cladding.  However, some salespeople misrepresent this fact with claims that new siding will aid energy efficiency.  This is only true for siding that includes special insulating inserts or backings—not to the vinyl siding itself. 
• Vinyl siding is not a watertight covering, so check the inside occasionally for water intrusion if you’ve experienced heavy weather.  
• If a fire occurs, vinyl siding will melt or burn and may release toxic chemicals, making the situation more dangerous for the home’s occupants.  Some green advocates believe that PVC itself can have a negative impact on health, and there is much debate about these claims.   

Tips for Homeowners:

• Properly installed panels and accessories should move freely from side to side.
• Drainage holes or slots in horizontal vinyl siding allow water behind the siding to drain and should not be covered or caulked.
• Ripples in the siding can result from stapling or nailing through the face of the siding, which is an incorrect installation.  Distortion and buckling of panels may be caused by fasteners that were not driven straight and level.  If this happens, the homeowner should consult their builder’s warranty.
• Exterior lights and other features should not be attached directly to the vinyl siding.  They should be secured to mounting blocks instead, since fasteners penetrating the siding will restrict the siding’s natural expansion and contraction.  Always use corrosion-resistant fasteners for any exterior installation.
• Power-wash the exterior as often as necessary to remove grime &  algae. 
• Check the condition of vinyl gutters and downspouts at least once a year.  While vinyl siding can last for 60 years, gutters and downspouts last around half as long, when properly installed and maintained.
• Ifvinyl cladding meets with another material like older siding or wood cladding keep a watchful eye on these area as they are often known to have problems where the two materials meet.

IN MISSOULA D&N Siding and Windows llc.  http://dandnsidingandwindows1.tru-m.com/home.html

(Bob Ruby Home Inspection Solutions Missoula MT. 406-646-6182 )

The garage door is the largest moving object in a house.  Its parts are under high tension.  All repairs and adjustments should be performed by a trained garage door systems technician.  To find a technician, visit the International Door Association website.  If the garage door appears inoperable or out of plumb, do not attempt to operate the garage door opener.  If the door appears plumb, you can perform some basic testing to ensure that your garage door is operating as it should.

Garage doors are large, spring-supported doors. Garage door openers control the opening and closing of garage doors, either through a wall-mounted switch or a radio transmitter. Due to the strain that garage door components and openers regularly endure, they may become defective over time and need to be fixed or replaced. Defective components may create safety hazards as well as functional deficiencies to the garage door assembly. The following facts demonstrate the dangers posed by garage doors:

• Garage doors are typically among the heaviest moving objects in the home and are held under high tension.

• Injuries caused by garage doors account for approximately 20,000 emergency room visits annually, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
  
  
• The majority of the injuries caused by garage doors are the result of pinched fingers, although severe injuries and deaths due to entrapment occur as well. Sixty children have been killed since 1982 as a result of garage doors that did not automatically reverse upon contact.

• Manual (emergency) release handle.  All garage doors should be equipped with this device, which will detach the door from the door opener when activated. It is vital during emergency situations, such as when a person becomes trapped beneath the door or when a power outage cuts electricity to the door opener. Inspectors should activate the handle to make sure that it works, although they will have to reset the handle if it does not reset automatically. In order for the handle to be accessible and obvious, it must be…

1. colored red;
2. easily distinguishable from rest of the garage opener system; and
3. no more than 6 feet above the standing surface.

Photo-Electric Eyes
Federal law states that residential garage door openers manufactured after 1992 must be equipped with photo-electric eyes or some other safety-reverse feature.  If the garage door has an opener, check to see if photo-electric eyes are installed.  They should be near the floor, mounted to the left and right sides of the bottom door panel.  The beam of the photo-electric eyes should not be higher than 6 inches above the floor.  

 Non-Contact Reversal Test 
This check applies to door systems that are equipped with photo-electric eyes.  Standing inside the garage and safely away from the path of the door, use the remote control or wall button to close the door.  As the door is closing, wave an object in the path of the photo-electric eye beam. The door should immediately reverse and return to the fully-open position.

Contact Reversal Test 
This check applies to doors with openers when the opener’s force setting has been properly set, and when the opener reinforcement bracket is securely and appropriately attached to the door’s top section.  If you’re concerned that a contact reversal test may cause damage to the garage door or its components, don’t do it. 
 
Otherwise, begin this test with the door fully open.  Under the center of the door, place a 2x4 piece of wood flat on the floor in the path of the door.  Standing inside the garage but safely away from the path of the door, use the wall push button to close the door.  When the door contacts the wood, the door should automatically reverse direction and return to the fully-open position.
 
If your garage door fails or is slow to respond to any of these tests, contact a qualified technician who can check for any necessary repairs or upgrades.

Safety Advice for Clients:

• Homeowners should not attempt to adjust or repair springs themselves. The springs are held under extremely high tension and can snap suddenly and forcefully, causing serious or fatal injury.

• No one should stand or walk beneath a garage door while it is in motion. Adults should set an example for children and teach them about garage door safety. Children should not be permitted to operate the garage door opener push button and should be warned against touching any of the door’s moving parts.

• Fingers and hands should be kept away from pulleys, hinges, springs, and the intersection points between door panels. Closing doors can very easily crush body parts that get between them.

• The automatic reversal system may need to be adjusted for cold temperatures, since the flexibility of the springs are affected by temperature. This adjustment can be made from a dial on the garage door opener, which should only be changed only by a trained garage door technician.