Barry Stone
-
Inspectors rarely predict life of water heaterNov 14, 2008 10:00 pm - Q. We just closed escrow on a home, and the day we moved in we found a flooded basement because the water heater had failed. But four weeks ago, our home inspector said ...
-
Buyers of two-flat unit make outrageous demand of neighborOct 31, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. My friend owns a downstairs flat in a two-story building. The new owners of the upstairs flat recently moved in and noticed a plumbing leak on the outside of the buil...
-
Copper sulfate will remove roots from your septic systemOct 17, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. We moved into our home about three months ago, and this week we had a professional inspection of the septic system. The septic contractor found a large mass of tree r...
-
Disclosure statements are no substitute for a proper inspectionOct 11, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. I recently made a purchase offer on a house. The seller's disclosure statement listed no defects, but the offer was contingent on a clean home inspection report. ...
-
Make repair requests in writingOct 04, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. I recently moved from a house that I had been renting. A few months before moving, I noticed a crack in the window above the stall shower. I don't know how or whe...
-
Sometimes the seller doesn't agree with home inspector's findingsSep 27, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. I'm having some difficulties with the seller of the home I am buying. When I first looked at the house, he said the fireplace was in working order. But my home in...
-
Broker denies that agents avoid 'deal killers'Sep 20, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. As a real estate broker, I read your column regularly and with great interest. But some of your articles trouble me. They suggest that Realtors routinely avoid th...
-
Inspectors trained to spot defects in gas furnaces, water heatersSep 06, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. This is not a question as much as a comment. You occasionally discuss how home inspectors inspect gas-burning fixtures. In my opinion, home inspectors are not qualifi...
-
Homeowner nearly burned by unscrupulous plumberAug 30, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. I've owned my home for 25 years and have never had a serious plumbing problem. But recently, the toilet has been running off and on for no reason. Several times a...
-
Buyers demand new roof from sellersAug 16, 2008 11:00 pm - Q. Before we sold our house, I repaired a roof leak above the bedroom, and just to confirm that the repair was good, I climbed into the attic during the next two heavy r...