Last Sunday the Morning Call & Philadelphia Inquirer had the article below which essentially stated that buyers were hammering the sellers with the home inspection and that it would be EXTREMELY WISE for the Seller to get his/her own home inspection prior to putting the home on the market to prevent surprises. All home inspectors agree with that but I would take it a little further in that before having the inspection done that the Seller do the following:

ELECTRICAL - Replace broken &/or missing electrical outlet & switch covers, replace missing or burned out light bulbs, purchase ($6 - $9) & use a GFCI tester to make sure the GFCI's work, clear the area in front of the electrical panels,

HEATING - Make sure baseboards &/or radiators heat up, Make sure there is a recent service report under a year old especially with oil fired systems

PLUMBING - Slow drains

STRUCTURE - Replace cracked &/or broken window panes, make sure windows stay up when opened, clear the area around the attic entrance, with pre-1978 homes properly prep & paint flaking & chipping paint

EXTERIOR - trim bushes & trees so they are at least 6 inches from the structure, make sure the house numbers are clearly visible, clear the snow from walkways, driveways, porches, decks &/or patios

GENERAL - Get rid of the clutter (home inspector thinks What is being hidden?).

There are probably other quick & easy checks & fixes but these will reduce the amount of maintenance items & make it look like you really care about your property.

http://www.philly.com/philly/classifieds/real_estate/CTW_realestate_20100126_Suitable_for_sale.html

Today, I received a call from a potential client telling me his bank told him that he had to pay for a Code inspection for the home he was purchasing in Allentown. I explained to him that he needed to call Allentown's Building Standards and Safety Department due to the fact that a Home inspection is not a code inspection. I told him that most Home Inspectors are not licensed/certified code inspectors. I told him that CODE was a four letter to a Home inspector and that home inspectors were aware of code but did not inspect to code. I also said as Home inspectors we were looking for issues with items and systems that were health issues, safety issues, could cause failure of an item or system or indications that an item or system was close to failure.

Finally, I went on to explain to him that for the most part the code inspector is looking for the following items:

• Handrails and stairs that are solid and have certain dimensions and characteristics.
• GFCI's in the kitchen, bathroom(s), exterior and garage.
• Windows that stay in place when opened.
• Cracked/broken windows
• Flaking paint in homes built prior to 1978.
• Knob & Tube wiring.
• Smoke detectors - each bedroom and each level.
• Unprotected light bulbs in closets.
• Ungrounded outlets.
• Double tapped breakers.
• If the structure is a multiple unit then electrical panels for each unit plus one for the Landlord which is the common areas.
• Bonding of the electrical panel to the metal pipes in the structure.
• Outlets, switches and junction boxes without covers or with broken covers.
• Overflow line from a relief valve.
• Drip legs at gas boilers, furnaces and water heaters.
• Various other items.

About Bear Creek

Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center is a first class facility located on more than 330 acres in scenic Berks County, Pennsylvania. The resort features skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing winter activities and hiking, biking, fishing and boating during the summertime. Plan your next event in our spacious banquet halls with mountain views, host a corporate retreat in our spacious meeting facilities, relax at our bar and restaurant, The Grille at Bear Creek, pamper yourself at our full service spa, The Spa at Bear Creek, or vacation at our luxurious on-site hotel, The Inn at Bear Creek, with indoor pool and outdoor pool* and hot tubs.

History of Bear Creek

In 1968, the ski area opened its doors for the first time as Doe Mountain Ski Area with just a t-bar, rope tow and two trails. Overtime, the facility has grown and expanded to 21 trails with 7 lifts. In 1999, Doe Mountain changed ownership. Since that time, it has developed into a year round facility known today as Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center.

Vital Statistics:

• Top elevation: 1100'
• Vertical Rise: 510'
• Lifts: 3 quad chairs, 1 triple chair, 3 carpet lifts
• Beginner Trails %: 30%
• Intermediate Trails %: 40%
• Expert %: 30%
• Number Of Trails: 21
• Skiable Acres: 86
• Snowmaking %: 100%
• Lighted Trails %: 100%

Here is what's happening in the Salisbury and Southern Lehigh Area School Districts in Pennsylvania for December 2009 in Real Estate:

Recommendation:

If you're buying a home, it is important that you work closely with a highly-motivated agent who understands what's going on with the real estate market and local economy. He/She will be able to advise you on how to get the most for your money and what homes you may want to avoid, as there are homes on the market that are not priced at their fair market value.

If you're selling your home, it's also important that you work closely with a highly-motivated agent who understands what's going on with the market and local economy. Your goal is to net top dollar - which you may not achieve if you overprice or underprice your home.

Brigita McKelvie, REALTOR, e-PRO, GRI

Pennsylvania License #RS 297130

Keller Williams Real Estate, Bethlehem, PA