Colorado Springs Realty Patricia Beck

In order for a property that was formerly a meth lab to be declared "remediated", the owner is required to obtain a final clean-up report, including a statement signed by an Industrial Hygienist that the property has been cleaned in accordance with State standards.

If an owner is selling a remediated residential property in Colorado Springs, it is not required for the seller to disclose that the property was previously a meth lab to potential homebuyers. Additionally, once sellers have taken the proper action to remediate a meth lab, they have immunity in the court of law.

So how do buyers in Colorado Springs find out if a home they are going to purchase is or ever was used as a meth lab?

According to Jim Goodwin, Compliance Officer at the El Paso County Department of Health, the only good way to find out, is to have the property tested for meth by an Industrial Hygienist.

If you are a buyer in El Paso County, there are three ways you can find out if a property was ever used as a meth lab:

1. Check with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) or their website to find out if the property is included in their list of Meth Lab Seizures
2. Contact the El Paso County Department of Health at 719-578-3199 and find out if there are any records on file in regard to the property being remediated to State standards
3. Have the property tested for meth by an Industrial Hygienist. You can go to the Yellow Pages or online and look under "Industrial Hygiene Consultants"

Remember, there are no guarantees a property was never used as a meth lab or is fit for occupancy even if buyers take the steps of precaution above.

On the other hand, buyers may be more reassured a property is safe if the Industrial Hygienist is willing to provide a written statement that the property is clean.

Keep in Mind:

• The CSPD only provides information about meth lab seizures, not if they are fit for occupancy.
• El Paso County Department of Health may not have records for a specific property. Lack of records does not necessarily mean it was never a meth lab nor that it was ever remediated to State standards.

• Make sure to hire a qualified and knowledgeable Industrial Hygienist to perform the testing. The law does not currently require an Industrial Hygienist to be "certified."

Funds were cut by El Paso County which unfortunately resulted in the Meth Lab Oversight Program to be cut as well. With no regulatory agency, there is no longer an entity to inform or enforce homeowners to turn in final reports of inspections to the Health Department.

If a property is tested positive for meth:

1. The buyer can terminate the contract by giving seller written notice
2. The buyer can request the seller remediate the property or reduce the purchase price of the home to adjust for cost of clean-up.

--Buyers in Colorado Springs may refer to Paragraph 11: "Methamphetamine Laboratory Disclosure (Residential Property Only)" in the Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate for further information.

I would like to thank Jim Goodwin for taking the time to speak with me about meth labs and contributing helpful information for this post!

This post is for informational purposes only and it is prudent homebuyers do their research and seek advice from qualified professionals when purchasing a home in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs Real Estate information and services

It never fails, right when Halloween arrives, it gets cold in Colorado Springs Review the list below to learn how to winterize the exterior of your home and make it more energy efficient t in order to reduce the amount of your heating bill.

1. Lawn care- Just because it is cooler, your lawn still needs attention. Make sure to apply a winterizing fertilizer in the fall and water your lawn on warm days during the winter months.

2. Blow out your sprinkler system- Sitting water in your sprinkler system when temperatures drop to freezing can result in an unpleasant surprise when spring arrives! If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, hire a professional for the task.

3. Unhook your garden hoses- Leaving hoses attached to the water spigot can cause a pipe to split if any sitting water freezes on the inside.

4. Seal air leaks- Save money spent on your utility bill by sealing and caulking all air leaks around doors, windows, and outlets, and exterior walls of your home.

5. Program your thermostat- With the cost of natural gas continuing to rise, it is important to program your thermostat. Programming your thermostat for lower temperatures while you are at work, sleeping, or away from home will also save you money on your monthly utility bill. Dropping the temperature too much can cause other problems such as freezing pipes so use caution!

6. Check your windows- If you have older windows than cold air is more likely to come inside while the warm air seeps out of your home. Although costly, vinyl windows are much more efficient than wood or aluminum windows. You can also purchase a window insulation kit if you have older inefficient windows.

7. Insulate- Insulating your attic, crawl space, garage, and basement will keep your home warmer and save money on your heating bill.

8. Water heater tips- Insulate your water heater and reduce its thermostat to 120°F to save energy.

9. Care for the Furnace- Have your furnace serviced and cleaned yearly to ensure it is works efficiently. Also change the filters every month to prevent your furnace from having to work harder than it has to.

10. Ceiling Fans- Most ceiling fans have a switch to alternate the direction of the fan blades. During the winter months, reverse your ceiling fan blades so the warm air in your home is pushed down.

Stay Warm!

For more energy saving tips: U.S. Department of Energy

Providing real estate information and services for Colorado Springs home buyers and sellers.

Nearly every transaction I have been working on lately whether on the buying or selling side, the roof has been an issue.

If you are buying a home in Colorado Springs, make sure your inspector goes onto the roof and inspects it thoroughly. Believe it or not, there are inspectors who do not go on the roof to inspect it! If the roof needs replacement and the seller is not willing to pay for a new roof, and you still plan to buy the home, make a phone call to your homeowner's insurance.

Many property insurance companies will not insure a home with a bad roof and if they do insure the home, the roof may not be covered. If you decide to file a claim with your homeowner's insurance for a new roof after buying the home, the insurance company may not cover it since it was a pre-existing problem prior to your purchasing the home.

Many insurance companies who are willing to insure the home require the roof be replaced within a specified amount of time in order for the buyer to have continued coverage. Why are they so strict? The insurance company doesn't want to run the risk of paying for any damage inside the home that is caused from a bad roof such as water damage.

Contact your homeowner's insurance company before purchasing a home with a bad roof; it may affect your ability to obtain coverage.

Patricia Beck – Selling Colorado Springs Homes

We had the opportunity to take a weekend getaway to our family cabin near Lake George, Co and the colors of fall were spectacular!

The horses were back in the pasture after Summer Camp ended at Blue Mountain ranch. The horses were friendly and enjoyed visiting with us. One horse in particular, kept laying her head on my husband's shoulder. It was so cute!

Fall in Colorado can often pass in a blink of an eye; we were fortunate to catch a glimpse of the fall trees in the beautiful mountains of Colorado!

These photos were taken in Lake George, Woodland Park, and Cripple Creek.

I have had a few sellers request I post showing restrictions in the MLS due to their difficult schedules or personal circumstances that complicated their ability to have the home shown.

Here is one example of extensive showing instructions an agent had for her listing:

"Do not lock deadbolt. Restricted showing times. Tues, Thurs, Fri after 5pm Saturday after 10am. Please give 24 hour notice. Turn off lights. Lock doors. Thanks for showing. 24 Hour Notice, Appointment Only, Restricted Hours"

Do you think this may be a little confusing for agents who have to show 10 homes to a client on a Saturday? With so many properties for sale, many real estate agents who don't want to deal with complicated showing instructions will move on to the other homes on the list.

Make showing instructions minimal and make it easy for agents to show the property, otherwise, you will not receive many showings. It is not necessary to include instructions related to locking doors, not letting animals out, or leaving a card; just have the showing desk pass those instructions along once the agent calls to schedule the showing.

When I removed showing restrictions from one of my listings, showings picked up like crazy! Of course, I had my sellers' permission first. Instead, my sellers just tell the showing desk the home can't be shown if it isn't going to work for them. With the market being so competitive, they are very reluctant to say no when a prospective buyer wants to see their home.

If your listing isn't getting any showings and it is priced correctly, take a look at your showing instructions, that may be the problem!

Patricia Beck – Selling Colorado Springs Homes