How long ago is 1971?
It is the year I graduated from College.
I had not built my first house yet—-that was still five years away.
No kids yet—-although some close calls.
It was 42 years ago—if I have done my math correctly.
It is quite common to call for repairs to homes during an inspection. In fact I have never inspected a house that didn’t need “something” fixed.
It is also quite common for my recommendations to be ignored.
About 7 years ago I inspected a house where the electrical service crossed the house from the street to the electrical mast on the back side of the house. The wire was resting on the ridge of the house and the wind had been moving the wire back and forth to the point that the granules were worn off the ridge and the bare conductors were exposed and touching the roof. A couple of weeks after I did this inspection I got a call from the electrician who was going through my report and making necessary repairs at the home. He was very impressed with the report and went on-and-on about how he had never seen anything like it and just called to let me know that.
Cool—-I thought—-it is nice to get these kinds of calls now and then.
I drive by this house almost every day—-as it is very close to my house.
Seven years later—-the wire is still in the same position it was when I inspected the house—-except that the wire and the roof most likely has five more years of abrasion on them.
Back to 1971.
On an inspection a while back, my buyer sent me an old appraisal that had been done on the property—-in 1971. The appraiser had noted that the steps from the sidewalk up to the house were in poor condition and were in need of repair. Here is a screen shot of the appraiser’s recommendation.
Not sure what the “imp” refers to—-and I am hoping that someone familiar with “appraiser-speak” can translate for us. I think the overall message is clear however.
42 years later—-the stairs are still in need of repair—–only more so—-and no real translation is required.
I had the same recommendation as the appraiser did in 1971.
Perhaps if I say, “Please?”
By Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle
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