Have you ever wondered how a pool works? Do you know the major types of pools and filtration systems out there? What maintenence is need to keep the water clean and clear? Do you know how to backwash and inspect a pool? In this video by Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina in Charlotte NC shows how to inspect a pool.

Besides inspecting the pool, you should check the pool regularly for the PH and chlorine level. You should also check for total alkalinity. If the total alkalinity is low the chlorine will not work. You probably have to backwash once a week unless you have a cartridge filter pool. Things that can go wrong include leaks, filter clogging, pressure loss, and cracks. Nothing is greater on a hot summer day than taking a dip in a clean freash pool.

Moisture in a crawl space is bad news. It can cause a host of problems including but not limited to undermining the foundation and footers. Moisture is also a conducive condition for termites. We all know the damage those guys can do. Another big time problem with moisture in the crawl is mold and mildew. Chronic moisture can lead to toxic mold or sick house. Its usually in the best interest of the house to keep the crawl space dry. The next question is where does the moisture come from. Sometimes the moisture comes from poor drainage and or poor topography of the land around the house. Sometimes the Moisture comes from poor to no ventilation. Poor ventilation can be a compound problem when joined with condensation. These are the usual suspects when a crawl space has high moisture. Every once in awhile though there is something very odd like a storm drain draining into the crawlspace! In this video Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina shows us a storm drain that empties into crawl space of a townhouse in Lake Norman NC. Where do your storm drains empty?

We all know the real estate market is a little depressed right now. Heck the news media will not let us forget it. Which one is causing which? Ever notice that in history many recessions corrospond with election years? Check it yourself, I am not kidding. Is it because of uncertainity about the future or is the media perpetuating something? Oh well I don’t profess to be a political science expert (infact I made a “C” in my one and only political science class in college) I am actually a home inspector in Charlotte NC. I am writing of something proactive a charlotte real estate agent did to combat the market doldrums. Holly Pasut of Charlotte NC “Team Holly-Would” contracted a stretc hummer limo to take a tour of her listings. On this tour she took 24 of Charlotte’s top real estate agents, a mortguage guy and home inspector (yours truely). The group had dinner after the tour. We all discussed the pluses and minuses of each property. We alo talked of forming a group to do this sort of thing regularly. Its this “Outside the box” marketing that just might create a buzz and sell some houses no matter what the news media says.

Since 2002 the goal of the Ballantyne Breakfast Club has been to provide the
South Charlotte Ballantyne area residents, business leaders, developers,
elected officials and services providers with a forum for the exchange of
information.
The founders and supporters of the Ballantyne Breakfast Club are committed to this exchange of information so that our area can grow and prosper.
Our meeting are free and open to all to attend. So please join us to learn
more about this dynamic and growing area.
The meetings are relaxed and casual, just like neighbors getting together over a
cup of coffee to share information about what is going on in the neighborhood.
Meetings are scheduled six (6) times a year on Saturday mornings starting at
8:30 for those members who wish to socialize. Our formal presentations start at
9:00. Coffee is provided at our meetings and other refreshments are sometimes
provided by individual meeting sponsors. Most meetings are over by 10:30.
In addition to our scheduled speakers we have one or two of our local police officers attend so they can share information and take questions. 2008 Meeting Schedule
The Saturday meeting schedule for 2008 is as follows: Feb 2nd, March 8th, May 10th, July 12th, September 13th and Nov 8th
During 2008 we can look forward to hearing from Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, CMS Superintend Dr. Peter Gorman, Howard
Bissell III of the Bissell Companies, Bob Morgan, President of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, District 7 City Council
Representative, Warren Cooksey and many others.
Some of the Topics for 2008

2. No snow or ice on the walks: Only very serious home buyers are out during winter. If the buyer cannot get to the home easily, the house will not sell. That means keeping your walkways and driveways free of winter’s worst. Just like keeping your lawn nice in the summer, you want to make your home look well maintained. This is also important for keeping the risk of having a home buyer injured down.

3. Take full advantage of natural light: Be sure to allow all showing during the high-daylight hours. Make the most of the light you do have. Have the curtains and blinds cleaned and open them as wide as possible during daytime showings. Clean all the lamps and built-in fixtures, and replace the bulbs with the highest intensity that they will safely accommodate. Before you show the house, turn on all the lights.

4. Get your homes windows washed: You have 90 seconds to get a buyers attention when they walk into your home. Windows are one thing that many sellers do not even consider. Many buyers pay particular attention to the quality of your homes windows. In the winter, the strong southern light can reveal grime and make it look like your home has not been well maintained.

5. Play music softly in the background: To create a little atmosphere, tune the radio to the local Classical or Holiday station. Turn it down so that you just hear it quietly in the background. You have to appeal to all the buyer’s senses.

6. Make the home comfortable and cozy: Set the scene and help the buyers see themselves living happily and comfortably in your home. Consider things such as putting a warm throw on the sofa or folding back the thick comforter on the bed. Spending an hour or two with a home staging professional many times is a worthwhile investment. They are specially trained to help catch the buyer’s eye! Call for a list of home staging professionals.

7. Set up lighting timers: You want your home to look warm and welcoming whenever prospective buyers drive past. You could even decorate the For Sale sign in your yard. Set the mood for a sale.

8. Make your home festive for the holidays. Even if you are not going to be present, greet your buyers as if they were going to be guests at a party. Set the dinner table with the good china and silver. Have a plate of cookies for your guests, some warm cider, or other non- alcoholic beverage helps to make the buyer more comfortable in their new home. Remember, first impressions are so powerful. If it looks like you’re expecting me and greeting me as company, don’t you think that would have a powerful impact?

9. Give your home a nice aroma. Chocolate Chip cookies or Fresh baked Apple pie; just about, everybody likes those smells. Other popular scents: cinnamon rolls, freshly baked bread, apple cider or anything with vanilla, and cinnamon

10. Use the holiday season to your advantage. Thanksgiving, through January are traditional holiday seasons for most families. Now is the time to show off your home’s best features with simple decorations in each room. Don’t forget to decorate around your front door. When the holidays are over (and the Christmas and Hanukkah stuff should come down), you can still use winter wreaths and dried arrangements around the door to give interest. Anything seasonally appropriate but not too elaborate, you want the buyer’s to purchase your home, not your crafts.

However, millions of renters continue to have misconceptions about the home-buying process, often delaying a home purchase by saying “it’s too complicated.” Buying a home is not as complicated as it may seem. With a thorough understanding of the process, owning a home can be a very real possibility for many renters.

One of the key steps in determining whether you should be a homeowner versus a renter is understanding what happens to the money you pay each month for rent or a mortgage. For example, let

Homeowners refinance for a variety of reasons including taking cash out of their home’s equity to make home improvements, consolidating debt, and of course to obtain a more favorable interest rate. However, many Americans are now refinancing primarily to move from an adjustable rate to a predictable, fixed-rate mortgage to avoid future interest rate adjustments.