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The Inspector
July / August, 2009 - Volume 3, Issue 6 |
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| Dear Walter, |
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Good Morning All,
ASHI New England's 5th Annual Fall Conference is almost here! The conference will be held on September 14-15th at the Lantana in Randolph.
You have until this Friday, September 4th to register in time for the Early Bird Rate. If you haven't registered yet what are you waiting for? Call the office at 800 248-2744 or fax the registration form to 603 228-2118 right now!
This year the conference lineup is incredible.
Bob Mulloy has really outdone himself this time.
Attorney Jonathan Braverman - discussing contracts
Steven Gladstone - past ASHI National President discussing old home issues
Don Lovering - putting on a mock trial not to miss (Watch Bob on the hot seat!)
Kenny Hart - 2008 national conference speaker on residential plumbing
Ted Benson - the famous timber framer
Brad Keys - the HVAC expert of all experts
Along with vendors, raffles and other surprises.
Register today!
See you all on the 14th.
Lisa Alajajian-Giroux, President |
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| MA Regulations |
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A change to Massachusetts 266 CMR adds section 6.08 effective July 24, 2009. A public hearing was held in Boston on June 24, 2009 relative to proposed promulgation of amendments and additions to board regulations 266 CMR 6.00. Massachusetts Licensed Home Inspectors and Licensed Associate Home Inspectors are required to provide their clients with information on energy audits.
The proposed amendment identified "the closing" as the point of distribution for the energy handout. Thanks to the diligent efforts of Jack Digby and the other members of The Board of Registration of Home Inspectors, the information may be distributed prior to the closing as well as an option to include/embed the text within the home inspection report.
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ASAP Environmental
HEALTHY HOMES FOR BETTER LIVING
- Indoor Air Quality
- Lead Paint Inspections
- Mold Testing & Analysis
1 Arcadia St. Dorchester, MA 02122
inspections@asapenvironmental.com
800-349-7779
For more information on this company.... |
| ASHI New England Fall Conference |
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Learn. Grow. Connect.
All systems are "go" for the Chapter's 5th Annual Fall Conference scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, September 14 and 15 at The Lantana in Randolph, MA.
Despite the continuing challenges of the economy, attendance figures are quite high and our list of participating sponsors, vendors and program advertisers continues to grow.
An outstanding cast of presenters has been lined up offering home inspectors the opportunity to learn and expand upon their knowledge and skills in conducting inspections; learn about future trends and practices in the home construction industry and get solid tips and pointers on how to avoid legal pitfalls while maintaining the highest possible level of ethics and consumer-friendly practices.
We are all looking forward to hearing from the following presenters who committed to providing an interesting and thought-provoking educational experience for all who attend.
-Attorney Jonathan Braverman, How to Avoid Attorneys, What Every Inspector Should Know
- Stephen Gladstone, Old Home Issues
- Donald Lovering, Trial by Peers
- Bill Sutton, Ethics (will fulfill Mass. requirement for one-hour of professional ethics training)
-Kenny Hart, Inspecting the Residential Plumbing System
-Tedd Benson, The Future of Homebuilding
-Brad Keyes, High Efficiency Boilers and Furnaces
More complete information about each of our presenters is available in the official conference brochure which is available on our website.
The conference has received approval for a total of 12 CE's from ASHI-national (6 for each day) as well as approval from the Mass. Board of Registration for Home Inspectors.
The deadline to receive the early-bird discounted registration fee is close of business (12:00 noon), Friday, September 4. Forms must either be faxed to the ASHI-NE office (603-228-2118) by that time or be postmarked with a date no later than Friday, September 4 in order to receive the lower fee.
Education Committee Chairman Bob Mulloy of All-Safe Home Inspections is also serving as the conference planning chairman. He looks forward to welcoming you to the conference. If you haven't done so already, please register. Advance registration is required so that we may confirm our arrangements with The Lantana.
Bob Mulloy, Education Chairman
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FREA
E&O Insurance for Home Inspectors
- Best Rates
- Lowest Deductible
800-882-4410
www.frea.com
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| NH Licensure |
The NH Joint Board administers the licensure of home inspectors in New Hampshire. On its web site it states ""All home inspectors practicing in the state of NH must be licensed by 1/1/10".
Complete information including the application forms can be viewed and downloaded from their web site.
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CORCORAN & HAVLIN INSURANCE GROUP
THE SUPERIOR HOME INSPECTOR ERRORS & OMISSIONS INSURANCE PROGRAM!
Underwritten by AIG's Lexington Insurance Company - Rated A++ by A.M. Best
Home Inspector E&O Coverage offers these features:
- Claims Made Policy Form
- Prior Acts Coverage Included @ No Additional Premium
- Pest Inspection, Premises Liability, Radon and Commercial Inspections Available
- Additional Discounts For Firms With More Than Two (2) Inspectors
For a quote or more information, please call Debi Drury (x244 or ddrury@chinsurance.com) or Mike Curtis, Marketing Manager (x243) or visit website at www.chinsurance.com
287 Linden Street, Wellesley, MA 02482
800-304-8242
Fax 781-235-7190
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| MA July Home Sales |
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Bucking a six-month trend of falling home sales, Bay State home sales shot up nearly 12 percent in July year-over-year while the decline in median home prices narrowed, The Warren Group reported.
"This is a much-needed boost for the state's housing market," said Timothy M. Warren Jr., CEO of The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman. "We haven't had a double-digit gain in monthly home sales since last October. And the declines in home prices have been getting smaller every month."
Warren said low interest rates, reduced prices, the first-time homebuyer tax credit and improved consumer confidence helped fuel buyer interest in late spring which led to an increase in closed sales in July.
"We started to see a trend toward moderation in June and it looks like that continued through July," Warren explained. "Still, we're not out of the woods yet. We have to see consistent gains in sales going forward for home prices to stabilize."
Single-family home sales jumped 11.8 percent to 4,977 from 4,453 in July 2008. It was the first increase in monthly home sales year-over-year in 2009. Year-to-date sales are down 6.3 percent to 21,524 from 22,974.
The median selling price for single-family homes dipped 4.7 percent to $305,000 from $320,000. Monthly median home prices fell by double-digit percentages year-over-year in the first five months of 2009. But in June and July, home prices slipped by only single-digit percentages. The median price for homes sold through July retreated 11.4 percent to $280,000 from $316,000.
There was some improvement in the condominium market as well, according to The Warren Group.
"Condo sales remained fairly flat in July, but that's a significant step up from prior months when sales sank by 20 to 30 percent. And the decline in condo prices in July wasn't as steep as it has been," said Warren.
Statewide condo sales totaled 2,190 in July, slightly lower than the 2,227 sales in July 2008. So far this year, condo sales are off by about 20 percent. A total of 9,653 condos traded from January through July, down from 12,065 a year ago.
The median condo price fell 4.3 percent to $276,000 in July from $288,500 last year. July's 4.3 percent drop was the smallest so far in 2009. In the first five months of the year, price declines exceeded 10 percent. The year-to-date condo price is off about 10 percent to $252,100 from $279,900. |
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CRACK-X
Got water in your basement?
Since 1985, CRACK-X has been a full service company specializing in residential and commercial foundation welding of cracks and other concrete repairs such as bulkheads, penetrations, cold joints, elevator pits, and slabs. We are committed to 100% customer satisfaction and back up all vertical wall crack repairs with an unconditional 10-year warranty.
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B-Dry Systems
20 YEARS OF SOLVING WATER PROBLEMS
Written warranty for the full life of the structure.
800-320-2379
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| Board of Registration of Home Inspectors |
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The five position Board of Registratioon of Home Inspectors is now down to three active members with the recent resignation of board member Mr. Nuzzo. The following is an excerpt from the June 24, 2009 Board of Registration of Home Inspectors meeting minutes.
"Board Member Nuzzo submitted a letter that he is resigning from the Board and was presented with a citation from the Governor's Office in appreciation for his service. Mr Nuzzo will be missed as consumer advocate and if anyone knows of anyone wishing to serve the Board please submit the request via internet or a leter to the Board with a current resume." |
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Vent Master
ATTIC VENTILATION SPECIALISTS
Inspectors, when you see signs of:
- Excessive Heat Build-up
- Ice Dams
- Damaged Roof Shingles
- Peeling Paint
- Mod, Rot & Mildew
Recommend Vent Master
For a FREE consultation, call Don Marcoux at Vent Master
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| Pella Windows Recalled |
Pella Recalls Casement Windows Due to Impact Hazard
The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Architect Series® and 850 Series® Casement Windows
Units: About 6,500
Manufacturer: Pella Corp., of Pella, Iowa
Hazard: The hinge can break, causing the window sash to fall out, posing a risk of injury to persons beneath the window.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm is aware of one report of the hinge breaking, causing the sash to fall. No injuries have been reported.
Description: This recall involves the Architect Series® and 850 Series® casement windows. The windows were sold in a variety of sizes and typically contain a heavier window glaze such as the HurricaneShield® Impact-Resistant glass.
Sold by: Authorized distributors nationwide and Home Improvement Stores in Florida from September 2007 through April 2009 for between $500 and $2000.
Manufactured in: United States
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the window and contact Pella to schedule a free repair. Owners have received direct mail notification of this recall.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Pella at (800) 374-4758 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.pella.com |
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Peter Greifer Enterprises
ASBESTOS REMOVAL & MOLD REMEDIATION
Serving Eastern Massachusetts & Rhode Island
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| NH Home Inspector Board |
| The New Hampshire Home Inspector Board will have its next meeting on September 22, 2009. The meeting will take place at 9:00 am at 57 Regional Drive in Concord, NH. |
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Rene Mugnier Associates
When in doubt, refer to a structural engineer specializing in the investigation of homes and commercial structural problems.
REHABILITATIONS & INVESTIGATIONS
- Evaluations of Structures
- New Construction of All Kinds
- Expert Witness
777 Concord Ave., Ste. 201, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-547-7773
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| MA Home Inspector Board |
The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Home Inspectors holds meetings on a regular basis that are open for home inspectors to attend. These board meetings are usually held at 239 Causeway Street, 2nd Floor, Room 204 in Boston from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The meeting dates for 2009 are as follows:
September 16, 2009
November 18, 2009
You are encouraged to call the board office at 617-727- 4459 for any posssible changes in location and time of these meetings. |
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Atlas Watersystems
WE DON'T MAKE THE WATER.
WE MAKE THE WATER BETTER!!
Residential & Commercial Water
Filtration & Purification
Water Testing & Analysis
Radon & Arsenic Remediation
Softeners * Filters * Purification
800-215-9966
www.atlaswater.com
"Bringing Technology to Water"
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| 2009 Board of Directors |
President Lisa Alajajian-Giroux / homequest1@comcast.net
Vice President Mike Atwell / m.atwell@rcn.com
Secretary Donald Bissex / dbissex@comcast.net
Treasurer Len Rucker / lrucker1@comcast.net
Directors
Paul Cornell / pcornell@inspecthouses.com
Paul Rogoshewski / paul@harmonyhomeinspection.com
Alex Steinberg / alex@jbsinspections.com
Council of Representatives
Lisa Alajajian / homequest1@comcast.net
Bill Sutton / wsuttoninspector@hotmail.com
Committee Chair
By- Laws: Mike Atwell / m.atwell@rcn.com
Communications:
Education: Bob Mulloy / rmulloy@verizon.net
Legislative:
Membership:
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We look forward to seeing you at our Annual Fall Conference on September 14th & 15th !
Sincerely,
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