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Selling Your Home: 5 Deal Killers That Are Lurking In Older Homes

You’ve listed your home for sale, you have a Buyer and now their Inspector is performing an inspection. You think you have a pretty good home, but do you really know for sure? What is he finding? Why is it taking so long? Here are 5 deal killers to watch out for when selling your home.

Deal Killer #1: FPE Breaker Boxes. These breakers and breaker boxes are known to have performance issues. They are no longer made, however they were very popular between the 1950′s and 1980′s. Many homes still have them.

Some of the problems were that the breakers would trip but still allow electricity to pass through the breaker. Another issue was that the breaker would not trip at all causing an over current condition which could lead to fires.

Just because the home is 30 years old and you’ve had no problems, don’t expect any Professional Real Estate Inspector to look past a FPE breaker box. The time theory does not hold water with electrical components. In my market, the cost to replace the box with a new 150 amp breaker box is anywhere from $1000 to $2500 depending upon the company and the extent of the work.

Deal Killer #2: Aluminum Wiring: The problem with aluminum wiring is that it expands and contracts more than copper wiring. So the components meant to be used with Copper wiring did not work well with Aluminum. The Aluminum would work its way loose over time and cause arcing, which lead to excessive heat, which leads to fires.

Even after the alloy was changed in Aluminum wiring, problems still persisted with the wiring.

Special outlets have to be used. These are marked CO/ALR. This means that the outlet is designed to work with either Copper or Aluminum.

“Pigtailing” the Aluminum wiring with Copper so that the Copper wiring can be attached to the outlets (remember, less expansion and contraction” is allowed by the National Electrical Code. No one is sure why. The Consumer Product Safety Commission does not see ‘pigtailing’ as a safe alternative.

Rewiring the home can be costly. The total price depends on to many variables to give you a price range here.

Deal Killer #3: Asbestos: Asbestos was used in many building materials and is still used in a very few even today.

Areas a Seller or Buyer will have to worry about it are in a few places. Pipe insulation on older heating pipes, vermiculite insulation, some paints and to a lesser extent, on roof and siding shakes.

Asbestos causes the most problem when it is in a loose state (friable) where particles can float around. We’re all aware of the health problems concerning Asbestos, so I’m not going to go into them here.

If you have Asbestos siding or roofing shakes/shingles, then there is a lesser worry because these are not friable unless broken.

Asbestos removal can be very, very costly and not likely a cost a new buyer will want to tackle shortly after moving into their new home.

Deal Killer #4: Composition Wood Siding: Some of this type of siding is known by it’s generic terms like Masonite and LP siding (there are other brands). This type of siding was (and some are still) involved in class action lawsuits.

This type of siding is basically constructed from pressed and glued wood particles, some as small as sawdust.

Some of the problems arise from poor installation techniques that allowed this siding to get wet. It would then start rotting and letting more water into the structure.

There have been many homeowners who joined the class action lawsuits, received money to replace the siding, but instead pocketed it and put their homes up for sale.

Composition wood siding companies only pay once for siding on a home. If a claim has been filed and paid out on a home, there’ll be no more money coming down the pipe for siding replacement on that particular home!

Deal Killer #5: Polybutylene (PB) plumbing lines: These are water supply lines that are grayish in color.

The problem was that this type of piping is known to burst, especially at the seams. Many of the class action lawsuits have been closed and it may be difficult, if not impossible, to receive any money for replacement if the home you are buying has PB plumbing.

Replacement cost can be in the thousands of dollars. Any good home inspector will call this out on their inspection report and likely recommend a licensed plumber to investigate. I don’t know of one reputable plumber who will recommend keeping the pipes in your home.

Granted, many of these Deal Killers only exist on older homes. However, especially in rural areas, we’ve seen these components show up on newer homes. How, I don’t know unless someone had a stockpile of these materials.

A pre-listing inspection by a reputable and qualified home inspector will bring these Deal Killers and other potential deal killing threats to you attention before listing your home. Playing ignorant about what is in your home (like some real estate agents recommend) will not save you from having to fork over some greenbacks before you home will sell.

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How To Increase Brand Value Through Design

The visual representation of a brand is just the tip of the branding iceberg, often seen almost as a separate entity from the rest of the brand strategy, and yet it is crucial for the brand image to derive from and contribute back to all the other brand elements. Visuals designed in alignment with the overall strategy and used consistently help communicate your brand message, promise, personality and more, as well as significantly increase brand value.

If we dive into this close connection between design and value, three main points arise.

Alignment
Think of the look of your brand as the extension of its essence; if your brand is your gift to the world, your brand’s image is the alluring paper the gift in wrapped in. Obviously, the presentation needs to match the content, or the recipient’s – or, in our case, the prospect’s – expectations might not be met, causing disappointment and loss of trust. For more impact and income make sure your logo, your choice of colors, contrasts, shapes, ornaments, images, fonts and other visual components, and your brand image as a whole reflect your brand identity.

Besides looking professional and trustworthy, they need to speak to your ideal client, emphasize your brand personality, support your brand promise, mirror your offerings, radiate your brand values, and facilitate building brand awareness. Proper alignment prevents the unwanted scenario of “a confused mind always says no”, and results in faster growth, more clients and more money in the bank. Consequently, brand value skyrockets as well, should you ever decide to sell your brand or bring investors on board.

Consistency
Consistency is key too, if you want your brand value to keep rising. Brand image plays an important role in creating a memorable, recognizable brand that conquers a corner in your ideal prospect’s mind. Using the same visual elements over and over again will help your audience remember them and associate them with your business, putting you on their radar every time they’re searching for the type of solution you provide. To ensure a consistent use of all your graphic designs keep them organized in a brand manual to be shared with your team. The more consistent you are, the more memorable and profitable your brand is.

Up-to-dateness
When it comes to brand image, you also want to pay attention to how fresh and up-to-date it is. Does it keep the pace with the fast changing business environment, especially online, or does it seem stuck in 2005? To get to and stay at the forefront of your industry, your designs need to evolve in time just as the rest of your brand, showing your target market that you’re a serious change agent, thought leader and trend setter, and spotlighting the advancement of your expertise. Cutting edge designs reenforce your go-to position in your field, bring in more high paying clients who tend to prefer working with business owners who are just as serious about growth and reinvention as they are, and help you stand out in the crowded marketplace for all the right reasons. Plus, relaunching your brand with an updated look adds excitement and generates buzz, both excellent for business.