Nov. 23, 2007 - An Interview with Craig Stivale of Alpha Home Inspections

An Interview With A Top Las Vegas Home Inspector

Today we are talking to Craig Stivale of Alpha Home inspections. He has agreed to answer some questions to give us an inside look at the home inspection business.

Chris: Hi Craig, and thank you for taking time to answer a few questions for my readers. Tell us a little about yourself.

Craig: Hi Chris, I have been raised in the construction business starting at an early age so I guess you could say it's in my blood. When I moved to Las Vegas years ago I took my state test for inspector of structures and passed with high grades, so I went to work for a national franchise and stayed there for a few years and then started my own business. It's been great.

Chris: How did you get into the business?

Craig: My farther owned a construction company and I started as a laborer. So I know the building process from top to bottom.

Chris: Has business slowed down since the market has slowed a little?

Craig: Yes, but I've noticed so has the competition. I think the market is cleansing it's self at this point.

Chris: I have heard listing agents say to their seller, "a home inspector will nit pick and always find
something wrong just to justify getting paid." How would you respond to this?

Craig: I agree - great point and some will. I don't. I approach each inspection like I was buying the home for myself, I am very through yet I do not include cosmetic issues like dirty carpets section... If there is a problem like a cracked roof truss for example, I will take a picture with an arrow pointing to that broken truss.

Chris: Why should a buyer pay for a home inspection?

Craig: To reassure themselves that they are buying a safe home that is up to code and that includes fire safety and to address potential problems.

Chris: If someone purchased a brand spanking new home, they should be OK, right?

Craig: NO!!! By all means have a new home inspected. I have seen plenty of structural defects not to mention plumbing leaks along with HVAC issues. When you do your final walk through with the builders representative they will not be looking for anything but cosmetic. A home inspection will find these issues before you get moved in.

Chris: Take us through an inspection on say a single story home of about 1500 sq feet.

Craig: All the built in appliances, HVAC, plumbing, electrical (breaker box) all outlets including GFCI, attic framing, insulation's, trusses, fire walls of the garage, lot drainage, mold, pests, the list goes on and on.

Chris: Sounds very through. What is the worst thing you have ever found?

Craig: Several broken roof trusses where the entire attic was covered in mold.

Chris: Wow bet the new homeowners were glad you found that. I know mold can have serious affects on your health. Is there a builder in town that consistently has very few things wrong?

Craig: Yes, I would say Pulte and Toll Brothers's are our best builders.

Chris: That is good for buyers looking to buy in the valley. If they are buying resale it would be good to ask their Realtor® to look into these builders and the subdivisions they have built. In my previewing of new homes I was always impressed with Pulte.

Chris: I want to thank you Craig for giving us some insight on the home inspection business. For people moving to Las Vegas and buying a home how may they contact you to get your fine services?

Craig: Feel free to visit my web-site Alpha Home Inspection in Las Vegas . Thank you for the chance to talk with your readers. I hope I can be of service.

Nov. 19, 2007 - Traveling this week?

If you are traveling this week

If you are traveling by air this week, be prepared for long lines at security. Please check in at least two hours before your flight so you are there in plenty of time. When you get to your destination and are picking up your bags, please double check you are taking the right bag. When you check in you are given baggage receipts that match the numbers on your bag tag. It is such a pain to take the wrong bag, get to your hotel or relatives house and have to turn around and return to the airport. Have fun but take your bag with you.

Happy Thanksgiving

Nov. 19, 2007 - Why I live in Las Vegas

The Beauty of it all

When I came to Las Vegas, it was to get out of the snow and the cold. I was not disappointed but I did not know how much I would really enjoy it. Now don't get me wrong it can get cold and we occasionally freeze but for the most part I can sit outside with my mom and watch a beautiful sunset. There are also certain flowers that do really well here, Roses, Zinnias, and Geraniums. I see the snow and cold going on in other places so I took some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

My neighbor's roses, it looks like an English tea garden

Another angle also showing the white roses

My Geraniums

My Zinnia's

There are more plants than just these but until it freezes these flowers will stay beautiful and if it never freezes this year I will have color all winter long. How cool is that?

Nov. 16, 2007 - Are lenders hurting their own business???

What is the hold up with the lenders??

I am really starting to believe that the lenders are sabotaging their own business and in turn is hurting our economy.

Buyers are putting in offers on short sales and it could be six months before the bank or mortgage company comes back with the price they want to see. (Based on a BPO) they had done six months before. In the meantime prices have dropped again because they did not move to give compatibles in the marketplace. Not only that but the agents that they are choosing to give the bank their opinion on the property do not take into account for things that drop property values such as overhead wires and being backed up to the street.

Now the waiting for an answer may be OK for an investor, but what about a family that is moving and needs to get into a home. Six months is too long for them to wait. They move onto another property that they can get into right away.

I have had a listing for over a year, we got an offer on it and based on what was going on with the property and the market, it was a fair offer. Yesterday, over six months later we finally got an answer as to what the bank wanted out of the property. They want $15,000 more than the offer and prices have dropped. This happened to be an investor that made the offer but he now has walked away for the deal with no counter offer. (another 6 months???) So next for this property will be foreclosure and the bank could have sold it.

I am disgusted at this turn of events. Buyers of America Hurry Up and Wait

Nov. 15, 2007 - Mortgage help on the way?

Is help really on the way?

I have been saying for months, why do the lenders not go to the borrowers that are in trouble and see if the loans could not be restructured?

I know there are some responsible buyers out there that have just fallen victim to bad loans. Some have hit on hard times such as job loss or injury.

I also know that there are greedy individuals that bought in a hot market, sucked all the the equity out of the houses and then wanted to sell. Oops, now there home is not worth what they owe on it. They can not get the house sold and are looking at foreclosure.

But no matter which kind of borrower they are, I think the lenders need to step up, and work with everyone facing a foreclosure. Otherwise, this could become another Savings and Loan debacle with billions of taxpayers dollars going into a bailout.

It looks like it might be happening according to CNN Money and articles I just read from October 25th and Nov 5th 2007, Countrywide in conjuction with Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America are going to help people in trouble. They may even help people that are not in trouble.

Not everyone is happy about this but, I for one applaud the efforts of Countrywide and hope that more lenders follow suit.

read more

Nov. 10, 2007 - What can I take on the airplane?

Traveling by airplane this Holiday Season?

To avoid not getting on the airplane this holiday season you should got to this website and check what is allowed in your carry on's. www.tsa.gov/travelers If you insist on carrying presents with you theyt can not be wrapped//your better off putting them in the mail

Nov. 9, 2007 - Know Thy Neighbors

Rotten Neighbors?

There is a new website that the ACLU just hates. It is called www.rottenneighbor.com If you are looking for a house in a certain neighborhood, maybe you should check this site before the final signing on the dotted line. It uses google map and you can zoom right in and see exactly what neighborhoods they are talking about. Some of the comments I read talked about home owners associations, a condo that an owner feels is going downhill, a man who hates animals in another neighborhood. Check your neighborhood or a neighborhood you are thinking about buying into. I saw nothing that the ACLA could be upset about, but then I only read about my neighborhood. What does your say?

Nov. 8, 2007 - The Monorail in Las Vegas

The Monorail at Las Vegas

The monorail at this time does not run from the airport to the strip. So plan on either a taxi or a shuttle,limo or rent a car. Once on the strip there is a monorail that runs between casino's. You can now buy monorail tickets on Cheaptickets.com or Orbitz.com.

To find out more about prices and the stops for the monorail go to www.lvmonorail.com

Nov. 8, 2007 - Ice Skating in Las Vegas???

Montelago Village at
Lake Las Vegas

Yes Virginia there is an ice skating rink in the middle of Las Vegas. Lake Las Vegas Resort which is about 17 miles from the strip, has an ice skating rink. Ypu will literally be floating on ice as you do your doubles and figure eights. The rink sits on a dock on top of Lake Las Vegas.

The rink is open from Nov-Feb. To find out more about Montelago Village go to www.montelagovillage.com