Routine Maintenance.

 My daughter Rachael is now eighteen years old and yes that makes me feel old.  She has secured her first job over the summer and has been saving religiously for her first car.  I told her I would match her dollar for dollar and this week she saved enough to start shopping.  We have looked at used cars all week in the ten + year’s old range and it didn’t go well.  Everything we looked at was not in very serviceable condition and she was getting down.  Today we looked at one car this morning and it was a dog, we looked at another car this afternoon and hit the jackpot.  Finally a car in our price range that was in good condition.  It wasn’t the coolest model, not equipped with all the bells and whistles, and definitely not the newest, hippest model.  So what made it a deal?  It had been maintained.  Routine maintenance is not glamorous or even fun but it does pay off.  It doesn’t matter what price or how old the car is, it’s how it has been maintained that makes the difference. 

                                       “Neat story mister inspector but what does this have to do with real estate?” Glad you asked.  Houses much like cars need routine maintenance.  There are people out there looking for a house in every imaginable price range.   It doesn’t necessarily have to be new or the latest coolest model, if it is well maintained people will buy it. The nicest house I looked at this week went for less than $175k. Nothing fancy but a good, solid reliable house.   Fall is here and with it a new heating season.  Now is a great time to have your furnace serviced and change the filter.  A service record on the furnace is a great thing and shows pride of ownership.  It definitely changes the way I look at things when I get to the house.  This is also a great time to take a look in the crawlspace for pests and leaks.  Check out those vents screens for holes because rodents are looking for a warm place to sleep as well.  What happens when the rodents do get in?  Check out this weeks pics.   Oh, and by the way, congratulations Rachael, your dad is very proud and happy for you.  Happy motoring…….. 

                                                Sincerely,   Matt Sorensen WestCoast Home Inspection.    

                                   How would you like to walk into this room in the middle of the night?

WestCoast Home Inspection                                                                  Phone:           253-380-2922

903 291^st Street

                                                                                                              Scheduling:        253-380-5949

Roy, WA 98580                                                                                                 Fax:        253-843-1807