Mold May Result In Demolition Of Florida Condos...

There’s a fungus among us, at least in the city of Orlando, FL, where out of control mold growth is ravaging the Catalina Isle condominium community.   Some residents have complained that the mold growth in adjoining vacant units is so bad that they have been unable to remain in their own homes as a result.

The 89 unit complex may be condemned this week following a code enforcement sweep that founds dozens of cases of mold in high concentrations.

The problem was first reported in the news on March 9^th, since then other cases of water related damage including ceilings, pipes, and broken windows have been reported.  The problem of course is the number of residents who will be displaced with no place to live if the property is indeed condemned.

The problem in Florida illustrates with remarkable clarity the problems that can arise when water damage goes unchecked for too long.  Mold is one of the most common byproducts, appearing in as little as 48 hours following water damage, spreading rapidly, and proving next to impossible to remediate. 

Mold also brings along its own share of health hazards, from mild allergic reactions such as sneezing, watery eyes, and skin irritations, to more serious neurological disorders such as lung disease and if the level of exposure is high enough, even death.

Most mold growths can be eradicated fairly easily if they are only a few feet in circumference.  Once the growth get of considerable size, you may need to contact professional help.  Treating mold is not as simple as just removing the growth.  It is important to properly treat the affected area to make the environment secure against the growth returning.  This includes making sure that the area is dry, well ventilated, and preferably well lit. 

It is not at all uncommon for homes, businesses, or even entire city blocks to be condemned and torn down because of mold.  Mold remediation is a project that should be undertaken by a qualified, certified professional.

Certified water cleanup and damage restoration companies will be available 24/7/365, with a full staff of trained professional technicians, and able to have someone at your door within an hour of your call.  They will be equipped with the latest in water damage restoration equipment, and offer a full range of service from water extraction and drying, to carpet cleaning and mold removal, to structural repair and restoration.

Certified companies will also be prepared to work with your insurance and claims adjuster, to determine what is and is not covered, and see to it that repairs are completed in the most timely and efficient manner possible.

Of course no certification is going to be a guarantee of competence, but it does demonstrate that the company in question has spent time, energy, and financial resources to make sure their personnel are properly trained and equipped to take care of your home.  Certification provides accountability and credibility for water damage companies, and peace of mind for homeowners who already have enough problems to worry about.

More Flooding In Minneapolis

Rivers and creeks in the Minneapolis area reached flood stage during the last week, with Minnehaha Creek overflowing its banks and threatening over one hundred homes.  The city has been delivering sandbags to try and stem the rising waters, but more recent snowfalls have only aggravated the situation. 

In Carver residents are still bracing for the south fork of the Crow River to overflow its banks. The city added another three feet to its levee and are protecting one of its waste water lift stations.

The owner of an historic home across from the river is trying to minimize the damage if flooding hits by clearing out the basement.

"But the fear I don't think is that it's going to be water damage from the basement necessarily. It's going to be if the levy fails, I think that's the biggest fear because then you have a wall of water and it comes fast and you don't have any warning," said Carver historic homeowner Mary Williamson.  Residents are bracing for the floods, but hoping for the best.

Of course this is a prime example of what can happen when flood waters rise, particularly in basements or first floors of homes in low lying or flood prone areas.  While there is no way to completely waterproof a basement, there are ways to at least minimize the damage caused by a flood.

One of the easiest is to make sure that the landscaping around your home slopes away from your home for a distance of at least ten feet (but ideally fifteen or twenty feet).  Make sure that all gutters are clean and free of obstructions, and that all of your downspouts are channeling water in the appropriate direction, away from your home.

If you live on a flood plain or in an area with a history of flooding, you may want to visit your local emergency management office.  Examine the history of flooding in the area.  Using averages, you may be able to estimate just how much water you can expect to enter your home in the event of a flood. 

Armed with this information, you can minimize the water damage to your home by removing valuable items and documents from the basement or floor level.  Raise electrical appliances off the floor as much as possible.  Electrical boxes and power outlets can also be elevated at least six to twelve inches above the projected waterline.  Of course all work of this sort should be performed by a qualified electrician.

In the event your home is damaged by water, you should have the contact information for a local, IICRC certified water damage restoration company.  They will be available 24/7/365, with a full staff of trained professionals, the latest in water damage restoration equipment and procedures, and offer a complete range of services including water extraction and drying, carpet cleaning and mold removal, and any structural repair, reconstruction, or restoration that may be required. 

Call today for a free flood clean up estimate or phone consultation.

Benefits Of Buy Here Pay Here Car Lots

When buying a car, most of us go through the traditional route of dealers who utilize a number of lending sources to secure car loans.  While this may be the weapon of choice for people with decent credit scores, for those with less than stellar credit, it can be a tough road.

Traditional lenders are hesitant to grant loans to folks with below average credit scores, and even if such loans get approved, many of these buyers will find themselves looking at sky high interest rates.  With the more recent economic downturn, many dealers are opting to play it safe and only work with people who are in good standing with their credit.

There is an option for credit challenged buyers, however, the buy here, pay here lot.  Buy here pay here dealers are set up where you buy the car and make your payments directly to the dealership.  This is known as in-house financing and typically does not show up on any credit report. 

When working with a BHPH, you make monthly or bi-monthly payments directly to the dealer, and most often you are required to make the payment in person, either with a check or cash.  Some dealers have been known to rig their cars with a timer, designed to disable the engine if the payment date is missed.  Once payment is brought in, the timer is reset for another month.

The biggest difference between traditional dealerships and BHPH lots is the order in which things occur.  With traditional dealerships, you find the car you want and then discuss the financial arrangements.  With BHPH, they determine your financial standing and then basically tell you what car or cars you are qualified for.  This takes much of the joy out of shopping for a car, since nobody likes to be told what they can and cannot have, but it is a cold, hard truth of the business.

A typical visit to a BHPH lot will begin with having your credit pulled, the dealer developing an understanding of your financial situation, and then showing you a number of cars that you qualify for. Obviously BHPH lots are one of the prime stopping points for anyone who has had difficulty obtaining an auto loan.

There are three main benefits of going the BHPH route.

1)     

      BHPH lots allow credit challenged folks to still be able to buy a car. In cases where the credit score is exceptionally low, a BHPH lot may be the only game in town.

2)      It provides an opportunity to begin repairing your credit.  Making payments on time, or even paying the car off early can really help to improve your credit score.  Be advised that not all BHPH lots report to the credit agencies, so make sure and ask if they do before doing business with them

3)      BHPH lots are also more forgiving of older model trade ins, because they see the value inherent in getting the most long term use out of these cars.  Many may actually go back out on the lot and be sold again, as opposed to traditional dealerships that wholesale out their older trades.

Of course, as with any car dealership, there are good ones and bad.  The car industry has gone out of its way in many instances to earn the lousy reputation that it has.  Don’t blindly walk onto and buy from the first BHPH lot you come to.  Take the time to check them out and determine if they are legit, if they offer a quality service, and most importantly, if they report their deals to the credit agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).

If you do find yourself having to purchase a car in this manner, make your payments on time, each month, every month.  Preferably before the due date and ideally more than what is required.  Paying your car off early will really help your score, and have you back in the traditional dealership setting buying much better cars for better interest rates in a fairly short amount of time.

Bad credit is not forever.  By developing and exercising good financial habits, you can become a much sought after customer!  Now go therefore and ride in style.

Happy motoring!

Water Extraction 

Winter Storms Cause Record Damage Across New Mexico

The recent winter storms that affected much of the nation caused extensive damage to communities In New Mexico, and the effects are still being felt more than a month later.  Tens of thousands of homes and businesses were left without electricity or water for days.

Some residents claimed that it was the worst weather conditions that they had seen, with extremely cold temps and record snow amounts.  In fact,  four days of the storm set record-lows for the Holloman NM area, with Feb. 3 registering the coldest day in history for the area in the month of February at 18 degrees below zero.

According to the 49th Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight, the normal low for February is 28, which means many facilities just aren’t built or equipped to handle such extremes in temperature.  Over 145 federal buildings suffered from damage due to the freezing temps.

Base Master Sgt. Timothy Miles said “We had crews running 24/7 that were responsible for identifying buildings with water damage and fixing the problems in those buildings." 

Most of nearby Holliman’s water is from Alamogordo, but they were having water issues themselves, so the city had to switch to strictly running off of their wells. When the breaks started happening, water production went from 800 gallons per minute to 3,000 gallons per minute, so there was the added effect of an extra 2,200 gallons of water pumping every minute filling and ultimately damaging facilities.

Gas problems were also an issue throughout the state, with more than $3 million in damages estimated from the disruption. 

"We had to figure out which facilities would endure the least amount of damage from the gas being off," said Master Sgt. William Speyrer, 49th CES Heavy Repair superintendent. "We knew when we shut the gas off in a facility, there's a possibility there's going to be damage there. We had to choose which facilities were priority facilities and shut off the gas to the rest, because if we didn't, the whole base was going to go down. But we knew when the gas gets shut off, there's going to be consequences behind that."

Flood Clean Up

Nailing A Great Price on Your New home

For some reason, when it comes to the two biggest ticketed items that most of us will ever buy, namely cars and houses, we seem to become almost paranoid about the possibility of being ripped off.  Which is no doubt the reason that both of these items may be endlessly haggled over and thrashed out before finally reaching an agreed purchase price. 

When it comes to homes, it is decidedly a buyer’s market and has been for quite some time.  Your best move is to check out recently sold properties that are comparable to the one you are considering and make your offer from there.  Your real estate agent can be of invaluable assistance when it comes to helping make these calculations.

You may also want to check out comparable properties that were on the market recently but failed to sell.  See if you can determine why this was the case.  Was the asking price just too high?  Did the properties have enough issues with them to effectively negate the asking price?  There are any number of factors that may result in a property becoming overpriced. 

Check out market conditions and appreciation rates in the area where you are looking.  Have home values been on the rise?  The decline?  Since it is a buyer’s market, you can expect values to be extremely competitive.  When the pendulum swings back the other way, you can look for homes to become overpriced…..two extremes, with reality conveniently ensconced somewhere in the middle.

Consider looking into homes advertised as “For Sale By Owner”, which can effectively eliminate the 6% agent commission.  6% doesn’t sound like a lot, but it can drastically reduce the price of a home.  

Unfortunately, many of these homes may start out incredibly overpriced, so the 6% off may become a moot point.  Still, there are deals to be found in this area, with a little due diligence and patience, perhaps you can find one.

Of course the single best source for helping to determine if the price you are considering is fair or not is your real estate agent.  They are familiar with the homes and neighborhoods in your area and can guide you to the best priced properties.  Let them do the footwork where it is appropriate.  You’re paying them a considerable sum of money to do so. 

In any scenario, the ultimate bottom line is your own gut instinct.  Does the price of the property ring true and fair to you?  If not, then keep looking.  In most cases, we are willing to pay a little more for properties that we are genuinely excited about.  This is the single most important purchase you will make, at least for the next several years, so make sure it is one that speaks to your heart.

Even when the tide turns and it becomes a seller’s market again, don’t just assume that the price on the ad is what you must pay.  Always offer slightly less and see what happens.  You have not because you ask not.  You can get an attractive deal even in a seller’s market.   

Water Cleanup