Homeowner News – Page 11

PECO’s Tree Man Comes To Wallingford PA

July 16, 2012 by admin

Wallingford Real Estate - Asplundh Trucks - Cameron Drive - Wallingford, PA - PECO Tree Cutting

Asplundh Tree Trucks On Cameron Drive In Wallingford Last Week

The letter from PECO came several weeks ago informing me that Asplundh tree crews would be visiting Sproul Estates in the next several to perform preventative tree trimming maintenance. I read this notice with trepidation, remembering the last time PECO’s tree man came to the neighborhood, and the loss of about 8 feet of tree top from the Holly and Norway Spruce trees that form the border of my property underneath the power lines.

I realize the need to trim trees and vegetation that can pose possible threats to overhead power lines during storms, but it is very disconcerting to have these trees clipped like they went to noivce barber. A bad haircut from only lasts a few weeks, the effects of “vegetation management” remains for years.

The tree man was last in the neighborhood about 4 years ago, and the trees had regained a decent shape, and then they are decimated again. The crew chief told me they would remove up to 8 feet of the trees, and would try to preserve as much as possible. I would hate to see what the result would look like if I had not spoken with him.

Wallingford Real Estate - Wallingford, PA - PECO Tree Trimming - Asplundh

The View Before

Wallingford Real Estate - Wallingford, PA - 19086 - Asplundh Tree Trimming - PECO

The View After

I hope there is some new growth in the next 4 years until the tree man’s next visit.

Wallingford Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Don’t Let Hardware Date Your Home

June 9, 2012 by admin

Nothing makes a home look older than loose, broken,

outdated or dirty hardware. This is especially true in

kitchens and bathrooms that tend to attract a

homebuyer’s attention more than any other rooms in a

house.

The good thing is that it is easy and

inexpensive to fix these problems. You will be amazed

at what a difference a few simple changes can make!

Consider the following updates to brighten your home and give it a new,

fresh and updated look:

– Cabinet Hardware: Repair loose knobs and pulls by tightening screws,

replacing stripped screws, and plugging gaps with wood filler. Alternately,

you may decide to replace knobs and pulls entirely. There is a wide variety

of options to choose from in every price range, and from simple to ornate.

– Door Hinges: It’s common to find paint on door hinges, yet it’s an easy

mistake to correct. Paint can be removed by washing it with hot, soapy

water and scrubbing with a toothbrush. Afterward, use a paint stripper that

is safe for all surfaces and then shine things up with brass polish.

– Door Knobs: Door knobs are everywhere in your home! Be sure that they

are all tightly attached and sparkly clean to make a great impression. Use

polish for brass knobs and warm water and dish soap for stainless steel.

Wallingford Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Not All Home Remodeling Projects Are Created Equal

March 11, 2012 by admin

Remodeling Magazine has released it’s 2010 vs 2011 Cost vs Value index that evaluates the cost of 35 popular home remodeling projects against the projected value at resale. To no surprise not all home remodeling projects are created equal, and not all home remodeling projects return is the same at resale.

An oft hear comment by sellers could not be further from the truth:

I put in over $50,000 in improvements, I want to get it all back

The four highest value add improvements cited are:

– Steel Exterior Door Replacement – 102.1%

– Garage Door Replacement – 83.9%

– Minor Kitchen Remodel – 72.8%

– Wood Deck Addition – 72.8%

The four projects that yielded the lowest return:

– Home Office Remodel – 45.8%

– Backup Power Generator – 48.5%

– Sunroom Addition – 48.6%

– Bathroom Addition – 53.3%

Check out the return for the 35 projects in the Middle Atlantic region.

When choosing a remodeling project for your home there are two important things to remember. Keep the project in line with other homes in your neighborhood. If you want to recoup the highest amount of your project investment do not over improve for your area. Secondly, regardless of the home improvements you make, do not expect to get your investment back dollar for dollar at resale.

Wallingford Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Nether Providence Township Changes Use And Occupancy Requirements

February 8, 2012 by admin

The Township has a set of U&O requirements that applies to homes sold in the Township. A U&O application and inspection in the township costs $70.00, and must be satisfactorily completed prior to the settlement date of a property.

The specific requirement for a GFCI is stated in the the U&O as:

Ground Fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles are required for receptacles located in bathrooms, powder rooms, laundry room, garages, outside receptacles, vicinity of pools, saunas etc. and in kitchen countertops. A receptacle with a single yolk that is dedicated for an appliance need not have a GFCI installed.

GFCI’s are designed to prevent electrical shock by breaking the circuit when there is an imbalance in current flowing between the hot – the right slot, and the neutral slot located on the left of the outlet. It can detect small amounts of electricity that standard outlets and circuit breakers can not sense, and turn off the current in as little as 1/30 of a second, preventing a potential lethal shock.

Wallingford Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Superior Court Rules On Disclosure Of Murder/Suicide

January 23, 2012 by admin

An upcoming court case in Delaware County will decide whether a murder/suicide, where a husband killed his wife and then committed suicide, constitutes a “material defect”,and should have been disclosed via the Seller’s Property Disclosure.

While Pennsylvania Seller Disclosure Law does not require the disclosure of a stigmatizing event that occurs on the property, the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that the sellers should have included notification of the murder/suicide in the section of the disclosure form that asks sellers to disclose any material defects “not disclosed elsewhere on this form.”

The definition of a material defect in regards to the Sellers Disclosure is:

a problem with a residential real property or any portion of it that would have a significant, adverse impact on the value of the property or that involves an unreasonable risk to people on the property

In November 2011, a Pennsylvania Superior Court reversed a lower court decision that a murder/suicide which occurred in the home did not in fact constitute a “material defect”, and consequently the sellers of the home were not required to disclose the event.

The property at the center of the case was obtained by a buyer who was aware of the murder/suicide at the time of purchase, and who subsequently sold the property nine months later. The second buyer, who was unaware of the past notorious events, is seeking legal remedy claiming the seller violated the disclosure law.

The plantiff in the case hired two appraisers, who held the opinion that the property was diminished by as much as 10 percent to 15 percent as a result of the murder/suicide. The Superior Court felt that this constituted a “material defect”, which consequently devalued the property, and should have been disclosed.

Four years ago a ruling in Beaver County which involved a suicide, stated that the suicide did not interfere with the “use and enjoyment of the property”, and therefore disclosure was not necessary. This has been the only other Pennsylvania case involving a stigmatizing event that has been decided in the state.

The precedent, based upon the outcome of this upcoming Delaware County case, may be building that disclosure of a stigmatizing event such as a murder or suicide will be required in the future.

I certainly know of many buyers who would consider the non-disclosure of such an tragic event constituting a material defect that devalues the property. As in all questions of disclosure by a seller – take the safe route and disclose it. Remember what you do not disclosure, your neighbors will, once the new owners move in.

Wallingford Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

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S. Clark Kendus