Upon signing a sales contract with a Seller, the Buyer must immediately make several decisions regarding inspections. The three that usually come to mind are a home inspection, a pest inspection, and a radon inspection, among others.

Depending on how the contract is worded, offers are usually made with the sale contingent upon results satisfactory to the Buyer.

Because many people are unfamiliar with radon gas and government standards for safety, they often ask “Do I need a radon inspection?”. We always encourage a Buyer to have all inspections necessary to protect their health and safety.

 Radon is an invisible odorless gas created as a by-product of radioactive mineral decay. To detect the presence of the gas, the inspector may use a monitor or collection device over a three day period. The results are tabulated then presented to the Buyer in a written report. If the results indicate a level of gas present above the government standard, then remediation is indicated. 

 Remediation often takes the form of a series of professionally installed collection tubes or pipes connected to a constantly running small fan that exhausts the gas to the outside, thus lowering the amount of interior gas to an acceptable level. A retest is done after the installation of the system to assure that it is functioning correctly. This retest is included in the price.

 How much does it cost? A test is usually done at the same time as other inspections, and adds about $100 to invoice. This is paid directly to the testing company by the Buyer at time of inspection(s). A home inspection for a single family home is in the $300-$350 range, and a pest inspection is in the $50-$75 range, depending on company chosen by the Buyer.  If radon is found the cost to remediate is in the $700-$800 range. Who pays is a negotiable item between Seller and Buyer.

 Deadlines are in effect of all contracts. The usual deadline is to have the test, get the results, then, if necessary, negotiate with the Seller on remediation. This process typically must be done and signed on a PAR form by both parties within 15 days from the signing of the sales contract. The clock starts ticking on the date the last person signs the initial agreement. Be aware that the day indicated on page 1 may be the date that negotiation started, but the date the last party signs on page 10 is the effective date.

 Government publications are available to explain what radon is and its characteristics. A link follows below.

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

Welcome to my new blog. In spite of the perception this is a quiet time time of the year in real estate, it has been busy around here. Last week I closed on my listing at 125 Union Street in Crafton. The seller now lives in Lawrenceville, and the buyer has transferred in from a military post in Wisconsin. I was pleased to be in dual agency on that transaction, working with two wonderful clients.

Tomorrow my 3-unit investment listing in Shadyside closes, sold by another Coldwell Banker  agent in my office. There were multiple offers on this property, again saying when something is priced right, it will sell.

There is high interest in my Friendship Park 2-unit investment property, and a written offer is expected today from another broker. So, if you hear the Pittsburgh market is down, consider this a great time to move a property. Properties priced correctly for the market will attract buyers and from the buying side, the selection has never been better.  

Thanks for reading!