Journal » House Tales

House stuff: Don’t let your garden hose flood your home!

Mike — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:29:37 +0000

See, that hose bibb, the valve in the photo below? (more…)

GreenNC Tradeshow, Raleigh, NC, September 9, 9 to 5

Mike — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:10:47 +0000

Under the auspices of the Triangle, Piedmont Triad and Charlotte, North Carolina Chapters of the US Green Building Council, and presented by NC State University’s Solar Center, the Raleigh Convention Center will be the home of the 5th Annual Green Building Trade Show for North Carolina. (more…)

Topping off the house

Mike — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:56:07 +0000

I get a kick out of watching the house frame go together. The crane lifting trusses to start the roof framing is a favorite. (more…)

Modern and New Homes? Or Historical and Older?

Mike — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:23:23 +0000

The topic of polybutylene plumbing pipes recently sparked a little exchange in another venue, one in which I just had to participate. (more…)

Underground fuel oil tanks, “UST” Alert!

Mike — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 04:21:20 +0000

Affordable housing demand coupled with a growing desire for larger lots, mature landscaping and tall trees are factors that are driving an increase in requests for homes in older Cary and Raleigh neighborhoods. (more…)

Be safe! Enjoy fire in its proper place!

Mike — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:30:11 +0000

Ryan told me I could start a blaze with dryer lint, so I just had to give it a try. (more…)

Cary NC Real Estate: Why I tell my Buyers to have the furnace checked!

Mike — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:21:14 +0000

Common HVAC systems in the Cary and Raleigh, NC, area, the packaged unit, also known as a “gas pack” is an efficient piece of equipment that contains both the AC unit and the gas furnace. (more…)

Selling a home? Have it inspected first.

Mike — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:52:32 +0000

When talking about listing a home for sale, I nearly always suggest to Sellers that they have an inspection performed, and they do all repairs, prior to putting the home on the market.

Most Sellers are surprised at that thought, since “The Buyer pays for the inspection.” That is almost an irrelevant point. (more…)

First time home buyers find the structural “Sweet spot.”

Mike — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 04:12:50 +0000

Blog fodder:

Home built in 1979.

In the structural real estate realm, that means:

Copper water lines, not the celcon-fitting class-action polybutylene that came along a couple of years later.

Solid hardboard siding, not evil class-action hardboard.

Copper wiring, not the aluminum branch circuits from the mid-’70’s.

No lead-based paint disclosure or tangible concerns, as in 1978 homes and earlier.

And this home was very affordable!

All in all, pretty cool, we thought!