Blog Posts in July, 2011

Commercial and Industrial Roofing: Proper Maintenance and Care

In our experience the roof is one thing buyers have the most attention on and rightfully so. Proper maintenance and routine inspections are the best way to prolong the life of the roof. The typical commercial and industrial roof is a “flat” roof. This means that is has less than 2” of slope or fall for every level foot. Modern standards require all roofing to have a minimum of ¼” of slope for ...

What is a Phase 1? Do I Need One?

I have been asked a lot recently about Phase 1s. I realize there is a lot of confusion about them. Let me try to clear the air a bit so to speak. In its simplest terms a Phase 1 is a site visit and document review of the surrounding area to determine if further investigation is advised from an environmental stand point. A Phase 1 inspection is a review of local governmental documents regarding the ...

How Real Estate Investors Can Save Money

It has come to our attention that some real estate investors want to know how to save money on property they own. How would this best be done? How do they keep from spending money unnecessarily? How do they make the money they do spend the most effective? Here are my answers: Maintenance Timely maintenance. Properly done maintenance. Maintenance done in the correct sequence. What I am talking ...

Triple Net Lease Inspection, Do I Need One?

I know Im getting into a Triple Net lease but really its just a lease isnt it? Isnt the owner always responsible for all the physical stuff and I just pay him the rent? I have been in a long term triple net lease, do I need an inspection? I am getting ready to end my long term triple net lease, I dont need an inspection do I? The simple answer is yes you do need an inspection. A bit of education ...

What you should you know about Sewer Lines BEFORE you buy a Multi-Family or Commercial Building

What is the true condition of my sewer lines? Is this normal for this type of material and its age? Was the type of material used proper for this location? Are there aspects that are not proper such as incorrect access, improper size, etc.? How will I know if a serious problem will creep up at a later time? In commercial sites, chemicals have often been poured down the lines that can cause ...

Don't Blow the Deal!!

Having done over 6,000 property inspections and having been in the construction field for over 35 years I have some perspective on what happens before, during and after a property transaction. An aspect that comes up every once in a while is being asked to somehow deliver the information in a way so that I dont blow the deal. At first I used to take this kind of thing personally. I have always ...

What Should You Know About Mold BEFORE You Buy a Multi-Family or Commercial Building?

Aside from the health hazards attributed to mold, one of the most important factors for buyers and owners of Multi-Family and Commercial property is the cost of remedying serious mold issues. Molds are fungi. Fungi include mildews, molds, mushrooms, rusts, smuts, and yeasts. Without them we would not have, wines, cheese, bread and some of our medicines such as penicillin. Molds require moisture, ...

What is a Property Condition Assessment?

A Property Condition Assessment or PCA for short, is the term for a commercial real estate inspection used by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). At first glance, this may seem to be a bit technical but bear with me and I’ll attempt to break it down so that it can be easily understood. Per Wikipedia: “ASTM International (ASTM), originally known as the American Society for Testing ...

The Single Most Important Aspect to Any Building or Site is Maintenance

After over 30 years in the construction trades and over 6000 physical inspections I have come across a few pieces of wisdom. One of the biggest has to do with maintenance. From my experience maintenance is the single most important aspect of any building or site. Most original construction is fairly good. Most products such as plumbing fixtures and mechanical items such as Heating and AC units ...

What is a Detailed Property Inspection and Do I Need One?

In the state of California there are some generally agreed upon standards for property inspections. One is from the California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA). Another is from, ASTM – The American Society of Testing and Materials. ASTM is considered the yardstick in the industry for commercial and industrial real estate inspections. ASTM’s guideline includes a description of the ...

High-Tech Tools and Commercial Real Estate Inspections: Experience and Judgment are the Winning Combination

I got to thinking the other day about how I used to inspect when I first started in the early 90’s and how things have changed over the years. I used to hand write the real estate inspection report with carbon paper. Remember that stuff? I would give one copy to the buyer and keep one. God help me if I had the carbon paper the wrong way, didn’t write clearly or ran out of one of the forms. I ...

Should I Get a Building Inspection or Not?

I have been asked many times how important is a building inspection? Do I really need one? This is a new building why should I have an inspection? The city said it was ok, so I don’t really need an inspection, do I? It all looks good to me so why do I need to spend even more money having someone else go through it? Here are my thoughts. Yes, you do need a building inspection. Here is why. If you ...

Commercial Real Estate Inspection vs. Home Inspection

To answer this question it’s best to look at why the deal is being done in the first place. A home purchase deals to a large degree on emotion. Things like, “I love the house”, “What a beautiful kitchen”, “Great backyard” and on and on. People usually buy homes because they really love something about the home or the location. Commercial Real Estate purchases deal in money. The basic question is ...