- 5 April, 2005 -

Despite tumultuous weather conditions this past winter seemingly endless snowstorms on the east coast and devastating rain conditions on the west both the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) predict a strong housing market for early 2005. Yet those conditions can wreak havoc on the exterior of a house, and ultimately result in costly repairs. HouseMaster , North America's leading home inspection service, suggests sellers have their home pre-inspected before putting it on the market in the warmer months ahead in order to assess winter's damaging effects. According to Kathleen Kuhn , president and CEO of HouseMaster, a targeted and complete home inspection prior to putting the house on the market will identify many underlying conditions in need of repair. For every $100 in repairs a home needs, a buyer is likely to try to negotiate about $200 off the asking price, Kuhn said. "If you've lived in a house for 20 years, you've probably learned to live with a few problems, since you see them everyday. A potential buyer will see these as turnoffs," said Kuhn . "With so many buyers getting a professional home inspection, cosmetic improvements aren't necessarily enough to get the best price." For high-ticket items like a new roof, moisture problems or heating/cooling/plumbing issues, a seller can potentially lose tens of thousands of dollars. Kuhn believes the following areas of a home must be checked after a hard winter and urges homeowners to use a reliable, professional inspector: Roof - Roof shingles and flashings may be missing due to high winds or heavy ice and snow, leaving areas exposed to water damage during spring rains, especially if there is not proper drainage. Sidewalks and Exterior Landscaping - Sidewalks may have been damaged due to heavy salting or storms. A reliable inspector will also look at storm drains; downspouts; insect infestation; faulty weather-stripping; and trees or bushes that may hang dangerously close to the house or gutters. Foundations - Shoveled snow piled against a foundation can cause cracks and ultimately leaks and water damage. Any drains serving patio, driveway, swimming pool walkways or other outdoor areas should be dug clear and snow should not be piled anywhere on the property where it will block natural drainage paths. Heavy rains can result in separating foundations and leakage around windows. Windows Ice and heavy rains can also cause cracking and rotting around windows. About Housemaster HouseMaster has franchises in more than 370 cities in the United States and Canada . The company has collectively performed nearly 2 million inspections since 1979. For more information about home selling and inspection, visit www.housemaster.com or call 800.526.3939.

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