Home Inspections BLOG by REI & Co

References

2009-10-11T13:03:00.002-06:00

In this day and age of multiple fly by night businesses the best thing you can do is ask for references when you contemplate hiring someone!
REI and Co has done thousands of inspections and we can provide you with references on our work, our report system, our helpfulness throughout the inspection process and also with follow up.
Dont be afraid to ask for a few references from anyone you are thinking about hiring. It will give you piece of mind!
Geoff

Mike Holmes is coming to Home Inspections!

2009-03-07T12:16:00.002-07:00

One of the best pieces of information I received this past week was that Mike Holmes has started a Home Inspection Company in Ontario and will be starting a Home Inspection TV Show in April to alert the public to not only getting a home inspection BUT getting a good home inspector to do it!
I think that Mike Holmes new TV show will alert the public to the ramifications of NOT getting a home inspection done when they buy a new or used home. This should help us in the home inspection industry but better than that it will help the general public!
I have always said for such a small price you can have piece of mind that your home you are planning on buying is safe! Mike Holmes will show what happens when you dont get a home inspection done OR you get a uneducated inspector to do it!
Here are REI & Co we are Holmes on Holmes supporters and are excited that Mike will guide our prospective clients so they understand why they should call us!

In to the fall market we go!

2008-09-04T12:04:00.002-06:00

As we head in to September there is lots of talk of the Edmonton Real Estate market picking up and getting back to normal levels. The children go back to school and cabins get closed for the summer and our thoughts turn to selling our homes and buying new ones.

REI & Co continues to be the leader in the Edmonton home inspection field with high end technology to assist you with your home inspection, great competitive pricing, and availability that is hard to beat - 7 days a week and no set times for inspections - WE WORK AROUND YOU!

Make sure you give us a call before closing your deal - you will be happy you did!

Geoff

No reason to NOT get an inspection in this market!

2007-09-17T17:29:00.000-06:00

Gone are the days where people were fighting over properties. Gone are the days when multiple offers were a norm.
Gone are the days when people could not expect to get a house if they put "subject to inspection"
In this market buyers have the upper hand. They can put "subject to inspection" and make sure they are getting a great property!
There are over 9000 listings on MLS this month so the market is flooded with properties, so make sure that you are making a good call on the property you select.
With one call to us we can come quickly to see the house - there is NO need to put a long time period on your offer. Call us while you write the offer and we can come within the next 24-48 hours and take care of the inspection for you.
Take advantage of this market cause in months to come prices could go up again and the amount of listings could decline again - if you are buying NOW then get an inspection done.
Our prices start at $340 for a single family home in Edmonton or surrounding area - $340 is a small amt of money to pay to know that the home you picked has no major issues that could cause you money down the road!
We look forward to seeing you on your inspection!
GEOFF

Watch the expert!

2007-05-18T00:26:00.000-06:00

If you ever needed a reason to get a home inspection all you have to do is turn on Holmes on Holmes and he will show you some true examples. Mike Holmes motto of "Make it Right" holds true with REI. We truely want to make sure that if there are issues with your "new home to be", that you know to "Make it Right"....without an inspection you will never know until it is too late.
A true example of this was in the last few weeks with basements flooding on homes people had just moved in to. They didn't get inspections and thus had not had the grading looked at or the sump pump checked....we had a lot of calls from people wanting us to come out and help after the fact.
Remember for such a small amount of money we can give you true peace of mind when purchasing your next home.
Signing off,
Geoff

Time Constraints not an issue!

2007-04-16T00:06:00.000-06:00

Well this past week has shown how we can work at the call of a buyer. We had numerous inspections where we had to come within 2-3 hours and we did it! We showed that we are up to those last minute home inspections that seem to be showing up on offers constantly. We can get the job done and have the report to you that same day! Remarkable!
We definitely like to have some notice but it definitely is not necessary - especially if it means protecting the buyer but getting them the house they want (with the knowledge in hand that it is A OK to buy).
So for those that need us at a drop of a hat - call us! we shall fit you in!
Signing off
Geoff

2007-03-23T16:52:00.000-06:00

Real Estate Showcase - March 21 2007
This past Wednesday we attended the Real Estate Showcase which is put on each year for realtors, by the Edmonton Real Estate Board. It was REI's first year doing this and we found it to be very beneficial.
We managed to meet a lot of realtors - some knew of us and some had never heard of us even though we have been around so long.
A lot of realtors were repeating our thoughts in regards to homes that are being sold without conditions on. They definitely thought that it was time to change things as a lot of their clients may end up finding issues with their homes once they move in and then it would be too late for recourse.
It was good to hear that realtors were in agreement and wanted their clients to get a home inspection for their own peace of mind....
With the weather getting better we hope for more homes on the market and thus not so much competition for each home - therefore allowing people time to decide on their purchase AND allowing them time to get a home inspection!!!
Signing off,
Geoff

Welcome to the first BLOG by Geoff...

2007-03-15T17:36:00.000-06:00

Welcome to REI & Co's first BLOG. The team at REI & Co thought it fitting to start a BLOG with the ever changing real estate market.

With the real estate market being the way it is at the moment it does effect home inspections and the way people look at them and we hope through our website AND our BLOG that people will begin to understand the relevance and the sheer need to get an inspection done.

With multiple offers coming in on homes right now there is a tendency for people to want to put as little as possible on their offers except for a great price~

What they forget though, in all the excitement of the win of the house, is that there could be problems. Some problems are solvable but may require money and some are a disaster. And wouldn't it have been great to know ahead of time so you know what you are getting yourself in to.

What we are finding at REI & Co is that people are coming back to us after they have taken possession of a home and are asking for a post home inspection. Usually it is because they have discovered something that they need checked to put their mind at ease.

It is so risky to purchase a home without an inspection being done and the main point I want to stress is we need to educate everyone on this fact so they do understand that putting a condition on an offer is just fine. You get the peace of mind you need when you are doing something as big as buying a home. REI works with some great realtors who stress to their clients all the time that they need to get a home inspection done...thus with the realtors along with the inspectors educating the Edmonton public we should be able to see all offers subject to inspection. And then people do not have to worry that theirs will be the only one with an offer - THEY ALL WILL HAVE IT!

And rest assured we are usually able to make it out to the property within 24-48 hrs so there doesn't have to be a 2 week time period placed on the condition. REI can have a full inspection and report done for you immediately.

Hopefully this BLOG will be a source of information to all looking in. We hope to have a lot of pictures and descriptions for people so they can see what can go on in some houses that perhaps look great on the outside but have issues on the inside. And we will also show the good ones! Cause there are some great houses and buildings out there that are the model!

If you have a comment or a question please feel free to add your 2 cents in..the more the merrier!

A BLOG is an open forum for all!

Signing off for now!

GEOFF LATHAM - CEO of REI & Co (Real Estate Inspections)

Geoff@reiandco.com