Inspecting older Atlanta homes

     I love the look and feel of the older Atlanta bungalows, especially after someone renovated it with the help of an architect. These houses have been changed from their very simple pre-war design to an elaborate, open floor plan that allows for entertaining and flows better than you think it possibly could. When using a professional architect, designer, and general contractor, the “renovated” house is essentially a new home with most everything updated or replaced. 

     Then there are the homes that people, especially investors purchase just to renovate. Performing inspections on these homes is something completely different from any other home. My inner detective really must come out so that the inspection will reveal where the renovation went wrong or what corners were cut and for what reason.

Here are a few of the many things I see on homes that did not get a complete or proper “renovation”:

1)      The main electrical panel had been replaced, but only a very limited number of the branch circuits had been replaced. Many contractors will mask the older wiring with the additional of three-prong, grounded electrical outlets in older 2-wire systems. Oh yeah, this is not legal as per the NEC. Two wire branch circuits are acceptable as long as the outlets are of the un-grounded, 2-prong style.

2)      I often see where the air-conditioning compressor had been replaced, but the hard to get to, crawlspace installed furnace and air-conditioning coils had not.

3)      The water supply and sewage discharge piping is replaced only where it is easily accessible and not where it is going to eventually fail.

Be very careful when purchasing an older, renovated home. Be prepared to spend a lot of time with your inspector. Many things will be uncovered.

Richard Morse

Morlin Property Inspections

InspectorRick@Bellsouth.net

(770)564-1505
Atlanta Home and Commercial Property Inspections

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Listing Agents, please have your homes de-cluttered for the Inspection

I guess that this is my rant for the day.

     First off, I do admit that this may not always be possible. But, if the home is currently occupied, or recently vacated, cleaning or straightening up the home should be and can easily be done. I recently entered into an occupied home that was almost impossible to have a complete inspection performed on. Large piles of debris (boxes, bags, dirty clothes, etc.) were around the mechanicals in the garage, as well as in the attic next to the furnace. Oh, and in the laundry room, kitchen, master bathroom, and in the…..the list goes on and on. The home was not a candidate for the show “Hoarders” by any means, but it did need some general rearranging and de-cluttering.  The listing agent, who was on site, told me to just, “push the items away from the furnace and water heater”. This sounds great, but I try to limit my own liability by not touching or “pushing” something that does not belong to me or my client. Especially, if I do not have explicit direction by the current homeowner. Fortunately, the Buyer’s agent was present. She and the Listing agent spoke and then contacted the seller. The seller allowed movement of the items for access. The Realtors together, graciously moved the items for the benefit of the Buyer. We then performed a complete, unobstructed inspection of the home.

I do not like entering into a home where I cannot perform the task that I was hired to do. Listing Agents, please help out the Seller, Buyer and their Inspector. Clean up the home before it is placed on the market.

Richard Morse

Morlin Property Inspections

InspectorRick@Bellsouth.net

(770)564-1505

Atlanta Home and Commercial Property Inspections

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As an Agent, do you encourage your client to be present at the Inspection?

Of course I am not going to say that agents discourage their clients from being present. I do feel that sometimes not enough emphasis is placed on the importance of being present. I cannot pin this just on any agent, but also on the buyers themselves. Some just do not feel that it is extremely important to be present. I will always encourage that a client attends the inspection. I even encourage that the agent be present. Not necessarily for the whole inspection, but for at least the final portion where I can explain the locations of several items, how certain systems operate and what concerns were noted that will require repair. I recently was called back to look at a home after an in-wall water pipe had broken. I also perform Mold Assessments and the homeowner wanted to test the air-quality within the home. The majority of the damage did not occur because of the actual water line break. Much more damage occurred because the homeowner did not know the locations of either of the water shut off valves. Should the homeowner have known exactly where the shut off valves were and how they operated, much less damage would have occurred. And yes, the homeowner did not think it was necessary to be present at the inspection. Inspections not only give you a list of items that require immediate and future repairs, it also gives you and your client an education to their new home and its many features and systems. Encourage that they be present.


Richard Morse

Morlin Property Inspections

InspectorRick@Bellsouth.net

(770)564-1505

Atlanta Home and Commercial Property Inspections


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Safety in Vacant Homes. What do you do?

How many of us out the field, including agents, inspectors, appraisers and pest control companies look at foreclosed homes alone? I spend approximately half of my time inspecting homes in Atlanta that are vacant. Many of these homes are for investment firms that are outside of the metropolitan area and for the most part, out of state – so of course, they are not present. What kinds of precautions do you take before you enter into that property? Do you let others know where you are? If you are with a client, how well do you actually know them? Do you perform a quick sweep of the home to ensure that no one is there? When inside do you lock the door behind you?

These are very important questions to think about. There has been a rash of assaults and murders in vacant homes on real estate professionals. On September 28, an Ohio man was apprehended in the shooting death of a real estate agent. Apparently, the disgruntled home owner knew and had dealings with the agent. A real estate agent was assaulted when she showed a vacant home to a potential buyer. In this case the attacker was apprehended because the agent wrote down his license plate number before entering into the home. A few years ago in Atlanta, 3 real estate agents were assaulted by a man who posed as a “Professional” baseball player. I have looked around and found that 206 agents were murdered on the job between 1982 and 2000. This does not account for assaults.

I entered into a home several months back to perform an inspection. During my initial walk through, I did not see anything out the ordinary. Nearing the end of the inspection, I opened a bedroom closet door to find a sleeping man – who became agitated quickly. This ended well, but would it had in different circumstances? I have many stories of entering into vacant homes that have been used by homeless for a shelter. Although I have never faced imminent danger, would others have?

A vacent home that had recently been used by homeless as a shelter.

When entering into an unfamiliar neighborhood, I locate the home and then drive around to see if I notice anything or anyone that I consider strange. When I get out of my vehicle at the home, I walk the exterior of the home to see if there are any signs that the doors or windows had been tempered with. When inside, I perform a sweep, with the door open, to see if anyone is there. When I decide that it is safe to stay, I lock the door behind me. When someone arrives to look at the home, I take their license number down. Always be suspicious and never trust anyone. OK that sounds bad, but remember that your client may be someone that you only spoke with over the phone. Do you really know them? In the best circumstances, you should first meet your client at your office – with others around. Should you carry some sort of personal defense device? Yes. There are many products that are very easy to use and are non-lethal that can be administered very quickly and easily, which can allow for your escape.

Everyone who performs field work alone must be very careful. Be cautious, suspicious, and on full alert – at all times. Just be careful.

Richard Morse

Morlin Property Inspections

InspectorRick@Bellsouth.net

(770)564-1505

Atlanta Home and Commercial Property Inspections

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Net Net Net Commercial Property Assessments

Lately, I have been working with a lot of Attorneys. Not because of something that I did, but because something I have been doing. Ok. It doesn't make a lot of sense yet, but just wait. The latest Court dealing was with a property owner and his tenant. The property in question is a gas station in Atlanta. I was retained by the owner over three years ago to perform periodic inspections or assessments of the property to determine if the tenant had been performing required maintenance as per the Lease Agreement. The property owner lives out of state and cannot properly monitor the structure. As you may have already guessed, the tenant was not performing what was required. The reports submitted by my firm were enough evidence to sway the decision against the Tenant. Do you know anyone who wants to lease a gas station?

Atlanta Home and Commercial Property Inspections

With the decline of the economy came the decline of several small local businesses. Many of the property owners that I have spoken with are left with buildings that have not been properly maintained. Unfortunately, they did not discover this until the tenant moved out. If they had looked at the building more often, they may have been able to determine what maintenance should have been performed and may have had the opportunity to ask the tenant to perform what was needed - or to face the court system. The property owner in this case, for the modest cost of the assessments, walked away with much more – A winning case.



Richard Morse

Morlin Property Inspections

InspectorRick@Bellsouth.net

(770)564-1505

Atlanta Home and Commercial Property Inspections

Richard Morse Morlin Property Inspection FaceBook Fan Page