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Vague Real Estate Terms
Through the years humorous articles have been written
poking fun at comments in real estate ads. We all know
that "close to public transportation" should be interpreted as "built over the subway".
But the following are vague real estate terms that
can get real estate salespeople into trouble. The age of consumerism has become the age of litigation, and the following terms should be avoided or used judiciously.
New Roof
The
term "roof" is misleading in that it implies the roof covering plus the roof sheathing, rafters or trusses. The word "new" is rather nebulous as well. "Shingles replaced in 1990" is
a more accurate description.
Updated Wiring
Does updated wiring mean the size of the service has been
increased or additional circuits have been added? Does
it mean that the older knob tube wiring has been torn
out (which is usually not necessary)? Sometimes it means
that the old outlets have been replaced with modern-looking
ones, however the wiring has not been changed at all.
A better approach may be to comment on the adequacy of
the incoming service and more importantly the adequacy
of the distribution network. Both of these however,
are very difficult to assess without a solid understanding
of electricity. We all know that you cannot determine
the size of an electrical service by reading the sticker
on the main box in the basement. It may be best to
leave this one alone.
Thermal Windows
There is really no such thing. The R value (resistance
to heat transfer) of a typical wall in a modern house
is approximately R12 to R20. The R value of a single
glazed window is R1. What about a double glazed window?
R2! The window manufacturers call this a 100% improvement!
The real benefit of double glazing is that it increases
the surface temperature of the inside pane of glass so
that condensation does not form on the windows in the
winter time.
If the second pane of glass is a separate storm window,
there will be a separate frame for the storm. This creates
a second barrier to air infiltration and in some cases,
it is a better arrangement than a double glazed window
in a single frame.
Upgraded Plumbing
Are
we talking about new bathroom fixtures or new copper
pipes? If we are talking about new pipes,
are we talking about all new pipes within the house or
just the accessible ones in the unfinished portion of
the basement? When we say "all copper plumbing" do we mean
the waste piping as well? From the mid 1950's to the
late 1960's, waste plumbing was also copper.
In the vast majority of houses where old galvanized supply
plumbing has been replaced with modern copper, the line
coming in from the street has not been replaced. Back
in the days when galvanized plumbing was installed, the
line coming in from the street was not galvanized steel.
Instead it was lead. Recent newspaper articles and television
programs have people all in a knot about the lead in
houses. This is not to suggest that this is a problem,
however, terms such as upgraded plumbing may make purchasers
believe that the supply line coming in from the street
has been changed as well.
Totally Renovated
One
person's idea of a total renovation is quite different
than another's. If a house has eight
year old shingles on the roof at the time of the renovation,
there would be no need to replace the shingles unless
the renovation includes changes to the roof line. The term "totally renovated" leads some purchasers to believe that every part of the house that shows wear has been replaced. Therefore, they expect new shingles and are disappointed to find that the roof is "older" even
though it does not require replacement. There
are many more expressions that cause confusion. With
the degree of professionalism on the
rise in the real estate community, there is no place for ambiguity.
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