is the red, white, or blue colored plumbing. Again, there may be
a few insurance carriers that will bind coverage for these types
of plumbing, but with limited benefits and excluded or rated
premiums. While the plumbing type is not as easily identified,
it still can be with little effort. Look at the water heater supply
pipes, under the sinks, or any open areas there may be plumbing
visible. And check the subject property condition disclosure - it
asks if PB Plumbing is present but is usually marked “unknown.”
defective drywall, let alone assume the liability. BUT, if the
subject property was built between 2004-2008 and you suspect
defective drywall, you might consider this. Hire a home inspector
but on condition: the home inspector must check for defective
drywall first. If the house has the bad drywall, have the inspector
stop. It’s pointless to continue and the fee will be much lower
than a full home inspection (make sure you find out that fee
ahead of time). The other condition is if there is no defective
drywall present, continue the home inspection as usual.
ROOFING
Know going into a house with asphalt or fiberglass shingles on
the roof that are minimum 15 years old, insurance will be an
issue. If the roof is tile or metal, limits may be as high as 25-40
years depending on the carrier.
DEFECTIVE DRYWALL
I would not expect any Florida real estate agent to identify
Keep in mind, insurance carriers’ underwriting guidelines change
and are updated continually. All real estate agents should know
and have an insurance agent in their corner, a go-to person to
keep you current on the latest guidelines.
Agents performing a little extra effort or due diligence prior to
viewing a home and then observing potential issues while at a
showing will let your buyers know you are truly working for them
and have their best interest in mind.
RPCRA.ORG | JUL/AUG 2017
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