While working as a Public Insurance Adjuster I would often get phone calls from young single mothers hoping I could help them get money for repairs to their homes. Unfortunately, when I would arrive I would find that they were improperly insured but most often the damages they had weren't insurable damages but major defects and safety hazards to the home they just invested every dime they had into. What made this even worse is these young mothers usually had just purchased their homes within the past year or two through some kind of government "First Time Homeowners" program, and those that did get inspections, the inspection were performed by a contractor friend of the seller who usually was an investor flipping the property.I visited one house and from the dining room could see that the kitchen floor had a major slope towards the outside of the house. The young mother told me she doesn't go in the kitchen because it felt like it was about to fall off the rest of the house. Another house had one strip of paneling on the wall, not one wall with paneling, just one strip of paneling. When I looked behind the panel I could see straight outside. Then there was the house I visited one August, it hadn't rained for days weeks,as a matter of fact. The minute I walked into the house I could smell the mold. When I went into the basement the walls were soaked, the floors were damp, the joist and subfloors were wet. We could barely breathe while down there and she has a son in elementary school. This house had wires sticking out of the outlets and her porch roof was beginning to collapse from wood rot. (which is why she called me) I gave her some suggestions but couldn't really help her. She had only been in the house for 6 months and I had to tell her it wasn't safe for them to be there. With tears in her eyes she says "I hate this house". I don't think I need to tell you that I was fighting back tears myself.When I left I sat in my car for awhile trying to figure out what to do. All I could think is "Oh boy, I wish I was Oprah and could knock the house down and just build her a new one." But, I'm not Oprah. The next morning after praying and while talking to God in the shower, I decided to become a Certified Home Inspector and save the world!!!
Comments