On June 15, 1976, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) instituted the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards - more commonly referred to as the "HUD Code."   With these regulations, HUD defined the safety and quality standards required for construction of a manufactured home.   This was a pivotal moment for the manufactured home industry. Prior to the HUD Code, these homes were built with portability as a primary focus and Continue Reading ...

Buford Home Inspection Insider tips and tactics for buying a home in a seller's market   Whether you're a millennial looking to buy your first home or a boomer thinking about downsizing your empty nest, you're probably aware that it's a seller's market out there.   Homes are selling at lightning speed, bidding wars are commonplace, buyers often have little to no room for negotiation and the price of those homes keeps rising.   But don't worry! Just because it's Continue Reading ...

Home improvements to help your home sell faster and for more money with Buford Home Inspection   The real estate market is heating up, and if you're planning to sell your home in the future, you want it to sell quickly and for as high of a price as possible. By taking proactive action now, you can make a few strategic home improvements that can help you achieve both your goals.   To boost your home sale and reduce time on the market, consider these top home improvement Continue Reading ...

With spring officially arriving, home improvement season is swinging into full gear. Fair warning to homeowners looking to hire a professional Buford home inspector, 2018 is predicted to be a record-breaker.   A recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University projects home improvement spending will approach $340 billion this year - the strongest gain for remodeling in more than a decade. Among the costliest of projects is roofing, a large expense with Continue Reading ...

If you love the idea of being a landlord and don't mind being on duty around the clock, Buford Home Inspection suggests buying an investment property may be the wealth-building option for you.     Property values have enjoyed a steady increase over the decades. That's why real estate has earned its reputation as a sound investment that builds wealth and credit.   Most people, however, don't have the quantity of cash on hand to purchase a house or apartment Continue Reading ...

Buford Home Inspection identifies Silent destroyers: Tips to spot termites and prevent infestation   There are many reasons that termites have gained the nickname "silent destroyers." Five billion reasons, in fact. Termites cause more than $5 billion in property damage in the U.S. each year. If left unchecked, they can silently chew through the structural stability of a home, eating away at wood, flooring and even wallpaper. To make matters worse, the damage they leave behind is Continue Reading ...

Buford Home Inspectors reveal secret places pests are hiding in your home   Pests can be hiding just about everywhere - whether you can see them or not. When you know where to look, there are preventative measures you can take to help avoid a pest infestation problem in your home.   Sinks and drains One often overlooked area is the kitchen sink. When not properly sanitized, drains can become a breeding ground for pests like cockroaches, drain beetles and fruit flies. Continue Reading ...

House hunting? Use this handy checklist before you make the offer.   House hunting can feel like an adventurous new chapter in your life. If you're lucky enough to find the property that checks off all the "must have" boxes - appearance, size, price, location - it's easy to fall in love.   Not so fast. Before making an offer on any property, it's smart to take a deeper look at the overall structure and its systems, just to make sure warning signs of major and costly Continue Reading ...

Buford Home Inspection gives 4 Home Design Tips on How To Transform Small Space   During the 1950s, the average-sized American home was just around 1,700 square feet. Fast forward to today, and the average size has increased to about 2,600 square feet, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While many Americans think the bigger the better, there is a growing trend of homeowners around the country opting to downsize to tiny homes, condominiums, apartments or just smaller single-family Continue Reading ...

Learn about Fire Safety from Buford Home Inspector Think of all the items you replace regularly - your cellphone, lightbulbs and even your toothbrush. But when was the last time you replaced your smoke alarm batteries, or even the alarms themselves? It's easy to overlook, but the time to think about fire safety is now - before an emergency strikes.   Many assume that because they have smoke alarms in their homes, they're protected in the event of a fire. In reality, smoke alarms Continue Reading ...