7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Agent

If you’re looking to sell a home, it’s important to have the right agent by your side. Here are seven questions you need to ask a real estate agent before hiring them.

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The decision to sell your home is a big one, so you want to make sure you have the right person representing you. Today, I’ll go over seven questions you need to ask a real estate agent before hiring them.

Find out how hiring them will specifically benefit the sale of your home.

1. Are you a full-time professional and how long have you been practicing?
2. How many homes have you sold? Ask how many homes they usually sell monthly and annually. The National Association of Realtors has calculated that half of practicing real estate agents sell fewer than two homes a year.
3. What active networks are you participating in? Find out how hiring them will specifically benefit the sale of your home.
4. Are you an active member of the National Association of Realtors? Make sure they belong to associations that will confirm their expertise and facilitate the sale of your home.
5. Do you hold a broker’s license, and what is your errors and omissions insurance policy coverage? You want to make sure you’re covered if there is a liability issue during the course of the sale.
6. Do you employ a staff, and what level of expertise does that staff carry? You want to work with the best, and an agent’s team should be an extension of the agent.
7. Are your affiliates committed to your success? Have them give you an example, so you know the people they work with will help ensure your home sale.

If you have any questions about the process of hiring an agent, or general questions about real estate, please give me a call or shoot me an email. I would be happy to help.

Why Does K&T Wiring Affect Insurance and Home Sales?

Knob and tube wiring comes with many disadvantages. Today, we’ll go over how K&T wiring can impact your home sale, insurance, and renovations.

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Buying a Massachusetts home? Click here for full MLS access

Knob and tube wiring, or K&T wiring, was used by electricians until about a couple of decades ago. There are a few reasons why K&T wiring is not as prevalent in new homes.

First of all, what is knob and tube wiring? This wiring installs a pair of lines that run from the fuse box from a single supply wire. After they hit the first switch, the supply wire divides into two switching wires. At the second remote switch, the two wires come together to be a single supply wire again. Finally, the supply wire gets routed from the second switch light fixture, and then there is a single return back to the fuse box.

K&T wiring presents a number of disadvantages. For instance, when you sell your home, many home insurance companies won’t insure the home if it has knob and tube wiring upon transfer of ownership. The truth is that knob and tube wiring is never included as a safety grounding conductor. It also doesn’t confine switching to the Carter system. Finally, inline splices in the walls without a junction box is also considered a downside.

Knob and tube wiring comes with many problems.

Knob and tube wiring is allowed in certain industrial and agricultural uses today, but it is no longer practical for residential use. Modern home buyers find that K&T wiring systems lack the capacity for today’s level of power.

First-generation wiring systems have become susceptible to abuse by homeowners who would replace blown fuses with fuses rated for a higher current. This over-fusing of the circuits subjects wiring to a higher level of current, risking heat damage or fire.

K&T wiring may also be damaged by building renovations. For instance, if you add insulation to the property, dry, brittle wires can expose that insulation to sparking and fire.

The U.S. National Electrical Code forbids the use of loose-blown or expanding foam insulation over K&T wiring. K&T wiring is designed to let heat dissipate into the surrounding air. As a result, making energy-efficient upgrades to previously uninsulated walls usually requires replacing the electric wiring in that wall.

Another risk is that as K&T wiring gets older, many insurance companies will not write policies unless all the wiring in the home is replaced or an electrician attests that the wiring is in good condition. In fact, many lenders are unwilling to finance a home with K&T wiring unless the electrical system has been upgraded. In some cases, partial upgrades may be acceptable.

As you can see, there are many disadvantages that come with knob and tube wiring. If you have any questions about K&T wiring, insulation, or home insurance, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you in any way that we can.