One Person's Mess (Home Office Intervention)

I wanted to include this picture of Devore Home Inspection’s impressive home office and then I realized that it was a cover to a Pottery Barn catalog.

I guess the gig is up and perhaps the truth will set us free.  Hello, my name is Lindsey Devore and I’m a wife to a detail oriented, often clean “freak” (think Danny Tanner on Full House), and business-minded Home Inspector.  I myself love doing organizing projects around our house, at the office, or with any unsuspecting friend (think Peter Walsh from Clean Sweep).

So, how did we let our home office turn into this?

I’m sure we are not the only people that have let their home office become an eye sore.  This often “extra” room can easily become the catch all for undone projects, spare furniture, unwrapped presents, old materials, etc.  Out of necessity, the home office also has to serve multiple purposes (guest room, play room, etc) or is actually not a room at all, but is a space located within the home’s bedroom, kitchen, or living room.

I’m not a believer in organizing just for the sake of organization or appearances.  The goal of organization is to streamline and enhance your daily life and to help you spend your (precious) time focusing on the bigger picture, both for your business and personal life.

Many factors and obstacles may come into play while creating your organized home office. Therefore, during the next few months, while working on creating a new home office for Devore Home Inspections, I will be posting suggestions on the blog to help you get your home office in order.

I find cookie cutter methods of organization boring and impersonal.  Your office should met your business needs, suit your personality and habits, and reflect your style.  Post pictures of your home office, ask questions or provide advice for what works for YOU. 

I would love for you to join me with doing your own 

Home Office Intervention.

 

One person’s mess is merely another person's filing system.
--Margo Kaufman (1-800-Am-I-Nuts?) 

  Real Simple Magazine (2010)

Even though I know very little about Home Inspections, I am excited to be contributing to Devin’s blog.  I hope to contribute some useful information about some of my favorite topics: buying/eating local, finding eco-conscious alternatives, and creating solutions through organization.  Please feel free to let me know if you have a topic that you would like to hear more about or have a suggestion or idea that you would like to share.

On the next blog, Devin will answer reader’s home related questions. 

Would you like for Devin to answer your question? 

Submit your question on Facebook or send him an email @ devoreinspections@insightbb.com.

Thank you for reading Devin’s blog and for learning more about  

Devore Home Inspections.

To whom it may concern: It is springtime.

Spring is definitely in full force here in Bowling Green (thus the daily chance of thunderstorms) and I am ready.  As you read my blog, think about whether you are ready for spring or more specifically if your home is ready.  Spring is a great time to think about taking care of your home. 

As a residential home inspector, I see all sorts of issues and problems on homes that stem from maintenance (or lack there of).  Often these problems are not brought to the attention of the homeowner until a problem occurs that they can not ignore or until they are close to selling their home. Unfortunately, these discoveries can include costly repairs, inconvenience for the family or in a less motivated buyer.

With all of our daily responsibilities and often crazy schedules, I understand how home maintenance can take a back seat on our to-do list (especially with much more tempting springtime activities…golf anyone?).  However, I want you to consider what you can gain by performing regular home maintenance.

  You can:

· Save money by eliminating avoidable repairs and failures.

· Extend the life of home components, equipment, and systems.

· Reduce safety and health risks in your home.

· Shorten your ‘to-do’ list.

· Maximize your home’s value and resale potential.

· Improve your homes appearance and appeal.

· Take pleasure in your beautiful home where everything works as designed.

· Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your home is maintained.

From a Jones Lang LaSalle study Determining the Economic Value of Preventive Maintenance: “The results of the analysis were overwhelmingly positive for performing preventive maintenance (PM). The analysis shows that an investment in preventive maintenance produces a huge return on the investment.” One sample analysis in the study resulted in a Return on Investment of 545%. This greater than $5 return for every $1 spent on Preventive Maintenance is not unusual. “Maintaining all the equipment produces the significant returns identified by the analysis and offers a powerful argument for the value of preventive maintenance and the dramatic impact preventive maintenance can have on real estate.”

Source: http://www.hcms.net/

You may be thinking that all of this sounds great, but how do I get started and when would I ever find the time for it all.  Don’t get overwhelmed, because home care and maintenance is not something you have to do alone. You can find some good information on the internet.  Here are a few sites that I trust and that talk about springtime home maintenance:  

http://www.statefarm.com/learning/be_safe/home/seasonal/spring.asp 

http://www.hgtv.com/home-improvement/the-slackers-guide-to-spring-home-maintenance/index.html

In addition to things you can do on your own (internet, books, home improvement shows), Devore Home Inspections can also play a vital role in helping you understand, learn and maintain your home. I offer both Home Maintenance Inspections and Home Inspector Reviews for current homeowners and individuals that own rental property.

Home Maintenance Inspection

The Home Maintenance Inspection is a comprehensive home inspection that will review all areas of your home. This inspection also provides repair recommendations and resolutions for discovered deficiencies.  You are strongly encouraged to be present during the inspection and to ask as many questions as you may have about the condition of your home. I encourage homeowners to have a Home Maintenance Inspection every 3-5 years. Within those 3-5 years, I would suggest that homeowners have an annual Home Inspector Review.  For property owners that have tenants/renters, I suggest getting a Home Maintenance Inspection every year to thoroughly document the condition and maintenance needs of the property.  

A Home Maintenance Inspection comes with detailed report with pictures that will outline:

• Items that need ACTION- items needing immediate repair or that are unsafe and represent a safety hazard.
• Items that need ATTENTION- items that need repair, but that are not of an immediate nature or a safety hazard.
• RECOMMENDATIONS- items that are in need of maintenance or will need maintenance/replacement in the near future.  This can help you budget for the upcoming year.

The Home Maintenance Inspection is designed for the homeowner that wants an intense, detailed assessment of the condition of their home as a preventative measure.

Home Inspector Review

The Home Inspector Review is a comprehensive walk-through and evaluation of your home from a home inspector's perspective.  The Home Inspector Review is not a Home Inspection.  This Review does not end with a written report or any pictures.   But a Home Inspector Review does cost much less than a full Home Inspection. With you present, I will visibly inspect your house in a comprehensive manner.  You are encouraged to ask questions and to take notes so you can have any issues documented.   I encourage homeowners to have this Review each year to make sure small deferred maintenance items do not turn into larger problems.  

I am happy to announce that starting in May, all of my inspections will include this FREE home maintenance manual .

Just like our bodies- homes age, experience stress (from weather and the elements), and accidents occur.  Consider a Home Maintenance Inspection or Home Inspector Review as your home’s annual doctor visit (however, this will be more enjoyable and I promise no blood work- I hate needles!).  Please feel free to email or contact me if you would like more information about how to maintain your home or if you have a specific question that I can help you with.

***
This week, I really want to hear from you and will be giving away a $15.00 Target Gift Card to say thank you for reading Ask Your Bowling Green Home Inspector and for supporting Devore Home Inspections. 
Here is what I would like to know from you:

Comment about why you think a homeowner would benefit from a Home Maintenance Inspection or Home Inspector Review from Devore Home Inspections.

and/or

Comment about a home maintenance issue that you have questions or problems with.

On April 23rd, readers that participate by becoming a fan of Devore Home Inspections on Facebook and then posting one of the above on Devore Home Inspection’s page will have their name put in a drawing for a $15.00 Target Gift Card. I will announce the winner on facebook and mail or deliver the gift card to you personally.

***

Thank you for reading my blog and for learning more about Devore Home Inspections.  Come back next week for Lindsey’s blog post on living “green and clean” in Bowling Green.

Check out some early spring pictures from the Devore homestead:

First blooms of the season.

The new rain barrel is staying full.

Titleist balls keep popping up in the yard….weird.

Looks like it is time to plant some flowers.

  Relax and enjoy your weekend!

To whom it may concern: It is springtime. It is late afternoon. –Kurt Vonnegut

The blog begins.

Today is the first day of my blog, Ask the Bowling Green Home Inspector. The very fact that I’m starting this blog has both excited and worried me. I am excited that the blog will provide another venue to share my company, Devore Home Inspections, yet I’m worried that I may not write the information that people want and need to know about their home.
 
Preparing to launch the blog (and addressing my “worry”) reminded me of one thing that I know to be true: ask for help when you need it. I need your help with my blog. You can help by commenting on my posts and please feel free to share any alternate views or ideas. Let me know if you have a topic that you would like to learn more about, have a question or would like for me to elaborate on a current topic.
 
Ask the Bowling Green Home Inspector will also receive help from my wife, Lindsey. She will be a contributing writer primarily focusing on topics involving green living, home and life organization, and supporting local products and businesses. Feel free to contribute ideas or questions for her to write about.
 
I have never and will never claim to know all there is to know about any subject (even though Lindsey will say I act that way about UK Basketball), so I will often cite and seek answers to your questions from some of our local and national experts in the fields in which I am posting about or that you are asking about. Maybe you are one of those local experts and have an idea or solution to a question, please feel free to share!

Topics for the blog may be subject to change, but I plan on trying to address the following areas each month:

1. Home Maintenance for all Seasons

2. Living Green and Clean in Bowling Green

3. Let’s Hear from You

4. Ask Devin, the Bowling Green Home Inspector


My goal with Ask the Bowling Green Home Inspector blog is to give readers the opportunity to take a look inside Devore Home Inspections and to interact with myself and other contributing writers. I want this to be as much your blog as it is mine. My wife and I hope to build a relationship between both of us, our local experts and YOU. In beginning our relationship, I want to let you know a little more about me, your Bowling Green Home Inspector, Devin Devore.

My wife and I started Devore Home Inspections in 2007.  

Our first company logo, designed by my wife Lindsey.

Our new company logo for 2011, also designed by Lindsey. 

We hope you like it. 

Family is always the first priority for us both.

We have great families that live nearby in Bowling Green and Marrowbone (Cumberland County).

We love to get away with our friends and family to our favorite mountain and beach destinations.
We are not able to get away very often, but feel fortunate and love it when we can.

In my spare time, I try to do something active outside. 
Golfing, hiking, skiing, fishing, kayaking-you name it-I’m in. In case you are interested, the golf course is a great place to have a business meeting.

Now that you know a little about me and my life, I look forwarding to getting to know you, your ideas and thoughts.

I am lucky to thoroughly enjoy the work that I do as a home inspector and that I get to meet and work with so many interesting people on a daily basis. Thank you for reading my blog and for learning more about Devore Home Inspections. So, from the heart of Warren County, this Bowling Green Home Inspector wants to say “good to meet ya” and welcome to Devore Home Inspections homestead in the blogosphere.

 Come back next week for information on a must do, springtime maintenance project for your home.

Visit our website:
www.devorehomeinspections.com