Why You Need a Home Inspection Even With a Non-Contingent Offer
In this highly competitive Twin Cities market, some buyers have been house-hunting for several months to no avail. They’ve repeatedly lost out in multiple-offer situations and are growing weary of the process! In order to make their offer more competitive, [...]
How to Prevent Window Condensation
It’s early February and we’re in the dead of MN winter! A little moisture on the inside of your windows may seem harmless at first. However, that moisture could very well be a sign of poor ventilation or a precursor [...]
How Does Radon Mitigation Work?
Branch Property Investigations has performed nearly 1,000 radon tests over the past five years in the Twin Cities Metro area. Roughly 30-35% of the homes we’ve tested have had dangerously high radon levels. If you learn your home’s radon levels [...]
Should I Test My Home for Radon this Winter?
This year more than ever, Minnesotans are hunkering down for winter. People are spending far more time at home, but how can you be sure the air you’re breathing in your home is safe? In many homes, radon levels tend [...]
Should I Cover My AC Unit for Fall & Winter?
There are a lot of extra chores to prepare our homes for the upcoming colder weather in Minnesota. Homeowners typically cover their grills and patio furniture for the winter, but what about covering your AC (air conditioning) unit? I start [...]
What Happens After a Home Inspection?
A home inspection is one of the last steps before closing on a new house. It’s not mandatory in the buying process. However, an inspection allows buyers to find out what repairs, both big and small, may be needed to [...]
What You Should Know About Radon in Minnesota
We field a lot of questions about radon gas, so today we’ll cover the basics: what it is, where it’s found, its possible health effects, and what you can do to protect your home and family against radon in Minnesota. [...]
Is a Condo Inspection Really Necessary?
If you’re considering purchasing a condo, Congratulations! The lower maintenance living that comes with a managed building is very attractive to many people. In a managed building, many clients and agents ask, “Is a condo inspection really necessary?” While the [...]
What We Look for During a Roof Inspection
The roof is an incredibly important building component as it not only protects a home from the elements but it also insulates to retain heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. Given the roof is an essential [...]
Should You Buy a Log Home?
Lakeside log homes are extremely common in northern Minnesota but yesterday I arrived to inspect a property in a western, Twin Cities suburb and to my surprise, it was a charming log home. Log homes have some characteristics that are [...]
On the Fence about Testing for Mold?
Last week I inspected a beautiful lake home built in 2005. Given its age, I didn’t expect to find many of the defects typical of much older homes. The roof and exterior were in relatively great shape and although I [...]
Is Air Duct Cleaning Necessary?
Duct cleaning has become popular in recent years with many commercial cleaners advertising this service. If you’ve never paid to have it done, are you missing out? Is your home dirtier as a result? I came across a filthy air [...]