We recently had Eric Anderson, Chief Operating Officer at Enviro-Clean Inc, speak at our company meeting. Eric demonstrated a high degree of expertise and shed light on some of the myths of mold. Here are some basics truths about mold the Eric would like to share:

Mold is often lumped together with words like “asbestos, lead, and radon” and they all seem to make buyers, sellers and real estate agent cringe.  Often times, the level of mold contamination, like many things, is overstated.  And many times what may seem to be a problem, is no problem at all – there is of course the reverse too and that is what may seem to be a little problem, could, in fact, be much larger than anticipated.

Here is a list of basic truths about mold:

1.    Not all mold is dangerous.
2.    Different people react differently to different types of mold.
3.    Mold is everywhere and has been around since the beginning of time – it is an essential part of our ecosystem.
4.    Mold requires moisture to grow in addition to appropriate food sources.
5.    Moisture sources include leaking pipes, wet and damp basements, condensation, high humidity.
6.    Food sources include wood, wall paper, drywall, carpet, bio-films (dirt, dust, oils, grease).
7.    Spraying bleach on mold is NOT a good cleaning method.
8.    The best cleaning method is through removal, whether removing the material or cleaning with a detergent.
9.    Do-it-yourself test kits will always produce positive mold levels (see #3).
10.    Be careful what you read or watch in the media – it is often over sensationalized.
11.    Mold remediation is in the Bible – see Leviticus 14.
12.    Black mold, red mold, white mold, yellow mold – mold comes in all colors.
13.    Mold grows like dandelions – a small problem can get overwhelming quickly if not corrected properly.
14.    Mold can be hidden in attics, behind walls and other areas where moisture could be present.
15.    Dead mold can still pose a potential risk to sensitive individuals.  It’s important to remove it, not just try and kill it.

Should you have any questions about mold, specific to the real estate industry or in general, please call 866-530-MOLD or visit www.envirocleanmld.com

This is a great time to improve the energy efficiency of your home and not only save on utility bills but also increase the value of your home. According to The National Association of Home Builders, 64% of respondents prefer a “green built home.”

Beth Donahue sat down with Leslie Kellogg, who just earned the designation “Energy Smart Real Estate Specialist”, to discuss the details of this designation and how an energy-efficient home can save you money!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and most of you will be settling down to an afternoon of Turkey and maybe watching a parade or football game. So, to help you out on keeping the conversation light and airy during the Thanksgiving dinner, I found information for you on History.com from which you can pepper in some facts and bust some myths.

For instance, everyone thinks of the pilgrims in Plimoth Plantation for having the first thanksgiving, but truly it was more of a secular harvest festival instead. The pilgrims would only think of a thanksgiving as a religious event and, therefore, wouldn’t have had an event with dancing and signing on a religious day. They also only did this once and it wasn’t repeated in following years as commonly believed.

So, when the conversation goes to a lull, flip open your wireless connected laptop, and test your family with your new found knowledge.

The FHA has issued some new rulings relaxing some of the criteria they developed in a previous letter and should assist the condo market overall. When I asked Steve Tetzner of Homestar Mortgage how this would affect the marketplace, he was enthusiastic since the limiting provisions were deleted for the next year.

In particular, he cited the percentage of a complex that could have FHA funding. Originally it was limited to 50%, but now the entire complex can be funded through the agency, provided certain conditions are met.

However, the new rules are still focused on getting individuals into the ownership role and not speculators, since there still is a limit to 10 percent of the complex for a single owner and fifty percent of the units must be owner-occupied. When the project is 10 or fewer, an owner can only have one unit.

In the case of new construction, there are other exceptions, since these units may not be completely pre-sold and the limitations need to take that situation into account.

The rulings are complicated and change due to market conditions, so contact your mortgage company to get a clear understanding of the rules and professional advice in financing a Condo unit.

Though I am usually busy with Real Estate on a daily basis, I am very busy this time of year with my extracurricular project – Adopt-A-Family, Inc. It was started by a group of volunteers and has been a favorite local charity in the Northern Rhode Island area since its inception. Our mission is to provide gifts of clothes and toys to children of needy families in Woonsocket during the holiday season.

The agency is an independent privately funded, non-profit organization founded in 1983. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, making your donations tax-deductible. We are not part of a larger organization and only work in the Northern Rhode Island area.

Right now, we need your help!!

As of Friday, November 13, we have 637 families and approximately 1,340 children provided for through the efforts of our donors.

We have to date an additional 120 families waiting to be sponsored. Needy famlies can apply for assistance through November 20th so we anticipate another 300-400 applications before the application process is over.

The link above will give you an overview of the organization. If you feel like helping us, we will definitely appreciate it this year.