Garry Ebanks of All Florida Inspections and Exterminating knows what the Veterans Administration is looking for in order to approve a VA Home Loan in Greater Ft. Lauderdale.

Garry has been on the Home Lady’s One Stop Shopping Team for over three years.  He has earned the right to stay on the team by diligently inspecting homes for Veterans and detecting issues that have saved Veterans lots of time and money.

In two hours time, Garry goes from the roof to the crawl space, checking and examining every system in the home, whether it is a condo, townhome, single family home or multi-unit property.

Let’s consider the roof:

• What kind of roof is it?A hip roof or a gable roof?
  
• Are the trusses strapped down correctly?
• Is there sufficient insulation in the attic?
• Are there termites living in the attic without helping with the mortgage payment?
• How much more useful life is left in the roof and are there any active leaks?

Garry’s report will answer all these questions with pictures documenting any deficiencies.

What about the Appliances?

• Is the Air Conditioner cooling efficiently?
• How old is the A/C and does it need servicing?
• Are all the appliances, including the refrigerator, the dishwasher, the washer and dryer, operating satisfactorily?

Every electrical outlet is checked and the breaker box is examined to determine whether there are  any safety hazards.

Mold and Chinese drywall are of particular concern for Veterans in Ft. Lauderdale, and Garry checks for evidence of both of these conditions.  All Florida Inspections will identify any visible structural problems.  Many homes in Florida are over 20 years old and may show signs of settlement, including cracks in the foundation or the concrete block.

Garry will evaluate whether there is evidence of serious concern and include his findings in his report.  What I like the most about Garry is that he teaches all homeowners, both men and women, how their home works.  A few of the tips Garry gives homeowners:

• He shows them where all the shutoffs are
• He instructs them on how to manage the A/C
• He tells them how and when to install the air conditioning filter

Look for the next post to discover six situations that Garry discovered that made a positive difference for Veterans buying homes in Ft. Lauderdale.