Will Your BBQ Be Legal This Weekend?

Got this in my inbox from Tim Kerfin, Kerfin Inspections [http://kerfininspections.com/]

“City of Chicago code for outdoor barbecue grills:

• Charcoal grills are permitted on balconies, but gas liquid petroleum grills such as propane grills cannot be used for multi-dwelling units of 20 people or more.
• Natural gas grills that have a shut off valve within three feet of the grill are permitted. City code also prohibits storing gas fired grills in any type of storage area.
• You cannot have a wood-burning fire pit on a deck or roof; it must be natural gas only.”

If you would like a copy of the City code, email me and I will coordinate getting you a copy.

BBQ Overkill: Safety First!

Tax Credit is Running Out – Don’t Wait Too Much Longer

Another great post from Dan Green, author of “The Mortgage Reports” blog.

In this one, Dan tells you why you should make November 16th, 2009, not November 30th, your drop-dead date. If you are looking to buy a home utilizing the first-time home buyer’s tax credit, do it now.

New Mortgage Requirements: A Summary

As of July 30, 2009, significant changes have been implemented for mortgage loans.

As a borrower, how are you affected? A good article is here, and I have summarized the major must-knows.

Brent’s Bullet Points:

• You must be given disclosures before you pay any fees.
• Quick closings (30 days or less) are now very difficult.
• Lenders have to re-disclose if your mortgage rate moves by more than 1/8th of a point (0.125), and allow you seven days to mull it over.

Contact me with more questions.

Old Homes Can Be “Hg-ighly” Dangerous

I was sitting an open house a few weeks ago at a home and needed to turn the A/C up. After locating the thermostat…

… I opened it up to find a relic.

A dangerous relic – a mercury (element symbol “Hg”)-filled tube, which ignites the blower. Also know as “quicksilver.”

Although contained in the thermostat, it was a cool, and potentially dangerous, find.

Fannie Mae Makes It Harder To Secure Financing

Great summary post from Dan Green on “The Mortgage Reports”.

Pay special attention to the summary bullet-points for an overview.