Home Information

HOME BUYERS GUIDE

The National Association of REALTORS® offers a Guide to Home Buying. Its purpose is to guide consumers through the home buying process. Some of the topics covered are choosing the right home, picking the right mortgage product, making the offer, appraisals, inspections, title policies, insurance, homeowner associations, the final walk-through and closing. It is available for purchase at: http://www.realtor.org/prodser.nsf/products/141-50?opendocument

LEAD BASED PAINT

If you are planning to buy, rent or renovate a home built before 1978, you should follow this link to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s booklet on lead-based paint. Many houses built before 1978 have paint that contains high levels of lead. Lead from paint, chips, and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly.

Home sellers have to disclose known information about lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards. Sales contracts must include a disclosure about lead-based paint. This booklet will provide valuable information about protecting your family from lead-based paint.

wwww.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadpdfe.pdf

RADON

Radon is a naturally occurring, odorless radioactive gas that is reported to cause lung cancer. Between five and ten percent of the homes in Wisconsin have radon levels above the US EPA guideline. This link will take you to State of Wisconsin information on radon. www.dhfs.state.wi.us/dph_beh/RadonProt/Radon/IntRdnMsurs.htm

If you would like further guidance on testing your home for radon, discussions of the risk of radon, radon myths, and what steps to take after you have tested, you may wish to obtain the EPA’s Citizen’s Guide to Radon. For this and other publications on radon, go to

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE

This is a link to the Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner’s "Consumer’s Guide to Homeowner’s Insurance." The guide explains the types of policies, basic coverage included in a homeowner’s policies, the Wisconsin Insurance Plan and other important aspects of homeowner’s policies.

oci.wi.gov/pub_list/pi-015.pdf

In the WRA Home Buyers Guide (above), in Homebuyer’s Tools you will find Insurance Professor™. Here you can get and compare free, no obligation quotes on auto, home, renters, life and health insurance from leading insurance companies

Licensed Wisconsin Real Estate Broker

®, TM and SM are Licensed Trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation

Equal Housing Opportunity

EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED