Blog – Page 348 – Parsons Realty

Water Wells – 5 Things You Should Know

First off, What Is a Well?

A modern well is simply a hole drilled into the ground with a lining known as a casing. A well casing prevents the bored hole from collapsing. The casing is sealed at the ground level to prevent contaminants from entering at the surface. The well casing also acts a housing for the well pump which is lowered into the bore hole.

After the well installation is complete, it is usually pumped in order to “develop the well.” During the initial pumping, the output or yield of the well is determined by measuring the gallons per minute. The measurement is taken over the course of an hour or more. This is a simplistic explanation of a well and there is a lot more that goes into developing well. However, there are at least 5 things every well owner should know. I know that’s’ why you’re here, so let’s get to the point…

What Every Well Owner Should Know

On a regular basis submit a sample of your well water to a testing lab. It’s very inexpensive to test for particle and contaminant levels. In addition, you can watch for any changes in the color, odor or taste of the water.
Be aware of any new industry or agriculture operations nearby, or if there is any new construction going on. Any of these factors could cause potential threats to your water.
Filters? If you are thinking about a water filter; there are many types of well water filters to choose from. Sometimes you may have several in-line filters with the first being installed directly at the pump. These are sometimes called pre-filters. A second filter may be installed at the inlet pipes to the house. And finally, individual filters may be installed at each point of use, such as the kitchen sink.
How much water do you need? This is determined by how you use your home and property. Whether it’s to be used as a horse or agricultural property or simply a personal residence. The number of people, toilets, sinks and water using appliances are the most important variables used to calculate how much water you need. The production of the well must meet or exceed that demand. If you’re buying an existing home, be sure to look for water holding tanks. If you see a water tank it’s a good indication the well can’t keep up with demand. By having a water storage tank, the well pump runs even when there’s no demand for water and fills the large holding tank. The holding tank can then deliver large quantities of water when needed (up to the capacity of the tank.) The rule of thumb for water usage suggest a family of four requires at least 5gpm to live comfortably. Others may state, a well producing as little as 1.5 gpm can meet the same demand with wise conservation.
Permits, always ask the seller for copies of the well drilling permit and the well driller’s report. This report will tell you the well depth to water, the depth of the well, and the how many gallons per minute the well can produce. Also request copies of all water quality test reports too. You should also contact the company that installed the well and get their opinion of the local area regarding the quality and production of wells in your area. Also be sure to check the public records for permit records and all other information.

Water wells are the primary source for domestic water in rural areas of Shasta County, CA. There are several competent and respected drillers in our area should you need a well tested or repaired.

Congratulations, after reading this brief article, you already know more than most people about wells. As is true with most things in life, there’s always more to the story. Therefore, you’ll find resources for additional information listed below.

By: William Parsons, real estate broker and licensed as a California Contractor in 1979.

More information

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): phone 202-260-5543. Safe Drinking Water Hotline: 800-426-4791.

NSF International: phone toll-free in U.S., 800-NSF-MARK; otherwise 734-769-8010. For questions on consumer products, call 877-867-3435. To get The Consumer’s Guide to Safe Drinking Water, which lists the water-treatment units tested by NSF and the contaminants they remove, send $7 to NSF Inter-national, Consumer Affairs Office, P.O. Box 130140, 789 N. Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48113-0140.

Natural Resources Defense Council: phone 212-727-2700.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): phone 888-INFO-FDA.

International Bottled Water Association (IBWA): its members (accounting for 80% of the water bottled in the U.S.) must test annually for contaminants and are open to unannounced inspections by NSF. Phone 703-683-5213 or its information hotline at 800-WATER11.

1579 Trumpet, REDDING, CA 96003 (MLS # 11-1157)

3 Bedroom / 2 Bath Home with 3 Car Garage. Beautiful Granite Counter tops and Large Corner Lot.

This Redding home is in a very desirable area close to shopping and schools. Full Details

Listing provided by Venture Properties

Redding CA Home Prices

Redding CA Home Prices – Are They Headed Up or Down?

There’s a saying in the investing world, “the trend is your friend.” What this means is, if you know the trend, you may have a glimpse of the future. And, if you know the future, you can make some very smart decisions.

If you’re considering buying a home in Redding it would be helpful to know the trend. And sometimes, it pays to look at the National trend too. Why, because the National trend dictates policies and policies affect interest rates, taxes and many other key components that control how we as consumers feel about buying stuff, specifically a new home.

A survey taken by RISMedia on March 14, 2011 has produced some noteworthy stats, let’s have a look.

Almost 70% of the sellers and home buyers surveyed said they thought the housing market would recover within the next 1 – 2 years. A large group of sellers and buyers totaling 86% of the 1000 plus surveyed believed real estate was still a good investment.

Of those surveyed, six out of ten respondents said they’re ready to buy and the majority of those surveyed believed they would be getting a better deal as a result of the dramatic fall in home prices.

In summary, the survey coincides with my experience working with Redding home buyers. It’s my opinion, the prices of homes in Redding are at the price level that many buyers that had been previously sitting on the fence are now actively looking to buy. And why shouldn’t they. A young couple that I’m working with have a home in escrow right now. When their house closes in a couple of weeks, their house payment will be less than their rent payment. In my book, that makes the decision a no brainer.

You’re welcome to check out Redding home prices by searching the Shasta County MLS yourself. If you’re a home buyer, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Survey data source Source: “Americans Confident in Recovery of Real Estate Market,” RISMedia (March 14, 2011)

By : William Parsons, Broker of Parsons Realty

Home Buying Costs

I get this questions all the time, “What Are Closing Costs?” When you buy a house you have the purchase price cost and you have closing costs. The costs combined make up the total amount you will spend for the house. You may also have additional costs such as hiring various inspectors to inspect the well, house, septic and the heating, ventilating, air conditioning (HVAC) systems. So, as you can see, buying a home entails more out-of-pocket expenses than just the down payment. Further more, there are also costs to pay for items such as the title insurance policy, recording fees, courier charges, reserves to set up an impound account and fees that a lender charges. Lender fees are usually the bulk of closing costs and can be quite expensive. However, there’s a way to have the Seller pay you closing costs, read on. [Read more…]

Home Stripping Crimes On The Rise as Foreclosures Increase

With the increased number of Foreclosures in Shasta County home stripping crimes have been on the rise. At a recent meeting held by the Shasta Association of Realtors Bob Angulo from the Shasta County District Attorneys Real Estate Fraud Division discussed the various investigations his office is conducting.

The most interesting topic was of course home stripping. Home fixture stripping occurs when individuals who are in the process of losing their home through judicial foreclosure, or a non-judicial trustee sale, or who list their house for sale with a real estate agent as a “short sale,” remove fixtures from the home either before or after the trustee sale or short sale.

Fixtures are considered part of the real estate collateral and may not be removed without the advance written consent of the lender. Although fixture stripping seems to be a relatively new phenomena arising out of the recent housing crisis, the law prohibiting the removal of fixtures from real property without the owner’s or lender’s consent has been the law in California for over 100 years.

Banks and other secured home loan lenders are recognized as victims in this situation because, when a homeowner obtains a home loan and signs a deed of trust, the lender receives a secured property interest in the land, buildings, and fixtures. Banks therefore “own” a legal property right in a home’s fixtures, even if the items were not purchased with the borrowed loan proceeds. Written consent to remove a fixture must also be obtained from any second deed of trust holder or secured home equity lender.

Another interesting thing Mr. Angulo pointed out was Purchasers at trustee’s sales are also potential victims under Penal Code section 502.5. Although a bidder at a trustee’s sale typically purchases a foreclosed home in its “as is” condition, unless the purchasers have actual advance knowledge of everything that has been stripped from the home, they may have a legitimate expectation that the home will contain its standard fixtures.

If you would like more information about home stripping or have other real estate fraud concerns you can contact the Shasta County Office of the District Attorney. The Real Estate Fraud division can be reached at 530-245-6530.

You can also listen to a podcast of the meeting on the Shasta Association of Realtors website (Link)

California Association Of Realtors December 2010 Home Sales Report

The video below is brought to you by the California Association of REALTORS. C.AR.

Cheif economist Leslie Appleton-Young discusses December 2010 home sales for the state of Californina.

[videoplayer file=”https://www.parsonsrealty.com/parsons_realty/parsons_realty/wp-content/videos/car-dec-home-sales.flv” image=”https://www.parsonsrealty.com/parsons_realty/parsons_realty/wp-content/videos/dec-2010-home-sales.jpg” /]

If you would like to see local homes sales data for Shasta County and the Redding area see our December 2010 Shasta County Homes Sales Report.