Charles Augustus Leale was born in New York City, New York back in 1842 to William and Anna Maria.  He began his medical studies when he was 18, the private pupil of Dr. Austin Flint, Sr., in diseases of the heart and lungs.  He al received training from Dr. Frank H. Hamilton in gunshot wounds and surgery.   He continued his learning as a medical cadet in the United States Army.  In 1865, just six weeks after graduating from the Bellevue hospital Medical College in New York City he was placed in charge of the Wounded Commissioned Officers’ Ward at the United States Army General Hospital in Washington, D.C.  After his discharge he moved to Europe where he studies the Asiatic Cholera.  He retired in 1928.  He died in 1932, he was 90.What you may not know about Charles is that he was the f... 05/11/2021

Laurence Eugene Myers was born in Richmond, Virginia back in 1858.  He was in the first graduating class of Richmond High School. After graduation, the family moved to Jersey City, New Jersey and then to New York City, where he became a bookkeeper.  He began running competitively in 1878 for the Knickerbocker Yacht Club, he changed for the bulk of his career for the Manhattan Athletic Club.  He died of pneumonia on his 41st birthday in New York City.What you may not know about Laurence AKA “Lon” Myers is that he won 28 national championships.  He also set world records and 11 different distances and held every American record for races of 50 yards to one mile. He set the world quarter-mile record while running the final 120 yards without his right shoe.  He finished another race that he... 04/20/2021

William Jacob Knox Jr., was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts to William and Estella.  He was accepted to Harvard University’s undergraduate program in 1921. He graduated with a master’ degree in Organic Chemistry in 1929, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering 1935 for MIT.  After graduation he became a professor at North Caroling A&T College.  In 1943, he joined a team of scientists at Columbia University.  He was working on a project I’m sure you all of heard about the Manhattan Project?  He held the position of supervisor, most of his research and finding were utilizing uranium hexafluoride.  He was a section leader in the Corrosion Section.  After the war he worked for Kodak, he held twenty-one patents with Kodak.  He died in 1995, he was 91.What you may not know about William is tha... 02/28/2021

Edwin Kessler III, was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York back in 1928 to Edwin and Marie.  He was living with his mother in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1945.  He returned to New York attending Columbia College.  He returned after serving 18 months in the Army graduating in 1950.After graduation he transferred to the Air Force where he earned his M.S. and Sc.D. degrees from MIT in 1952 and 1957, respectively.  He remained in the Air Force Reserve reaching the rank of captain.  He worked at the Cambridge Research Laboratories, and at the Atmospheric Physics Division at the Travelers Research Center.  In 1964, he moved to Oklahoma where he was an affiliate professor at the University of Oklahoma, Norman until his retirement in 1987.  He d... 01/28/2021

If you read my last couple of posts it looks like all I do is 'talk' quilting- lol   Actually I just don't have time to write about business- my bad (you know how it is, I am working all day so I want to unwind and visit my creative side)   If you are having a 'let's get creative moment"  please check out my Guest Post and leave a comment so I know who else in the RAIN I can hollar at:  "dibs on your fabric stash"   My Buyers and Sellers are all trained to save Scraps for me, we have made many beautiful donation quilts over the years.   www.OzarkCastle.BlogSpot.com  if you missed me in the Rain.   be good  cheryl(still from MO and still selling)willis 11/08/2011

Today, I inspected for a woman in California who was contracted to buy a home nearby that was in foreclosure and the selling agent questioned the inspection...since "the bank is not going to deal, they are selling as is". In this particular case, "as is" included rotted framing from cracked stone veneer that requires the replacement of the full front of the structure as well as the entire roof, sheathing, some rafters, floor joists and sill. This does not include the parts of the home in the back that are falling away...and the electrical system that defies what would be considered by anyone's standard as reasonably safe. She has decided to exercise her option to walk away from the deal. That is why prudent home buyers who are looking to buy a foreclosure will still have the home profes... 07/15/2010

  The specific purposes of the energy efficiency analysis are, as follows: 1.  To identify the type, size, condition and rate of energy consumption for each major energy-using device. 2.  To recommend appropriate energy conservation, operation, and maintenance procedures. 3.  To estimate labor and materials cost for energy retrofits. 4.  To project savings expected from energy retrofits. 5.  To note current and potential health and safety problems and how they may be affected by proposed changes. 6.  To explain behavioral changes that will reduce energy waste. 7.  To provide a written record of decision making. The home energy efficiency analysis (sometimes referred to as an "energy audit") will usually take about 2 to 3 hours.  Before we begin the actual analysis, the certified Buildi... 07/11/2010

While opposing MO HB 1714...and arguing in favor of building codes for the unregulated areas of Missouri...it has been brought to my attention that I have been at cross purposes. The bad parts of this bill are obvious and have been addressed in a hundred different ways. It is a conflict of interest and provides a means for real estate salesmen to punish a home inspector for revealing information in a report that causes the buyer to walk away from the sale. This has been my focal point and has been my main reason to object to the bill, for it does nothing else but add costs to being a home inspector and....I will admit from a selfish angle....we can do with fewer part timers and contractors doing this on the side. Of course, there will be a surge of "graduates" from the new schools to co... 02/24/2010

My NIFAST certification as a fire safety inspector has taught me the value of incorporating fire safety knowledge into my inspection reports.  Having learned that 80% of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's recalls are related to the propensity for fires, I have now decided to offer an additional service. For $39, or for $29 in conjunction with a full home inspection, I will provide research on the history of recalls for all of the permanently installed devices in the kitchen and the heating, air conditioning and ventilation unit. New owners of older homes should be advised by their consultants NOT to rely upon the diligence of previous owners in keeping up with the latest consumer reports on the electrical devices installed in the home.  I will collect the data from the home and th... 02/05/2010

I was out and about today.  Good friend and peer Linda Thompson of Thompson Realstate from Cassville joined me for lunch. The BBQ Station north of the downtown square on Main (business 37) is now OPEN for business. We had a nice lunch, every thing on the menu sounded great!  The prices were reasonable and the taste was excellent.  We both decided on brisket but there is pulled pork, chicken chopped beef and susage available. I think next time I am in the area, I will order the loaded baked potato. The BBQ Station is open Tue-Thur from 11-2pm   and on  Fri & Sat from 11-7pm This was a nice friendly place to visit, eat, and do a little business.  Check them out when you are out and about in the area.-  cw Just a little FYI- the logo is NOT a picture of me!  I DID NOT pose for the ceramic ... 01/06/2010

     I'm often asked to explain or describe the difference between a home inspector and a code inspector.       Builder's will argue that their structure has "already been inspected" and has been certified to "meet code" by the code inspector, so why would a buyer hire a home inspector?  Likewise, when I am describing a defect to my client his agent (or the seller's agent) might interrupt and ask "But does it meet code?"      Most industries and professions have minimum basic standards that are recorded in code books.  There are building codes, of course, as well as codes in food processing, food service, medical care provisions, legal ethics, automobile assembly....and the list goes on.      In the case of some codes, like building codes, these minimum basic standards are incorporated ... 12/02/2009

       The following question was asked me about two days ago by a homeowner who is about to put his home on the market.  He asked how truthful he was realistically expected to be when he completed the form that asked him to disclose any known defects with his property.  “Shouldn’t the buyer beware?” he asked.  “Why do I have to tell someone what’s wrong with my house if the guy selling me a car doesn’t have to tell me what’s wrong with the car?”  The following is my answer to that question.        Several years ago in Vermont, a man activated his driveway heater (used in northern areas to keep snow and ice from collecting on driveways) and left to do some shopping.  When he came home, his girlfriend and her child were ill from noxious fumes that emanated from the garage and required em... 11/11/2009

     While I am not a statistician, I think that it is safe to say that there are a larger number of first time home buyers closing on properties now than there have been for many years...both in raw numbers and percentages, and that number will hopefully continue to grow.      People who have never caulked a window in preparation for Winter, who never ventured beyond the operation of a thermostat to understand how their building was heated, and who could always rely upon a parent or landlord to repair or replace important items of necessity or comfort...are now moving in to their very own  houses.  Some of these houses have sat vacant for many, many months and we all know how empty homes tend to deteriorate faster than those that are lived in.       How well did you prepare them for th... 11/08/2009

     Imagine living in a part of the United States of America where people can build, wire and plumb buildings (residential and commercial) any way they wanted to.  They can use the cheapest materials, the cheapest and most unskilled labor, never be inspected by any State, City or County official, and sell the building for top dollar.      Now, add to that the fact that there is no floodplain management.  Next year's new construction at the top of the hill will send thousands of gallons of water toward your house in a heavy rain...and there is nothing that you can do about it.      Considering that neither your city or your county participates in the National Flood Insurance Program managed by FEMA, the options of flood insurance are few and the premiums are high...sometimes too high to... 11/06/2009

The house has been on the market for a year and you finally have a contract.  The buyer has wisely exercised his option to have the home inspected and your agent calls and asks you to "get things ready".  What should you do? 1.  If you are living in the home, be certain that there is immediate access to the electrical service panel, water heater, furnace/air conditioning unit, crawlspace hatch, and attic hatch.  2.  Be sure that all luminary devices are supplied with working bulbs. 3.  Be certain that all utilities are on and operating.  Inspectors will not open valves or energize electrical systems that have been turned off. 4.  Be sure that pets are removed from the inspection areas and cannot escape.  Inspectors will be opening all doors, windows and gates to test them. 5.  Most real... 10/31/2009

In random order, I present to you seven different ways in which a home inspection report can be used by parties to a real estate transaction for advantage and benefit. 1.  Buyers can consider the reported conditions of the home's systems to determine their ability to afford to maintain the property.  A home with a 12 year old water heater, an 18 year old furnace and a 25 year old composite shingled roof is going to need some costly investments in the near future. 2.  Buyers can sometimes use information regarding undisclosed defects to negotiate the seller's action to repair the defect(s) or adjust the asking price for the home. 3.  Sellers can obtain a home inspection and use the report to disclose known defects to potential buyers. 4.  Sellers can obtain a home inspection and use the ... 10/31/2009

Everywhere in America real estate contracts are being written with contingencies that allow the buyer to walk away from or renegotiate his contract based upon the findings from a home inspection.  A third option is for the buyer to use the report as a "punch list" for themselves as they tackle the job of turning their new purchase into their new home. I am a certified home inspector and have acted to help both, buyers and sellers, with descriptive reports concerning the purchases or sale of property.  In this article I will focus on the benefits to the buyer of a home inspection. First and foremost, buyers of residential or commercial properties in Missouri must know and understand that the State of Missouri does not have any minimum basic standards applied or enforced with builders who... 10/31/2009

Much of the commercial property in Cassville, Missouri is built within the flood plain along with several residential dwellings, as well. Some of the residential units are literally rotting away and are havens for mold and many of the commercial dwellings are well below standards when it comes to electrical, roofing, and structural issues. The toll taken by the regular seasonal floods has made improvements to these properties appear as wasteful and affordable flood insurance is not available. A small group of investors who have purchased the undeveloped land within the flood prone areas of Cassville would like to see their land sell for top dollar to future developers. They fear that a relationship with FEMA might interfere with their plans. Affordable flood insurance would be available... 10/28/2009

Would you believe me if I were to tell you that every single child born in the State of Missouri exits the womb with 100% of all of the skill and knowledge required by the state to electrically wire the residential care facility where you have moved your grandmother to live? No, it is not a mystery contained in the water...the air...or DNA. Instead, it is the fact that the State of Missouri has never established any minimum basic standards for builders and contractors in the state. While electrical fires are destroying lives, homes and businesses throughout the rural and unregulated areas of the state on a monthly basis, less than one-third of Missouri counties and cities have acted to protect its citizens with minimum basic building standards, otherwise known as "building codes". One s... 10/28/2009

A client from out of state called me and asked if I would give him a bid on some commercial property that he was wanting to buy near Cassville. I took a ride out to see it and found a run down looking motel with a recent coat of paint on it and inquired of the owners information about the septic system that they appeared to know very little about. I left my business card and returned to my office. I could tell that this was going to be a lot of problems to look at, a lengthy report to write and the defensive demeanor of the sellers as I asked them questions gave me a feeling that this was not a job that I really wanted to do.  Business has been good and I really didn't want to spend the amount of time that this project would require. Yet, the client was in a pinch and I had committed to... 10/05/2009