Painter's Tape

Not sorry

I have strong opinions about new builds, that is homes being built right now for people to purchase and live in. If you would like my 75-page pamphlet on reasons not to buy a new build, send $49.99 plus shipping and handling and I will gladly send it to you. Or, just wait until I get around to writing about my reasons in this blog.

Your choice.

Homebuilders don't like agents involved in real estate sales. There are several reasons for this (see my pamphlet). One of those reasons is it is our job to advise our clients. When purchasing a new build, this can be tricky, as the builder has all the power and they tend to gloss over material facts, such as the buyer can close on their new home and pay the mortgage on their new home, but the builder can't release the house and the buyer can't move in for three more months because the builder hasn't yet purchased the land the home is built on. Or, the builder has the right to put the home's fence anywhere, including not on the buyer's property. Both true stories, by the way.

Anyway, I have a fabulous client--and I do mean fabulous! They are buying a new build somewhere in Mesa. I am excited for them. This choice works well in their lives.

Mr. and Mrs. Fabulous had their final new home walk-through yesterday. The final walk-through consists of them, along with the builder representative, usually some young guy with a big smile plastered upon his face, saying such things as, "We will definitely take care of that," and me going through the home looking for imperfections. This process is tedious, and depending upon the builder rep, can be downright annoying.

As we go through this house, the builder rep will mark any areas that are not to the satisfaction of the new home owner. The wall behind the closet door not painted, noted. The kitchen cabinets not hung level (true story), noted. The way this is "noted" is with a teensy piece of blue painter's tape.

In the past I have learned builder reps tend to be stingy with the blue painter's tape. Me or my client might point out a gash in the drywall or a chunk of granite missing in the kitchen and they will smile, dab a small piece of tape and move on. If there is more than one gash or chunk, they often say things like, "the painter/counter/electrican will notice everything." Are you sure about that? Because it seems to me they should have noticed it to begin with.

Now kind of a veteran of this process, I bring my own tape. And let me tell you, the builder reps don't like it. They will smile that plastered smile, but please don't mistake that for anything other than biting their tongue.

Yesterday, I brought a three-pack of tape. I gave one to my clients and I kept one. So the three of us had the tape. The builder rep's tongue practically started bleeding from being bitten, but then again, it is my client I protect.

Between the three of us, we went through about one and a half rolls of tape. That's ok. This will mean the cabinets will be level, the gash in the shower tile will be fixed and if there happens to be a banana peel and other trash behind the kitchen cabinet (which wasn't bolted in properly) it will be removed. My client is paying a pretty penny for this new build. It isn't too much to ask for everything to be in tip-top shape before closing.