Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Oh, when I think about all of the wonderful memories of when I was a kid and growing up, I can’t help but smile.
My parents always went out of their way to celebrate Christmas. My dad was “thrifty” and usually waited till Christmas Eve to buy our tree. By that time, most of the Christmas trees were sold out and I still remember him buying one of the leftovers for a buck or so. He’d bring home the tree and then all the family would get together and decorate it. I was the designated “electrician” and always put up the lights.
Mom would save a little bit of money all year long so that they could get us nice gifts. Of course, I’d always sneak around behind the Christmas Tree, pick up my gift, shake it and try to figure out what was inside. Or, I’d hold my gift up near a bright light so that I could try and read through the gift wrapping!
We were a musical family. Dad would play his guitar, my sisters took turns playing the piano and I played the trombone as we sang our favorite Christmas songs. Mom always baked some special treats for us – Those really were great times!
I’m still a kid at heart and love Christmas. I always put up a fresh pine tree and hang the lights on it. My wife takes care of the decorations. Of course, I always put up Christmas lights on the outside of our house, too.
Let’s all enjoy this special season and spend some quality time with our families and friends. But, let’s not forget about those who are less fortunate because a little thoughtfulness and a little generosity can go a long, long way!
We’ve got some good stuff for you this month, so let’s get to work.
The Final Field Test
Report Is Issued
In last month’s newsletter, you saw our article about the University of Riverside lab study that was commissioned by the Structural Pest Control Board. In that report, they gave us the results of a study on the “Effectiveness of localized drywood termite treatments in a lab setting”. In this month’s newsletter, we are going to discuss the results of the other half of the Pest Control Board’s study conducted by Dr. Vernard Lewis of the University of Berkeley on;
Dr. Lewis wanted to do a robust test of six different termite treatment products that included a variety of “real world” conditions. He and his staff visited 17 cities, as far north as Sonoma and as far south as La Jolla. They inspected 164 separate infestations and they found 48 homes in 14 different cities that were acceptable for testing.
“Acoustic emission detection devices” are machines that can hear termites as they move around inside of wood members and they were used to locate areas of infestation in these homes. Once termites were located, 1/8 inch holes, spaced 3 to 5 inches apart, were drilled in a diamond shaped pattern down the entire length of the boards. Then, the termite products were randomly injected into these holes as per manufacturer’s instructions. Two untreated checks were also included in the study – one with water only and one with no treatment.
Three months later, post treatment evaluations were performed with the same acoustic emission devices. The post treatment results were then compared with pre-treatment readings.
When discussing the results of his study, Dr. Lewis stated that the efficacy of products when compared to untreated checks was unremarkable after the 3 month check. With the exception of one borate product, most products demonstrated at least a 90% reduction in acoustic emission readings. However, the reduction in readings was not significantly different when compared to the water only treatments or the untreated boards.
Previous published results from other researchers have shown similar results – Reductions in termite activity, but not total elimination.
Dr. Lewis continues on by stating that the challenges presented for local treatments in eliminating infestations are daunting. Local treatments are so difficult to do because:
- Wood members contain so many expansive termite gallery systems that are difficult to locate.
- A higher percentage of wood in homes is inaccessible for inspection or treatment.
- Even if you kill almost all of the termites, as few as ten termites can re-establish the same infestation.
- Regular follow up inspections and treatments are needed – You’re not going to solve the problem with just one treatment.
When you combine the results from the UC Riverside lab test and the UC Berkeley field test, they suggest that it’s important for consumers to be aware of the limitations and what can be expected when doing localized drywood termite treatments. They work best when wood members are exposed for inspection and treatment. They are less effective when infestations are concealed or inaccessible. So, bear in mind that in order to do an effective local treatment, your home may have to have ceilings and/or walls opened up in order to make those infested areas accessible for inspection and treatment.
When doing a localized treatment, the study suggest that it is best to use a slow acting product that has the ability to be transferred from one termite to another. Termidor and Timbor dust, which we use at Termite Terry Pest Control, meet that criterion. Liquid borates, orange oil and other products do not.
Fumigations are by far and away the best way to totally eliminate drywood termites in structures. But, there are some places where fumigation is not an option and local treatments are the last resort.
If you need to have a local treatment performed, the best way to start is by having a thorough inspection performed so that you’ll know if it will work for you. Call our office at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and we’ll schedule an inspection at your convenience.
- The inventory of homes for sale has declined. The high point was in January 08 when we had a 16.6 month inventory of homes. It is down to 4.2 months of inventory.
- The existing number of properties owned by lenders has dropped from a high of 141,515 in September 08 down to the current level of 88,009.
- Since the peak of 28,795 trustee sales in July 08, the number has dropped to a current level of 17,239.
Before You Get Excited, Look At These Numbers:
- The number of California delinquencies has risen from 28,795 in July 08 to 52,700 currently! That’s almost double and the numbers are climbing!!
- 25% of Prime loans, 45% of Alt A loans, 50% of Sub prime loans and 73% of Option ARM loans are underwater. That’s scary!
- 47% of homeowners in Orange County owe more than their home is worth. Over 80% of Riverside County homeowners are upside down! San Bernardino County is even worse!
When you consider these facts, what incentives do homeowners have to keep making payments? What have they got to lose if they hand the keys back to the bank and walk away??
When are the lenders going to start foreclosing on these properties?
It appears that the lenders have backed off on foreclosures for now, but you know it can’t keep going on like this for long! Sooner or later they are going to have to start taking back their properties and when they do, there will be a tremendous glut of bank owned properties on the market and home prices will continue to fall.
This Is A Great Time To Invest In Real Estate!
- The current average effective mortgage rate is approx. 5%. Rates haven’t been that low in many decades.
- The California median price of existing detached homes is only $274,740. Compare that with a peak of $505,000 in mid 2007.
- The California affordability rate is now at 54%. Compare that with only 16% in 2005!
- The typical mortgage payment is now about $1,090 compared to $1,940 in February 2008. Adjusted for inflation, that’s about 49.9% lower than it was in the spring of 1987.
Looking to flip homes and make a quick buck? That’s pretty risky with all the “shadow” inventory bound to come on the market. But, if you’ll do the math, this is a great opportunity to buy homes, fix them up and turn them into rentals. Fire up your investment calculator and you’ll see that you can actually earn an income right from the start! That means that if the value of your investment goes up or down, you’ll still be happy. And, if the home’s value goes up, you’ll even be happier!
The Story Of St. Nicholas
The true story of Santa Claus begins with St. Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. Back then, the area was Greek but is now on the southern coast of Turkey. He was brought up by wealthy parents as a devout Christian. Unfortunately, they died while Nicholas was still young.
In the bible, Jesus Christ said, “Sell what you have and give the money to the poor.” Taking those words seriously, Nicholas took his entire inheritance and gave it to the needy, the sick and those that were suffering. His life was dedicated to serving God and he became the Bishop of Myra at a young age. Throughout the area, Bishop Nicholas became known for his generosity, his love for children and his concerns for sailors and ships.
There are a number of stories about St. Nicholas’ great deeds. One story I like is of the poor man with three daughters. Back in those days, a young women’s father had to offer prospective husbands a dowry (something of value). With a larger dowry, the young ladies had a better chance of finding a good man. Without a good dowry, they may never get married. This poor man’s daughters had no dowries and were probably going to be sold as slaves. But, on three different occasions, a bag of gold mysteriously appeared in their home for their dowries. They say that bags of gold were tossed in through open windows and that they landed in shoes or stockings that were left near the fireplace to dry. That’s where the custom of children leaving shoes or stockings out for Santa to place gifts in came from.
St. Nicholas passed away on December 6, 343AD. Today, thousands from all around the world celebrate the 6th of December as St. Nicholas’ Feast Day.
Your House May Not Fall Down Tomorrow, But . . .
Over the years, I’ve inspected a lot of homes that had major termite infestations and then recommended that the homeowners take care of their problem right away. About that time, many homeowners will ask me, “If I don’t get rid of these termites right now, my house isn’t going to fall down tomorrow, is it?” And, I’ve got to be honest and say, “No, your house may not fall down tomorrow, but don’t be surprised when you see how much more it will cost you if you wait.” That is an understatement!
Two years ago, I gave a homeowner in Newport Beach an estimate of 2,400.00 to repair the termite damaged wood on his home. But, instead of taking my advice and fixing it then, he waited two years and called me back. I always double check everything before I start and in just a few minutes, I realized that the termite damage was much worse than I had originally estimated. Termites eat wood 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and they had done so much more damage in just two years that his repair estimate went from 2,400.00 to over 9,400.00! And, if I had it to do over again, I should have charged him even more because it took us two days longer than I estimated.
We’ve had other homes where homeowners procrastinated, called us a year or two later and their homes were so much more badly damaged that we could no longer fix them and we had to refer them to a general contractor.
The message here is that if you or someone else you know has a termite problem – Don’t put it off because chances are, things are only going to get worse and much more expensive, later. Need help with termite treatments or wood repairs? Don’t wait, call our office NOW at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and we’ll schedule an appointment at your convenience.