Inspected Thoughts

I have been in many situations where the seller hated my performing a home inspection. There is a belief that we are going to force the seller to loose money. It is a strong impression that can be hard to overcome. I have been hired by sellers who do not want to make more repairs than necessary, and they want their Realtor to enforce the “as is” aspect of the sale. Some sellers go to the extent that they want the sales contract amended to state that fact.

Paragraph 7D (1) states that the "buyer accepts the property in its present condition”. This sounds pretty much like stating “as is”. However, other parts of the contract allow for home inspections and the right of termination. To truly enforce buying a home with no other requirements, a seller would have to prevent termination because of a finding by the buyer. The seller now has opened himself up to a great liability. The seller has to state the condition of the property on the seller disclosure form. If you fail to mention something, and the buyers are not allowed to find out the truth before purchase, you have a situation which sounds quite a bit like the lemon laws concerning car sales. The buyer could come back to argue that the seller did not permit discovery of issues since they knew of the problem.

As a seller, you have to be willing to work with the buyer. You can state that you believe the price is fair for the condition of the home, so you will not consider lowering the price to deal with found issues. Allow the buyer to inspect, so they know what they are buying. If the buyer is willing to accept these terms, then you have the deal that you want, while not facing possible a lawsuit.

A misconception about the home inspection process

My wife has become friends with her former teacher, and we were invited to a dinner with some of their friends. When one man discovered that I was a home inspector, we began talking about the real estate market (a topic of great interest too many). He stated a belief, which I hear often enough: the seller is required to make the repairs on the home inspector’s report. Yes, I have mentioned it before: the report is a statement of the home’s condition, and places no requirements on either the seller or buyer. It was an entertaining dinner, and I may not be writing about it, except for a change in the law, which may color my answers to such questions.

The required property inspection is undergoing a change. One change is that it will clearly spell out my answer on the report itself. I think that this might be due to the fact that some inspectors and Realtors do stress required repairs. They feel that this is in the best interest of their clients. One guest turned towards me to relate the story of a recent sale. The buyer insisted that the price of the home had to be lowered by $20,000 because of the findings in the home inspection report. It was obvious that the buyer felt that the market would permit/reward his bad behavior, to obtain a home in a good location at a very low price. I have had buyers suggest that they wish to use reports to lower the price, but I say that is up to them. I feel that attitude is inappropriate; however, in the current market, it may be growing.

One dinner companion insisted that home repairs mentioned in a home inspector’s report are mandatory, because a friend was just forced to make certain repairs. I think that the situation may have occurred not due to a home inspection, but due to a change in the sales contract, which took place this past September. Paragraph 7D of the One To Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), which is the form TREC 20-8, has a new provision dealing with the property condition. If the buyer has no intention of requiring any repairs before the option period, they would check off paragraph 7D(1). After the option period (when inspections have been performed), the buyer may realize that a repair is needed. Then an addendum is added to the contract that the buyer and seller have to agree to, so a repair becomes mandatory since the seller agrees to it. Paragraph 7d(2) offers a means for the buyer to bind the seller to a specific repair by accepting an offer though.

The important term here is “specific”. The buyer has to see something that requires a repair, and they have to mention that item specifically. The seller needs to go over this contract carefully to understand that they are accepting that this repair should be done. In other words, the repair becomes mandatory. How would the buyer know what to mention in this section? The repair has to be visible to them. A downed fence after a hurricane is a common issue right now, but I was in a house where a seller was doing the laundry and dishes while the house was being shown. The dishwasher began leaking while we were there (visible). The other way is the Seller’s Disclosure Form.

I told the gathered party about a recent experience with a client who was a seller. They had disabled their garage door opener after they had lowered the ceiling for a finished garage. The door now scraped against the ceiling when opened, but they were using the garage as a bath house for their pool. A buyer discovered this fact after the inspection, and they wanted it repaired, but they also wanted to keep the lowered ceiling. The repair cost was too much for the seller. Since the situation was obvious when they toured the house, the buyer could have used paragraph 7D(2), but it ended up in negotiation on an addendum because it was discovered during the home inspection. This tale does show that buyers need to be observant before making an offer (and hopefully, their Realtor is aware of this section of the contract).

This tale led to some surprise among the guests. Home inspectors are meant to protect the interest of buyers, so why would a seller hire a home inspector? A growing trend among sellers is to provide a home inspection report to potential buyers. Many sellers do not want to be surprised, so using a home inspector to find major issues before offering a home for sale allows them to address these issues. In fact, some inspectors provide signs for the homes to show that they have been pre-inspected.

Well, going out dinner is nice; however, I do not always want to talk shop. Although it is nice to dispel some misconceptions that people have about the industry.

I feel as though I am following a them criticizing some home inspectors of late. I have been placed in situations where I have evaluated other inspector’s work, and I found some odd things in their report. Over the weekend, I dealt with an unusual situation where a close relative is selling a house to a good friend of my wife. I was able to see the story unfold on both sides.

A little background: I was going to be the inspector for my wife’s friend, until she decided to purchase my relative’s house. I suggested another inspector that I know, who I felt would do a good job for them. My wife informed me that her friend was very upset with the inspector that I recommended, and that I had lied about his price and professionalism. I was dumbfounded. I could not accept that this home inspector had let them down. It turns out that they did not use the person that I had suggested. Their Realtor had set up the home inspection with a different firm, and when she found out they were mad, the Realtor told them that the inspector was the person I had suggested. (It is nice to see the Realtor taking responsibility, is it not?)

Based on the home inspector’s recommendation, the buyer submitted a list of repairs to my relative with a copy of the report. My relative called me to go over the list and the report. One section dealt with the water heater, which really puzzled my relative. Here is the statement from the home inspector on needed repairs:

Replace
Temperature & pressure relief (TPR) valve(s) (should be replaced
every three years).

o sediment trap(s) was(were) discovered on gas supply line.

Water
supply lines not insulated for first 6 feet at unit(s).

TPR drain line was not terminating to outside or not located. It should be terminating outside to

within 6” of ground and pointing down.

Improper
TPR drain material (PVC used) –unsafe.

Missing
pan drain.

Why would this cause confusion to the seller? The water heater was just installed this year, and the building inspector from the city had approved the installation. From glancing at any unit, a home inspector cannot give you an exact age. With water heaters, you can use the serial number to look up the unit’s age. There were signs that the unit was relatively new, which would have made me cautious with the first statement. Replacing the TPR valve after three years is not a bad idea, but it is not mandatory. In this case, the inspector makes a rash claim, since there was a possibility that the unit was not older than three years. As for the sediment trap or insulated pipe, those are nice to have, but they are not required. The TPR drain was just outside the door of the room where the water heater is located. He did not bother to look. For the drain material, he noted that it was reduced in size and that it was improper material. The reduction he did not mention above, but the pipe was clearly not reduced. As for the material, I did find one connector that I would assume was wrong, but the plumber claims that it was just mislabelled. We are still waiting to have the plumber come out to look at it. The missing pan drain is correct, and I had mentioned it before, but my relatives felt if the building inspector had approved it that it must be fine.

The home inspector’s report contained many inaccuracies along with correct evaluations and recommendations made as issues. From the first page, we began to wonder. He stated that he arrived at the home at 8:20 am. I was there at that time, so I know that he was not. The homeowner was there later, and the inspector had not arrived. His clients waited for him at a later time, and he was not there then either. Yet his report indicates that he spent three hours inspecting the house, which would be good, but he lied about it anyway. His report seems to have been created with a list of common errors that he decided that the house must have, so good ahead and mark them down.

Most home inspectors that I know spend a good amount of effort trying to deliver the best report possible to their clients, but inspectors like this one give us all a bad name.

The home inspector was nitpicking; he was completely wrong in that statement; and he was complaining that a house built forty-five years ago does not meet up to current code. Sound familiar? Each inspector has his own style in phrasing his findings, and I might not fully agree with the different styles, but I only have an issue when an inspector is reaching to find a problem where there is none.

How do you deal with a buyer who is upset with the findings? I have become frustrated by some reports, and I would love to tell the home inspector what he did wrong, but this does not help the situation. You are still in the negotiating phase, and you need to work with the buyer to reach the goal which you both desire: the real estate sale. Here are steps in dealing with the inspection which concerns the buyer:

Situation One: the inspector points out a problem which you know he was incorrect about: let’s say that he says the oven is not working, but it is a new oven. The best option is to have a technician come out to look at the oven, and write a report as to its condition. However, it is an oven, and you may not want to spend that money. Buy an oven thermometer, and set the oven to a specific temperature to check the temperature with the thermometer. See for yourself if it is truly different. Now, on an air conditioning or electrical system would be better examined by a technician than by yourself.

Situation Two: the inspector mentions something which is easy to repair : my favorite example of this is the anti-siphon device on hose bibs. This is around six dollar part, which you can just screw onto the bib. Many repairs may be on your level, or may be handled by a local handyman. If they are a concern for the buyer, these repairs may not be too expensive, although if you look at prices inspectors list on their reports you could believe it may cost thousands ( a pet peeve of mine). Write a list of all of the repairs done to improve the house for the sale, and the repairs done due to the inspection report.

Situation Three: a major problem has been discovered which may incur huge costs to the buyer to repair. First is the problem immediate, or something that might happen? Immediate would be an issue like the foundation has been damaged in some way, and it needs a repair. In this case, you may need to negotiate a price reduction to help the buyer cover the expense, or have this done yourself. If it is a comment like the air conditioning may not last for the next year, then offer to pay for a home warranty for a year.

You have to remember that on many occasions that you will not know exactly what the inspector said, so do not argue directly. Show that there is another opinion if you feel that he was wrong, but other issues may not be major expenses; however, they are a concern for the buyer. Repair costs can be greatly inflated, so look at what the cost actually is through your own quote, or just handle the repairs on your own. If you want to sell the home, find a way to keep the negotiation going, and you may have a deal.

Businesses run on metrics. We use them to reassure ourselves, and to show others why certain things are true. The real estate industry is no different, but we are undergoing a change in how a real estate transaction occurs. Most of this change is being driven by the internet, but it also involves people seeing the business model being outdated in general. While the growing influence of the internet is being recognized by Realtor Associations, there also seems to be a desire to push facts, which suggest that the old model is just fine.

The Houston Association of Realtors conducted a survey of buyers and sellers to determine trends amongst these groups. It was discovered that many are turning towards the internet for information, and this is causing consumers to be more knowledgeable about the industry, which will lead to them being more discriminate about how they use the services from a brokerage. It is envisioned that buyers and sellers may choose what services they want the brokerage to provide, in order to reduce their costs. This is part of the change in the profession, and it is not an issue for the industry. Firms like Redfin pose a greater threat it seems. Some of the data from this survey hints that maybe the consumer is just happy with the way things are though.

Parts of this report are sent out to people in the industry each week to highlight a positive answer about Realtors. One sign that could be seen as boding well for Realtors is that 45% of the people surveyed state that they only contacted and worked with one Realtor. Only one percent contacted four or more. The idea being that consumers so trusted their Realtor (or the profession) that they only needed to contact one person. However, there are some other facts to consider. Thirty-six percent of the people surveyed refused to answer this question, and we do not know why. Also, a follow-up question for those who only chose to call and work with one Realtor may have been useful: why did you only call one Realtor? Or why did you not shop around?

I am curious about that thirty-six percent, but that may be difficult to find an answer as to the reasons for their refusal. The other group that I wish to study may be easier for me to fathom. I always suggest that people call different inspectors or contractors when dealing with such a major purchase or investment. I have also recommended speaking with different Realtors. I spoke to four Realtors before settling on one to help me when buying a home. I consider this process of choosing natural. After this question and response was sent to me, I decided to ask some people about their process of finding a Realtor. I asked a buyer and a seller if they wished for me to provide them with a list of Realtors to call. They responded that they already had a Realtor, and in both cases they only contacted one. The seller chose to use a Realtor who had helped a family member buy a home. The buyer was going to use a Realtor, who had answered the phone at a brokerage firm which was listing a home they were interested in. Both decided that one Relator was pretty much the same as another, so they did not really require looking into if this was the best candidate to help them.

This may be why people are not searching for the best Realtor. If it is, maybe the report’s finding is not the best news for Realtors. Here is the scenario playing out in my head: the consumer is becoming better educated about products and services as the internet becomes a more important tool for the average person. Realtors may not be doing enough to distinguish themselves from one another, so in the consumer’s mind they do not have to search for the best person for the job. I noticed that brokerages are starting to advertise to distinguish themselves from their competitors, but this can be difficult for the individual agent to do. As firms like Redfin increase their presence, traditional Realtors may find themselves loosing ground, as consumers see that this model can be better for them financially.

Many years ago, when I was overseeing a staff of over two hundred employees, another manager came to me and stated that we should only have the absolute best employees on staff. He had a plan for weeding out the poor performers that he wanted my approval to enact. I told him great, but we are we going to get replacements who meet his criteria for the best. We just had to hire them. I pointed out that roughly a quarter of the people fit into the description of being fantastic employees, a quarter into being bad, and around half were average. His plan would cause us to loose seventy five percent of our work force. I think that this rough breakdown describes most industries. The vast majority of Realtors, home inspectors, appraisers, and loan officers that you will encounter are within the average. A few are bad, but then a few are fantastic. We cannot get rid of the average of the bad in one fell swoop, but you as a consumer can weed us out to find the best person to work with. However, I would like to know what you think. Is it alright to look at only one Realtor? And is this good or bad for the industry? It will be interesting to see what changes may occur in real estate over the next few years.

If you are not going to be in a house for awhile, or if you are handling a foreclosure, you will want to winterize the home to protect it from damage. The term comes from the fact that vacation homes were prepared for winter when no one would be in them. One thing to note is that any home that goes unoccupied for a while will suffer some type of damage. Houses need to have fresh air coming into them; the mechanical equipment needs to be operated to keep it functioning well; and seals need to be kept wet so that they do not dry out. Here are the steps to consider when winterizing a home:

1. Make repairs before turning off the utilities. A leaky pipe may not be noticed right away when the water is turned back on. A loose wire causing an arc or short may not be noticed either. People looking at the home may turn these on and leave them on after they leave. You will come back to find the damage that this has caused.
2. Turning off the gas: the company which provides the natural gas has to be called to turn it off on the main. They will put a tag on it indicating that it has been shut down, and no one should turn it on. You will want to shut off the gas to the various appliances though. You never can tell what may happen, so it is safer to have the gas valves for each unit turned off to prevent leaks. Typical appliance in the home that use gas are: the clothes dryer; the heating system; the water heater; the fireplace; and the oven and cooktop. These are usually ball
   valves, so the lever has to be perpendicular to the body to shut them off.
3. Turning off the electricity: you could make arrangements to have the power shut off, or you could just shut the main breaker off. Some inspectors like taking the extra step of of turning off individual breakers on all of the panels, but you do not have to go so far. The main concern here is finding loose wires. In one home the range exhaust vent was pulled out with live loose wires hanging down. They should have a wire nut on them, and secured away from someone’s grasp.
4. Turning off the plumbing: I have found damage to the plumbing done to vacant homes, or just small leaks that were never repaired. Once the water is back on, a continuos little leak can do a good deal of damage when left unchecked. Before shutting off the water, check all of the fixtures by running them. Look at the pipes in the cabinets to see if any water leaks out. Run the dishwasher. A dry seal on a dishwasher can cause a bad leak. If there are no leaks, you can start draining the
   water from the system. Turn of the main water valve, which could be
   at the meter, but it could be by a hose bib or in the garage. Open
   the faucets to let the water flow out. You will want to keep water
   in the toilet bowl, because this will prevent sewer gases from
   coming into the home. You will also want water in the P-traps under
   the sinks, but this will happen when you open the faucets. Not
   everyone does this (although they should), but I would suggest
   draining the water heater if it is of the tank variety. The standing
   water in it can become quite foul.
5. Signage: You will want people to know that the house has been winterized, so hopefully they will not do any damage. At each entrance, have a sign stating that the house has been winterized. You could place signs at various spots around the house, but there are a few places that really need it. Place tape across the toilet in an x-shape with a winterization note, so a person does not decide to use it (leave the over up to allow odors from the water not to sit there). A note by the electrical panel to indicate winterization is a good idea. You could lock the service panel with a small padlock, which would be a good idea if the panel is on the exterior of the home. I have seen notes placed by the air conditioning equipment, but if the electrical
   panel has the note, and the gas main has the tab, an inspector will
   know it has been winterized. The signs should explain that winterization means lights could not be turned on or that the
   plumbing cannot be used. It is also a good idea to date them, so an
   inspector will know how long it has been. A paper printed up from
   your computer is fine, but creating a sticker will make the sign
   last longer.
6. Secure the building: make sure all windows and doors are locked. I find that people forget the upstairs windows, and sometimes the garage. Close the blinds too.
7. A possible extra step: this is something you could do to help out when the building is being opened up again. Change the filters for the air conditioning system. Clogged filters force the unit to work harder when started. A general cleaning is always a nice touch, but it can help the home stay unoccupied a little longer. I found remnants of food in one kitchen, which encouraged pest to come into the home. In fact if you notice points where squirrels or other rodent have chewed their way into the home in the past, board it up to help discourage them.

This is the basic outline. In some cases with foreclosures, winterization could mean repairing walls and such, while also doing some painting, but this is not necessary for winterization.

Yes, I am the oddball who uses a push mower and edger around my home.On the positive side, I do not need to worry about gas prices, nor am I hurting the environment. I leave the clippings were they fall to help my yard. On the negative side, I do not always create the nice manicured look of some of my fellow residents. I also do not get that newly cut grass smell that others manage.

As I was cutting my yard, a lady, who was walking her dog, passes by.We say hello to each other, but our conversations have not been much more. Today she stops to ask if I am selling my home. I turn to look at my house to see if she notices something that would indicate that I am preparing to sell it. I tell her no, and ask why she would think that. She says that the fragrance is lovely. The jasmine has not come into bloom yet, and the roses only give off a light scent, so I ask what is it that she smells. Lemon and mint she replies. She says that she has heard of Realtors using cinnamon and such to create wonderful aromas in a house, but this was the first time that she has known someone to do this on the exterior.

I chuckle, and explain to her that I have allowed the mint to spread into the lawn. There is also some lemon thyme patches in the lawn too. When my family sits on the front lawn, it gives off a nice scent, so that is why I allowed them to spread.

So
I offer this marketing tip to you:
fragrant lawns to sell a home.

What does a home inspector have to do with home staging? For most inspectors nothing, but I started out doing home staging before I became an inspector, and I find that the inspector training has helped me with this task. Do you need a professional home stager? You do not need one, since most of it is common sense, but a home staging professional can be a benefit for those who do not have the time to do it themselves. What is the benefit of home staging? Staged homes frequently sell faster and for, or close, to asking price. Home staging is an affordable way to give your home a new look without a major remodeling.

Home staging has been a growing business in the last few years. Sometimes realtors make suggestions to their clients, sometimes home owners stage their own homes, and sometimes an outsider is brought in. The basic idea is simple enough: keep your home clean, simple, and organized. Clean does not mean cleaning in this case. Cleaning should be done before you stage your home. Cleanmeans uncluttered. Simple means not extravagant. Lastly, organized means that the normal objects of our lives will be in a designated place.

There have been articles about home staging which have failed to mention the first thing a prospective buyer sees: the front of your home. I do not hear the phrase “curb appeal” much from people involved in this job. However, first impressions are lasting. Keep the lawn mowed and edged; this is especially important when you are not living there. Trees and bushes should be pruned, and garden beds weeded. Flowers are nice, but not as important as you might think. Keep the walkway clear. No one wants to maneuver an obstacle path to the front door. A new coat of paint goes a long way, even if your house does not need it right now. Garden ornaments can be fine, but it would be better to limit or remove them. New house numbers are great eye catchers, and they help buyers find your home. Fresh paint or stain on the front door is appealing. A red door is considered to bring good fortune in China, while it means the home has been paid off in the west. New entry door hardware leaves a great impression.

The entry is the next stop. If you have a rug in the entry hall, place adhesive under it to prevent it from moving about. Rugs can look messy when askew, and you do not want to have some one slip on them. Do not place a lot of items here, like a coat rack, table, grandfather clock, and umbrella stand. One of these items is fine; the best would be a table with a mirror. Do not leave the mail on the table. It is best to have some type of box for your mail.

Moving into the house, let less is more be your credo. The buyer needs to see themselves living in your home. Basic furniture arrangements which go together are perfect. Matching lamps, slip covers with complimentary fabric, and chairs that match are important visually. Some family photos work well, but too many cause the buyer not to visualize themselves in the home. Create a designer look by pulling chairs, tables, and sofas away from the wall. Toys from children or pets, magazines, newspapers, books, and other items of our daily life should be tucked away to be out of sight. Pet bowls fit into this category too. Use green plants to create an inviting feel. Never use silk flowers or fake plants, because no matter how nice they are, these items never come across as inviting as real ones. Wood blinds are far better than layered window treatments. Closets should look organized, where the back can be seen.

Kitchen and bathroom remodels typically have a great return on investment, but they are not always necessary. The kitchen counter should be cleared of utensils and equipment. A coffee maker is fine. Dish towels and cleaning supplies should be removed. Windowsills need to be kept cleared. New cabinets are not always important, but new hardware can make all the cabinets look new. Inside the cabinets, keep plates and supplies neat and organized. Clear containers make the cabinets appealing, since you can see the back. Fresh fruit on a kitchen counter, or a potpourri basket in the bathroom, leaves a good impression. Bathrooms benefit from new shower curtains. Remove throw rugs from the kitchen, and place adhesive under rugs in the bathroom. Matching towels are important in the bathroom. Nothing should be on the refrigerator.

Bedrooms should also be free from clutter (no clothes hanging on that butler). The bed skirt, bedspread, and pillow covers should match for a well designed look. King size beds make the room look small, so you should consider queen size or twins. Also, clear out the items under the bed, since people will check there. Sufficient natural light is a selling point in bedrooms, and low wattage bulbs throughout the house should be removed. Do not leave much on top of your dresser.

If you do not have a home office, you should consider creating a space to look like one. Many people need to have a work area at home, even if it is just for bill paying. An empty bedroom or a large closet will work as an office space, or an unused corner will suffice. Treat your backyard as you would your front yard.

The look of your walls can leave a lasting impression. The look of a wall can be easily changed by the buyer, but the seller should consider it first. Buyers might not like your choices. When my wife and I were looking at homes, we saw a home with a great layout, but my wife took a dislike to the bedrooms. The owner had used fabric with stuffing behind it as a wall covering. It was nice, but my tastes may not be your tastes. Wall papers should be removed. You should not use faux finishes either. Do not paint laminate, because the paint can easily come off. Bold colors do not appeal to everyone. My brother painted his walls white after moving in to his home. The previous owner had used colors like red and deep brown, which happen to colors in my home. My brother informed me that I might like those colors, but he does not. A shade of white or beige works well. Use the eggshell style of paint on the walls, with semi-gloss on the trim for the best results. I have to say that I do like semi-gloss on the walls since it can be easier to clean, so I use gloss for my trim, but again, this is not to everyone’s liking. Do not paint switch and receptacle covers, since it appears sloppy. Take the

time to tape off and cover the floor and furniture in areas to be painted. Painting the ceiling a lighter hue makes rooms fell bigger. Adjoining rooms should be painted the same color or a different hue of the same color for a designed look.

Let us not forget the carpets. Carpets should be a neutral color like beige. If your carpets cannot be cleaned to remove all spots, you should replace them. If your floor covering is not carpet, make sure it is in good condition. There should be no broken, peeling, or chipped pieces. Wood floor may need to be refinished. An engineered wood floor can be refinished once or twice, while solid wood flooring can be refinished more often.

The overall theme to these statements is that your likes will not be the buyers likes. Your house has to be seen as a place where anyone will want to live. To help you with staging your home, you should pick up the latest home decorating magazines to see what is in style. Catalogs of items for the home are helpful here, since the products are displayed in a designer setting. Maybe a furniture showroom can give you ideas. I would not buy new furniture, but I would try to make my furniture appealing. Cleaning the upholstery can help. Polishing the wood is great. However, if you have different pieces that you may have received from different relatives, or that you bought over the years, I would try to unify them with slipcovers. Reupholstering can be too expensive, but slipcovers are easy to make and clean. If all else fails, simply store the furniture away somewhere off property. Items that we have collected on trips or gotten as gifts can collect dust and crowd the spaces of our house, so they should be stored. An often overlooked space is the garage. Many people no longer put their cars in the garage, since we keep so many other things in there. Install a storage system which keeps the items neat and organized, so a car(s) can be parked.

If you are keeping a lot in your garage, I would suggest finding somewhere else to store it. The buyer could want the space for a different use, so they need to be able to envision that use for themselves.

Your realtor can be a good source of opinions on how to stage your home. A realtor will know what buyers are looking for, and what might be in fashion. Friends who can be objective are a great help. However if you find the task time consuming, a professional home stager may be to your benefit.