Property Conditions

Plumbing: Check functionality. Also, a national class action suit has been settled, providing relief for qualifying leaks in polybutylene pipes (PB). For more information, see: www.pbpipe.com/or www.aaronline.com/documents/polyb.aspx

Cooling/Heating: Make sure the cooling and heating systems are adequate. Arizona State Chapter affiliate of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America: www.acca-az.org/

Electrical systems: Check for function and safety.

Crime Statistics

Crime statistics, while an imperfect measurement at best, nevertheless provide some indication of the level of criminal activity in an area. To check the crime statistics for the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert and Peoria, go to www.faxnet1.org. A visit or phone call to other law enforcement agencies may be required. For a list of all Arizona city links, go to www.azleague.org. To find crime statistics on their websites, you may need to search for “crime statistics.”

Military & Airports

The legislature has mandated the identification of areas in the immediate vicinity of military and public airports that are susceptible to a certain level of noise from aircraft. The boundaries of these areas have been plotted on maps that are useful in determining if a property falls within one of these areas. The map for military airports may be accessed at:

www.azre.gov/Military Airports…

Maps for many of the public airports are at:

www.azre.gov/Public Airports…

These maps are intended to show the areas subject to the preponderance of airport-related noise from a given airport. Periodic over-flights that may contribute to noise cannot usually be determined from these maps.

Sex Offenders

Since June 1996, Arizona has had a registry and community notification program for convicted sex offenders. This information may be accessed at: https://az.gov/webapp/offender/main.do. Prior to June 1996, registration was not required, and only the higher-risk sex offenders are on the website. The presence of a sex offender in the vicinity of the property is not a fact that the seller or real estate agent is required to disclose.

Indoor Environmental Concerns

Mold: Mold has always been with us, and it is a rare property that does not have some mold. However, over the past few years a certain kind of mold has been identified as a possible contributor to illnesses. Allergic individuals may experience symptoms related to mold. The Arizona Department of Health Services, Office of Environmental Health, states: “If you can see mold, or if there is an earthy or musty odor, you can assume you have a mold problem.”

www.hs.state.az.us/phs/oeh/invsurv/air_qual/mold_contents.htm

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites also contain valuable information:

www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldresources.htmland www.cdc.gov/mold/default.htm

Radon gas and carbon monoxide: Radon gas and carbon monoxide poisoning are two of the more common and potentially serious indoor air quality (“IAQ”) concerns. Both of these concerns can be addressed by the home inspector, usually for an additional fee. For information on radon levels in the state, go to:

www.arra.state.az.us/radon.htm

Clandestine drug labs: For information on remediation of clandestine drug laboratories, and to view a list of seized homes, visit the Board of Technical Registration website at:

www.azbtr.gov/listings/drug_lab_site_clean_up.asp

Other: For information on other indoor environmental concerns, the EPA has a host of resource materials and pamphlets available at:

www.epa.gov/iaq/iaqinfo.html and www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/index.html

Water/Well Issues

You should investigate the availability and quality of the water to the property. For information on wells and assured/adequate water, go to:

www.azwater.gov/dwr/Content/Find_by_Program/Wells/default.htm

or www.azwater.gov/WaterManagement_2005/Content/OAAWS/default.asp.

Adjudications: Arizona is undertaking several General Stream Adjudications, which are court proceedings to determine the extent and priority of water rights in an entire river system. For information regarding water uses and watersheds affected by these adjudications, and the forms upon sale of the property, contact the Department of Water Resources at:

www.azwater.gov/dwr/Content/Find_by_Program/Adjudications/default.htm

Additionally, the Verde Valley Water Users assists members in matters pertaining to the Gila River System Adjudication. www.verdevalleywaterusers.org/homepage.htm

Swimming Pools & Spas

If the property has a pool or a spa, the home inspector may exclude the pool or spa from the general inspection so an inspection by a pool or spa company may be necessary. Barriers: Further, each city and county has its own swimming pool barrier ordinance. Pool barrier contact information for Arizona cities and counties may be found at www.aaronline.com/documents/pool_contacts.aspx. The Arizona Department of Health Services Private Pool Safety notice may be found at:

http://azdhs.gov/phs/oeh/pool_rules.htm

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form

If the home was built prior to 1978, the seller must provide the buyer with a lead-based paint disclosure form. Lead base paint pamphlet or Information on EPA and LBP