Having a fire destroy your home is a devastating thing to endure. While having insurance is a blessing, the companies have the potential to make a bad situation ten times worse once they get involved. So this doesn’t happen to you, I’m going to relay the lessons I learned when my apartment building went up in flames in December 2006.

If something doesn’t make sense to you, ask about it. If you don’t understand a term, ask for the other party’s definition of the term. If you don’t feel you’re getting a straight answer from the people involved, call other professionals from the same industry, just in another area.

Real estate investing generally involves taking risks and house flipping is no different. Perhaps the most substantial pitfall of house flipping is the fact it may take a long time to actually flip the house. Just because you buy a home and fix it up doesn’t guarantee you can turn around and sell it. In some instances, it may take several months or years to locate a buyer. Be prepared with a backup plan, such as renting the property, to offset monetary losses.

The sooner you take action and call the right people for the job, the sooner you and your loved ones will be able to rest peacefully at night. This is simply not something that you can ignore any longer. You want to resolve any and all issues right away. You will be healthy and then you will be able to be clear of any possible lawsuits should you later decide to sell the property.

Before you attempt to take down a popcorn ceiling on your own, make sure to have asbestos testing done on it. Asbestos is an extremely harmful substance and requires special care in removal and disposal, but it only causes problems when it is disturbed. Because of this, you might need to consider hiring a professional to come in with specialized equipment to handle speedydemolition, if your popcorn ceiling contains any.

If you insist doing the inspection, be prepared that it won’t take just an hour to go over each nook and cranny. Dress for the event in overalls and bring a mask just to be sure you’re not inhaling those invisible and deadly fumes. In case of asbestos, take care to dispose of the articles of clothing. You don’t want Mesothelioma after 25 years.

Remember, anyone you pay must be an asbestos removal professional. Asbestos are toxic so do not try to move or repair them on your own. Hire an inspector to help you determine what is best to be done. Make sure the inspector is from a different company than your contractor. Label and shut off the work area so no one walks in by mistake. Follow all the federal, state, and local regulations and get everything you need from the inspector and contractor in writing. Now you should know all you need to go and solve your asbestos problem.