Article 1 (Protecting Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning) Article 2 (Q & A with Michael Merrill) Article 3 (Some of My Favorite Web Sites)

Protecting Your Family From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning By Jay McHugh of RE/Max Affiliates Understanding the Risk... According to the United States EPA, carbon monoxide poisoning represents a silent but very real killer. The colorless, odorless gas is found as a result of "incomplete" combustion. People become ill when the heaters are not properly vented or are broken, when their automobile is allowed to run in a confined space, when indoor appliances such as gas ovens and dryers operate improperly, and in other similar ways. When victims inhale carbon monoxide, the gas enters into their bloodstream and replaces life sustaining oxygen. Carbon monoxide imitates oxygen, thereby fooling the victim's body into thinking that there is no problem. This continues while the victim becomes sicker and sicker. Carbon monoxide mimics the behavior of oxygen without providing its benefits. It is transported through the body, and rather than feeding body organs, it cruelly starves them. Because the body needs even more oxygen, the victim's heart rate increases, which brings on poisoning at a more rapid pace. As poisoning continues, a victim can face breathing difficulties, heart damage, brain damage and coma. If fresh air does not become available, the victim can die. What to watch for... Initially, carbon monoxide poisoning creates symptoms that are unfortunately similar to the flu. This includes headaches, confusion, and nausea. As gas levels increase in the bloodstream, victims may lose consciousness. Because carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms appear to be flu-like, many who become ill do not realize that they have become poisoned. This can create a real problem because it is important to remove victims from the poisoned environment as promptly as possible. If you or a family member has been poisoned by carbon monoxide, the EPA recommends the following action: First, get fresh air immediately. Second, turn off the combustion appliances such as heaters, ovens, etc. After leaving your house, or where it is that you have become sick, call for emergency assistance and tell the operator that you believe you have become poisoned by carbon monoxide. This is important because it may not be readily apparent if you later become unconscious. Ten years ago, few people discussed this danger. In 1994, tennis star Vitas Gerulaitis died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, and that incident helped publicize this threat. It is believed that about 1,500 people die every year in the United States from carbon monoxide poisoning. Thousands more become sick. Indoor appliances that are not properly vented or are otherwise faulty can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. It is important that these appliances are regularly checked. Carbon monoxide detectors can help protect your family... In the last few years, carbon monoxide detectors have become available, and these devices can save lives. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and generally appear to do their job. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, carbon monoxide detectors and alarms can provide much protection against carbon monoxide poisoning. Some suggest that they be installed in hallways near every bedroom in the house. Care must be taken to ensure they are not covered by furniture or drapes. In 1993, Chicago became the first municipality to require the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in new residences. Other state and local governments have either followed suit or are considering doing so. For example, a bill currently pending in New Jersey would require installation state-wide. There are other measures that should be taken to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Never burn charcoal inside your home or any other confined space. Also, do not leave a car running inside your garage, even with the door open. And do not use gas appliances, such as your range, owner or close dryer, to heat your house. The Consumer Products Safety Commission warns that carbon monoxide exposure is most harmful to unborn babies, infants, persons with anemia, and persons with history of heart disease.

Q & A with Michael Merrill of Merrill & McGeary, a real estate attorney. Q:   I am purchasing a Condominium unit in a large suburban complex, over two hundred units. I believe I am paying a fair price for the unit. Certainly the unit is not a "steal." The home inspection revealed several problems with the mechanical systems and the condition of the unit that I was not aware of at the time I made my offer. I think the Seller should either repair these items or pay the cost of repair prior to closing. I also learned the Condominium has several ongoing repair projects involving roofs, decks, and siding. I'm not sure whether the cost of these common area repairs will be paid by the Condominium Trust from the regular operating budget or by assessment. If there is an assessment, I would like the Seller to pay the assessment prior to sale. What do you recommend I do now in terms of negotiation and procedure? M.C., Arlington, MA A:   This is not an unusual situation for a Buyer to be faced with after the home inspection. Initially, you should decide whether or not you are willing to lose the deal and not buy the unit if you request the Seller to either adjust the price or make the repairs. The current real estate market is a "Seller's" market and, as a result, some Sellers are unwilling to negotiate the terms of sale because there are other Buyers waiting in the wings. On the other hand, if you can demonstrate you are a serious and committed Buyer, the Seller may try to work with you to make the sale occur, assuming the sale will occur within an acceptable time frame. If you are serious about negotiating with the Seller and you are willing to risk the deal to achieve your goals, then I recommend you start with requesting the Seller pay for the unit repairs. Provide the seller with a written list of the repairs through the broker. Do not wait for the lawyers to deal with the issue-get the ball rolling as soon as possible. If it appears the Seller is willing to negotiate these items, move on to the common area repairs issues. Speak to either a Trustee of the Condominium and/or the Condominium's property manager to determine what repairs are contemplated on what schedule and whether or not the repairs will be paid form the Condominium's operating or reserve account or by special assessment. Obtain this information yourself if possible, in order to avoid miscommunications and do it prior to signing the purchase and sale agreement. You can then make a business decision as to whether you are willing to assume any additional costs of ownership or whether you will ask the Seller to adjust the purchase price. You should also be aware that in any home-ownership situation there will be some unexpected repair costs. As you ask questions and receive answers from the Seller through the broker, you will be able to respond appropriately and continue the negotiation. At some point, however, the parties must sign a purchase and sale agreement or the Seller will terminate the offer and put the unit back on the market. Good luck. Q:   I live in a Condominium. I get very little information about how the Condominium is operated by the Trustees and management. What rights do I have? L.T., Boston, MA A:   A unit owner's rights in a Condominium are defined by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 183A (the Condominium enabling statute) and the Condominium Documents including the Master Deed, Trust By-Laws and Rules and Regulations. A unit owner has significant rights, particularly with regard to review and inspection of Condominium-related documents. However, the unit owner must provide the Trustees and/or management with reasonable advance notice of his request and the inspection must occur within regular business hours. Other conditions of inspection, such as reimbursement for copies, may be required by the Trustees or management.

Some of My Favorite Web Sites By: Sara Rosenfeld Sr. Vice President, Co-Manager of Hunneman & Coldwell Banker I recently created three different Community Guides for our customers and clients. No matter how many references guides I researched and professionals I spoke to, the best information came from the many web sites I found. I want to share with you some very important web addresses to help you get to know your community and find the answers to some of your questions. Most cities and towns in Massachusetts have web sites and some have multiple web sites. The ones I rely on most frequently in our marketplace of Brookline, Newton, and the surrounding Boston communities of Brighton, Allston, Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, and Roslindale are:      · Boston:  www.ci.boston.ma.us      · Brookline:  www.town.brookline.ma.us      · Newton:  www.ci.newton.ma.us These sites connect to the separate departments of the town or city hall along with offering valuable links to additional web sites for different information. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has its own web site: www.magnet.state.ma.us One of the best sources for getting to know a community and linking to local web sites is through the Community Newspaper's web site: www.townonline.com This site posts community information from the children's soccer schedules to school vacations. You can connect to any Metro Boston Community that is serviced by Community Newspapers by selecting the name of the town or city on their home page. All of the Boston newspapers have their own web sites and offer a wealth of information.      · The Globe's web site is:  www.boston.com/globe      · The Herald's web site is:  www.bostonherald.com      · The Phoenix's web site is:  www.phx.com One of the best web sites to get familiar with is the MBTA web site: www.mbta.com. You get all of the schedules for buses, trains, and subways, locations for all the stops, and the actual maps of the routes with the stops and their connections. Want to know what events are happening at the local colleges and universities? They all have web sites from Harvard's site: www.harvard.edu to B.U.'s site: www.bu.edu to Northeastern's site: www.neu.edu and many many more! With all these things to do, don't go out without checking the weather! accuwx.com If this is not enough to keep you very busy, you are welcome to stop by our office for our new Community Guides. The Guides offer pages and pages of web sites for Metro Boston. Just remember that if you are looking for a new place to live, you need to go out and look with a real estate professional.