NEWS RELEASE
Report Offered to Meet Growing Demand for Pre-Purchase Information for Real Estate Agents, Homebuyers and Home Sellers Washington, DC, May 17, 2006 – Pillar To Post, the industry leader in home inspection services, and Environmental Data Resources, Inc. (EDR), the leading national provider of environmental risk information, jointly announced today that they will offer their Neighborhood Environmental Report™ to residential real estate markets across the country. The plan was unveiled at the 2006 National Association of Realtors® Midyear Meeting and Trade Expo in Washington, D.C. Starting immediately, homebuyers and sellers in the U.S. who use Pillar To Post professionals for their home inspections will have access to a Neighborhood Environmental Report™, which provides important information on known and potential contamination that exists on or in the vicinity of a property. “Pillar To Post is very excited to work with EDR to be the first to provide this valuable service to real estate professionals, homebuyers and home sellers,” said Dan Steward, CEO of Pillar To Post. “While the reports often give neighborhoods a clean bill of health, real estate professionals and homebuyers are always much better off uncovering any potential environmental issues up front, as opposed to retroactively addressing a problem after a sale has been completed.” Compiling data from federal, state, local and private databases, Neighborhood Environmental Reports™ provide records of contamination that could cause serious health problems as well as property devaluation. Homes that are contaminated often show no visible signs of the dangers they pose to residents through toxic air, water or soil problems. Examples of contaminants the report screens for include leaking underground storage tanks, hazardous waste sites, Superfund sites or even in some states if a property was previously used as a methamphetamine (“meth”) drug laboratory. Ensuring that homebuyers are aware of these types of environmental hazards has been identified as an important issue by several state legislatures including Arizona, California, Connecticut and Minnesota, as the potential effects to personal health and property value garner more attention from local communities across the country. “For over fifteen years, environmental information has been a part of commercial real estate transactions. EDR created this report in response to the growing trend of residential buyers wanting or even expecting increasing amounts of information before making important decisions; whether purchasing a car, making a health-related decision or investing in a home,” said Robert Barber, CEO of EDR. “Part of this ‘due diligence’ trend is an increasing demand for expertly prepared environmental information.” About Pillar To Post Pillar To Post is the leading provider of home inspection services to homebuyers and real estate professionals in North America. Operating more than 450 franchises in the U.S. and Canada, Pillar To Post offers the most consistently accurate and comprehensive inspection program available to residential buyers and sellers. Founded more than a decade ago, Pillar To Post is today ranked number one in the Home Inspections category by Entrepreneur Magazine. The company’s home inspections and Ready For Sale services ensure that Pillar To Post supports homebuyers, sellers and real estate professionals to provide peace of mind and informed decisions. For more information, visit www.pillartopost.com. About EDR Environmental Data Resources Inc. (EDR) is the nation’s premier provider of environmental risk information services and reports. The company offers current, prior use and regulatory compliance information services tailored to either a specific property address or company name. EDR offers these services to all participants in a real estate transaction, including the lender, environmental engineer, buyer, seller, attorney and insurer. The company's Market Research Group provides strategic data and analysis on environmental due diligence trends, including market surveys, newsletters, and workshops. Established in 1991, EDR’s headquarters are in Milford, Connecticut; regional offices are located throughout the United States. EDR is wholly owned by DMG Information Inc., the business information division of Daily Mail and General Trust, plc (DMGT). For more information, visit www.edrnet.com. MEDIA CONTACT: On Behalf of EDR Jesse Danzig 212-279-3115 x213 Jesse@cjpcom.com On Behalf of Pillar To Post Margaret Kunkel 530-550-7578 Margaret.kunkel@dibollandassociates.com |