Basic Water Heater Facts

If you are a new homeowner, you may not realize that your home’s water heater uses the third largest amount of energy of all your household appliances. A water heater is crucial and in most cases you cannot reduce the amount of use that it gets.
Below are ways you can increase the efficiency of your current water heater or even replace it with a more efficient solution.

First, if you don’t want to replace your current water heater, here are three things that you can do to increase the efficiency of your water heating.

          Use less hot water. Consider taking warm showers instead of hot showers, and lower the temperature of your dishwasher.

Take shorter showers when possible, or install low-pressure shower heads. Many people incorrectly believe that baths use less water than showers. Four people showering for five minutes each, three times a week use almost 1,000 gallons of water every single week.

Insulate! Just as insulating your attic reduces heat loss through the roof, insulating your water heater keeps water hot for a longer period of time.

If your water heater is more than five years old, you may need to replace it in the near future. If it is more than ten years, definitely consider replacing it before it stops functioning.
Water heaters are an enclosed mechanism and therefore cannot be repaired. It is always good to know which replacement model you will select if your water heater stops working.”

Get Landlord Insurance for Rental Property

With so many affordable bargains in the housing market, people are beginning to purchase real estate as an investment again – or, if they can’t sell their home quickly, converting it to a rental property.  But are you prepared to become a landlord?

I highly recommends any owner carry landlord insurance.

There are several things you want to make sure are covered by your landlord policy.  Most importantly, your policy will cover you against damage to your property.

For example, if there is a fire that makes the property uninhabitable for a period of time, your insurance will not only cover the repairs, but also the lost rental income during the period you’re unable to rent it out.

Your policy should also cover legal disputes with tenants.  For example, if your tenants have stopped paying rent, but have not left the property and you need to take them to court, your policy should cover your legal expenses.

Finally, there are certain situations in which your property might cause damage to your tenants’ property.  This is a sticky situation.  First of all, your tenants should have their own renters insurance to cover their personal property.  However, if you are negligent in addressing an issue that ultimately causes damage to your tenants property, you need to be covered. 

For example, your tenant notifies you several times that the roof is leaking when it rains, but you neglect to have the roof repaired.  If the roof collapses and destroys some of their furniture, you are responsible.  However, if the tenant has not made you aware of the problem, you are not negligent.

This is  just a small amount of information I offer my clients looking to buy properties.  Call me today to discuss ways to help you buy rental properties at a good value.

Thanks Robin Jones for the information.

Do I Need a Realtor to Purchase a Newly-Constructed Home?

     

Buying new construction can be very complicated and I definitely recommend that you hire a Realtor that is experienced in helping clients buy new construction. Depending on what stage of construction (if any) the new home is at when you find it, there are so many factors to take in consideration. Even if you are not a first-time homebuyer (but particularly if you are), you should want an experienced Realtor giving you professional expert advice. 

There are things that I do for my clients that you might not, which could save (or cost you) thousands of dollars down the road. Just a few examples would be having a first home inspection after the building is framed but before the walls and flooring are finished, so that your home inspector can get a good look at the structure, framing, plumbing, electrical, etc. Home inspectors are more skilled then city/town inspectors, so you can’t just rely on a closed building permit. Or I might recommend that when the house is being built to include another heat zone for the basement or a walk-up attic, if you know your family may be expanding.

Lastly, you didn’t ask but I highly recommend that you have a real estate attorney look through and help negotiate the contract to purchase and/or purchase & sale agreement. The standard forms builders use and the specification (“spec”) sheet included are usually vague and not comprehensive enough to cover all the details, and in buying new construction, the devil really is in the details. Which underscores why I recommend you have a real estate attorney and myself in the purchase of a Newly constructed home.

Looking forward to doing business with you.

Thanks David Kres for the information.

Have a home fire escape plan and practice it regularly

Too often people panic in this situation because they do not know what to do. You and your family should make a fire escape plan to insure that everyone gets out of the house quickly and safely.

• Draw a home fire escape floor plan of your home or apartment. Be sure to mark all the doors and windows.
• Know two ways out of every room. If one way is blocked by smoke or fire, you can use the second.
• Plan a waiting place where everyone will meet. Plan to call the fire department from a neighbor’s house. Don’t go back in the house!
• If someone is trapped, let the fire department rescue them.
• Practice your home fire escape plan until it becomes automatic. Then practice again at least twice a year. Too often families make plans and then put them away in a drawer or filing cabinet. When a fire occurs, you will not have time to search for your plan.

Know what to do if you hear an alarm
When you are in your room and you hear a smoke alarm go off or someone yelling “fire” or “smoke,” you only have a few minutes to get out of the house.

• Get down on the floor and crawl low. Both smoke and heat rise, so if you stay between 12 and 36 inches off the floor you will avoid the high heat and toxic fumes.
• Check the door before opening. Look for smoke coming in around the frame. Feel the door with the back of your hand. If you have a solid door, it will be hot to the touch if there is a fire on the other side.
• Open doors slowly and carefully. If a door is cool enough to open, you still need to be very cautious. There could still be fire on the other side. When you open the door, put your head down and tilt you face away from the opening. Open just a little, so it will be easy to close if you detect a fire.
• Close doors behind you. Remember that closed doors will slow the flow of oxygen to the fire and give you added time to escape.
• Learn how to escape from windows. If you are on the first story exit the window, feet first. Grab on to the ledge and hang down as far as you can and then jump. Do not attempt to exit a window any higher up except as a last resort.
• Do not use an elevator. If you live in a high-rise, locate the fire escape and use it. A fire can disable the elevator, you could be trapped.

Use the grid below to make your home fire escape plan.

• Start off by drawing the outside edges of your house then draw the inside walls, rooms, doors, etc.
• Once the house is drawn, mark an escape route so that every room has at least two ways to get out in the event of an emergency.
• Family members should become familiar with this plan and have a central meeting place outside of the home for the family to meet.
• Make sure that someone is assigned to help younger children and older family members.
• Practice the plan!!

right click save as - home fire escape plan sheet

Here is a checklist to review after practicing your home fire escape plan . . .
Know what to do if you hear an alarm

Did you remember to. . .

• Make a home fire escape plan floor plan and know two ways out of every room?
• Respond quickly and calmly?
• Stay low and crawl?
• Feel the doors to see if they are hot?
• Open doors slowly and carefully?
• Close doors behind you?
• Exit windows by dropping feet first?
• Go immediately to a meeting place?

Your Home Fire Escape Plan is a valuable prevention safety measure.

Tips for Hiring the Best Remodeling Contractor

It’s not surprising that many homeowners are looking to home improvement and renovation, rather than buying a new home in today’s market.

I believe when deciding to undertake a remodeling project, there are several invaluable tips to keep in mind as you discuss your home makeover with potential contractors.

I can offer tips to make your home renovation a more streamlined, more palatable experience, courtesy of Stageoflife.com:

Tip #1: Does Your Contractor Have Proof of Insurance? Ask the contractor to have his insurance company mail or fax a copy of his current contractor insurance card to you. If the contractor can’t do this, stay away. Why? If there is an accident at your home, you are then liable. This also applies to any sub-contractor or employee that the contractor may use; those individuals should have active insurance cards faxed or mailed to you as well.

Tip #2: Did You Check References and See Photos? Ask for at least three references — with two of them being for the same type of project you are planning — and then call the references. Additionally, ask the contractor to provide photos of previous work, especially for the same type of project. If he produces lawn and garden photos and you’re planning a bathroom remodel, you may want to check out another contractor.

Tip #3: Does Your Contractor Take Debit or Credit Cards? Besides your ability to earn a few points, bonus miles or cash back on your project, a good sign that a contractor is financially savvy and has a bank behind his business is his ability to take debit and credit cards. This doesn’t just apply to big contracting companies. Many small, one-man shops will take cards if they have a good relationship with their business bank or credit union.

Tip #4: Manners and Appearance? If the contractor drove his vehicle to your home to give you an estimate, take a look at the way he keeps the equipment and vehicle. Are things clean? Neatly arranged? If not, that’s a big warning. The way a contractor treats his tools is a direct connection to how he’ll treat your home. During the initial meeting, does the contractor present himself in a professional way? Do you feel comfortable around him or his employees? They will be working in your home after all.

Tip #5: Clean-Up Policy? Ask about the clean-up policy. For example, if your home improvement is a multi-day project, will the contractor be cleaning up at the end of every day or will he leave the dust, wood chips, and other mess laying there for day two? The more mess in your home … the more it gets tracked around. Many homeowners find themselves with mouths gaping wide after the contractor has left for the day and their floors and home are dirty and messy around the project area.

Thanks Le-ann Vicquery for the information.

With over 20 years in the Real Estate business, my knowledge is imperitive to helping you navigate the obsticles of homeownership and making your experience as pleasant as possible.  I am looking forward to doing business with you.

Good Neighbors Handle Conflict

When it comes to neighborly disputes, it is often difficult to reach amicable decisions; relationships can be stretched and boundaries pushed if issues are not handled carefully. When you share a property line with another individual, there will come a time when you will be involved in joint decisions. Should your fence be replaced? Who is responsible for the cracking sidewalk? And can you cut down that overgrown vegetation obstructing your view?

“Here are some of the most common causes of neighbor disputes, and how to handle them in a “neighborly” way.


Click on the link for the full article: Good Neighbors Handle Conflict