Category: Uncategorized

Tips for Making Your Home More Secure

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

burglar alarm

Security is something that every home-owner should take seriously. The vast majority of burglaries are opportunistic ones where burglars enter a victim’s home via a weak or unlocked door or an open window. If your home does not present such obvious entry routes for a burglar, then it is likely that they will move on to an easier target. Here are some tips to help make your home look less appealing to criminals.

1. Lock your windows

Get into the habit of locking your windows at night, as well as locking them whenever you go out during the day. Don’t assume that it’s safe to leave upstairs windows open; a resourceful burglar may grab a nearby ladder and use that to gain entry to your home.

2. Invest in strong, sturdy doors and high quality locks

If your front door is flimsy, or has a weak lock, it would be trivial for a would-be burglar to kick down the door while you were away on holiday. Consider replacing your door frame, fitting a good deadbolt, and/or getting a door with a steel core for maximum security.

3. Take extra measures to secure sliding doors

Sliding doors, such as the ones that are used on most conservatories, are easy to force open. The good news is you can make them a lot more secure without having to spend a fortune. Placing a wooden brook handle in the track will prevent people from being able to open the door from the outside. For a more discrete form of security, drill a small hole in the middle of the doors and insert a metal pin to keep the doors “locked” together.

4. Make sure your yard is well-lit

Dark yards and big hedges are a burglar’s ideal surroundings. Don’t give burglars the chance to work in peace. Install motion-sensing lights in your yard so that anyone entering it will be noticed immediately.

5. Install a burglar alarm, and use it

Burglar alarms are a good deterrent against casual intruders. Installing a burglar alarm could save you money on your home contents insurance too. Be sure to use your alarm every time you leave the house. If you are broken into and you had forgotten to arm your alarm before leaving the house, then your insurance company may refuse to pay out.

6. Keep expensive possessions out of view of your windows

A burglar is more likely to target a house with a plasma TV, two games consoles and a bunch of expensive jewellery on the bedside table than they are a “normal” house where the only things on display are a sofa and a vase full of flowers. Hang net curtains to stop people from peeking into your home, and be discrete about expensive purchases. If you post details of your expensive home entertainment system purchase on Facebook then you are basically advertising your possessions to potential thieves who will jump at the chance to break in the next time your home is vacant.

7. Put your mail on hold when you go away on holiday

A stack of un-touched mail in the porch (or worse, hanging out of your mailbox) is an open invitation for burglars. If you’re going to be away from home for more than a few days, either put your mail on hold or ask a trusted neighbour to collect it for you.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
TOC*

Five Features To Consider While Building A Beach House

Posted on by John Conde

With real estate prices being cheaper than ever, many people are buying properties near the beach and building their dream home using exclusive wood, staircase parts, roofing shingles, and more. From balconies overlooking the ocean to wrap-around porches ideal for lounging in the sun, building a shore house is all about getting creative and considering some fun extra features you’ve always wanted. Beach homes are all about getaways where you can enjoy the outdoors, so you’ll want to consider different aspects that will allow you to enjoy the smell of the sea and the wind in your hair.

Below are five features to consider when building your shore house:

A Wrap-Around Deck
Wrap-around porches hold that southern charm that makes them a popular choice for anyone building a beach home. They also come with an added bonus for anyone with large families you know will want to take beach trips with you all summer long:  these decks are great for entertaining large groups of people at the new home, and are perfect for having a calm, relaxing moment alone while enjoying your new space.

Outdoor Shower
What beach home is complete without an outdoor shower? An outdoor shower is essential for homes located close to the beach. Having a shower outside will help avoid sand being tracked onto the beautiful carpets, or scuffing up any hardwood floor. Even if your home is not located extremely close to the beach, this is still a great addition. The outdoor shower gives another shower option for large groups when there are only so many showers inside. It’s also nice to cool down.

Sunroom
Sunrooms are a versatile feature, as they can be transformed to withstand any season. They are a big hit with shore homes due to a large amount of light they let in, ideal for lounging or entertaining friends, along with the beautiful view of sunny gorgeous skies they can add into a room. You can even set up a living room or dining room in a sunroom. Plus, being able to see the sky can even make a room seem larger.

Balcony
What better way to lay out in the sun than a balcony? There are many different styles of balconies available, from colonial to Roman-style and including staircase parts to access from down below. Balconies are the perfect location to enjoy your morning coffee and socialize with guests. Whether you attach it to a bedroom or a living room, balcony doors also provide a large amount of light to a room – ideal for a beach home.

Pool/Hot Tub
A pool and hot tub is the finishing touch on your shore home. Your dream home should feature all the luxuries, particularly if you’re using your home as a getaway. Relax and soak in the hot tub after a long day or go for a swim during the day to escape the heat of the sun. Plus, they add a level of luxury that most do not have in their beach home. You’ll have a great place to relax, and something to impress your friends.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
TOC*

Top 5 Tips on Re-habbing Houses

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Hello readers, Once again I’ve been invited to write an article for another site In this post I discuss some important tips on re-habbing a house.

Check it out here!

Top 5 Tips on Re-habbing houses

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
TOC*

5 Great Ways To Get Rid Of Unwanted Items Before A Move

Posted on by John Conde

Although moving can be a stressful time for many people, it also provides a great opportunity for you to purge your life of items that you no longer want or need. Your moving costs will also be less expensive if you have fewer household items, and you will be able to start a clutter-free life in your new home. Fortunately, several ways exist for those who are moving to get rid of items that they would prefer not to take with them. Following are five options for you to consider when deciding how to dispose of certain household items.

1. Consignment Shops

If you have clothing or accessories that are of good quality and show minimal wear and tear, you may be able to sell them through a consignment shop. Consignment shops will keep a certain amount of the sale price and send you the rest after the items are purchased. Although consignment shops frequently only deal in fine clothing, jewelry, handbags and other accessories, some carry items such as furniture and household decorations.

2. Good Old-Fashioned Thrift Shops

While consignment stores are usually somewhat selective about items that they will accept, thrift stores will generally take anything as long as it is clean, in good repair and usable. Many thrift stores will also pick up items from your home, saving you the hassle of loading things into your car and driving to the store locations. Keep in mind those items given to thrift stores are donations that you will not be paid for. If the value of your donations is of considerable worth, however, you may be able to obtain a tax credit.

3. Have a Garage Sale

Having a garage sale is a good way to quickly get rid of things you don’t need anymore. Be sure to advertise your garage sale in your local paper as well as put up signs around your neighborhood. Some people offer leftover items for free after their sale is over.

4. Craigslist

If you have household or personal items that you would like to sell but don’t want to organize a garage sale, consider putting an ad on Craigslist or another free advertising site. You will be able to show the items to interested parties at your own convenience, and it’s possible that you will be able to make a significant sum of money on your unwanted personal items and household goods. Another option is having an online garage sale through an auction site, but you may not be able to dispose of things as quickly as you like if you go this route. You will also have to package items and ship them if the buyers do not live in your geographical area.

5. Give Things Away to Family and Friends

If you have household things that you won’t be needing in your new home, take a look among your family and friends to see if anyone needs anything that you would like to discard. For instance, if you are moving to a smaller place because you are downsizing or retiring, that large dining room table may be perfect for the young family in your circle.

Most people find that getting rid of superfluous items allows them to feel as if they are starting fresh in their new environment.

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
TOC*

Ask your Orlando realtor questions about your short sale

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Don’t be afraid to ask your Orlando realtor questions about your short sale

  So you’ve decided to pursue a short sale on your home either because it owes more than what it’s worth and and just want to get out from under it or because you’ve fallen behind on your mortgage payments. You’re next step should be to find a experienced short sale realtor with a proven track record. How do you do this? Well like everything else these days… you Google it!  For example, if you need to find a good short sale realtor in Orlando, you should type in terms like “Orlando short sale realtor”, “Orlando short sale specialist”, “Orlando short sale expert”, etc…. you get the picture.  Once you hit the search button your computer screen will pull up the top results for the best short sale realtors in the city of Orlando. I would suggest that you choose from 1st page results and forget about going to page 2.

Now that you have a list of the top Orlando short sale realtors, start calling and emailing them. This is a great test to see which realtors will get back to you right away and which ones will call you 3 days later or maybe even not at all. Quick tip; If a realtor takes more than 24 hrs to get back to you, stay away! Imagine how frustrating it would be for you if this person had control of your short sale and every time you tried contacting them with an important question you had to wait days for a response.   By using this tactic of contacting every realtor on the first page, you will eliminate at least half the Orlando realtors that are showing up, which never ceases to amazes me. I can’t tell how many times sellers have called me and told me that they’ve called another realtor before me and they never got a response.

Now you should have a hand full of realtors that you were able to get a hold of immediately or at least in a short amount of time. I suggest that you now have a long conversation with them over the phone. You can tell a lot about someone by just talking to them for a while. While you’re talking with them be sure to make notes about that individual such as; “seemed friendly and knowledgeable” , “answered all my questions” , “was very impatient”, “felt like I was being rushed”, “not experienced enough”, etc. Remember, you’re looking for someone that’s not only going to be looking out for  your best interest, but this person will be [or should be] in constant contact with you and it needs to be someone that you feel comfortable  with.

The Final step in Hiring an Orlando short sale realtor

OK, now hopefully you should have at least 2 realtors that you’re thinking about listing your house with. The final step in choosing the best realtor for you is to make an appointment for them too come and see you at your home. Ask them to bring testimonials from past clients as well as anything else that they can use to prove their track record to you. You should also ask them to have a plan of action laid out for your home if they were to get the listing.   Remember, when they come over to meet with you, you’re the one in control. They are their to try and get you to hire them, not the other way around. After meeting with the 2 or 3 realtors that you’ve set appointments with, you will undoubtedly have made a decision on the realtor that best meets your needs.

Follow up with your realtor as well as your lender

Now that you’ve  found an Orlando short sale realtor that you’re happy with, make sure to follow up. A good short sale agent should provide you with weekly status reports n the status of your short sale. Another way to make sure your file is being handled properly is to follow up with your lender and find out what’s happening with your file as well as when was the last time your realtor mad contact with them. You shouldn’t feel bad about doing this and your realtor shouldn’t feel offended because you’re checking up on them. This is probably one of the most important things happening in your life right now and you have a right to know exactly what’s going on.

 

Sell A house in Orlando

Let's Keep In Touch!

New ORC Form Lead

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
TOC*