With Labor Day coming up this weekend many home owners are planning on leaving home and heading out of town. Below is a timely list of tips I received via email from Jefferson Livingston at Pillar to Post Inspection Company.
An empty home is the ideal target for break-ins and burglaries, especially during the summer months. Vacation should be a time to relax and unwind, but the thought of leaving your home and valuables unattended can cause stress and anxiety. Take the time to secure your home before you leave so your mind can be at ease while you are gone.
Below is a list of some of the most important things you can do help make sure that when you return you will find everything just as you left it.
Inform a trusted neighbor that you are leaving town. For short trips request that they pick up and store your mail and paper deliveries.
For longer vacations, call your newspaper service and have your paper delivery placed on hold. Make sure to stop by the post office and request that your home mail delivery is stopped until you return.
Make arrangements for someone to cut the grass, and to keep bushes and shrubs maintained especially around the front of the house.
Inform your alarm company that you are going on vacation.
Turn the volume down on your phone so passerby will not be alerted to unanswered calls. Avoid leaving messages on your answering machine that could alert callers to your vacation status, and turn off the volume.
Automatic timers for your light fixtures are an inexpensive purchase that should be set to your usual evening schedule. Televisions and radios can be put on timers to provide noise.
Leave a car in the driveway if possible, or ask your neighbor to park there occasionally.
Check the locks on all doors, windows, and fences. If you have a garage, lock it, if there is an automatic opener, unplug it.
Leave the blinds and curtains open as if you were home.
The day you leave for vacation try to make your departure as unobvious as possible. For road trips load your car up in the garage with the garage door closed. For airplane travel arrange for early morning or night time flights when your departure from your home will not alert witnesses that your house will be unoccupied.
Prepare for the worst by taking an inventory of your most valuable possessions. Pack jewelry and smaller objects into a safety deposit box.
Thanks Jefferson Livingston for the awesome tips! For additional resources, please contact your local Pillar To Post office at 360-392-8731 or pillartopost.com
I don’t know about you but this damp Spring weather and wind has really taken a toll on my windows. Now that the sunshine is out this morning I can really notice just how much my windows need washed. Below are some helpful tips to help you get your windows clean:
- Always try and wash your windows an a cloudy or overcast day. Washing windows in the direct sunlight can be hard because the cleaning solution will try and leave streaks.
- Believe it or not cool clear water is the window cleaning solution of most professionals. If you windows are really dirty you can add in 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar per gallon of water to make an effective cleaning solution.
- Use horizontal strokes on the inside of the windows and then vertical strokes on the outside. The differing strokes will make it easier to see which side of the window may or may not have streaks.
- Crumpled newspaper works great for cleaning windows and does not leave behind the lint that paper towels often do.
First let’s make sure we are clear about the ownership structure you buy into when you purchase a mobile home in a park. Typically the land, common buildings, utility hookups, streets, etc. are owned by an individual (could be a person, an LLC, a corporation, etc). This is “the park”. The homes within the park are owned by individuals who lease space from the park owner. The leases are for a specific period of time, usually a year.
If an owner decides that the land occupied by the park could be used in a more profitable way, notice can be given to the homeowners that they must move their homes so the land use can be changed. This can obviously have a major impact on a homeowner. Regulations vary from one area to another, but sometimes homes more than a certain age cannot be moved from one area to another, so a homeowner would lose their entire investment. Many areas have regulations about where mobile homes are allowed, so if there are no spaces available to move a home into, a homeowner could lose their entire investment regardless of the home’s age. Consequently, there are often restrictions on the conversion of mobile home parks to other uses. In the State of Washington, there are requirements regarding disclosure of a change in use to give homeowners time to work through their options.
The sale of a mobile home park does not necessarily mean the new owner would change the land use, but it is more likely to happen in a change of ownership than under a long-term owner. For this reason, disclosure of the fact that a mobile home park is for sale is required in the sale of one of the individually owned homes. It does not mean there is a problem, but it is a heads up to the buyer that they need to do some due diligence before committing to buy a unit in the park.
Investigation should include, but not be limited to, the current allowed use of the park property, whether applications have been made for change of use, whether the individual home can be moved under city/county/state regulations, if there are other parks with space available, if there is land available onto which the home could be moved, the costs associated with moving the home, etc. As with any purchase, knowing exactly what one is buying saves heartache later, and the disclosure of a potential sale is the first step to knowledge.
Anytime you renovate or make repairs to your home it can be stressful, but if you want to avoid added stress be sure and check the list below on how to avoid home renovation scams.
Tips are courtesy of Pillar to Post Home Inspection Services
1. One-time special. If a contractor approaches you with a special offer, ask for concrete evidence that the quoted price
is lower than what they have charged in the past for the same work. Don’t be pressured into accepting a deal that will expire before you’ve had a chance to do research, get competing bids and check references.
2. I might as well. Be wary of the contractor who knocks on your door and says he’s working just down the street. Coincidentally, he just happens to have all the materials and tools to start right away. Ask him where they came from and who paid for them.
3.Cash before work. Nothing should set off more alarm bells than the contractor who wants to be paid in full for a project before it’s started. A reasonable down payment is expected, to cover startup labor costs and materials. Normally, this should not exceed one-third of the total contract value.
4. Financing offers. Another warning flag is the offer to arrange financing to pay for your renovation. The offer may include a special interest rate for a limited time only. The contractor may be getting kickbacks or other favors from the lender.
5.Fly-by-night contractor. Be extremely wary if a contractor pulls into your driveway in an unmarked truck. If you talk to him, do it outside in public view. Anyone who enters your home is a potential burglar, or worse.
6.Model home. Beware of the contractor who wants to fix up your home so he can show it off to other potential customers. Reputable contractors don’t need models to showcase their work.
While taking the above tips into consideration it’s also important to follow you guy instinct and common sense as often times you are correct. Thank you Pillar to Post for the great tips!
Believe it or not after this dark and dreary Winter, Spring is coming. With the first day of Spring coming up this Sunday it’s time to start thinking about getting your home ready for Spring and yes, some warmer weather! Taking care of some things around the house now can keep your home safe, looking good and allow you more time to enjoy the Spring and Summer.
- Check for low areas in the yard or next to your home’s foundation. These areas should be filled with compacted soil. Spring rains can cause yard flooding and can lead to foundation flooding and damage.
-Take a look at your room and see if you notice any lost shingles or damage from the Winter. Spring and Summer is an ideal time to get roofing issues fixed.
- After a long Fall and Winter of having fires in your wood stove examine the exterior of the chimney for signs of damage. Have the flue cleaned and inspected by a certified chimney sweep.
- Remove firewood stored near the home. Firewood should be stored at least 18 inches off the ground at least 2 feet from the structure.
- Check outside hose faucets for freeze damage. inside the home is damaged and will need to be replaced. It’s also a great idea to check your garden hose for dry rot.
- Check your gas-and battery powered lawn equipment to make sure it is ready for summer use. Clean equipment and sharp cutting blades will make yard work easier and less of a hassle when you are ready to start.
With Labor Day coming up this weekend many home owners are planning on leaving home and heading out of town. Below is a timely list of tips I received via email from Jefferson Livingston at Pillar to Post Inspection Company.
I don’t know about you but this damp Spring weather and wind has really taken a toll on my windows. Now that the sunshine is out this morning I can really notice just how much my windows need washed. Below are some helpful tips to help you get your windows clean:
First let’s make sure we are clear about the ownership structure you buy into when you purchase a mobile home in a park. Typically the land, common buildings, utility hookups, streets, etc. are owned by an individual (could be a person, an LLC, a corporation, etc). This is “the park”. The homes within the park are owned by individuals who lease space from the park owner. The leases are for a specific period of time, usually a year. 
Anytime you renovate or make repairs to your home it can be stressful, but if you want to avoid added stress be sure and check the list below on how to avoid home renovation scams.
Believe it or not after this dark and dreary Winter, Spring is coming. With the first day of Spring coming up this Sunday it’s time to start thinking about getting your home ready for Spring and yes, some warmer weather! Taking care of some things around the house now can keep your home safe, looking good and allow you more time to enjoy the Spring and Summer.
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