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10 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe From Burglars

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10 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe From Burglars

Obviously we want to lock up our homes and keep our possession safe but there are extra things you can do to keep your home safe from bandits, burglars, and anyone looking to cause mischief. Here are 10 simple ways to keep your home safe from burglars.

#1. High-tech doorbell.

These new doorbells by Ring are a great way to keep your home safe and videotape any suspicious behavior. They connect to your phone so you can see who’s at your front door or activity going on in your neighborhood. It also connects with neighbors that have similar devices so you can share if there’s been suspicious activity or a suspicious person, package stealer, or just what’s going on in the neighborhood when you’re not around.

#2. Double-check before leaving the house.

It can be stressful when you’re in a rush to leave on vacation or for the holidays but make sure you have a checklist of things to verify before leaving the house. Go through every door and window in the house making sure they are locked, secure, and if you’re going to be gone for a long period of time, put a stick or board in the tracks of sliding windows and doors.

#3. Know your neighbors.

If you’re planning on being out of town for long periods of time, get to know your neighbors so they can keep an eye on your home when you’re not around. If you trust them and they know you’re gone for several days or even weeks, they’re more likely to pay attention if they see suspicious activity near your home.

#4. Have someone collect the mail.

If you have an open mailbox were people can see if the mail has not been collected, have a friend or neighbor collector mail every couple of days.

#5. Don’t have burglar friendly landscaping.

Bushes and trees close to the house or Windows are prime places for burglars to hide. Once you cut away all of these bushes, you make it a little bit harder for someone to sneak up.

#6. Have motion sensor or timed lights.

Keeping motion sensor lights on backdoors, garages, side entrances, or dark spots in your house is a great way to deter burglars. You can also time the lights when you’re gone for long periods of time so they come on at night and go off in the morning making it look like someone is home.

#7. Pretend like someone’s home.

You don’t necessarily need a cardboard cutout in the window of a person but you can actually buy Fake TV, which throws colored lights up against the walls and mimics the TV being on but uses a lot less electricity.

#8. Turn down or turn off your phone ringer.

Most of us nowadays have cell phones but for those that still have a landline, turn off the phone ringer or turn it down so that it doesn’t just a ring constantly indicating someone’s not home.

#9. Don’t post on social media that you’re gone.

Seriously, just wait until you get back.

#10. Have a security system.

This is the most obvious one, but a security system that you can set and monitor while your home, away, or can be monitored by a professional, is really one of the best ways to protect your home not just from burglars but from fire or natural disasters as well.

We want you to have a safe and protected home and remember, anytime you’re buying or selling real estate around Sunset Beach North Carolina give us a call.

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How to Winterize Your Beach Home

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Now that we’ve just settled into the fall routine either with school or considering moving back to warmer clients, you might be looking to winterize your beach home. There are certain tasks to complete before winter hits regardless of whether or not you have oceanfront or beachfront home, but this checklist is specifically for beach properties. You want your home to be just a safe and secure next year as when you left it now so here’s a good checklist of things to remember.How to Winterize Your Beach Home

#1. Systems check.

Test your heating system if you haven’t turned on the furnace or heatpump yet. Before the cool winter months arrive set your thermostat to 80° or until you hear the furnace kick on and feel the warm air blowing. If there’s no issue, set it back to your desired temperature.

Winterize your air conditioning. Check the condensing unit of your air conditioning system and clear any debris, rinse it off, and protected for the winter.

Protect plumbing and pipes by insulating exposed pipes in crawl spaces, attics, and outside walls. Shut off all the water and cover faucets and drain the water from each.

Winterize your sprinkler system by turning off the sprinklers and blow compressed air through the holes to purge them from water and prevent any damage from freezing over the winter.

#2. Exterior.

Clean and clear all gutters and downspouts. Examine all the doors and windows for gaps and re-caulk or weatherstrip any problems around doors or windows.

Clean and inspect your fireplace flue or chimney and make sure that the damper completely closes to prevent any cold air from coming down. Consider having the chimney cleaned and/or your furnace serviced.

Cover and clean your grill, outdoor furniture, and cover or bring in any plants that need protection against freezing temperatures over the winter. Drain any and all fountains and water features as well.

#3. Interior protection.

If you’re going to be gone for long periods of time making sure your home looks like it is occupied. Install outdoor motion sensor lights and interior timer lights to give the appearance of occupancy when you are not there. Forward your mail and newspaper delivery so it doesn’t pile up on the deck.

Consider having a neighbor or trusted friend check on your home from time to time. Give them access to the home so they can make a quick check inside that nothing has flooded, broken, or been broken into.

Set the thermostat to a temperature that will keep the pipes warm enough to prevent freezing but cool enough that it won’t cost you an arm and a leg over the winter. Consider having security measures in place and check windows and door locks to alarm your home. Inspect smoke detector and CO detector batteries and make sure they’re all working correctly.

We want your home to be safe and secure all winter long so that you can enjoy it without skipping a beat next year. Looking for a winter home in Sunset Beach North Carolina? Give us a call or browse through our website for more information on local events, buying and selling, and to get a good sense of the Sunset Beach area real estate market.

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4 Ways to Keep Your House Pest-Free

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Many of us are heading back to our homes and many stayed and weathered the storm. Regardless, you may have some cleanup, and during that time, rodents and other pests may have found shelter in your home. This prompted this post today because we’ve talked to a lot of our neighbors that are dealing with rodents and pests in their homes seeking shelter after the hurricane. But how do we prevent these pests in the first place and what do we do once we have them?4 Ways to Keep Your House Pest-Free

Here are 4 Ways to Keep Your House Pest-Free

Keep the home clean.

Obviously, cockroaches and other pests gravitate toward dirtier homes but it doesn’t necessarily mean your home is dirty if you find a pest or two. This could mean a wayward roach, wondering mouse, or a curious rat. But, keeping your home clean is a great way to start. Keep pet food containers sealed and closed, seal off or put screens on roof vents to prevent rats and birds from making nests, and pick up any fruit that may have fallen off of fruit trees around your area. Pests will come where there is food and water and if they’re finding both of these items out in the open on your property, the more you’re going to have.

Stay on top of it.

Being a proactive homeowner can keep pests at bay. Termites are one of the most common type of past for homes in it typically enters the home by constructing mud tubes on the foundation. These termites can get into the attic, the walls, foundation, and insulation causing havoc wherever they go. Simply staying on top of these potential infestations can keep them at bay. Check for beehives underneath eaves, in the walls of your garage, or through cracks in stucco, under decks, and siding. If you see one or two aunts, there’s probably thousands more. Follow them to see where they’re going or where they’re coming from and spray around the foundation of your home at least twice a year.

Seal of the house.

Ceiling your home is one of the best ways to keep all types of pests out. This could mean blocking off common entry points, caulking gaps in stucco and around doors, window screens, and window frames and cutting off any easy entries to the home for crickets, cockroaches, ants, bees, mice, and rodents.

Get a professional opinion.

Talk to a professional pest technician to find out the best way to not only handle current problems but preventative measures that you can do at home. They will tell you what to be looking out for, red flags to be aware of, and what to do when you see a certain type of pests in or around your home.

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What to Do After a Hurricane – a Checklist and What Insurance Covers

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What to Do After a Hurricane - a Checklist

Dorian is almost upon us!

But we’ve dealt with worse, however it’s a good time to reiterate hurricane preparedness and what to do.

While not everyone now has the luxury of getting flood insurance or homeowners insurance after the fact, there are some things to do whether you have certain insurance or not. Here’s a checklist of things to do after a hurricane has come through your home or neighborhood.

What to Do After a Hurricane – a Checklist and What Insurance Covers

#1. Stay informed. Make sure you know what’s going on. Have either a radio or television close by so that you can stay informed when local authorities have declared your neighborhood safe. There may be certain roads flooded during the hurricane and you may not have access to your home at all. Don’t get stuck in the water and cause more problems. Wait until the roads are clear and plan accordingly. You’ll want to watch out for any road hazards and take heed to detour signs. Even a couple inches of water can leave your car stranded.

#2. Be aware of any fallen electrical lines. Don’t drive over them or through any water that may contain down to lines. This may be hard to see, but again, if you’re not driving through water, you won’t be driving through an unnoticed powerline either. Also, don’t remove any trees until it’s safe to do so.

More: How to Safely Clean Up After a Storm

#3. Approach your home carefully. Don’t turn on the power if it’s currently off. Do not use matches after a storm has ravaged the area until all gas lines have been checked for leaks. You may want to have a professional conduct an inspection first, especially if there has been major damage to the house, plumbing, or electrical.

#4. Take pictures. Homeowners insurance and flood insurance usually want pictures of the damage. You’ll need to document as much as possible. It makes insurance claims process faster and easier. This also helps to have a home inventory list of items in the house and valuables.

#5. Conduct emergency repairs first. Do only what’s necessary to prevent further damage such as covering broken windows with plastic or roofs with tarps. I know it’s tempting to start the cleanup process, but your insurance adjuster may need to see the damage before they can settle your claim.

#6. Start the claim process immediately. Insurance companies work on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s in your best interest to file an insurance claim as quickly as possible. Contact your provider and let them know the extent of the damages.

Related: How to Assess Home Damage After a Storm

#7. Be careful of electrical equipment and appliances. You can use portable, gas-powered electric generators outside on a dry and level surface and never hook up the generator to your home’s electrical wiring.

#8. Wear protective clothing and gear. Heavy-duty work gloves, watertight boots, hardhats, and even goggles or face shields can help, especially if you’re near asbestos, chainsaws, dryers, dangerous tools, or anything that might be hazardous for you to inhale or have contact on your skin.

#9. Take care of animals. Whether they are your own animals or stray domestic pets, they can be disoriented just like humans after a natural disaster. If you don’t know the animal, call your local animal control office to deal with disoriented or stray pets. There could also be an increase in rats and other rodents feeding off spoiled food or dead animals. Contact animal control authorities to find the best way to dispose of dead animals or how to remove these animals from your property.

#10. Destroy or dispose of anything that may not be safe. Only bottled water should be used for eating and drinking and tell local authorities verify that tap water is safe to use again. Any spoiled food or previously frozen meat should be completely destroyed and check for other signs of mold and spoilage in refrigerators and freezers.

What Will Homeowner’s Insurance Cover?

It’s important also to understand what is covered and what is not covered under your homeowner’s insurance. Typically, damage from flooding, earthquakes, mudslides, and sinkholes are excluded from homeowners insurance. You may need to get a separate policy with the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer. Some policies may also exclude some coastal states so it’s important to check on your policy to see that it covers everything you own in an area in which you live.

So what happens if you have things that are not covered?

You can typically deduct any personal property losses not covered by your insurance if the damage is from a federally declared disaster, which chances are, many of our major disasters up and down the East Coast are usually federally declared. To deduct losses from a federally declared disaster you first subtract $100 from each loss before adding up the total cost. The total must be more than 10% of your adjusted gross income.

Make sure you keep all of your records and document items. Take pictures of valuables and how rooms are arranged so that you know all of your furnishings and how to replace things. If you’ve recently improved upon anything in the house such as a new water heater or roof, make sure you have an inventory of all the documents, receipts, and photos if possible.

Simple Ways to Prepare for Bad Weather Along the Coast

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Flash floods, tropical threats and historic landfall… Oh my! Eh, but that’s what we get every once in a while in South Carolina. It’s not too bad, but being prepared and understanding our weather patterns can help you be more comfortable when bad weather hits. If you’re moving to this area or relocating you might want to understand how our weather pattern works.  We experience a subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters. July is usually the hottest of the year and January the lowest temperatures. Simple Ways to Prepare for Bad Weather Along the Coast

Tornado season is in early spring and hurricane season can last from late August through October. But that’s not guaranteed. However, it’s a good plan to be prepared.

Related: What you need to know about Hurricanes

Tropical storms can eventually turn into hurricanes if they pick up enough speed and have the right temperatures. One of the best things you can do if you live here is to simply be prepared and stay up-to-date on what’s happening and when it’s supposed to happen. Know your evacuation routes if you’re in low-lying areas to help you reach higher ground.

Keep a list of contact information on emergency contacts such as local hospitals, the American Red Cross, your local radio and TV stations as well as local public safety and law enforcement contacts.

Plan ahead. Many people rush out to the supermarkets and stock up on things that don’t need over the week. The problem with this is that many of our supplies come in on a daily or weekly basis so if everyone goes at once, many times the shelves will be left empty. It’s best to plan ahead and have bottles of water, bags of rice, sand, or other necessities already stocked aside in a Rubbermaid container along with a first aid kit, flashlight and battery-operated radio. You’ll also want to have extra batteries just in case.

Keep your four-legged friends safe as well by having an emergency plan for them. Either have carrying cases or contacts for specific pet owners that might be able to take your pet should there be an emergency.

Be prepared as a family. Know where everyone is supposed to be should there be an emergency. This could be a fire, burglary or natural disaster. Know where everybody is going to be, how to connect with everybody, and how you are to contact each person.

Finally, listen and adhere to the warning signs. Most of the time people are injured or worse when they fail to listen to recommended or mandatory evacuations. Also, wait until an area safe before returning home.

We get very few major storms and hardly any hurricanes make landfall but it’s still best to be prepared. You never know when your power simply might go out or you have damage from a flood. It is raining here and even though we enjoy the lush tropical landscaping, it sometimes can come at a slight price.

Read more: National Hurricane Center

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Hurricane Preparedness

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Protecting your home during a hurricane and how to prepare for a potential hurricane or tropical storm.

Living on the coasts has its benefits but there are some drawbacks too, as with just about anywhere in the country. Hurricane Preparedness

Here are some great tips for preparing and keeping yourself and your home safe if a large storm or hurricane ever hits.

Take pictures.

Before preparing your home in case of a large storm you want to take pictures of each room of your house and items that are irreplaceable such as a piano, jewelry, large furniture, or other items of value. You want to have proof in terms of the type of loss you sustained should something happen.

Check into your insurance policy.

You want to understand what kind of policy you have and what it actually covers. Ask questions, talk about the deductible and if it doesn’t cover what you think it covers, ask about additional insurance.

Install hurricane clips.

Hurricane connectors are steel clips and straps that of been designed for new construction to connect your roof to the wall. Only a few homes have hurricane clips and they are now mandated in several counties. You want to check to see if your home has these. Not all homes with V-gable peaks and horizontal lookout beams have these clips.

Secure the doors.

Regardless of whether your home has a double or single entry door, you want to secure it. If it is solid wood or hollow metal it can properly resist when pressures and hurricane debris. If you do not have this type of door you want to install head and foot bolts on the inactive door of double-entry doors and make sure your doors have at least three hinges and a deadbolt security lock.

Bracing garage doors.

Garage doors can be more susceptible to wind damage than the rest of the house due to the large door. You want to check with your local building code to see if there are requirements for garage doors in your area and ask about the garage door retrofit kit for hurricane safety.

Trim all trees.

Take a look if there are any major trees surrounding your home but could fall and damage the house. Try not to let trees get too large and if they have shallow roots that are more likely to uproot.

Secure windows and doors.

Broken windows can lead a lot of wind and rain in and can damage your home also increases the pressure under the roof. You want to install storm shutters for the best protection but boarding up windows when a storm is on the way can also be helpful. Taking windows will not help.

Stock up.

Try to stock up on water, essentials, dry goods and other items to sustain you and your family for about 10 days. Make a careful note on what you can use if you are unable to heat up food and actually cook it. Keep water bottles, first aid kits, and flashlights with batteries handy at all times.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Just a few tips and educating yourself can make a huge difference. 

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