At Home With Valerie

In almost every movie featuring a house on fire, the actors seem to be able to move around the house and see just fine, while beating back flames with a shirt or coat. Of course, that’s not what happens in real fires.  When there’s fire in a home, there is typically complete darkness (because the power goes out) and a cloud of spreading thick, black smoke makes it difficult to see and breathe.  That’s why knowing how to get out of your house — fast — is crucial.  Experts recommend rehearsing what to do in case there’s a fire. Make sure everyone in the family has an exit plan. Each should know exactly how to get out, including primary and secondary exits, and where the family will meet once safely outside.  Never attempt to take anything with you. It may seem like you have plenty of time to grab a coat or purse, but the characteristics of a fire can change in seconds.  As a fail safe, in case you can’t exit through a door, you should determine in advance which win

You’ve probably seen signs around the area for Open Houses. You may have even attended a few.  These are open invitations for potential buyers to drop by on a certain day and time, to check out the property and get more information.  When you’re listing your home for sale, you might wonder whether you’ll need to have an Open House.  To answer that question, you’ll need to consider the pros and cons. Planning and hosting an open house isn’t as easy as it may seem. There’s a lot of preparation involved.  In addition, you’ll likely spend hours making your property look its best and you’ll need to be away from your home for a good part of that day. That being said, an Open House has many advantages. It helps showcase features of your property that may not come across well in advertisements and listing descriptions.  It attracts potential buyers who, for any number of reasons, might not otherwise call to view the home.  It generates a buzz and publicity

A recent survey revealed 1-in-5 home buyers ended up unhappy with their lender. How does this happen? What can you do to avoid this situation the next time you shop for a loan? This post explains some helpful tips for seeking satisfaction with your lender. Home buyers often do not realize how complex and competitive the lending process can be. For many (especially first-time buyers) there’s only a hazy idea of “the bank” approving or denying them a mortgage. So many don’t understand how to shop for a loan or that investing a little time upfront can result in profound savings and a sense of satisfaction. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal recently revealed “in a recent survey, 21% of home buyers regretted their choice of lender.” (Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/about-one-fifth-of-mortgage-borrowers-were-unhappy-with-their-lender-1481738583 ) Among first-time buyers, that figure crept up to 27%. As the piece details, there are some good ways to avoid

If you’re moving soon, the list of people and organizations who legitimately need your new address is surprisingly long! Don’t overlook anyone on this list before you make the move. Are you preparing for a move? You probably know to notify your friends and loved ones, but there turns out to be a surprising number of people and organizations who need to know about the address change. A recent article from Zillow included a comprehensive checklist which covers pretty much everyone you will need to notify: Family and friends Current employer Landlord Postal services Utilities DMV Government agencies The IRS Financial institutions Insurance companies Medical and educational facilities Subscription services and clubs Be sure to read the article to check out advice for notifications when dealing with each of these 12 parties who need to be notified. Read all about it here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/who-to-notify-when-moving-187286/ While certain

Did you know that green spaces such as parks and protected land are actually good for public safety? This interesting report shines a light on the relationship between green space and safe space. Some interesting information is out on the topic of green space in neighborhoods and the impact they have on community safety. The report, “How Cities Use Parks to Create Safer Neighborhoods,” offers the following: “For those concerned that green spaces may foster crime and illegal activity, evidence now exists that the opposite may be true. These are the findings of scientists at the Human-Environment Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who studied green space alongside public housing in Chicago. Other researchers who are conducting similar studies across the country are finding similar results.”  (Source: https://www.planning.org/cityparks/briefingpapers/saferneighborhoods.htm) Key Point #1: Time spent in nature immediatel