PropertyManagementMaven: August 2010

Via Chris and Patty Clark -Denver Real Estate (Metro Brokers/Morningside Homes, LLC):

The Federal Reserve has made some changes to the time that a gift card has before it expires.  Currently the time limit is one year.  The new rule is that the card cannot lose value until five years after date the card is paid for. Starting on Aug 22nd service fees, including the ones tacked on for balance inquires and if you wanted to add more money to the card, are limited to one fee per month. Also a full year has to go by before they tack on an inactivity fee (about $2.00 a month).  As of now that fee is nowhere to be found on the card so it might come as a surprise and you will have less to spend.  BUT starting Jan 31, 2011 the fee amount must be printed on the back of the gift card.

Most gift cards are not redeemed so the merchant makes more money when people realize that the date has come and gone.  With the five year rule this should eliminate the waste.

Chris and Patty Clark-

ABR, CRS, GRI, MRE, CNE, SFR

If you would like for me to send you properties on a daily or weekly basis just call or email me and let me know your criteria that you want in your home patty@morningsidehomes.com   cell: 720-231-5200

www.morningsidehomes.com

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Via John Mulkey, Housing Guru (TheHousingGuru.com):

Losing valuable data due to an electrical surge or spike can ruin more than just your day, and most of us try to protect our sensitive electronics and computers with surge protectors. However, the surge protectors most of us purchase are inexpensive and subject to failure. Many are surprised to learn that most surge protectors wear out, and that they may give no indication that the protection is no longer available. Not only do the devices wear out, once they do so they may generate heat, which in some cases can pose a fire hazard.

 

And, since the inexpensive, plug-in type protectors are only grounded through the circuit’s ground wire, they are unable to handle a direct lightening strike which can generate thousands of amps. The ones offering the best protection are those installed in the circuit breaker panel and connected directly to ground, thereby protecting all the circuits in the home.

 

According to experts in both electronics as well as fire prevention, replacing inexpensive surge protectors every 3-5 years is a good idea. The few dollars spent can be well worth the added protection and safety.

 

The Housing Guru: The expert source for all your housing questions

Via Pacita Dimacali - e-PRO, SRES, MBA East Bay in Northern California (Alain Pinel):

Would you show property to someone you've never met before?

If the prospective buyer whom you've never met refuses to give critical information or to meet with you, would you consider this a serious inquiry? Would you show them property by meeting them there?

We get all kinds of leads...by phone, by email from people who want us to show them our listings. If they are not referred by anyone we know, and if we've never met them, we ask the usual questions....

• Are you represented by an agent?
• Are you already preapproved for a loan?
• Then we recommend that they come to our office to meet with us first before we see the property --- we justify this by telling them that based on what we find out that they're looking for, we could upload other properties they may be interested in and we can schedule more showings
• Before they come, we ask for their full name, email address, best number to call them.
• And...or...we ask them to fax a copy of their drivers license to us.

I've had some prospects who try to make me feel guilty by telling me "Well...if you don't want to show me this property, then I'll find someone else...."  Or some think they're getting the third degree...

It's a risky business!

It seems that the best explanation I can give them, and one that most legitimate prospects would respect is that it's a safety issue and precautionary measure....

...that the sellers requested that the home is shown only to preapproved buyers

...that realtors are committed to caring for our clients' property (and ourselves!)

What works for you? 

 

Via Pascack Valley Real Estate, Lisa and Robert Hammerstein (Coldwell Banker):

An insightful article on Ridding Your Home of Tobacco smells. Some very handy tips to pass along.  Being an ex-smoker myself I can relate...

Now I will notice the smell of smoke in every home I go into and am very aware of it upon entering a home if a smoker lives or has lived there in the past.

Enjoy and a special thanks to:

Christopher Salviano
Foresight Consulting Home Inspectors


Tobacco smoke creates an odor that is notorious for its ability to saturate living spaces and persist long after its source is gone. Inspectors may be asked by clients who recently purchased a smoke-infused home, or by sellers before their house goes on the market, about how to remedy the situation.

Facts About Tobacco Smoke and its Residue

• Smoke particles can be as small as .001% of the width of a human hair, which allows them to penetrate almost any part of a house. Tobacco smoke can easily circulate through a building's ventilation system or come up through apartment floors. Tenant/tenant and tenant/landlord disputes commonly arise when smoke odors penetrate adjacent housing units.
  
• It is not clear whether tobacco smoke odor is dangerous or if it is merely a nuisance. While tobacco smoke is a known carcinogen, little is known about the health effects of the particles that are left in the air after you can no longer see the smoke. The American Cancer Society states of cigarette odors, "Though unknown, the cancer-causing effects would likely be very small compared with direct secondhand smoke exposure, such as living in a household that has a smoker."

Odor-Absorbing Materials

The following materials are believed to be capable of absorbing or neutralizing tobacco smoke odors, at least temporarily:

• Vinegar. Place a bowl of vinegar in each affected room overnight.
  
• Citrus. Leave a large amount of citrus peels in your home for several days or until they have become desiccated.
  
• Baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda over the smoke-affected area and let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming it up. Be sure to test the baking soda on a small part of the surface to ensure that the surface or fabric doesn't react unfavorably to the baking soda.
  
• Coffee grounds. Pour coffee grounds into several coffee filters and tie them closed,
  leaving them in affected areas.
  
  
   
  
  
  
• Charcoal. As you would with vinegar, place charcoal into bowls and leave them in smoke-infused rooms overnight.

Removal Strategies for Smoke Odor

• Open all windows and turn on fans. Ventilation is probably the best way to remove any odor.
  
• Clean light bulbs. Just as some scent-diffusers rely on heat from light bulbs to disperse the aroma of the scented oil, it's possible that the oily residue from nicotine and other cigarette byproducts is dispersed throughout the living area the same way.  Anecdotal reports suggest that light bulbs attract smoke residue.  It has also been claimed that bulbs will release smoke odors when they are turned on.  Perhaps replacing incandescent bulbs with higher-efficiency bulbs that do not get as hot would help alleviate this problem. 
  
• Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces, preferably with cleaners that contain ammonia, although woodwork requires cleaners that are not as acidic.
  
• Surfaces may be painted to trap odor, although it may be possible for odors to gradually seep through paint barriers.
  
• Remove carpeting, as it is nearly impossible to remove smoke particles from carpet. Thoroughly scrub the flooring beneath before installing new carpet. If the carpet cannot be replaced, have it professionally cleaned.
  
• Soak blinds in a bathtub full of all-purpose cleaner, scrub them thoroughly, and hang them to dry.
  
• Send curtains out to be professionally cleaned or replace them.
  
• Purchase a chemical sponge to remove smoke residue from lampshades, books and other materials.
  
• Use an ozone generator. Ozone, as it has three oxygen atoms, is highly unstable and will oxidize easily. When it is introduced into an area, ozone attaches itself to the odor molecules and oxidizes them into their basic elements--carbon dioxide and hydrogen, which have no odor. Beware that ozone is dangerous and ozone generators should only be used in unoccupied spaces. Be sure to read our article on the subject before purchasing an ozone generator.
  
• Use a HEPA filter.
  
• Burn "smoker candles." Candles that contain enzymes to help neutralize and remove smoke odors are widely available. They may also be used to remove cooking and pet odors.
  
• Replace all heating and air filters regularly, as they tend to harbor cigarette odors and other irritants.

All good tlps to follow if your home has any tobacco smells in it when you want to sell your home.

Thanks again to Christopher Salviano
Foresight Consulting
www.foresighthomeinspections.com

If you or someone you know is planning a Move or Sale of their home in the near future, call your Bergen County, NJ experts, Lisa & Bob Hammerstein at (201)218-6802 or visit us on our website at www.HammersTeam.com.  We'll be able to help you if you're Moving or Selling in any of the towns located in Bergen County New Jersey.


For more Local Information about the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey, call Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com.

Your Real Estate Resource for the Bergen County - specializing in the Pascack Valley!

__________________________________________________________________

Robert & Lisa Hammerstein • Sales Associates • Coldwell Banker • (201)315-8618

• Address • 50 Broadway • Hillsdale, NJ 07642 •

 

DISCLAIMER: We must disclaim liability for any damages or losses, direct or indirect, that may result from use of, or reliance on, any information contained in this blog, or for the accuracy of comments or opinions expressed by visitors to our blog. The information contained in the articles is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed, and the opinions expressed in these articles are ours.

Via Robert Siciliano (Identity Theft Speaker):

We often hear people (including myself) drone on at how the system is broken and how good guys end up in jail and bad guys are released on good behavior. The criminal justice system is far from fair. Too often bad people are let out only to re-offend and sometimes do worse the second or third time around. Securing your home is crucial way of protecting your home and family.

The Seattle PI reports “a man who police say beat an elderly woman and burglarized her home has schizoid-affective disorder, was released from jail three days before the attack and had to be placed in seclusion multiple times at Western State hospital.

The 81-year-old victim told police she thought he would have killed her if other elderly neighbors who police say he also assaulted didn’t come to her aid.”

That is likely someone’s mom and grandmother. Imagine this happening to a loved one.

“The man, who is on Department of Corrections supervision, has a lengthy criminal history including a conviction for custodial assault, second-degree robbery, theft, assault, negligent driving, domestic violence harassment and domestic violence assault.”

This is obviously a bad, bad man. He’s been diagnosed with mental illness and he has extreme tendencies towards violence. The frustrating part of this story is that it is evident in his current state of mind and in his history that he will do this again and again until he commits a heinous enough crime that gets him a life or death sentence.

The courts can only work within the confines of the law. Citizens can only hope the law is sufficient enough to guarantee their safety. What this ultimately means is a citizen’s right to safety is only guaranteed by what he or she does to protect themselves. The ultimate responsibility to protect yourself is on you. The justice system doesn’t necessarily provide justice. It is simply a guide.

By coming to terms with this and realizing the responsibility you have, you develop a higher sense of awareness and begin to put systems in place to prevent such atrocities from happening in your life or to someone you love.

Fundamentals include locking your doors, having a home security plan, investing in home security alarms and home security cameras. The worst thing you can do is nothing. The best thing you can do is be proactive.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home invasions on the Gordon Elliot Show. Disclosures

Rental Home - Lake Monticello, VA Single family rental,

> Click here for full details, additional photos, and an inquiry form < Single family 219 Jefferson Drive Lake Monticello VA 22963  3 beds/2.5 baths $1295 / month    Gibson Management Group, Ltd. Wallace S. Gibson CPM  PO Box 106 Keswick, VA 22947-0106   Phone: 434  97 99723 Email: cvillecpm@aol.com Website: http://VaHomes4Rent.com Location information 219 Jefferson Drive  Lake Monticello VA 22963  Planned Community: Lake Monticello Elementary School Zone: Central Jr. High School Zone: Fluvanna High School Zone: Fluvanna Nearby College/University: PVCC & UVa Driving Directions: From Main Gate, turn Left past marina and golf course entry * house .4 mi from Fairway gate on the left Detailed listing information Remarks: Deceptively LARGE home with FULL walk-out basement to FENCED BACK YD that backs to woods....living room w/fp, dining room, family room, eat-in kitchen....master suite with "spa" tub in bath and MORE storage. Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2.5 Monthly Rent: $1295.00 Date Available: NOW Lease Info: 12 months Included in Rent: Trash Deposit Payment Details: Leasing broker Application Fee (Standard): $25.00 Sec Deposit (Refundable): $1295.00 Pets: Possible, with approval Fireplace: One fireplace Heat: Electric heat Cooling: Central air Community Features: Gated community Guard gated community Clubhouse Playground Common area Barbeque grills Lake Tennis court Picnic area Approx Square Feet: 2300 Dwelling Type: Single family Property Description: Lake subdivision Golf course subdivision Gated community Floor Coverings: Carpet Window Coverings: Drapes Mini-blinds Lake Monticello website http://www.lmoa.org: http://www.lmoa.org All listing information is provided by the managing or leasing agent, is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed, and should be independently verified. Information is © Copyright 1997-2010 HERO PM and individual providers of data, who are bound to a membership agreement. HERO PM and all their websites are interactive computer services. Unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.

Jefferson at Amethyst (google map) (yahoo map)

• cats are OK - purrr
• dogs are OK - wooof
• Location: Lake Monticello ♠ 20 Min to Pantops/UVA
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests