Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Life saving stuff here!

If you have watched the news here in Greenville, NC you have seen the story of the "Mansion Fire" (http://www.reflector.com/crimerescue/fire-probe-handed-police-1003263). The good news is that no one was injured. The suprising news was that there was only one smoke detector.

While I was at a new insureds home yesterday they asked how many smoke detectors were enough. My answer was "Lots!"  Here is what I found on a government web site http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pyfff/smkalarm.html.  If you don't want to go here, my personal rule of thumb is in every bedroom, in hall ways, in the kitchen, near any probably source of fire (gas logs, furnace, etc.)  Perhaps this is over kill but I don't want anybody dieing in my house because they didn't here a smoke alarm.

Speaking of detectors, I had some law suit papers cross my desk yesterday involving a rental property not having a carbon monoxide detector. IF YOUR HOME USES IN FOSSIL FUELS YOU NEED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR! That means if you have any gas appliences or heat with oil or gas you need one.  Carbon monoxide poisioning is a real threat.  Here is info on where to put one of those: http://www.checkthishouse.com/4822/where-to-install-carbon-monoxide-alarm-co-detector-locations.html

You can buy smoke and carbon monoxide detectors almost anywhere but here is a quick link if you want to buy right now http://www.firstalertstore.com/store/start.asp?category_id=1.

Ok, people be safe out there.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Homeownership!

I deal with folks buying new homes everyday, it is gratifying to help them achieve the "American Dream".  Unfortunately,  with the economic downturn, we have seen our share of foreclosures and short sales.  
Perhaps our "American Dream" has lost touch with reality.  Due to the recent hurricane and fears of future hurricanes homeowners insurance rates are going through the roof with all carriers.  Why, in a large part because of roofs.  In our small office we paid out over $2,000,000  during Hurricane Irene with most of that being for roofs. Honestly, a lot of those roofs we replaced should have been replaced by the homeowners years ago but do to our culture/economic/tax system/government programs alot of us have homes that , if we are fortunate enough to be able to afford the 30 year mortgage payment, we can't afford to maintain.

Here is an interesting editorial that speaks to this subject as well as a couple of others.  http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2011-06-30-lessons-for-America_n.htm


Hope my Libertarian tendencies don't offend anyone!