Safety in the home

By Richie Vraux

Did you know that more than 18,000 injuries or deaths take place right in your own home every year?

The most common are everyday accidents, slip and falls. Falling down stairs or falling because you trip over something are two examples. Make sure your home has adequate rails and banisters and are tightly secured to the walls so they will help thwart your fall if you become unsteady.

Make your walkways safe. Something as simple as a higher wattage bulb in the hallways or stairwells will prevent an unexpected slip or fall. The risks are far greater with senior citizens because reflexes are not as quick as we get older.

Another type of fall might be if you are brave enough to go up a ladder on your roof to do repairs. If you need to do repairs to your roof, clean leaves and pine needles from your gutters or  replace burnt out light bulbs, it is always best to be as careful as possible. Nobody ever expects the worst, but it can happen, even to the best of us. Using a safety belt to help secure yourself is the best possible preventative measure.

Children are at high risk of household injuries which may include: choking, falls, being scalded, poisoning, drowning or playing with a gun. As you know, kids get into everything, and you can’t watch then 24 hours a day. Make sure they never get access to your medicines or your cleaning products. They  have a tendency to stick everything in their mouth.  

                   

Electricity is always a health issue with children. Make sure all outlets are covered with a safety switch plate cover and, without a doubt, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are imperative. If these alarms are not hard wired into your electrical panel, make sure you change the batteries at least once a year.      

 

Another issue may be not having a Disaster Readiness Plan. Be prepared to have at least a three-day supply of food and water for each family member as well as stocking up on batteries and  first aid kits - all in the event of an unforeseen disaster.

You may want to go to FEMA’s website at (https://www.fema.gov/) to get an updated list of what they recommend to have for you and your family in the event you would ever need it  Remember the Boy/Girl Scout Motto “Be Prepared”.

There are also seasonal safety issues. Make sure your pool and surroundings are safe and no pool chemicals are left unsecured. There are also potential seasonal hazards around the house. Dimly lit walkways especially during times children will be coming to your house; trick or treaters, Christmas walkways lit ornaments and extension cords, etc.

As you can see, we are all at risk for an accident in the home. Do a room by room inspection of your home. Look for any potential hazard before it affects you and your family and repair or replace if it might affect your well-being.

Richie is a Realtor®/ Broker® with over 20 years’ experience

If you need advice with any aspect of real estate, feel free to give Richie a call at 317-1297.

Why should I use a Realtor® to buy or sell my home? By Richie Vaurx

A Realtor® is a Real Estate Broker/Associated Broker or a Sales Agent that has been accepted by his/her peers and is committed to a Code of Ethics that goes well beyond a real estate professional. They are commitment to excellence and high standards.

So always use a Realtor®. They will look out for your best interests. Whether you are buying or selling, commit to a person you can trust and is educated to help you make wise decisions.

As a buyer, you will want to look for an agency that does not charge you to represent you - as some agencies will charge. Always ask if the real estate company charges. Most buyers’ agencies get paid by the seller-side at closing. Just as important, always ask for a copy of your contract for your records so you know what to expect.

A Realtor® knows the market and knows your neighborhood. With the current inventory shortage that we are experiencing right now, it is important to know your inventory. When a property comes on the market and meets your criteria, your agent should act quickly and arrange for you to view it to see if it meets your wants and needs. If so, act quickly to write an offer.

If a property is priced appropriately, it won’t be on the open market for very long. As a result, be very prepared. Unless you are making a cash offer - always, always, always have a pre-qualification letter in hand so it can be presented to the seller’s agent, at the time of the offer. Be aware, that if there has been a lot of activity on a property, it has become commonplace that agents are submitting offers well above asking price.

Also, other things you should know about houses are if they are: occupied, vacant, in foreclosure, short-sale or bank owned. You should know as much information as possible about each property before making an appointment. Also make sure you tell your Realtor® your timeframe for buying or selling.

The more information you share with your Realtor® - the better he/she can serve you.

So, ask your Realtor® all the important questions and hopefully they will guide you to making the right decisions. Happy house hunting!

Richie Vraux is a Realtor®/ Broker with Remax Allied with more than 20 years’ experience.

If you need advice either for buying or selling, call Richie at 317-1297.

Home inspections- Are they important? By Richie Vraux

After you go under contract on your potential new home, you should take the advice from your agent, and have the home inspected. Always use a NACHI certified home inspector (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors). While your dad or uncle may know a great deal about homes and its faults, a certified inspector looks for the unobvious and will put all deficiencies in a category, so you know how urgent somethings need to be addressed. 
 

A typical inspection can run two to three hours long and even longer on more complicated homes. It is usually on a scale from one to five of which a rating of five would need the highest priority to get corrected. 

Listed below are usually the issues an inspector will address.

Electrical: He will check the electricity, the polarity and the electrical box to make sure wires are installed correctly and without being double and triple tapped and any other obvious issues.

Plumbing: Make sure the pipes, whether they are copper, plastic, iron or pecks are all are in good condition and not discolored, as is what usually happens with older copper pipes. Make sure all seals are secure and not leaking/ dripping.

Appliances: Make sure they all functioning to the capacity they were designed for.

Heating/ Cooling Systems: Make sure the systems and annually inspected and have current maintenance tags and performing to their optimal standard.

Mold: Check for possible mold or mildew in attics, basements and areas that show signs of dampness or dark spots.

Roof: Look for roof leaks, both by observing the shingles on the outside to the roof sheathing and rafters on the inside; and any signs of dark spots on the ceilings below. Look to see pine needles or caked on leaves, curling shingles - which shows the age of the shingles.

Windows: Have the seals been broken? He will check for fogged up, broken, older windows and missing putty.

Attic: Is there enough insulation, does the roof sheathing, or rafters show signs of dry darkening water stains or even worse, mold? These are all signs of a problem but the inspector will point out these signs.

Foundation: Does the foundation show apparent cracks or displacement due to shifting?

Trees, Bushes: Are your trees too close to your house? If they are too close, they will keep your home dark, which can promote mildew/ mold and tree roots into your foundation.

Water: Is your well water drinkable and clear from bacteria

Septic System: Most homes in Maine have a septic system - make sure you check with the town for septic design. If there is a septic design on file at the town, make sure it states the bedroom count that it was designed for.

As you can see there are many things to learn about with your new home. Take the advice of your inspector and go over what are the most urgent things to address first.

The costs of inspections are different between companies so check with your agent so you know in advance and these costs are all paid for by the buyer at the time of the inspection.

Good luck and happy house hunting

Richie Vraux is a buyers’ and sellers’ broker with RE/MAX Allied. Call him if you have any questions about your home at 207-317-1297.