Safety Tips for Homeowners

Indoor Tips

• Inspect deadbolts and locks on your doors.
• Replace all locks and deadbolts for best security when first moving in.
• Make sure smoke alarms are installed on every floor outside sleeping areas and in every bedroom, are in good working order and have fresh batteries.
• Keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher in your kitchen, garage and near fireplaces.
• Replace rubber or plastic washing machine hoses with stainless steel ones.
• Look for telltale signs of electrical problems such as dimming of lights, frequent circuit breaker trips or blown fuses. Ask a qualified electrician if your home would benefit from AFCI protection, especially during inspections of older homes or upgrades to electrical systems.

Outdoor Tips

• Periodically clean your gutters and make sure the bottoms of downspouts are cleared of debris so that water does not pool near your house.
• Make sure the outside of your home is well lit. Burglars won't find your home and "easy mark" if they are forced to work in the light.
• If you have a pool, it should be completely fended in, at least 4 feet high and have self-latch gate.
• Before mowing, walk around the area in which you will be working to remove any objects like sticks, glass, metal, wire, stones and string that could cause injury or damage equipment.
• Have a tree removal professional remove any heavy limbs that hang over your roof.

"As-Is" Homes For Sale

A listing that is advertised as an "as is" sale can be a put-off to buyers. They might assume that something major is wrong and might be costly to repair. If they don't have much free time or extra money, they might decide not to even look at the property. Sometimes sellers list the property "as is" because they don't want to deal with paying for any repairs that might come up in the inspections. This might not be the best way to market your home since you may not get as many showings just by having it advertised that way. The repairs and costs are always negotiable into the final contract. Sellers will be in a better position to sell in today's market if they have the work done before they put their homes on the market.
An "as is" sale can also mean that the property is part of the estate of someone who died. Some properties are sold in their "as is" condition and without warranty in order to protect the heirs who might know nothing about the property. "As is" doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem.
When a bank forecloses on a property, the sale is usually an "as is" sale. As with an estate sale, the bank might know nothing about the condition of the property. It's up to the buyers to satisfy themselves before buying. Homeowners who let their homes go into foreclosure because they can't afford to make the mortgage payments also might not have enough money to keep the home well maintained.
If you are considering buying an "as is" property research the reason why it is being sold that way and don't skimp on inspections. The money will be well spent even if the deal doesn't go through if it keeps you from buying a property that needs more work than you can afford to pay for.