home safety

Florida is home to over twenty different species of termites with the most damaging and common species are subterranean and drywood termites. These termites cause billions of dollars of damage annually in the United States and correct termite identification is pivotal to successful prevention, control, and protection of your home.

Subterranean termites live and invade from underground, and a single colony can cover one acre underneath
homes. They typically live in dark, moist, hidden environments underground but will create and live in carton
nests aboveground. These can be found in walls and attics of structures and in nearby trees. To move above the
ground, these termites build mud tubes on foundations, walls, and nearby trees. These mud tubes are a sign
of termite activity and used for detection.

Drywood termites live and forage in dry wood. There are many different species of drywood termites in Florida,
and these are located throughout the state. They enter structures through swarming from infested trees, stored
wood, or other structures near your home. Unlike subterranean termites, drywood termite colonies grow
slowly and thus do not cause as much damage as subterranean termites. A tell-tale sign of drywood termites are
sawdust-like piles near the infestation, these piles are hexagonal shaped pellets or waste of the termite.

Actions you can take to keep air home termite free are:

• Eliminate sources of standing water in or near the home.
• Be wary of areas in the home where wood is in contact with soil.
• Keep piles of lumber or firewood away from your home.
• Regularly inspect your deck, patio, or outdoor furniture for signs of damage.
• Remove decaying trees and branches from areas surrounding your yard.
• Use pine needles, pea gravel, rubber, or other non-organic material as mulch.

Part of your Inspections before purchasing a home should include Wood Destroying Organisms ( WDO) Inspection. Unlike most states, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) requires the licensed WDO Inspector to report on Wood Destroying Organisms.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recommends that you hire a licensed pest control company for correct termite identification and protection for your home. You can find out if a company is licensed in Florida at: https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Services/Pest-Control. For more info and tips: https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Health-and-Safety/Protect-Your-Home-from-Pests/Termites.

Filed under: 2024 real estate, Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, First Time Homebuyers, Florida Real Estate, Home Buyers, home Inspections, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate, Termites, WDO Inspection by Kim Bregman
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A recent survey from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found that energy-efficient features are among the most sought-after “must-haves” among homebuyers. Among those surveyed, 83% desired Energy Star-rated windows, 81% wanted Energy Star-rated appliances and 80% preferred energy-efficient lighting.

Though eco-conscious sensibilities compel millions of homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient, that’s not the only reason to upgrade your home. The following are a handful of the many benefits of energy-efficient homes.

Save money: The U.S. Department of Energy indicates upgrading to energy efficient appliances products can help homeowners reduce their energy costs by as much as 30%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates you can save 11% on average on your total energy costs by air sealing your home and adding insulation in the attic and crawl spaces.

Improve resale value: Being able to market your home as energy-efficient when it comes time to sell it may help your resale value, especially as energy-efficient homes become better-known and more in-demand.

According to several studies, energy-efficient homes and apartments garner anywhere from 2% to 8% more in sales prices than their traditional counterparts. Research from the mortgage lender Freddie Mac found that homes with energy-efficient ratings sold for nearly 3% more on average than homes without such ratings.

Live healthier: The benefits of energy-efficient homes aren’t just economic, though health-related benefits certainly produce an economic incentive as well.

Energy-efficient homes boost your comfort level by also enhancing the indoor air quality by reducing pollen, dust, insects, and humidity, which leads to better quality of life.

Energy-efficient appliances are typically quieter than traditional models, as well, making their operation less intrusive to your daily life.

To learn more and find out how to perform some of these improvements yourself, visit DOE’s Energy Saver website.

Tools and Calculators for Homes:

• Air Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR

Information, tools, and resource to help consumers seal and insulate their homes, including a DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR.

• Assess Your Home with ENERGY STAR

Information, tools, and resources to help consumers assess their home’s energy use, including the ENERGY STAR Home Advisor and the ENERGY STAR Home Energy Yardstick.

• Building Energy Software

List of building energy software packages, some of which are available for free or a small fee.

• ENERGY STAR Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator

A tool that allows a consumer to determine energy savings and costs associated with replacing non-ENERGY STAR-rated refrigerators.

• Heat & Cool Efficiently with ENERGY STAR

Information, tools, and resources to help consumers increase the efficiency of their home’s heating and cooling system.

• Roof Savings Calculator 

A tool developed as an industry-consensus roof savings calculator for residential and commercial buildings using whole-building energy simulations.

Filed under: 2024 real estate, Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Energy efficiency, Energy efficient homes, Exclusive Buyer Agency, First Time Homebuyers, Florida Real Estate, home automation, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, new home construction, Real Estate, real estate news, Real estate trends, smart home, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
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• Have a residence with no smokers
• Pay your premium upfront
• Pick paperless billing
• Sign up for automatic payments

Filed under: 4 Point Inspection, Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, First Time Homebuyers, Flood Insurance, Florida Real Estate, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Homeowners Insurance, Hurricane Preparedness, Insurance Claims, Real Estate, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
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As a Floridian, you already know the drill: hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30 each year, and certain hurricane preparations are needed to protect your home when storms appear to be heading your way. But what happens if you are some distance away, or even out of state, when this occurs? You can still prepare ahead of time – and a few extra steps is all it takes to secure your home while you’re away.

Performing the following hurricane preparation before vacation will allow you to relax and enjoy family time, or the scenery wherever you’re vacationing.

Insurance Coverage. Every year, you should review your homeowners, flood, and wind insurance policies to make sure you will have the coverage you need should your home be in the path of the next major hurricane or storm surge. Ideally, this is done before hurricane season begins, but should absolutely be done before you leave on vacation.

Home Safety Measures. Whatever hurricane preparedness you might normally do if you were home when a storm was approaching, do before you leave on vacation. This includes closing/installing your hurricane shutters, trimming trees, and bringing in any outdoor furniture or other items subject to becoming projectiles during a hurricane. Doing all of this before a storm is even on the horizon might seem like overkill – but the peace of mind it provides should bad weather threaten while you’re away will be priceless. Especially since you won’t be able to do much from a distance.

Electronics, Water & Gas. Consider unplugging valuable electronics and appliances to avoid potential power surges as the result of a hurricane or tropical storm. Alternatively, you could opt to turn the power off at the breaker. To avoid potential leaks, you may also want to consider turning off the main water and gas valves to your home.

Inform a Trusted Neighbor or Friend. Let someone you trust know about your vacation plans, including when you’ll be away, how you might be contacted, and any relevant details about your home security or other systems. They may be able to keep an eye on your home in your absence should a hurricane develop.

Ready the Emergency Kit. Stock up on supplies you would rely on if you were home during a hurricane, such as flashlights, batteries, first-aid kits, nonperishable food, and an ample supply of bottled water. This hurricane preparedness will be helpful if you return home without power or access to supplies are limited. Store a small version of this kit in your car, and top off the tank.

Have a Backup Plan. Should you be unable to get to your home upon your return from vacation, or if your home is damaged by a hurricane or tropical storm, have a contingency plan of possible friends or nearby locations you may be able to shelter in until your home is safe to return to.

‍Stay Informed. Even with all the right hurricane preparedness before you leave on vacation, you’ll want to monitor weather conditions from afar, especially once a hurricane or tropical storm has been identified. You’ll be able to make the best decisions when they are informed by as much information – and preparation – as possible.

Filed under: Blog, Exclusive Buyer Agency, First Time Homebuyers, Flood Insurance, Home Buyer Advice, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Homeowners Insurance, Hurricane Preparedness, Insurance Claims, Uncategorized by Kim Bregman
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• Convenience. This is one of the primary reasons people start down the smart-home path. It just makes life a little easier when your home automates all the mundane tasks you used to have to do on a day-to-day basis.
• Safety. A lot of smart-home technology is centered around your home’s security system, and there’s a good reason for that. No one piece of security equipment will protect your home comprehensively, but a network of pieces of equipment all working and thinking together can.
• Sustainability. A lot of energy is wasted when you leave the lights on or keep your AC running when you’re gone for the weekend. A truly smart home will adjust itself to your habits and make sure your environmental impact is a little lighter.
• Savings. You waste a lot of money when you leave things running unnecessarily. Your smart home will improve your economic efficiency by helping you remember to turn things off or down when they’re not needed

• Detectors – Smart detectors provide peace of mind, so you aren’t left worrying that you forgot something. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are vital additions to any home. Gas and water leak detectors are good additions as well.
• Heating and Cooling – With the initial success of 2011’s Nest Learning Thermostat, this product category is most associated with home automation.
• Lighting – With the ability to control lights through your tablet or phone, intelligent lighting has become the initial step many take in setting up smart home technology.
• Security Systems – This area has taken home automation to the next level. A lot of the newer, more advanced smart home tech is in this category, with keyless entry, camera equipment, and more. D
• Hubs – Hubs, for the most part, are what tie your systems together. .
• Appliances – Get a text message from your washer when a load finishes. Have your fridge create your grocery list for you. Shut the coffee pot off from work. Smoke a brisket for a few hours while remotely controlling its temperature. All possibilities with smart appliances.
• Energy Management – Track your energy use and make changes in real time, from any location.
• Lawn and Landscape Care – Control your pool cleaner, mow your lawn or set the irrigation system, all via smartphone app.
• Window Coverings – Automatic shades and blinds timed to open or close with your bedtime or wake up call.

Filed under: 2022 Real Estate, Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, First Time Homebuyers, Florida Real Estate, home automation, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Real Estate, Real estate trends, smart home, South Florida Real Estate, Uncategorized by Kim Bregman
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Look carefully at the safety actions associated with each type of hurricane hazard and prepare your family disaster plan accordingly. But remember this is only a guide. The first and most important thing anyone should do when facing a hurricane threat is to use common sense.

Have a Place To Go: Develop a family hurricane preparedness plan before an actual storm threatens your area. If your family hurricane preparedness plan includes evacuation to a safer location for any of the reasons specified with in this web site, then it is important to consider the following points: If ordered to evacuate, do not wait or delay your departure. If possible, leave before local officials issue an evacuation order for your area. Even a slight delay in starting your evacuation will result in significantly longer travel times as traffic congestion and weather deteriorates worsens. Select an evacuation destination that is nearest to your home, preferably in the same county, or at least minimize the distance over which you must travel in order to reach your intended shelter location. In choosing your destination, keep in mind that the hotels and other sheltering options in most inland metropolitan areas are likely to be filled very quickly in a large, multi-county hurricane evacuation event. If you decide to evacuate to another county or region, be prepared to wait in traffic. The large number of people in this state who must evacuate during a hurricane will probably cause massive delays and major congestion along most designated evacuation routes; the larger the storm, the greater the probability of traffic jams and extended travel times. If possible, make arrangements to stay with the friend or relative who resides closest to your home and who will not have to evacuate. Discuss with your intended host the details of your family evacuation plan well before the beginning of the hurricane season. If a hotel or motel is your final intended destination during an evacuation, make reservations before you leave. Most hotel and motels will fill quickly once evacuations begin. The longer you wait to make reservations, even if an official evacuation order has not been issued for your area or county, the less likely you are to find hotel/motel room vacancies, especially along interstate highways and in major metropolitan areas. If you are unable to stay with friends or family and no hotels/motels rooms are available, then as a last resort go to a shelter. Remember, shelters are not designed for comfort and do not usually accept pets. Bring your disaster supply kit with you to the shelter. Find Pet-Friendly hotels and motels. Make sure that you fill up your car with gas, before you leave.

Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies Makes Sense. Get Ready Now. If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an important member of your household. The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency such as a fire or flood, tornado or hurricane depends largely on emergency planning done today. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an animal emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system, are the same for any emergency. Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make plans in advance for your pets. Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals. If you must evacuate, take your pets with you if possible. However, if you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that animals may not be allowed inside. Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets. Make a back-up emergency plan in case you can’t care for your animals yourself. Develop a buddy system with neighbors, friends and relatives to make sure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so. Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to make it on your own for at least three days, maybe longer.

Disaster Supply Kit I personally prepare a hurricane closet in May with all the needed supplies and materials so that there is never a last minute rush to the store when the shelves have been cleaned out.

Business Preparedness * Have an emergency communication plan in place before the storm hits. How will co-workers stay in contact if the physical location of a business is damaged? * Turn off all non-critical work devices before the storm hits. * Alert a third party about business evacuation plans in case a storm makes it impossible to get to your place of business. * Protect important business documents that you may need quickly, such as property insurance policies. * Have cash on hand to pay employees or contractors after the storm. * Know which employees are certified in CPR, EMT, etc. * If possible, disconnect a building’s main electrical feeds. * Have a plan to notify all employees, post-storm, about damage and how you’ll move forward. * Review contracts that are date sensitive and have a backup plan in place to handle potential problems. * Assess all functions that could be impacted by a lapse in business – cash flow, bills, budgets and any upcoming events. Links to Hurricane Information: National Hurricane Center NWS Hurricane Awareness site FEMA Hurricane Info American Red Cross FEMA

Filed under: 2022 Real Estate, Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, First Time Homebuyers, Flood Insurance, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Homeowners Insurance, Hurricane Preparedness, Insurance Claims, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
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• Seller has a spotty memory ….
• Or says things like, “I haven’t lived here long.”
• Offers no real estate disclosure form
• New paint, tile, or flooring here and there

• Read the home inspector’s report carefully, including between the lines when the inspector uses phrases like, “a lot of issues” or “a major issue.” Ask your exclusive buyer agent to prod the sellers for more details. If the inspector couldn’t access certain places, ask why.
• Ask for a disclosure form. Push for more answers to your questions. When a listing agent refuses to provide the standard disclosure form, I put all the questions in the form on an email and make it an Exhibit to the contract. The Seller has a legal obligation to answer questions asked directly.

• Phrases like, “It’s always been that way,” “That’s not a big deal,” or “Show me a house that doesn’t have a problem.” ” It was that way when we bought it”

• Look for signs of irregular maintenance, such as dusty air vents, old filters in the AC system, clogged gutters, and dying grass, just to name a few. Politely but firmly ask for more details, receipts, and documentation about anything the homeowner waves away.

• Ask to turn off the music or remove the scents and return at a later date during the inspection period.
• Request that items be cleared from walls and garage to accommodate the inspector.
• Don’t be rushed though the final walk-through. Is there anything that has deteriorated since the inspection? Anything that was hidden or unobservable?

Filed under: Blog, Boca Raton real estate, contracts, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, First Time Homebuyers, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, home Inspections, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate, Uncategorized, What Buyers Should Check When Buying an Older Home by Kim Bregman
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Filed under: Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, First Time Homebuyers, Flood Insurance, Florida Real Estate, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Homeowners Insurance, Hurricane Preparedness, Insurance Claims, Real Estate, Real Estate Investment, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
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The 4th of July is here, and if your pet is afraid of fireworks and loud noises, you may need just a little more preparation to make sure your pet stays happy and relaxed during the celebration.

• Set up a safe space in advance.Create a “happy place” where your pet can retreat to and feel secure. Choose a spot in your house where your pet usually likes to relax that will also buffer the sights and sounds of the fireworks, such as a walk-in closet or a room with blackout curtains. Fill it with comfortable beds and some favorite toys and make it extra awesome with playtime or treats.
• Drown out the sound. Leave music playing in the safe space throughout the firework display to help block the booms. Closing all windows and doors in the house will help as well.
• Provide plenty of distraction. Pull out your pet’s favorite toys or stuff toys with treats to give your pet something fun to focus on during the celebration.
• Don’t make a fuss. When your pet is distressed, it’s hard to ignore the urge to comfort them, but excessive comforting may reward your pet’s behavior or (even worse!) validate their fears. Besides a few calm pats, carry on as if nothing special is happening.
• Consider calming supplements or pheromones.  Starting some before the fireworks begin may help relax your pet and reduce their reactivity.

Filed under: Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, First Time Homebuyers, Florida Real Estate, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Real Estate, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
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Filed under: Blog, Boca Raton real estate, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, First Time Homebuyers, Florida Real Estate, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Real Estate, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
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