Dec

22

Five Ways to Protect Your Chicago Home from Holiday Burglars

Filed Under Chicago, Home Renovation and Maintenance | Comments

With the holiday season upon us here in Chicago, we’re in the period of historically high occurrences of home burglaries. With so many families away on vacation, unoccupied homes become a target for the thieves who can spot them.

If you’re heading out of town for the holiday, here are five simple steps you can take to avoid putting a bulls eye on your home for enterprising criminals.

Set several lights in your home on a timer. This is the simplest way to give your home the appearance of being occupied. Lights should be timed to turn on after dark and should be visible from all approaches to the home. Placing lights in common areas such as living rooms and bathrooms is also more plausible than having your bedrooms illuminated 24/7. A timed radio or CD player that is loud enough to hear from outside (without disturbing the neighbors!) is also helpful.

Arrange for someone to shovel your driveway and/or entryway. If every home on the block has been shoveled since last week’s snow - except yours - thieves might get the message that no one is around. Ask a neighbor or hire a local schoolchild or service to keep your place promptly shoveled.

Don’t let mail accumulate in your mailbox. A mailbox overflowing with letters and newspapers is a telltale sign to crooks that a home is unoccupied. You can have your mail and subscriptions put on hold, or, if you don’t want to give that information out, you can simply have a neighbor collect your mail for you.

Tell your neighbors of your plans. Neighbors will be less likely to notice suspicious activity at your home if they think you’re still there. Tell them of your plans so they can keep an eye out while you’re away.

Turn on your security system if you have one. Sound obvious? As a Realtor, I’m still surprised by how many homes I encounter that have security systems that are never used. If you have a system, put it to use and display the company’s decals prominently.

For more tips on keeping your home safe while away, visit this page on protection against home burglary. And while you’re at it, now is another good time to make sure your homes fire safety measures are up to date.

May all of you have a safe and happy holiday!

Oct

9

Childproofing Your Home

Filed Under Home Renovation and Maintenance | Comments

Safety Faucet CoverMany of the luxury homes I sell may be finely finished for adults, but that’s not always the case as far as babies and small children are concerned.

Childproofing a home is an important part of starting a family, but it can be difficult to balance safety and practicality. I know one couple who pulled out all the stops and spent thousands of dollars childproofing their home right after they had their baby. Ultimately, they ended up moving out of their home before their child was even old enough to crawl.

My advice is that childproofing is something that should be taken in baby steps (no pun intended). With a little planning, you can make your home safe for your young ones without spending more than you need or locking your home down like a fortress.

If you’re just starting out, there are some straightforward steps you can take to childproof your home. Each of these measures will need to be completed before your child is developed enough to access each specific danger. Many of the safety products described below can be purchased at hardware or home improvement stores or over the Internet at baby safety websites.

Here’s what needs to be done:

Read more

Sep

30

Thinking of Renovating?

Filed Under Chicago Events, Home Renovation and Maintenance, News | Comments

With increased down payment requirements and stricter lending criteria, some homeowners are opting to stay in their homes and renovate rather than move.

Others are taking advantage of the fact that builders are no longer bidding up the cost of land, so parcels can now be snatched up at better prices. These people are finally making their dream a reality and building custom homes.

If you are considering renovating or building a custom home, you won’t want to miss an upcoming design event. In celebration of National Kitchen and Bath Month, Chicago’s exclusive Merchandise Mart is opening its doors to the general public for an “Open House” showcasing the world’s largest collection of luxury boutiques for home building and renovation.

On Saturday, October 4th, more than 30 luxury kitchen and bath boutiques including Waterworks, Ann Sacks, Kohler, and Christopher Peacock Cabinetry will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It’s a great opportunity to see what’s hot and what’s new while being wined and dined by showroom consultants.

The LuxeHome open house celebration starts with a keynote presentation from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. with Monica Pedersen of HGTV’s Designed to Sell: Luxury Properties. Monica will explain how to transform a luxury property into a showpiece using the best brands which, of course, have showrooms in the Mart. Her presentation will be held in the north lobby. To register, log in to www.luxehome.com/openhouse.

Monica and her team of carpenters from Designed to Sell will be available for autograph signings and photo opportunities in the Mart’s new Design Resource Center, Suite 163, following the lecture.

Other scheduled celebrity appearances include:

Ed Sanders of ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Addition

Ed will be speaking at The Kohler Store (Suite 100) at 11:30, 1:00, 2:30 and 4:00 p.m. on the subject of Universal Design: Bathroom Design Solutions for Every Stage of Your Life.

Lou Manfredini a.k.a. “Mr. Fix It” on NBC5 Chicago’s House Smarts

Lou will be available for a “meet and greet” from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the American International Tile showroom (Suite 134).

If you have extra time, you may want to run up to the Mart’s 12th floor and check out the International Antiques Fair. It will be open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Tickets are $15 and sold at the door.

Sep

17

Drying Off After the Flood

Filed Under Chicago, Home Renovation and Maintenance, News | Comments

It’s a fantastic day today - the autumn air is cool and crisp, and I am enjoying a stunning panoramic view of Lake Michigan and Chicago’s skyline from my desk in the Gold Coast Office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the John Hancock Center. As is often the case with Mother Nature, today’s brilliant blue sky belies the drama we experienced this past weekend.

After two days of non-stop heavy rain, including a record breaking 6.64 inches of rain that fell on Saturday, many of my friends and real estate clients reported flooded basements and/or roof leaks in their homes. As if that wasn’t enough, O’Hare airport was temporarily closed, wreaking havoc for travelers.

Although my home remained dry (thankfully), my weekend was turned upside down by impassable roads, cancelled appointments, and a flooded open house. My inconveniences were minor, however, when compared to what this “Storm of the Century” dumped on other parts of Chicago.

Although it has been a couple days since the rain has stopped, the challenges are not over yet. Just this morning, one of the members of my residential real estate team was late to work because his commuter train had to idle through standing water up to the top of the train’s wheels (which had damaged many of the track’s signals as well). He likened the experience to being on a water ride at Disney World - only in slow motion.

Thankfully, the upcoming week should continue to be a dry one, and this should allow those affected by the rain and flooding to start the cleanup. (If that group happens to include you, the Chicago Tribune has a list of guidelines for safely cleaning and inspecting your home).

As rough as this weekend was for Chicago, we fared much better than the Gulf Coast did under Hurricane Ike. The scope of the devastation in communities like Galveston, Texas where some residents no longer have homes is pretty hard to fathom. Thank goodness The Windy City never truly lives up to its name.

Sep

9

Winterizing Your Chicago Home

Filed Under Chicago, Home Renovation and Maintenance | Comments

Chicago winter

This last week, we’ve had the A/C off and the windows open. Just last night, I needed to pull an extra comforter out of the closet as the outside temperature had dipped into the 50s. I’m not sure how Mother Nature knows, but there is no question that now that Labor Day is behind us, summer is winding down, and before long we’ll be hanging holiday decorations.

Everyone loves to complain about winter in Chicago. Maybe I’m biased as I’ve lived here most of my life, but the season has never bothered me. In fact, there is nothing like a clear winter day in the city with mist coming off Lake Michigan, a layer of pure white snow on the trees, and a crisp blue sky. It can be exhilarating!

But the coldest of Chicago’s winter days can wreak havoc on more than just under-bundled Michigan Avenue shoppers. One of my residential real estate clients was on vacation last year when a pipe froze, burst, and flooded their entire three-level home. Murphy’s Law… it was Christmas Eve and virtually impossible to get help as the water poured down their hardwood floors, drywall, cabinetry, etc. It took eight months and countless hours of aggravation to restore their home. 

Thankfully, this kind of home disaster is rare, and if steps are taken to winterize your home, they can be even rarer.  The tips on this home winterization list are a good place to start for doing just that. Not every suggestion will apply to your situation, but a little preventative maintenance now will help protect your investment in your home and give you peace of mind as you crawl under your comforter on Chicago’s coldest winter nights.

Sep

5

Up in a Puff of Smoke

Filed Under Commentary, Family Events, Home Renovation and Maintenance | Comments

Fire safety  

Not long ago, on my way to show a Lincoln Park home, all traffic came to a halt. Fire trucks with lights flashing had blocked the intersection of Fremont and Webster in Lincoln Park, and I could not get by. Eventually, I turned around and pulled down an alley so I could continue on to my appointment. As I passed the scene of the fire, I saw lots of trucks, equipment, and activity, and I overheard one of the men saying that the fire was now out. I drove on.

I thought nothing more of this until I listened to my voicemail the next morning. A friend had called to say that it had been his home that had caught fire, and he and his family were now scrambling to find temporary housing. They were hoping I could help them.

I was shocked at the immediacy of the crisis. This is a family I know well and whose home I have visited. It had been substantially improved and showed beautifully. I remembered how much they had invested of themselves in their home, and I realized how hard this would be for them.

The fire department believed the fire was started by an extension cord connected to a printer. The heat of the fire was so intense that the roof collapsed into the home’s upper level. What did not burn was ruined by smoke or water.

The good news is that my friends were out of town with their two children and everyone was safe. But it made me stop and ask myself, “What if the fire had been in my home?” My husband and I have never discussed what to do in the event of a fire. We live vertically in a three-story home (as is typical of single-family homes and condos in downtown Chicago) and we don’t have a plan. I realized that not only do we need to think about this, but we need to discuss fire prevention and emergency procedures with our nanny so that she is prepared as well.

Thankfully, there are many resources for home fire safety including the Home Safety Council. Their website includes valuable tips on developing a home fire escape plan. Here are some of their major points:

Make a fire escape plan. The best exit from your home may seem obvious today, but if you awaken in the middle of the night to a smoke-filled, burning home, all that can change - especially for small children. Plan in advance how you will get everyone out. Know what you will do if your primary exits are blocked, and where you will meet once everyone is out. Then, practice your plan together as a family.

Install and check smoke detectors. Chicago building code requires smoke detectors in residential dwellings. When you buy a home, your professional home inspector will verify that the home includes properly positioned, working smoke detectors. But after closing, it is your responsibility to maintain them. Just a month ago, a Chicago man died of smoke inhalation during a fire in his home. His house had smoke detectors installed, but they were not working. Press the test button on your smoke detectors each month to ensure they are operating, and replace the batteries or unit if necessary.

Get a home fire extinguisher. For small, contained fires, a home fire extinguisher can mean the difference between a few hundred dollars in damage and losing your home. Adults in the home should be familiar with the extinguisher’s use, including the PASS acronym (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep).

Protect the irreplaceable. Your family’s safety is the top priority, but it’s also important to be able to pick up the pieces after a fire. This means protecting important documents, photos, and possessions from destruction. Keeping a safe deposit box at a bank or a fire-proof safe in your home are two ways of accomplishing this. Now that we are in the Internet age, digital photos and documents can also be regularly backed up to email accounts or Web storage services - and thereby out of harm’s way.

For a more comprehensive guide to home fire safety, see the Chicago Fire Department’s page on the topic.

In an earlier blog entry, I wrote about how seeing the AIDS orphans in East Africa really struck a chord with me. Hearing about the fire that destroyed my friends’ home reminds me again to appreciate the many blessings in my life. It is frightening to contemplate how quickly our lives can change, regardless of how safe we feel.

One of my real estate clients ends every call with a reminder to “hug your children today.” I cherish that sentiment, and I do try to hug my children and tell them I love them every single day. But the night after this fire, I hugged them a little tighter and a bit longer.

Aug

14

Radioactive Kitchens?

Filed Under Home Renovation and Maintenance, News | Comments

granite countertop

As a luxury real estate sales professional, I make sure my buyers are making a sound investment by encouraging them to get a professional home inspection. The purpose of a home inspection is to discover hidden defects that are not obvious during a casual walkthrough.

In the City of Chicago, our inspections rarely include testing for radon gas. Radon comes from the ground, and the test is therefore typically conducted in basements. Usually this simply involves leaving a radon meter in the home for 48 hours. Obviously, for condos and other properties that are above street level, this would be a non-issue.

Recently, however, I read a disturbing article in The New York Times that warns about a possible new, invisible danger for homeowners.

What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?

SHORTLY before Lynn Sugarman of Teaneck, N.J., bought her summer home in Lake George, N.Y., two years ago, a routine inspection revealed it had elevated levels of radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. So she called a radon measurement and mitigation technician to find the source.”He went from room to room,” said Dr. Sugarman, a pediatrician.

But he stopped in his tracks in the kitchen, which had richly grained cream, brown and burgundy granite countertops. His Geiger counter indicated that the granite was emitting radiation at levels 10 times higher than those he had measured elsewhere in the house.

And in case that doesn’t make you nervous:

“It’s not that all granite is dangerous,” said Stanley Liebert, the quality assurance director at CMT Laboratories in Clifton Park, N.Y., who took radiation measurements at Dr. Sugarman’s house. “But I’ve seen a few that might heat up your Cheerios a little.”

Frightening stuff. For many people, the kitchen is the most important room in their home, and nothing’s scarier than knowing (or not knowing!) that you and your family are being exposed to invisible, cancer-causing rays there.

As always, however, the important thing to remember is the numbers.

David J. Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University in New York, said the cancer risk from granite countertops, even those emitting radiation above background levels, is “on the order of one in a million.” Being struck by lightning is more likely.

I contacted some of the inspectors I know about this issue. 

Ed Wengren of Home Touch Inspection, who our team uses for our radon inspections, test solely for ground-based radon, but he confirmed that state inspection guidelines instruct them to keep their meters away from granite in homes to prevent their readings from being thrown off.

Radon Detection Specialists, which serves Northern Illinois, recommends testing kits sold at hardware stores (and which they carry for $25) for concerned homeowners who want to test their granite for harmful emissions. RDS’s technicians can also perform more thorough tests on granite. They said, however, that they’ve yet to encounter a kitchen with the kind of alarming emissions showcased in the Times article.

As a Realtor and not a radiation expert, I can’t give specific advice on this subject. However, if you have granite in your home (or are considering installing it), you can read the full article and decide for yourself if buying a testing kit or contacting professionals like the ones above is in your family’s best interest.