Posts tagged: real estate

First, let’s discuss what is a Smart Home?

A smart home is associated with the Internet, that can be controlled by means of an application. It provide great comfort, pleasure and wellbeing. Internet of Things (IoT) has come a long way which connects machine to machine through networks. If we talk in simple terms, IoT is connecting devices to the internet.

The installation of smart products in a home provides various benefits which results in savings of time, money and energy. Moreover, home automation technologies used in smart homes provide intelligent feedback and information to the owner. For instance, you can water your plants by using this technology. That sounds so cool. Isn’t it?

Well not only this but, It also includes the control and automation of lighting, air conditioning (HVAC), ventilation, heating, ovens, dryers, washer, refrigerators etc. Home gadgets, when remotely observed and controlled by means of the Internet, are a vibrant essential of the Internet of Things and that makes a Smart Home.

How Smart Home will affect our day to day life?

Technology is all set to grow in such a manner that if your alarm rings, your drapes opened. As soon as your drapes get opened your coffee machine starts brewing. Meanwhile, when your alarm stops, your geyser will get switched ON for hot water in your shower. Based on the availability, your fridge will suggest you for the breakfast that you can prepare and will also remind you for the things that are missing for the breakfast like bread, eggs, milk etc. Once you leave the house, your lights and TVs will get turn OFF. This is the near future of the global market and that time is not that far. Therefore, the growing technological advancements is anticipated to boost the demand for smart homes market over the next five years.

Across the globe, we are talking about smart system, smart speaker etc. this is all because of the growing internet penetration and growing IoT systems. In 2017, the demand for Alexa, which is launched by Amazon in 2014 boomed and had the largest market share in smart speaker’s market owing to its lesser cost and more applications than other assistants.

What will be the size of the Global Smart Home market?

According to TechSci Research, the market is projected to cross $ 60 billion by 2021 owing to increasing Internet of Things (IOT) market, booming M2M communication market and flourishing touch free intuitive gesture control market. Based on application, the adoption of energy management systems is expected to dominate the market in the coming years owing to increasing government efforts to optimize energy consumption. Based on region, the North America region dominated the global smart homes market in 2017 and is expected to maintain its dominance over the next five years as well, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.

While most people associate mobile homes and RVs with ordinary folks, it may come as a surprise to many that there are celebrities who also love them to travel by them. Recreational vehicles have been used by many a star from Hollywood to make their road trip a roaring success.

One Hollywood star who loves his RV so much that he has named it Canoe. This star is Mathew McConaughey. He has an Airstream trailer that is often seen parked along the Malibu coast as McConaughey catches some surf. He uses the trailer to travel around the country and is known to host press meets while on the road. In fact, McConaughey was awarded the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association Spirit of America Award in the year 2007.

Actress Drew Barrymore took a month long vacation driving around the US in an RV some time in 2009. In a television show, she claimed that it was one of the most interesting and entertaining experiences of her life despite some minor problems she faced while driving.

In 1993, when wildfires burned out many homes in Malibu, Sean Penn was unfortunate enough to lose his mansion. However, Penn took matters into his hand and got an Airstream Sovereign into his estate and lived in it for a few years until his mansion was rebuilt. Now that is showing your love for your mobile home!

Then there is the singer and actress Dolly Parton who travels around the US in an RV. Of course, she travels in style and luxury as the RV is equipped with a huge shower and vanity mirror. And, not to be outdone by anyone is Pamela Anderson, whose Airstream was equipped vibrating bed, a mirror ball and a pole.

Caring for people in need is a noble duty that care homes are performing from a long time. It is a sector that encourages well-being of one and all. A care home comprises of people like owner, manager, staff and the people residing within that environment. A care home may be of various kinds – residential care, nursing care or dementia care and one for the older adults. Each requires a different health and safety policy for care homes with specific requirements.

It is a kind of health program that excels in providing a resource for concerned personnel inside the care home setting. The main implications it includes are-

• Legal duties

Out of the various laws that govern health and safety regulations in a workplace, the most applicable ones are-

• Health and safety at work act 1974
• Common law
• Reporting of injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations
• Control of substances hazardous to health
• Management of health and safety at work regulations 1999

The above acts enable employers to perform their duties of ensuring a safe and secure working environment. It involves all the diseases caused by biological perils, drug exposures, bloodborne pathogens, respiratory complications along with workplace violence.

• Facilities

The policy also encloses the various healthcare facilities that an organization issues to its employees in adequate quantity. The welfare arrangements also include safe handling and proper storage of potentially hazardous substances.

• Training

Another most important part of a policy is providing information training with specific guidelines to employees under expert supervision. The training also acknowledges employees’ efforts by certifying them with liability insurance.

• Guidelines

The set of rules that are sketched for an employee also make him realize his duties to take reasonable care of each other’s health. Also, the basic guidelines that one needs to follow while working in a care home are-

• Be attentive

While inside a care home, one needs to dedicate one’s full attention to providing a danger-free environment. One small or normal careless attitude like rugs or slippery surfaces can cost as one huge mistake to both caretakers and residents.

Also, mind the pets and make sure they are at safer distances from any ill person as their presence can make the conditions severe. It has been reported that half of the in-house accidents occur due to silly mistakes and carelessness. Hence, all the employees should take notes on how to organize the environment with proper safety.

• Emergency services

The care providers also need to have complete knowledge about the contact details of nearby emergency help providers like police, fire or ambulance. They must be aware of the safety profile of the neighbourhood and should stay alert while witnessing any suspicious activity in the immediate location.

• Documentation

Recording the history of each person’s medical issues is also one of the major characteristics of a health and safety policy. A caretaker should also be in his finest health to able to ensure welfare to other people, and if not so, he or she is certainly not liable for this duty.

• Safety Tools

A caretaker also needs to be well aware of how the safety tools function and ways to operate them. A very common notion about healthcare sectors is that they have the maximum rates of work-related injuries and illnesses. Hence, each worker should be aware of how to handle the critical conditions without losing his composure.

A caretaker working in a care home for elderly often complain of back pain as he constantly needs to lift and move older people. This results in muscular as well as skeletal hazards along with other stress-inducing factors.

The healthcare and social welfare industry draws huge benefits from the safety policies and has prime necessity in each sector. Hence, knowing about the implications that an employee has to dedicate his assistance to will make him realize his duties and responsibilities in a refurnished way.

One of Stamford Connecticut’s most beautiful historic luxury homes is Marion Castle built in 1914 by Frank Marion, one of the first early motion picture pioneers. This stunning waterfront Neo-French Renaissance chateau at One Rogers Road, Shippan Point exemplifies the era of Stamford’s emergence in the early 1900’s from a farming community to the year-round residences of wealthy New York families.

Marion Castle was built by one of the first true movie moguls, Frank Marion, whose Kalem Company produced some of the earliest one reelers shown at nickelodeons and silent movie houses across the country. His first big hit was Ben Hur in 1907 that was fifteen minutes in length focusing primarily on the chariot race. The film was shot at the beach with firemen as actors using the horses that usually pulled the fire wagons pulling the chariots.

Ben Hur was one of the most popular novels of its day and the film was an immediate success. Frank Marion proved himself to be not only a good businessman but also having a social conscious when he raised the daily wage of actors to five dollars a day – forcing the rest of the emerging motion picture industry to do the same.

However Marion was on the cutting edge of what at the time was the emerging technology of his day. The publisher and estate of the author of Ben Hur took the company all the way to the US Supreme Court and established the first copyright precedent that although the film only focused on the chariot race that was a very short portion of the book, motion picture producers must first obtain rights to printed work before they can produce a film based upon that work.

Undaunted, Marion’s Kalem Company next made motion picture history by sending a crew to Ireland in 1910 to make what was the first American motion picture to be shot on location outside of the United States. Two years later, he sent a camera crew to Palestine where From the Manger To the Cross was filmed.

These films were very successful, he sold the company after ten years in the motion picture business and built Marion Castle as his retirement home for the enjoyment of his wife, son and four daughters.

Marion Castle was designed in the style of a French Renaissance chateau by the noted New York City based architectural firm of Hunt & Hunt who had made this style very popular on Fifth Ave at the turn of the century. Marion Castle is a composite of several Loire Valley chateaus.

It features a steep slate roof with copper crestings rising high above the main body of the mansion. The front face has large dormer windows with high pediments bordered by finials. A gabled wing that faces the seaward side has a large triple window with mullions and transom bars and steps leading down to the grade.

On the north side of the home, a long half-timbered bay projects from the main wall leading up to a circular turret giving it its distinctive “castle” look. The interior includes a balconied main hall and almost thirty additional rooms of various sizes and uses.

Frank Marion built and occupied Marion Castle until his death at 93 in 1963. The property was then sold to Martha and David Cogan, an inventor and leader in the development of radio and television who helped develop the first color television tube. Martha was widely renown and respected for saving many children from Hitler during World War Two.

In 1978, Jay Kobrin and Gordon Micunis purchased Marion Castle and were very influential in getting it placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 – the only structure in Stamford’s Shippan Point listed in the Register.

Since 1998 Marion Castle has been owned and occupied by Thomas L. Rich, a well known Stamford real estate developer. Mr. Rich has allowed the home to be used extensively for non-profit events such as the Shippan Point Association’s annual community party.

Today, the beautiful waterfront historic luxury home of Frank Marion is one of Stamford CT’s most distinctive landmarks. Having been owned by several innovative civic minded entrepreneurs, Marion Castle continues to be the center point of many of the town’s important community and social events.

To most people a Toyota motor home built in the 1980s looks like a cute and charming recreational vehicle. And for the most part this is exactly what they are. But there was a fatal flaw built into these early 1980 motor homes was that caused heartbreak and disaster for hundreds of people.

As the motor home size was expanded past 18 feet, the original Toyota pickup chassis which was only rated at 1/2 ton capacity, was simply not up to the job. Specifically the rear axle began to fail. When this happened bad things occurred to good people.

Completely empty, these little campers have a marginal carrying capacity for people and possessions. This meant that the typical motor home left the driveway in probably an overloaded condition. This was normally not a problem because the performance of the camper insured that slow speeds would be maintained on the trip. The hundred horsepower four-cylinder engine would not move three tuns of house in a very fast pace.

As the size of the camper increased it wasn’t long until the rear axles began to fail. The camper manufacturers compensated by adding a second set of wheels on the axle. This created a dual set of tires on each side. However this did not correct the problem. The problem lie in the fact that the bearings and the axle itself were just not heavy-duty enough to carry the load.

Excessive load caused the bearings to overheat, fail, and then disintegrate with disastrous consequences. Victims of this problem reported that the wheels would actually leave the truck. This was such a serious problem that the national highway safety administration became involved and issued a recall of certain Toyota motor home models.

There was no way to predict when the axle would fail. Some units failed almost immediately, some units went thousands and thousands of miles, and some units have not failed yet. However any Toyota motor home without the heavy-duty axle should be considered as a suspect vehicle.

There is an easy way to tell if your Toyota RV has a safe axle. First of all, all models of Toyota RV built after 1987 were built with the upgraded safe axle. All models of Toyota motor home built in 1984 and before are required to have the upgraded axle due to the safety recall. In 1985 and 1986 some models were built with the upgraded safe axle and some were not. So it is up to you to be careful when inspecting the axle on any Toyota motor home you are considering to buy.

A simple inspection of the axle itself will tell you if it is safe or needs to be replaced. The safe axle will have six lug nuts, the unsafe axles were built with five lug nuts. The safe axle will also have a protruding center hub that has a ring of nuts around the outer edge.

If the axles on the Toyota motor home you are considering only have five lug nuts and the center does not stick out and have a ring of bolts on the center hub, keep looking for another camper to purchase.

Behrens Ranch Homes

Round Rock real estate is a comfortable, cozy neighborhood that is perfect for your family to settle down in. With a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful homes, Behrens Ranch homes offer prime real estate for potential buyers to settle into a new home. There are so many reasons for you to decide to build your family in Behrens Ranch; you should not hesitate any longer!

Behrens Ranch Real Estate

This subdivision’s real estate homes are also located in a very convenient location. Although the relatively small neighborhood has a cozy and rustic charm, this neighborhood is conveniently located twenty minutes away from the major metropolitan center of Austin, Texas. This subdivision is also very close to the major highways I-35, FM 1452, RR 620 and Toll 45. While you immerse yourself in the welcoming community, you will also find that the homes are located next to fantastic local restaurants and coffee shops. A few of these locations include the Daily Grind and the popular restaurant Louisiana Longhorn.

Behrens Ranch Homes for Sale

This would be a beautiful community that would make Behrens Ranch homes for sale are ideal for you to build your new home. There are also great shopping, restaurants and entertainment areas nearby, such as Lakeline Mall, Dell Diamond and the Round Rock Premium Outlets. This subdivision is also located close to major employers, such as Scott & White, Dell, Seton and La Frontera. These major employers being so close by can cut down on your commute time from work. This neighborhood is also only a few minutes away from numerous parks and lakes, which have many activities such as camping, boating, fishing, and several hiking and biking trails. This neighborhood also has easy access to I-35, FM 1452, RR 620 and Toll 45, which means that you can easily navigate yourself to other locations and shopping and recreational areas.

Round Rock Real Estate

These homes are a comfortable, cozy neighborhood that is perfect for your family to settle down in. With a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful homes, this subdivision offers prime real estate for potential buyers to settle into a new home. This neighborhood has almost everything that you could possibly be searching for in a home, with a welcoming and friendly community and a huge range of amenities and features. Located twenty minutes north of Austin, Round Rock is conveniently located five minutes away from the downtown portion of Round Rock. This subdivision is a beautiful community.

Are you on the verge of buying a new home in the city? It can be a thrilling episode altogether if you’re planning to change the neighborhood or moving to a new city. The townhouses stand to be a favorable choice for most property buyers interested to move to cities. The traditional narrow and terraced houses with more than two to three floors are good choices for families looking forward to budget homes. Again, investors consider buying such properties for their future benefits. But, if you and your family are excited to get a new residence in the town, few suggestions might help you.

Make your priority list

If you have a family with you, then you guys should sit along and discuss the priorities based on which choose the townhouse. For instance- a single person’s apartment differs from that of a family. If you are a family person with one or more kids, you need sufficient space for the children. You’ve to think about the future when your kids will grow up and will seek individual rooms. If you have are intending to buy this property as your permanent address, you have to consider the future. Moreover, you need some extra space, if you’ve pets along with you.

Stick to the additional features

Along with the spacious rooms and the living area for the family, you might have the interest in some special and additional features. It might include the number of balconies, how the rooms are faced, whether the rooms are receiving ample light and air and so on. If you have kids, you need to buy an airy home that receives ample sunlight and fresh air. You can also have a preference of choosing a sea facing or a riverside property so that you can enjoy the view from your townhouse.

Location matters

The location has a very important role to play when you are looking for the house. You gave to stick to the priorities and the location that might also include the priority list when you are about to choose a new residence. Make sure the area has easy access to the marketplaces, gas stations, medical stores, hospitals etc.

Take the help of a reliable real estate agent to find the best homes for sale in your preferred location. Make sure, the professional has the reputation of having the most updated property listing in the area. Besides, the agents help throughout the whole process of selecting and buying the house.

When the market is down, homes for sale can sometimes sit longer than homeowner’s would like. Generally, lowering the price moves it quicker because buyers want to feel like they got a good deal. However, lowering the price isn’t the only option, and it is helpful for homeowners to learn tips to help them sell their home fast.

1. Create Curb Appeal

When you sell a house, it’s important to remember that appearance is everything, and so are first impressions. The first thing a potential buyer sees is the outside of your house. Make sure your yard is well-kept, clean, and uncluttered. Replace any old or faded shudders, give the house a fresh coat of paint if needed, and replace outdated or worn gutters. In short, make it look as nice as possible on the outside so potential buyers want to see the inside.

2. Differentiate From Your Neighbors

There may be several homes for sale in your neighborhood or on your block, and you need to set yourself apart from them. Start by making your home memorable, which should also increase its value. You can get custom landscape designs, high-grade windows, or a new roof. Just make sure that you don’t go overboard with pricey renovations that may not pay off.

3. Update Your House

In a down market, buyers have a lot of options, and they don’t want a house that they need to fix up after buying it. Your job is to make them feel like they can move in and hit the ground running with their new life. Ensure that the doors, appliances, electrical, and plumbing fixtures are in compliance and good working order. Change the batteries in the fire alarms, make sure the molding and baseboards look nice, and update anything that is outdated or unattractive.

4. Clear the Clutter

Potential buyers need to see themselves living in your home, and it’s difficult to do when it is cluttered. Go through everything and either get rid of stuff or take it to storage. You want your home to look simple and clean so buyers can easily picture themselves there. Consider hiring a stager to help you make the most of your space, and create the right image for potential buyers.

5. Sweeten the deal

You may not need to lower the price of your home to sell it, but buyers still want to feel like they got a good deal. In that case, consider some perks. Offer a credit to go toward closing costs or offer to pay closing costs outright. Check with your realtor to see if there are specific deals buyers want that you can consider in your offer, as well.

Selling a house in a down market doesn’t have to be difficult, and homeowners don’t have to immediately lower their price. Start with one of these tips to help you with your homes for sale, and increase your chances of selling it quickly.

Having insurance for your assets can be just as important as the actual asset itself. For example, where would you be without homeowners insurance if your home caught fire? Imagine your home and all the belongings within its walls being destroyed by fire and soot. If you do not have homeowners insurance, you are left picking up the pieces alone. An insurance company is there for you in time of trouble whether it be for auto, home, or business needs.

How do insurance companies help in time of trouble? They start by getting on the case the instant the mishap takes place. During a car accident one should report the incident immediately to his or her insurance company! As soon as they get the call they start the process. They handle everything from rental cars to working with the other person’s insurance company to actually picking up the bill (minus your detectable if you were at fault) for the damages. It is safe to say they handle a great deal of the stress involved with accidents.

Auto insurance is available for all ages of drivers. In most states it is of course illegal to drive without insurance. This is not only for your protection, but it is for the protection of others. You may choose to have full coverage or partial coverage. Most people want full coverage because in the case that an accident is your fault, you are still covered by your insurance company. Autos that can easily find coverage are general automobiles, commercial autos, RVs, motorcycles, and boats.

Homeowners insurance is important for areas that are prone to natural disasters. Homeowners will also be backed by flood protection with this form of coverage. Renter’s insurance is another form of coverage that is available. This is great for renters because although the homeowner may have the house protected from natural disaster, that doesn’t mean the person renting the home’s belongings are also protected. Renter’s insurance is typically considered to be very affordable and a smart investment.

Businesses coverage is important for business owners and commercial properties alike. Businesses can take advantage of workers comp insurance and general liability.

If you are an auto, home, or business owner, it is essential that you understand what an insurance company has to offer. They are easy to find online and just as simple to contact. Free estimates are always available and will change depending on each client’s personal or business needs.

Mobile homes are often considered an economically effective housing solution. What is often not considered is the tremendous amount of off gassing from the mobile home itself and from products used in mobile homes that can send harmful chemicals into the air. This becomes an unhealthy situation quickly because of the initially tight seals, and lack of ventilation. Here are 5 ways to reduce the chemicals that mobile homes off gas; and reducing these chemicals will help you and your family stay healthy.

Avoid Carpeting If Possible

New carpet is infamous for the “new carpet smell”. That smell is often the off gassing of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde. Without proper ventilation, you and your family are subject to formaldehyde vapors which can cause your eyes and nose to burn, sore throat, headache, dizziness, and nausea, and frequent exposure to higher than normal levels of formaldehyde has been proven to cause serious long-term health issues.

Older carpet is a haven for numerous pollutants such as dust mites, pet dander, and small particles of dirt and/or sand, all of which are difficult to remove with a regular vacuum, and go airborne with normal daily activity. These microscopic pollutants can greatly aggravate existing problems such as allergy and asthma, and can cause symptoms that just make you miserable such as sneezing, watery eyes, and congestion not unlike that of a cold.

Ventilate

Use a fan to move the air through your home, and if weather permits, open windows to help exhaust fumes from your home. It is important to change the air rather than to just re-circulate it.

Keep Temperature and Humidity Stable

Many of the offending chemicals such as formaldehyde are affected by increases in humidity and temperature. Keeping both humidity and temperature low will decrease the amount of formaldehyde that will off gas into your air.

Allow Products to Off Gas Elsewhere

If you are planning to purchase products such as new carpet or that are known to contain solvents, adhesives, exposed particleboard, ask that they be opened and allowed to sit in the warehouse to off gas before they are brought to your home.

Use an Air Purifier to Remove Chemicals

All homes continue to settle after they are built. When mobile homes settle the seals loosen and chemicals and materials that have been previously sealed are now unsealed and can evaporate into the air. Using an air purifier that is specifically designed to remove airborne chemicals such as formaldehyde will help insure that the indoor air you and your family breathe is the healthiest it can possibly be.