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Trick or Treat Home Safety

Wednesday, October 30, 2024
by Tucker Robbins


The streets of your neighborhood are filled with children, and some parents, costumed and carrying bags and buckets for Halloween treats!  Since many homeowners don’t regularly use the front entrance to their home, they may not think about all the little feet that will be tramping up the path to your door.  Make sure everyone has a safe trip for their candy by following these tips: 

 

  • - Do your own walk-up to your front door, and examine everything, including the driveway and front steps.  Make sure there are no loose pieces or large cracks that can cause anyone to take a tumble.  Porch railings should be secure. 
     

  • - Yard decor should be fixed securely so the wind can’t blow it over, or curious little hands cannot pull it down. 
     

  • - Battery-operated LED tea lights are inexpensive and much safer to use in place of lighted candles.  Many options are available for LED’s, including a flickering light that is perfect for your jack o’ lantern. 
     

  • - Speaking of lights, make sure that not only is your porch light switched on, but that the path you’ve created is well-lit. 
     

  • - Decor that hangs from the trees is scary and fun, so make certain they are hanging at least ten feet from the walkway, making certain they don’t obstruct anyone’s view. 
     

  • - Take an afternoon close to Halloween to be sure any shrubbery, trees or edging isn’t in the way of where trick-or-treaters must walk.  Inspect for loose branches in nearby trees and remove them. 
     

  • - If you have room in the garage, consider parking the car there.  The folks that are coming and going would likely appreciate the extra room to pass others. 
     

  • - A constantly-ringing doorbell or persistent knocking can cause your pets some distress and a lot of barking.  Confine them to a room, or even better, to their crate.  Check out these other great tips about your pets and Halloween from the ASPCA. 

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Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.  

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Carve, Drill or Sculpt a Pumpkin!

Wednesday, October 23, 2024
by Tucker Robbins


Gone are the days of using Mom’s best kitchen knife to carve a simple jack o’ lantern with triangle-shaped eyes and a toothy grin.  Pumpkin carving is an art for many, but even those who aren’t so talented in that department can create original and fun lanterns to light our front steps for Halloween! 

 

  • - Cleaning out the pumpkin is messy, and best done on a paper-covered table or done outside.  Once the inside is clean of seeds and pulp, use a spray bleach cleaner such as Clorox Clean Up to spray the inside of the pumpkin to help stop it from molding quickly. 
     

  • - Pumpkin carving kits can be bought for just a few dollars, and they usually contain a utility saw, hand “drill,” and scraper.  Some kits offer templates to choose from. 
     

  • - The amount of free printable templates are almost overwhelming, and you’ll probably end up with more than one jack o’ lantern if you go through this list of available templates from The Spruce Crafts! 
     

  • - Find a template that compliments your skills, or find an easy one that children can help with, and print.  Tape it to your cleaned-out pumpkin, and use a pointy object to trace around the line drawing, poking through the paper and into the pumpkin. Cut the pattern using a small saw, and spray the newly cut areas with the bleach cleaner, and your piece of art should last for several days! 
     

  • - Metal cookie cutters can also be used for a different look for your pumpkins:  using a mallet, gently tap the cookie cutter through the carved pumpkin shell.  Go around the pumpkin using this method, or place the cutter in random places for a less-structured look.
     

  • - A power drill can make creating a pumpkin lantern a breeze!  Use different bit sizes to make your pumpkin sparkle, like these from onelittleproject.com. 

  • - Battery-operated tea lights are perfect for lighting your jack o’ lantern, and last for several hours, as well as being safer than a traditional candle.  Once you purchase an inexpensive pack, replace the batteries when the old ones die, as the LED bulbs inside last much longer than any wax tealight candle. 
     

  • - For more festive and different approaches to decorating your porch with other members of the squash and vegetable family, check out these ideas from The Garden Glove. 

 

Keep the pumpkin-carving safe:  supervise younger children, and even help them when they want to use tools to cut the pumpkin’s new face.  Most children love cleaning out the “guts” of the pumpkin, so have them pick out some seeds for cleaning and roasting later for a healthy treat.  Most of all, have fun, and make memories!

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins. 

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Down Payment Assistance Programs

Wednesday, October 16, 2024
by Tucker Robbins

Most home buyers believe that they must have a 20% down payment before they can even think about purchasing a new home. This is simply not true! While there is nothing wrong with saving towards that amount, there are several programs available to first-time home buyers, as well as repeat buyers. With over 2,000 such programs in the United States, it should not be a problem to find one in your area.

  • Down payment assistance (DAP) are available in the form of grants or loans and are most often available through state and federal agencies:
    • Grant: money that is gifted and never has to be repaid
    • Loan: a second mortgage that is paid monthly along with the primary mortgage
    • Deferred loan: a second mortgage with deferred payments that only have to be paid when you move, sell, or refinance
    • Forgivable loan: a second mortgage that is forgiven over a set number of years (often five, but could be up to 15 or 20); repayment is necessary only if you move, sell, or refinance too early
       
  • Many lenders offer DAP that is built into the loan program, especially for first-time home buyers.
     
  • Government-backed lenders, such as FHA and USDA, require as low as 0-5% down on a home purchase. Check their websites for more information to see if you qualify.
     
  • Fannie Mae’s HomeReady Mortgage program offers DAP; see website for qualification and loan information.
     
  • Veterans can qualify for a mortgage that requires no down payment. Visit the Veterans Affairs government website to learn more about their mortgage loan program.
     
  • Public servants, such as teachers, first responders, and nurses can check out Next Door Programs for information about DAPs.
     
  • Not only do some lenders offer DPA, but they also offer loans to cover all or part of the closing costs, which can cost, on average, 2-6% of the purchase price of the home.

Take care when you are searching online for information about DAPs; many commercial websites are set up to appear to be the agency when they are in reality a lender or a website that receives kickbacks from lenders. Look for the contact information in your area or on official government websites so you can speak to someone who has no ulterior motive to assist in borrowing money to purchase a new home.

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.   

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National Fire Prevention Month

Wednesday, October 2, 2024
by Tucker Robbins

It’s the time of year to check not only your battery-operated smoke alarm, but anything you have in your home that could start a fire if not properly used and maintained.  This is also the time to talk with your family about your emergency plan in case of a fire.  These tips will get you started: 

 

  • - Every kitchen should have an easily-accessed fire extinguisher.  If you don’t have one, purchase one, and if your old one hasn’t been serviced recently, call an official inspector to make sure yours is in good working order. 
     

  • - Smoke alarms are a must!  Older smoke detectors can be sensitive and go off while someone is cooking, and we inadvertently disconnect the battery to stop that, and forget to reconnect them.  - More recently-produced types have a sensitivity button that can reduce that problem for a set period of time and return to normal after the time is up. 
     

  • - Homes with more than one story should have an escape ladder close to an easily-accessed window on the upper floor.  Safewise.com has a list of their best-rated ladders, and offers tips for choosing the right ladder for your home. 
     

  • - Don’t overload electrical outlets, and use extension cords only on a temporary basis.  If you need more outlets, call an electrician to install them.  The cost of this greatly outweighs the cost of a fire. 
     

  • - A visit from an electrician is also warranted if you have outlets that spark when you use them, lights that flicker, or a circuit breaker that trips regularly. 
     

  • - Clean your dryer’s lint screen after each load, and keep the vent and back of the dryer clean from lint build-up. 
     

  • - Have chimneys and furnaces checked out before you use them to make sure they’re clean and in good working order.  If you use a wood fireplace, make sure the screen protector has no holes, and use only a flame-retardant rug in front of the hearth.
     

  • - While cooking, don’t leave the kitchen, and even though your children may like to help, have their station set up far from any hot items. Keep towels and paper products away from anything hot, and don’t leave cooking oil unattended. 
     

  • - Although it isn’t very common, lightning can cause a house fire.  Lightning rods may seem like an outdated tool, but they are not only helpful for redirecting lightning and prohibiting a fire, they can save your electronics from lightning damage.  Lovetoknow.com describes several different types of home lightning protection styles, and how they all work. 

 

Most importantly, you need a family fire plan, and everyone should be familiar with this plan.  For tips and a guideline to setting up your own fire escape plan, consult this page from the National Fire Protection Association, where you can find free printable tools to make your planning process go smoothly.  No amount of time taken to put a plan into place and practice is too much when it comes to protecting your home and family from a fire.
 

Courtesy of New Castle County DE Realtor Tucker Robbins.   

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Tucker Robbins
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
3838 Kennett Pike
Wilmington DE 19807
(302) 777-7744 (direct)
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