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Hail Damage and Insurance Claims

April 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Hail in San Antonio

On Sunday, March 31st a wicked thunderstorm ripped through parts of San Antonio. The fast moving storm included the usual lightning, rain, and thunder, but in some areas of the city, it also dropped some pretty large hail. Hail stones can be pretty vicious and as you can see in the photo, we got quite a bit. After a hail storm, it is a good idea to go out and check your home and any other property that was exposed. Many insurance companies will allow you to claim the hail damage to your roof or your car, so mark down the time of the storm, the damage done (photo documentation is always a good idea), and call your insurance company to see if you’re covered. Many San Antonio residents use a good hail storm as a chance to replace their roof when damage occurs.

image courtesy of Molly Cox, a San Antonio resident who is just plain awesome

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High Winds and Your Roof

March 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Roof Damage

As I walked to my car today and was buffeted by the high winds, I thought, “hey, it’s a blog post.” On almost every inspection report I have seen in my career, I have seen the recommendation for the owners to trim the trees back away from the roof. The reason is simple – although they look innocent enough and aren’t touching the roof, when the high winds come blowing through, those branches start moving and become the equivalent of a giant wire brush running across your roof tiles.

Even if you’re not considering selling your home anytime soon, you should always keep those branches trimmed back in order to avoid costly roof repairs and potential damage from water when it rains. This simple piece of maintenance can save you a lot of money. In addition to the dangers of wind damage, branches close to your roof also provide the perfect entrance to your home for many wood destroying insects (carpenter ants in particular love this method of entry).

image courtesy of SidPix

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Texas Roadside Assistance – (800) 525-5555

February 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Flat Tire - Texas Roadside Assistance

Texas is a friendly state.

For those of you who have never lived in Texas, Texans are a pretty helpful and friendly bunch. We have strong opinions about a lot of things, but it still amazes me how many people say “hello” or stop to give you a hand (I grew up on the East Coast, where this Southern-hospitality type of stuff isn’t as common, so pardon me for my amazement at people being good neighbors). I’ve had women follow me to my car to tell us where to buy a certain product for cheaper, a man stop to tell me the grill I was about to buy was an excellent choice, and my neighbors are some of the friendliest people I know. I love Texas and I never knew just how great of a state it is until I lived here.

We have a lot of roads under construction here in San Antonio.

Anyone that lives here knows we love our roadworks. Its a constant thing here in San Antonio as they attempt to improve the quality of the roads and take into account our continued growth. Where there are roadworks, there are dangers. Holes, steel plates on the road, accidents, flying debris from various construction vehicles – it takes a toll on our cars and trucks. Sometimes, those things bring about the dreaded situation. It’s rush hour and you’re broke down in the middle of a highway. What’s a commuter to do?

Enter Texas Roadside Assistance.

No matter what the emergency; flat tire, out of gas, stuck in the middle of the road – just whip out your driver’s license. On the back (in very small print) is a magic number to help. Texas Roadside Assistance. Just call the number – (800) 525-5555 and help is on the way. They’ll send a tow truck, a police man, whatever you need to help you out of the situation and keep traffic flowing. If you need a tow, you will pay for it, but not much comes for free these days. It’s a great idea to keep motorists safe and traffic moving, but its a little know number here in Texas (in fact, emails have circulated around about it and most people write it off as urban legend or too good to be true (see Snopes.com for an example).

Thank you Texas.

Texas Roadside Assistance – (800) 525-555 (on the back of your driver’s license just above the bar code)

image courtesy of mulmatsherm

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Homeowners Insurance – Great Tips For Homeowners

February 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Homeowners Insurance - Rainy Day

Homeowners insurance is one of those thing you never think about…until the rainy day comes when you need it. As a homeowner, you need to be proactive with your homeowners insurance and stay on top of it. The video below will you become familiar with some of the terms and conditions of homeowners insurance and after the video, you’ll find some great tips to follow so that you can be sure you’re not caught on a rainy day with no umbrella.



video courtesy of Howcast

A few tips about homeowners insurance.

  • Definitely do as the video suggests and check your premiums annually. Don’t just stick with one insurer because it’s convenient. By shopping around occasionally, you can often save yourself hundreds of dollars and get better coverage.

  • If you belong to any trade organizations, see if there are any discounts through insurance carriers for being a member. I have received discounts for being a member of the AFM and AGC in the past.

  • If you own any jewelry, make sure you speak with the insurer about getting it covered. My wife and I were burglarized one summer and we lost a lot of valuable jewelry. We received nothing for it, because we had never thought about making sure it was insured. No amount of begging and pleading (or receipts) will convince your insurer that they should reimburse the value of these items.

  • Get to know your insurance agent. Most of us never think of them until we need them. By maintaining a relationship with them you will probably be top of mind with them when they hear about new insurance products or ways to save you money. Insurance agents are much like real estate agents – we love repeat business.

  • As your home appreciates in value over time or you add new items to the house, make sure you review your insurance needs. If you bought a house and insured a house for $100,000 and many years later it is destroyed in a fire, you don’t won’t to realize that the insurance payout won’t even cover the cost to buy a new home in your neighborhood because of the appreciation in home values that has occurred.

image courtesy of aubergene

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San Antonio’s Best Resource: 311

February 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Phone 311 San Antonio

Who you gonna’ call?

San Antonio 3-1-1 is one of our best resources in the city and with it’s easy to remember phone number, it’s hard to forget. If you’re in need of non-emergency city services such as pothole repair or to report stray animals, non-functioning traffic lights or downed street signs, or need to know how to arrange garbage or brush pickup, just pick up your phone and dial 311 any day of the week from 7AM to 11PM. You’ll be connected to a city of San Antonio customer service assistant who will help you get your problems resolved.

I’ve used it a few times and have found it to be extremely quick and friendly. Once, while driving near 410 and Bandera I noticed a geyser of water shooting up from the ground on the side of the road and not having SAWS number handy, I called 311 and they quickly informed SAWS of the problem and crews took care of the problem. If you’re not sure what city department to call (and it’s not an emergency – in that case call 911) about a problem, give 311 a call and they will either get the problem fixed or get you to the right people.

San Antonio 311 can also be reached at (210) 207-6000.

image courtesy of *higetiger

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Should I purchase an alarm system for my home?

January 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Alarm System

Alarm systems can be rather useful in a home, but much like insurance, they come at a cost if you never use them. People often wonder about the benefit of an alarm system versus the monthly cost of such a system. Many homes these days come pre-wired for security systems, so what’s a new homeowner to do? Have the system hooked up and monitored for a monthly fee or just hope for the best? Are alarm systems effective at stopping criminals from entering your home? What alarm monitoring company should I use?

Should I get an alarm system with monitoring and is it effective?

To pay a fee or not, that is the question. First, let’s discuss the alarm – whether it involves door and window chimes, motion detectors, video cameras, or glass shatter sensors – the obvious function is to make a ton of noise and scare off any would be burglars, and if you’re paying for monitoring, to notify the police that an alarm event has occurred. When the alarm sounds, the burglar has two options – ignore it and soldier on or run like hell in case anyone shows up.

In talking with police officers over the years, I’ve learned that most professional burglars aren’t afraid of the alarms. While the alarm may bring the neighbor out to look around, the truth is most of us ignore alarms these days. Since the pros know what they’re doing, they can be in and out before that alarm attracts any real attention.

So what about monitoring? Paying a company to “listen” in and report alarm events to the police seems like the logical solution. For a monthly fee, most companies will provide monitoring (and some will even provide security patrols to respond to the alarm). Once again, the professionals have a distinct advantage, knowing that the police are often busy and can take up to an hour to respond. If you know what you’re looking for, you could take a lot out of a home in much less than an hour.

Which alarm company should I choose?

Personally, I’ve had good experience with the big national companies (ADT and Brinks to be specific – which are now both owned under the ADT name), but it really depends on your budget and needs. Most companies will perform a basic install or “takeover” (if you already have the system, but need monitoring), but you should consider the various pieces of any system – how many contact points, motion detectors, etc. will they install and how much to monitor them (the more items to monitor, the more it costs). Some local companies offer security patrols and armed response, so check with neighbors and friends to see who they use and trust. The better your security system and response time, the better your chances of avoiding being burglarized.

Remember, if you do experience a break in, exit your home immediately and call the police. Do not touch anything (hopefully the police will be able to gather some evidence).

image courtesy of jepoirrier

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Want to know who’s at the door? Welcome Doorbot.

December 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Who's at the door?

Ever wondered who’s at the door, but didn’t feel like getting up from the couch? What about when you’re waiting for a delivery, but you have to go to work? Want to see who’s at the door without pressing your face to the tiny peephole on your front door? The future is here – enter Doorbot.

Doorbot is a replacement doorbell for your home that includes a camera, microphone, and speakers. Using your home’s wifi signal, Doorbot pings your smartphone or tablet via an app and connects you to the person waiting at the door. With a crisp, clear video stream on your device, you’ll be able to see who’s at the door as well as communicate with them. No more wondering who’s ringing your doorbell, because Doorbot shows you who’s there.

The device is currently being sold with a target delivery date of July 2013. As it’s a small startup, they are looking to fund the company through pre-orders of Doorbot. If they don’t reach their goal, you won’t be charged and Doorbot will never come to fruition. If they do hit their goal, you’ll be one of the first to own this amazing, innovative device. Check out the video below or head on over to the site to read more about Doorbot and pre-order one today.

image courtesy of Zack Sheppard

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The Lost Art of the RSVP

October 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

RSVP

As we enter the fall, holiday season is upon us for sure. Starting with the upcoming spook-fest of Halloween, you can bet you’ll be bombarded with invitations to all kinds of parties and events between now and the start of the new year. Along with most printed (or emailed) invitations come one of the most famous four letter combinations in the world: RSVP.

But what does RSVP mean anyway?

Technically, it’s an abbreviation for the French phrase “répondez, s’il vous plait,” (roughly translated, respond if you please).

And if you want to get really technical, it was intended to solicit both a response of acceptance (Yes, I will attend and have ___ guests) and of regrets (No, sadly I cannot make your event).

Over time, with the pace of the world increasing and formality of functions decreasing, many people have resorted to only responding to invitations in the event that they can attend. The exception, of course, being incredibly formal events such as a wedding or high dollar fundraising dinner. But to be lead car on the etiquette train, you really should take the time and energy to let the host or hostess know your plans as soon as you do.

  1. It helps the host plan seating, food, drinks, and budget.
  2. It shows respect and manners.
  3. It gives you the opportunity to explain any unusual circumstances or more thoroughly express your regrets.
  4. It lets you touch base with the host to lend support or connect directly to the host.
  5. Gives you the opportunity to ask questions or clarify details.
  6. If you make it a habit as a guest, maybe others will catch on and return the favor when it is your turn to host an event.
  7. You save the hassle of being harassed last minute by the host for a response.
  8. Gives you time to mark your calendar so you don’t miss the event.

image courtesy of dreamsjung

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Should I stay or should I go now?

September 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Clash

So, you’ve decided to sell your house? Congratulations! After meeting with an agent to sign the paperwork, surely you’ve gone over the many things you can do to improve the way your home shows. From sweeping the front walk to making the bed or even putting cookies in the oven, there are hundreds of little tricks sellers use to put their home’s best side in the spotlight.

But what you may not have prepared for is the strange feeling of knowing that strangers are walking through and scrutinizing your home. Your home has, until now, been your private domain, a retreat, and a refuge all your own. But once that for sale sign goes up, you’re in a different world. And you may be tempted to try and hold on to the security of knowing all of the happenings in your home by hanging around during showings. But there are several important reasons to relax, take a step back, and let buyers (and their agent) come through uninterrupted.

Free speech

  • Buyers will not feel free to discuss their concerns with the homeowners around. This feedback is important for buyer’s agents to have so that they may help overcome many issues. Good agents can provide buyers with options that could change a buyer’s perspective on a property. Do you have an extra bedroom the buyers don’t want to furnish? Why not convert it into a private library or workout room? Buyers hate the cabinets in the kitchen? Here are some suggestions for quick fixes or low cost changes that could easily bring them back around to considering your home more seriously.
  • Buyers may not want to let you, the seller, know that they’re in love with the house. They want you to think this is a serious business deal and they could take it or leave it, because they think it will help them in negotiations. But the key here is to get them to negotiations to begin with. Let them be happy and excited, and you’ll get your offer soon enough.

Overtalking

  • Information Overload: Your home is your castle, and you want to make sure potential buyers don’t miss a single glorious detail. We get it. But in your enthusiasm, you may start to overwhelm the buyer. Or not pick up on clues from them. Or focus on things they could care less about so they get bored and anxious to move on. Don’t risk it.
  • Expectations: In your enthusiasm to show off your home, you may start to make promises to the buyer – “Sure that framed picture can stay” or “Oh, yeah, I’ll paint the garage for you.” But these promises may be based on the prospect of a full priced offer, and with a lower than anticipated offer in front of you the next day, you may not be so eager to make those kinds of concessions. And then you can end up with an ugly “he said/she said” scenario that leaves no one happy.

Judgement

  • Hot Topics: Like it or not, many home buyers cannot look past their own prejudices to focus on a home. Don’t give them anything more to judge or to question. Sometimes buyers and sellers meet, start talking and become the best of friends. But how often do you really think that happens? You’re a super swell person. But do you get along with everyone you meet? Do some people just rub you the wrong way from the get-go? Do you cringe when hearing someone go on about their favorite political candidate? Don’t let potential personality conflicts get in the way of the ultimate goal of home selling. Just don’t go there to begin with.
  • Looks can be deceiving: What if it just so happens that you look like a potential buyer’s ex girlfriend? Or a mean former teacher? There are so many possible relations. Do you want to be associated with a buyer’s past history? Sometimes it is unavoidable, but is it worth the risk?

    • What to do, what to do?

    Instead of hovering around your home when you are scheduled to have a potential showing, try the following tips to get your home ready for showing, then try some of the following: take a walk, return some purchases, carwash, take the kids to the park, treat yourself to a nice meal, work-out, see a movie, buy a “just because” card for a loved one, hand write some letters, remember how to do cartwheels in the grass, or volunteer. Whatever you choose, just avoid being in the home during showings (and always leave some room in the schedule for the buyers to take a bit of extra time – nothing worse than feeling rushed).

    image courtesy of mtarvainen

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Summer Heat and Your Air Conditioner

June 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Summer Heat in San Antonio

It’s getting hot in here, but unlike you, your home can’t take off all its clothes.

The systems in your home are designed to withstand normal temperature variances, but once the mercury starts to make a fast move northward in those thermometers, you may see problems arise. We most frequently hear about these issues during the winter with freezing pipes, but the summer months can be just as damaging to your home’s main systems.

Think about an HVAC system, which really is designed to cool about twenty degrees below outside temperatures for normal operation. Yesterday’s high here in San Antonio reached 105, which would mean that the average A/C really could only support cooling to 85 without some serious overhaul. I don’t know about you, but even 85 doesn’t seem that appealing to me. Plus, you have to consider that the extra work you put on your system to try and get below that temp could be too much, especially for smaller or older systems. End result? A frozen up or even broken cooling system.

So to keep your system from reaching its limits, always remember to have your units serviced regularly (twice per year is recommended), and coolant levels checked. Insulating your home isn’t just for the winter either and proper, efficient insulation can keep the cold in and frustration (not to mention electric bills) at a minimum.

If you need an excellent A/C repairman, call Al Metheny at (210) 365-0646. We’ve used him multiple times and he always delivers fast service at great prices. If you’d like some more recommendations, give one of our agents and they’ll be happy to help you find the right service professional for your needs.

image courtesy of apollo1981

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Tax Return Deadline – Mail Your Returns Today!

April 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Tax Filing Dealine - IRS

As I posted last week, this year’s April 15th filing deadline for federal taxes has been moved to April 17th…today!!! So if you haven’t done so already make sure you get your tax returns filed by midnight tonight. Don’t forget and good luck with them!

As usual, Kimberly Howell Properties suggests you work with a qualified tax professional when filing your return, particularly if you own a home (or just recently bought or sold one). There are many tax advantages to owning a home and speaking with a qualified professional can help you avoid missing out or making a mistake. If you need recommendations, feel free to contact one of our agents to help.

401K

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Save money this summer with CPS Energy rebates.

April 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Air Conditioner - Energy Savings

Spring is here! The weather is great and there’s no better time than now to clean out your home, the garage, get rid of some of the stuff you’ve been hoarding, and get to those much needed projects around your home. With that in mind, I sat down to make a honey-do list for my husband and there in the mail was a flyer from CPS about home energy savings incentives and rebates they are offering. What excellent timing because I like free money and I was running out of ideas for my husband’s list!

CPS is offering many incentives and rebates on things you can do to your home, even the do-it-yourself stuff, to reduce your home’s energy waste. You can get rebates for things as simple as upgrading your refrigerator to things that are little more complex like having your air conditioner’s air ducts flow-tested. With the heat of summer just around the corner, here are a few of the energy saving rebates being offered that everyone should consider.

The first thing you probably want to check out, especially if you own an older home, is your air conditioner. CPS is offering rebates of $110/ton just for replacing your old unit with a 15 SEER efficiency rated one. If you replace it with one better than a 15 SEER, your rebate will be more — up to $225/ton for a unit that is 17 SEER or higher. Also, if you have old air ducts and you think they might be leaking, you can get a substantial rebate for having your system tested and repaired. Thinking about adding insulation in your attic? I say “go for it” because CPS is offering an attic insulation rebate of $0.25 per square foot when professionally done and $0.15 per square foot for the do-it-yourselfers.

There are several other things you can get rebates for; replace an old refrigerator with a new Energy Star® model, switch out an electric stove or water heater for one that’s natural gas, or install a programmable thermostat. To top it all off, CPS is offering an additional incentive of up to $2,000 if the energy upgrades you install result in reducing your home’s energy waste by 15% or more. That’s a nice chunk of change to have in your pocket, plus the savings you will see on your monthly energy bill. To find out more (including a complete list of current rebates and incentives) and get started on you energy saving program, check out the CPS Energy Savers website.

image courtesy of our very own Rockceptionist

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San Antonio real estate and property information provided by Kimberly Howell Properties. Kimberly Howell Properties does not assume any liability or responsibility for the operation or content of any of the linked resources, nor for any of the interpretations, comments, graphics, or opinions contained therein. All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. KJH Properties, Inc. is a licensed real estate brokerage in the State of Texas, Equal Opportunity Employer, and supporter of the Fair Housing Act.