I received this via email from a friend that is retired who thought it was valuable information that should be passed along, we agree.  

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste…and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house.. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom – and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television.

8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs http://www.crimedoctor.com/ and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.

Protection for you and your home:

If you don’t have a gun, here’s a more humane way to wreck some ones evil plans for you. WASP SPRAY

A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote.

She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn’t attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection.. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE:

On the heels of a break-in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self-defense experts have a tip that could save your life.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School. For decades, he’s suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.

Glinka says, “This is better than anything I can teach them.”

Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, “Spray the culprit in the eyes”. It’s a tip he’s given to students for decades. It’s also one he wants everyone to hear. If you’re looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

“That’s going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out.” Maybe even save a life.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.’s office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator.

Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage.

If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick around.

After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

P.S. Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can’t reach a phone. My Mom has suggested to my Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she doesn’t hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she’ll know there’s a problem.

The link above for the Crime Doctor has a lot of useful information.

Please share this with all the people in your life.

Have a Sunny Day!

After you download the free app (My Agent by IDX) from the App Store you will have input a 4 digit password (4693) one time to be able to use the app.  No, I have not used this app all over the country but I have used in Orange and Los Angeles Counties.  Carol has found it very useful when showing property to buyers. There may be another home close by one Carol has picked to show and the buyers want to know why she isn’t showing them the house down the street. All she does is open up My Agent “Refresh the Map” and click on the house in question and she can show the buyer the house didn’t have enough bedrooms, or baths, or square footage was below the minimum they wanted.

When you’re driving around and see a new sign up in a neighborhood you can find out all the information quickly using My Agent.  If your house hunting this is a must have app!

2. There are lots programs to help the first time buyer and middle-class families to buy home. Add one of these programs with today’s current low interest rates you can save even more cash.

3. Fannie Mae guidelines in the past have tied the appraiser’s hands on how they could value a home. These guidelines were so strict it made it difficult for an appraiser to give a fair and honest appraisal. Appraisers, now, can more accurately reflect the current values in their given markets with the changes made in the updated Fannie Mae guidelines.

4. Home owners have continued to maintain their homes and spend money on repairs and improvements. When these homes come up for sale they are much more desirable that the tired old foreclosed homes (REO’s) saving buyers thousands of dollars in repairs.

So this is a good time to take a long look at what you and your family should do if an earthquake hits us in Southern California. We all know it’s just a matter of time so are you ready:

Seven Steps to earthquake Safety

1. Secure it now.
2. Make a Plan
3. Make disaster kits
4. Is your place safe
5. Drop, Cover, and Hold on
6. Check it out
7. Communicate and recover

Take a moment and go to daretoprepare.org and you will find lots of information on earthquakes, earthquake safety, and helpful tips.

Now if you have been sitting on the fence to take advantage of the bottom of the market you better find a home NOW! With all the counties experiencing increases in home values except in San Bernardino County waiting for the right moment is over.

The $8,000.00 tax credit runs out the end of April 2010.

My wife for years has saved money by cutting coupons out of the newspaper, PennySaver,  grocery coupon mailers, and magazines to name a few. It’s a game to her and I used to think it was a waste of time, until I realized just how much money she was saving us each month. Coupons are now avaliable on the internet and here is a list of her favorite sites for printable coupons.

Retail Me Not, My Coupons, Hey Its Free, Promotional Codes, Coupon Barn, Slick Deals, Coupons. Just in January 2010 my wife saved $321.45.

Just found another great coupon site CouponChef.com

If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment.  

All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service.   http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

Please pass this information on to bless a woman going through Breast Cancer treatment. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It’s our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

Over the years Carol and I have enjoyed fine wines and have spent time in the Napa Valley and surrounding areas along with Paso Robles tasting wine.  In recent years we have started spending time at the Temecula Valley wineries.  It’s a short drive from Orange County and great for a day trip or weekend getaway.  We have put together a list of the wineries, restaurants at wineries, lodging and resorts, and informational websites to make easier to plan your trip. Temecula Valley Wineries to get the information or if you prefer enter the complete U.R.L .  below.  

http://www.northorangecountyrealestatesales.com/Buyer-Resources/Buyer-Suggested-Reading/Temecula-Valley-Wineries