Emergency Kit

Hurricane season is upon us once again, and with it comes the threat of storm damage and panic. The most common types of natural disasters in North Carolina are: hurricanes, tornadoes, nor'easters, drought, and flooding. It's good to have a plan of action just in case some type of storm or natural disasters occurs around you.

First off, it’s important to have an emergency kit around the house just in case the worst does happen. Your kit should have enough supplier to last everyone at least three days, although longer is better. All of your supplies should be in the same place, and be able to move and be portable if that time comes. Rubbermaid containers work really well, since they are plastic, come in different sizes, have lids and easy carrying handles. Clean garbage cans also work well.

The kit should have:

·        

A    Minimum of 1 gallon of water per person per day.

o   Refresh your supply every 6 months

o   It’s also helpful to keep more for non-drinking purposes

·         Canned foods are a good choice to have.

o   Canned or boxed juices, milk, soup, & powdered milk.

o   Peanut butter is a good source of protein

o   Instant Coffee and tea

o   A manual can opener!

o   Date everything & refresh every 6 months

·         First Aid kit

o   First aid manual, scissors, sterile bandages, gauze pads, cotton balls, safety pins, gloves

o   Antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide or other cleansing agents, moistened toweletts

o   Needles, thread, tweezers , thermometer

o   Aspirin, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids, vitamins, ipecac

·         Essential Tools and Supplies

o   Battery-powered radio and extra batteries

o   Flashlight/lantern with extra batteries

o   Matches in a waterproof container

o   Candles

o   Wrench, pliers, shovel, hammer, other tools

o   Duct tape & plastic sheeting

o   Fire extinguisher

o   Paper, pens, pencils

o   Disposable plates, cups, and utensils

o   Plastic trash bags

o   Hand sanitizer, liquid detergent, soap, toilet paper, paper towels

o   Bleach & other disinfectant cleaners

o   Household documents, contact numbers, copies of important documents

o   Blankets, bedding, sleeping bags

o   Extra clothes and shoes

o   Supplies for pets

o   Things to kill time: games, toys, books

·         Car Supplies

o   Emergency backpack of clothes, food, first aid

o   Store food and water in the car

o   Keep you car supplied with car items: jumper cables, flares, salt, chains, other seasonal items

o   Keep your tank filled.

It’s an easy thing to do with things around your house, and it will help you out in case of an emergency.

Saftey Tips for Your Home

You never think it's going to happen to you, but crime is unavoidable in this day and age. We like to think that our homes and communities are safe from this, but sometimes they are not, so it's good to have basic safety and security in your home. Here are some easy tips to help make your home less of a target. 

• ·         Make sure all of your doors and windows are locked when you leave or go to sleep.

• ·         Leave the porch lights on at night or if this gets too expensive install a motion sensor light.

• ·         Keep a light or lamp on when you are not home at night, so it looks like someone is inside.

• ·         Install a peep hole, or always ask who is at the door before you open it.

• ·         Make friends with your neighbors and ask them to report suspicious behavior if they see it.

• ·         Curtains help keep your things hidden from wandering eyes and potential burglars.

• ·         Use your security alarm whenever you leave your home or go to sleep.

• ·         Take pictures of your valuables just in case something happens. This will help with insurance claims.

• ·         Keep your car keys by you when you sleep, you can use your car alarm to alert neighbors if someone does break in at night.

• ·         Talk to your roommates about safety and security. It only takes one person to leave everyone else vulnerable.

If you make these things routine and are aware of your surroundings then you will lead safer life and be more protected.

Weekend Fun!

Looking for things to do this weekend? Here are a few ideas on how to have fun in Charlotte.

·         Carowinds-http://www.carowinds.com/

·         Charlotte Knights Baseball-http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t494

·         Jazz Fest at the Fillmore Charlotte 6/24-6/25- http://www.uptowncharlottejazzfest.com/

·         Charlotte Symphony Summer Pops Concert 6/26- http://www.charlottesymphony.org/

·         Sugar Ray at the EpiCenter Pavilion 6/25-http://fullhouseconcerts.musictoday.com/FullHouseConcerts/moreInfo.aspx?event=142938&outlet=9

·         Kieth Urban at Time Warner Cable Arena 6/24- http://www.timewarnercablearena.com/

·         Rob Schneider (Comedian) at NC Music Factory 6/24- http://www.cltcomedyzone.com/

Summer Energy Saving Tips

Summer is officially here, and with it comes the sweltering heat and more expensive power bill. Summer in Charlotte means an influx in the AC which means higher bills. Here are some quick and easy tips to lower your power bill by saving energy.

·         Turn up the thermostat- I know it sounds crazy but if you set your temperature to 78 when home and 85 when you leave it will save you about 1-3 percent per degree, for each degree the thermostat is above 72.

·         Use fans- Ceiling fans and box fans can be used when you leave the house to keep the air circulation and cool.

·         Use a water filter- with the temperatures above 90 it is important to stay hydrated, it’s also important to save money. By buying a water filter you can save about $750 a year by buying less bottled water. Pur Water filters are my favorite, but Britta works just as well.

·         Replace air conditioner filters- dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing energy use. If you replace filters monthly it saves about 1-2% on power.

·         Use Energy Star products- lights and fixtures that will help control energy and save you money.

·         Take shorter showers- I know what it’s like to feel gross after being outside in hot weather, and needing to get in the shower, but shorter showers will save on water and reduce the bill. By taking a 5 minute shower, you’ll use 1/3 less of the amount of hot water then you would a bath or longer shower.

·         Unplug electronics when not in use- Keeping things plugged in sucks energy, and makes the bill higher for things that you are not using. By unplugging small appliance and TVs you can reduce your power bill.

·         Do full loads of laundry and dishes- Make sure you are not wasting water and energy only washing a few things; also you can save by hanging clothes outside to dry. Same goes for dish washing.

·         Turn down water heater- Water heating can account for 14%-25% of the energy consumed in your home, so by turning down the temperature you can save money.

·         Limit the amount of cooking- Using the oven increases the overall temperature of the house or apartment, so by using the stove top, microwave, or grill you can save on ac energy. 

NC Economy Forecast

A recent Charlotte Business Journal article states that the NC economy should grow by 2.7% this year, which is up from 1% last year according to John Connaughton, a UNC Charlotte economist. 

“Overall, the N.C. economy suffered through a modest recovery at best during 2010,” he says. “While the U.S. economy maintained a modest yet stable record of economic growth, the N.C. economy started strong but had very weak growth during the spring and summer quarters.”

In his latest quarterly forecast, Connaughton foresees growth in seven of the state’s 11 main economic sectors this year. Sectors that are expected to experience output growth: finance, insurance and real estate, with a projected real growth of 1.5 percent; government, with an increase of 1.1 percent; and nondurable goods manufacturing, with a projected growth of 0.3 percent.

Connaughton forecasts that North Carolina will gain 64,700 net jobs this year, an increase of 1.7 percent over the employment level in December 2010.

Sectors with the strongest employment growth this year should be wholesale trade, retail trade, services and finance, insurance and real estate.

Homeownership Facts

The National Association of Realtors has some fun facts about homeownership on their website. They may inspire you to choose to buy a home instead of rent.

• ·         Over time, during most of the past 50 years, roughly two out of three households in the U.S. have been home owners; while one-third have been renters.

• ·         Buying a home creates pride of ownership and commitment to your community.

• ·         The government knows the benefits of homeownership and gives out tax incentives for homeowners through the Revenue Act of 1913

• ·         For each home purchased nearly $60,000 in direct and indirect spending occurs in the economy.

• ·         Housing and related activities account for more than 20% of GDP in the US.

• ·         Homeowners make better citizens, for the fact that they are more likely to participate in community enhancing activities and volunteer.

• ·         Today, home owners pay 80 to 90 percent of the income taxes in the U.S., and among those who claim the mortgage interest deduction, nearly two-thirds are middle-income earners.

• ·         Owning a home is a one of the best ways to build long-term wealth. Historically, a home owner’s net worth has ranged from 31 to 46 times that of a renter.

• ·         One job is generated for every two home sales

Pending NC Bills

There are 3 bills pending in the N.C. General Assembly that could have a major impact on condominium and homeowners associations. Courtesy of the Legislative Action Committee of the N.C. Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, here is a brief description of the pending House and Senate bills:

Senate Bill 373, known as the "Community Associations Managers Licensing Act," would require professional community association managers be licensed by the state. License applicants would be required to pass an exam, obtain one of several professional manager certificates issued by various HOA industry groups, or provide proof that they have been actively engaged as a community association manager the prior three years.

Managers also will have to obtain fidelity-bond coverage and take continuing-education classes to maintain a license. Similar legislation was introduced in the last few years, but the legislature never acted on it. Licensing will help protect HOAs from unqualified or dishonest managers.

House Bill 183 would prohibit HOAs from using foreclosure as a collection tool under any circumstances. This bill would have a devastating effect on N.C. HOAs and condominiums by making it much more difficult and expensive to collect unpaid assessments. Industry insiders believe that this bill has a slim chance of passage.

House Bill 165, explained in an earlier blog, which would require dues or assessments to remain unpaid for at least 90 days before an association could begin foreclosure proceedings against the property owner.