Make Home Security A Priority

Author : Frank Fourchalk
If you're thinking of building a new home, make sure you take the time to design your home security system.Planning early will allow your security consultant to offer design considerations from a technical perspective. I have never worked on a home where everything was perfect from start to finish. As an owner-builder, you must realize tweaks in your design plans will occur during the construction stage.Having a security plan that you can see on paper will make it easier for you and your security professional to make the necessary changes when a design change surfaces. It's important to stay within the boundaries of your original suggestion to ensure the utmost security for your home.You might want to involve your interior designer as a third party to look over your home-security plans, just to make sure the positioning of the security devices, wall plates and panels won't become intrusive rather than blending in with a room. It's always a good idea to review hardware designs and color with your designer expert to make sure everything blends nicely."Structured wiring" is a term you will no doubt hear from your security consultant as he or she lays the groundwork for your home-security system. Because today's home wiring includes more than the standard suite of electrical connections, "structured wiring" is a fancy name for dedicated wiring for data, telephone, audio and video outlets."Automation" is another term that will surface. Residential automation is all about adding comfort, convenience and security by networking your home. Connected homes integrate entertainment, communications, automation and security systems to provide a convenient, secure environment for the homeowner.Imagine being able to program the lights in your home to create the "lived-in" look and check the security system by telephone while you're away on vacation. You can even answer the door through the phone or monitor the nursery through your PC or TV.Residential automation is all about adding comfort and convenience to a security recipe. Why walk into a dark home when your exterior and interior lights can automatically come on when you press your remote garage-door opener?The ultimate in home security is knowing you can look in on your home from a PC anywhere in the world. And, rest assured, if there is anything wrong, your home will phone and let you know what the problem is.So, as you decide on granite counter tops or exquisite lighting fixtures, make sure you also design a home security system that meets your family's needs.Frank Fourchalk is widely recognized for his sustained commitment to education in Home and Business security throughout North America as a result of his syndicated newspaper columns. Mr. Fourchalk has written for The Toronto Star, The Vancouver Province, and several other daily newspapsers including the New York Post.
For more information on your home security check out http://www.yourhomesecurity.ca
Category : Home-and-Family:Home-Security

Crisis? What Mortgage Crisis?

Author : Leo Quinn

As I write this there is a crisis in America in the sub-prime lending industry.A sub-prime loan happens when homebuyers with low credit ratings are offered mortgages with high interest rates.Advocates of sub-prime financing tout it as a way for low-income residents to own their first home. This crisis clearly shows sub-prime loans are having the opposite effect.Well, knock me over with a feather.You mean to tell me that low-income people with bad credit and poor money habits are having a hard time keeping up with the payments on a high-interest mortgage and the myriad expenses of home ownership?That's crazy! I don't believe it.As the kids today say, "Well, duh."Truth be told, I haven't really thought much about the so-called crisis.I consider one of my jobs to be educating people about the pitfalls of homeownership and debt.If you need a sub-prime mortgage to get into a house, you have no business trying to buy that house. Your American dream can quickly turn into an American nightmare.Buying a home doesn't just mean mortgage payments. There are property taxes, running around $300-$400 a month for a modest home here in upstate New York. Then there are utilities--usually higher for a house that is twice the size of a typical apartment. Don't forget maintenance and repairs, and extra appliances and lawn equipment. You'll have to buy furniture to fill the house. Don't forget the decorating--window treatments, new floors or carpets, paint and fixtures.If you have a low income and bad credit you should have ONE goal in life. Ok, TWO goals. Well, now that I think about it, THREE goals: earn more money, learn good money management skills and improve your credit.Get yourself to the library and get some books on making extra money. Invest what little money you have in making some extra money and learning how to manage that effectively. As you do, you'll your credit score will go up and up.The old "I'm building equity argument" is a crock. Low-income earners buying their first home with sub-prime loans are not buying houses that go up in value.They have no money for upkeep or to make improvements so the value of the house goes DOWN.So, if you've been thinking about getting a sub-prime loan, FORGET it. You won't be better off.If you're feeling pressured to buy a home, you definitely want to avoid a subprime mortgage. "Feeling pressured" is the same thing as "peer pressure". WHY do you have to buy a home right now? Who says?If 95% of the American public aren't financially independent at retirement, I would venture a guess that most Americans don't know what they're doing when it comes to money. So why would you follow their "conventional wisdom"? I will hazard a guess that you can say the same in just about any other country with consumer debt issues.Be different. Have the courage to wait while everyone else rushes in. Learn how to make more money and become an expert at saving and investing. There is absolutely nothing like the feeling of buying a home with a large down payment and plenty of money in the bank to handle all the expenses that come along with home ownership.It's priceless (and it isn't bought with a credit card).After all, what good is a new home if you can't sleep at night wondering how to pay for it?Avoid those subprime mortgages and wait a bit. You'll be infinitely glad you did. bprime mortgages and wait a bit. You'll be infinitely glad you did.

E very Small Business Needs Two Websites

Author : John Jantsch

Every small business owner knows that they need a website, right? Well the truth is what they really need is at least two websites.One website that is specific to their business, product, service, name, etc. and...another site that is an educational site specific to the benefits of their service or product.So JoesBaitShop.com tells all about the various lures and tackle you offer, even more about the charter trips, and eventually how to buy.CatchFishToday.com (your other site) however is full of informative information, how-to tips, and resources for avid fisherpersons. Of course this site also has plenty (but not too many) of links back to JoesBaitShop.com.Here's the deal. Online people don't go out searching for companies, They go online looking for solutions, information, answers to life's persistent questions...you know like what's the best hat to wear cod fishing?Your second website gives them the answer and sends them to your first site to go shopping.It really doesn't matter what business you are in. An investment banking firm can benefit from the same strategy.Here's the reason. The major search engines want to index high quality information. A site about what a person can buy from you doesn't make that cut but a site with an article about how to cast in windy conditions does.In addition, search engines take a look at sites that link to you and give your some points for that. A high quality how to site about fishing will draw plenty of related links. This will only help drive that traffic to JoesBaitShop.com even faster.The cost of putting up a website is so low these days it's really a crime if you don't come up with about 10 reasons to have multiple sites.Think of it this way. You need one site that presells and one site that sells. If this strategy even remotely makes sense to you then there is a book you should read today! It's called Make Your Site Sell. Go see for yourself

Category : General Scams