August 2020 | Jeff Howard's Las Vegas Area Real Estate blog

Moving day with a Pet

It is finally here Moving Day!! It is very exciting to go on to the next chapter of your life (even if you are moving a mile away.) You are so excited however terrified at the same time. This move is a terrifying event for your pets too, even if you’re just moving down the street. Luckily you can take several steps to protect your furry, feathery and scaly pals in these high stress times.

Your Moving Day Checklist: Pet Edition

Whether you’ve got a dog that you love, a cat that’s aloof or a flock of chickens, moving with animals takes patience and attention to detail in order to help them get through the process with the least amount of stress possible. Remember that your pet doesn’t understand what’s happening and that the noise, strangers and general chaos can be terrifying for them.

Before you so much as begin to pack, it’s important to consider what’s going to happen with your pets during your move. Here are some things you can do to keep them safer and happier during the whirlwind that’s to come:

Start practicing now. It’s likely your pet will need to be confined to a crate, bathroom or other safe space so that the door can be left open to move things out. Before the move starts, you can begin to get them used to the idea of being confined. Start by staying in or near the space with them and rewarding them when they relax (this could take some time at first, so be patient). As they get better at being confined with you, go farther and farther away, and for longer periods, rewarding them as they adjust to the situation.

Getting your pets used to being confined like this can help prevent injuries to them should they frantically scramble to escape, and can help you better see what kinds of things in those spaces may be potentially dangerous when they’re left unattended on moving day.

Ask your vet. Your vet has all kinds of things in their dispensary for these one-time highly stressful events especially if you are flying with a pet. They can make specific recommendations based on your pet’s history and particular panic buttons, and also give you more behavioral tools to your own toolbox to help your pet cope. Absolutely ask your vet for help before you even book a mover or a moving truck.

Take frequent breaks. If you can, stretch your move out over a few days or a week so that your pets can have a breather from their safety spot. Depending on just how much there is to move, it’ll be easier on you, too. For example, you might move a lot of boxes on Monday, take the small appliances over on a Wednesday and then move the furniture on Friday. Giving your pet some time to shake off the stress will make the move a lot easier for them.

Consider a pet sitter or boarding you pet. Longer moves may require you to be away for a while. If your pet is very prone to stress in new situations, a pet sitter will help fill your shoes while you’re moving, or while you’re taking care of getting the new place cleaned up and ready to go. Just make sure to introduce the pet to the sitter ahead of time so they can get to know one another. If you consider boarding your pet, take some time to get your pet comfortable with its new surroundings. Many vet offices board pets and there are some places that only do that.

Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail buildings or land? Are you ready to buy or sell a home? We can help you with that, safely… just call us at 702 SELL NOW or click on this link to my website http://www.702SellNow.com

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Mirror Mirror on the Wall. Do I Need you After All?

If you have an older home, the odds are that somewhere in the house you have at least one large, bulky wall-mounted mirror. You might have either a single large mirror mounted directly to the wall or mirrored panels that cover an entire wall surface. It is important to remember that you still have options to update your home even if your mirrors have been around for decades.

Mirrors as Decoration

Mirrors seem to always be in style as a form of home decoration. They capture the attention, and when done well, a mirrored accent can make a room seem all the larger and more impressive. Unfortunately over time, some mirrors can dull or become scratched over time. Whether it’s a matter of the glass aging poorly or the silvering of the mirror losing its luster, this can have a negative impact on the room as a whole. In some cases, the mirror glass may even become cracked in one or more places, which not only spoils the look but can also create a potential hazard that you have to keep people away from. Regardless of how time has affected the mirrors in your home, it should be obvious why proper maintenance is important.

Wall-Mounted Mirrors

One common type of mirror that you find in older homes is the wall-mounted mirror. Unlike more modern mirrors that use brackets or other mounting hardware to hold the mirror next to the wall, some of these older mirrors are actually attached directly to the wall with adhesives or other materials. Being adhered to the wall is useful as it keeps the mirrors from shifting or becoming loose as time goes by, however it does limit your options when it comes to moving or replacing the mirror. These mirrors take some work to remove if you plan to redecorate, and the removal process often damages the drywall or paneling behind the mirror, so you will probably have to do some repairs once the mirror is free.

Mirrored Wall Coverings

Unlike single mirrors that are attached to the wall, mirrored wall coverings are often installed using a track system. This secures multiple mirrored panels without the need to adhere and line up each one. You may still find mirrored panel walls that are applied with adhesives, of course, but track systems are common, as the brackets used in track systems provide more stability. Brackets make removing or replacing panels easier, though the process can still leave some damage to drywall or other wall surfaces that will need to be patched later on.

Moving on From Mirrors

Regardless of the type of mirror that’s in your home, if you feel the need to remove it then you’ll have a little bit of work ahead of you. With adhesive-based mirrors, you’ll often need heat the adhesive around the edges first; this softens it and allows you to begin working the mirror loose. It may then be possible to pry the glass free, or you may need to work a piano wire behind the glass to separate the adhesive. Track-mounted panels are a bit easier to deal with since you can unscrew the brackets to remove the panels, then pry the tracks off the wall. Regardless of how you deal with the mirrors, be sure to use hand and eye protection and take your time to prevent potential injuries that might result from broken glass.

Reflecting on the Job

Sometimes, remodeling projects involving older mirrors can be a bit much to tackle as a DIY project and you just might want professional help. Just contact me! I have a list of skilled pros out there who can help you either update your mirrors or replace them with something a bit more modern.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

BBB Tip: Amazon “brushing” scam indicates a problem for victims

Have you gotten boxes from Amazon of free boxloads of merchandise right on your doorstep? EXCEPT it isn’t from Amazon!!! The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers that there is a scary downside to this recent scam. You are not the one who hit the jackpot. A scam company is the real winner.

This scam is called brushing, and it has been popping up all over the country. Suddenly, boxes of unordered (by you, the recipient) merchandise from Amazon begin arriving. There is no return address except that of Amazon, and the receiver (you) has no idea who ordered the items. The items are varied. For example, in one case a humidifier, a hand warmer, a flashlight, a Bluetooth speaker and a computer vacuum cleaner arrived unordered.

Why would such merchandise be sent to you if you didn’t request it? The companies, usually foreign, third-party sellers that are sending the items are simply using your address that they discovered online. Their intention is to make it appear as though you wrote a glowing online review of their merchandise, and that you are a verified buyer of that merchandise. They then post a fake, positive review to improve their products’ ratings, which means more sales for them. The payoff is highly profitable from their perspective.

The reason this is very bad for you is that someone was able to have the items sent to you as if you purchased them. This indicates that they probably have some of your personal information such as your name, address, and possibly, your phone number. Once the information is out there on the internet, it could be used for numerous crooked enterprises.

The fake online review angle is only one way they benefit. By using the brushing scam, they also are increasing their sales numbers. After all, they aren’t really purchasing the items, since the payment goes right back to them. Increased sales numbers, even though padded with fake purchases, look good for the company and help lead to more sales.

Then there is the “porch pirate” angle. There are instances where thieves use other people’s mailing addresses and accounts, then watch for the delivery of the package so they can steal it from the door before the resident gets it.

PLEASE (and this is very important) notify Amazon. Brushing and fake reviews are against Amazon’s policies, so contact Amazon Customer Service if this happens to you. They will investigate and take action on the bad actor. Go directly to Amazon’s website to get their contact information. The company also takes security seriously and encourages customers to report fraudulent purchases or other security issues. If the preference is to contact them by phone; be cautious of searching for support phone numbers.

Change your account passwords. This may be a sign that personal information has been compromised and to improve account security, keep a close eye on credit reports and credit card bills.

By the way, the Federal Trade Commission says you have a legal right to keep unordered merchandise.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff