by Nick Gromicko, CMI® The number one hazard for children is falls, which are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries in the U.S. for this age group.  About 8,000 youngsters wind up in emergency rooms every day for injuries related to falling, adding up to almost 2.8 million per year.  With those statistics in mind, it is worth looking at what can be done to prevent such injuries in the home. In trying to fathom how so many children can be injured on a daily basis from something as simple as slipping and falling, we need to consider an important factor, which is height.  Oftentimes, when ...

It’s time to sell one of your biggest family investments, but are you ready to sell? The best way to find out is to do a seller’s inspection. Here are some advantages in completing a seller’s inspection: It might alert the seller to any items of immediate concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation. The seller can assist the inspector during the inspection, something normally not done during a buyer’s inspection. The report can help the seller realistically price the home if problems exist. The report can help the seller substantiate a higher asking p...

10 Things to Check Before You Buy a Home We’ve learned the hard way that there are some very important things that should be checked before signing the papers to buy a new home. Of course, you’ll have a professional do an inspection and look over the place to make sure the home is termite and flood damage free, but these 10 things fall into a different category; the immediate to-do list, which is something you may not want to be adding to right now. Even though there will always be cosmetic changes to make to a new home, trying to avoid costly repairs upon first moving in is alway...