It’s no secret that Coronavirus is a serious cause for concern, one that is sweeping all around the world. Your kids are more connected to the world than ever before. This is due to having instant access to breaking news via their cell phones. It’s only natural that they, too, will have concerns.
Here are some of the best ways that you can help your children understand the anxiety that comes with the Coronavirus.
LET YOUR KIDS KNOW THAT THE CORONAVIRUS IS ALMOST NEVER FATAL
The very first thing that you should make clear to your children is that the virus is almost never fatal. In most cases, even if you catch this virus, the effects will be no worse than a very bad cold or the average flu. In other words, you’ll need plenty of fluids and bed rest. But you won’t be at major risk.
It has been estimated by many medical experts that almost all people will catch some form of virus at some point in their lives. It may have already happened to you or your children without any of you even being aware of it. You may have simply thought you had a bad cold and treated it with over the counter medication.
This is not to underestimate the potential deadly effects of the virus. It can be deadly to the very elderly as well as those whose immune system is compromised. But for the average healthy person, adult and child alike, it will be survivable.
LET YOUR KIDS KNOW HOW TO STAY SAFE FROM THE VIRUS
The next thing you need to do is teach your kids how to stay safe from the virus. Safety, after all, is bound to be a major source of anxiety for them. You can start by covering the basics. Doctors are urging people to stay home. They want you to avoid getting in groups of people over 10.
They also want you to wash your hands. They want you to wash them quite often and for at least 20 seconds at a time. Pass this info on to your kids. Most importantly, make sure that you practice what you preach. If your kids see you skimping on any of these steps, they won’t feel compelled to follow your example.
Teaching your kids how to stay safe during the virus outbreak is a great way to relieve their anxiety. Your job as a parent is to stay on top of the latest news so that you can pass it on to them. It’s also your responsibility to a source of uplift and comfort to them so that they will feel as safe as possible during this crisis.
MAKE SURE THAT YOUR KIDS HAVE PLENTY TO DO INDOORS
During the quarantine and social distancing days, your kids are naturally going to be spending a great deal of time indoors. This means that it will be up to you to make sure that they have plenty to do. You don’t want them sitting around glued to their phones or TV and getting more worried with each breaking story.
The recent outbreak of the virus is as good an excuse as any to reconnect with your kids if need be. Share some quality time around the kitchen table. Let them know that this current outbreak will pass. As long as they take the proper precautions, things will be fine. But, above all, be intimate and outgoing with your kids.
Plan some fun activities with your family so that no one will be bored. This is the key to keeping up a good level of morale. The more engaged they are in a game or a nice conversation, the less inclined they will be to dwell on the worst that could possibly happen.
All of the above-named steps are important when it comes to letting your kids know they are not alone. The virus is a major source of potential panic but it can be defeated. Working together is the way to beat it.
DO YOU HAVE ANY REAL ESTATE QUESTIONS THAT YOU’D LIKE TO TALK TO AN EXPERT ABOUT?
During this global pandemic, we’re here to help with more than just real estate.
This isn’t another coronavirus email about how you should be washing your hands or avoiding touching your face. Though we’re taking precautions, my team is very blessed to be healthy amidst all this uncertainty. However, I want you to know that I’m here for you, and not just from a real estate perspective. If you need me to pick up medicine, food, or anything else for you, I’m happy to help. To learn more about how I can assist, watch my latest video.
As we grow older, aging in place is by and large the preferred option. With safety concerns, however, it can be dangerous without taking the proper care or making important modifications. Fortunately, with proper help and guidance, making those necessary adjustments can be done quickly and safely to allow seniors to age in place.
Assess Home Risks For Aging in Place
The best way to assess home risks for aging in place is to think through the daily routine as you move from room to room. From a visible house number for first responders to see and lever-style handles to carpeted steps and handheld shower heads in the bathroom, there are tons of minor and major tweaks that can be made to a home. Fine-tune each room to best fit the senior living there.
Consider possible safety modifications throughout each area. For example, adding a grab bar or chair to a shower are budget-friendly ways to make it safer. A slippery shower can also be made safer with a removable shower head, more grout around tiles or a non-slip mat. Consider replacing it altogether with a walk-in or zero-entry shower too. Other changes, like the bed or toilet being too high or low, and bedroom carpeting — which could present more of a tripping hazard if loose — should also be evaluated. Adequate lighting can be quite helpful as well with task lights over tables and night lights along hallways.
Consider Remodeling for Aging in Place
While some adjustments are significantly less expensive, larger remodels can increase the need for a bigger budget. Case in point, a bathroom remodel in Chapel Hill typically costs between $5,916 to $10,000. Such remodels could include turning a bathroom or kitchen into an entirely accessible space. This means the entire bathroom and shower could be roll-in, which would also eliminate the need for stepping into a bathtub-shower. It also means that appliances like the microwave and stove could be easier and safer to reach.
Reflooring to prevent slips, trips, and falls is also useful. Consider widening doorways and hallways if you plan to hire a contractor as well. This will help make it walker or wheelchair accessible, as chairs need significant space to turn around easily. Installing ramps can also help prevent falls for those with difficulty balancing to go up or downstairs to entrance ways.
One final type of change or update to consider is technological help. Using one-touch faucets, smart home security, or even medical alert systems can help keep seniors living independently for quite some time. With easy-to-use apps on smartphones, they can have peace of mind.
Hire Help For Aging in Place
It may be worth hiring a handyman to help with such modification and remodeling projects. While some are more difficult than others, having the proper help is important to ensure the new safety measures actually do their job to prevent injury. There are even quite a few resources to help older adults with the expense of home modification for aging in place as well as with every day needs like financial planning, nutrition counseling, and transportation services that can benefit seniors who want to continue living independently.
When looking for the right person or company to hire for aging in place modifications, look for a certified specialist. These specialists often offer a wider range of services like technological solutions such as lifeline, medication management, and hearing-impaired solutions, as well as general maintenance including yard work and housekeeping; in fact, you can find housekeeping services for as little as $16 per hour, making it a reasonably affordable solution. Such companies are wonderful resources and services for all things aging in place.
So, follow a checklist to assess the home, room by room, for any potential dangers that could inflict injury. Make modifications as needed, and within your budget, to provide a safer home for aging in place. Don’t forget to hire help for the projects or with day-to-day tasks as well.
There are four ways you can and should work with your buyer’s agent. Learn them all right here.
These are the four ways that you can work with your buyer’s agent:
Bother your agent. Don’t hesitate to ask your agent questions, even if you seem bothersome. As a listing agent, I receive many calls from buyers. I always ask them if they have an agent, and if they do, I’ll then ask them why they haven’t called their agent about the listing. Most of the time, they say that they don’t want to bother them. Your agent is there for you every step of the way, and they want to see the properties that you’re seeing so they can make sure they’re doing the best job for you.
I’ll repeat: bother your agent! As a buyer, it’s a good thing to look for properties on your own, but when you find one, call your agent and let them show it to you. They would rather you call them so they can be there to protect your interests.
Communicate with your agent. If, by chance, your agent isn’t showing the properties you want to see, communicate with them so they have the opportunity to make the necessary changes so they’re only showing you the right properties.
…don’t forget to communicate with your agent! I know, by now, I sound like a broken record, but I can’t emphasize the importance of these points enough.
At Real Estate Experts, our motto is, “It’s all about you!” Our job is to listen to what you want, deliver results, and protect your interests. If we can answer any of your real estate questions, we would be more than happy to help. Feel free to reach out to us anytime!
There are seven things you should look for in your property manager to know whether you can trust them.
How do you know that you can trust your property manager? There are seven things you should look for in terms of the service they provide. These factors will reassure you that the significant investment you’re making is in good hands.
Cited below for your convenience are timestamps that will direct you to various points in the video. Feel free to watch it in its entirety or use these timestamps to browse specific points at your leisure:
0:22—#1: Communication and transparency
1:14—#2: Clear, consistent, and timely reporting of all monies
2:46—#3: Tailoring the property management agreement to fit the property owner’s needs
3:48—#4: Proper maintenance of the home
4:39—#5: Getting more than one estimate on major repairs
5:09—#6: Providing current and past references
5:46—#7: Having a dedicated emergency repairs line for tenants
6:23—Wrapping things up
If you have questions about this or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help.
Sales to Drive Sustainability in Partnership With American Forests
We are donating $50 for every real estate transaction, to plant 50 trees in the US.
Real Estate Experts, a residential real estate and property management company, is proud to announce that for each real estate transaction, they will donate $50 to American Forests to aid in reforestation efforts. Each $50 donation will amount to 50 trees planted on behalf of their clients. Real Estate Experts’ clients will get a certificate at closing letting them know that the company is planting trees in their name.
The goal for the company is to plant 5,000 trees in 2020.
Reforestation efforts recover hundreds of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, safeguard vital watersheds, absorb millions of tons of greenhouse gases and protect some of the most stunning landscapes in America.
In addition to the commitment to plant 5000 trees in 2020, Real Estate Experts is working on developing a neighborhood in Orange County, NC that will be 100% Net Zero Energy, the first of its kind in the State of North Carolina.
“Real Estate Experts is committed to doing our part to improve the environment and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Jodi Bakst, Broker Owner of the company. “The goal for the company is to plant 5,000 trees in 2020. We are confident we can meet this goal and we hope to exceed it.
American Forests, the nation’s oldest conservation organization, has been restoring forests for more than 140 years. Since 1990 alone, they have planted nearly 60 million trees in forest restoration projects in all 50 states. They have also worked in dozens of cities across America, expanding the tree canopy and improving the quality of life for residents
American Forests uses trees and greenspace to make America’s communities more sustainable, beautiful and livable. Learn more about their important work at www.americanforests.org.
“We are thrilled to launch an exciting new partnership with Real Estate Experts”, said Lindsey Putz, Director of Corporate Giving with American Forests. “Real Estate Experts generous support will help us restore critical ecosystems across some of the country’s most important natural landscapes. Forests in these ecosystems collect and filter drinking water, provide wildlife habitat and naturally capture carbon emissions to slow climate change so the work is more important than ever.”
Real Estate Experts is a residential real estate and property management company that has been serving the greater Chapel Hill-Durham area, including Mebane and Burlington North Carolina, for over 20 years. In addition to providing high-level customer service to their buyer, seller and investor clients, Real Estate Experts has industry-leading expertise in transactions involving inherited homes, divorce negotiations and workouts, and in green building and high-performance properties.
To learn more about Real Estate Experts, visit their web site at www.realestateexperts.net or contact Jodi Bakst at 919-928-5131 ext 2 or email her at [email protected]
