Video Image Smoke and Fire Detection (VISD) consists of a digital video camera coupled to a computer running video analysis software that can recognize smoke and fire in the image. VISD systems can monitor large volumes for visible indications of a fire.
Unlike traditional point-based detectors, VSD does not rely on proximity of smoke to the detector which enables it to detect the start of a fire before it causes any real damage. VSD incorporates standard video surveillance cameras with sophisticated image recognition and processing software to identify the distinctive characteristics of smoke and flame patterns, differentiating between smoke, dust and haze.
Companies offering solutions include:
Notifier (Honeywell)
Johnson Controls
Gentex Corporation
FLIR
NetVu
Halma plc
Honeywell Security
Fike
ORR Protection
National Fire Protection (NFP)
This process works for: Residential, Commercial, Industrial,Historic Structures and more.
What You Can Expect When You Engage With Our Inspection Company
Self Service Options:
77% of buyers said they preferred to do their own research (check review sites, run Google searches, etc.) rather than contact a sales representative. Because of this, Secure Home Inspections offers multiple NO TOUCH options to book your residential home inspection without ever having to speak to someone.
Book Online, Get Real-Time Inspector Schedule Access, Received Email Confirmation, Receive sms (text) updates along the way, Sign Inspection Agreement via e-signature (clicking one button), pay online (via credit Card). Of course the inspector does actually come out to the house…HA you can’t automate that. But the process to get it booked, contracted, paid and receiving reports is done without ever having to speak to a person.
We Resolve Issues Faster:
We know that 54% of Gen Z and 56% of Millennial stopped buying from a company in the past year due to poor customer service. Conversely, only 49% of Gen X and 38% of Boomers left a company due to poor customer experience. Regardless of the numbers, FASTER is always better when it comes to customer service and we are hyper aware of this.
How we do this, we have linked every single social media, phone, email and website to go directly to our customer service center and there isn’t a message sent to us that we don’t respond to immediately. Customers can text directly to our business line and receive a message back within 2 seconds. We are reachable by phone – 24/7.
We Have A Can-Do Attitude:
If there is ever a time we dont’ know the answer, we find someone who does and get right back to our customers. We find solutions! Period! We are ALWAYS able to answer your questions. We get just as frustrated when things aren’t working for you and we find ways to fix it. Customer service is literally what we are all about so when you feel it – we feel it. One of the biggest frustrations we find when real estate agents are wanting to book inspections is having to call so many different companies to get all the proper inspections setup for their clients. We realize this and so we have become the concierge for all real estate agents and home buyers. Call us and need a well & septic inspection, we will coordinate with our partnering company to get it done for you the same day as your home inspection.
We Spend Time Getting To Know Our Customers:
Knowing our customers is something we are constantly striving for. To do this, we dive into their journey from the moment before they need an inspection to the time period after they have moved into their home. We clarify this journey, each person’s needs and provide guidance in a multitude of ways that helps them feel good about their new home and the process. This in turn helps our inspectors serve better.
Helping Families
My favorite thing about home inspection? Being able to help home buyers find their forever homes!!!!
Action List Widget
The Action List widget is a simple tool that saves realtors & clients time & makes it easy to create the list of request items as part of the negotiation process with the seller.
The link is generated when the report is sent out to the client & their agent.
Build a Team to find your Dream
Buying a home is a very rewarding & exciting time, but it is also a very vulnerable time. That’s why it’s important to build a team made up of professionals whose primary focus & goal is to aid clients in making one of the largest decisions in their lives.
Being part of a home-buyers “Real Estate Procurement Team” (made up of the Realtor, Lender, Home Inspector, Insurer, Title/Settlement Company, etc.) has been an honor throughout my career. First as a builder, then a Home Inspector, & most recently as a HUD Renovation Consultant. But, I’ve also been on the other side of the table as the home buyer, & more recently as the father of a home buyer, & have experienced the emotional spectrum (follow thislinkto a funny article about that) our clients & their families are going through.
While there are stresses found in every aspect of real estate, from start to finish, there are also many joys. When I ask lenders, realtors, settlement clerks, insurance agents, appraisers, (etc.) what they find most rewarding about being in real estate, the answer more often than not is “helping people accomplish their dreams“. From my own experience as a Superintendent with Camberley Homes, as a HUD Consultant, & as a Home Inspector – I couldn’t agree more.
In my previous life as a Senior Builder / Superintendent with Camberley Homes, I always looked forward to the New Home Orientation / Homeowner Walk Through. As the superintendent, I was there with the clients as they created their selection sheets and a 2D representation of their future home was put together. After months of construction & working together through the stresses of building a new home, the project was finally complete, & we could breath. The N.H.O. is the day that I got to showcase all of the efforts of the building team to create the clients dream home.
Buying a home is a very stressful time & will be one of the largest financial decisions you make. There are a lot of costs involved in purchasing the home which take some homeowners by surprise(i.e. closing costs, insurance fee’s, broker fee’s, inspections, etc.). A lot of buyers find themselves thinking of skipping the home inspection, but there are tons of articles out there on why NOT to skip the home inspection. Here are just some statements made by industry leaders:
Amy Fontinelle with Investopediastates that “Home inspections are used to provide an opportunity for a buyer to identify any major issues with a home prior to closing. Your first clue that a home inspection is important is that it can be used as a contingency in your contract with the seller. This contingency provides that if significant defects are revealed by a home inspection, you can back out of your purchase offer, free of penalty, within a certain time frame. The potential problems a home can have must be pretty serious if they could allow you to walk away from such a significant contract.”
James Shea with Homes.com lists a few reasons why a home buyer doesn’t want to skip a home inspection:
Unseen & Unpredicted Problems being pointed out by an unbiased professional;
More Options with regards to negotiations, etc.;
Cost Efficiency as “a quality home inspection can keep you from having to pay tens of thousands of dollars in repair costs”.;
Being able to identify potential Structural Problems;
Signs of current or potential roof Leaks;
Identifying issues which affect the Safety & Soundness of the home;
Being able to plan ahead for future Maintenance Costs;
Gaining Negotiation Leverage; and,
Knowing the condition of the home provides Peace of Mind.
Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, Living on a Small Budgetdiscusses how getting the home inspection can potentially save you thousands of dollars. Ashley relates stories of concerns related to “Not Taking the Seller’s Word“, being able to “Prepare for Future Costs“, and cautions against taking “Bribes to Skip the Inspection“. There are also tips on what to look for in a Home Inspector and weather or not you should be present for the Home Inspection.
Please take a moment to do your own search & read what the results are.
Financing Residential Radon Mitigation Costs
Using the HUD 203(k) Mortgage Insurance Program to Reduce the Risk of Lung Cancer in People
The Section 203(k) mortgage financing program is the Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) primary tool for rehabilitating and improving single family homes. The program allows home buyers to finance the purchase and repair or improvement of a home using a single mortgage loan.
Reducing radon levels in a home is an improvement that can be financed through a 203(k) mortgage loan. Part of the 203(k) mortgage proceeds must be used to pay the costs of rehabilitating or improving a residential property.
To qualify, the total cost of the eligible repairs or improvements, including fixes to reduce radon levels, must be at least $5,000.
The 203(k) program is an important tool for expanding home ownership, revitalizing homes, neighborhoods and communities and for making homes healthier and safer for those who occupy them.
Homes eligible for 203(k) financing include:
one to four-family dwellings that have been completed for at least one year;
dwellings that have been demolished, provided some of the existing foundation system remains; and,
converting a one-family dwelling into a two, three, or four-family dwelling; or, alternatively, converting an existing multi-unit dwelling into a one to four-family unit.
The 203(k) program has been used successfully by many lenders to rehabilitate properties through partnerships with state and local housing agencies and with non-profit organizations. To further help borrowers buy homes, lenders have found innovative ways to combine the 203(k) program with other financial resources like HUD’s HOPE and Community Development Block Grant Programs.
Contact an FHA-approved lender in your area for more information about HUD’s 203(k) program, or if you are interested in getting a 203(k) insured mortgage loan. To find a lender, please use HUD’s Lender List (LINK).
