Hurricane Wilma

It's been five days since Hurricane Wilma devastated much of South Florida. The first thing I want to say is that I hope all of you and your families were able to get through this Category Three storm without injury - that obviously is the most important thing. I know some of you have suffered a lot worse than some of us. I wish all of you the best and if you feel I can help you in any way, please do contact me and I'll do my best to help.

The following are many things that I learned or have become a lot more aware of because of this hurricane.

1. Prepare and take personal responsibility of ensuring that I have everything that I need in case the storm hits (because it will).
2. There are so many things that we take for granted - FPL, sight, transportation, our beautiful weather, food and drinks, family and friends that take care of us before themselves.
3. How proud I am to be a Floridian. Seeing the FPL workers, police, Bellsouth workers, volunteers, and so many many others work together so beautifully is very moving.
4. The satisfaction with life is based on two things - the patience a person has and his or her attitude to handle a situation.
5. That I have great neighbors. Thank you so much Barbara and Luis for being so kind.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

What to Do After the Hurricane

As it gets later in the day, it looks more and more likely that Hurricane Wilma will be visiting South Florida. If you haven't read my other post, please read the Hurricane Preparation Tips article for helpful hints. US Inspect, an inspection company I work with, was kind enough to supply me with the following information on what to do after the hurricane. Please read all these tips carefully and as always make sure to use your common sense. I wish you and your family all the best.

Hurricane Reentry Tips

• Be aware of combustive or explosive gases – open all windows when entering. If you smell gas, don’t smoke, light matches, operate electrical devices, use cell or other phone equipment, or any other source that may cause combustion.
• Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning – CO is odorless and colorless. Do not use any fuel burning equipment inside, including generators, camp stoves, gas or charcoal grills etc.
• Avoid problems with mold, bacteria and insects – Remove standing water and wet belongings as soon as possible, and/or dry within 48 hours. Dry out the structure completely as soon as possible.
• Properly dispose of contaminated goods.
• Be careful in the use of cleaners, chemicals, and pesticides.
• Provide fresh air to the home. Use fans if electrically safe.
• Do not use the electrical system if home has experienced water penetration. Turn the power system on only after careful inspection.
• Avoid personal “overheating”.
• Consider safety of remaining food, particularly refrigerated and frozen foods.
• Drinking water safety – follow public service and utility announcements.
• Avoid all power lines.
• Make temporary repairs to “wet proof” home.
• Observe safe use of chain saws and other tools.
• If damage has occurred, have professional inspection of property or affected areas.
• If damage has occurred, have professional inspection of property or affected areas.
• All damage should be documented and recorded with a camera before you touch anything.
• If you have taken in water and are removing wet furnishing to dry the home, photograph it after you remove the personal property and before you remove wallboard or carpet.

Visit these websites for other important sources of information:

www.epa.gov/katrina/sep14returnhomeadvisory.htm

www.redcross.org

www.fema.org

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Hurricane Preparation Tips

With Hurricane Wilma approaching us, I wanted to wish all of you and your family the best. An inspection company I do business with, US Inspect, was kind enough to email me the following tips that will hopefully help all of us.

If you are evacuating your home:

• Turn the pilot light off on your water heater and furnace, then turn off the gas line valve near the appliance and, finally, turn off your gas at the meter. This will reduce the probability that a tree falling on the roof will break an active gas line and create the chance for a spark to cause a fire. Turning off valves working from the appliance to the meter will make it easier to reignite on your return by reversing the process.
• Turn off your master water supply.
• DO NOT Turn off your master breaker. You need power for the alarm and refrigerator.
• Unplug all fixtures or small appliances that can be accessed.
• Bring into the garage, or otherwise secure all movable exterior items such as small plants in pots, lawn furniture and pool equipment.
• Fill all vehicle fuel tanks.
• If you have time trim all branches or heavy bushes that could damage windows.

Take with you:

• Food and snacks for Two days
• 2 gallons of water per individual
• Clothing for one week
• First aid kit
• Medications for 30 days
• Flashlights and spare batteries
• Cash
• Important documents (wills, insurance, licenses, medical and bank records as needed)
• Pet care items
• Tell a neighbor that is staying where you are going and how to contact you. Exchange numbers.

If you are staying (this is highly discouraged if you are in the immediate path of the storm):

• Increase food supplies to 3-7 days--preferably non-perishable food items.
• Fill up your propane tank for your grill or buy two sacks of charcoal.
• Insure that you have a functional fire extinguisher. ABC type will work on any fire. Remember, with down trees and no reliable phone service 911 may not be an option.
• Increase water supplies to one gallon per person per day.
• Adequate toiletries, diapers and special items to last at least one week
• One flashlight per individual and 1 spare set of batteries per light
• Increase cash on hand.
• Battery operated radio
• Toys books and games
• Tools
• Clean and fill the tub the night before land fall. This water will be used for pets and flushing toilets.
• Do all of your laundry before landfall. You may not have a chance for a week or so.
• Take digital pictures of your home and each room. This will support future insurance claims.
• Store your valuable papers in a waterproof container or bank vault
• Fill bags with ice from your ice machine
• Back up your computer data and store it in a safe place

Additional steps for family safety:

• Discuss hazards that could affect your family (storm surge, rising water, down power lines).
• Determine a safe escape route and two meeting points if you have to evacuate your house unexpectedly. Have a contact person out of the area that each family member can contact if you are separated.
• Locate the safest room in your home. Pre-stock with pillows and blankets if room allows.
• Plan for taking care of your pets.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Kendall Village Homes - Important Phone Numbers

The following is a list of important contacts that residents of Kendall Village Homes may find helpful.

-Miami Management
14275 sw 142 Ave
Miami, FL 33186
(305) 378-0130 phone
(305) 378-0259 fax
www.MiamiManagement.com

-United Water Conservation (update - no charge for water and sewer)
Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 1447
Alpharetta, GA 30009
(800) 442-6655 toll-free phone
(305) 825-9252 local phone
(305) 825-2656 fax
www.CustomerFirst.net (to pay online with account #)

-Florida Power and Light (FPL)
P.O. Box 025576
Miami, FL 33102
(305) 442-8770 customer service and residential inquiries
(800) 4OUTAGE [(800) 468-8243] power outage or hazardous condition
www.FPL.com

-Bellsouth
(877) 737-2478 residential phone repair line
(888) 321-2375 dsl tech support and customer service
(877) 263-2421 dsl home networking tech support and customer service
www.Bellsouth.com

-Adephia Cable
1202 Tech Blvd #205
Miami, FL 33187
(305) 255-3770 customer service
www.Adelphia.com

-Direct TV
(888) 238-7177 new direct tv service
(800) 494-4388 existing direct tv service
www.DirecTV.com

-GE Appliance Warranty Information
(800) 432-2737 customer service for warranty work
www.GeAppliances.com

-Dryer Vent Cleaning
11101 sw 47 Terrace
Miami, FL 33165
(305) 221-9844
www.DryerVentSafety.com

-To Purchase or Sell Your Kendall Village Home
Amit Bhuta
8240 Mills Drive
Miami, FL 33183
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

-Handy Man for Repairs or Updating Your Home
Ryan Nuñez
(305) 979-9931
www.KitchenCabinetGuys.com

Below are some of the companies that did work when Kendall Village Homes was first built.

-BR Electrical Service
13690 sw 142 Avenue
Miami, FL 33186
(305) 238-9909

-Air and Heat Unlimited
6650 nw 37 Avenue
Miami, FL 33147
(305) 557-9321

-AKO Plumbing
4853 sw 75 Avenue
Miami, FL 33155
(305) 269-8033

-Sunshine Window Manufacturing
1745 W 33 Place
Hialeah, FL 33012
(305) 364-9952

-JR Cabinets
4111 nw 132 Street
Miami, FL 33054
(305) 685-8575

-Ceramic Tiles Gallery
790 w 20 Street
Hialeah, FL 33010
(305) 885-5712

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Mortgage Inquiries and Credit Scores

When should buyers shop for their mortgages? In the beginning! Most buyers make the mistake of shopping interest rates first. There is a reason that Realtors suggest more than one mortgage company to their buyers. It is because different lenders have different mortgage programs to offer.

The truth is that buyers should compare mortgage companies before or when they first look at homes. It is not always about the interest rate, which is one of the most common mistakes buyers make. It is about the lowest monthly payment for the lowest cost. Because buyers who shop early will already know which lenders have the best mortgage programs for them, when they find the home of their dreams, they can then easily shop interest rates and payments.

Buyers' number one reason for not shopping different lenders is that they think multiple inquiries on their credit reports will cause their credit scores to decrease. This is not true if shopping is done up front. The information below was taken from www.myfico.com (the web site for the company that came up with the formula to determine your credit score).

What to know about "rate shopping."
Looking for a mortgage or an auto loan may cause multiple lenders to request your credit report, even though you're only looking for one loan. To compensate for this, the (FICO or BEACON) score counts multiple auto or mortgage inquiries in any 14-day period as just one inquiry. In addition, the score ignores all mortgage and auto inquiries made in the 30 days prior to scoring. So if you find a loan within 30 days, the inquiries won't affect your score will you're rate shopping.

Equifax
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
(800) 685-1111
www.equifax.com

Experian
P.O. Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013
(888) 397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
(800) 888-4213
www.transunion.com

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com

Real Estate Market Report (3rd Quarter 2005 Miami Dade County)

Every quarter I prepare a real estate market report for Miami Dade County. The report compares a three month period of this year compared to the same time period for last year. I hope it gives you a better understanding of the real estate market in Miami.

Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.

Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.

Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.


Please click on the image and maximize it when it opens so that the market report is easier to read.

Amit Bhuta
Real Estate Helper
Kendall Village Homes
(305) 439-3031
www.DadeCountyMLS.com