Morris Childs's (morrischilds) Blog

Maintenance costs need to be considered when purchasing a home. General estimates indicate that every home will require between 1 percent and 3 percent of the home’s value in annual maintenance costs, and this figure does not necessarily include major or emergency repairs. Prevention Saves Time a...

To avoid unexpected mishaps that could ruin an evening around the fireplace, observe some simple precautions. Clean fireplaces annually, preferably by a certified chimney sweep. Use safety screens and doors for wood-burning fireplaces. Before lighting any fire, check to see that flue damper is op...

Knowing what some of the usual situations our consultants discover during an inspection allows you to be a well-informed buyer. Over the years, and borrowing on over a half million inspections, here’s what we’ve discovered as the top 10 defects in most homes. Repair and replacement costs for such...

According to burglary experts Matt Johnston and Jon Douglas Rainey, hosts of It Takes a Thief, most homes are cased from the outside. Seasoned thieves know what to look for and focus on being able to get in and out of a home quickly, quietly and without being seen. There are a variety of affordab...

 Places that water is present are generally layered.  If one layer of protection fails there will be a second to prevent damage.  This is true of properly constructed roofing and exterior components but not the other area in the home that sees a lot of water: the bathroom.   The seam between the ...

The Tour Factory Marketing Engine is a comprehensive plan that helps agents acquire and sell more listings. As with any engine, the Tour Factory Marketing Engine is comprised of parts that work together to bring everyone to the table and close the deal. When it comes to Virtual Tours, this one "H...

This is a great post: Many things in our homes and on our properties that we take for granted in our daily lives can cause injury or death to our fine, furry, four-legged friends, such as Zoey the Cool Cat (picture at left). Following are ten tips to help create a poison-safe home for your pet. I...

Check out what my better half is doing. I am teaching classes at my office, the Keller Williams office in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Since my degree is on education, teaching is one of my passions. I am really excited, as I love to help my fellow agents learn and love to teach. Growing people ...

  With the warm weather and all of the rain that we have had here in the upstate of South Carolina we are seeing the return of the fire ants. For those of you who live in areas where there are no fire ants, consider your self luck. These little insects make a mess in your flower beds and when the...

First we had the snow, then we had all of the rain and today we have had a beautiful, warm, sunny spring day. Our temperature reached seventy degrees today. One of the things that have come out with the sunshineare the bees. The bradford pear trees are blooming and they are covered with bees and ...