4 Things Every Homeowner Should Know Before an Emergency

Homeowner Tip:
4 Things Every Homeowner Should Know Before an Emergency

When something goes wrong at home, every minute matters. Knowing where these four things are before an emergency happens can help minimize damage, save money, and give you peace of mind.

💧 Main Water Shutoff
A burst pipe, leaking water heater, or broken washing machine hose can release gallons of water in just minutes. Knowing how to quickly shut off your home’s water can significantly reduce water damage while you wait for a plumber.

⚡ Electrical Panel
Know where your electrical panel is and which breakers control major appliances and areas of your home. If a circuit overloads, an outlet sparks, or an appliance malfunctions, you can safely turn off power to that area instead of searching through unlabeled breakers during a stressful situation.

🔥 Gas Shutoff (if your home has natural gas)
If you ever smell natural gas or suspect a gas leak, leave the home immediately and contact your gas utility or 911 from a safe location. Knowing where the gas shutoff valve is can be helpful if emergency responders or your gas company instruct you to turn off the gas. Never attempt to locate it for the first time during an emergency.

🚿 Sewer Cleanout
A clogged main sewer line can cause wastewater to back up into sinks, tubs, showers, or basement drains. Knowing where your sewer cleanout is can help a plumber access the line more quickly, potentially reducing cleanup time and preventing additional damage.

Taking just a few minutes to locate these key features today can make a stressful situation much more manageable tomorrow.

📚 Back-to-School Teacher Giveaway! 📚

We absolutely love our local teachers! In fact, one of us (Ariel), spent more than a decade teaching third grade at Columbia Public Schools before joining our real estate team. 💜

As we head into the new school year, we want to help one deserving local teacher build their classroom library.

We’re giving away a $200 Skylark Bookshop gift card to one deserving teacher to help fill their classroom library with great books! 📖

Click the link below to go to our Facebook or Instagram page and tag a local teacher in the comments on our giveaway post. (Be sure to follow us on social media for some BIG news coming soon!)

We will randomly select one deserving teacher on August 10th and contact them directly.

Thanks to all of our local teachers for the incredible difference you make in the community. We appreciate you and hope you have an amazing school year! 🏫

A Few Things From Taylor This Month

❤️ What clients might not know
If you’ve worked with me before, you probably know way more about me than you ever intended. I’m a chronic oversharer, so there aren’t many secrets around here. 😂 But one thing you might not know is that I’m a die-hard dog mom. I have two Labrador Retrievers, Ozzy, who’s 5 years old, and MoMo, who’s 5 months old. They’re my favorite coworkers, my walking buddies, and the reason my camera roll is 98% dogs. Fair warning… if you ask how they’re doing, you’re probably getting pictures.

🔑 Real Estate Truth of the Month
Here’s the truth about buying or selling a home: you can’t control a real estate transaction. There are lenders, inspectors, appraisers, title companies, contractors, agents, buyers, sellers… and every single one of them has their own timeline and priorities. Something unexpected is almost guaranteed to happen. My job isn’t to make sure nothing goes wrong, it’s to know the contract inside and out, solve problems as they come up, and keep you moving toward the finish line. I promise there will be bumps along the way, but that’s exactly why you hire someone who knows how to navigate them.

🌳 My Perfect Saturday
If I’m not showing houses, my perfect Saturday is pretty simple. I’d have my husband take me out for breakfast, take my pups Ozzy and MoMo for a long walk, then head home to cook a big meal for family & friends. At the end of the day, home is my favorite place to be. As much as I love helping other people buy and sell houses, I also love slowing down, making memories, and enjoying my own mortgage.