CommunityGreat things about this little townUncategorized December 12, 2017

Why Community Involvement from your Agent Should Matter to You

Free Masks During Fire Season

Kandi Bersanti winning 2016 Community Involvement Award

This is a topic that is close to my heart. The more involved I get in the Moses Lake Community the more I see, especially this community, how much we need people to get involved. We want to have a community that everyone wants to belong to, we want to feel that what we do matters to this community. With Windermere’s emphasis on community and core values we are able and expected to be out in the community making it a better place to live for you. Every time you use a Windermere agent you are saying that community matters and that businesses that contribute are important to you. Here we are as a company making a living off of those that live in our community and those who choose us, there should be a level of expectation from you that the business will in turn contribute in a positive manner to the place that you live. Look at those you do business with in the community and pay attention to those that you see out doing good and understand and see where their companies heart truly lies. What are they doing to help make this place better?

This year we were able to contribute thanks to you to:

Grant County Homeless Task Force

Moses Lake Canine Program

Moses Lake Museum and Art

Community Family Services

Grant County 4-H & FFA Sale

Boys & Girls Club

Moses Lake Booster Club

Community Services of Moses Lake

Columbia Basin Allied Arts

Big Bend Intervention Fund Donation

Windermere Shred Day

This list is not inclusive of all the committees we are involved with and individual donations we all make as agents.  We at Windermere THANK YOU for allowing us to do what we do.

2017 Donation Tree to Habitat for Humanity

HomeHome ImprovementSafety December 5, 2017

Home Security

Every 23 seconds, a house is burgled in the United States, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Each break-in costs home owners an average of $2,200 in stolen personal goods and possessions.

A $250 to $700 home security system can provide a powerful deterrent: it sends the message that your house won’t be an easy target, and gives crooks a strong incentive to pick another place.

How a home security system works

A home security system works like this: a keypad in your house’s entryway communicates with sensors and motion detectors around the home. The brain of the system—the control panel—is installed in the attic or utility room.

If an intruder breaks a window or kicks in a door:

  • The sensor sends signals to the control panel, which typically uses your phone line to contact an off-site monitoring station.
  • Simultaneously, it sets off an ear-splitting siren within the house.
  • Staffers call the house immediately and ask for a password.
  • If there’s no response, or if the person who picks up the phone gives the wrong password, monitors will notify the police.

Types of installers

Once you’ve elected to invest in a home security system, you’ll need to decide whether to go with a national installer or a local company. Security experts recommend choosing a company with at least ten years’ experience. Either way, you’ll spend $35 to $75 per month on monitoring fees.

  • National firms boast that their call centers are fully redundant, which means if a center in Oshkosh loses power, the Vancouver center will pick up the slack.
  • Local installers are going to be close by, and those companies have an incentive to do a great job in order to maintain their reputation in the community.
  • Full service companies—ones that operate and control all aspects of your home security system, from installation to service and monitoring—generally provide good personalized care and attention to detail.

Before you sign a contract:

  • Talk to neighbors who own a home security system about their installer; if you’re new in town, ask firms for letters of reference.
  • Choose a company that offers 24-hour repair service.
  • Finally, educate yourself online before making a call; websites such as www.alarmsystemreviews.com offer useful information about home security systems.