Monthly Archives: October 2021

Peace of Mind – Absentee Home Watch

Absentee – Vacant Home Watch Services…peace of mind for PA and NJ homeowners

We offer a special 2021 Absentee Home Watch and Vacant Home Watch services to provide homeowners with peace-of-mind during extended stays away from home. We often work with corporate executives that take extended work assignments overseas. The question is, what do you do with your home while you are thousands of miles away? With Personal Property Managers, we offer you total peace of mind. While you are away, leave you home to our care. We are an insured and bonded company offering a variety of home watch services. Now you can travel or take an extended work related relocation and not have to worry about coming home to any unwanted surprises or unscheduled maintenance on your home. We tailor our services to meet the individual needs of our clients. So, go ahead… Travel… Enjoy life! We are an award winning company and have been recognized by the SBA. In the event that you are away and we uncover a needed repair, we can notify you and take care of it for you. We provide 2021 best in class services. We proudly service Pennsylvania and the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester and the Main line. In New Jersey we service the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, Middlesex, Union, Ocean, Burlington, Essex and Somerset.

Potential Problems your property will be inspected for via our services:

Storm Damage
Force Entry
Vandalism
Flooding
Moisture Problems
Plumbing Failures
Pest Invasion
Frozen / Broken Pipes
Tripped Breakers
Function of the furnace/heater or air conditioner

Doors/windows locked
Function of the refrigerator
Removal of newspapers
We can start your cars if you wish
We can act as you emergency contact in your absence
If a problem is detected and requires immediate attention, we’ll contact you and handle it for you

We provide full property inspections inside your home and outside your property. Our Absentee Home Watch Service is designed to offer complete management of all the services that need to occur in your absence. You will not have to worry about broken pipes, flooded basements, snow removal, lawn care, storm damage or leaves and old newspapers piling up while you are away from home. We’ll take care of things for you. We can tailor our program to meet your needs. The frequency of our visits is up to you. We also reserve the right to go back to your home during non scheduled inspections when there is a unique weather event or storm just to make sure that your home is safe and secure. The bottom of this page will detail some of our home watch services. Learn more about Personal Property Managers from our recent News Stories.

Professional Services

We can also perform a host of tasks on your behalf to make sure your property is as inviting when you come back to your home as it was when you left it. We are here to help you. PA HIC PA031951. Licensed Realtors in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey via EveryHome Realty, Pennsylvania RS308044 and New Jersey 1326862. Ask for us at EveryHome Realty for more information about our discount real estate services or for the rental and management of your home while you are away.

We offer 6 primary services to help families or executors. They are:

Additional info can be found on this brief 90 second video or a full array of great tips and insights and video by clicking on our resource page. House Sitting Services

Affordability

We are mindful of the budgetary reality of managing your home and property. With our Absentee Home Watch Services, you can afford to have the convenience of home management without the high cost of hiring full-time help. We will check your property based on your preferences, such as weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or any schedule you decide. Basic Absentee Home Watch Services are determined on a per-visit basis.

When Problems Occur We Handle It!

You can count on professional handling of your property and home issues. We notify you of any problems and make recommendations to correct them. We put our knowledge of community trades people to work for you.

We will organize the necessary service, meet with the repair person and admit them into your home. We will stay until the repair person has completed his/her work, set alarms and lock up following their departure. We can also send digital photo of problems or completed repairs by email. The property owner is the person who decides what exact repair is to be done and how much money is to be spent. The homeowner has full control and the final say, regarding the satisfaction or outcome of work completed. Personal Property Managers will carry out your specifics wishes. We become your eyes, ears and voice, when you can not be here to manage your home details.

How Is A Crisis Situation Handled?

When a crisis occurs (and they do!) you will be glad it isn’t your neighbor watching over your home! You will have peace-of-mind because you have a professional service in place to handle these upsetting events. There is no worry with Personal Property Managers!

A crisis is handled on the spot. There may not be time to call the homeowner to get pre-approval for expenditures in this case. The main concern in a crisis is to get the situation under control as fast as possible. You will be called as soon as it is feasible. Many times a homeowner can not be reached immediately and the situation can not wait. We have saved further destruction of homes by fast action. Your crisis may need an immediate plumber, electrician, sewer technician or handyman before we can locate you. We completely handle any crisis. This is one of the qualities you will want from a home service company like ours. When hiring an “absentee home watcher” always ask yourself whether the company/person you are hiring can efficiently handle emergency situations? This is what separates a professional service from the local person who “watches homes on the side.” We focus solely on our business and we have the highest reputation to prove it!

World Wide Access

We report all our activities to you from the comfort of your computer. You can see our work from anywhere in the world via our exclusive Internet access. While you are away, you will be given special access to online messages and digital photos of your home and any needed work or repairs. All home visits are documented and digitally photographed per your requirements. A copy of our checklist and pictures will be forwarded to you at your request. Now you can relax and leave the details to us.

Sample of Basic Interior Absentee Home Watch Check List:

Check that security system is functioning
Resetting electric appliances/breakers from power outage/surge
Check smoke alarms/replace batteries
Blinds are adjusted
Flush/check all toilets
Run/check all faucets
Run kitchen sink disposal
Watering of indoor plants (if requested)

Function of the furnace/heater or air conditioner
Doors/windows locked
Function of the refrigerator
Removal of newspapers
We can start your cars if you wish
We can act as you emergency contact in your absence
If a problem is detected and requires immediate attention, we’ll contact you and handle it for you.

Sample of Basic Exterior Absentee Home Watch Check List:

Inspect area for vandalism and forced entry
Check doors, windows & screens to be sure they are secure
Clear out unwanted flyers and newspapers from your yard/mail box
Inspect roof and gutters
Check outside faucets
Snow removal service offer upon request

Estate Sale Services Pennsylvania (PA)

Why Choose Personal Property Managers

We are an award winning organization dedicated to providing personalized services and offering you solutions that are tailored to your specific needs.

For more insights, tips and videos please visit our Resource Page in the About us tab.

We tend to your property and its contents like it was our own. We know that often times a move, a home downsizing or sale can be overwhelming and physically demanding. We can handle everything for you. When you call us, you get us. We are on site at every job. You can rely on us and trust us. With Personal Property Managers…one call does it all. We are Estate Specialists, are licensed Realtors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and are certified Senior Real Estate Specialist via EveryHome Realty, RS308044 and 1326862. Please call us for a free consultation at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909.

Downsizing – What to do with your home contents when you move?

Insights into what to do with your home contents when you are downsize and move

If you are downsizing or helping a loved one who has lived in their home for many years to transition, move, relocate or settling an estate, then you know how overwhelming this process can be. It can be extremely emotional. It can be physically demanding. It can be very time consuming. Thats just the start of it. Now the next challenge in downsizing is what to do with all of your home content? If you are moving from a larger home into a smaller more efficient home, then you will be faced with where do you put all your old stuff in your new setting? Naturally, you can’t physically put 40 years of your life’s possessions, complete with stuffed attics, basements, garages, and multiple bedrooms into a smaller home, active adult community, condo or senior care community. So now what? You may ask yourself questions like, can I sell my things? What are they worth? Will anyone want them? Will my grandchildren want anything? On top of all of this, selling items today, in the Corona Virus era is a real challenge. Ask yourself, would you want to go into someones house today with the risk of catching COVID-19? The demand for selling pre-owned items today has changed dramatically.

This is part of a continuing 2021 best in class series of articles and helpful tips and insights into helping you with your home and downsizing by Nick Santoro and Joe Santoro of Personal Property Manager. Personal Property Managers specializes in providing a one-stop solution for your full service real estate needs, marketing, home downsizing, content clean-out and removal and estate sales. We services Pennsylvania and New Jersey. These tips and insights are especially important and true in the environment we are in today, with the global economy turned upside down, massive job losses, and the need for extreme social distancing due to the Corona Virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease.

Did you know that downsizing and moving ranks as one of lifes most difficult events, along with loss of a spouse, divorce and job change?

When your needs change, your home may need to change with them.

Homeowners are constantly living through change. From empty nesters who just don’t need their large home anymore, to seniors moving into retirement facilities; downsizing can be a new and often overwhelming and humbling reality.

Nick Santoro says that… “Most of our clients are adult children in their 60’s who are working with elderly loved ones who are in their 80’s; who are downsizing from a big home where they raised their kids, into a condo, a senior care community, or moving in with a relative.” Nick points out that, “… we are often downsizing a family with a home from over 3,000 or more square feet to between 400 to 700 square feet, so a lot has to go.”

Joe Santoro, co-founder of Personal Property Managers says that the first place to start is the space you have in your new place. Joe encourages people to think about their current lifestyle, and in that respect, some items that have been accumulated will naturally eliminate themselves, based on usage or lack thereof.

Santoro points out that many downsizers choose not to keep a formal dining room set anymore; there’s just not enough room in the new space, so the big dining room table and hutch are often among the first big items to go. It is also important to note that items that were highly valued and marketable in the past are just not the case today.

Nick says, “the next step is deciding if any family members might want a dining room set or other household contents you no longer want and can no longer fit in your new home. If family doesn’t want it, you may be able to sell it.” However, Joe Santoro points out that the market is flooded with items like older more formal dining room sets, pool tables and pianos, so you won’t get as much value as when it was initially purchased. Joe points out that the style today is what is described as contemporary / transition furniture. It’s well made but less formal and much smaller in size. Personal Property Managers assists clients in helping them liquidate their home contents, to clean out their homes, sell their home / property at the best price and even move residents. This is accomplished through hosting an estate sale if the contents warrant it, or helping to liquidate it though its vast array of resources. It some cases, items may be donated. Personal Property Managers is a service disabled Veteran owned business, so its priorities are working with Veterans in need or veteran groups. Of course, some items must be disposed of.

Joe points out that people often make the mistake of thinking a charity is going to clean out their house for nothing and just take everything the owners no longer want. This is far from reality.

When it comes to selling items, Joe Santoro points out that people often have an over inflated opinion of the value of their contents. Just because you paid $2,000 for a sofa and love seat 10 years ago, you should be prepared to accept less than 10% of that today, and that depends upon its condition. Rips, tears, pet odors or smoking odors will totally eliminate any potential for items to be sold. Joe often starts off by asking people, “how much would you pay for a 12 year old couch?” Often the answer is “I wouldn’t.” Joe, points out that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it at a given point in time.

Lastly, on this subject, Joe and Nick Santoro are often asked about moving items to storage units. While this is strictly a personal decision of the clients, often driven by emotion, the Santoro’s point out that the cost of a storage unit, kept over time, is often more costly than the actual contents are worth.

At Personal Property Managers, we understand the emotional toll downsizing and moving can take on our clients and their families. If you are moving from your home of many years into a senior care community or just relocating, our goal is to help you transition seamlessly to this exciting new chapter in life.

Nick Santoro says that of the many challenges of moving, downsizing is the most difficult. Nick says the reason for this is that you have to make decisions about every personal possession in your home. Personal Property Managers is at your side helping you every step of the way.

Santoro suggests viewing downsizing as a process. We suggest that you start with small goals, and plan on sorting for just a few hours at a time.

Sorting through the easiest and obvious first. Choose a room where what needs to go or stay is the most obvious – like your bedroom or a room that’s rarely used.
Using colored stickers, labels or Post-It notes to identify where items will go. More efficient than writing out a list, movers and family members can use the stickers as guidance on moving day.
Assessing practicality and sentimentality. Items that are both practical and sentimental should move with you. Items that are neither should be left for family, sale or charity.
Eliminating duplicate items or items that are the wrong size. Chances are, you only need three sets of towels, not six. If clothing doesn’t fit, don’t bring it with you.

Before the move, Santoro recommends creating a floor plan and determining the practicality of existing furniture. Nick says, “Don’t go out and buy new furniture. Instead, be open to using furniture in new ways. For more insights, tips and videos please visit our Resource Page in the About us tab. ”

We offer 6 primary services to help families or executors. They are:

Additional info can be found on this brief 90 second video or a full array of great tips and insights and video by clicking on our resource page.For more information on real estate or home downsizing please contact Nick Santoro or Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers at 215-485-9272 or 908-368-1909. Personal Property Managers specializes in helping home owners transition from their home of many years into a new community. Personal Property Managers services Pennsylvania and New Jersey and offers downsizing services, estate sales services, home staging, discount full service real estate services via its association with EveryHome Realty. Learn more about Personal Property Managers from our recent News Stories.

Home Modifications When Moving In an Elderly Loved One

Home modifications tips for elderly parents moving in with caregivers

Helping Seniors Move in PA NJ With Americans living longer and longer, and with the baby boomer retirement population exploding, and expecting to almost double in the next few years, one option that many families are taking is having elderly parents move in with their adult caregiver children.

We have found that it’s very important to consider certain home modifications so you can accommodate elderly loved ones moving in with you.

This is part of our 2021 best in class continuing series of articles and helpful tips and insights into senior care and senior transition services by Nick Santoro and Joe Santoro of Personal Property Managers. Personal Property Managers specializes in senior transition services such as downsizing, content clean out and removal, estate sales, full service real estate and property sale and moving and services PA and NJ.

Some general safety and room-by-room details to consider include:
Make sure to have study handrails on all indoor and outdoor steps
Install nonskid strips on or near steps and near the edges.
For those with visual impairments, the strips should be a color that contrasts with the color of the steps.
Light switches should be located near all entrances to each room, at each end of hallways, and at the top and bottom of stairwells.
Lighting should be sufficiently throughout the home.
Consider replacing traditional door knobs with lever handles which are easier to operate than doorknobs.
Interior doors should have locks that can be opened from either side.
Hallways and doorways should be wide enough to accommodate a walker or wheelchair.
The water heater should be set at 120 degrees to reduce the risk of scalding.
Solid color carpeting with dense pile will lower fall risks. Deep pile carpeting can be more difficult to walk on, and patterned carpeting may cause optical illusions for those who have difficulty with depth perception.
To lower fall risks with hardwood floors, avoid wax or high gloss polishes or throw rugs.
Avoid room entrances with raised door thresholds.
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be present near all sleeping areas.
Check that kitchen cabinets and countertops are a comfortable height, and that there is space to roll a wheelchair under a counter, if needed.
A side-by-side refrigerator/freezer will be easier to use than a top-bottom model.
Electric or gas stoves should not be positioned under a window because the presence of curtains will increase the risk of fire.
Sinks should have a single-lever mixing faucet.
The touch pad of a microwave should be large and easy to read, and the device should be in a convenient location.
There should be one bathroom located on the main floor of the home, as well as near the bedroom (if the home is multi-level).
Grab bars should be present or can be installed near the toilet and tub/shower.
Check that the toilet is a comfortable height.
It is recommended that the tub/shower has a hand-held spray unit, and a built-in seat or space to utilize a shower chair (chairs are available which extend over the side of a tub if a stall shower is not present, however you will need a curtain instead of shower doors to minimize water escaping from the shower.)
A pedestal sink may be needed if a wheelchair or regular chair will be used in front of the sink.
The size of the bathroom should be adequate for wheelchair maneuverability
Avoid throw rugs and bathmats. The floor should be carpeted (low pile), or matte-finished, textured tile instead of a smooth, potentially slippery surface.
Towel racks and built-in soap dishes should be secure and not located where they might be used as a grab bar.
One Bedroom should be available on the main floor of the home.

We have learned over the years that these modifications can make a world of difference for your elderly loved one.

For more insights, tips and videos please visit our Resource Page in the About us tab.

We offer 6 primary services to help families or executors. They are:

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