Everyone loves to travel, but there are some precautions you should take just to be on the safe side. Use these travel security tips to help make your next international trip stress-free:
- Be prepared in case your passport is lost or stolen. If your passport is lost, you must immediately notify the embassy or the State Department and report details of the incident. Take copies of the passport, birth certificate and marriage certificate for each person on your trip. You’d need these documents to authenticate yourself to authorities.
- Leave your itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport with a friend or relative. You also can register your travel for free with the State Department so you may be contacted in case of a family emergency or because of a crisis in the area in which you are traveling. Go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html for more details.
- Don’t take your eyes off your laptop. Hundreds of thousands are stolen each year and 97 percent are never recovered. To protect yourself, remove any sensitive information from the laptop before you go and encrypt the data that’s on it. Take a security cable to attach it to a piece of furniture if you leave it in your hotel room. Better yet, you can actually buy tracking software that allows you to record a message (“Get your hands off me, I’ve been stolen!”) that will play when the thief turns it on.
- Purge your wallet or purse of extra credit cards, receipts and any reference to your social security number. Leave your checkbook and debit cards at home.
- Keep a grip on your valuables (especially in crowds). To thwart pickpockets, use security travel purses, bags, belts and money clips. If you’re a man, keep your wallet under your clothes or in your tightest pocket. If you’re using a fanny pack, secure the zipper by using a safety pin or a paperclip fastened to a rubber band around the belt strap.
Real Estate Corner…
Q. What Are The Remodeling Trends For 2010?
A. Obviously, your return on investment depends on where you live. But according to Remodeling Magazine’s “2009-2010 Cost vs. Value report,” which compiles results from members of the National Association of REALTORS® in 80 cities, the trend is toward small-scale projects and replacements.
There’s no doubt that curb appeal helps sell homes. You can improve your home’s exterior without spending a great deal of money by adding a deck, replacing a lawn or enhancing the entranceway.
Because of all the government incentives available, it also makes sense to make any improvements that add to your home’s energy efficiency. For example, you can get a federal tax credit for 30 percent of the cost (up to $1,500) for installing certain products such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, roofing, and heating and cooling equipment. Go to www.energystar.gov for details.
Prospective home buyers continue to look for improvements to kitchens and bathrooms. Instead of a high-end remodel, more people are choosing moderately priced upgrades that will improve their chances of a sale.
If you have any questions, or need capable and trustworthy representation, please call me at 919-270-8426.