With the holiday season in full swing, along with trips to visit family and winter vacations, it’s important for everyone to take stock of their home security. Each year there are over 2.5 million burglaries across the US, with Tennessee reporting 22,517 and Georgia 18,452 burglaries in 2021. 

To protect your home, today’s technology allows for a large variety of customizable options from doorbell and outdoor cameras to motion detectors that you can monitor easily from your smartphone. Full home security systems are more affordable than ever, with local companies offering the peace of mind of professional installation and monitoring with pricing similar to self-installed systems. 

Additionally, security systems are not just an option for homeowners anymore. Wireless home security systems offer protection for renters without any damage to leased property and the convenience of being able to move the system with you. 

Proper outdoor lighting is also especially important in deterring potential theft. If your home does not have adequate lighting, some of the options you may want to consider include motion-detecting flood lights around your home, and solar-powered pathway lights and spotlights to keep entrances well-lit and less enticing to criminals. 

“According to the FBI -2/3 of thefts and burglaries are decided randomly and on the spot.   They want ease and no detection.  A lit entryway, path or home will most likely make them move on and search for an easier target. Light it right through the night,” says Joe Bozich, president of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Chattanooga. “Studies suggest that lighting not only acts as a deterrent of crime, but also improves community cohesion and pride in home ownership.”

As always, make it a habit to lock any vehicles in your driveway or parked at your home and remove any valuables. Theft of personal property from vehicles is the most common type of larceny theft, with over one million reported in 2020 by police. And motor vehicle thefts numbered over 20,000 in Tennessee and over 18,000 in Georgia in 2021. 

If you’ll be away during the holidays, put a hold on your mail and ask a friend to watch for any deliveries. Mail and packages piling up at your door or in your mailbox can alert criminals that you are out of town. It’s also a good idea to leave a light on in the home or use timers to switch lights in the evening, and ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. 

After you have installed a security system, proper lighting, or other safety actions in place, be sure to notify your insurance company. Many insurance policies offer discounts for these preventative measures.

To find out more about home security and outdoor lighting, visit the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga’s member directory at www.HBAGC.net to find a list of qualified, local professionals to help with your needs.

Rising mortgage rates approaching 7% along with declining builder sentiment stemming from stubbornly high construction costs and weakening consumer demand pushed new-home sales down at a double-digit rate in September.

Following a brief uptick in August, sales of newly built, single-family homes in September fell 10.9% to a 603,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Builders continue to face lower buyer traffic due to declining affordability conditions as the housing downturn continues,” said Jerry Konter, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “Builder sentiment has declined for 10 consecutive months. The entry-level market in high-cost areas has been particularly affected, with growing numbers of first-time and first-generation buyers priced out of the market.”

“New home sales are down 14.3% on a year-to-date basis compared to 2021,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Moreover, sales are now down 1.9% on the same basis compared to 2019 levels that were prior to the Covid-related changes to interest rates.”

A new home sale occurs when a sales contract is signed or a deposit is accepted. The home can be in any stage of construction: not yet started, under construction or completed. In addition to adjusting for seasonal effects, the September reading of 603,000 units is the number of homes that would sell if this pace continued for the next 12 months. Notably, the new home sales data do not incorporate cancellations, which according to NAHB survey data have more than doubled compared to a year ago.

Here in the South, new home sales fell 12.1%, but all regions dropped including an 8.1% decrease in the Northeast, 21.2% in the Midwest and 17.6% in the West.

However, some local builders in the Chattanooga area are reporting positive stories. “There is a very compelling financial benefit to buyers purchasing a new GreenTech home today in a high inflation/appreciation environment. GreenTech is focused on buying down interest rates and locking rates to help buyer monthly payments remain cheaper than market rental rates. Additionally, the total cost of ownership of a new GreenTech home is lower than an older home when you include maintenance costs,” says Chad Tyler, CEO of GreenTech Homes. 

If you’re ready to start a new home journey or remodeling project, visit the membership directory at www.HBAGC.net for a list of professionals to help you.  

Looking for fun events in the Chattanooga area? Here are some upcoming happenings sponsored by members of your local Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga.  

EPB is proud to sponsor Reindeer on the Riverfront & Lighted Boat Parade on Friday, November 25. The Tennessee River will be filled with lighted boats, and onshore people can get into the holiday spirit with live music, reindeer and photos with Santa! This event is free for everyone.  

TVFCU has several upcoming events starting with sponsoring Ice on the Landing from November 18-January 29. Enjoy ice skating on the landing in the gardens of the historic Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Visit https://www.iceonthelanding.com/ for tickets and information. TVFCU will sponsor the CHI Lung bus with lung screenings at their Southside branch 125 West 20th Street on November 22.  

TVFCU will also host three Idea Leap Grant Pitch Competitions awarding $175,000 to entrepreneurs in 2023. These events will take place in Chattanooga, Cleveland and Dalton next year during National Small Business Week – the second week in May. Applications open on November 16 are available to small business owners within TVFCU’s 17-county service area. Visit tvfcu.com/idealeap for rules, more information and to apply.

Absolute Stone Design is hosting a holiday open house through November 25 in their showroom on West 25th Street, with notable deals including a free sink. Call 423-531-8185 for more details.

Finally, businesses can reserve their booths now for the 56th Annual Tri-State Home Show at the Chattanooga Convention Center Feb. 24-26. Thousand of current and potential homeowners attend every year! Call  (423) 624-9992 for more information.