Selling our little beach house in South Florida means we are one step closer to the dream. Right now, in South Florida the buyers have the advantage, so we are grateful to get a good price, and our buyer is allowing us to lease back the house for two months. We are leaving most of the beachy furniture, rugs and decor, which we swapped for a rent-free lease back from the buyer. We’re very happy with our realtor, Dylan Snyder and highly recommend him if you are looking to sell or buy a home in Palm Beach County. You can contact Dylan below:
In today’s post, I’m talking about security for our new home. I can’t talk about this topic without acknowledging that many people in the U.S. and world face life threating situations daily. I write this post knowing we are lucky to have the means to live in safer areas than others in our community. In our case, we are adding a few security features, including exterior doors with multipoint locks, alarm system and cameras. In addition to the security details, I’ll also provide a build and interior design update.
Security
I have lived in low crime areas most of my life, but I know this is an important topic for many folks, especially ones that live in dangerous neighborhoods. Poverty, substance abuse and violence plague many areas in our communities. I have personal experience with poverty, including growing up in a family filled with substance abuse, violence, childhood sexual abuse and the crushing weight of poverty. Do you know that kids who grow up with the repeated stress of abuse, neglect, parental addiction, mental illness, and violence are three times as likely to have heart disease and lung cancer later in life?
These challenges have been studied and now have a name – Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACES measure the challenges these children face, and medical evidence shows that ACEs have “long-term, measurable effects on the development of the brain, immune system, hormonal systems and genetic regulation through mechanism of toxic stress.”, according to Dr. Nadine Burke Harris. Dr. Burke explains, “Understanding ACEs and toxic stress is critical to understanding the risk childhood trauma poses to individuals, families, and society. Only when we understand the root cause, can we begin the process of healing through integrated, trauma-informed care.” Learn more about ACEs below:
https://www.nadineburkeharris.com/aces
Before you think you’ve suddenly entered a pity party, let me assure you the child with seven out of ten ACES survived and now thrives beyond her wildest dreams. It’s also important to note here that I had advantages that many others don’t, including being white and mildly attractive. I also had older sisters who protected me from the physical violence they endured. Therapy was crucial to healing, including helping me identify my trigger points and learning how to cope. Part of my healing journey included giving back to community members that face the same challenges I did as a kid. Volunteering and serving as a nonprofit board member, including Board Chair at Community Partners of South Florida was a wonderful blessing. I learned so much and was humbled to offer my financial expertise and monetary support as a board member.
Crime Statistics
I’m guessing you don’t need a study to tell you which areas in your community have more crime. Not surprisingly, there is more crime near shopping centers, locations with more people and lower income neighborhoods. I checked the crime statistics of our current home in Jupiter and our new home in NW Montana. The data showed 37 crime incidents per 1,000 residents in Palm Beach County, FL verses 22 per 1,000 residents in Flathead County, MT. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains records of crime rates for all counties in Montana, including Flathead County. In the 2019 report, the FBI recorded that Flathead had 1,057 crimes, consisting of 191 violent crimes and 866 property crimes, which actually decreased by 3% from 2018.
Pro Tip: Search crime statistics online for the area you’re considering before renting or buying a home.
Multipoint Locks
Jason, J Martin Builders suggested multipoint locking systems to provide an added layer of security for our front and back doors. Multipoint locks extend most, if not, the full height of the door and have multiple locking points along the edge of the door. The extra locking points strengthen your home’s security by providing a tighter seal along the length of the door, top-to-bottom. This compression also makes the door more weathertight than a standard door, which makes it more energy efficient.
With a standard locking system, your primary lock is in the center, usually a single deadbolt. In that case, the top and bottom of the door don’t have integrated locks which leaves the door more vulnerable to a break-in. Multipoint locks are more expensive than deadbolt applications but provide added security and keep large doors from warping. These benefits are worth the additional expense in our opinion.
Alarm and Cameras
We’ll have discreet security features that provide peace of mind without taking away from the design. The Ring or SimpliSafe security systems provide many options, including a base system or “brains,” keypad, entry, motion and glass break sensors. The sensors can be bought for less than $50 each or “rented” for a low monthly fee. We’ll probably buy all our security pieces instead of paying for them every month. It costs more upfront but means we’ll “break-even” in two years and have the option of not paying for monthly monitoring. Other options include:
- Panic button
- Key fob
- Extra keypad
- Smart Lock
- Siren
- Water Detection
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors
- Temperature sensor
- Security yard sign
- Professional Set-up
We will be installing cameras, including outdoor and doorbell cameras, which will allow us to see what’s happening 24/7. These cameras offer high-quality HD video, night vision, and 10x zoom to ensure you never miss a detail. They can quickly identify threats outside your home and can alert you and live agents to help prevent a break-in before it’s too late. These cameras provide peace of mind, but we are most excited about the trail cameras we are planning for a few spots on our 14 acres. We’ve personally seen lots of deer, turkey, and birds while visiting our property. The neighbors have seen black bears and even a mountain lion, so we’re looking forward to capturing these critters on video.
General Security Tips
In addition to installing a security system with cameras, you should also consider the following:
- Lock all doors and windows. A lot of home burgerlies happen due to unlocked openings.
- Most robberies occur during the day, but motion detectors for lights can help.
- Buy locks for the bottom of sliding doors or put down a bar to prevent it from being forced open.
- Don’t keep spare keys in obvious places. If you have to leave a key for someone, put it in a secured lockbox.
- Don’t post too much information on social media. This includes large purchases, house numbers or travel plans. Many burglars use social media to target their victims.
- Secure garages and sheds.
- Password protect your wi-fi network to stop thieves from using information to monitor your home and control wi-fi connected to cameras and alarm systems.
- Make it look like you are home by leaving a car in the driveway, using timed lighting inside and out, placing a Hold Mail with the US Post Office, and leaving a radio or TV playing inside.
- Place jewelry, money, important documents, and family heirlooms in a locked, immovable safe.
- If you live in a wildfire zone, be sure to follow fire wise guidelines, which you can learn more about in my post below:
Build Update
As I’ve said on prior posts, we are thrilled with our build partners, J Martin Builders. They are making steady progress, including installing the garage doors which look fantastic! The modern style in black with side windows compliments the house design and color scheme. We’re using side mounted garage door openers, which saves overhead storage space and are easy to maintain. These systems are also quieter than overhead openers. You’ll need a higher ceiling and an outlet near the door, as well as space next to the garage doors to fit the openers.
They’ll be putting up the LP board and batten siding next week. The siding will be painted Sherwin Williams Jasper and will look great with the black trim and black windows. We love the deep, green color which organically blends into the surrounding pines on our property. The fir front door, porch beams and posts will add a nice pop of warmth to the green and black. The natural stone veneer will add more contrast, and the stone adds a rustic touch to our Mountain Modern home.
Our septic field and tank have been installed and approved by the county. The 1,000-gallon propane tank has also been buried, so now utilities are ready to be connected to the house. The contractor has plugged into our power for temporary crawl space fans, as well as space heaters for the crew and drywall work. Insulation and vapor barrier has started in the conditioned crawl space. Please note that the contractors will not run the HVAC system until the house has been professionally cleaned. Running your HVAC during construction can damage it enough that you may need to replace it. Not to mention all the dust, dirt and crap you don’t want in your ductwork.
Now that they have some heat, the subs have started joint compound and will finish up the drywall in two weeks or so. As you can see from the pictures, investing in two 11′ x 7′ window openings and other large windows throughout the house makes our space bright even in the winter. You’ll also notice our propane fireplace has been installed. We’re adding a low, built-in walnut cabinet just to the left of the fireplace. The TV will go above the cabinet in the living room.
The dining room sits across from the living room and has the second set of 11′ x 7′ windows. The entry, just to the right of the dining room features a closet, floating walnut bench and space for a console table. Finally, our primary bathroom is shown in the last two pictures. In the first picture, you’ll see the shower, then free standing tub and behind the short wall is the toilet. On the other side of the bathroom is a linen closet and our double vanity featuring wall-mounted sconces and faucets.
Interior Design Update
My hubby, Jim and I are thrilled with our choice of DeWils Walnut cabinets, but Jim was worried they would be too dark. This is another area where our interior design partners, Joni Stoll Design were really helpful. They provided the reassurance he needed to pull the trigger on the walnut cabinets. Now it’s my turn because, Joni and Kate helped reassure me about our second countertop choice for our kitchen. It feels great to finally have our countertop options selected!
Great Room Stone
Alluvial leathered quartzite will be used for the kitchen island countertop, fireplace surround, and on top of the walnut TV cabinet. This quartzite provides the perfect amount of drama and natural, rustic vibes for our Mountain Modern home. Special thanks to Kate for finding these fabulous slabs!!! The black, grey and white in the Alluvial compliments the walnut used throughout the great room. It also ties into other black elements in the kitchen, as well as the black Anderson 100 series windows and doors. The Alluvial on the fireplace and top of TV cabinet looks great with the walnut in our SketchUp rendering:
Below is a SketchUp rendering with the Alluvial on the kitchen island, which ties into other black elements in the kitchen:
We went back to one of our original stone choices for our kitchen backsplash and perimeter countertops – Cambria MacBeth Quartz. The Subtle honey shading adds warmth and depth to a serene, cool white background featuring soft, subtle taupe veins throughout the slab. This material is durable, maintenance free, and available in an endless array of designs and colors. While quartz countertops are “man-made,” quartz is actually one of the hardest, most abundant natural elements. Cambria combines high-quality, pure quartz with pigments and binder to create strong, compact slabs with unsurpassed performance. You’ll want to stick with soap and water to clean these slabs, which will stain if you leave dark spices, wine or other spills on the countertop. Finally, they can scorch, so be sure to use a trivet for hot pans.
Furnishings
Selling our Florida home for a good price allowed us to add a few items to the builder’s scope of work; walnut paneling in great room, closets, and a floating walnut bench at the entry. The sale also gave us a decent budget for furnishings and decor for the new house. Many of our furniture, art and decor pieces are staying with our So Florida beach house, so we’ll need to purchase quite a few items. I love a collected home, one that exudes warmth and charm. I promise you won’t get this look by buying everything at a furniture store or big box retailer. The trick is to mix vintage and new pieces, i.e., our Kent Coffey MCM high boy and dresser with a new leather and wood bed from Wayfair. We’ll probably end up with a 40-30-30 mix of new, existing and vintage furnishings in our Mountain Modern home. Below is another example we’re considering for the dining room: A 1960s MCM Bassett Prestige Walnut dining set from Facebook Marketplace, a modern Bubble chandelier, and a really cool art feature.
Jim and I will be checking out the MCM Bassett Prestige dining set this weekend. This set had one owner, and it looks like they took good care of it. We love the look and gorgeous walnut color and grain, but we’ll also check the comfort and weight of the chairs. The seller and pictures show some minor damage, but I honestly don’t mind a little wear. It makes me envision a nice grandma sitting down for a yummy meal with her kids and grandkids.
When we met with our builder, Jason he confirmed a mid-late July finish date. Of course, that’s as long as everything goes to plan. That finish date will be a few months earlier than our contract. YAY!!! Many folks give a gift to their builder, and I’ve come up with a unique one for J Martin Builders. After getting Jason’s approval, we purchased social media advertising from a local social media company. They will provide tailored advertising for Jason’s business showing the work he does and the finished home. If you’re interested in building in NW Montana, reach out to Jason at 406-257-1792 or visit his website:
https://www.jmartinbuilders.com/
Our DeWils walnut cabinets for our kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, and living room should be delivered at the end of May. We’ve scheduled another trip in June to see the cabinets and progress made since our last trip. I’ll continue posting build and interior design updates, so be sure to subscribe blow to never miss a post!
Design, Garden, & Travel by Majestic Meadows 
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