4 minute read
DON'T WAIT FOR DISASTER
BY MELANIE ROBITAILLE SR. STAFF WRITER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER
With summer comes fun in the sun for many, but also preparing for a season of severe weather for others. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stating, “extreme weather events such as heat waves and large storms are likely to become more frequent or more intense,” that complicates things for real estate professionals.
“After each storm effects an area the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program assess and makes a determination on how the current building codes are impacted and if any changes or upgrades need to be made to better protect properties,” said Manager and Sales Representative, Joseph Piernas of EXIT Prestige Luxury Realty in Mississippi. To stay on top of this, Franchisee, Tiffany Marshall and her EXIT Magnolia Coast Realty team rely on training by bringing in builders, inspectors, insurance agents, and vendors from all aspects to help educate the office on ever-changing requirements. Being prepared differs for each event, but some guidance is universal as Joseph says, like stocking a kit with essentials, keeping cash and important documents in a safe place to access in a hurry, prepping your property when possible, and leaving in time to avoid getting caught in the event itself.
We provide a list of most used and needed supplies, where sandbag locations may be, hurricane evacuation routes, where the mandatory evacuations have been ordered, and if we can deliver supplies after a storm we do, or we allow people to collect supplies while they last from our office.
—TIFFANY MARSHALL, FRANCHISEE
WHEN STORMS HIT CLOSE TO HOME
Narrowly missing hurricane Katrina at the age of 19, Tiffany knows too well the catastrophic and lasting impacts severe weather can have on businesses, communities, and governments who deal with cumulative effects. Generally, it’s a homeowner’s responsibility to do their due diligence when purchasing, high-risk area or not, but Tiffany aims to go above and beyond at her office.
“A home inspection is important in any purchase but very important in a storm prone area…As a buyer you want to make sure if there’s previous damage it was fixed correctly, by a professional, and not just anyone. If the home ever flooded, you want to ensure it was properly remedied and the home doesn’t contain unknown mold or mildew,” she cautioned. “We also make sure to get [clients] with a wonderful insurance agent who explains the terms of policies to help ensure they have the best possible coverage in the event of a storm. We’ve even gone out and helped clients install hurricane shutters on their home after the purchase is complete!”
Many EXIT associates personally assist with relief efforts for both their communities and fellow brokerages, through the Spirit of EXIT Dollar-For-Dollar Matching Program or independently. EXIT Realty Corp. International has also donated $1M in relief funds to areas hardest hit by disasters since 2017. Joseph and Tiffany help by communicating the need to properly prepare in advance of storms, by collecting supplies for those hardest hit after the fact, and by assessing needs to help where they can. And the same goes for their offices, where contingency, communication, and support plans are in place for their teams.
“We email past clients and provide a list of most used and needed supplies, where sandbag locations may be, hurricane evacuation routes, where the mandatory evacuations have been ordered, and so much more. We post the same to our social media accounts and if we can deliver supplies after a storm we do, or we allow people to collect supplies while they last from our office,” Tiffany shared of the one silver lining she’s taken away from years of dealing with severe weather. She says it’s a feeling that cannot be described unless you’ve felt it firsthand collecting donations by going into a store and loading up cart after cart of supplies and packing your car to the brim to drive a convoy of hope to an office in need.
Franchisee, Tiffany Marshall with carts of donations for those in need
Living and working in disaster prone areas makes this commonplace for many EXIT offices, agents, and their clients, but as Tiffany proudly admits, “We wouldn’t change a thing about where we live and the culture we’ve created through the resiliency of our people after each and every storm that passes.”
