“We would like to thank Sheri Hilton for her valuable service.

Sheri listened very carefully and treated us like her family, or a best friend. Finding our home was so easy!

We really appreciated Sheri's exceptional dedication in returning our phone calls and e-mails. We felt like she truly cared about our happiness and satisfaction.

We highly recommend Sheri to anyone who might need help with buying or selling their home.”

Thank You Very Much!

Sanjey & Joliene

“Sheri made selling my home a great experience and giving a down economy she still remained very positive and made every effort to show my home on the weekends. She was great at following up with agents that brought potential buyers.

She was very sincere in her service and respected me and my wishes in listing my home. I wasn't another client to her and always was available and easy to contact. ”

Monte

“My wife and I recently bought our first house with Sheri being our agent. She walked us through every step of the process and was very informative about it.

She definitely knows her stuff and is very pleasant to work with. We were very grateful to have had her expertise. Although we were overwhelmed, she kept us informed and at ease throughout the whole process.

Thank you! Sheri”

Juan & Andrea

“After the two failed attempts and lender rejections at getting approved for our own home, Chuck and I said forget it, hang it up; we are destined to be renters. Then I called Sheri.

If it wasn‘t for your strong encouragement to have no fear this year, that our trust, and faith must be bigger than our fear, now, we would not be closing this week and moving into our own new place. There were hurdles to get through with the transaction, and Sheri gave us steady and calm direction that we will overcome them. I was full of doubt and worry, because it didn‘t work before, and I learned I won‘t let fear of pursuing my dreams hold me back and stand in my way.

We are so happy, we don‘t know whether to cry or jump up and down. Thank you for that lesson.”

Stephanie & Chuck

“Sara and I really think that you have done an unexpected and exceptional job, and more than what we have ever imagined an agent could do in listing our home. You are a super agent!

We very much liked your lovely staging, re-arranging of furniture, photos and virtual tour. Thanks again for your continuous help, all your hard work to try to sell this house and support. I know that you are doing a more than excellent job to sell my townhome, including weekly open houses.

You are really going the extra miles to get this house sold. I'm very impressed!

Thanks for being on top of things; this is great!”

Hussein & Sara A.

“One-thousand thanks for helping us though some scary and uncertain times with losing our home. You held our hands throughout the whole process of the Short Sale, worked so hard marketing, advertising, and put in many long hours for months and months with no guarantee of lender approval or pay.

There were times we just wanted to give up, and you kept us going with faith, trust, belief and hope that it would happen. And it did! Against the odds, our short sale was approved! Now we can rebuild our lives and move on.

You are our number one agent! Each of our friends and family that we have referred to you have thanked us for introducing them to you.”

Mohamed G. & Eyerusalem B.

“I would like to thank Sheri Hilton for her valuable service.

In less than two weeks, Sheri found me a wonderful condo in Mukilteo where I can continue to grow my business, Karen's Alterations.

Answering all my questions and making sure that my needs were being met is a level of service that is rare to experience.

I highly recommend Sheri to anyone who might need help with buying or selling their home.”

Thank You Very Much,

Karen Myers

“Thank you once more for taking such good care of us. Everything is great; signed and done.

You are the greatest and have been such a great help.

This is our second purchase with you and we trust you to continue to take excellent care of us. You are so kind to me and helpful. And we are all very happy!”

Thank you once again!

Mai Ling & James M.

“You helped make our first purchase amazingly easy by giving us encouragement and guidance when we needed it.

Add to this that we were in the midst of getting married and then away on our honeymoon during the purchase you made it all work by helping to coordinate our inspection. Our friends and family are very happy that we have an honest, helpful and diligent real estate agent on our side.

Thank you for all your help and keeping us constantly updated with new developments, and working really hard to get this done.”

Sincerely,

Kevin & Tricia B.

“After shuffling around year after year, renting one place after another, you helped Steve and I get motivated and finally just go for it and have own place to call home.

Your no-pressure personality, confidence, positive energy and excellent negotiating ability, (which saved us thousands off the price, paid for our closing costs, and fixed any items on the inspection report) , was a major benefit.

You are a real Buyer‘s Advocate, watched out and protected us every step of the way (and thanks for putting up with us). My three older sons and daughters will be seeking you out soon to buy their first property.

Sheri, our thanks ~ with sincere appreciation and gratitude!”

Terese K. & Steve G.

Protect your home from Burglars

Here's the inside scoop on the most effective ways to protect your home and family from unwelcome intruders.

Doors:

  • Choose metal exterior doors. If this is not possible, choose a solid wood door instead of a composite one.
  • Make sure door hinges are located inside so doors can't be removed from the outside.
  • If your mail slot is in your door, make sure a hand can't reach through the slot to the doorknob or locks.
  • For sliding glass doors, install a device that secures both the sliding and stationary panels of the door by pinning them together where the frames overlap.
  • Change your locks when you move into a new or existing home. You never know who had access to the home or who may still have keys to it.

Windows:

  • Don't use crescent or "butterfly" latches to secure double-hung windows. They can be pried open easily with a knife. Use a do-it-yourself nail or bolt window stop instead. Drill the hole for the stop at a slight downward angle to prevent a burglar from jiggling the pin out of the hole under pressure.
  • Laminated-glass windows, which can only be cut from one side, foil another burglary method: Quietly cutting glass to gain entry. Laminated security glass products may be specified for virtually any application, regardless of concurrent requirements for heat-transfer, visibility, or aesthetics. They are especially appropriate for front-door windows and sidelights.
  • One ill-advised "security" treatment is the application of film to windows. Window films have never passed tests necessary to certify them as resistant to forced entry, and windows with a daylight application of film - one that is unanchored and adhered to the glass surface only - are actually easier to break than their non filmed counterparts.
  • Windows that are never used - unless they are a means of escape during a fire - should be fastened permanently shut.

General Tips:

  • Pay attention to items that could allow easy access to second-floor windows or balconies. If you're remodeling or painting the exterior of your home, put ladders away at the end of each day.
  • Make it difficult for an intruder to hide; trim bushes and trees to allow maximum exposure of windows and doorways.
  • Motion-detection lights on all sides of the house can also make your home less inviting to burglars.
  • Don't hide your house key outside. If a family member habitually loses or forgets his or her key, develop a better strategy - perhaps giving a set of keys to a trustworthy neighbor, or hanging the key on a long chain that a teen can wear around the neck.
  • Lower the volume of your telephone's ring so it can't be heard outside your house. (An unanswered phone tells a burglar casing your house that no one's home.)
  • Don't enter your home if it appears to have been burglarized; call the police from a cell phone or neighbor's house.

Alarm Systems:

According to the FBI, homes equipped with centrally monitored alarm systems are 15 times less likely to be targets of break-ins. These steps will help you choose one that's right for your security needs.

  1. Determine how much protection you need:

    The goal of a residential security system is to detect an intruder as early as possible, alert the home's occupants to his presence, and scare him away before he does any harm. Progressive layers of protection accomplish this goal. Imagine four concentric circles around your house, with your family and your most valuable possessions at the center. The interior of your home is the second layer, the exterior shell of your home is the third, and the property around your home is the fourth. For most people, a system that protects the second and third circles is both effective and cost efficient. This involves sensors on the windows and exterior doors, with interior motion detectors as backup to the point-of-entry protection. The additional cost of protecting the innermost circle adds spot protection for high-value areas, such as a security closet or safe; at this level the system will include 24-hour panic buttons. At the outermost circle of protection, motion sensors let you know when someone has come onto your property. Unless you live in a remote or hidden location, this protection is likely more than you need for the costs involved.

  2. Decide how you want the system to respond

    At a minimum, include one interior siren to scare off the burglar and alert you to the situation. You may want to add an exterior siren so that the neighbors know when your alarm is activated. Also, consider whether you want the system monitored by a central station.

  3. Choose a type of alarm system

    A basic alarm system is a low-voltage electrical circuit with sensors installed on doors and windows. When the flow of electricity through a sensor is interrupted because the door or window is opened, a siren sounds or a light flashes. Many systems also include motion sensors. When something moves within the sensor's range, an alarm sounds. Some systems are monitored systems, meaning they send a signal to a central station where operators, in turn, notify police. Electronic alarm systems come in two basic types:
    • Wired systems require running low-voltage electrical wires from a master control panel to doors and windows, motion detectors, keypads, and sirens. The wires are usually concealed inside walls and in crawlspaces. Professional installers can hide the wires.
    • Wireless systems use miniature radio transmitters instead of wires, so very little drilling and no special tools are required for installation. You can take a wireless system with you when you move. A wireless system is a better do-it-yourself choice.
    Both wired and wireless systems can be enhanced with a variety of options - from motion detectors that aren't tripped by pets to remote access that allows you to check the system by phone.

  4. Compare prices.

    Get bids from two or three reputable security companies in your area. Be sure to compare not only the installation charges but also annual inspection costs and monthly fees (for monitored systems). Also, check with your insurance agent to see if you'll receive a discount for installing a certain type of system.

  5. Use it right.

    Alarm systems are only a part of good home security, and electronic systems have to be used properly to be effective. Solid doors and locks, as well as security-smart lighting and landscaping, are still important as well.
Content provided by Better Homes and Gardens -
From the HomeAdvisor.msn.com website