A Popular Location to Visit

Tourism is key in “The Windy City.” Last year, tourism accounted for more than 145,000 of all jobs and brought in $15 billion to the economy. In 2016, there were over 54 million visitors who travelled to Chicago. Compared to the year before in 2015, there was a 2.9 percent increase in travel. These overall numbers included people both on business and on vacation.

The two main reasons for the increased number of visitors are due to the various large-scale city events and attractions. Famous landmarks draw in an impressive number of people, locations such as: Wrigley Field (home of the Cubs), Millennium Park, Cloud Gate, Skydeck, Field Museum, The Magnificent Mile and others. These places are iconic—people want to be a part of something they have always heard so much about and finally have the opportunity to experience first-hand.

And while tourism growth has reached record numbers, Henry Hartevelt, the President of the Travel Industry Consistency Atmosphere Research Group stated, “The city will need to curb some of the violence continually making headlines to maintain that momentum.” He continued, “It may take a toll on leisure travelers who have complete discretion on where they choose to go.”

So despite Chicago’s popularity, the city will have to tackle its alarming crime rate if it wants to maintain its place as one of the leading travel locations to visit in the U.S. People want to feel safe and secure anywhere they venture—not just visitors but the residents of Chicago as well. One of the best ways to prevent crime is to come together as a community.

Life In Chicago

Despite its current issues with crime, Chicago is an appealing city for many people to live in. It is more than a place that continues to have issues with crime— stemming from its infamous Al Capone mafia days in the 1920s during the Prohibition era. Then, there was literally terror openly on the streets. Fast forward to today, Chicago is also more than a city that is renowned for simpler things, such as its deep-dish pizza.

Chicago is a sprawling metropolis with an abundant culture of diverse food, music and art. There is no place quite like it. As the third largest city in the U.S.—ranks just behind New York City (8.5 million) and Los Angeles (3.9 million), Chicago is home to an estimated 2.7 million people. The median age of its residence is 32 and mainly comprises of people of Caucasian, African American and Latino decent. The number of occupied homes is 1,045,560 and consists of mainly family-led households.

The Housing Market

Regarding the housing market, those in the metro areas have done best since the Great Recession of 2008. It has taken many areas to bounce back years after the recession ended. Other locations, such as the Northwest side have fared better than those on the Southside. Those on the Northwest side have more home equity, whereas those on the Southside frequently are facing underwater mortgages.

Only 15 percent of Chicago homeowners are viewed as being equity rich, meaning they have over a 50 percent steak in their homes. On the contrast, over 17 percent owe 25 percent or more than their current market home value. Regarding equity wealth, areas throughout the Northwest side are doing the best, including these neighborhoods: Old Irving Park, Mayfair and Jefferson Park, Logan Square and Avondale. These areas and numbers only reflect homeowners and don’t take into account the financial statuses of renters throughout the city.

One thing is clear: neighborhood wealth directly impacts the levels of crime a specific area will experience.

Migration to the City

One alarming thing to note is that Chicago’s population numbers are seeing the greatest population losses of any other major U.S. metropolitan city. The U.S. Census Bureau released this data in March of 2015. The report shows that the metro area decreased by 6,300 in a one-year span (July 2014-July 2015). This is part of Chicago’s total loss of over 80,000 people. Within the U.S., Chicago is losing its people to other locations (domestic out-migration) more quickly than it is having people migrate to the city.

Other large cities, such as New York City and Los Angeles see large domestic out-migration as well, but also see migrations to the city, offsetting any losses. After Chicago, the second worst city to see a net population loss was Detroit, which has had a floundering economy.

It goes to say that Chicago is at a crossroads if it’s not careful with things that can negatively impact its population. Crime is undoubtedly one such component that will potentially make people want to pack up and leave.

Chicago and Crime

As stated before, Chicago has a complex relationship with crime—stemming from over a century ago. Al Capone set the stage for the mafia presence in the area, but it wasn’t the last stint of corruption it would see. Plenty goes on today in various forms. From theft, burglaries, violent crimes and assault, murder and rape, Chicago is a city that has it all.

To put it into perspective: halfway through 2017, violence in Chicago had claimed the lives of 323 people. From an annual perspective, 2017 is likely to see over 700 homicides—more than what it has been in 20 years. Even in comparison to the more populous cities of New York and Los Angeles, Chicago has a higher murder rate.

Much of Chicago’s violence surrounds its gangs, which have a hand in everything from petty crimes to drug dealing. Other factors include unemployment, racial divide and hardships of the South and Western parts of the city. And while there are police to help prevent citywide crime, Chicago as a whole now faces a strong resentment of its police force due to recent cases of racially-related police shootings of citizens.

How Can You Protect Your Home and Family?

Where your home security and personal safety are concerned, there are things you can do to ensure that you are better protected from things such as burglaries and violent home invasions. Every year, approximately 2 million homes experience a home invasion; however, with a home security system, your home will be 3 times less likely to be targeted. Home security systems provide a peace of mind, allowing you to worry less and focus more on the things that matter most to you, such as your family and daily activities. Enjoy all that Chicago has to offer—after all, it’s a city with plenty of great things to offer.

A home security system will require paying for upfront costs. And while those costs vary—depending on which package option you choose with ADT monitoring (Basic package: $36.99/mo.; Basic Wireless package $48.99/mo.; ADT Pulse package $52.99/mo.; ADT Pulse + Video package $58.99/mo.), there are numerous financial benefits of having a home security system in your home. Consider it an investment that also provides constant security monitoring to help protect your home and loved ones. It’s beneficial no matter what perspective you look at.

So now, you may be questioning how exactly will a home security system provide financial benefits. Here’s three different ways that’ll put money back into your pocket:

1. It Reduces Homeowner’s Insurance

Having homeowner’s insurance isn’t necessary to have; however, some mortgage lenders do require it to help protect their investment. Regardless, homeowners should know the importance of having homeowner’s insurance, since it protects against a variety of unforeseen circumstances—such as fires, floods, personal property damage, structural repairs, etc.

For example, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, a small flame can turn into a devastating fire within 30 seconds— which then costs an average of $4,000 in property damage. And that amount is simply the average: it can easily be more— leaving a household in financial hardship.

Having a home monitoring system not only helps protect against fires and floods, but it can directly impact insurance premiums. Whatever your homeowner’s insurance premium may be, it’s still an additional household expense— and bills certainly do pile up. A home security system often reduces home insurance costs by up to 20 percent. It’s definitely worth investigating.

2. May Be Tax Deductible

First of all, you’ll want to speak with your accountant on this specific matter, but generally speaking, home monitoring systems can be tax deductible for home businesses. Be aware that there is specific criteria in claiming a home business (the IRS takes this particular claim seriously). But if you do work or run a business from home, you can claim that specific work area (which is protected by the home monitoring system) as a business expense.

To claim a home business you have to meet certain requirements, which you can find more about on the IRS Home Deduction page. Deduction requirements essentially include:

• Regular and exclusive use. Meaning you have a designated area that is used solely for business purposes. You’ll have to measure the dimensions of this space and use it to base your home business claim. The larger the space, the larger the deduction.
• Principle place for business. This means that your home is the main place of business, where you conduct your business either full-time or substantially.

3. Increases Home Values

Home investments are a beautiful thing—particularly if they can increase the value of a home. When looking to sell a property, potential buyers are aware of home upgrades: anywhere from kitchen appliances, flooring, etc. A home monitoring system is no exception; it is another selling factor that can encourage a potential buyer to make an offer at a good asking price.

Your home should both be and feel like a safe place for your family. But as a new parent, it’s sometimes difficult to know what’s a potential danger for your child. You’ll have to switch gears a little and inspect your home for items that are potentially dangerous. Here are some great tips at baby-proofing your home.

The Staircase

Each year, around 100,000 children are rushed to the ER for falling down the stairs. That translates to roughly one injury every six minutes. With that said, the stairs can be one of the most dangerous areas for a baby or toddler. Whether they are crawling or walking, they can seriously injure themselves or worse. To prevent a nasty fall, make sure you invest and install a baby gate.

Here is a vital note to make: never use a pressure-mounted gate; these can be pushed on can be made loose. Instead, you should install a hardware-mounted safety gate. Also, make sure your gate opens out and away from the staircase, this is especially important at the top of the stairs.

The Kitchen

It’s crucial that your child stays out of reach of detergents, other types of cleaners, as well as dishes. To ensure this, you should baby-proof all cabinets that are within their reach. One idea to keep in mind is to switch standard cleaning products, made of bleach, ammonia, etc. to more organic compounds made of vinegar, mineral oils and other natural ingredients. That way, if something were to potentially be ingested, the product is less of a hazard.

According to the Poison Control National Capital Poison Center, every 14.6 seconds, there is a reported poison exposure to Poison Control. In 2016, U.S. poison control centers gave telephone assistance to over 2 million callers, who were calling about human poison ingestion. Concerning child poisoning, out of 1,000 children (under 6 years of age), there were an estimated 41.3 poison exposures.

Also in the kitchen, you should make sure that any storage or grocery bags are kept out of reach, as these could become potential chocking or strangulation hazards. And it goes to say that all knives and other sharp objects should be properly stored and inaccessible to youngsters.

The Living Room

Living rooms aren’t normally decorated with young kids in mind. And it’s likely that some aesthetic sacrifices will be made in the name of safety. After all, there are plenty of dangers in this one room in particular. For instance, coffee and end tables have sharp corners. To ensure that your child isn’t accidentally injured on these edges, make sure you install edge and corner guards. Window blinds have long cords that hang. Make sure your child doesn’t accidentally strangle or harm themselves by adjusting the cord length. If you have hardwood floors, a nice area rug could soften a fall or tumble.

Electrical Outlets and Power Cords

Babies and small kids don’t mesh well where electricity is concerned. The National Fire Protection Association states that nearly 2,400 kids 

suffer from severe shock and burns caused by tampering with electrical sockets. As you can imagine, you’ll want to do all in your power to minimize the risk of electrocution. Make sure all unused sockets have socket guards or electrical outlet caps. You’ll have to keep a heavy that your child doesn’t play with cords. To help with this, try to tidy up your cords and safely organized/kept out of reach.

Want to better protect your kids? ADT Pulse provides the ultimate home protection. Learn more about ADT Pulse.

Sources:

http://www.parents.com/baby/safety/babyproofing/babyproofing-home-top-to-bottom/

http://www.babycenter.com/0_childproofing-your-kitchen-for-babies_755.bc

parent.guide/how-to-baby-proof-everything-electrical/

Throughout the country, parents have recently dropped off their kids to college for another new, exciting fall semester. And a lot goes through a parent’s mind when having to watch their child take another step towards adulthood. None of the constant worrying will effectively prepare a student for campus life. And while universities do all in their power to protect their students and enhance student life (many universities provide safety awareness programs that predominately focus on assaults only), there are a number of things students can do themselves to ensure their safety. Whether it’s in the dorm room or throughout campus, these are the best ways to stay safe.

For those living on campus, the dorms present the first step in personal independence. It’s not an apartment by any means, since there is a resident advisor on every floor, but incidents still occur– especially theft. Students should do the following:

1. Remember to keep dorm rooms locked when the room is unoccupied and at night. This will help deter possible theft. Personal property must be protected. You’d be surprised by the degree of theft in the dorms.

One of the most recent statistic reports about college crime comes from a 2011 report by the FBI. That year, colleges and universities experienced over 2 million burglaries– which accounted to 25 percent of all property crime in the U.S.

During this time period, the top 5 schools that had the most crime included:

1. University of California, Los Angeles
2. Ohio State University
3. Benedict College
4. Arizona State University
5. Florida State University

2. Follow the dorm guest policy. Many dorms require an electronic passkey to enter. Oftentimes, people will wait by the dorm building waiting to be let inside. But reality is this: if you don’t know the person, you don’t know what their business is there. They should never be let inside. Instead, the student should ask that person is looking for and then alert the person that is being sought out.

3. Keep your student ID safe. A student ID normally holds student cash credit and meals. If a card is lost, the appropriate campus personnel needs to be contacted. Not contacting someone about a lost card puts the card in jeopardy of being used.

4. Never walk alone at night. Campuses are equipped with emergency alert stations, which let’s students either place an emergency call or press an emergency alert button (which then notifies campus police). These are great safety tools; however, it’s essential to prevent instances that place a person in that type of jeopardy. Start by never walking throughout campus alone at night. And if that’s unavoidable, the student should be aware of his or her surroundings (not on the phone and distracted).

If you have a student in college, or you attend a university yourself, please share this information. It could make a world a difference and keep a number of people better protected. For more security tips, check out the rest of our ADT monitoring blog for a range of topics.

We are in the heart of summer. For many of us, it’s hard to not daydream of our up and coming trip to the beach, mountains, etc. This is the opportunity to prepare for your trip—not just at your future destination, but back at home. Did you know that recent reports indicate that a burglary happens nearly every 14 seconds somewhere in the U.S.

It doesn’t matter if you are well off or are just scrapping by; a burglary can happen to anyone and in any neighborhood. Life is too risky to leave things up to chance. Preventative measures could save you not only thousands of dollars (most burglaries cost the average victim over $2,000 in losses), but it could also save your life and the lives of your loved ones. ADT home monitoring provides exceptional protection—24/7. Letting you enjoy life without all the worry, stress and anxiety.

So to prepare for your vacation, there are additional things you can do to protect your home. A home monitoring system is the best defense, but you can do a number of things to increase your protection. Here they are:

Stop your mail and newspaper delivery

It’s fairly easy. All you have to do is put a hold on your mail by going online to https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/ and filling out the form. Stopping your newspaper delivery requires you to contact your newspaper delivery service provider and doing the same hold process as your mail. The reason for doing all of this is to prevent your mailbox and yard clear of days or weeks worth of mail and newspapers. When you are home, you check and remove these items daily; so it’s obvious if these pile up. You are clearly not home if these are accumulating.

Trim back your bushes and have your lawn maintained

Having overgrown bushes and trees can easily block the views of your entryways. It’s a great thing for burglars, since they want to make their entrances as inconspicuous as possible. Proper trimming will give these entranceways a clear view for anyone to see, which is a great robber deterrent. In having your lawn maintained (even while you are away), you are again giving the appearance that someone is home. How many times have you seen a home with an overgrown yard and wondered whether anyone was even home? Exactly…it made you at least wonder the possibility.

Setup automatic timers

Appearances say so much. Automatic timers do just that. Set specific times for your lights to come on—both indoors and outside. A dark house screams that it’s vacant; precisely what you don’t want people to know while you are away for an extended period of time.

Have someone keep an eye on your home

If you are leaving for more than a couple of days, it’s a good idea to have someone you trust (like a neighbor, friend or family member) come and periodically make sure everything is okay. They don’t have to do much– just pass by and make sure the automatic lights are turning on, that the mail and newspaper are being held, etc.

You can give them a spare key as well as an alarm guest code for your alarm system (which is easy to setup) to give them access to your home while you are away. This is not only a good safety measure to have in place, but it’ll also give you some comfort and peace of mind.

****Another thing to consider is upgrading to ADT Pulse for remote home protection. Pulse lets you monitor and control your home from anywhere—provided that you have a Wi-Fi Internet connection.

We are all familiar with the functions of a home security system. They help protect households from burglaries, fires, carbon monoxide poisoning and help in the event of a medical emergency. At one point, users could only arm or disarm a security system—and if something ever happened, the security company would only then notify the homeowner. You couldn’t check up on things while you were away (unless you reached out to a neighbor or house sitter). Home monitoring, with smart technology operates much differently—providing remote home monitoring and video surveillance.

ADT Pulse is Revolutionizing Home Monitoring

ADT Pulse combines all of the great home monitoring features and capabilities that is standard of ADT monitoring systems, but goes a step further. It integrates remote monitoring, which allows instant security access to a home— from virtually any location. All that’s needed is an Internet connection and a compatible Apple iOS, Android or Windows device.

Remote monitoring is a great feature that allows you to stay in control… regardless if you are across town or in another country. ADT Pulse sends email and text alerts; informing you when any of your custom settings are triggered. With ADT Pulse, you are in control and can know your home’s status instantly.

Keep tabs on your home and have a newfound peace of mind—24/7. To put it plainly, ADT Pulse allows you to take your home and monitoring system with you, anywhere you go.

Transform Your Home Into a Smart Home

Remote monitoring with home control transforms any home into a smart home. Home control provides the following remote functions:

• Lighting Control
• Door Lock Control
• Appliance Control
• Temperature Control

Monitor Your Property with Video Surveillance

ADT Pulse’s video control provides live stream and recorded video of your home. Now you can monitor when someone is scheduled to arrive, make sure your kids are okay while you’re gone or even keep tabs of your pets. A picture says a thousand words, making video control a vital part of taking your home—and ADT home monitoring with you, anywhere.

Did you know? ADT Pulse can help you save money on home energy expenses.

ADT Pulse provides the ultimate home security protection. Wherever you go, you have the assurance of knowing what’s going on inside your home. All you need is an Internet-enabled device and an Internet connection…and you are good to go. Depending on the specific Pulse package selected, Pulse enables either home automation or video surveillance. Just pick with feature is best for your home security needs.

So, the next time you accidently leave a light on at home, or you want to make sure that your kids got home safe, all you have to do is use the Pulse app (available for Android and iOS devices) to access all of your security information and unique settings. It’s easy and a complete life-changer!

At some point, you’ve likely said, “I don’t know how we found anything before GPS.” Well…get ready for the same sort of home security transformation. ADT Pulse let’s you remotely control your home security with the simple press of a button. Now you can enjoy all of your daily activities and vacations without the constant worry of what’s happening back at home.

When looking at ADT Pulse to safeguard your home, you’ll notice several high-tech pieces of security equipment. This is what Pulse includes (depending on your package and any additional features you select):

• Wireless Day/Night Camera
  A wireless camera that captures day & night live video feed with great clarity. It is motion-sensitive, so it also sends an alert when triggered.

• Wireless Outdoor Day/Night Camera
  This wireless outdoor camera also provides live and recorded day/night video with the outmost clarity. It records images that are up to 25 feet away.

• Interactive Touch Screen
  ADT Pulse features an interactive touch screen that allows you to access your thermostat, lights, appliances, etc. It has an easy interface, which allows you to effortlessly use the system. The interactive touch screen also provides several additional features such as: news, travel alerts and the weather.

• Wireless Security Panel
  The wireless security panel can be placed anywhere—allowing you to put it where you deem as the best location. Depending on your personal home security needs, up to 250 different devices and sensors can be linked to the monitoring system.

• ADT Pulse Door Locks
  These door locks can operate remotely via an Internet-enabled device. So if you forget to lock the door, don’t fret; you can lock them remotely from anywhere.

• In-Wall On/Off Switch
  These allow remote and manual lighting. Turn the lights switches on and off, right there from the comforts of your home or while you are away. Either way, it’ll help you conserve energy.

• Plug-In Dimming Lamp Module
  These modules allow various lamps to be connected to your system. They allow further lighting control

• Garage Door Opener Controller
  Using your Internet-enabled device, you can remotely open & close your garage door. It’s perfect for those times that you have a ton of groceries or you’ve forgotten to close the garage door.

Additional Equipment:

• High Voltage Energy Switch
• Nano Adapter
• Wi-Fi Extender
• IHub

Call us today to learn more about ADT Pulse!

Typically, when you think of ADT home monitoring, you automatically think of security protection against burglaries. And while we do provide that valuable service, ADT’s 24/7 monitoring is also great in the event of a fire, flood, carbon monoxide leak and medical emergency. All of these are virtually impossible to predict—some things just happen at random. Rather than taking a chance to encounter something catastrophic, it’s better to be ready at a moment’s notice.

ADT monitoring keeps guard over you, your loved ones and your home— so that you are never unprepared during your specific emergency. We’ve received countless stories about how ADT monitored systems have helped numerous people throughout North America.

Here is just one unique story of many out there. It’s about a couple from Atlanta, GA who nearly experienced a complete tragedy overnight…if it hadn’t been for several factors:

• Quick thinking
• The Effectiveness of the ADT operator
• The skills of the first responders at the scene and the medical team at the hospital

In this specific scenario, Sharron, one of the homeowners, experienced extreme nausea in the middle of the night and into the early morning. Her husband had left the house that morning; that’s shortly when Sharron began to have difficulty breathing. After fumbling with the phone, she realized she couldn’t work the phone…meaning should couldn’t dial 911 for help. Fortunately, Sharon went to her purse and retrieved her ADT security system wireless key fob. All she had to do was press the alert button. She was then connected to Kellee Fair, an ADT operator. Kellee immediately contacted the Puckett EMT in Atlanta. It turned out Sharron was having a heart attack.

Due to the professionalism and dedication of the entire team involved, Sharron’s life was saved. And afterwards, Kellee and Sharron would later meet in person at an ADT office in Altlanta. Kellee Fair, the operator, was presented with the ADT Lifesaver Reward for helping saveSharron’s life. It’s amazing to see how one action can completely transform someone else’s life. And that’s what happened here.

In addition to the key fob that Sharron used to contact Kellee at ADT monitoring, there is a medical alert system that specifically targets medical emergencies. These aren’t just for the elderly– they are also for anyone who has a medical condition where they may need quick, emergency assistance at any moment. It allows the wearer to continue living an independent lifestyle, but have the security of knowing that help is just around the corner if it’s needed. Call us to find out more about the medical alert system.

At ADT monitoring, we go above and beyond to ensure your personal safety. It’s not a 9-5 job for us; you are our extended family. Rain or shine, we are always here to help you.

We’ve all been startled over small things…like a bump in the night or a creak when the house settles. But it’s these small things that put life into perspective. How often do we actually feel safe? So many incidents can happen every single day, such as a burglary, fire, flood, carbon monoxide leak or medical emergency. Fortunately, with ADT home monitoring protection, you aren’t alone. ADT’s 24/7 monitoring protection helps keep your home and your family safe– day and night. Find the right monitoring package for your home today. Enjoy life without all the worry and stress that surrounds your home safety.

Take it from Frank, the star of this little video.

Spring is in the air and summer is just around the corner. Like many people, you may have a whole lineup of day trips and vacations in store during these warmer days. But before you go anywhere, ask yourself whether your home is protected. Every 15 seconds, there’s a home invasion that takes place somewhere in the U.S. Whether it is a home invasion, fire or flood—anything can happen when you least expect it.

Don’t leave matters up to chance; make the proper precautions to safeguard your property. Along with ADT’s home monitoring equipment, these tips can help you protect your home during your next vacation:

Practical Landscaping

Homes located in more mature neighborhoods are subject to fuller trees and bushes. Make sure your windows and doors are not hidden by overgrown shrubbery; they can help conceal potential burglars who are looking for an entryway. Having a well-maintained yard will help eliminate these risks.

Hold the Mail and Newspapers

The best way to advertise that you are out of town is to have a stack of newspapers laying in the front yard or have mail spilling out of the mailbox. Contact the U.S. post office and your mail delivery service to hold your mail and newspapers during the days that you’ll be gone. Another option is ask a trusted neighbor, friend or house sitter to collect these items.

Turn Off or Unplug Appliances

Homes today have numerous appliances—some of which are even set on automatic settings. Before leaving your home unattended, be sure to either turn off or unplug your electrical appliances. Unplugging your appliances is the best safety solution to reduce the likelihood of a fire (it will also reduce your energy consumption).

Refrain from Posting or Checking in on Social Media

It’s natural to want to share the intricate details of a trip or vacation. Whether you are posting a pic of a beautiful beach or are checking-in to somewhere, they both do the same thing: announce you are away from home. Yes, it feels almost impossible not to post and comment during your travels, but for safety reasons, it’s best to share the details of your trip once you are back at home.

Make this spring and summer completely memorable. Enjoy your vacations while knowing your home is safe and protected.