Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Tag: TV

History of Pawn Shops

History Of Pawn Shops.  Throughout history people have found themselves in a position where they have needed some cash money. The have been moneylenders and others who have been willing to provide this service as long as there was some collateral. This evolved into the Pawnbroker business we are familiar with today.

Have you ever been to a pawnshop? For a lot of people, there seems to be something, well, shady about these places. But if you haven’t been to a pawnshop, you may be missing out on some great bargains. A pawnshop is a lot like a dozen garage sales and a flea market all rolled into one. A Pawn Shop is a business that will offer secured loans to people when they use personal items as collateral. The origin of the word Pawn is from the Latin word Pignus, which means Pledge. The items offered as collateral are called Pledges or Pawns.

“Students and parents will find impressive savings on Apple and Dell laptops, smartphones, iPods and lightly used bikes,” said P.J. Bellomo, CEO of the 10-year-old auction site. Pawn shops are another possibility, having gone a long way toward shedding their reputation as the seedy last refuge of the down and out, thanks in part to reality shows such as “Pawn Stars” on History Channel. The first pawn shops appeared over 3,000 years ago in ancient China. They were sometimes just individuals or stores that supplied the peasants with short term credit. Greece and Rome both had a thriving Pawn Shop businesses.

Items put up for pawn are held for an agreed period of time, during which the pawner may redeem the item after paying the agreed amount of interest. If not collected in the agreed upon time frame the Pawnbroker will then offer the item for sale. An experienced Pawn Broker will take into account how long an item will take to sell when deciding on the amount of money he will allow for collateral loan. Every state or province has different laws. The time period for the loan varies depending on state law. In some states, you also have the option to extend the loan or renew it. Please remember to bring a valid, current government issued photo identification

People defaulting on there Pawned items are not reported to any Credit Bureaus as the items Pawned will be sold at a profit by the Pawn Broker. Also because the loan is secured by items of value Pawn Brokers to not do Credit Checks prior to taking items in on Pawn.

No Credit Check Required. Fast, confidential secure loans! TV’s, DVD Players, DVD’s , Video Games, Tools, Sporting Goods, Minks and Leather Coats or Jackets, Musical Instruments, Studio Equipment, Stereo Equipment, and Digital Cameras are just a few of the items that a Pawn Shop will accept. Pawn Brokers have been subjected to some TV exposure with the advent of shows like “Pawn Stars”, “American Pickers” and “American Restoration”. Many people realize that Pawn Shops can carry old, antique and very unique items and are an interesting place to visit.

Visit Nic Frost, the author and owner of Mega Pawn, located at 471 Water Street, Summerside PEI.   Nic has been involved with managing and running Pawn Shops since an early age when he managed one of Summersides’s first Pawn Shops for his mother.  Nic offers the best rates, has a great selection of TV’s, Games, Jewellery, Tools, Recreation Equipment and offers Fast Cash for loans or un-wanted items.

 

Learn more about Summer Side Pawn – Buy and Sell. Got a new Construction Project? Visit Project Supervision and Oversight an Ontario company of specialists.

Home Security

Keeping Your Home Safe: How To Put Burglars Off Trying To Break In

Our homes are our castles – havens against the outside world, expressions of our tastes and design choices and a place for our loved ones to live together in, hopefully, domestic bliss. So when someone threatens it, it can be extremely frightening and upsetting. There are many ways to try to stop burglars, however. Here are some ideas to consider.

Make your home harder to break into

Burglars like to be able to get in and out quickly and discretely, so anything you can do to prevent this will help. Make sure any outdoor sheds and other buildings that contain ladders, tools etc are firmly locked. No point in providing thieves with the wherewithal to get into your house. Never leave spare keys hidden outside. People who do that tend to unwittingly choose some pretty obvious places to stow them. Instead, give the spare to a trusted neighbour.

Consider switching to a gravel driveway, or have areas of gravel under your windows. Gravel makes a lovely, loud crunching sound when trodden on. Grow thorny, or spiky plants against the walls too – good options for this are roses, firethorn or juniper.

Make your home looked loved

Keep the garden neat so the house doesn’t look neglected. Mow the lawn regularly – get someone to do it for you if you are away for a long time. Weed borders; sweep up fallen leaves and empty trash cans. Make sure the house exterior is well maintained. Burglars might assume a house in disrepair is owned by someone physically unable to look after it – and therefore less able to defend it.

Don’t let the mail build up in your absence either. Ask a friend to go in to collect it for you, or arrange for it to be temporarily redirected. Keep larger items like bicycles or lawnmowers out of sight too and place curtains over garage, basement or shed windows to prevent anyone looking in.

Make your home look occupied

It stands to reason that most thieves will think twice about targeting a house that looks like it is occupied. Draw the curtains and leave some lights on (or on an automatic timer switch)  when you go out at night, or perhaps leave the radio or TV playing.

Lock all doors when you are going out or to bed, and check all windows are closed. Never leave notes on the door saying ‘Gone Shopping’. Finally, create a written inventory of your valuable possessions and their estimated value or insured amounts – photographs and purchase receipts will also prove useful in the event of a break-in.

Make your house and home security something to invest in

The range of home security equipment out there is mind-blowing, from strong locks to state-of-the-art alarm systems. Ideas to enhance security include switching to more secure window locks, replacing door locks with deadbolts, making sure door hinges are on the inside and installing a decent burglar alarm– some will link to your local police station.

Such an investment is worth doing properly – after all, it will go a long way to protect your assets, not to mention your peace of mind. If, however, you are concerned about how to pay for such measures, take some time to consider how you will raise the money to fund them. A financial advisor or broker can steer you towards a number of financing methods, such as reasonable loan arrangements with manageable repayment rates. If you own your own home, there are many excellent remortgage deals on the market – most mortgage advisors would be especially pleased to see the additional funds released spent on raising the security of the property and its contents. If all else fails, perhaps you could take on some extra work to raise the funds. This temporary sacrifice of your time will result in long-term security and happiness in your home: who could ask for more?

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