Neglected home repairs can be the biggest factor that decreases property value. And, repairs can be expensive if you don’t have homeowners insurance. Speak to a local independent insurance agent to make sure you’re covered. It’s cheaper for you if insurance pays instead of you paying for expensive home repairs at full price.
To learn more about how property values are affected, read this guest post re-printed by permission by Daniela González
Property value has many moving parts, especially for something that itself doesn’t, well, move. The factors involved in determining property and home value are sliding scales of perception, priority, and personality. What is important to some may be a deterrent to others, so coming to a consensus on the value of a property has numerous considerations.
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What does homeowners insurance have to do with Ladder Safety Month?
Well… falling from a ladder is fairly common (annually, 500,000 people are treated). People often assume that their homeowners insurance covers anything that happens in and around their home, including the people living inside. There are some limits. A home insurance policy is designed to cover your home and belongings (things), and the injuries of guests. If household members are injured in the home, then they probably won’t be covered. The policy isn’t designed to protect your own body. It’s designed to protect against liability and belongings.
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Homeowner’s insurance is a necessity, for all property owners. For instance, it might not be required by law, but if you borrow money to buy a home, your mortgage lender will most usually require you to have homeowner’s insurance. This helps to protect their investment and yours.
If your home loan is completely paid off, it’s still smart to continue homeowner’s insurance. You want to protect your investment. But, paid off or not paid off, you still don’t want to overpay for the coverage on your homeowners insurance, right?
Here are 7 tips to help you keep your rates low:
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Do your homework before getting homeowners’ insurance.
Use this list and consult your independent insurance agent so they can do some comparison shopping for your home insurance. After you look over all the facts related to your dwelling, you and your agent will be prepared and ready to get the best deal on your homeowners’ insurance policy.
How much you know about each of the following subjects will influence your choices when buying your homeowners’ insurance policy.
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Imagine wading through your water-filled home or business finding many of your most cherished and vital possessions waterlogged and forever ruined. Unfortunately, each year many Texans don’t have to imagine this scenario and instead face it head on. Texas consistently has some of the highest fatality rates and property damage costs due to flooding. Let’s face it, next to fire or tornado/hurricane damage there are few things in the insurance world that are worse than a flooded home. And just because your property may be located outside a floodplain doesn’t mean you’re not at risk.
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New Appointments Increase Auto Carriers to 13 and Property Carriers to 20
Today, Hettler Insurance Agency announced it is appointed to quote State Auto Insurance Company and Hippo Insurance. Hettler Insurance is now an authorized agency with 13 different companies for vehicle policies and 15 for property (homeowners, renters, condo).
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Steady economic growth, a low cost of living and growing population make Lubbock, TX a great place to call home and live. Over 300,000 people call Lubbock home and the city is expected to grow 7% through 2022. Our diverse economy and job market outpace many other areas of the United States.
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Should You Stay or Jump?
Jim and his wife Nancy just celebrated their second year in a beautiful new home. The celebration didn’t last long, however, when the couple discovered their homeowners policy increased 35% versus the previous year! Even worse, the rate hike occurred without any claim activity and very little credit changes.
Maybe you’ve also felt Jim’s pain. It’s an all too common experience for homeowners in the Lone Star state.
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Wildfire Risk & Getting Insurance
Texas is second only to California as the state most at risk for wildfire, according to analytics company CoreLogic. At least 715,300 Texas residences are at high or extreme risk of wildfire.
A dry environment goes hand in hand with wildfire. West Texas and the Panhandle are receiving less rainfall each year, earning long term drought status. There is a high risk of wildfire affecting Lubbock and surrounding communities during certain months of the year.
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The Tiny House Trend
Most people have heard of the tiny house trend. But just how tiny are these homes? There’s no official definition, but most people consider a house less than 400 square feet as tiny. The average tiny house is only 186 square feet. This includes the living area, bathroom, kitchen and sleeping loft. Compare this to the average American house, which is currently 2,600 square feet, according to The Tiny Life. Tiny houses can be mobile, or set on permanent foundations.
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