Homeowner's insurance may not be on your mind when looking at homes. But certain things about homes can increase your insurance rates, costing thousands of dollars down the road.
Here are the top 10 factors that make the biggest impact on your rate.
10 Things that can lower or raise your Homeowners Insurance rate
Friday, January 28, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
How much can you afford?
Visit Mortgage Loan Payment Calculator to calculate what your monthly payment would be for various mortgage amounts and interest rates.
Play around with it!
Tip: Change the mortgage amount by $30,000, both higher and lower. How much does your monthly payment change?
Play around with it!
Tip: Change the mortgage amount by $30,000, both higher and lower. How much does your monthly payment change?
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
January Home Maintenance Checklist
The most important job this month is to head off damage to your home from water and dampness from a number of sources:
-Groundwater and rain seeping into your home.
-Leaky pipes inside the walls.
-Pipes bursting from freezing and thawing.
Take a tour
Walk around the house, checking for damage from wind and broken tree limbs. Scan for loose or missing shingles on your roof. Give special attention to vulnerable pipes — indoors and out — that are exposed to the cold, including hose bibs, pipes in outside walls, garden sprinkler lines, swimming pool pipes and pipes in unheated attics, basements and garages.
Leak Prevention
- Install small, battery-powered individual leak alarms, also called flood alarms, under the refrigerator, kitchen and bathroom drain pipes, dishwasher and laundry appliances and behind toilets.
-Check to make sure your sump pump is operating properly.
Look for pests seeking shelter
- Seal any cracks where pests enter.
- Empty compost and garbage frequently.
- Keep food covered and put away; keep counters clean.
- Fix leaky pipes quickly.
- Pour boiling water down bathroom and kitchen drains monthly, preventing the buildup of bacteria-laden sludge; scrub removable drain covers weekly.
- Check basement, attic, crawl spaces and the back of cupboards and cabinets for mice droppings or holes. If you find evidence, install traps immediately or call a pest-control service.
- Pick up and dispose of outdoor pet waste promptly; turn compost piles frequently
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