Renter's Insurance
Why Should You Have It?

You would feel just as empty and angry as a homeowner if you arrived home and found you have been burglarized. Most homeowners have insurance coverage- why not renters? All of the possessions you treasure are just as important to protect in your apartment home.
The most widespread misconception of renters is that property damage by fire, windstorm or hail, explosion, smoke, vehicles, vandalism, falling objects, electrical/ plumbing/ air conditioning or heating mishaps, rain, snow, ice or sleet is covered by their landlord's policy.
Apartment owners carry insurance on their buildings and their property within the building or rental unit, but not on damaged property belonging to residents.
Have you thought about the risk of a lawsuit or medical expenses for personal injury if guests are injured in your apartment? Or if you become involved in a liability claim from your outside sports activities, or from your child with a wild baseball bat in a neighborhood game, or even from pets?
Renter's insurance is relatively low cost and one of the wisest purchases an apartment resident can make.
You may not realize what your belongings are worth until you make an inventory and start adding things up. We recommend that you contact an agent for your own protection and peace of mind. Renter's insurance... it's one of the smartest investments you can make!

                         Whenever you are selling a home , accomplishing the goal of making your home stand out from the rest of the inventory for sale is a very important consideration.
Most Real Estate markets around the country are down and the competition is fierce for a buyer pool that has shrunk dramatically. Presenting your home in the best light will give you a leg up on the competition.
"Curb appeal" is often a catch phrase that is tossed around in Real Estate circles. 1st impressions are critical! Most buyers will find your home online and if your Realtor has done a good job with photography your home should look pretty decent. Don't disappoint them by leaving your yard look like hurricane just took place!
 Here are a few quick pointers for your homes exterior to help create a more timely sale:                                                                                             • Clean up all debris from this past winter including any tree limbs, branches, and left over leaves. • Clean the driveway and walkway of any sand and other debris. • Pay careful attention to have all your landscaping beds raked and weeded out. • Trim your bushes if needed. Pay attention to keeping them a few feet back from the home allowing for proper ventilation. • Consider planting some hearty Spring flowers that have lots of color. • Assess your driveway and get it seal coated if it looks old and worn. Seal coating really does wonders to  give your home a new and appealing feel. • Clean out your gutters. You do not want your gutters looking that could harbor creatures from the black lagoon. • Hose down your deck and consider seal coating the surface if needed. • The entry way to your home should sparkle! A fresh coat of paint on the front door always looks great. Make sure you remove any old cob webs. ?  • Consider a few potted plants at the entry with some nice flowers. • Use a garden hose and spray down any areas of your siding that may have mold or mildew build-up.  Just as important is how your home looks on the inside. The properties that are punished the most in a challenging market are the ones where the buyers have to think about investing their time and money dealing with a previous sellers issues. Trust me when I tell you that when you and I estimate the cost to repair an item is $500, the buyer is estimating $1000 in their mind. You will not win this battle. Here are some easy things to consider for your homes interior:                                                                                                                                                       • The 1st thing you should consider is taking any unnecessary possessions and remove them from your home. You want to make your home feel as large and airy as possible. De-cluttering old furniture, boxes, and nick knacks go a long way in making a home presentable. I would consider a local storage center in your area for these things, as it is well worth the investment. • If you can not find out local storage facility I would consider renting a storage unit . • Next on the list should be a major Spring Cleaning. The bathrooms and kitchen should be spotless! These are the rooms that buyers will pay the most attention to. No big mystery, as these rooms are the most costly to upgrade. • Clean out all your closets. Buyers are always looking for closet space. Having your closets neatly organized is important. • Wash down all your windows. Homes always show better when there is plenty of natural light. Don't let years of grime and dust get in the way. • Consider touch up painting any high traffic areas where scuff marks and worn paint are easily visible. • Always paint or bleach any old stains away. For example if one of your kids took a shower without the curtain fully closed and there is a large stain in the kitchen ceiling below get it fixed. For one it looks awful and two buyers are going to assume you have a plumbing issue. • Clean out and organize your garage. A spacious garage will be a consideration for many home buyers. • In areas of the home where natural light is not the best make sure you have lamps with higher watt bulbs. • Clear your kitchen counters completely of everything but the bare bones essentials. • Clean all faucets,mirrors,lights, and ceiling fans. • Re-caulk any tubs, showers, sinks, or tile work that has loose grout. •     • Above all else you want to take your emotions out of all the decision making when it comes to getting your home "staged". Work with your Realtor and make it a team effort. Remember the goal is to get your home SOLD! You may be taking pride in your PURPLE bathroom but the next buyer most likely will not. While you have lived in your home for years and enjoy the way it looks a buyer has not.                         Whenever you are selling a home , accomplishing the goal of making your home stand out from the rest of the inventory for sale is a very important consideration. Most Real Estate markets around the country are down and the competition is fierce for a buyer pool that has shrunk dramatically. Presenting your home in the best light will give you a leg up on the competition. "Curb appeal" is often a catch phrase that is tossed around in Real Estate circles. 1st impressions are critical! Most buyers will find your home online and if your Realtor has done a good job with photography your home should look pretty decent. Don't disappoint them by leaving your yard look like hurricane just took place!  Here are a few quick pointers for your homes exterior to help create a more timely sale:                                                                                             • Clean up all debris from this past winter including any tree limbs, branches, and left over leaves. • Clean the driveway and walkway of any sand and other debris. • Pay careful attention to have all your landscaping beds raked and weeded out. • Trim your bushes if needed. Pay attention to keeping them a few feet back from the home allowing for proper ventilation. • Consider planting some hearty Spring flowers that have lots of color. • Assess your driveway and get it seal coated if it looks old and worn. Seal coating really does wonders to  give your home a new and appealing feel. • Clean out your gutters. You do not want your gutters looking that could harbor creatures from the black lagoon. • Hose down your deck and consider seal coating the surface if needed. • The entry way to your home should sparkle! A fresh coat of paint on the front door always looks great. Make sure you remove any old cob webs. ?  • Consider a few potted plants at the entry with some nice flowers. • Use a garden hose and spray down any areas of your siding that may have mold or mildew build-up.  Just as important is how your home looks on the inside. The properties that are punished the most in a challenging market are the ones where the buyers have to think about investing their time and money dealing with a previous sellers issues. Trust me when I tell you that when you and I estimate the cost to repair an item is $500, the buyer is estimating $1000 in their mind. You will not win this battle. Here are some easy things to consider for your homes interior:                                                                                                                                                       • The 1st thing you should consider is taking any unnecessary possessions and remove them from your home. You want to make your home feel as large and airy as possible. De-cluttering old furniture, boxes, and nick knacks go a long way in making a home presentable. I would consider a local storage center in your area for these things, as it is well worth the investment. • If you can not find out local storage facility I would consider renting a storage unit . • Next on the list should be a major Spring Cleaning. The bathrooms and kitchen should be spotless! These are the rooms that buyers will pay the most attention to. No big mystery, as these rooms are the most costly to upgrade. • Clean out all your closets. Buyers are always looking for closet space. Having your closets neatly organized is important. • Wash down all your windows. Homes always show better when there is plenty of natural light. Don't let years of grime and dust get in the way. • Consider touch up painting any high traffic areas where scuff marks and worn paint are easily visible. • Always paint or bleach any old stains away. For example if one of your kids took a shower without the curtain fully closed and there is a large stain in the kitchen ceiling below get it fixed. For one it looks awful and two buyers are going to assume you have a plumbing issue. • Clean out and organize your garage. A spacious garage will be a consideration for many home buyers. • In areas of the home where natural light is not the best make sure you have lamps with higher watt bulbs. • Clear your kitchen counters completely of everything but the bare bones essentials. • Clean all faucets,mirrors,lights, and ceiling fans. • Re-caulk any tubs, showers, sinks, or tile work that has loose grout. •     • Above all else you want to take your emotions out of all the decision making when it comes to getting your home "staged". Work with your Realtor and make it a team effort. Remember the goal is to get your home SOLD! You may be taking pride in your PURPLE bathroom but the next buyer most likely will not. While you have lived in your home for years and enjoy the way it looks a buyer has not.            

YOUR KEY First-time buyers ESTIMATING YOUR PURCHASE CAPACITY To go from rent to buy, you need to get a handle on how much you can afford Excerpts from Paul Rogers Nearly three-quarters of home and apartment renters say that overextending themselves financially is a concern, according to many first-time homebuyers ,inexperienced with the buying process and the responsibilities of home ownership, commonly misjudge costs. First-time homebuyers need to step back from the excitement and look at the situation more realistically. It takes a truthful, objective assessment of finances , and that can be complicated by buyer desires for their dream house and lender mortgage formulas. Most Lenders calculate your maximum mortgage using a formula that takes into account gross monthly income, estimated monthly housing costs and total debt. Total home expenses should not be greater than 25 percent of monthly gross household income. Debts, including housing costs as well as credit cards, student loans, car loans, child support and any other bills, should be no more than 30 to 40 percent of gross monthly income. It’s in those numbers where many first-time buyers get into trouble . Lenders commonly provide a high –end estimate of a person’s true budget. Just because a lender approves you for a certain mortgage amount , that doesn’t mean that mortgage is the dollar amount you should (or could safely) assume. First of all , housing costs are not simply principal and interest. Housing costs include utilities, upkeep, planned and unplanned repairs, and other expenses. Houses eat money, that’s probably the biggest mistake of a first-time buyer. They move in or begin building not knowing the true cost to maintain or complete construction with unexpected changes , and they end up house poor. Look what you are paying today for rent , If you are increasing that substantially, that’s a bad sign. You are only going to afford what you are currently paying.. Calculate all those monthly expenses including commuting from the new location , decorating, buying yard tools, and fixing those things that need repair, because unless it is new construction, you will likely need to repair. When you consider all these mentioned and consult your professional real estate Broker for further advise to be on a track to a successful future with your new home purchase..