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The Truth About Home Protection Plans

March 28, 2020 Comments Off

In some cases, a seller may offer you a home protection plan in lieu of an inspection. Before you get excited about a home warranty plan, make sure you understand what you’re getting, and what you’re not getting.
Home Protection Plans Provide Limited Coverage
The coverage you get with a home protection plan is limited. Home protection plans typically restrict you to a specific provider or one of a few providers, who have agreements with the home warranty company. Generally, you make a co-pay when someone comes out to your home to inspect a problem, and you may also have to pay a portion of the repair cost, depending on the terms of the plan.
Unfortunately, home protection services provide limited coverage. They may include many exclusions that prevent the plan from covering common home issues. For example, a protection plan may not cover damage to the structure of the home, or may only cover damage if it occurs in a specific way or during a limited time period. Realistically, these plans have as many exclusions as possible to avoid paying out. These businesses only make money if they pay out less than they take in, so they generally overcharge for these plans and do what they can to avoid making payouts.
Even if a specific repair is covered, it may only be covered up to a certain dollar amount. That means that you’d have to pay any costs over that dollar amount, or accept a less optimal repair just to qualify for the coverage. Over the long term, this can cost you far more than doing a repair properly in the first place.
Never accept a home service plan in lieu of a property inspection. Some sellers or home builders offer home warranty plans as a token of ‘good faith’ to demonstrate to buyers that there is no problem with the property, and that buyers are protected if a problem should occur. Unfortunately, because home plans cover such a limited range of issues, buyers may not have the protection they think they have if a problem should occur. Buyers should never accept a home protection plan in lieu of a property inspection. Buyers should insist on a property inspection, and if the seller isn’t willing to grant one, buyers should walk away from the property.
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Find Out What Your Clients Really Think About You

March 7, 2020 Comments Off

Right now, you’re thinking this might be a case of “be careful what you wish for.” Absolutely not-there’s nothing to fear. You need to know definitively what your clients think, and creating an annual survey is an important marketing step, especially prior to any strategic planning.
Today, with the high utilization of all forms of electronic media-much of it never even opened-it can be more difficult to know in what areas you are doing well and what areas need improvement. A survey offers you a snapshot in time that, given a good response rate, presents you with a portrait of your entire database. It’s also a great communication tool, offering one more thoughtful contact with your clients.
Doing a short survey of your current clients is quick and easy. There are free survey tools, such as Survey Monkey, Poll Daddy, and others, that help you develop your survey and then provide you with a link to include in your cover e-mail. Using a tool like this keeps clients’ responses anonymous, which is very important in order to achieve objective, useful information.
Survey etiquette dictates that you make the survey and the cover e-mail short. If you do this, you will have a higher response rate and better data returned to you.
But, before you begin writing the actual questions, determine the theme of the survey or what you would like to learn from your clients. It can be as simple as questions pertaining to obtaining repeat business from them in the future or recommending you to their family and friends. You may think you know the answer to these questions, but, more than likely, you will find some surprises and insightful responses.
You can also use your survey results to improve your brand and client interactions. Incorporating the great testimonials that come out of it and any satisfaction numbers in your marketing efforts will make your brand messaging even more powerful. For example, if close to 100% of your clients responded they would use you again and recommend you to others, you can use that to enhance your advertising message.
For some final survey etiquette, create a quick, easy-to-understand survey that takes no more than a couple of minutes to fill out. Leave space for testimonials and suggestions. Communicate a clear deadline date of when the survey will close and, if you can, offer some small incentive to complete it.…

Are You Worried About Your Roof? Get Great Tips Here.

November 19, 2019 Comments Off

Your roof is your first and best line of defense against the elements. This is reason why you must keep it maintained properly. Many people do not bother to take care of their roofs, only to experience major problems later on. Make sure your home’s roof stays strong by applying the tips that follow.

Don’t hesitate to replace shingles. Waiting can just allow the damage to worsen. Replacing or repairing shingles immediately can save money and stress later. Prevention is key.

It is crucial that you make repairs right the first time. That means you don’t stop with the first spot you find which has a problem. Look at the whole roof and you might see that several areas are causing the leak.

When choosing a roofer to work on your home, be sure they have liability insurance. Insurance is a sign of a reliable contractor. Secondly, the insurance will cover any damage to your roof that is caused by the roofer.

Unless you are required to, do not pay up front. You may have to pay around 25% of the amount to get the job started, but try not to pay more than that. If the job is paid for in full, the roofers may not do their best work.

Be certain your roofing contractor is properly licensed. If you don’t know what’s required, find out for yourself. Contact your local building department and ask them what is needed.

The age of your roof is a good indication of whether it needs replacing or not. Most roofs only have twenty years or so before they must be replaced. If your roof was installed on top of an old roof, you really have no choice once twenty years has passed but to replace it.

Don’t buy cheap roofing materials. The initial cost savings of low priced materials cannot outweigh the cost of the damage and repairs that substandard materials lead to.

When replacing the roof, consider shingles that are architectural. These are much better-looking than regular shingles and last longer, too. Buyers love these shingles, so they can even add value when you choose to sell your house.

Always be sure that you inspect your roof after there has been a lot of wind in your area. You need to be able to see if there are any damaged shingles quickly so that you don’t have to deal with leaks. Do a quick, safe check every time.

Ask a ton of questions when hiring a roofer. You do not want to leave a question unasked and have the issue get out of hand down the road. If your potential contractor waffles on any questions, look in another direction.

Get several quotes before you pick a contractor to replace or repair the roof. Some of them are looking to scam customers and get all the money they can from you. Don’t let yourself get taken advantage of. Do some research before you make any hiring decisions.

As you can see, properly maintaining your roof is essential if you want to keep yourself and your property safe. Make sure you apply the advice found above to keep your home in good shape. The time and money you spend will definitely be worth it.…

Advice All Homeowners Should Know About Home Security

November 12, 2019 Comments Off

It is critical that each homeowner educates himself on proper home security. It can be overwhelming, however, to wade through reams of information on the topic. The article below is intended to help distill the most important concepts and assist you in developing a home security strategy that really works.

Does your dog like to play in your yard? This pet may be an excellent storing spot for your spare key. You can attach your key to your dog’s collar in order to keep the key hidden. This is especially useful if the dog does not take kindly to strangers.

Buy a safe to keep all of your valuables in one place at home. You would hate for your expensive jewelry, personal family belongings, etc. to be stolen in case a burglar breaks into your home. Hide the safe in a very hard to reach place like the attic or a closet in the basement.

See what your local police department offers in terms of home protection programs. There are lots of different programs, like home inspections, that will help you take the proper steps to make sure your home adequately protected. Your police department will be able to help you find out what is available in your town.

Put motion sensor lights around your house. These lights will turn on if anyone walks too closely to your home. These lights will not only let you know when someone gets too close, they will also stop potential burglars from breaking in. After all, burglars don’t want anyone to know they are there. Make sure you regularly change the light bulbs to ensure they continue to work properly.

When it comes to securing your home, start by changing your locks. Not everyone who leaves your house will leave happy, and a fresh set of locks will protect you from both former residents and acquaintances of your own looking to cause mischief. This is a very easy process that you can complete within a day.

Go with your gut when choosing a home security company to install a system. If you don’t feel comfortable with the technician, don’t allow them access to your home. You should not hesitate to ask if you can work with a different representative or find a different company if you are not comfortable. Ultimately, the whole point is for you to have peace of mind.

Those living in rural areas often don’t worry as much about intruders compared to city dwellers. On a different note, some people believe homeowners in more rural areas are more likely to experience robberies because of the lack of nearby neighbors. Then again, others think rural areas are not as much of a target.

A secure hiding place can be created in a wall. Small valuables fit nicely inside walls. Use an old switch plate, outlet or phone jack. If there are no unused plates, you can easily install fake ones.

Every homeowner needs to learn about home security. It will take good sense to sift out the helpful information from that not useful to you. Print off this article so you always have it handy.…

Everything You Need To Know About Picking A Roofing Company

July 7, 2019 Comments Off

Are there areas where the condition of your roof is questionable? Are you becoming worried about the shape of your roof? Do you not know what you’re looking at? It’s your job to be the responsible homeowner that takes action and learns more about roofing needs. This will allow you to tackle any roofing issues before they become too serious.

Ensure you thoroughly inspect your roof at least yearly. The most common time of year for a roof to suffer from damage is during the winter and spring months. Due to this, it is best to keep a close eye on your roof during this time especially.

Although your shingles can sometimes cause a leak to occur, you should check out your roof’s foundation. If the sides of your home have dry rot, water can enter your home there. It is important to examine every potential water entry point, like rotting wood, so that you are really resolving all the problem areas.

Have safety precautions in place when going on your roof. This is very important because many people are hurt or killed every year as a result of a fall from a roof.

When you are choosing roofing contractors, it’s important to look at background references. Once you’ve got them, check them out and ask about value and quality of the work. Take a tour of the neighborhoods and pass by the references’ addresses. Drive around and look at the work before determining who you will hire.

Try not to use any short-term fixes on your roof. This might seem like a cheap alternative but more damage could occur, costing you lots of money in the long run. Complete the job efficiently so there are no issues in the future.

When you seek a roofing professional, be sure to verify their skills. You might consider asking family and friends for personal recommendations. This is crucial since you want to avoid poor roofing work that could be expensive later on.

Insurance is a must when it comes to roofing. Without insurance, you are liable to paying for damages. Asking about insurance is not enough since people can be dishonest. You should ask for current proof of insurance.

If you want to save some money when your get a contractor then you should find one that has employees working for them. A good team working in unison can achieve good results more quickly. Make sure that solo roofers are not overcharging you for labor.

Before you actually start installing new shingles, be sure to carefully examine your materials. Cracked or warped shingles, the wrong type or length of nails along with any other inappropriate materials can doom the installation from the beginning. Make sure all shingles do not have cracks and are strong, and that your nails are long enough to penetrate the shingle completely and secure them to the roof.

Thanks to the knowledge provided in this article, you should be more informed on how to care for your roof. When you can recognize signs of problems and know how you can address them, you are prepared to keep your roof in tip-top shape. Take care of your roof properly, and it will take care of you for years to come.…

Interior Design Tips You Should Know About

June 28, 2019 Comments Off

A lot of people today desire to improve their house’s value by making their house stand out. Many people fail to decorate their home properly unfortunately. Fortunately for you, the below article provides some simple tips on interior design that is certain to make your home stand out from others in your neighborhood.

You must know what you want to do with a room before you begin to make changes to it. Moods can vary, depending on how you feel as it can be wild or someplace that is nice and relaxing. Choosing a mood before starting will make your decisions more cohesive and more fluid.

The color scheme you choose can make or break your next interior design project. Your room will look tasteful and well-balanced if you choose colors that go well together. Avoid using a lot of bold colors in a single room.

A great interior design tip is to include different patterns and/or textures into whatever room you are designing. The intricacies of the patterns and textures will draw eyes to the pertinent details of your room. If you aim to give a room a more contemporary look and appeal, you’ll want to include pattern and texture in its design scheme.

Whenever installing wall art, make sure it is being hung at eye level. Hanging your art too low or high can really disrupt the look of a room, and can even give the appearance of a smaller room.

When designing your child’s room, try to see it through their eyes. Think about what they like so that they can appreciate how you redecorate their room. Everything should be easy to reach and easy to store. Look at everything from a child’s point of view and remove potential hazards.

If you are thinking about redecorating your kitchen, come up with ideas that are outside the box, especially with the counter tops. Less traditional materials like wood, cork or concrete can really make a statement. Also, these materials will not break the bank, which allows you to use money on other things.

Get your creative juices flowing with framed pictures. They can have a big impact on the overall look of the space. Do not limit yourself to just hanging them in a straight line. You could hang them at angles or in thought-out patterns. Taking advantage of all of the white space can enhance the mood of the house.

When designing your home, go with your own taste. While it should appear nice for company, you’ll be living in it. With that said, do what you want, even if you are afraid that someone else might not like it. The decision is yours alone. You may not like it further down the road, which means you can always redesign it then.

As you now know, it’s easy to make your home look brand new and exciting. Use everything you learned from this article so that everyone wants to come to your home. This advice will help you make your house look like your dream home.…

Be Your Own Contractor With These Tips About Your Home’s Roof

March 8, 2019 Comments Off

If you think you need a new roof, you probably have many questions. You don’t want to make any bad decisions and regret them later. Maintain and repair your roof as needed to protect the rest of your home. Keep reading so you can learn more about the roof over your head.

Check out your roof yearly. The roof is particularly vulnerable during the cold winter months on in to the warmer spring season. In that time make sure you keep an extra eye out for issues.

If you have a leak when it rains, examine it when it’s dry and fix it. It’s too dangerous to work on a wet and slippery roof. Once the roof has dried, you can set about making repairs.

Check both the roof’s foundation and the shingles when you notice a leak. Water could be seeping in from somewhere else, such as dry-rotted siding or gaps along windows or doors. You need to look for every possible place that water can enter so that the problem gets taken care of completely.

When making roof repairs, safety needs to be a priority. Don’t try to fix a leaking roof, for instance, while it is still storming outside. This is very dangerous. Keep a bucket underneath any leaks until you have improved weather and then go inspect your roof.

Do not try to repair a roof if it’s raining, snowing or icy outside. When the roof is wet or slippery, you could end up falling, causing major injury and even death. If you work on the roof on your own, only do it when the weather is dry and sunny.

You need to consider the climate when choosing a roof type. Clay roofs work great in dry climates and may keep the home cool. However, these do not survive well in wet climates and will have a short lifespan. If you have doubts, just ask.

If you’re working on a leak, do it right the first time. That means you don’t stop with the first spot you find which has a problem. If you take the time to check your whole roof, you will not have to deal with additional, often worse, problems down the road.

When you hire a roofing contractor, you must look at their background references. Swing by the homes the contractor worked on to check their quality. You should also go and check out some of their previous work. You can drive by their other houses and check them out so you know if you want to hire them.

A great, dependable, trustworthy resource when looking to find a roofer is your friends and family. Make sure you question them on a contractor’s costs, service level, and craftsmanship. Ask as many questions as you can to get the best possible repair for your money.

Does the roofing knowledge this article has provided you with make you feel better? Start planning your next roofing project with the tips you just read. Get the most qualified contractor to install the best roof for you. Make sure you remember the ideas presented when developing your plan.…

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