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        <title>Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/</link>
        <description></description>
        <item>
            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/2012-the-year-of-the-short-sale.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/2012-the-year-of-the-short-sale.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>2012: The Year of the Short Sale</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Short sales have been becoming increasingly prevalent since the collapse of the housing bubble, but 2012 may have been their biggest year yet. According to RealtyTrac, short sales accounted for 32% of all homes sold in the United States, while foreclosures only accounted for 11%. 




A short sale is when a bank allows an underwater homeowner to sell their home at a price that is less than what they owe the bank, with the bank absorbing the loss. To get a short sale approved, the homeowner has to prove that they have some sort of financial hardship. Banks have been willing to approve more and more short sales because they realize that they end up getting more for the home than they would have if they had foreclosed on it. In the fourth quarter of last year, the average short sale sold for 23% below market value, while the average foreclosure sold for 39% below market value. Obviously, banks are seeing the benefits of short sales.




There were also a few other factors that led to the increase in short sales last year. For one, there was the National Mortgage Settlement that was finalized in February of 2012. With this deal, banks get credit toward the settlement whenever they approve of a short sale. According to the Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight, $19 billion of the $45 billion in consumer relief that lenders have reported has gone to short sales and forgiving the debt to distressed homeowners.




The second thing that caused an increase in short sales was the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act. Normally, homeowners would have to pay income taxes on the portion of their mortgage that was forgiven in a short sale. This was no longer the case, thanks to the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act. However, the act was set to expire on December 31 of last year (it has since been extended one more year) so many homeowners were rushing to get their homes sold as short sales before that happened.




Whatever the factors, the increased number of short sales, as well as home sales rising all across the country, led to a greatly improved year for the real estate market. And the first few months of 2013 are looking pretty good too! Let's hope this trend continues and we keep seeing our numbers rising throughout the year.
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            <pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:36:27 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/the-best-uses-for-that-tax-refund.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/the-best-uses-for-that-tax-refund.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>The Best Uses for That Tax Refund!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



The IRS reported that last year the average American got nearly $3,000 of tax refund money. So while you're anxiously awaiting this year's check, are you dreaming of all the wonderful things you could do with it? Sure, you could go on vacation. Sure, you could upgrade your home entertainment system. Yes, I guess you could even go try that indoor skydiving thing on International Drive that you always said you wanted to try. Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but there are much smarter ways to spend that money. Here are just a few.



Paying Off Your Credit Card




Ok, so maybe it's not as glamorous as a tropical vacation, but using your tax refund to pay off your credit card debt is one of the smartest things you can do. On a high interest credit card, you lose hundreds of dollars a year in interest fees if you have any balance on your card - especially the maximum balance. Pay that off of pay it down (and try to keep it down) and those hundreds of dollars will stay in your pocket throughout the year.




Improving Energy Efficiency




Are energy bills killing you each month? Then your home probably isn't as energy efficient as it needs to be. Have the electric company come in and do an energy audit of your home. You may find that you need your ducts resealed or new insulation or even more energy efficient appliances. Making these changes can bring your monthly energy bills down drastically and save you lots of money in the long run.




Make an Investment




Investing is always a little bit of a risk, but over the long term, it is almost always a smart move. Consider taking your tax refund and investing it. Make it work for you. Talk to a professional and see where your money will get the best return.




Make an Emergency Fund




The expects say that, if possible, you should have about six months worth of income stashed away somewhere in case of emergencies. You never know when a storm or fire could severely damage (or even destroy) your home. Or you could lose your job and be unable to find one for months. Or you could get sick or be injured and be out of work and paying hospital bills. You never know what life is going to throw at you, so it's best to be prepared. Of course, it may be hard for you to save six month's worth of income. If you use your tax refund to start or bolster your emergency fund, it'll be a big help.




Make a College Fund




So you've got an emergency fund then? Great! But that doesn't mean saving still isn't a good idea. Do you have kids? Then I bet you want to send your kids to college. College tuition goes up every year and you want to be as ready for it as you can possibly be. Start a college fund for your kids when they're young. Use your tax return to start or add to it and they'll thank you in the long run. Well, maybe they won't do it out loud, but that's just because they'll be teenagers. Deep down, they'll thank you.




Make a Retirement Fund




You've got your emergency fund, you've got your kids off to college, now you can just go out and spend your tax refund in a shopping spree, right? Wait! Have you planned for retirement? According to a recent poll, almost 40% of Americans are not confident that they'll have the money to retire when they're ready. You don't want to be part of that statistic. Start yourself a retirement fund and add to it with your tax refund. 




So there you go, six things that you can do with your tax return that are smarter than just going on vacation. If you've already done all of this and you still have tax return money then, well…send me a postcard from the beach! For the rest of us, it's always best to save or spend wisely. 
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            <pubDate>Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:14:04 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/the-sky-is-falling-on-your-house.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/the-sky-is-falling-on-your-house.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>The Sky Is Falling - On Your House!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Here's a thought that I bet has never occurred to you - is your home covered against meteor damage? It's certainly not a possibility that most people prepare for, but I'm betting it's crossed a few minds since the remarkable footage of last month's meteor explosion in Russia. So, what would happen if a meteorite fell on your house?




Well, the good news is, your homeowner's insurance probably covers it. Sure, it might be hard to find a good insurance policy that covers likely Florida disasters, like floods or sinkholes, but for objects falling from space? They got your back.




In fact, homeowner's insurance covers against all "falling objects", whether it's a meteorite, satellite part or, more commonly, "blue ice" (you don't want to know what that one is - look it up). I bet you're glad you have that policy now, though I suppose it's little consolation when there's a Volkswagen-sized hole in your roof and a large rock sitting in your living room. 




Luckily for you (and for the insurance companies), chances are you'll never need to use it. Over 40 tons of space debris hits Earth every year, but most of it comes in the form of harmless dust particles. Occasionally, a decent sized chunk of rock or piece of old metal will hit the ground, but the instances of it causing any property damage are extremely rare. Even rarer are cases of personal injury, with only a handful of "meteorite related" injuries to speak of. And not once, in all of recorded history, has there been an incident where someone was struck and killed by an object falling from space - not counting those dinosaurs, of course.




So it's a rarity. But doesn't it give you a little piece of mind knowing that, with good homeowner's insurance, should the near-impossible occur, you'll be covered? I know it does for me. Stay safe out there. And keep watching the skies!

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            <pubDate>Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:39:56 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/homestead-portability.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/homestead-portability.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>Homestead Portability</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



I just talked about the benefits of applying for a Homestead Exemption on your home, now I want to talk about how you can apply those benefits to your next home when you move.




To encourage home sales, Florida allows you to transfer your tax benefits from one homesteaded property to a new one when you move, so long as you apply for a new homestead within 2 years of abandoning the previous one. If your new home is more valuable than your old home, you may port up to $500,000 of capped value to the new property. 




To transfer your benefits from one home to another, you need to apply for a new Homestead Exemption with your new property, AND file a Form DR-501T. 




Determining Your Cap Differential




How much you can port over depends on the cap differential. For example, if your home was worth $600,000 but was assessed at $500,000 due to the Save Our Homes Amendment, you would have a cap differential of $100,000 that you could port over. So if your new home is worth $800,000, it would be assessed no more than $700,000 in the first year.




If your new home is worth less than your old home, then the cap differential will be determined by dividing your home's assessed value by it's just value. For example, with that home that was worth $600,000 but was assessed at $500,000, the assessed value is 83% of the just value. So your new home, if it's worth less, will be assessed at 83% of it's just value. 




Combining Households




If two people with Homestead Exemptions choose to buy a home together, the property appraiser will port over the benefits from whichever property gives you the highest cap differential (meaning the highest tax savings for you).




Dividing Households




If two people owned a house and then choose to buy new houses separately, they may port over part of their Homestead Benefits. In this case, the cap differential is then divided by the number of owners, either equally or by each owner's proportionate interest in the home. For instance, if one owner owns 80% of the home then that owner will be able to port 80% of the cap differential. If both owners own the home equally, the cap will be split equally.




And those are the basics. I know it can be a little confusing. As always, if you have any questions about your specific property, it's best to consult with a professional. Just make sure you do it before next March so that you can enjoy the benefits of this exemption!

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            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:27:18 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/applying-for-a-homestead-exemption.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/applying-for-a-homestead-exemption.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>Applying For a Homestead Exemption</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



I've talked about this briefly in the past but it's time to go over it again. Every Florida resident who owns their own home is eligible for a tax exemption of up to $50,000 called a Homestead Exemption. The first $25,000 applies to all taxes on your property, including school district taxes, while the additional $25,000 applies to assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000, only to non-school taxes. If you are over 65 years old, or if you have a disability, you may qualify for even more exemptions. And best of all, once you've gotten your Homestead Exemption, the assessed value of your homestead property will not increase more than 3% per year or the percent change of the Consumer Price Index, according to the Save Our Homes Amendment of the Florida Constitution. 




Qualification




To qualify for this exemption you need to have owned and lived your home since January 1 of the current year. To determine whether or not the property is your permanent residence, the Property Appraiser can look at a variety of factors including the address on your driver's license, the address where you're registered to vote, vehicle registration, the address for your tax returns and bank statements and more. Since this is meant to be an exemption on your primary residence, you can only have a Homestead Exemption on one property. Unfortunately, the deadline for applying for a Homestead Exemption is March 1, so if you haven't applied already this year, you're out of luck. But you can apply ahead of time for next year. 




Application




To apply, you simply need to fill out an application and file it with your county Property Appraiser. In many cases, you won't need to re-apply until you move again, as many counties have an automatic renewal process. 




Determining just how much value your home has and how much of an exemption you can get can be tricky. As always, it's best to consult with a professional on a case-by-case basis. Just remember to apply for your Homestead Exemption now before you miss another March 1st!
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            <pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:22:22 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/orlandos-foreclosures-fall.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/orlandos-foreclosures-fall.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>Orlando's Foreclosures Fall</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



In Orlando, the inventory of foreclosed homes is going down and sales of foreclosed homes are going up! (Hmm, could one have something to do with the other?) 




In the last 12 months, ending in October, Orlando's foreclosure inventory has fallen almost 2%. Orlando isn't the only place that foreclosure inventories are falling. In fact, they're falling all across the country. In Florida, we still have one of the largest foreclosure inventories in the nation but the rate at which ours is falling is higher than it is in other parts of the country. Simply put, we may have more foreclosure homes here but we're selling more of them as well.




For example, in the Orlando area, which includes Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties, there was a reported total of 3,353 short sales and bank-owned homes that were sold in the last quarter. That's a remarkable 31.8% increase from the same time last year and a 46.9% increase from the previous quarter!




Foreclosure sales are expected to drop in the final quarter of the year (as all home sales usually do) but if they pick up again next year, or improve again like they did this year, we'll be in good shape.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 07 Dec 2012 08:31:33 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/new-apartments-to-go-up-at-winter-park-village.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/new-apartments-to-go-up-at-winter-park-village.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>New Apartments to Go Up at Winter Park Village</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



For those who haven't visited, Winter Park Village is a great shopping area located in Winter Park, just off of 17-92. It's just a few minutes away from Park Avenue and has many fantastic stores, a grocery store, some great dining and one of the area's best movie theaters. 




It also has a number of uniquely styled apartments called Lofts at Winter Park Village. It's a great location to live, with nearly everything you could possibly need just a short walk from your home. But Lofts only has a limited number of units and the increased demand has led the developer of Winter Park Village to bring a bigger residential presence to the complex.




In the first quarter of 2013, Winter Park Town Center Development will start construction on a new $30 million, 204 unit complex of apartments. The complex will be on the southwest corner of the West Canton Avenue and North Denning Drive intersection.




This new apartment complex will be called The Residences at Winter Park Village. The upscale, luxury apartments will be available as one, two, and three bedroom units and the community will include a pool, courtyard and firepit. 




The units likely won't last long once they come on the market, so if you're looking to rent a high-class apartment in Winter Park any time soon, you'll definitely want to keep an eye on this project. 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:22:20 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/living-in-the-future-the-smart-home.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/living-in-the-future-the-smart-home.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>Living in the Future: The Smart Home</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



What do you see when you picture the Home of the Future? Conveyor belts and robot maids? Computer screens on every wall? A garage for your flying car? These ideas may have seemed far-fetched at one time (ok, the flying car is still pretty far-fetched) but almost every idea of the home of the future shares one thing in common - technology. In the future, we expect technology to be integrated directly into our homes in a way that the world has never seen before.



The truth is, that future is already here.




One of the biggest growing trends in luxury properties today is the "Smart Home", a house that uses the latest technology to make living at home easier and more intuitive than ever. The basic idea of a Smart Home is simple. Anything in your house that uses electricity can be connected to one network, allowing you to control it all using a remote, a computer or even your own voice. The functions of this system can also be automated, allowing it to intuitively control your electronics and appliances, even while you're asleep or out of the house.




Some of the most basic Smart Home functions involve lighting. With a Smart Home system, you can control every light in your house with a remote or your voice. With many systems, you can use your smartphone as a remote, allowing you to switch your lights on and off, even when you're away from the house. The function of your lights can also be timed, turning off automatically after you go to bed, turning on just before you get home, anything you can think of. Motion sensors can be used as well, so that lights come on when you walk into a room and switch off again when you leave. You can even make your lighting interact with other devices on your system. For example, you can set it so that your lights automatically dim when you start a movie in your living room.




A Smart Home system is also perfect if you are concerned about security. You can install cameras throughout your home that can be activated via remote, motion sensors or timed. You can then view the images from these cameras on your computer, or even on your phone. You could actually check your house with real-time video while you're on vacation. And if you see a light that you left on, you can turn it off!




Many of the thermostats on the market today use the same technology. Smart Home thermostats have complex timers that can change the temperature at certain times of the day, such as warming up the room before you get out of bed. It can switch off when you go to work and switch back on a half hour before you come back. Some thermostats even begin to learn your habits, using motion sensors to determine where you tend to be at what time of day, for how long, and the temperature that you like to have at those times. After a few weeks of studying this data, your thermostat will start to adjust the temperature at these times without even needing your input.




The applications for a Smart Home system are limited only by your imagination (and the amount of money you're willing to spend). Imagine being able to access your DVD library from any screen in the house. Or having the coffee maker switch on just before you're scheduled to wake up in the morning. Smart Home systems can be designed to handle complex situations. For example, if there was a fire in your home, your system could wake you up with alarms, call the fire department, light up a path to the exits, and unlock all your doors all at the same time.




There are even some highly advanced appliances that are coming onto the market that are designed specifically to integrate into Smart Home systems. If you have pets, you can get an automatic feeder that gives your pet food at certain times of the day. You can get a trash can that can tell when you throw away certain items and automatically searches the internet to find replacements. You can even get a refrigerator that knows every item of food inside it and will suggest recipes that use the items you have!




It will still be a little while before the most advanced Smart Home technologies will be accessible to the average home-owner, but some of the basic systems, like some lighting systems, can be done now for only a few hundred dollars. The Home of the Future is quickly becoming the Home of the Now. 




And maybe soon they'll add a garage for the flying car.
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            <pubDate>Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:45:24 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/packing-a-storm-survival-kit.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/packing-a-storm-survival-kit.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>Packing a Storm Survival Kit</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



With the recent, horrible destruction brought about by Hurricane Sandy up North, we're reminded how important it is to be prepared for the worst that Mother Nature can throw at us. Here in Florida, hurricanes are commonplace - so commonplace that many people don't make a special effort to be ready for them. Don't make this mistake!




I've talked in the past about making your home nearly-hurricane proof. Today I want to talk about something that every home needs to have - a storm survival kit. So get yourself a large, waterproof container and put these things in.




Food &amp; Water




Of course, your biggest concern when disaster strikes will be the amount of food and water you have. Experts say that your survival kit should contain enough food and water to support everyone in your household for at least 72 hours.




Remember that you won't just need water for drinking. If you lose access to the city's water (or if you have a well and lack of electricity knocks out your pump) you'll also need water for bathing and toilet flushing. It's recommended that you keep one gallon of water per person, per day. Obviously, this may be too much water to fit into your waterproof box, but as long as you keep them in sealed containers in a high and dry place, they should be fine.




As for food, you'll want to stick with nonperishable canned food. Don't include anything that is especially salty because this will make you thirsty and your water supply may be limited. Many canned foods can be eaten cold but if you want to cook them, have a charcoal grill or gas camping stove handy. Make sure you do all of your cooking outside. Make sure that you remove the labels and open up the top of the can before cooking (that's a mistake you'd only make once). Also make sure that you have clean utensils so you don't have to be eating a can of corn with your hands.




Oh, and pack a manual can opener. That's important.




Radio




After disaster strikes you'll want to keep up on the news. You don't want to miss any important relief information, safety info or even warnings for more bad weather. With the power out, you won't have your television, you may not have cell phone signal, but you still have your trusty radio to turn to! Make sure that your emergency kit comes with a battery powered, or hand-cranked radio. If it's battery powered, put plenty of extra batters in the box as well. 




First Aid




You should always have a first aid kit in your home and you should always keep one for your emergency kit. First aid kits should provide supplies for most minor injuries so you'll want bandages, band-aids, antibiotic ointments, burn ointments, scissors and tape. You'll always want to keep some basic medicine in their like aspirin. If you take daily prescription drugs, make sure that you have enough to last a few days in case you won't be able to run to the drug store.




Blankets and Sleeping Bags




Your bedroom may be underwater. Your sheets and blankets may be soaked through. Make sure that your waterproof emergency kit has blankets and sleeping bags for everybody in the household. You want something to keep warm and safe from the weather when you sleep at night. Also, don't forget to pack some pillows or your neck won't let you forget it the next morning.




Toiletries 




The logic is that everything in your home may be contaminated with flood water. You want to pack extras of anything that you need to keep sanitary. That means toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, diapers, feminine supplies, soap...pretty much everything you keep under the sink in your bathroom (except for those fancy soaps from Bath &amp; Bodyworks that, let's face it, you're never going to use).




Entertainment




No television, no internet, no videogames - you'd be surprised how much you miss your normal forms of entertainment when they're gone. Your emergency kit shouldn't just be about surviving, it should also include some items to make the time more enjoyable. This is especially true if you have children, who will likely get really bored and disgruntled really quickly. Be sure to include some board games, books, puzzles, toys and other activities to keep them and yourself occupied during the downtime. Just one deck of cards can make a big difference.




Cash




The banks might be closed, the ATMs might be down and the few businesses that are open might not have power to swipe your credit card. After a disaster strikes, cash is once again king. Be sure to include a little extra spending money in your kit in case you need to stock up on a few supplies and can't use your cards. Always keep some cash on you. Or traveler's checks. Those work too.




Good preparation can literally mean the difference between life or death during extreme weather emergencies. Especially in disaster-prone areas (like, oh, say, the state of Florida) you always want to keep your emergency kit stocked and ready to go. Don't leave anything to chance. Be prepared and stay safe.
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            <pubDate>Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:25:24 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-homeowners-insurance.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.leecameronrealtor.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-homeowners-insurance.html</link>
            <author>lee@leecameronrealtor.com (Lee Cameron)</author>
            <title>What You Need to Know About Homeowners Insurance</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 



Buying a home is an enormous investment, so naturally you'll want to protect this investment as much as possible. For this we have homeowners insurance. Getting homeowners insurance for your new home is not only important, it's also almost always required by your mortgage lender. After all, your home is an investment for them too.




Coverage




Basic homeowners insurance covers property damage from disasters like fire and wind. If your home needs heavy repair, your insurance may also help to cover your hotel stay and food costs while repairs are going on. Most policies don't include coverage for flood damage, however. That has to be purchased separately.




Homeowners insurance also covers loss of property through criminal activities like theft or vandalism. And finally, homeowners insurance offers liability coverage, giving you protection from lawsuits due to  injuries that may occur on your property.




Costs




The cost of homeowners insurance, of course, varies depending on many factors. The most important factor is the size and age of the home you have, Your insurance costs will be based on your square footage and the age of your house, as well as any improvements that have been made. Basically, your insurance cost is based on the cost that it would take to rebuild your home after a disaster.




Other factors have an effect on the cost as well. For example, if your home is close to a fire hydrant or a fire station, the insurance company will assume that it will be easier to save your home in the case of a fire and will often lower your costs. On the other hand, if your home is in an area with a high crime rate, you may have higher costs. And of course, in many places here in Florida, we can expect higher costs for being in the path of yearly hurricanes.




The Effect of Your Credit Score




Your credit score can also have a big effect on how much your insurance costs. In the mind of an insurance company, somebody with a low credit score is financially irresponsible and more likely to file an insurance claim. With this in mind, they'll raise rates to compensate.




Of course, you'll want to get your credit score as high as you possibly can before buying a home anyway. Raising your credit is as simple as making payments on time and in full, but it can take a while to build up if you've gotten too low. The upside is, while you're taking time to bring your credit score back up, you can shop around and find the best insurance policy for you when you're ready to buy.




Insurance for Condos




Getting homeowners insurance for a condo is a little bit different. With a condo, your condo association will have its own insurance policy that covers the building, infrastructure and common areas. You are responsible for insuring everything that exists within the walls of your home (except for the plumbing, electrical systems and anything else that is part of the structure of the building). You'll need a policy that protects against damage or theft, as well as providing Additional Living Expenses - paying for you to stay somewhere else while damages are repaired or replaced. Your condo's policy should also include liability insurance for things inside your home. Injuries that occur out in the common areas should be covered by the association's insurance.




Getting homeowners insurance is an important - and usually required - step when you're buying a home. As with everything, you want to come into the process fully prepared, having done your research and shopped around. I've laid out examples from typical policies but individual policies can change quite a bit depending on the circumstances. For exact details, you'll want to consult an insurance agent. Your home is likely the most important investment that you have. Don't leave it unprotected! 
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            <pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:35:24 -0500</pubDate>
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