homeowners insurance tips
I am an ICC Certified Residential Inspector, and…?
(NOT SPAM) Legitimate questions…
I am considering doing Private inspections on the side for buyers or sellers. I have a very thorough checklist/ report I will use, a digital camera, electrical tester, and I am renewing my business license soon.
Besides the business/ liability insurance or bonding issues, do you have any tips that you can provide regarding payment, dealing with real estate agents, present homeowners, etc…
I have several years experience in Building inspections, and am very familiar with builders and the construction process, but could use some tips regarding older homes. Where would you tell me to look?
I do have access to various years’ of building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical code books…
Serious answers only please.
In order to meet Realtors you could call each real estate office and ask if you can come to one of their meetings to introduce yourself. Take fliers and business cards or order pens with your company name to pass out. Also, offer to take refreshments. I was a Realtor with one company that had donuts/pastries at each weekly sales meeting. Sometimes a lender would come and the broker always asked them to bring the donuts. Since the buyer usually pays for the inspection and you don’t know who the buyers are then your best bet is to try to meet the Realtors. You might also be able to list your business with the local Board of Realtors and the local Chamber of Commerce. You could send letters to sellers telling them that it could be to their advantage to go ahead and have an inspection done. Then there wouldn’t be any surprises after a buyer signs a contract. Point out how bad it would be for a buyer to make an offer and sign a contract only to have an inspection a week before closing and there be problems. Tell them they could go ahead and have the inspection done now and then they can give a copy of the report to the potential buyers so there won’t be any surprises to hold up closing. You might want to send letters to the sellers and then follow up with phone calls. Also, if you meet with the Realtors then follow up with letters and/or phone calls. You want them to keep your name in the front of their mind so send a postcard once a month or so to remind them that you are doing home inspections.
Homeowners Insurance: 5 Simple Steps to Saving Big (InsWeb)
Top Homeownersâ Insurance Tips For Philadelphia
Everyone wants to do all they can to save money on their insurance and a great way to do this is to learn some insurance tips for the area in which you live. By knowing some statistics regarding your neighborhood, it can allow you to get a better understanding of why your insurance are the rate they are.
So, if you live in Philadelphia, you will be interested in knowing some facts regarding your city. The more you are aware of the area in which you live, the better you can stay informed about your insurance needs and it may allow you to feel more comfortable in your home town as well.
Homeowners Statistics for Philadelphia
If you live in Philadelphia and own a home, you are among 568, 500 other homeowners in this city. The median cost for a home in this city is approximately $147,600. So, you can expect to pay between $500-$800 for your homeowner’s insurance.
This is great information for anyone who lives in this city because it allows you to get some idea why insurance costs may be what they are.
Regardless of where you live, you will always want to save money on your homeowners insurance. It is a fact of life that we are looking for ways to make the necessities in our lives more affordable if we possibly can.
How to Make Home Insurance More Affordable
Listed below are some ways to save on your insurance:
1. Raise Your Deductible
Your deductible is the amount of risk you agree to accept before you expect the insurance company to begin paying. So, you should seriously try to do all you can to make certain you have the highest deductible you can afford to pay.
2. Combine Your Philadelphia Home Insurance and Auto Insurance Policies
Consider buying your homeowner’s and auto insurance policies from a company that offers both. You may save up to 15% by simply putting all your insurance needs on one policy.
3. Inquire About Other Homeowner’s Insurance Discounts
Make sure you’re receiving all the discounts for which you’re eligible for. The best way to help you do this may be to talk to your insurance agent and they can assist you greatly with this.
4 .Don’t Buy Homeowners’ Insurance Coverage You Don’t Need
Just get the amount of insurance you need because that is all that will be paid for. Having more insurance than you need really will not be advantageous because you can only receive so much from a claim.
Just by following the above tips, you ca easily begin to lower the costs of your insurance each month. It is a great idea to talk to your insurance agent as well because they can give you some additional ways to reduce your insurance costs and when you put all of these to use, you can really begin to significantly reduce the costs of your insurance in a short amount of time.