If you want to know how to live your best financial life, you’ve come to the right place! Here, you’ll find everything from information on insurance, investments, and owning rental property to advice on savings and retirement.
We welcome clean fresh water in our kitchens and bathrooms, but sometimes water arrives uninvited and causes damage. Will your homeowners insurance pay for damage from unwanted water in your home? Like many things in life, the answer is: It depends. What insurance covers In general, homeowners insurance covers water damage that is “sudden and… Read more »
No one wants a sewage backup in their home or yard. Sewage line problems are destructive, expensive health hazards. How can you spot a problem in the making? And will homeowners insurance cover a broken sewer line and the damage it causes? Signs of a sewer line problem Watch for these telltale signs that you… Read more »
Homeowners insurance protects a home’s entire structure and the contents within. Condo insurance works differently. Here’s how to be adequately protected no matter which you own. Comparing policies When you own a freestanding home, you must insure all your property. That includes the entire structure of the house, its contents and the other buildings and… Read more »
When choosing homeowners insurance, you have the option to insure your home at either market value or replacement cost. If your home is destroyed, the difference in these two types of coverage is crucial and can be expensive. Here’s why you need to insure your home at replacement cost. Defining market value and replacement cost… Read more »
Homeowners may want to use electronic monitoring equipment — video and audio — to monitor guests in their home in two situations. One is when a homeowner is selling her house and wants to monitor potential buyers during showings. The other is when the owner rents out a house via Airbnb. Is this sort of… Read more »
Your property insurance agent may have recommended you add an umbrella policy to your homeowners or auto insurance policy. What is an umbrella policy, and how can it protect you? What is an umbrella policy? Umbrella insurance is a secondary policy providing an additional layer of liability coverage above what your homeowners or auto insurance… Read more »
Homeowners insurance companies paid out more than $800 million in dog bite and injury claims last year. Animal-related claims like these are among the most common homeowners claims. That’s why some homeowners insurers refuse to insure certain dog breeds. Check the list below, and if you own one of these 12 breeds, consult with your… Read more »
To paraphrase an ancient riddle, if a tree falls on your house or car, it definitely makes a sound. But whose insurance pays for the damage? When your neighbor’s tree falls If your neighbor’s tree falls on your house, your homeowner’s insurance policy should cover the damage just as if it were your tree, subject… Read more »
incCountless Americans have built enormous wealth by owning investment real estate. However, the biggest challenge for entry into this lucrative field is raising the capital to buy properties and pay for renovations and repairs. Here’s a quick study on investment property financing. Two main categories of investment properties Although there are several ways that investors… Read more »
Baby Boomers are aging, and people of all ages are increasingly caring for elderly parents with mobility issues. That has increased the demand for home elevators in multistory homes. A home elevator is a terrific help with mobility and moving cargo floor to floor, but diligent research and planning are a must. Here’s what you… Read more »
People who live with an animal that helps them with a disability or special need have certain rights under federal housing laws as well as other laws. Here’s an explanation of your rights regarding service or assistance animals. What federal housing laws provide The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) requires housing providers to make “reasonable… Read more »
Does living in a rented space mean you’re stuck with drab floors, the same blah neutral paint in every room, and no pictures on your walls? Not necessarily. If you cooperate with your landlord, you may be surprised how much freedom you have to make your rental your own. Communication is key. Here are our… Read more »
There’s a lot of misinformation out there about consumer credit. Many commonly accepted notions are simply wrong. Here’s what will build rock-solid credit and what won’t. What counts most The most important thing for building creditworthiness and achieving a good credit score is to pay credit card balances and installment payments on time, every time…. Read more »
Solar energy offers you the chance to save money on your electric bill and be less dependent on “the grid.” But solar power scammers take advantage of consumers with schemes to take their money for little or nothing in return. Let’s power up your knowledge to protect your wallet. How home solar power works You’ve… Read more »
The daily mail bombards us with warranty solicitations warning of dire costs for breakdowns in our homes and cars. Now there are warranties offered to cover the cost of repairing the water and sewer lines between your house and your utility provider’s main service line. These warranties are usually offered as an insurance policy with… Read more »
As you and your family snooze soundly at night, your appliances, electronics and home systems still silently draw energy. This idle load can be responsible for as much as a third of your electric bill. Read on for steps you can take to reduce idle load and save money. What is idle load and what… Read more »
The federal government offers housing assistance to allow low-income families, disabled people and the elderly to rent decent, clean homes through the Section 8 Housing Voucher program. Here’s how it works. A Section 8 overview The Housing and Urban Development agency of the U.S. government funds the Section 8 program. HUD channels vouchers to local… Read more »
If you want to begin investing in real estate, you may find that traditional financing sources like conventional and government-backed loans don’t work for you. Where can you turn to find real estate financing? Here are five ways to invest in real estate with other people’s money. Using your own funds Some traditional mortgage loan… Read more »
When you buy an investment property to rent out, you put lots of money and effort into the purchase, renovation and repair to make it ready. Great tenants make your investment pay off, but to get them, you must also put time and money into finding and keeping them. Here’s how to screen potential tenants…. Read more »
You probably think first of an apartment when it comes to renting a place to live. But it’s also possible to rent a single-family home. Let’s consider the differences between apartments and rental homes and how the process of renting a home works. Differences between renting a home vs. an apartment Space. Usually, a rental… Read more »
