Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly column will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.
Today we will provide tips on minimizing potential damage from hurricanes. Florence is looking to slow down a bit but the season is long and you should be prepared on how to best protect your home.
Hurricane Party this Saturday
Expecting a boring weekend because of all the rain from Hurricane Florence? Come join us at Port City Brewery in Alexandria (3950 Wheeler Avenue) from 12-1:30 p.m. this Saturday for free drinks and food to learn about the process of buying or selling a home.
We will have Melody Abella from Sotheby’s and Ru Toyama from Monument Home Loans to answer any and all questions. You can RSVP for free by clicking here!
Back to minimizing that hurricane damage! Here are the top tips we could gather:
- Clean Out your Gutters — Gutters that are backed up with sticks and leaves can cause unexpected leaks… in fact I had this issue 2 months ago in the heavy rains even though I never had leak issues in the past.
- Move Your Valuables — Move valuable items that are prone to water damage off the floors to somewhere elevated in case flooding occurs. If your home has a flood history, move any items out of the “flood zone.”
- Protect Your Appliances and Electronics — Turn off and unplug any electronics which are not needed (computers, modem, speakers, etc.) If you do not want to unplug these items, at least make sure they are connected to a surge protector.
- Document Your Belongings — Whether it be a list on paper, or photos (better for insurance purposes), make sure you know what you own. In the event your home and/or belongings get damaged you have them on record instead of trying to remember what you had after the fact.
- Know Your Escape Route — Make sure you know the best way out of the house in the event your house has severe flooding. At the end of the day, no belonging is worth putting your life at risk.
Title Tip of the Week
How often do you have to pay for title insurance? You pay only one time at closing. How long does the policy last? The title insurance policy not only lasts for as long as you own the home, but as long as your heirs own the home.
When you compare the costs to life insurance or car insurance, title insurance is a affordable way to protect what is likely your largest investment of your lifetime!
Have questions related to title insurance? Email Latane and Matt at [email protected]. Want to use Allied Title & Escrow when you buy a home? Tell your agent when you buy a house to write in Allied Title & Escrow as your settlement company!