Fall Lawn Care

Secrets of Fall Lawn Care

Autumn is a great time to spruce up your lawn. This easy guide shows you how.
Take advantage of cool fall weather to fertilize, control weeds, and improve the health and appearance of your yard...






Read the rest of the story by Better Homes & Gardens

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* Call Brockman Premier Insurance  877-987-8683  

Pride of Ownership

Looks Do Matter!  

Before                                                 After

What? Why?

If you have ever sold a home, I bet you have heard the term Curb appeal. As the prospective buyers drive up, you want them to see your house in the best possible light. There is even an industry position for Staging the interior of homes as well. Looks do matter when selling your home. As part of the inspection process, most carriers will ask the inspectors to state if the home shows Pride of Ownership. 
What are they talking about? And why does it matter if I already bought the home? 
Why do carriers care what my house looks like?

What is Pride of Ownership?

Pride of Ownership refers to how well your home is maintained. Is the yard kept neat? Is the paint peeling? Are the windows cracked or foggy? Do your trees hit your roof or the side of your house? Is your fence in need of repair? Is your pool clean and filled? These things point to you as a responsible homeowner (or not!). You don't have to have magazine type style to keep a neat and well cared for home  and yard. I'd be in serious trouble if that was the case! 

Why is Pride of Ownership important to my insurance carrier?

When you are house hunting, are you naturally drawn to homes that look good and are maintained well? Of course! Unless you are looking to do a great deal of work, you want a house that is built well and kept well. Why? Because you know it will last longer.  Carriers want to know the same thing. They don't want to take on a risk that is likely to have a claim sooner rather than later. Most claims are sudden and accidental, but if the home is not maintained, the risk of claims is higher. And if the owner shows very little pride in how the home looks, what kind of pride will he/she take in how the home is maintained? A poorly maintained home is generally a riskier home to insure because it isn't well taken care of. 

So Looks do matter?

Yes! But little things can make a difference. Trim over grown trees and bushes, especially if they are touching the roof or sides of the home. Replace big hard to control plants with easier to maintain box plants. Paint. Sometimes a touch up will do, but other times you will need to repaint the entire set of stairs, or window panes or whatever it is that is scratched and peeling. It may not take much at all to make your home look good, even if you bought it a little Rough!

There are three ways to request a quote for your insurance needs: 

* Visit our website

* Email us

* Call Brockman Premier Insurance  877-987-8683  

energy makeover

The Energy-Efficient Home Makeover

No demolition required. A few small tweaks to each room could dramatically shrink your carbon footprint.

It’s no secret that Americans have one of the world’s highest per-person carbon emissions rates—or that much of your personal carbon load can be traced back to a little place called home. In other words, the climate change battleground is even closer than your own backyard. It’s in your bathroom, the kitchen, and the basement, too. So if you’re serious about doing your part to fight climate change, that hybrid or electric car in your driveway is a good start, but it’s not enough. Take a good look at the fixtures and appliances in your home. By making some upgrades or tweaks, or simply by changing the way you use them, you will reduce your emissions―and save on your energy bills, too.

Read the full article from NRDC...

There are three ways to request a quote for your insurance needs: 

* Visit our website

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* Call Brockman Premier Insurance  877-987-8683  

Home renovations

6 Home Projects That Cost Less Than a TV

Giving your home a little extra “umph” doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars. In fact, you can dramatically improve the looks of your home for less than the cost of a new TV. Ready to find out how? Keep reading to discover the six projects that are sure to make your home pop — without busting your budget.

1. Revamp your entryway.

A stylish entrance is an important part of any home’s decor. Begin your upgrade with a new welcome mat and house numbers. These simple upgrades are cost-friendly and have an immediate impact on your home’s entrance. You can also arrange potted plants — like easy-to-maintain succulents — around your entrance for an eye-popping aesthetic. Flowering plants, while slightly more difficult to maintain, can complement the color scheme of your entrance or act as a standalone focal point. You can also spruce up your home’s entrance with a quick color update to your front door. A new shade will complement your entryway décor and spruce up the overall look of your home’s exterior. Chic doorknockers, updated doorknobs and alluring porch lighting are the perfect finishing touches for your 

home's entrance.

.

Expected costs:
Welcome mat: $2
House numbers: $6 per number
Succulents: $37 for pre-potted kits
Flowering plants: $30

Door knockers: $35
Doorknobs: $125
Porch lighting: $50
Front door color updated: $100-$300

Read the rest of the story from HomeAdvisor...

There are three ways to request a quote for your insurance needs: 

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* Call Brockman Premier Insurance at 877-987-8683  

Is Homeowners insurance required?

Am I required to Have Homeowners Insurance?

So technically the answer is NO. There is no law stating you have to have homeowners insurance if you own a home. 

Your mortgage lender may require you to have homeowners insurance before they will lend you the money to buy the home. 

Why?  
They have loaned you money to buy this house. If you suffer a loss due to damage of the home, the mortgage is out that money if you are not covered. They loan money to make money. If your home has no value, or the value is diminished, the mortgage looses money. They need to know the value of your home is covered. So they will require you to have insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding. 

Does it matter what insurance coverage you have?
You will want the Dwelling Coverage to cover the cost of rebuilding your home from the ground up in  the case of a total loss. Most carriers will decide what they believe it would cost to rebuild, but most mortgage companies will want the amount to be above the loan amount. Most mortgages will also require you have Liability Coverage for any 3rd party claims (slip and falls, dog bites...). And if you are in a high risk flood zone (your mortgage will tell you!) you will be required to have Flood Coverage as well. Flood is not covered by Homeowners insurance so it will be a separate policy.

So legally, No, you do not have to have Homeowners insurance for your home. But if you have a mortgage they will, most likely, require you to have (and maintain) a homeowners insurance policy. Even if you are not required to have the coverage, I urge you to have a policy anyway. The average annual premium in Texas is $1100, and I know this can put a strain on the budget, but it will cost you much more if you have a fire without the coverage to rebuild your home. Or what if there is a hurricane? or a hail storm? These types of storms are common in our state and the damage is costly! Be smart. Protect what is most likely your largest investment. 

There are three ways to request a quote for your insurance needs: 

* Visit our website

* Email us

* Call Brockman Premier Insurance at 877-987-8683