Here is a story that I hope I never hear again…
Once upon a time a wonderful young couple decided to take a holiday to visit family. They had a great time but when they returned, it was to anything but a happy ending! To their shock and horror they discovered that their home was severely damaged from broken water lines! Now this in itself would be a minor catastrophe in anyone’s life, but imagine if you then found out that you had no insurance coverage! There is a small but incredibly important clause in most homeowner insurance policies that requires a “vacant” property to be checked every 48 hours. The details of this clause will vary depending on the insurance provider you choose, but the net effect may be to nullify any coverage if damage occurs while the property was temporarily vacant and left un-checked. Please read your homeowner insurance policy and remember to ask someone you trust to physically walk through your home as frequently as required to ensure that your coverage is not interrupted.
I’m happy to report that couple in the above story are safe and sound, and are managing well despite their recent challenges. They were reminded of the importance of friends and family, and how we all do need to rely on each other. As a REALTOR, I take it as part of my responsibility to do whatever I can to help my friends, family and clients become more knowledgeable about everything to do with real estate. I hope that this blog post saves someone else from an unpleasant “welcome home” …
Contributed by Schmidt Realty Group REALTOR, Chris Miller
