While premium is important, knowing how your policy will afford you coverage is more important. Insurance agents are licensed and trained experts on the subject. Here are 5 questions you should not forget to ask your agent to ensure that you are purchasing the right policy from the right insurer.

Questions To Ask Your Home Insurance Agent:

1. How much would it cost to rebuild my home in its current condition and location if it were a total loss?

One of the primary purposes of buying home insurance is to insure your home against total loss. You have the option to choose your dwelling limit, which will be the total amount the insurance company will pay for materials and labor to rebuild your home. If you are not familiar with home building costs in your neighborhood, ask your agent to help you calculate the cost to rebuild per square foot.

2. How much will you need to replace your personal belongings if they were destroyed?

Personal property coverage pays to repair or replace all of your personal belongings that are not attached to the dwelling. While the average home insurance policy provides you with 75% of your dwelling coverage to replace your belongings, this limit may need to be raised if you have a lot of valuables. Ask your agent for a home inventory checklist so that you can determine if you have enough coverage.

3. How much liability coverage do I need if something happens on or away from my property?

Liability coverage will protect you against lawsuits for property damage and injury. Liability pays for judgments and the cost to defend you in court. If you are not sure how much coverage you need, ask your agent. The standard home policy will provide $100,000 in coverage.

4. Do I need to add flood and earthquake coverage?

Homeowners insurance excludes losses that are caused by earthquake or flood. To protect yourself against these losses, you need to purchase a specialty flood and earthquake insurance policy. Specialized coverage is often recommended by the most seasoned property insurance agents.

5. Do we qualify for any discounts?

There are a number of ways you can reduce your home insurance premiums with discounts. Fire sprinklers, smoke detectors, alarm systems, monitoring services, a new roof, and gated entry can all qualify you for discounts. Ask about the discounts available through the insurer and make sure you take advantage of all of the discounts that you qualify for.

Make sure you ask the right questions when you are selecting an insurance contract. By getting informed, you can avoid building a policy that does not provide you adequate protection and peace of mind.

The mission of Operation Home Giveaway is to turn heroes into homeowners.

Wounded soldiers and their families deal with so many issues. They have spent years in a hospital, undergoing countless surgeries, and having their families displaced.

A home provides a new chapter in all their lives. It helps in their recovery and allows them a better quality of life. We take for granted the many tasks of family life. Homes altered to accommodate wounded soldiers’ disabilities allow them to contribute to their household, helping their spouses’ and families with tasks like washing the dishes and doing the laundry.

Operation Home Giveaway Honors Military Veteran

Operation Home Giveaway was kicked off in Dallas, TX on April 12, 2013 at the 2nd annual Boot’n & Shoot’n event. Sgt Joey Jones was the first wounded warrior honored with this new Boot Campaign initiative.

Joey Jones is a retired Marine because of an incident on August 6, 2010 that resulted in both legs being amputated above the knee and both wrists were severely wounded as well as severe bone and tissue damage to his right forearm. Sgt Jones has been awarded the Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device and Combat Action Ribbon.

Help us turn heroes into homeowners at http://OperationHomeGiveaway.com.

If you are wondering what your mortgage payment is, the first thing to understand is what impacts your mortgage payment.

The three factors that impact your mortgage payment is the amount of money that you are going to borrow, the interest rate that you are charged, and the amortization rate that you receive. The amount of money that you will borrow depends on the purchase price and the down payment you put forth. The interest rate that you receive is typically assigned by the bank or mortgage lender. Most borrowers choose a 30 year amortization, but there are plenty of other options to pay your mortgage off sooner than that. The longer your amortization is, the lower your payments will be, but the longer it will take to pay off the loan.

For those that are asking what a mortgage payment is, here’s what the typical mortgage payment covers:

First, it will cover your principle and interest payments. Interest is the amount of money that goes to the bank each month for providing you the loan. The principle payment is that amount of money that goes to the bank to pay down the loan balance. Each month, a little bit more money goes towards principle and a little less goes towards interest. Reduction of principle is what allows you to build equity over time.

Depending on your loan agreement, your monthly mortgage payment may also cover your tax and insurance payments. Many lenders require you to pay into real estate tax and insurance escrows every month. Then, when your tax or insurance payments are due, they mortgage lender will send the money due to the taxing authority and insurance companies. This will ensure that you don’t miss a payment and stay covered.

Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions about what a mortgage is and what’s covered by your monthly mortgage payment.

Walt Disney World (Orlando, Florida)

You can’t go wrong with the happiest place on earth! Your kids will meet their favorite Disney characters, ride classic roller coasters like Space Mountain, see live performances, and more. DisneyWorld is spread out over 30,000 acres and features multiple theme parks, water parks, and golf courses. That’s more fun than you’ll know what to do with.

Hawaii

If your family is willing to brave a long airplane ride, Hawaii should be at the top of your list. There are a host of child-friendly beaches, not to mention a wide range of activities such as snorkeling, whale watching, swimming with dolphins, and the Hawaiian Adventures Water Park. Aloha ʻOe!

The Grand Canyon (Arizona)

The Grand Canyon ranks with DisneyWorld as one of the most popular vacation destinations. 277 miles long and 18 miles deep, this natural wonder is a must-see for the whole family, especially if you’ve never been. When you’ve gotten your fill of this titanic chasm, you can also go hiking, kayaking, rafting, and ride the Grand Canyon Railway.

Circus Circus (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Despite its reputation, Sin City can be a great place to take the family, especially if you stay at Circus Circus. It’s Vegas’s fifth largest casino, and offers a variety of entertainment such as acrobatic shows, arcades, and carnival games. Last but not least, Circus Circus is home to Adventuredome, an indoor theme park with over 20 rides.

Atlantis Resort and Casino (Paradise Island, Bahamas)

Who can say “no” to the Bahamas, especially if you’re combining the Bahamas with a fantasy-adventure experience? This $850 million resort is a recreation of the mysterious lost continent of Atlantis. You’ll have access to beaches, pools, water slides, and exhibit lagoons. You’ll also come across over 50,000 different types of animals, including sharks and stingrays

What places would you recommend for the perfect summer family vacation? Let us know in the comments section.

A total of 87% of those surveyed said owning a home is something they dream about.

“Owning a home is at the heart of most Americans’ dreams,” said Kevin Watters, CEO of mortgage banking at JPMorgan Chase. “And people are saving as much as possible to achieve homeownership.”

Of those surveyed, 66% believe housing is a good financial investment and 75% see it as a crucial part of raising a family.

“Owning a home will not only give my husband and me pride and roots, but it will also bring pride in my children and respect from my friends and family,” said one respondent.

Compared to six months ago, nearly two times as many potential first-time homebuyers are optimistic about being able to put money down on a home over the next six months.

Overall, 56% of consumers believe their finances will improve over the next six months, while only 8% believe they will worsen.

“First-time home buyers are crucial to the housing market and the overall economy – and to their communities,” Watters said. “As families buy their first home, they are investing in their communities and enable other families to move up. That will eventually spur more new construction, generating additional jobs.”

Original post at http://www.housingwire.com/fastnews/2013/03/15/survey-shows-homeownership-still-american-dream.

Searching for Last Minute Travel Deals

As you might expect, searching online is the best place to find last minute travel deals. Websites such as LastMinuteTravel.com, CheapTickets.com, VacationsToGo.com, CruisesOnly.com, and FareCompare.com are known for their great last minute travel discounts. Many times if you book your flight, along with hotel, car rental, or all-inclusive vacation packages, you can save hundreds of dollars.

Comparing the Best Deals

If you are concerned about getting the best deal at the last minute, one of the features most of these sites have is the ability to compare prices all in one place. You simply type in where you want to go, and the site will give quotes from several different places offering deals. You then read through what the whole package is, compare taxes and fees, and see which one is the best choice for your Spring Break getaway.

These sites are going to try to sweeten the pot for you, offering packages that are very appealing. Sort through these offers and you’ll be able to customize the vacation package that best suits your needs.

Subscribe to Newsletters and Email Alerts

Oftentimes, these travel sites will have newsletters or email lists you can join. They will send you weekly emails of all of the deals they have going on. If you see something you like, you log onto the site and check it out. This is often one of the best ways to find last minute travel deals because the alerts come to you, rather than your having to think to check every day.

If you decide to take advantage of this service from several websites, it’s a good idea to set up a separate email for yourself (some people call this a “burner email”). That way, your regular email won’t get cluttered with newsletters and alerts, and you can keep track of them easier.

Remember, too, that these last minute deals can be very exciting and lucrative, but only if you are prepared. This sort of vacation planning is not for the timid or hesitant. Have your money and passport ready, or be ready to be disappointed as deal after deal slips by. Like I said, this sort of vacation planning is not for everyone; it is only for those who are flexible and prepared.

Don’t Forget Your Local Travel Agent

Nowadays, travel agents rarely make simple flight reservations. They are much more likely to be privy to great package deals waiting to find the right traveler  These deals for last minute flights and hotel bookings are very often not advertised, and you will only know about them if you go in and talk to a travel agent in person. It’s possible that a travel agent could have a group already booked for your vacation destination and there could be a few more tickets available at a great rate.

How flexible are your travel plans? If you know you can travel during a certain period of time, and at short notice, you may be in the perfect position to take advantage of great last minute travel deals. Get your money, your passport, and your luggage out of the closet… your dream vacation awaits, and at a lot less cost than you might expect!

This is a letter written from Stewart Hunter, Benchmark CVO and Founding Partner:

Our Mission is to give mortgage free homes away to our wounded warriors. What an amazing act of patriotism it is for you to participate in changing a wounded warriors life. Our wounded soldiers have paid the ultimate price already. 

Ret. SSgt Joey Jones, 1st recipient of Operation Home Giveaway on April 12, 2013

I wanted to share this letter from Benchmark Founding Partner, Stewart Hunter:

The fact that they have survived such a catastrophic event in combat protecting Americas freedoms and now we can provide them the American Dream of home ownership! A wounded solider and their family are dealing with some many issues already like spending years in a hospital, countless surgeries and having their family displaced. 

A home provides a new chapter in all their lives. 

It helps in there recovery, allows them to have a better quality of life.  Having a home altered to accommodate ones disability’s affords a wounded warrior ability to help in the home on things like cleaning dishes and doing laundry.  These are big deals in their lives allowing them to feel like they are contributing to help their spouse and family.  

Every dollar you give to this cause will go to providing homes to wounded warriors. 

The first home will be given April 12th 2013 in Dallas Texas at Boot’n & Shoot’n. 

Give generously or start a team today.                                                                                                                  

All the best  Stewart Hunter, proud American

What an honor to be able to give MORTGAGE FREE HOMES to our military men and women.

Please join with us and make this a reality at http://OperationHomeGiveaway.com.

Sgt. Jon Moldovan (white shirt) was presented with a mortgage-free home after a “Rock of Ages” performance.

Widow Taya Kyle spoke through tears earlier, surrounded by her husband’s military friends, her voice trembling as she described to a crowd of thousands what “my slow-talking Texas man” had meant to his family, friends and country.

“Chris, there isn’t enough time to tell you everything you mean to me and everything you taught me,” the widow said Monday during a two-hour memorial service for Kyle, a decorated sniper and best-selling author who was slain earlier this month at a gun range.

She described herself as broken but said the family will “put one foot in front of the other” to get through their grief. She told her two children that they will remember Kyle’s silly side, Texas twang and prayers they prayed together.

Nearly 7,000 people, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her husband, attended the service. Dozens of military personnel and others were seated in front of the podium near the Dallas Cowboys’ star at midfield, where Kyle’s coffin was placed at the beginning.

Read the full story at http://HuffingtonPost.com.

There were some clear winners (and some losers) during the four hour broadcast. Can you believe 30 second ads cost almost $4million?

If you skipped the game you can catch up right here!

What was your favorite commercial? Leave us a comment below.

Dodge Ram Truck “Farmer” Ad

Tide “Miracle Stain” Ad

Budweiser “Baby Clydesdale” Ad

Doritos “Goat 4 Sale” Ad

Samsung “Next Big Thing” Ad

For the month of November, 51% of survey respondents said it would now be easier to obtain a mortgage. This larger vote of confidence suggests tighter lending standards may be easing enough to grant more credit access.

Overall confidence in housing is up somewhat, with 14% of those interviewed believing home prices will go up in the next 12 months, a four-percentage point hike from the previous month. Twenty-three percent of survey respondents believe it’s a good time to sell a home, up 5-percentage points from October.

This is the highest rating of confidence since the survey’s inception more than a year earlier, the GSE said. In addition, 67% of the survey respondents said they would buy if they had to move in the near future.

The Fannie Mae November survey, which is the result of 1,001 interviews with Americans, concluded that consumer attitudes towards the economy and housing market are improving.

Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae, noted that 11 of the national housing survey indicators evaluated by Fannie Mae are “at or near their two-and-a-half-year highs.”

About 44% of Americans believe the economy is now on the right track, and only 50% say it’s on the wrong track, which is 25-percentage point decline over the past year. The small gap between those two indicators suggests more improvement in overall economic confidence.

The number of survey respondents who foresee an increase in mortgage rates jumped 4 percentage points to 41%.

Respondents expecting home prices to fall over the next year rose by 4 percentage points to 14% over the previous month, while the number who expect home prices to go up over the next 12 months edged up to 37%.

Americans also seem more confident in their own financial situations, but remain worried the fiscal cliff will put them in worse shape next year. 18%, up 5 percentage points, felt that their personal financial situation would get worse over the next 12 months.

56% of respondents expect their household expenses to remain the same when compared to a year earlier.

Originally posted at HousingWire.com.