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Upcoming Events
We will be closed on December 26th in observance of Christmas and on January 2nd in Observance of New Year's Day.
Stay in the Know
Helpful Links:
Tips to Avoid Buying a Flood-Damaged Car:
Hurricane Deductible Assistance: https://www.floridadisaster.org/news-media/news/20221022--governor-ron-desantis-announces-support-for-ian-impacted-homeowners-insurance-deductibles/#:~:text=Today%2C%20Governor%20Ron%20DeSantis%20announced,the%20six%20hardest%20hit%20counties.
Disaster Supply Kit: https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/hurricane-supply-checklist/
Disaster Assistance: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
Blue Roof Program: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Operations/Blue-Roof-Information/
Red Cross Disaster Relief: https://www.redcross.org/get-help.html
Plan, Prepare, Protect - Are You Disaster Ready? : https://myfloridacfo.com/division/ica/planprepareprotect
Most Commonly Asked FAQs
HOMEOWNERS
Q: Why is the Dwelling Coverage on my homeowners policy lower than the amount I purchased my home for?
A:The Dwelling Coverage is the calculated amount it would cost in LABOR and MATERIALS to rebuild your home in the case of a complete loss. It takes into consideration the home's square footage, building materials, shape, stories etc, but does not factor in things usually calculated in a home's purchase price, like a nice view, gated community and a good school district. We always insure your home at the full Replacement Cost.
Q: I just got a new roof - will I get a discount on home homeowners insurance?
A: you will need a new wind mitigation inspection to get credits for your new roof. A wind mitigation inspects the roof material and how the roof is strapped to your home. The cost of a wind mitigation is approximately $125, but the inspection is good for 5 years and has the potential to save you a lot on your premium.
Q: I just got hurricane impact windows - can I get a credit on my homeowners insurance?
A: you will need a wind mitigation inspection to get credits for Opening Protection. Please be aware that all doors/windows/skykights/garage door need to be hurricane impact resistant or have eligible hurricane shutters in order to get the credit. The cost of a wind mitigation is approximately $125, but the inspection is good for 5 years and has the potential to save you a lot on your premium.
Q: What kind of inspections do I need for homeowners insurance?
A: a) 4 Point Inspection: depending on the insurance company, you will need a 4 point inspection if your home is over 20 years old (some carriers only require them if the home is over 40 years old). The 4 point inspection determines eligibility for insurance and inspects your electrical system, HVAC, plumbing and roof. The cost of a 4 point inspection is approximately $125 and the inspection is good for 1 year.
b) Wind Mitigation: The wind mitigation inspection lists your roof material and how the roof attached to your home. It also lists if your doors and windows are hurricane impact resistant or have qualifying shutters. The purpose of the wind mitigation is to get credits toward your insurance premium. The cost of a wind mitigation is approximately $125, but the inspection is good for 5 years and has the potential to save you a lot on your premium.
c) Post-Claim Inspection: if you have had a claim in the past 5 years and you do not have photos and paid receipts from a licensed contractor who performed the repairs, you will need a Post-Claim Inspection. The post claim inspection will certify that satisfactory repairs have been made and there is no existing damage to your home. The cost of a post-claim inspection is $149.
FLOOD
Q: I have homeowners insurance. Why do I need a separate flood policy?
A:Whereas most homeowners insurance policies cover water damage from occurrences inside your home like a burst pipe or appliance leaks, they do not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is defined as insurance against damage from rising waters outside your home, like storm surge.
Q: I am not in a flood zone, can I get flood insurance?
A: yes, you can get flood insurance even if you are not in a designated flood zone - and your premium will be lower than if you were in a flood zone!
Q: I am in a flood zone - do I have to have flood insurance? And what is required for me to get flood insurance?
A: If you have a mortgage, your mortgage company is going to want you to have flood insurance. If you do not have a mortgage, you don't have to have flood insurance.
If you are in a flood zone and need to get flood insurance, you will need an elevation certificate. The elevation certificate verifies the elevation data of a structure on a given property relative to the sea level. The cost of an elevation certificate varies depending on what county your home is in.
AUTO
Q: As a new Florida resident, how long do I have before I need to register and insure my car in Florida?
A: As a new Florida resident, you must obtain a valid Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency to drive on Florida roads. In addition, you must obtain insurance from a Florida insurance agent who is licensed to sell insurance in Florida in order to title and register your vehicle(s), vessel(s), and mobile home(s) within 10 days of establishing residency.
UMBRELLA
Q: what is required for me to get an umbrella policy?
A: For umbrella, you need to have Bodily Injury Coverage on your auto insurance policy of 250000/500000 and Personal Liability on your homeowners insurance of $300,000 for you to qualify for an umbrella policy with an admitted carrier. If you have only $100,000 in coverage on your homeowners policy, you can get umbrella insurance from a non-admitted carrier.
MORTGAGE
Q: What income source can I use to qualify?
A:The most common income source type that can be used to qualify is general income (employment). However, there are programs available for investors, business owners, and part-time and self-employed individuals. Our partner lenders have flexible programs tailor-fitted for all types of income sources. Hit us up and we’ll run the numbers for you.
Q: What are income and debt ratios?
A:Income ratio: Your total monthly housing expense divided by your pre-tax monthly income.
Debt ratio: Your total monthly housing expense plus any recurring debts, i.e., car payments, monthly minimum credit card payments, and other loan payments, divided by your monthly income.
Standard loan underwriting guidelines suggest a max 28 percent income ratio and 36 percent debt ratio, which may vary based on personal finances, loan program, and down payment.
Q: What are the qualification requirements to get a mortgage?
A:There are three main factors that come into play when being approved for a mortgage:
Credit score. Each loan program has a minimum credit score requirement in order to qualify. Higher credit scores can allow you to qualify for lower interest rates, too.
Down payment. Some loan programs require you to make a down payment of a certain amount.
Debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Your debts should only make up a certain percentage of your income because you’re about to incur a large and important debt by purchasing a home.
Q: What are the requirements for a loan application?
A:Initial documents required are 2 years of income tax returns, 2 most recent pay slips from your current employment/s, and 2 months’ bank statements together with a picture of your driver's license or any valid ID. Additional documents may be required during underwriting but our mortgage experts and loan processors will be there to guide and assist you until your application is closed.
Q: How much am I qualified for?
A:The rule of thumb for loan application is that your monthly amortization should not be more than 36% of your gross monthly income and your total debt-to-income ratio must not exceed 50%. The good thing about today's market is that we have tons of options to go for based on your circumstance and these numbers are just general guidelines. We know numbers can be overwhelming at first but we're here to help you get a quote on how much you're qualified for.
REAL ESTATE :
Q: AS A BUYER, WHO PAYS THE REAL ESTATE COMMISSION?
A: As a buyer, you do not pay the Real estate agent's commission. The commission is a part of the Seller's Closing costs at the Settlement.
Q: WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE BROKERAGE?
A: A full-service brokerage is a brokerage that handles the complete transaction from start to finish and does not do each service as a la carte expense.
