| 10 QUESTIONS TO ASK A HOME INSPECTOR
Is the foundation stable? Is the roof in good condition? Do the electrical outlets work? These may all sound like simple questions, but an expert should be called in to inspect and give you an accurate report of potential problems that may arise. Ken DeFelice, owner of Technical Home Inspection Services in Marshalls Creek, said, "The reason for that is when people are buying a house they are looking at the bedrooms. Will my bed fit in here, will my couch fit over there, how are we going to do this, how are we going to do that? The structural pieces of the house are not really in their minds at that time because they've got this emotional thing that they are dealing with." The small amount of time and money — typically around $375 for a basic inspection — can save you a lot of money down the road, and a lot of headaches as well.
Private mortgage insurers doing business as usual
Montgomery mortgage lenders are still able to make loans that require private mortgage insurance, despite a national report that says the rules are changing for mortgage lenders. Private mortgage insurance is coverage that is purchased by the homebuyer to protect the lender in case of default and is required on most conventional mortgages when the buyer doesn't have a 20 percent down payment. The PMI company has the greatest risk if a home goes to foreclosure. So if a market is in decline and home prices are dropping significantly, it increases the PMI company's risk because a home likely won't bring as much at foreclosure. That means PMI sellers generally require larger down payments in areas with falling home prices. The Radian Group announced last week that it considers much of the Montgomery area to be among 9,600 ZIP codes that are in declining markets, which is requiring lenders to change the way they do business.
Safeco s Neal Fuller to Present at JPMorgan Insurance Conference
24/03/2008 17:57:00 Business Wire Neal Fuller, senior vice president-finance and treasurer for Safeco (NYSE:SAF), will present at the JPMorgan Insurance Conference in New York City on Thursday, March 27 at 3:15 p.m., Eastern Time (12:15 p.m., Pacific Time).
A live Webcast of the presentation will be available on Safeco s Web site (www.safeco.com/irwebcast).
Forward-looking information - including predictive information about Safeco s future performance and results - may be discussed during the presentation.
Safeco, in business since 1923, is a Fortune 500 property and casualty insurance company based in Seattle.
The company sells insurance to drivers, home owners, and owners of small- and mid-sized businesses principally through a national network of independent agents and brokers.
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