Category Archives: Home Maintenance

Green is the New…Pain Killer?!

PPG-Porter-GreenIn today’s society, people throw around the word, “green” more than I can count on my hand. Green can mean many things like building green homes, driving green cars, using green appliances and eating green food. Although many can argue that green is overused, what if green meant more than saving the environment? What if I told you it could actually increase your work productivity, reduce your stress and lessen the number of migraines you may get.

A professor of architecture and landscape architecture at Texas A&M University, Roger Ulrich, PhD., conducted a study that shows that following surgery, patients recover faster and require less pain medication if they are able to view tress, as opposed to a curtain or a brick wall outside their window.

This concept of the inclusion of nature within architecture is not unheard of. It is known as Biophilic Design, and it makes sense. We come from natural environments, and we should never leave these environments. Although not all environments allow for a large window or a tree, the concept of Biophilic Design is not restricted to sunlight. Consider an office in the center of a tight building with no windows, fluorescent lighting and drab walls. It’s time to get rid of those headaches and improve your mood and your health by bringing nature into the office space by adding a color such as PPG Porter Paint’s “Olive Sprig 410-4.” Don’t forget to use furniture with true wood grains showing through. Also, add a house plant or pictures of natural settings to calm your nerves. You’ll be amazed how little natural fixtures can make you feel more comfortable.

Visit the PPG Porter Paints website for more design and home ideas. Also, visit our website for all the trends and latest Carolina real estate news.

Check Your Facts about Foreclosure with Equifax

Equifax has many resources for homeowners facing foreclosure, which can help avoid nasty scams

Equifax has many resources for homeowners facing foreclosure, which can help avoid nasty scams

Mortgage foreclosure scams are up to nearly 60 percent this year and are still growing, according to the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), an independent national nonprofit which rescues homeowners from

foreclosures. However, not every program out there is a scam waiting to happen. Ilyce Glink, real estate expert for Equifax, shares a list of helpful, legitimate government programs designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure in her post, ”

Avoid Foreclosure Scams with These Official Resources.”

Making Home Affordable (MHA) programs

HARP The Home Affordable Refinance Program is intended for underwater mortgage homeowners who wish to refinance their home based on the current value and who are current on their payments.

HAMP The Home Affordable Modification Program is designed for employed homeowners who are struggling to meet their mortgage payments. For eligibility, your mortgage payment must be more than 31 percent of monthly gross (pre-tax) income, and you must be a delinquent or in danger of falling behind mortgage payments.

UP- Apply for the Home Affordable Unemployment Program if you are unemployed. This will reduce your mortgage payments to 31 percent of you income or suspend them for 12 months.

PRA- Designed to help homeowners who do not own their loan, MHA’s Principal Reduction Alternative is for owners whose  homes are worth less than what they’re paying for.

The Making Home Affordable programs are just one set of programs designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. For more information on your credit, home insurance and

managing money, explore the Equifax Finance Blog.

Make Sure Man’s Best Friend is Protected by Your Homeowner’s Policy

Check with your homeowner's insurance policy holder about pet coverage

Check with your homeowner's insurance policy provider about pet coverage

When we think of

homeowners insurance policies, we think of protections in case of disaster, but there are other aspects of the policy which you should be aware of. One of these additional aspects is coverage for your pets. Equifax has a great article explaining how pets and homeowners insurance interact, titled “

Your Homeowners Insurance Policy and Fido.”

Unlike pet insurance, which covers pet health, your homeowners insurance typically covers if your furry (or feathered or scaled) companion causes damage to property or other people. The costs of this damage can be quite high, as the average

insurance claim for an ER dog bite visit amount is $19,000. With such a high price and the potential for even mild-mannered dogs to be protective of their owners or territorial, some carriers limit the amount of coverage they offer or charge additional rates for pets on what they deem to be a high-risk animal list.

It is important to know what pets are on this list and what your insurer’s policy is. This can help you make sound decisions when you are looking for a new pet or help you know your liability. Many large dog breeds are on the common list, including Rottweiler, Pit Bull, Great Dane, Mastiff, Siberian Husky and more. There’s another list entirely for exotic pets, including snakes, alligators, skunks, non-human primates and many more.

Know that the list varies among insurers, so shop around to find the best policy for you and your pet so that your animal companion doesn’t become a financial risk. For other great information about insurance as well as knowledgeable articles about credit, taxes, retirement, real estate and all other matters of

personal finance advice, explore the Equifax Finance Blog.

GreenFiber Makes Builder Magazine Editor’s Pick List

InsulationGreenFiber, a company that produces insulation products with multiple environmental benefits, made Builder Magazine‘s 2012 Editor’s pick list. This company, which is headquartered in Charlotte, is one of the ten companies and products on the list.

GreenFiber Insulation is environmentally-friendly insulation that is made for use in attics, floors and walls. Benefits of the product include amazing thermal performance, fire-resistance and sound control. The insulation itself is made up of 85 percent recycled content and is created in a virtually waste-free manufacturing process.

GreenFiber is made and sold for use by everyone from the homeowner to the architect. Homeowners, retailers/dealers, contractors/builders and architects/building officials can all find the benefits and information they need to know on the company’s website. Consumers can also find out about the weatherization assistance program.

Baldwin, Broan-NuTone, Plain & Fancy Cabinets, Kreg Tool, Upono, Caroma USA, Nuheat and Ann Sacks also had products which made the editor’s pick list.

For more information on how you can use GreenFiber when building a new Carolina home, doing home maintenance or increasing energy efficiency, visit their website.

Do You Need Earthquake Insurance?

earthquake insurance

earthquake insurance

While it may not be something you think about on a regular basis, earthquake insurance is something to consider. With the recent quake on the east coast and other natural disasters, this oft-overlooked insurance policy may be a nice luxury to have (better safe than sorry, after all.) A recent post on the

Equifax Personal Finance Blog explains some of the peculiarities of earthquake and flood insurance and encourages homeowners to review their policies.

In “

Let’s Stop Denying It: We Need to Buy Earthquake and Flood Insurance—Now!” guest blogger Loretta Worters of the Insurance Information Institute looks at earthquake and flood insurance in comparison to normal homeowners insurance. Even though her article was written after last year’s tsunami in Japan, it is still timely and informative.

Although you’ll want to read the full article for complete details and relevant links, keep in mind that earthquake and flood insurance policies are structured differently than regular homeowners insurance policies. For example, deductibles on earthquake policies are usually a percentage of the structure’s replacement value rather than a set amount. The deductibles can range anywhere from two to 20 percent.

Flood insurance is handled by the federal government through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Even though the government is involved, this type of insurance should be available through your normal provider. NFIP coverage sets a limit of $250,000 for property and $100,000 for contents. If you don’t believe this is enough, especially if you live in a flood-prone area, you can also purchase additional private insurance for extra protection.

Have the recent natural disasters in the United States caused you to consider flood or earthquake insurance? Did you already have policies in place? Read Worters’ full article on the

Equifax Personal Finance Blog, then report back here to let us know.