Do you think you may be paying too much for your homeowners insurance? In truth, you probably are, but not for the reasons you?d first think.

A lot of the time when an individual tries to lessen the amount they owe for homeowners insurance, the first action taken is to alter their plan, lowering coverage and upping deductibles.

Don?t do this!!!

Really, changing your coverage can cause a whole lot of pain should an actual disaster strike. It?s actually much more important to spend a good deal of care and consideration in picking a quality insurance plan and finding an insurance broker and agency that you feel like you can trust. Then, take time to peruse and compare. Frontloading the effort with regards to homeowners insurance can save you money in the long run without putting you at unnecessary risk.

Below we discuss some more tips that can help you keep homeowners insurance costs down, without dropping important bits of coverage.

? Make sure that your plan does not cover your land. Sometimes land may be covered by your policy inherently, but when you think about it, the disasters you want covered just have to do with the physical house itself. If you take the land part out of your policy, you can save. Make sure you double-check the finer points of your policy with your insurance agent.

? Be proactive when it comes to seeking out discounts. They certainly aren?t going to come to you unsought! The first step here is just to ask. The second is to do your research and then ask again. Many people are actually unaware that their insurance provider will provide discounts should certain steps be taken to protect the home, like the installation of an alarm system.

? Combine your homeowners and car insurance policies?there may be some discounts to be found here too! It?s in this case that it?s more important to make sure you select an insurance provider that you both like and trust.

? Know your policy through and through. Your insurance agent should be more than happy to sit down with you to discuss all finer points and specifics of your policy (if they don?t, maybe it?s time to look for someone new?). Make sure to ask about loopholes, particularly one regarding ?natural acts of God.?

Homeowners insurance, while it may seem a bit banal, can also take up a good part of your monthly budget. But it certainly is nice to know that there are some steps you can take to lessen the burden! Going about the policy issuance and choice-making meticulously, or at least with a lot of clear communication with your insurance broker, can make all the difference.

Buying your first house is most likely the largest and most nerve-wracking transaction of your life.? From getting approved for a mortgage loan to searching for a place that feels like home, purchasing a residence is stressful.

Here are 4 tips for first-time home buyers to help you avoid common pitfalls in house hunting.

Evaluate Your Lifestyle

Are you ready? ?Do you have stable income? ?What are your current monthly expenses?? Are you willing to stay put for awhile?? Are you prepared to tackle home maintenance and repairs?

Until you’re ready to buy a house, you’re probably better off renting. ?Your age or current housing market trends don?t matter.? ?The American dream becomes a nightmare if you purchase a house before you are ready.

Set a Budget

Have you scoped your neighborhood? ?Have you considered other locations to look at and compare prices?

Begin the process by examining your area for houses for sale.? This gives a good idea of how much bang you get for your buck.? It is difficult to determine if you are getting a good deal unless you know the local market.

Use an online mortgage calculator to compute possible monthly payments. Set a realistic budget so that you will not end up “house poor” and unable to meet other financial obligations.

Distinguish Needs from Wants

Can you afford the features and benefits you want in a home?? Can you manage to pay for your ideal location?? Are you willing to compromise to meet your budget?? You may want a spare bedroom, but how much extra are you willing to pay for it?

Make a wish list and determine which features are most important to you. Is it space or location? Is a big yard a necessity or a luxury?

Keep an Open Mind

How open are you toward making cosmetic changes?
Don’t turn up your nose at a great house because the paint color is hideous or the carpet is ugly. These things are easy fixes, so don’t let them keep you from seeing the house of your dreams.

Purchasing your first home is intimidating but it doesn?t have to be as stressful with proper planning and evaluating. Keeping these helpful tips in mind, will ensure purchasing a new residence won?t be as daunting.

A recent Fannie Mae survey has reported that a majority of home buyers believe it is easier now to obtain a mortgage than previous years. If
consumer confidence is any indicator (which it is), this result suggests that mortgage availability is finally starting to improve.

The Mortgage Bankers Association believes that consumers are correct about the increased availability of credit in the mortgage industry. They also report that the availability of credit in the mortgage industry has increased primarily in markets for jumbo loans and refinance loans. The MBA?s chief economist, Mike Fratatoni, believes that much of this growth has been spurred by lenders who are using new qualified mortgage regulations to offer jumbo loans and refinance loans that offer better terms for consumers.

However, other economists who study the mortgage industry closely believe that a reduction in the number of mortgage defaults and delinquencies is also playing a key role in the expansion of credit in the mortgage industry. Encouraging increases in home sales and home values have allowed many homeowners who were on the brink of defaulting on their mortgages to trade their more expensive home for something more affordable.

Many economists believe these trends should give the mortgage industry the confidence needed to expand mortgage availability during the next 12 months. This assertion makes sense, as most mortgage industry analysts believe the majority of the toxic loans that were the cause of the 2008 credit crisis have finally been removed from most lenders? asset sheets.

Many economists and mortgage industry analysts believe lenders will use these trends and statistics as a signal to continue to expand mortgage availability programs to take advantage of low interest rates, encouraging job growth trends and tight home inventories. As a result, don’t be surprised to see more consumers take out more mortgages in 2014 to purchase homes!