A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN What’s a Home Without Insurance?
There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a home. While you’re looking at properties, preparing finances, and completing inspections, don’t overlook insurance. Unless you’re paying for your home in cash, your lender will likely have you put insurance policies in place before closing. Doing this will not only strengthen your case as the right buyer, it will also give you peace of mind knowing that you’ll be covered in the event of a disaster. Homeowners insurance should be the central component of your plan. As with any major purchase, it’s important to shop around before you settle on a policy. Most homeowners insurance policies cover damage caused by wind, fire, lightning, hail, and falling trees. You won’t know for certain unless you read your policy from front to back. These documents may not qualify as a page-turner, but understanding your policy is part of being a responsible homeowner. You might have noticed two types of disasters not mentioned in the above list: flooding and earthquakes. Many people whose homes were
damaged by Hurricane Sandy were surprised to learn that they weren’t covered through their homeowners insurance. Flood insurance is an important supplement to your policy. We may not experience regular earthquakes in our neck of the woods, but it’s still worth considering. Another valuable part of insurance preparation is inventorying your possessions. In the event that you do need to file a claim, you’ll have to provide a list of damaged items. Having a master list ready at hand will make this process a lot easier. Even better, create a video inventory detailing the most valuable items in your home. Whatever route you choose, you should keep copies of your inventory somewhere safe outside of your home — like, say, your attorney’s office.
The team at Merlino & Gonzalez has years of experience dealing with every facet of the real estate process. If you need a hand figuring out insurance or any other facet of the buying process, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
PASTA WITH TURKEY AND BROCCOLI MICHELE’S RECIPE CORNER
take a break
This simple, delicious recipe only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. It’s also a great way to encourage kids to eat their broccoli. The next time you make pasta, leave the canned sauce in the pantry and make this instead!
• 3/4 pound pasta (shells or orecchiette) • 2 cups broccoli florets • 3 tablespoons olive oil INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound ground turkey • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper • Salt • Parmesan cheese Cook while breaking up meat with a wooden spoon for 3–5 minutes. 3. Combine turkey with pasta
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli when pasta is 1 minute from done. Drain both and return to pot. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey, garlic, crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt.
and broccoli mixture, adding the remaining olive oil as you stir. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese.
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