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Today is the last day to nominate your favorite local businesses in the Best of the Best Community Choice Awards ! Please nominate Dominique Realty for the "Real Estate Company" under "Home & Home Services" and Dominique NeSmith with Dominique Realty for "Real Estate Agent" under the "Home & Home Services - People" section. Go to Best of the Best to nominate! It's easy to do. Simply choose a category, make your nomination, and fill in your email address. Continue and complete the registration form. You MUST register in order to nominate. Put legit contact information because they're giving away a $250 gift card to someone who nominates in 25+ categories! The top companies that get the most nominations in each category will advance to the voting round that will run in July. We need your nominations in order to advance to the voting round! Winners will be recognized in a special print and online section once the voting round has ended and the votes have been tallied and verified. Nominate online at Best of the Best (gannettcontests.com) Real Estate Company: Dominique Realty Real Estate Agent: Dominique NeSmith at Dominique Realty Thank you for your continued support!

Teddy Bears Donated to El-Roy Volunteer Fire Fighters

Most homeowners are unaware of how new construction structural warranties and systems and appliances home warranties can protect them against the unexpected. While they may know that these plans exist, many aren’t familiar with the scope of their coverage and the extensive value they provide. Since it is National Home Warranty Day, let’s review the benefits and importance of each to achieve comprehensive coverage for one of life’s biggest investments. Why Structural Warranties Are Important A new construction structural warranty is an extremely valuable tool for protecting newly constructed homes against major structural defects. On average, it costs between $42,500 and $113,000 to repair the damage caused by a major structural defect, which is why home buyers appreciate the peace of mind that comes with knowing their builder has covered their home with a 3rd party insurance-backed structural warranty. Often viewed as a mark of quality, structural warranties help instill buyer confidence by showing the commitment a builder has to providing the best possible homeownership experience for their customers. While 80% of structural defects are caused by factors outside of the builder’s control, the right structural warranty can help make sure homeowners are made whole should the unexpected occur. Coverage for Systems and Appliances Similar to structural warranties, a Home Warranty Service Agreement helps agents protect their homeowners by reducing the overall cost of homeownership and protecting them against unexpected systems and appliances breakdowns. Knowing that 7 out of 10 homes experience a major system or appliance failure each year, savvy agents understand the value of adding a home warranty to their real estate transactions. A home warranty includes coverage for a variety of systems, including: Plumbing Furnaces Air conditioners Water heaters Electrical wiring A comprehensive home warranty also covers expenses related to the repair and replacement of major appliances, including: Refrigerators Ovens Washer and dryers Built-in microwaves Disposals Trash compactors Dishwashers Depending on their requirements, homeowners can also obtain added protection for: Pre-season HVAC tune-ups Additional refrigerators Extended pipe leaks Stand-alone freezers Septic systems Wine coolers Roof leaks Well pumps Pool and/or spa equipment Water softeners If an appliance or system breaks down, a homeowner can make a service request, and the home warranty company will dispatch a skilled service contractor to diagnose the failure and repair or replace as necessary. Depending on the company, homeowners may also receive benefits beyond systems and appliances coverage. With 2-10 HBW, a homeowner has the choice to forgo a service request and select the Appliance Replacement Offer, providing the homeowner with a check for $100 that can be put toward a new appliance from any retailer. What’s more, homeowners with 2-10 HBW also benefit from exclusive access to the GE® and Whirlpool® Home Appliance Discounts program, which allows customers to get large and small appliances for up to 65% off retail prices. Read the article, originally posted by 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, by clicking here.

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If you’re looking to get a home warranty, or if even if you already have one, you may be wondering what it covers. How much is a home warranty, and is it worth the cost? Home warranties typically pick up where home insurance leaves off, covering major components of home systems and appliances from breakdowns due to normal wear and tear. An American Home Shield® Home Warranty covers up to 21 home systems and appliances, and we don’t require customers to provide maintenance records in order to receive service. Here are just some of the repairs that could be covered by your AHS® home warranty: 1. HVAC Failure Few things are more frustrating than having your heater or air conditioner go out, especially because it never happens during mild weather – it always happens when you need your indoor climate control the most. The average cost to repair or replace an air conditioner and ductwork is $374 to $3,565 without a home warranty. Your home warranty from AHS covers components of your air conditioning and heating systems and ductwork, and it can help offset these expensive costs. If we can’t repair your covered equipment, it may be replaceable up to plan limits or an alternative solution may be considered 2. Stopped-Up Drains A slow-moving or completely blocked drain or toilet is sometimes an easy fix – but sometimes it can require professional attention. AHS warranties can cover the cost of clearing stopped toilets, sinks, showers and bathtubs due to most causes. Coverage does not include stoppages caused by collapsed pipes outside of your home’s foundation, roots or foreign objects, even within your home’s foundation. 3. Plumbing Leaks Leaky faucets and toilets can cost you hundreds of dollars in wasted water each year. Water, gas, drain, waste and vent line leaks and breaks can cause serious damage to your property and may even render your plumbing inoperable. Your AHS home warranty can help cover some of the cost of these repairs. While plumbing leaks due to normal wear and tear are covered, American Home Shield’s plumbing coverage doesn’t cover pipes that burst due to freezing, so you should take steps to protect your plumbing from extreme winter temperatures. 4. Electrical Wiring Problems with electrical wiring are more than inconvenient; they can easily become dangerous. Coverage for your home’s electrical system includes repairs to direct current wiring; attic, vent, and exhaust fans; and repairs to lighting fixtures and ceiling fans. Doorbells, garage door openers, switches, and receptacles are also covered. If your home needs electrical work, it’s best to get it done as soon as possible. Our customer service representatives are always here to help you figure out what electrical repairs in your home are covered by your American Home Shield warranty. 5. Ceiling Fan Repair Ceiling fans let you save on heating and cooling costs without sacrificing your family’s comfort. A ceiling fan can make a room feel several degrees cooler in the summer, for a fraction of the cost of turning down the thermostat. In the winter, you can reverse the spin direction on most ceiling fans to push warm air down from the ceiling and feel warmer, again, for a fraction of the cost of turning up the thermostat. AHS home warranties offer full coverage for components and parts of your ceiling fans. Have your broken ceiling fan repaired or replaced and make the most of your home warranty coverage. 6. Water Heater Repair or Replacement Your family needs a functional hot water heater for bathing, washing clothes and doing dishes, and a new hot water heater can cost several hundred dollars or more. Our warranties cover repair or replacement of many components of your hot water heater, including tanked and tankless models, that malfunction due to normal wear and tear. As with other appliances, you don’t need to provide a maintenance record for coverage. 7. Refrigerator Repair Where would you be without your refrigerator? You need your refrigerator – or, in many households, refrigerators – to chill drinks and keep your food from spoiling. When it breaks down, you could easily lose money on spoiled groceries. And, while some refrigerator repairs are relatively minor, others, like replacing the condenser coils, are so expensive that you might as well buy a new fridge. American Home Shield® Home Warranties cover repair or replacement of many components of your refrigerators – and we’ll cover multiple fridges, too. 8. Washer and Dryer One of the most important appliance systems in any home is the washer and dryer unit. Keeping your family’s clothes clean is a must. If your washer or dryer breaks down, it can be a huge inconvenience. AHS covers almost all components and parts of clothes washers. Without the backing of a home warranty, the average cost of a washing machine repair is $719-$790. While it’s possible to live life without a dryer for a while, it can be an inconvenience if you have to hang your clothes in the backyard to dry. AHS appliance warranties help you enjoy peace of mind by covering most dryer breakdowns. Appliance Breakdowns Covered AHS home warranties cover components of all of your major home appliances. Have multiples of one type of appliance? You don’t have to pick and choose which one to cover. American Home Shield will cover all of your major appliances, even your duplicate appliances — so go ahead and file a service request for that drinks fridge in the garage! We’ll even cover repair of an older appliance, up to plan limits, and you don’t even need to produce maintenance records to qualify. And if we can’t repair your appliance, we’ll replace it up to plan limits or consider an alternative solution, such as reimbursing you for the cash value of your old appliance. American Home Shield Members also benefit from our Appliance Discount Program. Home Systems Covered Appliance breakdowns aren’t the only thing you have to worry about as a homeowner, especially if you have an older home. Our Systems and Combo plans offer coverage for up to 11 home systems, including: Heating, air conditioning, and ductworkDoorbells Electrical wiring Plumbing Ceiling fans Water heaters Smoke detectors Instant hot and cold water dispensers Central vacuums American Home Shield limits coverage to $3,000 per covered item, including costs related to accessing, diagnosing and repairing or replacing the covered malfunctioning system. Does American Home Shield Home Warranty Cover Roofs? How much does it cost to fix a leaking roof? It really depends on the kind of roof you have, and the size of the leak. The larger the leak, the more structural damage your home could sustain, and the more expensive it’ll be to fix. It can cost $200 to $500 to fix a leaking roof, and more for tile or metal roofs. Most home warranty providers don’t offer roof coverage and even those that do typically won’t cover replacement of a whole roof. But does a home warranty cover roof leaks? Some do, and American Home Shield now offers roof leak coverage as a plan add-on. However, make sure you understand the limits of the add-on. Repair costs for a roof leak tend to vary depending on the type of roof — shingle, tile, or metal — and roof leak coverage may vary as well. For example, many providers only cover roof leaks over the living space — they won’t cover leaks over a porch or patio. And there may be restrictions on the type of roofs covered. Some providers won’t cover leaks in a metal roof, for example. So, if you have your heart set on choosing a home warranty provider that offers roof coverage, you’ll have to shop carefully. But don’t panic if you can’t find a home warranty provider that covers roof repairs, or one that offers the level of roof coverage you need. Most homeowners get most of the roof coverage they need from their homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance protects the structure of your home and its contents from catastrophic damage, and that usually includes damage to a roof caused by a storm, a falling tree or other mishaps. If you’re asking yourself, “Does a home warranty cover roof replacement?”, you need to check with your home insurance company first. Your homeowners insurance will be best equipped to provide you with the structural coverage you need to protect your investment in your home, including roof coverage. American Home Shield Add-Ons American Home Shield offers the widest range of plan add-ons, because we know our members need the flexibility that comes with plan customization. You can customize your plan completely, picking and choosing exactly which appliances and home systems you want to cover, as well as which add-ons you need. For example, if you have well water, you may want to add water well pump coverage to your home warranty. If you have a septic tank, there’s septic pump coverage available. And if you have a lot of home electronics your family relies on for work and play, our electronics coverage add-on can pick up where manufacturers’ warranties leave off, providing coverage that doesn’t expire, for an unlimited number of household electronics. The level of coverage you get with American Home Shield definitely makes the premiums worth it. American Home Shield offers a range of plan options to meet the needs of every homeowner. You can get appliances coverage, home systems coverage or the combo plan, which offers the most value because it provides coverage for both your appliances and systems. We also offer plan add-ons for pools and spas, water well and septic pumps, guest units, and most recently, home electronics and roof leaks. Read this article, originally published by American Home Shield, by clicking here.

#SponsoredAd #NationalHomeWarrantyDay #Affiliate A home warranty service contract is designed to help homeowners manage the cost of unexpected home repairs. Home warranties go beyond what your homeowners insurance covers, taking care of properly maintained appliances and systems that fail due to normal wear and tear. How Home Warranties Work Most home warranties cost between $350 to $500 per year and require an affordable flat service call fee for each repair, while home repair expenses without a warranty may costs hundreds or even thousands for every repair needed. If a covered appliance or system breaks down, you’ll simply need to call or email your warranty company for a claim, and they’ll send out a service technician to repair or replace your equipment. Home warranties are popular among real estate transactions, as new homeowners want peace of mind that important repairs will be covered in their new investment, and sellers want to assure potential buyers that their home will be taken care of. If you’re considering a home warranty service contract, you may not be sure if it’s right for you. Consider these pros and cons of buying a home warranty to decide if a service contract is a good idea for your home. The Pros of Buying a Home Warranty There’s a lot to love about home warranty service contracts: you can save money and rest easy knowing that major repairs in your home will be taken care of, and panic-inducing repairs become an easy fix. Find out why so many homeowners love and often renew home warranty services. Peace of mind: The single biggest benefit that a home warranty offers is the ability to relax and avoid worrying about repairs in your home. Leaky toilets or a broken air conditioner aren’t a crisis with home warranty: a fix is just a phone call away. Costly repairs that might have brought financial hardship aren’t an issue: they’re likely covered under your home warranty. It’s an easy fix: With a home warranty, you only need to remember one number, or even simply send an email for repair. You don’t have to spend time searching for and researching reputable repair companies, because your home warranty has already chosen the best companies to take care of the job. You also don’t have to wait until business hours to start your repair: Choice Home Warranty claims can be submitted online or over the phone 24/7/365. All you have to do is call the warranty company and wait for the repair truck to arrive. A warranty is relatively inexpensive and can more than pay for itself: With a home warranty, you’re likely to see big savings on the most common repairs. Most home warranties cost between $350 to $500, while experts recommend that homeowners plan to spend between 1 to 4% on home maintenance and repairs each year. For a $200,000, that’s a minimum of $2,000 annually, far more than the cost of a home warranty. You can avoid going into debt for major home repair expenses: Serious issues like plumbing system breakdowns or broken air conditioners can cost thousands of dollars to repair or replace. For homeowners without an emergency savings account (or an inadequate savings budget), the cost of repair or replacement can be devastating, and will typically require a payment plan. This establishes or adds to consumer debt that can put a drain on your monthly budget and strain your credit rating. With a home warranty, you don’t have to worry about going into debt if your electrical system goes out. Your warranty may be free: If you’re buying a home, your warranty may be free for the first year. It has become increasingly common for sellers to include a home warranty in home sales to encourage confidence and attract buyers. Service calls are offered at an affordable flat rate: While some repair companies may charge up to $150 or more just for a service call and vary by company, Choice Home Warranty’s service calls are a consistent $65. This is an affordable rate for most homeowners, and is always the same no matter which company performs the repair, and no matter the cost of the repair or replacement of your covered item. You can choose the protection that fits your needs: Choice Home Warranty offers a basic plan and a total plan. The basic plan covers major systems including heating, electrical, and plumbing, as well as appliances including your dishwasher, oven, and fans. With the total plan, you’re able to add air conditioning, your refrigerator, washer and dryer, and more. There is also optional coverage for items including the septic system, pool, and limited roof leaks. Customizing your coverage allows you to save on items in your home that you’re not worried about, or increase your coverage so that you’re completely covered for home repairs. Home warranty is a great incentive for buyers: If you’re planning to sell your home, a home warranty can instill confidence in buyers. You can highlight that your home has carried a home warranty, so repairs have been completed on time and in a satisfactory manner, and give new homeowners peace of mind that they’ll be covered if anything goes wrong. You’ll also likely see a bump in your sales price: the Service Contract Industry Council reports that sales prices are 3% higher on average for homes with warranties. The Cons of Buying a Home Warranty While there are many benefits of home warranty coverage, the fact is that it’s not as simple as buying your plan and forgetting about taking care of anything in your home for a year. You’ll need to carefully maintain your home, and for certain homeowners, the expense of a home warranty contract may outweigh the actual cost of repairs. You may not need it: If your home is still relatively new (less than 5 years old), or simply very well cared for, you may find that you have no claims to submit. Avoiding home repairs for an entire year is a good problem to have, but it may make you feel that the money you’ve invested in your home warranty didn’t pay off. Still, a few hundred dollars is a small price to pay for peace of mind on the chance that you need a serious repair. Home warranty won’t fix what’s already broken: Pre-existing conditions, like poorly maintained systems or broken fixtures, are not covered under your home warranty. So if you were hoping to get all of your new home’s problems fixed by your home warranty company, think again. You’ll likely be required to share your home inspection to show that items were in good working order when you purchased the home warranty. You can’t choose your service provider: Repair companies are chosen by the home warranty, and you do not have the option to pick and choose among different providers. You will simply be sent the company that the service provider trusts to do the job. That means your favorite repairman may be out, but on the plus side, you’ll be sent contractors who have been carefully reviewed and vetted by the home warranty company. Important systems may cost extra: Your air conditioning, refrigerator, or septic system represent a significant repair expense if anything goes wrong, but they aren’t included in basic home warranty agreements. You’ll have to pay extra if you want these important items covered. Repairs are more likely than replacement: Your home warranty will always try to repair before replacing a unit or system. For homeowners who are otherwise happy with the equipment in their home, this is not a problem. But if you’d like to invest in smart upgrades, a home warranty may not help. Upgrading to a new and more efficient refrigerator or air conditioning system is likely to be an expense your home warranty will not cover. You’re required to carefully maintain all systems and appliances: Repairs are covered by your home warranty, but you’re on your own with maintenance. And that’s not all: if you don’t keep up with proper maintenance, your claims may be denied, as the warranty company can’t be liable for equipment that is abused or otherwise not taken care of. That means you’ll need to schedule regular service for all systems and appliances, and keep careful documentation of when and how they were serviced. Your warranty may be more expensive than DIY fixes: If you’re a handyman (or handywoman) who enjoys taking on DIY projects and fixes at home, you already know how much you can save on labor just by doing it yourself. While not every repair covered by home warranty is within the skill level of a DIY fix, some homeowners may find that instead of using a home warranty, it’s simply cheaper to tackle repairs on their own. Still, even DIYers can enjoy the benefit of a home warranty that allows you to avoid costly and complicated repairs including major systems or appliances. Read the original article published by Choice Home Warranty by clicking here .

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You’ve found your dream home and now it’s time to cross all your T's and dot all your I's before it’s all your own. And one of the first items on your closing checklist the home appraisal. So, what exactly is that? The home appraisal is essentially a value assessment of the home and property . It is conducted by a certified third party and is used to determine whether the home is priced appropriately. During a home appraisal, the appraiser conducts a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior of the home. He or she factors in a variety of things, including the home’s floor plan functionality, condition, location, school district, fixtures, lot size, and more. An upward adjustment is generally made if the home has a deck, a view, or a large yard. The appraiser will also compare the home to several similar homes that were sold within the last six months in the area. The final report must include a street map showing the property and the ones’ compared, photographs of the interior and exterior, an explanation on how the square footage was calculated, market sales data, public land records, and more. After it is complete, the lender uses the information found to ensure that the property is worth the amount they are investing. This is a safe-guard for the lender as the home acts as collateral for the mortgage. If the buyer defaults on the mortgage and goes into foreclosure, the lender generally sells the home to recover the money borrowed.