Once the excitement of buying a new home begins to subside, the reality of protecting that home from the unexpected needs to be addressed. A home is likely to be your biggest investment ever.

Homeowner's insurance policies are challenging to understand. You can have many different types of coverage within a single policy, and different financial obligations can be set out for the homeowner and the insurer. Here is a basic overview of some of the most important points you need to consider when choosing your coverage.

Types of coverage
You can cover many different insurable incidents and items with your homeowner's insurance policy. Some of the most common are:

Dwelling: Dwelling covers losses that occur to your home and any structures that are attached to it. Dwelling does not cover fences or sheds.

Other structures: "Other structures" covers those structures on your property that are not attached to your home, like your fence or shed.

Personal possessions: Your furniture, clothing, electronics and heirlooms are all covered by the personal possession section of your homeowner's insurance policy.

Personal liability: If someone gets hurt in your home or on your property, personal liability coverage can pay for injuries and treatments that exceed your deductible.

Flood: Flood insurance covers damage that results from actual flooding and is generally purchased only by homeowners who live in a flood zone. It is important to remember flood insurance pays only when the flooding of your home is the result of an actual flood. For instance, if your roof were torn off by a hurricane and the inside of your home became flooded, that would not be a claim for your flood insurance to pay. If, however, your local lake overflowed and flooded your neighborhood, it would. In many instances, you may have to purchase flood insurance separately from regular homeowner's insurance.

Limits
Your homeowner's insurance policy limits determine the maximum amount the insurance company will pay you in the event of a claim. The lower your limits, the less expensive your policy will be. Of course, if your limits are too low, you may not receive enough from the insurance company to reimburse you for a total loss. When trying to determine appropriate limits for your policy, think about what you would need in order to rebuild your home after a total loss. Then, think about how much of that bill you could afford to pay with your savings. The difference is what you should consider as a limit.

Deductibles
Deductibles are the out-of-pocket expenses that you must pay before your insurance company will begin paying for losses. In order to get money from your homeowner's insurance policy, your claim (or loss) must exceed the deductible. The larger your deductible, the lower your premium will be because you will be shouldering more of the risk. However, if you cannot afford to pay your deductible, then you could have trouble making yourself whole after a loss.

Life insurance
Life insurance is not offered as part of a homeowner's insurance policy, so you must buy it separately. Adequate life insurance coverage can help ensure that your family gets to keep their home in the event the unexpected were to happen to you or your spouse.

Term life insurance coverage from a reputable company like SBLI is likely a good option to explore. SBLI offers affordable rates for fixed term and yearly renewable term (YRT) coverage. Fixed term coverage lasts for the term you choose and most often can be purchased for 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. Many people buy it to cover the term of their mortgage. With this type of term insurance, your premium remains fixed for the term you select. Yearly renewable term may be less expensive in the early years of your policy. However, this form of term insurance renews every year and the premium increases each year as well. Visit sbli.com or talk to an insurance representative for a quick quote at (888) GET-SBLI.

SBLI and The No Nonsense Life Insurance Company are registered trademarks of The Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts, which is no way affiliated with SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. NAIC #: 70435. SBLI products may not be available in all states.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - With warm weather months here, it's the perfect season for the annual ritual of performing a spruce up around your home. Planting gardens, improving the look of your lawn and maybe applying a fresh coat of paint to the window trims are on your to-do list. An appealing exterior offers an invaluable first impression to neighbors, friends, and - if you're trying to sell, which many do prior to the beginning of school in the fall - perspective buyers.

In fact, small-scale exterior projects are the most profitable during resale, according to the 2009-10 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). "Once again, this year's [report] highlights the importance of a home's first impression," says NAR President Vicki Cox Golder.

One exterior feature that greatly contributes to this first impression is the garage door, and updating it can drastically improve your home's "curb appeal." If you've looked into replacing a garage door, you know that it can be an overwhelming task with so many styles and materials from which to choose. It's important that your choice complements the architecture of your home as well as your lifestyle. In other words, you don't want a door that sticks out like a sore thumb or one that requires more maintenance than you'd prefer.

So how do you make sure that you pick the right garage door? Follow these simple steps: pick a material, choose a style and find a good dealer.

When selecting a material, decide what material best fits your home and lifestyle, whether it be the natural beauty of wood, the durability and low maintenance of steel or the environmental friendliness of wood composite. Wood doors offer a classic, handcrafted look that won't go out of style but will require more frequent upkeep. Steel doors need the least amount of maintenance and come in three types of construction - single, double and triple layer. The more layers in a steel door, the more energy efficient and noise reducing it is. Wood composite doors, newer to the market, are made of a minimum of 80 percent recycled fiber and combine the strength and security of steel doors with the beauty of wooden doors. Wood composite doors won't rust, rot, crack or split and are the "greenest" option.

Once you've selected the material, it's time to choose a style. Doors are available to match any architectural style and there are plenty of easy-to-use online tools to assist in picking a style. Try the Door Designer at Amarr Garage Doors (www.amarr.com) to help find the perfect door to match the style of your home.

Once you've chosen a design, you'll need to select a color and any decorative hardware desired to enhance the door's beauty. Steel doors often come in pre-painted colors, but they also can be customized with exterior latex paint. Wood doors generally come in their natural finish and can be easily stained or painted. Wood composite doors are sold painted or primed and ready to stain or paint. Depending on the style you choose, you may also have the option to add decorative hardware or decorative windows.

Finally, it's important to find a reputable dealer who can provide pricing for the correct door size needed and installation and removal of the old door if you're purchasing a replacement door. Garage doors are sold sized to specifically fit your garage door opening. An important, but often neglected step, is enlisting a professional dealer to measure your door to ensure that it will be correctly sized. Make sure that your local dealer is authorized, fully insured and has a good local reputation. Never try to repair or install a garage door yourself - it can be extremely dangerous.

Investing in a new garage door is a sure way to improve the look of your home's exterior, as well as improve energy efficiency and protection. You can also take comfort in knowing that this purchase will add value to your home and will be an important asset should you decide to sell.

Could you use a new garage door? If the answer is yes, following these simple steps of choosing a material first, then a style and finally a qualified dealer, makes selecting the best garage door for your home easier than ever.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - "It's a buyer's market" is a popular headline right now. It's one that's hard to ignore, especially if you're a young adult or even a long-time renter who has been waiting for the right time to pursue the American dream of owning your own home.

Buying your first home can be scary, but as with anything else in life, the right preparation should bring you good results - a home you want and one you can afford.

Whether you are ready to buy a home in the next few months or next few years, preparation is critical.

Thrivent Financial Bank offers the following five "keys" to open the door to homeownership.

Obtain a credit report. Review your credit report prior to starting the home buying process. This will enable you to dispute any incorrect entries and satisfy any derogatory items on your report. You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report every 12 months. Ensuring your credit report is accurate is critical as it is an important element lenders review to determine your credit worthiness for a loan approval.

Establish a budget. Knowing where you spend your money and how much you are able to set aside each month can, first, help you decide if purchasing a house is a viable choice now or of it is something that will have to wait until later. Establishing a monthly budget also helps determine how much house you can afford, which will help you zero in on possible homes to look at. If buying the home you want is not in the cards now, use the opportunity to take a closer look at your spending and savings habits and develop a plan to begin setting money aside for a down payment and monthly mortgage payments.

Secure a down payment. Although there are loan programs that will allow you to purchase a home with no money down, making a down payment is almost always a good idea. The most common sources of a down payment are your savings or a gift of cash. The amount you put down has a direct impact on what your monthly mortgage payment will be and will also determine if you will be required to purchase PMI, or private mortgage insurance.

Understand mortgage options. There are many types of loans available to suit your needs. The following is a list of some of the more common types of loans.

* Fixed rate loan - The interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan. The life of a fixed rate loan may range from 10 to 30 years.

* Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) - The interest rate is fixed for a certain period of time, but once that period expires your interest rate will adjust according to the terms of the mortgage.

* Negative amortization (pay option) loan - The minimum payment is less than the interest that accrued on the loan. In this loan, your principal balance will increase when you pay less than the interest that accrued.

* Balloon - The interest rate is fixed for a period of time. At the end of that period, your entire balance on your loan is due. (Example. With a five-year balloon, your loan is fixed for five years and at the end of five years your remaining balance on your mortgage is due.)

* Interest only - The minimum payment is just the interest that accrues on the loan.

Also, get an estimated, hypothetical look at your monthly payments for the various types of mortgages by using the Thrivent Financial Bank mortgage calculators. However, these are not meant to replace professional financial advice.

Get pre-approved. Now that you have done your homework and are ready to purchase a home, you should meet with a personal banker to get pre-approved. A pre-approval allows the lender to review your situation and make recommendations prior to entering any formal purchase contract. The pre-approval will establish for you a limit on the dollar amount the lender will commit to your home purchase.

To begin this process, your loan officer will complete an application with you and will also check your credit report. After some analysis, your loan officer will inform you of the various programs and the amount you qualify for. They will also give you a pre-approval letter that you can give to your realtor so they know the price range of homes they can show you.

To be pre-approved, you'll need to submit the following to a potential lender:
* Tax returns and W-2s for the past two years.
* Pay stubs to prove you're currently employed.
* Documentation of other types of income, including investments or a second job.
* Recent bank statements.

These preparations are just the beginning of your journey to homeownership. You'll also want to do your homework for the next stages such as selecting a realtor, house hunting, putting in an offer and getting an inspection.

Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that you will ever make. In your pursuit of the American dream, make sure you follow the keys to success and enjoy this exciting journey.

Bank products and trust services are offered through Thrivent Financial Bank, (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender), a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Insurance, securities, investment advisory services, and trust and investment management accounts are not deposits, are not guaranteed by Thrivent Financial Bank, are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency and may go down in value.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - You love the look of natural wood flooring but are afraid to install hardwood because you know the floor will take a beating from the kids, dogs and the heavy day-to-day traffic all too common in modern family life.

But you don't have to sacrifice high style looks for boring sensibility when considering a new flooring option in your home - not if you choose laminate, that is.

Today's best laminates combine the realistic grain and texture of wood with high durability and scratch and indentation resistance that "authentic" wood floors don't provide, according to Jeff Katz, director - laminate for Tarkett Residential, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable flooring. And not only are today's laminates available at a fraction of the cost of real wood floors, but they're right in sync with the latest designs.

"There's always a new decorating trend around the corner," Katz says. "It's imperative for manufacturers to respond to market demand, keeping up with the most up-to-date trends to ensure consumers are getting the latest in style and design, as well as technology."

One such line is Tarkett's Trends laminate, a durable new collection featuring eight of the hottest flooring designs, including Old World-inspired antique-stained planks and soft, hand scraped wood grains. Colors and styles in this line will continually rotate out with new introductions to give homeowners the newest, most popular looks in flooring, ultimately providing them with the high style of premium wood floors without the fuss.

"That's the beauty of laminate products," Katz says. "They're the new normal - great-looking products that deliver great performance at a great value.

When shopping for laminate products consumers should look for flooring that is engineered with sturdy inner core board layers - preferably ones that deliver high impact resistance (at least an IC3 rating). This type of rating helps provide excellent indentation resistance, and when combined with highly rated top surface protection (AC3 or better) kids and pets can run and play freely on laminate floors without making a dent or marring up the surface's good looks. As a result, laminate flooring is so durable versus real wood products that some laminates come with up to a full lifetime warranty.

What's more, creating a laminate flooring transformation in your home is a relatively simple DIY project. Many of today's new laminate floors come in easy-to-install planks that simply snap together without the need for messy glue or nails to pound. Laminates can even be used over several types of existing flooring, often eliminating the need for costly sub-floor preparation.

"Consumers now have the choice of selecting laminate floor innovations that provide excellent performance and value, while also reflecting and accommodating their changing tastes," Katz says. "Laminate flooring solutions keep up with their day-to-day life. That's something we know will never go out of style." For more information about the latest trends in laminate flooring, visit www.tarkettna.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - You know that moving into a new home can be one of life's biggest stressors - the packing, the paperwork, the unpacking, finding the nearest coffee shop ... even though numbers are down, 35.2 million Americans changed residences in 2008, according to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau. There are many ways to make your new house feel like home sooner than later, according to interior design faculty at The Art Institutes.

"Incorporating items with personal meaning, such as memorabilia or a special collection, can make your new place feel less like a stranger's house and more like your home," says Annette Lawrence, academic director of the Interior Design program at The Art Institute of Ohio - Cincinnati. Lawrence describes the concept of "adaptive re-use," an easy, inexpensive way to create a "sense of place" - in other words, making your new house the place in which you feel most comfortable - home.

Adaptive re-use involves bringing items from your previous residence to your new home, but with the twist of adapting them for a different or new use. Adaptive re-use is affordable, ecologically responsible and helps ease the psychological stresses that come with moving into a new, unfamiliar space. Adaptive re-use also involves using items from local design consignment shops. Such establishments can now be found in most towns and carry items ranging from furniture to window treatments and accessories.

Some examples of adaptive re-use:

* Same item, same use - The entry rug from your old house goes in the entryway of the new house.

* Same item, different location - Your living room furniture from your old home becomes your family room furniture in your new place.

* Same item, new use - You use the fabric from a window treatment to upholster your dining room chairs.

"Mies van der Rohe's old adage, 'less is more,' certainly holds true here," says Jackie Barry, interior design instructor at The Art Institute of Houston - North, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston. "Select significant pieces of furniture and art to move. You don't need to have or show everything you have all in one room."

Barry also advises incorporating a concept called biophilic design, which recognizes the inherent need of humans to interact and affiliate with nature to achieve and maintain optimum health and well-being. "Bring the outside in; don't neglect good views to the outside, accentuate them," she says. "Let your garden and landscaping work for you on the inside. Connecting with nature can also have a calming and a comforting effect."

If all of this still feels too overwhelming to you, consider hiring a professional interior designer to help you out. Lawrence suggests using personal contacts and references to find a designer who is right for you.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - Natural stone and ceramic tile floors have great design, architectural and sculptural qualities. But they can be expensive, hard to clean, cold to walk on and not very durable.

So imagine transforming your aging flooring with the look of rich travertine, limestone, concrete, slate or ceramic tiles, but without the cost or frailty of these lavish coverings. Today's luxury vinyl tile (LVT) products echo the look and styling of these natural materials but also live up to the rigors and traffic of day-to-day family life. Luxury vinyl tile offers the perfect marriage of design and durability for today's busy homes. Available in a wide range of colors, styles and textures, LVT works in every room of the house, giving homeowners unlimited options for fresh style.

"Luxury vinyl tile pops with depth and realism, combining classic and contemporary elements that deliver clean design and stylish floors," says Erica Hubbard, Tarkett director of marketing - NAFCO Luxury Floors. "You get all the design features of natural materials with a much more durable floor. When you stand on these floors and look down at them, you're hard pressed to tell you're not really standing on limestone, travertine, concrete or slate."

Unlike their lookalike natural counterparts, today's LVT floors are created to resist scuffs, stains, scratches and wear. This is due to durable construction and even protective wear layers or coatings, such as Tritonite, exclusively used in NAFCO Luxury Floors. These hardworking construction details help keep floors looking new and wear-free.

Flexible, comfortable LVT floors also have the advantage of being warmer and quieter than hard-surface natural tile floors. Soft underfoot, they don't produce a hollow sound like other flooring options.

Another benefit over "real" stone and tile is the safety aspect of LVT. Unlike stone or tile, LVT isn't as slippery when wet. Glass or china is less likely to shatter if accidentally dropped and little knees won't get scraped during falls.

Further adding to LVT's realistic look is the fact that some of these floors can feature three very different installations options: for example, the NAFCO Luxury Floors' PermaStone collection is available in GroutFit, which produces a realistic grout effect; GroutLess where tiles install edge to edge without grout or seam sealer for a uniquely modern look; and GroutFil, an option of 14 pre-mixed, stain-resistant, acrylic-based grout colors to create an endless number of pattern and grout possibilities and also heighten the mimicry of real stone.

"The option to include grout with luxury vinyl tile floors allows homeowners to combine tile and grout colors in a way that customizes a look that ties their home together," Hubbard says, adding that grouted LVT floors are much easier to install than traditional ceramic tile. They're also more cost efficient, Hubbard notes.

Maintenance for LVT floors, even grouted ones, is minimal. Forget the sealing, polishing and special cleaners required for natural tile floors. Luxury vinyl tile requires only the use of a neutral floor cleaner and water. No harsh chemicals are needed for the tiles or the grout.

"LVT is a practical choice that looks fabulous and stands up to everyday wear and tear," Hubbard says. "Combine that with its easy installation, great performance characteristics and the fact that it won't break the budget and you have the perfect summer DIY project for beautiful floors."

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - Can a potential buyer be compelled to make a big purchase if a pleasant background fragrance appeals to their senses and breaks down their defenses? Real estate agents and home sellers these days are widely banking on it.

Ambient fragrancing started to trickle into the real estate market years ago, with savvy real estate agents baking cookies or cinnamon rolls in the homes they were showing to create a comforting, deliciously scented atmosphere meant to entice buyers. If you're trying to sell a home in today's challenging real estate market, you may have tried this technique. However, with the excess of available homes, you may need to think a bit more creatively to make your home stand out.

The essential oils that are used in the practice of aromatherapy offer a more practical and potent way to use scent marketing to move buyers to feel good about a property. Using even tiny amounts of familiar, tempting aromas like cinnamon, clove, vanilla and orange, can fill a whole house with pleasant ambient fragrance. An added bonus is that essential oils are all-natural and distilled from plants. They are less likely to elicit the kind of adverse reactions that harsh synthetic fragrances do.

Aromatherapy expert Tom Havran has several ideas to help you sell your home. He crafts blends for Aura Cacia, purveyor of 100 percent pure and natural essential oils and aromatherapy products. A passionate expert on the properties of essential oils, he has been crafting essential oil blends for 15 years. Learn more at www.auracacia.com.

His first suggestion is an easy and sleek way to create a warm, comforting atmosphere that can help put potential property buyers at ease.

Vanilla amber aroma crystals. Havran recommends using vanilla essential oil blended with jojoba for this first recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup coarse-grained, chunky sea salt
1 teaspoon jojoba or grapeseed oil (just enough to make the salts glisten and gleam)
25 drops vanilla precious essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops sweet orange essential oil

Directions: Mix salt and oils, pour into a decorative dish or bowl and set out on a table. Placing the crystals in a warm sunny window or near a heat register will help diffuse the delicious aroma throughout the room. Stir in additional essential oils to boost the scent as needed.

Fresh flowers and bergamot vacuum powder. This light and transparent floral/citrus scent will create a cheerful, friendly and clean atmosphere to impress visitors. Since you need to vacuum before each property showing anyway, this is a great way to turn the chore into a smart real estate marketing move.

Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
35 drops bergamot orange essential oil
5 drops ylang ylang or neroli (orange flower) essential oil

Directions: Mix baking soda and essential oils in a canister and lightly sprinkle over carpets, then vacuum.

Because essential oils are so concentrated, a little goes a long way. An initial investment in a small 1/2 ounce bottle of oil will provide you with enough applications to conduct dozens of open houses.

Using essential oils to craft your own bit of psychological scent marketing might provide a good return on a small investment. Aromatherapy may give you that much-needed unique and surprising edge on the competition.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - Renovating your home can be daunting. The last thing you want to worry about is the possible lead-related health risk of some common renovation tasks. Sanding, demolition and siding and window replacement can all disturb lead-based paint, placing you and your family at risk of lead poisoning.

Because of these risks, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program to help protect homeowners. As of April 22, the legislation requires that workers, including contractors, painters and maintenance personnel, be trained to use lead-safe work practices. Additionally, renovation firms must be EPA-certified.

Because these common remodeling practices can be dangerous to a family's health, it's important for you to learn about a contractor's lead-safe practices before delving into such projects.

"While this legislation does not directly apply to product manufacturers, it has proved to be a challenge for the industry as a whole," says Rich Black, a replacement channel specialist with Ply Gem, a leading manufacturer of home remodeling and building products. "So manufacturers like Ply Gem have taken a lead on this initiative and are working with customers to organize EPA certification-training programs so that they, in turn, can provide clarification and peace of mind to homeowners."

What does the legislation entail?

Under the EPA, the legislation:
* Applies to all remodeling/renovation projects on homes, childcare facilities and schools built before 1978 that contain lead paint.
* Is related to on-site work practices.
* Renovation workers must take an eight-hour training course to become certified on lead-safe practices.

Exemptions include:
* Housing built in 1978 or after. If you are not sure what year your home was built and whether or not it contains lead-based paint, it is the contractor's responsibility to confirm that information.
* Housing for the elderly or disabled, unless a child under the age of 6 lives or is planning to live in the home.
* Homes with no bedrooms, including studio apartments and dormitories.
* Homes declared lead-free by a certified inspector or risk assessor.
* Minor repair work using 6 square feet or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less of exterior space.

Questions all homeowners should ask

When meeting with a home improvement company or renovation firm, the representative should bring up the issue and provide a government-issued certificate from the EPA showing that their firm has installers who are certified in lead-safe renovation practices. If they do not provide this documentation, homeowners should question if the company is certified.

Also, beware that this legislation may increase the cost of some renovation projects, so homeowners should be careful not to fall for a lower bid from a non-certified contractor.

What the EPA-certification entails

"Before hiring a contractor or renovation firm, it's important to understand the basics of the legislation and what you should expect from your home improvement company," says Keith Pigues, chief marketing officer of Ply Gem.

By law, at least one certified installer needs to be on the job site, with a valid certificate, if it was built before 1978 and contains lead-based paint. To become certified, the contractor must attend an eight-hour course that includes education on the dangers of lead-based paint, hands-on learning of safe demolition, installation and disposal of the debris, as well as a final examination. Those who have taken the course can then provide on-the-job training to his or her helpers, who must also be able to provide a certificate to the homeowner.

For more information on the Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting Program, visit www.epa.gov/lead. For more information on renovating your home with Ply Gem products, visit www.plygem.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent