Helping you to Stay in Good Hands!

Create a Living List

The best loss is one that never happens … but if you are subject to a loss, how can you help prevent the hassles of creating a list of the things that were lost or damaged or stolen from memory alone? By creating a living inventory of the items in your home. Sound difficult? It’s easier than you think with the Allstate Digital Locker tool for your smartphone. And by the way, anyone can. (Click here to download the tool for free - you don’t have to be an Allstate customer.)

 

What is a Digital Locker?

Digital locker is a free tool from Allstate that allows you to create a visual inventory of your personal property. With it, you can use your camera or phone to take pictures of your items, organize them by room or category, assign a value to them and store them safely in the cloud.

 

How does it work?

• Secure Account – Digital Locker allows you to create a username and password so that you can access your account from any internet-connected device
• Templates – We provide you with room and category templates to help you get started with your inventory process and create a property catalog
• Photos – You can either take photos with your smartphone or use existing photos to add to your inventory for a visual reference of your items
• Item Value – You can also enter information on the value of your items (you can use your best judgment, or use the Google or barcode search)
• Synchronized Data – You can access your “locker” from the app or the website and back up your inventory to Allstate’s secure data cloud

What are some of the advantages of creating a home inventory?

• Online, secure inventory of your personal property that can help you itemize your possessions for insurance purposes
• Putting the value on your possessions may help you determine what your insurance limits should be
• Home inventories help you to keep track of your possessions and help replace items due to a loss (and may even help streamline the claims process)
• Easily accessible information from any internet-connected device
• You can share the information with others, so that they are aware of your personal property and its value
• You can print or email a copy of your inventory as needed
• In the event of a claim, it will help you prevent the hassles of trying to recreate a list or description from memory

Visit Allstate Be Aware and Prepare and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety for more, helpful information.

 

Courtesy: Evelyn Clary

Licensed Insurance Representative
Eric Loebs Agency - Allstate Insurance
Phone: 803-782-5445
EVELYNCLARY1@allstate.com

 

 

 

 

 

5 Reasons to Buy A Home Now Instead of Spring

Based on prices, mortgage rates and soaring rents, there may have never been a better time in real estate history to purchase a home than right now. Here are five major reasons purchasers should consider buying:

Supply Is Shrinking

With inventory declining in many regions, finding a home of your dreams may become more difficult going forward. There are buyers in more and more markets surprised that there is no longer a large assortment of houses to choose from. The best homes in the best locations sell first. Don’t miss the opportunity to get that ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ buy.

Price Increases Are on the Horizon

Prices are projected to appreciate by over 25% from now to 2018. First home buyers will probably pay more both in price and interest rate if they wait until the spring. Even if you are a move-up buyer, it will wind-up costing you more in net dollars as the home you will buy will appreciate at approximately the same rate as the house you are in now.

Owning a Home Helps Create Family Wealth

Whether you are rent or you own the home you are leaving in, you are paying a mortgage. Either you are paying your mortgage or your landlord’s. The Fed, in a recent study, revealed that the net worth of the average homeowner is 30 times greater than that of a renter.

Interest Rates Are Projected to Rise

The Mortgage Bankers Association, the National Association of Realtors, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have all projected that the 30-year mortgage interest rate will be over 5% by the end of 2014. That is an increase of almost one full point over current rates.

Buy Low, Sell High

We would all agree that, when investing, we want to buy at the lowest price possible and hope to sell at the highest price. Housing can create family wealth as long as we follow this simple principle. Today, real estate is selling ‘low’ compared to where it will be next year. It’s time to buy.

Courtesy: Keeping Matters Current.