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Burning down the house! Luckily, most of us have never experienced a house fire, but they happen and more often than you think. Numerous things can cause house fires but we want to warn you of a device almost every home has that can be dangerous...the laundry dryer!  Yes, dryer fires account for more than 15,000 home fires each year. This blog is focused on some of the steps you can take to prevent fires from occurring in your home. First and foremost, always get into a habit of cleaning your lint trap. Dryer lint is extremely flammable and if care isn't taken to clean the lint trap regularly, heat can cause the lint to ignite. Secondly, make sure the exhaust hoses are free from kinks and there's no build up of lint inside. Also, make sure you keep clear the area around your dryer.  Socks and other small articles of clothing can easily fall behind or under the dryer and be a possible hazard. This...

So you want to be a landlord... Owning a home is one thing. Owning rental properties is another. Here's what you should know... Insurance companies view your primary home differently than a property you don't reside in. They realize homes inhabited by tenants are far more likely to have claims because less care is taken to maintain the home.  Because of this, homeowner's policies and rental policies are written and rated differently. Many well-intentioned people buy a new home, move, and then rent out the home they just left without converting the policy. The customer now has two homeowner's policies and one is not covered correctly!  Ooops! The proper way to insure a rental property is with a "dwelling policy" or "landlord policy". Note, even if you don't collect rent from the tenant, it's still considered to be a rental property. Ultimately it comes down to who lives in the home. If you own, or are planning on purchasing properties to rent out, make sure you notify your insurance agent. Also, take steps to protect...