By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Who doesn’t love summer? Hot fun such as waterparks, road trips, cookouts and boating generate part of the thrills. But for insurance providers, the word “thrills” translates to “risks.” And they hate risk. So do yourself a favor and reduce your risk — but not your fun — by following a few simple tips when taking on summer activities. The payoff: fewer claims can translate into lower premiums. Then there’s also the fact that you can defend your wallet from having to shell out deductibles — the amount you agree to pay toward a claim before your provider helps.

Keep kids safe in the water

Once school’s out, many kids head straight for the pool. But it’s important to reduce their risks of injury or drowning. More than 7.4 million pools are in residential and public use across the country, and there are more than 3,400 drownings each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you have a pool, it’s vital that your insurance company knows about it. That way, you can get help from your policy if you’re sued in connection with injuries — or worse — suffered by visitors. Want to decrease your liability risk when putting in a pool? Enclose the pool in a fence at least six feet tall, with a self-locking gate. Remember, you can be held liable for injuries suffered by children who trespass on your property. As for kids you invite to your pool, supervision is key. Chaperones should put away phones and other distractions to devote full attention to swimmers. Don’t leave kids alone in the pool even for a second. Make sure children who either don’t know how to swim or are not strong swimmers wear floaties or lifejackets when in the water. Finally, teach kids about the dangers of going near pool drains or filters, and educate yourself on how to turn these devices off in a hurry in the event of an emergency.

Watercraft wisdom

If you’re heading to the lake or beach this summer, you should make sure that the insurance policies protecting your possessions are adequate. If you have a boat, consider coverage that includes:

• Bodily injury liability
• Property damage liability
• Uninsured/underinsured watercraft coverage
• Property coverage
• Watercraft medical payments coverage
• Personal effects coverage

These coverages help protect you and your family members on the water much as you’re covered on the highway. Say you cause an accident that injures someone or damages their property, collide with a dock, or if your possessions or boat are stolen or destroyed due to a covered peril. Complete boat insurance can help. And your boat policy may also protect you if you have jet skis. Call your local agent to discuss your coverage.

Hitting the open road

There’s nothing quite like driving to the beach or a nearby city during the summer to get a little change of pace. However, when backing out of the driveway, keep in mind that summer often yields more fatal car accidents than any other season. A number of factors contribute to this statistic, including:

• Construction. Municipalities plan most of their yearly construction projects in the summer. When you encounter construction, be sure to adjust your speed and drive cautiously.
• Increased traffic. Great minds think alike, meaning that tons of people want to take some sort of vacation now, too. It’s basic math: the more people on the road, the more opportunity for wrecks.
• Young drivers. More kids get behind the wheel during the summer when school is out. Because they’re inexperienced, they may make bad decisions on the road.
• The sun and heat do a number on your vehicle. Your engine has more opportunities to overheat, and your tires could blow out because the air in them expands due to the warm weather. Get regular maintenance to ensure your vehicle is operating properly.
• More two-wheeled drivers. There are only so many months that cyclists and bikers can use their preferred modes of transportation.

Speaking of bikes, if you have a loved one who enjoys motorcycles or bicycles, make sure that they take proper safety precautions such as wearing a helmet and thick, bright, protective clothing.

In your own backyard

Summer cookouts bring together friends and family. But did you know that grill fires account for an average $37 million in damage, 100 injuries and 10 deaths per year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration? While fire typically is covered by standard home insurance, you don’t want to deal with one. To prevent grill fires, ensure that your grill is properly cleaned and stored. Check hoses for cracks, holes or other faults, store propane tanks away from your home if you have a gas grill, don’t cover or put away your grill until it has cooled, rinse charcoal with cool water before disposing of it, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Don’t grill in an enclosed area. While grownups man the grill, kids may choose to jump around on the trampoline. Nearly 105,000 children visited emergency rooms last year for injuries caused by trampolines, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. To prevent injuries, don’t take shortcuts when assembling the trampoline. Furthermore, pad the bars, springs and the surrounding areas, and get the trampoline as close to ground level as possible to reduce potential impact if a jumper falls. Always supervise trampoline use, and let your insurance provider know about this type of addition to your home. You need a fence around it for the same reason you need one around a swimming pool on your property.

Pup protection

Dogs love to roam the yard when the weather is pleasant, but with more people out and about, too, your dog may feel the need to protect you. The Insurance Information Institute reports that more than $530 million in claims were paid in 2014 for dog bites — with an average payout of $32,072. If you have a dog, you need to make sure you have enough liability coverage in case it bites a guest or passerby. Keep Fido on a leash or in an enclosed area to reduce chances of bites. This summer, don’t cut down on the hot fun, but be sure to take steps to lower your risks while enjoying the great weather. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Most home buyers organically begin and are comfortable with the real estate search process, but don’t know how to move forward once they’ve found a home they love. In order to put the search and discovery process into context, I sit down with every first-time buyer before we start searching together to go over the process, contract to close. If your agent hasn’t done this, ask them to. One important aspect of a real estate contract is contingencies. These provisions for an unforeseen event or circumstance are important in case something goes south. At contract signing, buyers will put money in escrow — as little as $1,000 or up to 10 percent of the purchase price. That’s a lot of money to hand over to the seller before arranging financing and doing more due diligence than opening closet doors at the open house. Contingencies can help protect buyers if a problem arises. Contingencies are always tied to a timeframe. If it’s a hard contingency, the buyer must sign off physically in writing. If it’s a soft contingency, it simply passes with time. Know the difference between the two, and mark your timeframes early. Here are the three big contingencies to know.

Inspections

The biggest and best of the contingencies, the inspection is the “get out of jail free card” for buyers. It allows you to walk away once you’ve had an inspection if you discover issues with the home. For example, it is common for buyers to uncover broken or defective items, older systems or health and safety issues. Some argue that it would be difficult to exit a contract from a brand new and flawless home, but the inspection contingency language in most contracts provides for an easy out. If you do find something unexpected, you don’t necessarily have to abandon the contract. Go back to the seller and see what they will fix. Unexpected inspection issues often result in a second round of negotiations. If the items are big enough to kill the deal, the seller may agree to fix them or issue a credit at closing. In competitive markets, the seller may leave the defects for you to deal with as the new owner.

Loan approval and home appraisal

Getting pre-approved prior to making an offer is only part of the lending process. Before it wires the funds for your mortgage, the bank wants to be sure that the property is worth what you offered the seller, by way of an appraisal (sometimes a standalone contingency). The appraiser is an independent third party who will walk through the home, take pictures and measurements, and comment on its condition, then follow up with a written report. Second, a title report will be issued so the lender can see if there are outstanding liens or clouds on title. For condominiums or planned unit developments, the bank wants to review the governing documents and financials to make sure all is in order. The loan approval, which can take up to 60 days, is the longest contingency. In competitive markets, it can be done in less than two weeks. Be in touch with your lender before you make an offer, and strategize on timeframes.

Disclosures

Disclosures are meant to provide the buyer with as much information as possible to make an informed decision, as well protect their soon-to-be interest. Sellers in most markets must disclose, via boilerplate local or state forms, their knowledge about the property and their experience living there. For example, if there was a leaky roof or if they know about a neighboring development that could affect the home’s value, they must disclose it. Typically, sellers deliver the disclosures to buyers after their offer is accepted. Additionally, buyers will review local building department documents alongside local, state or federal disclosures about anything from earthquake hazard zones to flood zones to disclosures about proximity to airports. Don’t sign a contract without reviewing your contingency options with your agent. Understand that contingencies are terms, and can sometimes be used for negotiation. If you can’t offer the highest price, the seller may appreciate moving fast once you sign a contract. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.