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When a Tree Falls from a Storm, Who Pays for the Cleanup?

Recent Bluegrass spring storms have everyone asking…

Who pays for the damages caused by a fallen tree?

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It’s important to know that once a tree is down, homeowner’s insurance only comes into effect if there is property that is damaged. So if a tree falls cleanly onto the lawn, then the homeowner will have to pay for 100 percent of the tree removal costs. If a tree hits any property covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy, such as a driveway, fence or the house itself, then the policy will cover all repair and tree removal expenses, less the deductible.

That describes a scenario where a homeowner’s tree falls in his or her own yard – but what happens if the tree was rooted in your yard, but falls into your neighbor’s yard? If property damage is caused, your neighbor will have to file a homeowner’s insurance claim on their own policy.

If no damage is caused, and your tree falls clear into your neighbor’s yard, everything gets a bit stickier. Good manners dictate that you should, at minimum, offer to pay for some (if not all) of the removal expense.

Consider this: if valuable property of yours blew into your neighbor’s yard, you would expect to be able to retrieve it. This should apply to a not-so-valuable fallen tree as well – it’s still your obligation as it was something residing on your property. Besides, the discord that could come from ignoring the problem is likely worse than the expense of removing the offending stump and branches.

Having good neighbors often means being a good neighbor, so roll up your sleeves and extend a neighborly hand!

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Inspiration: Articles from the Net to Give your Your Best Season Yet!

My apologies for the cheesy title.  But sometimes, the best Tips for Top Agents are already out there!  This week I’ve compiled a list of some great articles from around the web on marketing and real estate.  Let me know if you find any of them helpful!

Best of Luck!  And don’t forget about tomorrow’s BBQ – Cook-In at the Beaumont Office!

~ June L.

 

Tips for Top Agents

For the Agents: Easy Ways to Reconnect and Build Your Contact List

I subscribe to this blog on Real Estate Marketing Ideas called “Agent Inner Circle.”  While the blog itself isn’t much to look at, they provide an invaluable FREE resource for agents including strategies, tips, tutorials, and templates!  This week’s article is about how to re-connect with people you may have lost touch with and turn that connection into a lead or a referral.  The article even gives you a FREE LETTER TEMPLATE to help you get started!

http://real-estate-marketing-articles.agentinnercircle.com/

Tips for Top Agents

For Your Client: 7 Factors that can make re-building costly

Especially with the new group of “boomerang buyers” entering the market, many buyers fit into a group of avid DIY-ers.  But, there are many unforeseen factors to consider when you’d need to rebuild a damaged home.  You and your client should check out these 7 Factors from the Trulia Blog before you take on searching for that “fixer-upper.”

http://www.trulia.com/blog/home-insurance-coverage/

Tips for Top Agents

For Your Client: 9 Things to Ignore at an Open House

Your competition out there is using these resources, and you shouldn’t count it off either!  Trulia and Zillow both have their own industry related blogs with content geared toward the home buyer & seller.  You should not only keep up with their content, but you can use their information to back up your story as well when you share this content with your clients.

This article explains clearly about certain things potential buyers shouldn’t worry about when viewing a home.  Especially if your buyer may seem finicky – this article could help them see the potential in other listings that they were turned off by at first.

http://www.trulia.com/blog/9-things-to-ignore-when-house-hunting/