Your home is perhaps your most cherished and largest investment, so naturally you want to have financial protection in case something happens to your property or its contents. To offset these costs, you purchase homeowners insurance. But when was the last time you reviewed your policy to make sure that your coverage was up-to-date? If your answer is “when I purchased my home five years ago,” it’s definitely time to take another look at your policy.

Ideally, your homeowners insurance policy should be evaluated once a year, and sooner if you’ve completed major work to your home or have a life event such as marriage, new baby or divorce. This review will help guard against you being under- or over-insured. Below are some situations that will illustrate why it is important to make sure that your homeowners insurance is current.

Remodeling

Have you added on a room or made significant upgrades to an existing room in your home? What about structures outside your home such as a hot tub or gazebo? These improvements, undoubtedly, have increased the value of your home. When you purchased your homeowners policy, your coverage was based on the value of your property at that time. If there is damage to your home, you want to make sure that those areas are covered as well.

Safety Upgrades

Did you know most insurance companies give discounts for features that increase the safety of your home? If you’ve installed items such as fire sprinklers, central home security system, smoke detectors, deadbolt locks or even added an upgraded electrical system, you could possibly reduce your premium.

Personal Property

Besides structural coverage, most standard homeowners insurance policies include personal property coverage. Usually there is a percentage or dollar limit on the amount protected.

Take a home inventory. Are your current limits sufficient? If you’ve purchased high-ticket items such as computers, jewelry, and artwork, you may need to get additional coverage. Talk with your insurance agent to decide if you should increase your limits or purchase an endorsement/rider, which will give you higher and broader coverage than you have under your homeowners policy.

Life Events

Different life events can affect your coverage. For example, if you get married and your spouse moves into your home, you will need to make sure that there is enough coverage for your combined assets and even all of the wedding gifts you received. On the other hand, if you divorce, you may be able to decrease your personal property limits.

Deductible

Are your deductibles still relevant? Based on your current financial situation, you may want to adjust them. A higher deductible lowers your premium and increases the amount you will pay toward a loss.
Because the mortgage lender often pays insurance premiums, it is easy to overlook your insurance coverage. However as the homeowner, make it a priority to review your policy periodically and make changes as needed. That way if damage or loss does occur to your home or its contents, you are adequately insured. Speak with your insurance agent, who can give you more in-depth information and explain your policy to you.

Picayune Insurance Companies:

Allstate - 915 Hwy 43 North, Picayune MS - 601-798-7005

Farm Bureau - 6361 Hwy 11 North, Picayune MS - 601-798-2861

State Farm - 1817-B Hwy 11 North, Picayune MS - 601-798-4082

You might not realize it, but qualifying for a home loan, making an offer, and signing documents at the closing are only part of the home ownership process. Once you receive the keys to your new home, there are still steps you need to take before truly calling your house home.
Settling In
The most obvious step you’ll take next is packing and moving your household contents. If you plan on hiring a professional, check with your real estate representative to see if he or she knows a reliable mover.  Once you’ve moved in, one of the first things you want to do is change the lock on all entry doors. This ensures that only your household has access to your home.  You’ll also want to make arrangements for special services such as paper delivery, cable and high-speed Internet service, and garbage and/or recycling pickup.  Get to know your neighborhood. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. They can give you inside information such as babysitters, names of contractors and more. Take a tour of your new neighborhood. Locate the nearest fire and police stations, as well as hospital. This will also give you an opportunity to find the closest grocery store, gas station, parks, etc.
Organizing
Next up is making sure that all of your documents are in order and that others know where you are.  At your closing, you more than likely were given a copy of your settlement papers. Make sure that you file them away somewhere that is easily accessible for tax time. Or, keep them with your other tax records. Next, don’t forget to finish sending out your change of address to family, friends, magazines, and organizations that may not have been a part of your primary group. Notify the Internal Revenue Service of your change of address. You can download Form 8822 from the website www.irs.gov or call (800) TAX-FORM (829-3676) to order the form by phone.
With a change in your address, there are other documents that need to be changed as well such as auto registration, driver’s license, and voter registration. Check with your state organizations to see what the procedure is. Also, don’t forget to notify your insurance agent of your change of address so that your policies remain up-to-date.
Improve and Maintain
After you’ve unpacked your boxes, it’s time to get to know your home. Locate your smoke detectors, furnace and switch or fuse box. Go room to room and make an improvement checklist such as new carpeting, window dressing or painting. Note regular maintenance that will be required such as cleaning water drains and replacing air filters and batteries in smoke detectors.  After you’ve completed an inventory, you may decide that you want to hire contractors to help with decorating needs. You may even decide that you want to hire a home cleaning or lawn care service. Your real estate professional is a good source for getting reliable recommendations.
There is much to do when you move into a new home. However once you’ve unpacked the last box, painted the final room, and all your services are running smoothly, you can sit back in your favorite lounging chair and enjoy the benefits of home ownership.

When filing for Homestead Exemption for your real estate taxes, in Pearl River County, MS, you will need the follow items:

1. Warranty Deed (Original or Recorded Copy) – Chancery Clerk can provide recorded copy.

2. Husband’s and Wife’s Social Security Numbers

3. Purchase Price of Land and/or House or Mobile Home; Down Payment, Interest Rate, Monthly Payments.

4. License plate numbers on ALL vehicles owned by you or in your possession. THEY MUST BE MISSISSIPPI LICENSE PLATES! (Once a resident of Mississippi, you have 30 days to get your MS tags for your vehicles)

5. If over 65 on or before January 1st of the year you are filing, bring proof of age (driver’s license, birth certificate, voter’s registration card, school record or bible record)

6. If Social Security Disabled – 100%- Bring proof of liability.

7. If certified 100% Disabled Veteran – SERVICE CONNECTED – Bring claim number.

8. If you do not have all the information listed above, please DO NOT ask to make an application for Homestead Exemption. This information is required by the State Tax Commission and is used in determining your eligibility for Homestead Exemption. No applications will be accepted unless they are complete. Any information requested by this office on the application that is not given will be considered DENIED and may result in loss of exemption.  IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THE TAX OFFICE.

9. The deadline for filing is MARCH 31st. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS. Application will be taken Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm during the whole months of January, February, and March.

This information was obtained from the Pearl River County Tax Office – 601-798-2866

If you have any questions, please call Michelle Fradella with Keller Williams Realty Professionals at 601-569-0075, or call the Tax Office.

by Michelle Fradella, Associate Broker – Keller Williams Realty Professionals

With the market changing drastically over the past few years, there is a new question that must be asked – “Can you, Mr/Mrs Seller, afford to sell your home?”  Now this question may be a bit alarming to some people, but the fact of the matter is sellers are finding that the market is not able to sustain the amount of money they owe on their homes (if they have refinanced in the past 5 years), and they may not be able to get enough for their home to actually close without bringing money to the table.

Many sellers may have heard about, and think they are in the position to consider a “short sale”, but unfortunately not everyone realizes the intricacies of doing one.  It’s important for a seller to notify their Realtor AT THE TIME OF LISTING, that they will come short of the amount they need to pay off their loan, and will need to ask the lender for the possibility of a short sale.  Keep in mind, however, that the lender is never, in any way, obligated to actually take less than what is owed on the house, and that there are specific circumstances that must be present, in order for this to be considered.

A short sale is not something that can be handled overnight, either.  The process will all depend on many variables that are not the same in each case.   A short sale can take as short as a few weeks, or a few months, to over a year to get approved.  A buyer may not be willing to wait for you to get that approval, or their lender may not let them wait, either.

Another important factor to know is that (even if you are in the process of working a short sale with your lender, and have a buyer ready to buy) if you don’t make your regular payments to your lender, they can, AND WILL, foreclose on your home.  If you aren’t able to make the payments during this time, your Realtor needs to know this, so they can also be in touch with the Foreclosure Department for your lender, and communicate with them constantly to assure that the house isn’t taken in foreclosure.  It’s standard practice that the foreclosure department and short sale department of a lender do not communicate with each other, and things can go wrong very quickly.

When putting your house on the market, you have to disclose to all Realtors and parties that your home can only go to closing if the lender approves a short sale.  You will also need to get all the contact information for your lender to your Realtor so they can be in constant contact with the lender to assure that things are moving in the right direction.  Be aware that not all Realtors are experienced in the intricacies of short sales.  It’s very important for your Realtor to know and understand the process, to be able to assist you in the best way possible.  Look for a Realtor that has the “SFR” designation (Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource).

Remember to always disclose to your Realtor, up-front, what your true situation is, and be prepared to be in the process for the long haul.

Welcome to the Pearl River County Homes Website.  Here you will find a lot of useful information about the Picayune, MS, area.  There is neighborhood information for Picayune, Carriere, McNeill, and other areas of our Pearl River County.  You can also search ALL properties for sale, no matter what company has the listing.

Buying a home can be a stressful situation.  You want to make sure you find the home that will fit your needs, be in an area that won’t depreciate your equity over time, and get the best price for your situation.  You need a consultant to guide you through the process and make it an easy transition for you and your family. When you are looking at Picayune MS homes for sale, you need someone to look out for your best interests.

The Picayune and Pearl River County area offer great properties within commuting distance of New Orleans, and the John C. Stennis Space Center (NASA).

Click a link to the left to search properties, check out neighborhood information, and get information on the buying and selling process.