What it means to be a homeowner, have a mortgage, and work with Mosaic Insurance Alliance
You have probably asked yourself over the years “Should I buy a house?” That white picket fence dream is one that many of us have had for many years…But, what does it really mean?
There are all kinds of flow charts and quiz calculators that you can take to help determine if you are a good homeowner candidate. For example, here is one from Rocket Mortgage. A good candidate tends to have low debt, steady income(s), and good credit that continues to get better. They also can make a downpayment and have a savings account that can handle unexpected maintenance. But that is not all…
It is not just about being an ideal candidate on paper. It is also about how you handle projects, where you see yourself in the future, and what your personal and career dreams are. Having a house is a lifetime project—making a house a home and making it safe for your loved ones, visitors, and neighbors. Even if you don’t have that white picket fence all the way around, your home—in whatever style you deem as “homey”—still comes with excitement, freedom, responsibilities, and hurtles. Look below to see what we are talking about.
What Is Good for a New Homeowner to Know?
Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs). If you have any other questions, reach out to us today! You can also view other insurance FAQs here on our website.
- How can I save money? When looking for a home, you might review your expenses and use an affordability calculator to see what kind of home you can afford. If you tally up your expenses, and you want to decrease your bills, we have money saving tips! For example, ask us about the telematics discount, learn other ways on how working with an independent insurance agent can save you money, get tips on how to save money in the winter, and learn how to cut energy costs.
- Are you required to have home insurance to purchase a home? Another common question is: “Do I have to have home insurance if I have a mortgage?” While it is not state law to have home insurance, mortgage lenders will require that you have home insurance in order to do business with them. So, if you have a home loan, you will need home insurance. That is where Mosaic Insurance can help! Reach out to us today.
- What are some common home insurance claims? Owning a home also means owning the repair costs that come with it. Mosaic Insurance can get you stable home insurance coverage to help protect you against covered claims. You can see some claim examples on our home insurance page, but here is a quick list for some common claims that our clients face: fires, flooding, wind damage, theft, vandalism, damages from home-sharing services like Airbnb, dog bites, liability lawsuits, and earthquake damage. Ask us today for how we can help you with coverage that can protect you against claims such as these and more.
- Should I file a claim? If you ever find yourself wondering if you should file house damage on your home insurance policy, please reach out to us. Sometimes, reporting a claim can cost more than paying out-of-pocket for a loss. You could be paying more after everything is said and done because the claim will increase your rate for years. It could also dictate whether your carrier will allow you to renew with them and dictate which carriers will accept you with a claims loss.
- What comes with owning property? As a homeowner you are responsible for maintaining upkeep and fixing damage. As these claim examples show, anything can happen, so it is good to be prepared. Our blog post, Tips on How to Keep Up Home Maintenance, has a handy infographic to give you an idea on the yearly upkeep of a house. We also have seasonal pages for you to get an understanding of common items you might face during different weather conditions and seasonal circumstances. Additionally check out our spring cleaning lists that are good to reference all-year-round here and here. You will also want to look at the first-time homeowner tips in the next section for specific hazards and responsibilities.
- What else is good to know about having a house mortgage? It is key to ask yourself “What do mortgage lenders look for?” Make a list of mortgage brokers that you want to apply to and then look at their websites. Review their resources about what they like to see in a mortgage borrower, as well as helpful information that they give to homeowners with mortgages. For some examples on what mortgage agents look for in an applicant, visit Caliber Home Loans, Northwestern Mutual, and Movement Mortgage. Also, check out our Mortgage 101 blog post for important mortgage tips and facts.
First-Time Homeowner Tips & Insight for Long-Time Homeowners
Below is some research that we have done over the years to help our clients be prepared for the different seasons, save money, avoid claims, have stable insurance, and feel confident in their new homebuying experience. Even if you have owned your own house for years, these tips are great to review! You can also apply many of these house tips if you are renting a home, apartment, or condo.
- Winter Insurance
- Spring Insurance
- Summer Insurance
- Fall Insurance
- Fall and Winter Are Coming: What Insurance Policies Should You Review?
- What Are Some Insurance Policies You Should Review for Spring And Summer?
- Do You Have to Insure Your Pool or Trampoline?
- Airbnb Insurance (Home-Sharing Insurance)
- Why It Is Good to Be Independent
- How to Prepare for The Upcoming “Sizzling” Summer
- Homeowner’s Insurance–Protecting Your Investment
- Prepping Your Property for Floods
- What Should I Do During Windy Season?
- What to Do When Your Power Goes Out
- PNW and Western Washington are Due for a BIG Earthquake Experts Say
- Wild Animal & Pet Safety Winter Tips
- Mosaic Insurance in Lynnwood, WA Has Some Claim Story Pictures That Might Surprise You!
- Do You Have a Vacant Property Due to Remodeling, Being on the Market for Some Time, or Not in Use?
Are You a Mortgage Broker or Real Estate Agent?
Our Mosaic Insurance team is ready to help your clients get their home insurance! You can contact our Personal Insurance Manager, Brittiany Anderson, for the next steps. Brittiany has been with Mosaic since 2010 and she started her insurance journey in 2006. Brittiany is ready to give your customers a no-obligation home insurance quote and find the carrier that is the best fit for them. You can call her at 425-212-1805 or email her a Brittiany@mosaicia.com.
Why Work with Mosaic Insurance Alliance?
- We understand that time is precious. We know that closing a loan quickly and easily is ideal. You want to make sure that your clients are taken care of with as little stress and time as possible. Closing things in a timely manner means that your client is happy, and you have more time to make even more clients happy. Let us help you get the insurance piece off your plate. You and Mosaic have something in common: we don’t want you waiting too long for an insurance quote and messing up your deal. If you can loan on it, we can insure it. You can check insurance off the Closing To-Do Checklist. Let Brittiany make you look good to your client!
- We have hundreds of 5-star reviews from happy customers. With over 400 5-star reviews on Google alone, our reputation speaks for itself. Take a look at our reviews on Google or on our amazing feedback page.
- We are licensed in multiple states. For personal lines insurance, we are licensed in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Idaho.
- As an insurance broker, we have access to numerous leading insurance carriers in the country, some of which you can see here. To name just a few, we write home insurance with Safeco Insurance, PEMCO Insurance, Travelers Insurance, Allstate Insurance, and Foremost Insurance Group.
- We have the one-stop-shop experience. We are ready to help your clients with all kinds of insurance needs, from home insurance to auto insurance, life insurance, boat insurance, homeowners association insurance (HOA insurance), and more. We can also help them with business insurance if they own a company now or in the future—even a home business. It is nice to be able to have your insurance needs in one place! It also means that if they want to go with a different carrier in the future, they can continue to work with the same independent insurance agent who has gotten to know them and understand their situation, wants, and needs.
- We’ve worked with mortgage brokers like you for years! Mosaic has been in business since 2010, and many of our teammates have been in insurance for 10-20+ years. You will be working with Brittiany, who has been with Mosaic since we opened and who has developed relationships with mortgage brokers since the very beginning. Brittiany has also been an insurance agent since 2006. She is ready to help you with all kinds of clients and living situations. Call her today.
- We don’t leave our clients hanging after they get insurance. After we help them with coverage, our process is to make sure that they have the best experience possible. To do this, we make ourselves easily accessible if they need us, whether it is to add a new driver, add a new car, explore other coverage options, ask important questions, or give us important life updates that impact their coverage. We also have handouts and monthly newsletters and postcards that give seasonal tips and important industry news. Our social media platforms also regularly share important things to know about at home, on the road, and at work. Our archive page shows past publications, and we are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Yelp, and Google.
We look forward to helping you on your mortgage adventure!
Our hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm Pacific Standard Time. If you contact us outside of business hours, we will see your email or voicemail when we are back in the office and will respond to you in a timely manner. Talk soon!
