The kids are back to school and Fall is upon us.  You may be daydreaming about where you’d love to take a vacation this winter, but first thing’s first – you need to prepare your home for Fall before the weather turns unpredictable.  Here are five ways to help you get started.  

1.  Put in Storm Doors and Windows

Hope Hills, NC can be home to some nasty weather. Fall easily slides into Winter and before you know it, you’re turning on the heat.  Don’t wait for it to get too cold before you replace all the screens with storm windows.  

2. Clean the Gutters

Once all the leaves have fallen, it’s time to clean out the gutters.  Remove all debris and check for any place the gutters may be sagging or collecting water and repair or replace these areas.

3.  Get into the Attic

The attic is an area of the house that should be cleaned, organized and inspected twice a year – every Spring and Fall. Look for any areas where heat may be escaping and give the attic a good cleaning to get ready for Fall and Winter.  

4.  Remove Outdoor Hoses

If you leave a hose attached to an outdoor faucet over the winter season, you run the risk of having trapped water freeze, which could end up bursting your pipes.  To prevent this, be sure to store away outdoor hoses until Spring.

5.  Check for Cracks

Inspect the exterior of your home along the siding, doors and windows and look for any cracks that could be letting heat out and moisture in.  Seal up all cracks with caulk.  

At Cross Creek Insurance, we are committed to serving the people of Hope Hills, NC and we will work with you to get the best homeowner’s insurance to protect your Hope Hills, NC property.  Call us today to get started.  

 

 

 

Home insurance improves your future by saving you money in the event of unforeseen losses.  Many states have policy requirements which vary from one district to the next. You may already possess a good policy, but do you know what it actually does for you?  Cross Creek Insurance lists three ways below.

Security from Theft

One of the prime components of insuring your home comes in safeguarding your assets.  Before you select a policy take into consideration the value of the items in your home from electronics to jewelry.  Many items can be financially protected against theft up to a predetermined value.  This means that, should a burglary occur in your home, it can be mitigated by providing you with money to replace the items.

Damage caused by people

Damages to your home or property is a primary concern as well.  In events where human beings are to blame for damages, like a tractor swinging into a house wall or a car smashing into a fence, many policies will provide conditions that aid in paying for these damages or even allow you to relocate if necessary.

Liability

Most homeowners aren’t always aware of this component.  In many cases, the owner of a building can be sued for injuries sustained by persons who are on the premises at the time.  As with most policies,  the amount of protection you receive is dependent on the type of policy you select, even so, protection from liability should never be dismissed.  There are countless cases in the U.S. where homeowners were found liable for injuries even in cases of break-ins from burglars.

Purchasing a home is a big responsibility.  You don’t have to go it alone.  Call or go online to find out how you can benefit from a home insurance policy today.
 

 

Recycling may take a little extra effort, but it’s absolutely worth it for the planet and for yourself. Hope Hills cares about its town, so do the right thing and recycle these 5 common household items. 

1. Old Books 

Obviously these are made of paper, but it’s likely not something you think of when you start rounding up your old newspapers and junk mail. Maybe people think they have to take all the pages out of the cover, but you can generally recycle them whole at your local recycling facility. Or you could always donate them. 

2. Batteries 

Don’t let these into your trash bag, because eventually the acid within them will start to leak out into the earth below. There should be a designated place around you which will take your old electronics. 

3. Paper Plates 

After you have a party, don’t let people just throw these in the regular trash bin when they could be recycled. Recycling plants have come a long way with removing food and debris from paper, so you can likely recycle these plus the paper cups after a fiesta. 

4. Paper Towels

These can actually be composted, so give your garden a boost while you decrease your carbon footprint on the earth. You should also be throwing in any plant matter or food scraps into the composting heap. 

5. Clothes 

Clothes can be recycled if you’re not planning to take them to Goodwill. It may be more difficult to do so, but even the fabric of disgusting old clothes can still be reused. 

Cross Creek Insurance cares about the people in Hope Hills living greener lives, and we encourage everyone to be safe. Give us a call if you need a new homeowners policy and we can get you a quote. 

 

If you’re considering purchasing a home in Hope Hills, North Carolina, then it’s important to also figure in the cost of homeowner’s insurance. Not only is this a financial issue, as it will be more expensive on a monthly basis to cover the bills to pay on your home in general, but homeowner’s insurance is also something required by law in North Carolina and serves a number of important benefits for keeping you financially solvent in the event of a catastrophe or unexpected event at your home, as well as keep you in a house in the event one of these unexpected events occurs. Below are some of the more important reasons to have home insurance in Hope Hills, North Carolina.

UNEXPECTED WEATHER 

North Carolina gets it’s fair share of weather, especially from hurricanes which blow into the state with a vengeance for a season each year. Homes are regularly destroyed or flooded when this occurs and if there is no homeowner’s insurance policy to speak of on the house itself, there will be no money set afforded to you to rebuild. This can be a catastrophic loss to a family and something that is incredibly difficult to recover from. Other things protected by homeowner’s insurance are figurative acts of God, like fires or a plane crashing out of the sky into the home and destroying it. A homeowner’s insurance policy will at least provide some financial assistance when something like this occurs to help the homeowner get back on their feet.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

If someone breaks into your home and steals anything inside the home itself, most homeowner’s insurance policies also cover this. While this isn’t a real concern in Hope Hills, it’s just nice to have piece of mind.

A PLACE TO STAY ANYWAY

If any of these events do occur, some time will be needed to rebuild or repair your home. In this situation, home owner’s policies will usually pay for a place for you and your family to stay until your home can be lived in again.

So if you need a homeowner’s insurance policy contact a local company like Cross Creek Insurance, who serves the greater Hope Hills area.

House sitting is typically straight forward. You have a few important duties, yet while watching the house you can watch TV and just give the home a lived-in feel. However, what happens in the event of an emergency? There are a few important bits of information you need to know about before hand, just in case something goes wrong. 

Contact Numbers

Before the home owners leave, make sure to grab all of their contact information. This not only includes their cell phones but the hotel they are staying at. This way, if you need to contact them for an emergency you have many different options available. 

Smell Gas

During the winter months it might start to smell like gas. Should this happen you need to leave the house right away. Even the smallest spark can cause an explosion in the house. Contact the fire department and have them inspect the house. They can fix a leak, locate the problem area and determine if the house is safe. 

Call the Police

Is something suspicious going on around the house? Maybe you think someone is lurking around the house? Contact the police. Unless you know it is someone actually trying to break in only call the police and avoid 9-1-1. However, if someone is breaking in call 9-1-1, then call the home owners after everything is straightened away. 

Power Outage

If the power went out you have a few different chores you need to take care of. First, if it goes out in the summer, leave everything in the fridge and freezer for the time being. If it looks like the power is going to be out for longer than a few hours fill up coolers with ice and the food. If it goes out during the winter time, Cross Creek Insurance recommends turning on a few faucets so it drips, which prevents the water from sitting still and freezing. 

Vehicles are a crucial and almost necessary part of modern life, and for this reason many people consider a vehicle as a very thoughtful gift that could impact someone’s entire life. However, there is more involved than simply the exchange of keys and a title when you give someone a vehicle as a gift. Here are a few things to consider before giving a vehicle as a gift.

Residual Costs

You should remember that there is more cost to the vehicle than just the vehicles price. There will be annual tags, taxes and insurance. You should consider whether or not the individual to whom you are giving the gift will be able to maintain these other yearly costs. Repairs and maintenance  can also vary from model to model. Some cars are much less expensive to maintain and repair than others. Factors these costs in when choosing a gift vehicle.

Taxes

Because the bulk of tax paperwork must be filed in the name of the recipient, not the purchaser, it is necessary for the purchaser and recipient to work together to get all of the correct information filed with the state and country in which the car will be registered. There are strict rules which vary from state to state concerning whom may hold the registration and under whose name the insurance must be filed. Be sure to do your homework so that you are in compliance with all applicable laws.

Insurance

Regardless of who buys the vehicle gift and who receives it, insurance is paramount to legal driving and operation of the vehicle. Be sure that insurance arrangements are made quickly, so that there is no lapse in coverage or temptation to operate the vehicle uninsured. Make the title, registration and insurance are all under the correct name to avoid any confusion in the event of an accident.  

If you have further insurance questions please contact Cross Creek Insurance now serving Hope Hill, NC.

On October 31 most people enjoy a few treats. Kids go around trick-or-treating and adults gather together for parties. Even those of us who primarily hand out candy are known to sneak a piece or two for ourselves. A few people, however, plan tricks for Halloween. Make sure you don’t get tricked by a thief this Halloween. Here are a few tips to keep your home safe.

Deter Thieves with Locks and Lights

Most thieves who are prowling around on Halloween night aren’t planning a detailed and involved robbery. Instead, they’re looking for easy targets that they might steal from without exposing themselves to much risk.

Therefore, you don’t need to protect your home against a movie-worthy heist plan. You simply need to exercise some basic precautions that will deter thieves. Specifically, you might want to:

• secure any valuable items you leave outside with padlocks
• place decorations around your yard that will light it up
• leave your home’s exterior lights on all night long

Insure Your Belongings Against Theft

In addition to securing your outside possessions and lighting up your yard, you should also make sure your belongings are insured against theft. Home insurance policies afford protection against loss due to theft, although their specific protections vary. If you own a home, this is a final line of defense against burglars that you must have.

For help finding home insurance, contact us at Cross Creek Insurance. Our independent insurance agents are able to compare home insurance policies from every insurer in North Carolina. No matter what company offers the best protection against thieves, our agents will make sure you get the best protection at the most affordable rates. To get in touch with them and discuss insuring your home in Hope Hills, NC, send us a message on our website.

 

We love our outdoor activities in Sanford, NC. The famous Tobacco Road Golf Club seems to always be rated high on lists of America’s favorite courses. San-Lee Park and Mountain Bike Trail provides a multitude of outdoor recreational activities. The spacious Kiwanis Family Park and Greenway is a terrific site for outdoor family fun and exercise. Deep River paddling provides for aquatic activities.

Of course at almost any time rain can cause problems with our plans. We appreciate the rain for keeping our lawns green and our crops growing. It’s just when it happens at the wrong time and place it can be frustrating. The same can be said for water in your home.

When water is controlled through your plumbing or kept out by your roof, it’s usually not a problem. Under the wrong circumstances however, it can be devastating. When it comes to water damage in particular, it is critical you know what is, and isn’t covered under your homeowners insurance.

You see, when it comes to insurance, all water is not treated equally. There is water damage you can suffer from heavy rains. You can sustain water damage from a sewer back-up. Broken plumbing can cause serious damage, especially if you are not home when it occurs. Flooding? That is a whole separate issue. If you want to be assured you are covered under these various water-related issues contact us for a home insurance review. As an independent, local agency, we understand what coverage you should have, and can find the providers who offer it most affordably. If you wish to compare rates you can do so online right from our website. We also offer comparative rates for auto insurance.

There may not be much you can do when rain interrupts your outdoor activities. You can however, take steps to protect your home from water. Contact us today and put us to work for you.

A claim against your Fayetteville homeowners insurance can arise in any number of ways. The cable guy can fall off a ladder, the pizza delivery kid can trip on an uneven sidewalk, or Aunt Esther can trip over her own shadow. If you don’t have sufficient coverage, a $300,000 jury verdict can come back against you while you’re only insured for $100,000. That leaves you personally on the hook for the $200,000 balance.

As independent insurance agents, we want you, your home, family and personal property to be protected with plenty of coverage. If you’re concerned about a particularly large personal injury claim arising sometime in the future, we can arrange for umbrella liability coverage. Should you have particularly valuable personal property inside your house, like artwork, jewelry or musical instruments, we can set you up with specific special endorsements for coverage over and above ordinary policy limits for those items too.

We’re trusted and respected members of the Fayetteville area community, and because we’re independent agents, we’re able to provide you with a variety of choices as to insurers, coverage and premiums. Agents for the mega insurers just can’t do that. They’re not permitted to. The information we give you on your insurance issues is balanced, objective and unbiased. We’re not giving you one choice from one giant insurer. You can choose who insures you, what coverage you’ll have and your premium amount from any number of reputable and long established homeowners insurers that we work with.

Whether you’re in the process of buying your first home in or around NC Zip Code 28301, or trying to save some money window shopping, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re pleased to answer any questions that you have.

Some of the best foundations begin in a small town like Hope Mills, NC 28348. Taking risks, building a business or home takes gumption. A laid back atmosphere small town pleasures and ways are what residents love. If hunting or fishing is your way of relaxation then Hope Mills has it. After a long day of chasing the wildlife then the town has many one of a kind of restaurants to enjoy. Fred Chason’s Grandsons Buffet gives an awesome amount of southern style foods cooked like grandmas do it. The Wine Café has innovative wine fountains, an engaging atmosphere, and many brands and flavors of the juice of the grape. Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant serves plenty of chips and Mexican styled main dishes. Residents like the seating and the amount of food. Beef O’Brady is local hang out where all are welcome. Basically a sports bar it is the local watering hole.

Speaking of local watering hole I your local agent have talked to residents and found them quite satisfied with Hope Mills living. Our annual checks on homeowners insurance makes sure all is taken care of. With the active lifestyle a few bumps and bruises are bound to happen. To make sure your policy offers adequate coverage check your personal injury claim. Someone falling on your property is covered medically and if someone tries to sue you are covered for that as well. Consider combining different policies such as home and auto. Often a discount applies. Better yet get an umbrella policy which provides enough coverage for most incidents including libel and slander.

Whatever your decision come down to my office for a chat. Bring some quotes and we will find the best options for you.