Vital Documents: What You Need & Where to Store Them

Contributed by Grady Hansen – State Farm Agent

If you needed the deed to your home, title to your car or your passport, could you locate them quickly? We all know it’s important to organize personal documents. Knowing where certain documents are can be crucial in the event of a family emergency or natural disaster. Equally important is where these documents are stored. Some documents can be kept at home, others in a safe-deposit box at your local bank or in a fireproof box at home if a safe-deposit box is unavailable. It is very important that other family members or a person you trust knows where to find your important documents.

Examples of documents you might need, but that should NOT be kept at home include:

• Deed, title and closing papers for your properties
• Marriage License or Divorce Decree
• Birth Certificates
• Adoption Papers
• Military Records
• Social Security Cards
• Citizenship Papers
• Stock Certificates
• Car Titles
• Insurance Policies
• Home Inventory List

The following documents should be kept at home, perhaps in a fireproof box:

• Tax Returns for the last 7 Years
• Wills (Never store in a safe-deposit box at the bank; it may be impossible to get to in the event of your death)
• Documents regarding your child’s legal guardian
• Copy of durable power of attorney, medical directives, funeral & burial instructions
• Location and key to safe-deposit box
• List of financial institutions and products
• List of doctors and contact information

Make a list of all of your important documents and where they are stored. Keep a copy close at hand and give another copy to a trusted family member, friend or advisor. Be prepared, should you have to evacuate, to grab the fireproof box or other container where your documents are stored. Doing so may provide some peace of mind if you need these documents in the event of an emergency.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Grady Hansen -State Farm Agent

(480) 883-6666

Grady@GradyHansen.com

www.GradyHansen.com

Brown Family Communities, one of the largest Phoenix-based homebuilders shut it doors yesterday. Brahm Resnik with Channel 12 News interviewed founder, Dave Brown. (See interview below) I think this to be a very sad story, of a builder who has built over 18,000 homes in the Valley over the last 33 years. Although I do not know Dave Brown personally, I can imagine how devastating this is for him and his family, to see the business they built shut down after so long. Brown Family Communities has enjoyed a strong reputation for building quality homes. My husband & I owned Brown Family home in Ashland Ranch in Gilbert, and it was a terrific home with a fantastic floorplan and features.

Builders have been slashing prices on new homes to decrease inventory with the slowdown of the market. In the interview, Mr. Brown also explains the difficulty obtaining financing in this market, and how it attributed to the closing of his company.

My big question, which was answered in the interview was: “Will buyers lose their earnest deposits for homes that haven’t been completed?” I am impressed with Mr. Brown’s answer, in that he is mailing out over $600,000 back to the customers, which something he is probably not required to do.

This brings up a good point for buyers looking to purchase new homes. With the failure of many homebuilders and with more to come, we always recommend that our clients purchase new and spec homes with large, reputable builders. The Arizona Department of Real Estate now posts builders in trouble on their website, so the public has access to that information. View Here

I saw Mrs. Brown at HomeGoods (my favorite store) early this year, and found it charming that after all of the time they have been in business, she was still choosing all of the furniture for the model homes. The name “Brown FAMILY communities” seems to fit their business practices. I am sad to see them go.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY & VIEW THE INTERVIEW ON AZCENTRAL.COM

For more information about new homebuilders, contact us at 480-892-1171.

When I received this via email, the subject said:

“Halloween is going to suck this year!”

Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

Every day people ask themselves, “How much homeowner’s insurance do I need?”  The answer varies, depending on each person’s situation. Usually you should insure your home for its whole value, the actual building and all of its contents. In order to find out exactly how much your home is worth, you should have it appraised. You can have an appraiser, builder or State Farm insurance agent give you an estimate of its value. However, if you ever remodel or add on to your home, its value will increase, and you will then need to purchase more coverage. For any valuable possessions you have, you can purchase extended coverage, to ensure those items are covered as well. The best thing to do is take a room-by-room inventory of your valuables then keep this list somewhere outside the home, for example, a safe-deposit box. To determine if valuable possessions, such as TVs stereos or computers are covered, or if you have any other questions about homeowner’s insurance, contact Grady Hansen, State Farm Agent at (480) 883-6666.

Grady’s State Farm office is located in Fulton Ranch Towne Center at the southwest corner of Arizona Ave. & Ocotillo Rd. in Chandler, Arizona.

Grady & his wife, Kristi will provide you will exceptional customer service and great rates. They have been providing service to State Farm customers since 2001.

www.GradyHansen.com