Thursday, May 28, 2009

Twitter: What Does the Future Hold ?

There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday about Twitter, the darling of the social media world, and the future of the site. Here's a link to the full article, "Twitter Trips on Its Rapid Growth" - I recommend you read it.

No, the article was not a doomsayer, predicting a failing. But it did raise the question of what lies ahead in Twitter's future in terms of their ability to mange growth and their business model.

Twitter is a business. And like any company it has a business model...well, sort of. Like so many start-ups it may be more concept and visionary that a real model The problem for Twitter, and one which the owners/founders must wrestle with in the near term, is financial. Like many start-ups, especially on-line, Twitter has had amazing growth in its first years of existence. I don't know how it compares to some of the other on-line businesses that has sprouted up, but with about 32 million unique users now (per the article), and only 3 years old, the growth rate has been phenomenal. Perhaps that exceeds the growth rate of the Googles of the world.

The problem for Twitter is revenue stream. There is none. Hmmm, reminds me of AR in its earlier days. As we all know that has changed, in ways that I think many feel are positive.

Oh, Twitter has money, having found financing from venture capitalists, a common strategy with start-ups. And the article goes on to say how they are exploring alliances with other companies. But Twitter is not generating income from the site as it currently exists since they don't sell advertising. The investors will, certainly, be looking for some return on their investment

The other growth-related issue is infrastructure. Twitter has employees, but not many considering how rapidly it is growing, and the growing pains - server issues, product development - will likely continue without bringing on more employees to deal with the running of the business itself. And further development, I suspect, will be hindered. According to the article plans are in the works to bring on more staff. The challenge, as I know well from being in an Internet start-up, is finding the folks with the business acumen but who also fit the corporate culture and the vision. That can be a significant challenge for some founders.

Will Twitter continue to exist in its current form?

Unlikely. A revenue stream must happen at some point for Twitter to remain viable, as has happened with other Internet companies, unless they can secure more VC funding. And certainly the question of being sold has arisen - no doubt of interest to the VCs. Time will tell on that issue.

Will Twitter continue to attract users?

Undoubtedly. But how many of its users are, and will continue to be, active? (We know from recent reports that about 8% of AR members are active). And won't new product offerings be necessary to meet the changing needs of devotees? And provide income, in addition to the potential of advertising becoming a part of the Twitter landscape.

The popularity does not seem to be waning, but 2009 should be an interesting year. Would you pay to belong to Twitter? Would you advertise? And are there other product offerings that could provide Twitter with a revenue stream. We'll see.

http://www.robertjrussell.com

http://www.dfwhomeforsale.com

http://www.FreeDFWApartments.com

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Texas Wineries & Vineyards

TEXAS VINEYARDS & WINERIES

Believe it or not, Texas is home to 26 wineries and a wealth of independent grape growers. In 1996, the state's vineyards produced over one million gallons of wine, making Texas the fifth-largest wine producer in the nation after California, New York, Washington, and Oregon. The rough and tumble state has become giddy with talk of full, woodsy bouquets; crisp, floral notes, and the virtues of a particular varietal is relatively new. What's not new, surprisingly, is the Texas wine industry itself.

ALAMOSA WINE CELLARS
677 CR 430
Bend, TX 76824 San Saba County
Phone 915-628-3313
Email~karen@alamosawinecellars.com
Website~
http://www.alamosawinecellars.com/

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BECKER VINEYARDS
P.O. Box 393
Stonewall, TX 78671 Gillespie County
Phone 830-644-2681
Email~beckervyds@fbg.net
Website~
http://www.beckervineyards.com/

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BELL MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
HC 61, Box 22
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 Gillespie County
Phone 830-685-3297
Email~bellmtn@ctesc.net
Website~
http://www.bellmountainwine.com/

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BRUNO & GEORGE WINERY
400 Messina Rd.
Sour Lake, TX 77659 Hardin County
Phone 409-898-2829
Email~swawn@brunoandgeorge.com
Website~
http://www.brunoandgeorge.com/

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BRUSHY CREEK VINEYARDS
572 CR 2798
Alvord, TX 76255
Phone 940-427-4747
Email~
brushyck@wf.net

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CANA CELLARS
11217 Fitzhugh Rd.
Austin, TX 78736 Travis County
Phone 512-288-6027

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CAP ROCK WINERY
Route 6, Box 713k
Lubbock, TX 79423 Lubbock County
Phone 806-863-2704
Email~caprock@caprockwinery.com
Website~
http://www.caprockwinery.com/

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CHISHOLM TRAIL WINERY AT SPRING CREEK VINEYARDS
2367 Usener Rd.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 Gillespie County
Phone 830-990-2675
Email~chisholm@ctesc.net
Website~
http://www.chisholmtrailwinery/

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COMFORT CELLARS WINERY
723 Front St.
Comfort, TX 78013 Kendall County
Phone 830-995-3274

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CROSS TIMBERS WINERY
805 Main St.
Grapevine, TX 76051 Tarrant County
Phone 817-488-6789
Email~crosstimberswinery@directlink.net
Website~
http://www.crosstimberswinery.com/

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CROSS ROADS WINERY
8400 Fish Trap Rd.
Crossroads, TX 76227 Denton County
Phone 940-440-9522
Email~fernando@crossroadswvineyards.com
Website~
http://www.crossroadsvineyards.com/

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DELANEY VINEYARDS & WINERY
2000 Champagne Blvd.
Grapevine, TX 76051 Tarrant County
Phone 817-481-5668
Email~info@delaneyvineyards.com

Website~ http://www.delaneyvineyards.com

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DRIFTWOOD VINEYARDS
21550 Ranch Rd. 12
Driftwood, TX 78619 Hays County
Phone 512-858-4508
Email~wine@driftwoodvineyards.com
Website~
http://www.driftwoodvineyards.com/

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DRY COMAL CREEK VINEYARDS
1741 Herbelin Rd.
New Braunfels, TX 78132 Comal County
Phone 830-885-4076
Email~info@drycomalcreek.com
Website~
http://www.drycomalcreek.com/

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FALL CREEK VINEYARDS
1820 County Rd. 222
Tow, TX 78672 Travis County
Phone 915-628-3313
Email~chad@fcv.com
Website~
http://www.fcv.com/

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FLAT CREEK ESTATE
24912 Singleton Bend East, Unit 1
Marble Falls, TX 78654 Burnet County
Phone 512-867-6310
Email~flatcreekwines@aol.com
Website~
http://www.flatcreekestate.com/

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GRAPE CREEK VINEYARD
P.O. Box 102
Stonewall, TX 78671 Gillespie County
Phone 830-644-2710
Email~relax@grapecreek.com
Website~
http://www.grapecreek.com/

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HAAK VINEYARDS & WINERY, INC.
6310 Avenue T
Santa Fe, TX 77510 Galveston County
Phone 409-925-1401
Email~raymond@haakwine.com
Website~
http://www.haakwine.com/

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HOMESTEAD WINERY
P.O. Box 35
Ivanhoe, TX 75447 Fannin County
Phone 903-5834281
Website~
http://www.homesteadwineries.com/

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LA BODEGA WINERY
P.O. Box 613136
DFW Airport, TX 75261 Dallas County
Phone 972-574-6208
Email~
jbrancato01@charter.net

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LA BUENA VIDA VINEYARDS
416 E. College St.
Grapevine, TX 76051 Tarrant County
Phone 817-481-9463
Email~lbv@labuenavida.com
Website~
http://www.labuenavida.com/

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LEHM BERG WINERY
1266 County Rd. 208
Giddings, TX 78942
Phone 979-542-2726
Email~lehmbergwinery@bluebon.com
Website~
http://www.lehmbergwinery.com/

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LIGHTCATCHER WINERY
6925 Confederate Park Road
Fort Worth, TX 76108 Tarrant County
Phone 817-237-2626
Email~lightcatch@aol.com
Website~
http://www.lightcatcher.com/

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LLANO ESTACADO WINERY
1000 S. Main, Suite 252
Grapevine, TX 76051 Tarrant County
Phone 817-329-3890
Email~info@llanowine.com
Website~
http://www.llanowine.com/

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LONE OAK VINEYARDS CORP.
4781 East Lone Oak Rd.
Valley View, TX 76272 Cooke County
Phone 940-637-2612
Email~
loneoak@texoma.net

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LOS PINOS RANCH VINEYARDS
658 County Rd. 1334
Pittsburg, TX 75686
Phone 903-855-1769
Email~lospinos@earthlink.net
Website~
http://www.lospinosranchvineyards.com/

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MCREYNOLDS WINERY
706 Shovel Mountain Rd.
Cypress Mills, TX 78654 Travis County
Phone 860-825-3544
Email~info@mcreynoldswines.com
Website~
http://www.mcreynoldswines.com/

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MESSINA HOF WINE CELLARS
4545 Old Reliance Rd.
Bryan, TX 77808 Brazos County
Phone 817-329-3890
Email~wine@messinahof.com
Website~
http://www.messinahof.com/

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OBERHOF WINERY & WINE CELLAR
1406 South US Hwy 87
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 Gillespie County
Phone 830-897-0124

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PHEASANT RIDGE WINERY
Route 3, Box 191
Lubbock, TX 79401 Lubbock County
Phone 806-746-6033
Email~billgipson@aol.com
Website~www.pheasantridgewinery.com

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PILLAR BLUFF VINEYARDS
300 Burnet County Rd.
Lampasas, TX 76550 Lampasas County
Phone 512-556-4078
Email~vineyard@n-link.com
Website~
http://www.pillarbluff.com/

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PINEY WOODS COUNTRY WINES
3408 Willow Dr.
Orange, TX 77632 Orange County
Phone 409-883-5408

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PLEASANT HILL WINERY
1441 Salem Rd.
Brenham, TX 77833 Washington County
Phone 979-830-8463
Email~texaswine@aol.com
Website~
http://www.pleasanthillwinery.com/

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POTEET COUNTRY WINERY
400 Tank Hollow Rd.
Poteet, TX 78065 Atascosa County
Phone 830-276-8085
Email~poteetwine@peoplepc.com
Website~
http://www.poteetwine.com/

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RED RIVER WINERY
421 Gentry #204
Spring, TX 77373 Harris County
Phone 281-288-9463
Email~redriverwinery@msn.com
Website~
http://www.redriverwinery.com/

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SISTER CREEK VINEYARDS
1142 Sisterdale Rd.
Sisterdale, TX 78006 Kendall County
Phone 830-324-6704
Email~sistercreek@hctc.net
Website~
http://www.sistercreekvineyards.com/

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SPICEWOOD VINEYARDS
P.O. Box 248
Spicewood, TX 78669 Burnet County
Phone 830-693-5328
Email~emanigol@tstar.net
Website~
http://www.spicewoodvineyards.com/

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STE. GENEVIEVE WINERS
P.O. Box 697
Fort Stockton, TX 79735 Pecos County
Phone 915-395-2417

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SU VINO WINERY
120 South Main St. Suite 40
Grapevine, TX 76051 Tarrant County
Phone 817-416-9333
Email~tim@suvinowinery.com
Website~
http://www.suvinowinery.com/

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TEXAS HILLS VINEYARD INC.
P.O. Box 1480
Johnson City, TX 78636 Blanco County
Phone 830-868-2321
Email~wine@texashillsvineyard.com
Website~
http://www.texashillsvineyard.com/

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WICHITA FALLS WINERY
3399 Peterson Rd.
Iowa Park, TX 76367 Wichita County
Phone 940-782-1234

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VAL VERDE WINERY
100 Qualia Dr.
Del Rio, TX 78840 Val Verde County
Phone 830-775-9714

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WIMBERLEY VALLEY WINES, INC.
2825 Lone Man Mountain Rd.
Driftwood, TX 78619 Hays County
Phone 512-847-2592
Email~info@wimberleyvalleywinery.com
Website~
http://www.wimberleyvalleywinery.com/

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WOODROSE WINERY
662 Woodrose Ln.
Stonewall, TX 78674 Gillespie County
Phone 830-644-2111

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WALES MANOR VINEYARD & WINERY
4488 County Rd. 408
McKinney, TX 75071 Dallas County
Phone 972-569-9840
Email~
wales@airmail.net

Wine Tasting .......Texas Style!

Please visit Texas Wine Tours.......the PREMIERE way to visit Texas Wineries and enjoy Texas Wines in style and luxury! Visit Hill Country Wineries with 14 friends in a coach with the luxury of a limousine. http://www.texas-wine-tours.com/ 877-Tex-Wine

http://www.FreeDFWApartments.com & http://www.DFWHomeforSale.com

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Increasing Seller's Property Value

Understand first of all that there IS a difference between price and value. Price is the amount you are asking for the property. Value is buyer perceived, and this perception of value is influenced by many factors such as location, features, condition, comparison to other purchase option, etc. By attending to details that can have a positive impact on the value, sellers can significantly increase their chance of attracting qualified buyers willing to pay the asking price.

Some tips to achieve a positive impact on value are:

  • Perceived size impacts value, even more so than actual square footage. Open floor plans make a room feel bigger than larger spaces with smaller rooms. Showing property that is furniture free, or at reduced clutter, helps to make the space feel bigger.
  • Vacancy increases sale-ability. Property is easier to show and easier to sell, and quicker to take possession of when it is vacant at the time it is offered for sale. Evidence of problems to take possession of the property -- such as encroachments, or tenants who wont allow buyer tours -- negatively impact value. Vacancy also helps the buyer walk through the property imagining ownership. Sellers should remove personal trinkets and family pictures as well as being conveniently absent during a buyer tour.
  • Cosmetics are important.
    • Fresh paint will always add more value than it costs.
    • Clean or new carpet/flooring adds more value than it costs.
    • Landscaping adds more value than it costs. At the very minimum, make the entrance area neat.
    • If you can, add some colorful flowers and new sod.
  • Take care of the obvious! The spot on the ceiling from the roof leak takes thousands of dollars from the perceived value and the offer price.
  • Condition affects value. Do a seller's home inspection to identify and fix the problem BEFORE closing. No point holding up your check a few extra days; plus a failed buyer's inspection could cost you the sale. Buyers will often bargain down your asking price to accomodate for property condition and repairs.
  • If you can, remodel/update the kitchen and master bathroom. These two areas have a big impact on home buying decisions.
  • Strategic renovations impact value and your bottom line. Don't spend more money to renovate the place than you can recapture in value on the sales price.

Want more info ? visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Is Social Media going to replace Emails ?

Some people are predicting that Social Media will soon replace emails.....here is a list of Social Media Websites to check out.....

To learn more about some of the most popular networks that are part of the Internet's second generation, read the blurbs below and then visit these sites. You'll find some easier to use and understand than others, but as you browse, ask yourself: How could our agency benefit by using this network?

Facebook (
www.facebook.com): A free online social media network created by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 while he was at Harvard University. Named for the paper booklets that colleges distribute with names and photos of students, Facebook spread to other universities and now has 150 million subscribers worldwide.

LinkedIn (
www.linkedin.com): A network of 33 million professionals from around the world, representing 170 industries and 200 countries. Launched by five partners in 2003, the network exists to "find, be introduced to and collaborate with qualified professionals you need to work with to accomplish your goals."

Twitter (
www.twitter.com): A privately-funded social media service with offices in San Francisco. Started in March 2006, Twitter has grown into a real time short messaging service that works over multiple networks and devices. Members post news about themselves by answering, in 140 characters or less, the question: "What are you doing?" Other members respond by offering relevant information that may be useful. According to a source, Twitter had 744,000members as of January 2008.

Craigslist (
www.craigslist.com): A free, online classified advertising space that connects buyers and sellers, whether the item being "sold" is an antique dresser or a position at an insurance firm. The site is categorized by metropolitan area and further divided by suburbs. Ads are automatically deleted after seven days, at which time you may repost.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Even the Smartest Ones Lose Their Homes

Posted from Inman News
Monday, May 18, 2009, by Dakota


2009.05.foreclosurestop.jpgFirst, Edmund Andrews, an economics reporter for the New York Times (who makes $120,000 a year), falls in love, and then he buys a $460,000 house in Silver Spring, Maryland, and then he takes out two mortgages (a primary mortgage of $333,700 and a "piggyback" loan for $80,300). Here's how his broker convinces him not to worry about the loans: "'Don't worry," Bob reassured me, saying what almost everybody else in real estate was saying at that moment. "The value of your house will be higher in five years. You'll be able to refinance.'" And then the credit card debt starts piling up, and then his wife gets laid off, and then they default on their mortgage, but JPMorgan Chase is so busy dealing with the mess of the housing market that the bank is too busy to foreclose on his home. Wondering how he, an economics writer, failed to understand what he was doing (well, he knew he was gambling), Andrews ends his essay this way: "Eight months after my last payment to the bank, I am still waiting for the ax to fall." [NY Times magazine]

For info about housing visit: http://www.dfwhomeforsale.com

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Short Sale hurts your Credit

Short sale hurts your credit

Choosing a short sale over foreclosure is difficult. Both take a bite out of your credit rating. But one is easier to recover from.

NEW YORK (Money Magazine) -- Q. We have to relocate because of my husband's job. Our home value has fallen nearly $100,000. We would like to get rid of it, but we don't want to go into foreclosure. Someone mentioned a short sale. What impact would that have on our credit rating?

Gerri Willis, Money magazine contributing writer and host of CNN's "Your Bottom Line," says:

A.A short sale, in which you negotiate with the bank to sell your home for less than you owe on your mortgage, will have a dramatically negative affect on your credit.

A consumer who has been through a short sale could see a drop in her credit score of up to 200 points, essentially the same decrease as if the homeowner had gone into foreclosure, says John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for Credit.com.

And like a foreclosure, the negative mark will pull down the score for seven years.

That said, if you're underwater on your mortgage and you need to move, a short sale is a better option than foreclosure. Going through foreclosure will make it very difficult for you to get a loan for at least three to five years; if you've done a short sale, you may be able to qualify for a new mortgage within two years.

By Gerri Willis, Money magazine contributing writer

For more information on Short Sales, Foreclosures, Visit : http://www.robertjrussell.com , http://www.homesinflowermound.net, http://www.dfwhomeforsale.com, http://www.helpyoufindahouse.com, http://www.wediditagaingroup.com

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Thursday, May 07, 2009

Understanding your HomeOwners Insurance Contract

So you just sold a house and your client ask about who to get homeowners insurance with, what do you tell them ?

When your insurer gives you the policy document, generally, all you do is glance over the decorated words in the policy and pile it up with the other bunch of financial papers on your desk, right? If you spend thousands of dollars each year on insurance, don't you think that you should know all about it? Your insurance advisor is always there for you to help you understand the tricky terms in the insurance forms, but you should also know for yourself what your contract says. In this article, we'll make reading your insurance contract easy. Read on to take a look at the basic principles of insurance contracts and how they are put to use in daily life.

Essentials of a Valid Insurance Contract

  • Offer and Acceptance: When applying for insurance, the first thing you do is get the proposal form of a particular insurance company. After filling in the requested details, you send the form to the company (sometimes with a premium check). This is your offer. If the insurance company accepts your offer and agrees to insure you, this is called an acceptance. In some cases, your insurer may agree to accept your offer after making some changes to your proposed terms (for example, charging you a double premium for your chain-smoking habit).
  • Consideration: This is the premium or the future premiums that you have pay to your insurance company. For insurers, consideration also refers to the money paid out to you should you file an insurance claim. This means that each party to the contract must provide some value to the relationship.
  • Legal Capacity: You need to be legally competent to enter into an agreement with your insurer. If you are a minor or are mentally ill, for example, then you may not be qualified to make contracts. Similarly, insurers are considered to be competent if they are licensed under the prevailing regulations that govern them.
  • Legal Purpose: If the purpose of your contract is to encourage illegal activities, it is invalid.
Find the Value in Indemnity contracts

Most insurance contracts are indemnity contracts. Indemnity contracts apply to insurances where the loss suffered can be measured in terms of money.

Principle of Indemnity: This states that insurers pay no more than the actual loss suffered. The purpose of an insurance contract is to leave you in the same financial position you were in immediately prior to the incident leading to an insurance claim. When your old Chevy Cavalier is stolen, you can't expect your insurer to replace it with a brand new Mercedes-Benz. In other words, you will be remunerated according to the total sum you have assured for the car.

Additional Factors

There are some additional factors of your insurance contract that also need to be considered, including under-insurance and excess clauses that create situations in which the full value of an insured asset is not remunerated.

  • Under-Insurance: Often, in order to save on premiums, you may insure your house at $80,000 when the total value of the house actually comes to $100,000. At the time of partial loss, your insurer will pay only a proportion of $80,000 while you have to dig into your savings to cover the remaining portion of the loss. This is called under-insurance, and you should try to avoid it as much as possible.
  • Excess: To avoid trivial claims, the insurers have introduced provisions like excess. For example, you have auto insurance with the applicable excess of $5,000. Unfortunately, your car had an accident with the loss amounting to $7,000. Your insurer will pay you the $7,000 because the loss has exceeded the specified limit of $5,000. But, if the loss comes to $3,000 then the insurance company will not pay a single penny and you have to bear the loss expenses yourself. In short, the insurers will not entertain claims unless and until your losses exceed a minimum amount set by the insurer.

Not all insurance contracts are indemnity contracts. Life insurance contracts and most personal accident insurance contracts are non-indemnity contracts. You may purchase a life insurance policy of $1 million, but that does not imply that your life's value is equal to this dollar amount. Because you can't calculate your life's net worth and fix a price on it, an indemnity contract does not apply.

Insurable Interest

It is your legal right to insure any type of property or any event that may cause financial loss or create a legal liability to you. This is called insurable interest.

Suppose you are living in your uncle's house, and you apply for homeowners' insurance because you believe that you may inherit the house later. Insurers will decline your offer because you are not the owner of the house and, therefore, you do not stand to suffer financially in the event of a loss.

This example demonstrates that when it comes to insurance, it is not the house, car or machinery that is insured. Rather, it is the monetary interest in that house, car or machinery to which your policy applies.

It is also the principle of insurable interest that allows married couples to take out insurance policies on the lives of their spouses - they may suffer financially if the spouse dies. Insurable interest also exists in some business arrangements, as seen between a creditor and debtor, between business partners or between employers and employees.

Principle of Subrogation

Subrogation allows an insurer to sue a third party that has caused a loss to the insured and pursue all methods of getting back some of the money that it has paid to the insured as a result of the loss.

For example, if you are injured in a road accident that is caused by the reckless driving of another party, you will be compensated by your insurer. However, your insurance company may also sue the reckless driver in an attempt to recover that money.

Doctrine of Utmost Good Faith

All insurance contracts are based on the concept of "uberrima fidei", or the doctrine of utmost good faith. This doctrine emphasizes the presence of mutual faith between the insured and the insurer. In simple terms, while applying for life insurance, it becomes your duty to disclose your past illnesses to the insurer. Likewise, the insurer cannot hide information about the insurance coverage that is being sold.

Doctrine of Adhesion

The doctrine of adhesion states that you must accept the entire insurance contract and all of its terms and conditions without bargaining. Because the insured has no opportunity to change the terms, any ambiguities in the contract will be interpreted in favor of the insured.

Conclusion

When purchasing insurance, most of us rely on our insurance advisor for everything - from choosing a policy for us to filling in the insurance application forms. Most people try to stay away from the boring legal terms of insurance contracts, but it is always handy to be familiar with these words and phrases and to become familiar with the terms of the policy you are paying for.

For Quotes in Texas for Homeowners Insurance visit: http://www.insurancepricedright.com

For General Insurance Questions visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Sunday, May 03, 2009

Flower Mound firefighters help battle wildfires

The Flower Mound Fire Department is among several area departments who have headed west to help battle the wildfires in Montague, Wise and surrounding counties.

Four members of Flower Mound's department have spent the last two days in various towns of Montague County, northwest of Denton County, battling a grass fire that has claimed lives and destroyed thousands of acres, as of Friday afternoon.

Flower Mound Fire Chief Eric Metzger said 60 members of his department volunteered to go.

"Everyone was concerned and wanted to go," Metzger said. "It's just like anyone else in the fire service, they all wanted to help."

Flower Mound sent two apparatus operators, a captain and another firefighter to the area on a brush truck and a water tender.

Local firefighters, including those from the Lewisville, Carrollton and Lake Cities departments, met in Denton on Thursday afternoon before heading to the Texas Forest Service in Decatur.

From there, they headed to the city of Montague to battle blazes and went to other towns, such as Forestburg and Saint Jo.

"Right now, we're just mopping up the fires," said Flower Mound apparatus operator Wade Woody on Friday afternoon. "There aren't a whole lot of new fires, but there are some that are re-kindling and taking off again. We're going from small fire to small fire before they turn into big fires."

The fires started Thursday and have affected 12 counties: Archer, Clay, Eastland, Hamilton, Jack, Palo Pinto, Parker, Stephens, Wichita, Wise and Young.

"There have been high winds, lack of rain, high temperatures and low humidity," Metzger said. "It's all the right conditions for a perfect storm."


Thursday afternoon, wind blew smoke and the scent of burning from the fires into the D/FW area, including Flower Mound.

Metzger said the crew is expected to return Saturday morning, unless the fire continues.

"If it extends beyond (Saturday), we'll swap out," Metzger said. "Our guys got three hours of sleep in the truck, so they're going to be exhausted."


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Extended Warranties vs Home Appliances

I never buy extended warranties, but this sure sounds like sound logic.

This month I want to share with you a little trick that I learned to help choose the best appliances when building your own home.

When we built our house I did not know this little gem so we wound up with some new appliances that have not been that great. After a couple of years we started to have some issues with them breaking and the result was having to come up with the cash to repair them.

I figured out a great way to tell if an appliance was reliable or not.

Here it is in a nut shell:

  • First find the appliance that fits your need and budget.
  • Price the extended warranty on each appliance model that you are interested in.
  • The higher the cost of the extended appliance warranty the lower the reliability and the more costly it is to own over the long term.
  • The insurance companies that back these warranties do studies on the cost of repair and dependability of the models and companies that produce the appliances. They are in the business to make money. So it stands to reason the lower they set the warranty cost to you, the lower the frequency or repair they are going to have to cover under the warranty.

    Here are a couple of common sense points when using this rule of thumb.
  • Choose appliances in the same price range when making the comparison. If you choose one that is much more expensive it stands to reason that it will be more expensive to fix than a cheaper model with less bells and whistles on it.
  • Make sure you choose the same term or duration of the insurance policy for the appliances that you are comparing.

A couple of months ago we had to replace our microwave vent hood combo. My wife used this exercise to choose the new one. The two models that she compared were about the same cost but the warranty on the Kitchenaide was $99.00 for 5 years and on the GE model it was $399.

No doubt we bought the Kitchenaide and bought the warranty for good measure. Even if you do not buy the warranty this comparison method is better than any other method I know of.

Hope this helps when choosing your appliances.

To find out more about what we do visit http://www.robertjrussell.com

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