Alkali State Insurance Agency

05/22/2026

04/23/2026

One of the biggest mistakes homebuyers make is waiting until the last minute to talk to an insurance agent.

By the time your lender asks for “homeowners insurance,” it may already be too late to fix expensive problems.

Before buying a home, you should be asking:

• How old is the roof?
• Any prior water leaks or sewer backup issues?
• Any foundation problems or settling?
• Old HVAC, plumbing, or electrical systems?
• Any service line issues from the house to the street?
• Any prior insurance claims on the property?

These aren’t small details—they can affect:

✔ whether the home is even insurable
✔ your homeowners insurance premium
✔ whether certain coverages are excluded
✔ your out-of-pocket risk after closing

A newer roof can mean lower premiums.
Old plumbing can mean expensive water damage claims.
Service line problems can mean thousands in unexpected repairs.

People talk to lenders before they buy.
They talk to realtors before they buy.

They should be talking to their insurance agent too.

The cheapest mistake is the one you avoid before closing.

04/22/2026

One of the biggest mistakes homebuyers make is draining their entire savings just to get into the house.

They focus on the down payment, closing costs, and getting approved for the loan—but forget about what happens after closing.

Then reality hits:

• the roof starts leaking
• the HVAC system fails
• the water heater goes out
• sewer backs up
• a buried service line breaks

Now they own the house… but they can’t afford the problems that come with it.

A home should build financial security—not create financial stress.

Sometimes the smarter move is:

✔ keeping a strong emergency fund
✔ negotiating for a newer roof
✔ asking for seller credits
✔ reviewing the real insurance risks before closing

A newer roof can often lower homeowners insurance premiums and reduce claim risk.

PMI is predictable.
A $20,000 roof replacement is not.

People talk to lenders before they buy.
They talk to realtors before they buy.

They should be talking to their insurance agent too.

Before you buy the home, make sure you can afford to own it.

Message me before closing and let’s review the insurance and risk side first.