Maybe I should have titled this, Keeping Them Honest - 4th Edition. Today I received a letter in the mail from the mortgage company informing us that, according to their records, we have let our Windstorm Insurance expire. Furthermore, they will be purchasing a policy on our behalf that is "significantly more expensive than insurance you can buy yourself" - word for word in the letter. It should come as a surprise to no-one that our Windstorm Insurance did not expire; in fact, I went to the insurance agency in person to pay so that I would have all of my documentation just in case there were any issues. So, what does the mortgage company have do gain (other than up-charging us on an insurance policy)? They are still holding a chunk of our insurance money and one of their guidelines states that they will send us disbursements of insurance money as long as our account is in good standing. Pretty convenient for them that they "don't have" our Windstorm renewal - sounds a lot like them trying to create an issue.
In case you have read every blog post, our mortgage company is Mr. Cooper (formerly NationStar). I can't wait until the house is finished and we can get away from this mortgage company that owns both the loan for Rocky Creek and the loan for the house we live in. If you have them too, run to your nearest credit union and re-finance!
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Flip or Flop
While many families are working to get their house in a "livable" condition so they can work on repairing damage while living in the house, some houses are starting to enter the housing market as "investment opportunities". By investment opportunities the seller means that the house was flooded, gutted, and now on the market. Now that "flipping" is a thing, I think that many of these houses will be picked up by investors. Seems like a win-win; home owner is able to liquidate a house they can not repair and an investor has an opportunity to flip a house a good price.
My concern post-flood has always been houses that were not gutted / fully gutted because folks felt that some things were salvageable / would dry out / were not damaged.
When we gutted our house, just 6 days after the flood, mold had already begun to grow - under cabinets, on plywood behind walls. When we cut open the walls the insulation was as wet as the day the house flooded. Everything has to come out. Cabinets, showers (drywall and insulation behind them is wet), doors (warped from the water). Everything.
The picture below is of a house around the corner from ours currently listed for-sale. While the drywall has been cut out, cabinets still in, shower in place, appliances and doors, etc. It makes for a scary housing market. As a buyer folks may unknowingly purchase a house like this post-flip that has not be properly gutted. I worry about the effects of this now and down the road - if houses in the neighborhood develop toxic mold surely that could impact property values and buyer confidence.
My concern post-flood has always been houses that were not gutted / fully gutted because folks felt that some things were salvageable / would dry out / were not damaged.
When we gutted our house, just 6 days after the flood, mold had already begun to grow - under cabinets, on plywood behind walls. When we cut open the walls the insulation was as wet as the day the house flooded. Everything has to come out. Cabinets, showers (drywall and insulation behind them is wet), doors (warped from the water). Everything.
The picture below is of a house around the corner from ours currently listed for-sale. While the drywall has been cut out, cabinets still in, shower in place, appliances and doors, etc. It makes for a scary housing market. As a buyer folks may unknowingly purchase a house like this post-flip that has not be properly gutted. I worry about the effects of this now and down the road - if houses in the neighborhood develop toxic mold surely that could impact property values and buyer confidence.
Friday, November 17, 2017
Keeping Them Honest - Edition 3
This past Saturday we had the first inspection as required by the mortgage company. Leading up to the inspection I read up on what to expect:
- inspector will come with complete insurance adjuster's work sheet
- inspector will thoroughly examine the work done
- inspector will check off items completed from the insurance adjuster' work sheet and the completion rate will be determined by the items complete vs. items outstanding
- inspector was 30 minutes late arriving, Dave is convinced the inspector had forgotten about the appointment
- inspector arrives without any paperwork specific to our house
- inspector asks me, and I quote, "what all has to be done when a house floods" ~ that was a sincere question on his behalf
- inspector walks through the house snaps a handful of photos, asks me for my estimate (percentage) of how much of the work has been complete
- inspector fills out generic form, lets me take a picture of it and then leaves
Sunday, November 12, 2017
77 days post flood
The saying, "it is a marathon not a sprint" is a perfect for the work that is happening at the house. Although work is continuous, my heart sank a little bit this weekend because I realized that we are not as close to the home stretch as I had hoped / thought / wanted. Dave and I are both off the week of Thanksgiving, so I saw that as a time we would come in and "finish up". The reality is there are still big things to be done - for example: we don't have a working bathroom in the house yet. And then there is the yard. Insert cry face emoji here.
On a joyful note, really great things happened around us when we were there this weekend. Next door neighbor was helping across the street neighbor change out a water pump on a truck, other next door neighbor was mowing his yard, and kids could be heard playing outside. It was the first time things seemed "normal" since the flood.
On a joyful note, really great things happened around us when we were there this weekend. Next door neighbor was helping across the street neighbor change out a water pump on a truck, other next door neighbor was mowing his yard, and kids could be heard playing outside. It was the first time things seemed "normal" since the flood.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
The Mortgage Company Is Not a Friend
When I first decided to blog about the repair of our house, I thought it would be about design, colors, materials, etc. But, the blog has become more about the challenges that are out there as we are trying to put our house back together. Harvey is not always in the news, and it would be easy to feel like the city is back on its feet. However, there are obstacles at every turn.
I am constantly reminding myself that others have it much worse than we do - without insurance, living in house that needs repair, staying with family / friends / in a hotel. With all of that said, last week was rough.
The mortgage company is holding our insurance money hostage - for example: two of the documents that we sent in on October 24th (day they arrived in the mortgage company's hands), well they now need to be notarized. Did it say that in our information packet? No. Is there a designated spot for the notary? No. It is just another "reason" why they are holding our money and have yet to issue our first check. And it is not just these forms, they reject about 50% of what I turn in (paperwork and receipts).
You might be thinking, "Your mortgage company is terrible and you should get a new one." That question led me to do some research. When we financed this house it was not with NationStar, now known as Mr. Cooper. Mr. Cooper is a company that purchased the loan after closing. This is common practice in the lending world of big banks, and if you purchased your home via a big lender this has likely happened to you. As a borrower you have no say in who (company) can purchase or service your loan. What!? While consumers are protected by the original terms of the loan, the company that purchases / services your loan may be terrible in the customer service area (think the house bubble that burst in 2008 and all of the foreclosure mis-happs that followed) and the borrower has little recourse. So I did a little more research - you know who doesn't usually sell the servicing of mortgages? Credit Unions. If you have been looking for a call to action, this is something you may want to consider. After the dust settles, we will be refinancing with our Credit Union!
I am constantly reminding myself that others have it much worse than we do - without insurance, living in house that needs repair, staying with family / friends / in a hotel. With all of that said, last week was rough.
The mortgage company is holding our insurance money hostage - for example: two of the documents that we sent in on October 24th (day they arrived in the mortgage company's hands), well they now need to be notarized. Did it say that in our information packet? No. Is there a designated spot for the notary? No. It is just another "reason" why they are holding our money and have yet to issue our first check. And it is not just these forms, they reject about 50% of what I turn in (paperwork and receipts).
You might be thinking, "Your mortgage company is terrible and you should get a new one." That question led me to do some research. When we financed this house it was not with NationStar, now known as Mr. Cooper. Mr. Cooper is a company that purchased the loan after closing. This is common practice in the lending world of big banks, and if you purchased your home via a big lender this has likely happened to you. As a borrower you have no say in who (company) can purchase or service your loan. What!? While consumers are protected by the original terms of the loan, the company that purchases / services your loan may be terrible in the customer service area (think the house bubble that burst in 2008 and all of the foreclosure mis-happs that followed) and the borrower has little recourse. So I did a little more research - you know who doesn't usually sell the servicing of mortgages? Credit Unions. If you have been looking for a call to action, this is something you may want to consider. After the dust settles, we will be refinancing with our Credit Union!
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Keeping them honest - edition 2
It has been 14 days since we received our insurance money (in full). The mortgage company requires that mortgagees sign over insurance checks to them in their entirety so they can govern the repairs - why is the mortgage company doing this? They say it is per recommendation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (because I am sure that Elizabeth Warren thinks a big bank handling your insurance money is a good idea - insert eye roll here).
It has been 64 days since our house flooded, and the mortgage is holding our money hostage for the foreseeable future. How long is that foreseeable future? Here is a best-case scenario:
October 18th- Sent the check to the mortgage company via FedEx
October 19th - Request put in for an inspection (see previous blog post)
October 24th - Mortgage company sent the check to their bank
October 27th - Second request for inspection put in; no record of the first request even though I was able to provide the name of the agent that I talked to. Someone will call me back regarding that (I'll hold my breath).
By Tuesday October 30th - inspector will contact us to schedule first inspection
By Wednesday November 1st - funds will be available and a request can be put it to send us our first payment (1/3 amount of the check)
By Monday November 6th - request will be approved and a check cut
By Thursday November 9th check will be mailed (currently we have spent about 2/3 of the check via our own cash and credit)
By Tuesday November 14th - receive our first check
Tuesday November 14th is 80 days past the flood and 28 days past the receipt of the check from the insurance company. And, that is the process for the first of three checks. #neverthelessshepersisted
It has been 64 days since our house flooded, and the mortgage is holding our money hostage for the foreseeable future. How long is that foreseeable future? Here is a best-case scenario:
October 18th- Sent the check to the mortgage company via FedEx
October 19th - Request put in for an inspection (see previous blog post)
October 24th - Mortgage company sent the check to their bank
October 27th - Second request for inspection put in; no record of the first request even though I was able to provide the name of the agent that I talked to. Someone will call me back regarding that (I'll hold my breath).
By Tuesday October 30th - inspector will contact us to schedule first inspection
By Wednesday November 1st - funds will be available and a request can be put it to send us our first payment (1/3 amount of the check)
By Monday November 6th - request will be approved and a check cut
By Thursday November 9th check will be mailed (currently we have spent about 2/3 of the check via our own cash and credit)
By Tuesday November 14th - receive our first check
Tuesday November 14th is 80 days past the flood and 28 days past the receipt of the check from the insurance company. And, that is the process for the first of three checks. #neverthelessshepersisted
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Not so fast.....
It is easy to hit a brick wall mentally when dealing with large corporations that see you as an account / claim number rather than a person. 50 days after the flood we received payment from the insurance company. Before you cheer, the check is made out to us and the mortgage company. If you have never dealt with a mortgage company in this capacity (loss coverage), I sincerely hope that you never have to. So what happens now? The mortgage company requires us to endorse the check for the entire claim amount and give it to them. They hold the funds and provide us payments in thirds: 1/3 paid in 7-10 business days, 1/3 paid at 50% completion after inspection that they arrange and we pay for, and the final 1/3 at 100% of work completion after the last inspection that we again pay for. They dictate all of the terms and reserve the right to with-hold payment to us based on receipts and/or inspections. If you have been following the blog, you know that we are pretty far down the path of repairs having spent spent money and credit to bank roll the process this far. The first allotment of money the mortgage company provides may not even cover the amount we have spent thus far! While I can appreciate the mortgage company's desire to make sure the house is repaired, it seems very unfair that they hold all of the money for a policy that we paid for, though were not required to have. Here is to keeping the mortgage company honest - the loan is held by Mr. Cooper, formerly NationStar Mortgage. Expect me to report the ups and downs in the process. Fingers cross for more ups.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Every call gets a different answer....
Insurance companies are in the business of paying out claims when disasters strike, so I'm semi-surprised at the lack of continuity in service. One lesson I have learned in all of this - keep calling back until you get some sort of answer. The Final Report is the last requirement for a claim to be paid and was turned into the Insurance Company on the 20th of September. Yesterday I called to check on the status of our claim payment. Below are the broad strokes of my conversations; these phone calls took a collective of 56 minutes.
Claims Company: Everything has been submitted from our end. Follow up with the insurance company.
Insurance Company: We are missing the Proof of Loss report. Follow up with the adjuster / claims company.
Claims Company: Proof of Loss report was submitted on the 19th of September. Follow up with the Insurance Company.
Insurance Company: Let me transfer you to tier 4 support, "disconnected".
Insurance Company: Let me transfer you to a claims processor. I was able to speak with our claims processor who had not seen our file before my phone call, nor did he have it on his list. After a brief discussion he promised to call me back before 8pm CST with an update. Never received a call back.
Claims Company: Everything has been submitted from our end. Follow up with the insurance company.
Insurance Company: We are missing the Proof of Loss report. Follow up with the adjuster / claims company.
Claims Company: Proof of Loss report was submitted on the 19th of September. Follow up with the Insurance Company.
Insurance Company: Let me transfer you to tier 4 support, "disconnected".
Insurance Company: Let me transfer you to a claims processor. I was able to speak with our claims processor who had not seen our file before my phone call, nor did he have it on his list. After a brief discussion he promised to call me back before 8pm CST with an update. Never received a call back.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
A house becomes a home.
In honor of Paige's 14th birthday, today October 1st. Rocky Creek was just a house before she was born. She fills our life with love and laughter - that makes a home.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Design on a Dime
The excitement of updating our first house is almost enough to make me want to move back in. When thinking about the finishes I want to make sure the house looks like 2017, with-out being too trendy. My biggest conflict to date: kitchen cabinets. In the estimate from the insurance company they are going to give us what you would expect for 15 year old cabinets and used laminate counter-tops (read: not a lot). While this is our first home, it is not our dream home / forever home / home we live in. So, we need to be budget conscience. That is hard to do when you are in-store mesmerized by the fancy drawers, cabinets that lift open, lazy-susans, built-in organizers for, well, everything. Ideally, we will purchase unfinished identical versions of the cabinets we ripped
out (available at Home Depot) and re-use the upper cabinets. To bring the cabinets into 2017 we are
going with a gray finish, Silestone counter-tops (in white arabesque),
and brown wood-look tile on the floor (this will continue through out
the house). You may be thinking, well it looks like you have this all figured out.... Actually I am having a super hard time finding someone that can reface cabinets. How hard of a time? I am pretty resourceful and my current mood is: For the love - someone please refinish our cabinets! Headed to Houston tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Buyer Beware
I've had this video for almost two weeks, and I would have forgotten about it if not for a Facebook post from a friend. One of the things that we noticed right after the flood happened, when all of the interior contents of homes first made their way out to front lawns, were scavengers. Folks driving around in pick-up trucks, some towing flatbeds behind them, looking for furniture of all types. Things that looked good were quickly picked up. So here was the scene: home-owners placing furniture / clothing / appliances on their front lawn (everything they own) because it came into contact with flood water. Dirty flood water. Flood water that had gasoline, oil, raw sewage, etc. in it. To add insult to injury, the home-owners that lost everything were forced to watch or confront folks that were digging through and taking their personal belongings.
After seeing this happen over the course of several days, Dave and I half-heatedly discussed the advice of not buying furniture anywhere in Texas that wasn't a reputable store for fear these items that were physically in the flood water were going to be resold via garage sales, online platforms, re-sale shops, etc.
Que the video: this was captured at our house in San Antonio about two weeks after the flood. The driver says he is from "North Carolina" with "new furniture" in the truck at wholesale prices. #buyerbeware
After seeing this happen over the course of several days, Dave and I half-heatedly discussed the advice of not buying furniture anywhere in Texas that wasn't a reputable store for fear these items that were physically in the flood water were going to be resold via garage sales, online platforms, re-sale shops, etc.
Que the video: this was captured at our house in San Antonio about two weeks after the flood. The driver says he is from "North Carolina" with "new furniture" in the truck at wholesale prices. #buyerbeware
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Day 24
It has been 24 days since the house flooded and it is easy to feel removed from what is happening in the neighborhoods that suffered damage from Harvey. If you are in an area that wasn't flooded or in another city (like us), things are uninterrupted. But for those that were flooded, Harvey damage is in full effect. In our neighborhood the city / county has begun removing the debris piled in front yards - we still have a huge pile, but I am hopeful that it may be gone by the end of the week. While it seems like a small victory, I hope that the folks that live in the neighborhood feel hopeful when driving through sans looking at mini-mountains of trash. Plus, those piles smell terrible!
Last night I was thinking about all of the families around our house that are displaced. Where are they staying? With family? friends? shelters? hotels? 24 days since they have been able to stay at home; how many of them have no idea when they will be able to return? To say this has been eating away at me is an understatement. What if my family were displaced? Dave, Paige, Peyton, Presley, Molly (dog), and me - staying with family, friends, in a shelter, a hotel, an apartment...... My kids (like most kids) need routines and structures and normalcy. How would the girls cope? act out? feel? To help myself try and process some of this I started reading 7: An Expiremental Mutiny Against Excess, by Jen Hatmaker. Let me preface by saying I love Jen Hatmaker; pretty sure we are best friends that have never met. If you are unfamiliar with her writing she is conversational, funny, real. 7 is her journey over seven months, each month she rails against an excess in her life: clothes, food, possessions - I am currently on chapter / month 4: Social Media. I am still struggling, but I am also processing. What is my call to action?
Last night I was thinking about all of the families around our house that are displaced. Where are they staying? With family? friends? shelters? hotels? 24 days since they have been able to stay at home; how many of them have no idea when they will be able to return? To say this has been eating away at me is an understatement. What if my family were displaced? Dave, Paige, Peyton, Presley, Molly (dog), and me - staying with family, friends, in a shelter, a hotel, an apartment...... My kids (like most kids) need routines and structures and normalcy. How would the girls cope? act out? feel? To help myself try and process some of this I started reading 7: An Expiremental Mutiny Against Excess, by Jen Hatmaker. Let me preface by saying I love Jen Hatmaker; pretty sure we are best friends that have never met. If you are unfamiliar with her writing she is conversational, funny, real. 7 is her journey over seven months, each month she rails against an excess in her life: clothes, food, possessions - I am currently on chapter / month 4: Social Media. I am still struggling, but I am also processing. What is my call to action?
Friday, September 15, 2017
#firstworldproblems
It seems ungrateful to complain or talk about issues with the insurance company when there are so many folks that have no insurance - I can't even imagine the processes and waiting times and uncertainties and frustrations and despair.
However, we are nearing the two week mark since our adjuster came to the house and we haven't seen any paperwork - no estimates, no working proposals, no advancement of funds to get started. I am sure that the work load for the adjusters is large, and growing larger with the flooding and wildfire damage happening in Florida and the Northwest. But, this is the nature of their work. It seems easy to give the insurance company a pass, but I don't think we should.
What is the remedy? I am not sure. Patience.? Persistence.?
Here is a summary of the phone conversations I have had today:
Call #1 - claims company: no record of cash advancement request. let me transfer you. "disconnected"
Call #2 - claims company: wait to do any repairs, claims report is there but the evaluation of the report not complete.
Call #3: - insurance company: cash advancement form has been received, but not authorized (in the que). you can request a preliminary report by email request, or more quickly by contacting the claims company. once you receive the money advance start repairs.
Call #4 - claims company: there are currently 43,000 claims. preliminary reports are not made available for view. final reports can take 45 days, sometimes longer when there are a high number of claims.
We're in a catch 22. We have someone ready and willing to do the work, but we don't have the insurance estimate (even preliminary) outlining what they are going to cover. Do we move forward? To the folks working the customer service lines: While you take calls and see tragedies all day long - here is hoping that compassion is not lost and that claims aren't just numbers, but rather people.
However, we are nearing the two week mark since our adjuster came to the house and we haven't seen any paperwork - no estimates, no working proposals, no advancement of funds to get started. I am sure that the work load for the adjusters is large, and growing larger with the flooding and wildfire damage happening in Florida and the Northwest. But, this is the nature of their work. It seems easy to give the insurance company a pass, but I don't think we should.
What is the remedy? I am not sure. Patience.? Persistence.?
Here is a summary of the phone conversations I have had today:
Call #1 - claims company: no record of cash advancement request. let me transfer you. "disconnected"
Call #2 - claims company: wait to do any repairs, claims report is there but the evaluation of the report not complete.
Call #3: - insurance company: cash advancement form has been received, but not authorized (in the que). you can request a preliminary report by email request, or more quickly by contacting the claims company. once you receive the money advance start repairs.
Call #4 - claims company: there are currently 43,000 claims. preliminary reports are not made available for view. final reports can take 45 days, sometimes longer when there are a high number of claims.
We're in a catch 22. We have someone ready and willing to do the work, but we don't have the insurance estimate (even preliminary) outlining what they are going to cover. Do we move forward? To the folks working the customer service lines: While you take calls and see tragedies all day long - here is hoping that compassion is not lost and that claims aren't just numbers, but rather people.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Houston, there is a problem.....
Deregulation of utilities...... I didn't realize how much I disliked this until I moved to San Antonio where electricity is public utility company that belongs to the city.
I called to get the power connected at Rocky Creek and here is what I found: when I called NRG and Green Mountain I am 99% certain the calls went to the same call center - same voice greeting, same menu options, same notifications, etc. What!? Add in the amount of time I spent calling around to get the "best rate", and I found myself wondering why?! Electricity is a part of every household across the city, state, country. Why would this first-world necessity be a price driven commodity? Signing annual contracts, shopping around, wondering if you have the best rate - for a service that is required? Then there is the issue of ownership. For our house Texas New Mexico own the meter and lines, NRG own the power, and another company is a re-seller??? I am not even sure I have that straight.
In San Antonio, the utility company is owned by the public. This allows the company to invest in energy saving initiatives, community rebate programs for energy efficiency, and if I have any questions about my electricity I can get all of my answers in one spot. What is the cost? Less than I am paying in Houston.
Houston:
NRG - .14 cents per kilowatt hour
Green Mountain - .09 cents account
San Antonio:
CPS Energy - .06 cents per kilowatt hour
I called to get the power connected at Rocky Creek and here is what I found: when I called NRG and Green Mountain I am 99% certain the calls went to the same call center - same voice greeting, same menu options, same notifications, etc. What!? Add in the amount of time I spent calling around to get the "best rate", and I found myself wondering why?! Electricity is a part of every household across the city, state, country. Why would this first-world necessity be a price driven commodity? Signing annual contracts, shopping around, wondering if you have the best rate - for a service that is required? Then there is the issue of ownership. For our house Texas New Mexico own the meter and lines, NRG own the power, and another company is a re-seller??? I am not even sure I have that straight.
In San Antonio, the utility company is owned by the public. This allows the company to invest in energy saving initiatives, community rebate programs for energy efficiency, and if I have any questions about my electricity I can get all of my answers in one spot. What is the cost? Less than I am paying in Houston.
Houston:
NRG - .14 cents per kilowatt hour
Green Mountain - .09 cents account
San Antonio:
CPS Energy - .06 cents per kilowatt hour
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
To sell or not to sell, that is the question.
Logically it makes the most sense for us to rehab the house, and then sell it. However, that is a cut and dry answer to a complicated question. What will happen to the housing market? Even if we update the house to look like something off of HGTV, will people have reservations about buying a house that was flooded? Will it be a landlord's market? Will I be completely broken hearted to let this house go?
I am not sure that we will know the answer to this question until the house is finished. My hope is that the market for selling will be very high or very low - essentially making the decision for us.
This week work on repairs will begin!!! What will that really look like? Well, it will definitely be a marathon and not a sprint (that may be my new favorite catch-phrase). First, prepping the house for repairs. The demo work that we did focused on opening up the walls and removing insulation for drying purposes. The prepping that will happen includes:
- creating clean drywall lines to make it easier to replace, patch, float, and tape
- removing the tile still on the floor so that we can install a consistent flooring throughout the house
- identifying the drywall and insulation that will be used
- replacing any plywood that may have been too saturated with water.
I am not sure that we will know the answer to this question until the house is finished. My hope is that the market for selling will be very high or very low - essentially making the decision for us.
This week work on repairs will begin!!! What will that really look like? Well, it will definitely be a marathon and not a sprint (that may be my new favorite catch-phrase). First, prepping the house for repairs. The demo work that we did focused on opening up the walls and removing insulation for drying purposes. The prepping that will happen includes:
- creating clean drywall lines to make it easier to replace, patch, float, and tape
- removing the tile still on the floor so that we can install a consistent flooring throughout the house
- identifying the drywall and insulation that will be used
- replacing any plywood that may have been too saturated with water.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
It's really not a competition
I think it is therapeutic to chronicle the re-build of our first house- the house is part of our family. I think that many of us that no longer live in the Houston area have felt the heaviest of hearts as we watch (via social media) those who still live in our hometown salvaging their homes and belongings. Which brings me to the picture - this is Philipsburg, Montana and Dave's home town. Currently there are 25+ fires burning in Montana, and this is the Meyers fire burning 25 miles away from one of the best small towns still around. Whether it is a flood in Texas or a fire in Montana - the Winninghoffs really aren't interested in a competition of the worst natural disaster.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Treat others how you want to be treated.
Monday was the first day I ugly cried about the house. I did not cry for our loss, but because I felt guilty. Guilty that we have insurance that is going to cover the repairs that need to be made in a rental home that we don't live in, and meanwhile everyone around us is wondering where they will be sleeping next week.
Many people are making FEMA claims and waiting. FEMA is expecting ~450,000 claims from Harvey alone. If you divide the 13 billion dollar FEMA budget by 450,000 claims it works out to about $28,000 per claim. But Harvey is not the only disaster happening right now, or this year- see the lesser covered natural disaster occuring right now in Montana (wild fire). I can't imagine having to rip out everything (drywall, flooring, appliances - at a minimum) and repairing it (materials and labor), replace furniture, clothes, emergancy shelter, etc for $28,000. What do I think is going to happen? Loans. I think people are going to "offered" loans to cover costs. Imagine: you are working hard to support your family and then you are told that only option to save your home - likely your single biggest assesst, is to take a loan that you may not be able to afford. I hope I am wrong. We are better than this. Did I mention someone already called us about a loan?????
The amount of goodness that I saw while in Houston restores my hope in humanity and our country. It was people caring about and for other people. Period.
Many people are making FEMA claims and waiting. FEMA is expecting ~450,000 claims from Harvey alone. If you divide the 13 billion dollar FEMA budget by 450,000 claims it works out to about $28,000 per claim. But Harvey is not the only disaster happening right now, or this year- see the lesser covered natural disaster occuring right now in Montana (wild fire). I can't imagine having to rip out everything (drywall, flooring, appliances - at a minimum) and repairing it (materials and labor), replace furniture, clothes, emergancy shelter, etc for $28,000. What do I think is going to happen? Loans. I think people are going to "offered" loans to cover costs. Imagine: you are working hard to support your family and then you are told that only option to save your home - likely your single biggest assesst, is to take a loan that you may not be able to afford. I hope I am wrong. We are better than this. Did I mention someone already called us about a loan?????
The amount of goodness that I saw while in Houston restores my hope in humanity and our country. It was people caring about and for other people. Period.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
No where to start but from the beginning.
It is Sunday night at 11 pm. We have two days of demo under our belt, but there are still many things to do tomorrow- along with a drive back to San Anotonio. Being here at one of the many ground zeros that hurricane Harvey created - it is a separate world and disconnected from current events, what day of the week it is, politics. People here are still waiting to go back to work, kids still have not gone back to / started the school year. While many are aching for the normalcy that those things bring, real normalcy seems a long way off. When Dave and I drove into the Houston area via the interstate, the city looked deceivingly good. It wasn't until we got off the interstate that we saw street after street of houses with a majority of their interior contents on their front-yards. When we finally made it to our house it was difficult to find a parking spot - it seemed every house had family, friends, and sometimes strangers there helping. But, the amount of work to be done is personally the most I have every seen in real life. Whether a house had 6 inches of water or 16 inches water, the enemy is mold. Drywall? Out. Flooring? Out. Cabinets? Out. Bathroom vanities? Out. Interior doors? Out. Built in shelves? Out. Whether these items were in water that was 6 inches deep or 16 inches deep, it comes out. But the real heartbreaker: I have yet to meet anyone else in my neighborhood that has flood insurance. And that lack of insurance is not local to the Bay Colony Pointe subdivision - it is estimated that 85% of folks do not have coverage. 85%! I visited with many neighbors the last two days, each with a different story that has the same outcome.
The house on our left is a family that has lived in the home for 10 years. This summer they repainted the interior of their home and upgraded the floor. Now a majority of that work and dollars spent is sitting outside in the yard.
The house on the right is a young couple; this is their first house and they closed on it in May . They didn't have shovels to scoop up drywall because they are so new to home ownership, they did not have a bank of tools built up in the garage.
What they, the folks across the street, further down the road, around the corner have in common is a lack flood insurance. No idea what their next steps are, how long FEMA will take, or what relief will come. Wondering what you can do to help? These folks need dollars! Dollars to rebuild. While we were working on our house, people came through our neighborhood passing out free hot meals, trashbags, wipes, pillows- just to name a few. In a few weeks Harvey may be out of the spotlight, but these folks will still be waiting on FEMA.
The house on the right is a young couple; this is their first house and they closed on it in May . They didn't have shovels to scoop up drywall because they are so new to home ownership, they did not have a bank of tools built up in the garage.
What they, the folks across the street, further down the road, around the corner have in common is a lack flood insurance. No idea what their next steps are, how long FEMA will take, or what relief will come. Wondering what you can do to help? These folks need dollars! Dollars to rebuild. While we were working on our house, people came through our neighborhood passing out free hot meals, trashbags, wipes, pillows- just to name a few. In a few weeks Harvey may be out of the spotlight, but these folks will still be waiting on FEMA.
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