Category Archives: Featured

Does Your Insurance Policy Cover Sports?

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Child playing hockey

Child playing hockey

If you’re the proud parent of a child who plays sports, you probably already know the routine when the season starts: Buy new equipment, take your child to get a physical, submit the required

health insurance forms.

However, there may be some things you aren’t aware of, particularly in regards to your current policy. On the Equifax Finance Blog, Linda Rey shares some information regarding children’s health insurance. Her article, “

Sport Health Insurance for Kids: What Parents Need to Know,” provides helpful advice for parents to keep their children safe.

Rey advises parents to review their regular health insurance plan and make sure that sports insurance coverage is provided. Even though you probably won’t need a special insurance policy for most sports, parents should double-check their policies just in case. Also, most schools and leagues require a mandatory sports physical. If your child is participating in an activity that doesn’t require one, Rey still insists on the importance of physicals. Most exams should be covered by your health insurance, but reviewing your current policy is advised.

If your child plays for a team with out-of-state or international games, insurance protection may change. Be sure to ask an agent about out-of-area coverage or restrictions. Parents with children traveling internationally may also want to consider some form of travel insurance.

For more information on sports health insurance for children, read Rey’s full article on the

Equifax Finance Blog.

The Hidden Costs of Speeding

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car insurance

Even though we know it can be dangerous, most of us are guilty of speeding on certain occasions – being late for work, rushing home to watch a sporting event, etc. Aside from the obvious risks and dangers associated with going over the speed limit, there are plenty of other hidden hazards as well.

According to Equifax blogger Linda Rey, getting caught speeding will cost more than just the amount on the ticket. In “

Traffic Violations and Your Auto Insurance Policy,” she explains why you should think twice before putting your foot to the floorboard.

You may think that your speeding ticket is just an exchange between you, the police officer and the county courthouse. However, your

car insurance company is keeping tabs on you too. After all, they want to assess how much of a risk you pose and adjust your rate accordingly. Rey suggests slowing down and being more alert on the road. Not only will this keep you safe, but it will also keep your driving record pristine. And a clean driving record leads to a lower insurance rate.

Rey states, “I cannot express enough the benefits of slowing down, putting the phone down, and paying attention while you drive. Doing so won’t just provide you with a lower auto insurance premium—it may save your life.” To read her full article on the Equifax Finance Blog, visit the site at

http://blog.equifax.com and sign up to follow it on Facebook, Twitter or by RSS feed.

13 Lakeside Home Sites at The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala

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Sunset Over Lake NantahalaIf you are looking for a new lakeside home or maybe a new summer haven in North Carolina, there is some great news. Thirteen exclusive home sites have just been released to buyers thanks to The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala.

These home sites feature lake and long-range mountain views as well as bank-approved, discounted pricing.

Developer Jon Flaig commented, “We’d like to invite you to join us for a day at the lake. We are so confident that you will find great value and lifestyle at The Village, we bet you will want to build your dream vacation home and stay for a lifetime.”

When buyers schedule a visit* to The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala this summer, they will be treated to a full lifestyle experience including:

  • Lunch at the Lakes End Diner (home of the famous BIGfoot burger);
  • A $25 gas card;
  • A pontoon boat tour of the clear, blue lake;
  • A tour of available lots with unbeatable Lake Nantahala views; and
  • A chance to win a weekend at the lake this fall, in a cabin that sleeps up to 14.

The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala features 13 home sites priced from $94,900 to $129,900. There is no build-out requirement, so buyers can take their time planning their dream vacation home or new home. For buyers wishing to enjoy the lake sooner, the perfect mountain cabin program is available and includes a 1,400 square foot cabin with a view-facing covered porch.

The Village at Reflection Lake Nantahala invites buyers to escape to the pristine waters and secluded forests of the western North Carolina mountains. Reflection offers customizable cabins in a private gated community with upscale amenities and gorgeous views of Lake Nantahala. Reflection is a tranquil retreat that’s still easily accessible from Atlanta, Chattanooga, Charlotte and many other metropolitan areas. For more information or to schedule a day-at-the-lake tour, call 866-218-8439 or visit www.lakenantahalareflection.com/thevillage. Also, make sure to “like” our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ReflectionLakeNantahala.

Read These Tips Before Buying Carolina Foreclosures

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tips for buying foreclosures

tips for buying foreclosures

Regardless of how experienced you are when it comes to buying Carolina real estate, buying your first foreclosure or REO property is a much different process. In a recent post on the

Equifax Personal Finance Blog, real estate expert Ilyce Glink examines some of the main differences between buying new homes and foreclosures.

One difference is that you cannot put a financing contingency on a foreclosure. Also, buying a home from a homeowner may allow you to negotiate pricing, especially if the home is in need of repairs. However, when dealing with bank-owned properties, getting the bank to make repairs is highly unlikely.

In “

Buying an REO or Foreclosure: What You Can Expect and What Can Kill the Deal,” Glink says that one of the big differences between buying from a homeowner and purchasing a foreclosure is the attitude of the seller. Negotiating with a current homeowner is usually a more emotionally-involved process. He or she will want to get a certain amount of money to support the family and to pay for a new home. The house may also hold sentimental value. Offering too little could make the seller upset, making it harder to negotiate.

On the other hand, dealing with the bank is much more of a pure business transaction. Glink says even though you’re technically helping them out, don’t expect them to help you out. The bank simply wants to minimize losses and sell the property.

To learn about more differences visit the 

Equifax Personal Finance Blog and read the full article.

NCSU Designated a Center of Excellence for Watershed Management

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NCSU Watershed Management

NCSU Watershed Management

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated North Carolina State University (NCSU) as a Center of Excellence for Watershed Management.  NCSU is the managing entity of the Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) for the entire University of North Carolina system. This is the first Center of Excellence to be designated in North Carolina and the sixth in the Southeast. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Regional Administrator Stanley Meiburg, NCSU Associate Vice Chancellor Matt Ronning, WRRI director Michael Voiland, and North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) Secretary Dee Freeman signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help communities identify watershed based problems and develop and implement locally sustainable solutions.

“Everyone lives in a watershed”, said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg.  “We believe a watershed approach is the most effective framework to address today’s water resource challenges. This designation will allow NCSU to continue developing the strong partnerships with other institutions, organization and agencies required to protect and restore watersheds.”

To become a recognized Center of Excellence, the institution must demonstrate technical expertise in identifying and addressing watershed needs; involve students, staff and faculty in watershed research; demonstrate the capability to involve the full suite of disciplines needed for all aspects of watershed management; financial ability to become self-sustaining; ability to deliver and account for results; willingness to partner with other institutions; and support from the highest levels of the organization.

Some of the benefits of being recognized as a Center of Excellence include receipt of EPA technical assistance where needed (instructors, speakers, etc); promotion of the Center of Excellence to stakeholders; EPA letters of support for grant opportunities; and identification of opportunities for Center of Excellence involvement in local and regional watershed issues.

For decades, EPA and NCDENR have protected North Carolina’s lakes, rivers and wetlands by regulating specific points of pollution; the most common of these being sewage treatment plants and factories. Although this approach led to the successful cleanup of many waterways, others still remain polluted from sources not as easily regulated. These more subtle sources include farms, streets, parking lots, lawns, rooftops or any other surfaces that come in contact with rainwater. Today, EPA and NCDENR take a broader approach to water protection, looking at both the individual waterway and the watershed in which it is located.

Begun in 2007, the EPA Region 4 Centers of Excellence for Watershed Management Program works with colleges and universities from across the Southeast to provide hands-on, practical products and services for communities to identify watershed problems and solve them. Each EPA designated Center actively seeks out watershed-based stakeholder groups and local governments that need cost effective tools for watershed scientific studies, engineering designs and computer mapping, as well as assistance with legal issues, project management, public education and planning.

More information about priority watersheds in the Southeast is available online at: http://www.epa.gov/region4/water/watersheds/index.html