Marching right along to the real estate beat. As anticipated, transactions, multiple offer situations and loan applications are on the rise. Homes continue to appreciate in desirable areas, pointing directly to the persistence of home values in these environments. With that in mind, real estate is an industry filled with other industries that have a direct impact. One prime example is insurance. As they pay out more in claims than they are bringing in, they are imposing that cost directly on the consumer. Some insurance policies have risen around 20% in a year. Furthermore, many insurance companies have stopped writing policies in areas prone to wildfire, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters as they 'cannot assume the risk'. Private insurance options are available that may be more expensive, however all insurance is getting to be more expensive. A Buyer's ability to obtain homeowners insurance has always been built into our real estate contract. Now more than ever it is critical to ensure that you can insure your property!