VanDyk Mortgage - August 2019

AUGUST 2019

Letters From the Hart Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com Corporate NMLS #3035 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

Let’s Talk About ‘Game of Thrones’

There are massive spoilers for season eight of “Game of Thrones” ahead! Deep down, I’m a huge fantasy and science fiction geek. I love “Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars,” Marvel movies, comic books, and anything to do with imagination. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” (or GOT) series was no exception.

develop. But once the show caught up to the books in season five, it became clear the showrunners, D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, didn’t know how to handle the story. There were tons of storylines viewers spent seven seasons looking forward to that never got a satisfying conclusion. I really wanted to get the backstory on the Night King and the White Walkers. How is their community structured? Why are they attacking? What’s their big plan? So many things they alluded to were never paid off!

I remember seeing trailers for the show before it came out and made sure I caught the first episode the night it aired. From the

moment where the White Walkers killed some Wildlings in the opening minutes of the first episode, I was hooked. It wasn’t until season 3 when I realized the show was based on a series of books, and I immediately went out and bought the whole “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. I knocked out those five massive books before season 3 was over. Now that it’s been a few months since the series finale, I think it’s time to talk about this epic show. If you haven’t finished the last season of “GOT” yet, or you’ve been waiting until the series finished to binge-watch it all and don’t want to know how it ends, this is your warning to stop reading. The Short Version I love it, and its my favorite show of all time. The end. The Long Version It’s disappointing that the greatest TV show of all time will be remembered for its colossal failure of an ending.

The lackluster White Walkers were nothing compared to how badly the heroes were treated. First, there’s Bran, with his incredible power to see everything that is, was, or will be. He’s basically the Google of Westeros, and he spends the whole season sitting in a chair and creepily staring into the distance. Then there’s Daenerys’ sudden flip to being the “Mad Queen” and torching millions of people for no reason. And it all ends with Jon Snow killing Dany, the dragon burning the Iron Throne, and Bran becoming king in a single episode. After seasons of careful plotting and character development, every episode of season eight felt rushed, like the showrunners were racing to the end so they could move onto writing “Star Wars” already. What makes things worse is the fact that HBO offered Weiss and Benioff 10 episodes for season eight, and they insisted they only needed six. Clearly, they were wrong. I have a lot of negative opinions about how “GOT” ended, and a fair share of blame for George R.R. Martin, the author of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” for

not finishing the books before the show caught up. But while the ending left me, and tons of other fans, really frustrated, “Game

The beauty of “GOT” as a show, and the books it’s based on, is how deep the story goes. There’s so much depth to each character and their arcs. Every character or plot is given time to

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The Art of Stargazing

Helping Humans Slow Down and Look Up

living space in its undertow, combines the rustic charm of truly getting away from it all with modern amenities like Wi-Fi and in-home laundry. It’s a truly unique living space surrounded by pristine nature and not far from the historic Taos Pueblo. ManCave Apartment/Airplane Hangar Geneva, Florida Airbnb super hosts Dan and Deborah have no shortage of quirky properties for rent — including yurts and treehouses — but their apartment fashioned out of an airplane hangar surely takes the cake. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was a theme restaurant featuring eclectic aviation. Memorabilia lines the walls with a bar front and center, and the bed is in a loft high above the ground. 1. The Higher, the Better If you’re a city dweller, meander a little way out of town or try to find a tall building to keep the light pollution to a minimum. 2. Extra Set of Eyes While novice stargazers often want to immediately throw their money at a new telescope, astronomy experts recommend starting with binoculars instead. You’ll need to identify several anchor planets or constellations to help you navigate the sky before using a telescope. 3. Utilize Assets Put your phone to good use by downloading apps like Stellarium, Starwalk, and Google Sky Map. Each of these apps offers a unique benefit for aspiring stargazers. For example, Starwalk lets you point your phone at the sky to see stars,

constellations, and planets in real time based on your location. 4. Mark Your Calendar In 1972, beloved singer-songwriter John Denver wrote about a meteor shower he witnessed during a camping trip in Colorado. He describes the scene by singing, “I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky.” The “fire” he recounted was actually the Perseids meteor shower, the most recognized shower on Earth. This astrological wonder takes place every year from July 17 to Aug. 24. During this time, viewers should be able to see shooting stars associated with the Perseids, but the shower reaches its maximum rate of activity on Aug. 12–13 this year. Grab some friends and family, and head outdoors to put your newfound stargazing knowledge to work.

Modern humans are stuck in a routine of expected and constant industriousness. But with all this rushing, people often drag themselves home at night with no energy left to enjoy the most splendid show nature has to offer: the wondrous night sky. Most people go through life looking straight ahead, but if they would stop and peer skyward, they’d bear witness to a massive, unexplored frontier made up of the moon in all its phases, burning stars sailing through the sky, constellations with epic origin stories, and meteor showers bright enough to warrant sunglasses. If you’re looking for a hobby to help you slow down and appreciate the world around you, stargazing is a great option. Here are some tips to get you started.

America’s Weirdest Airbnbs This Ain’t Motel 6!

When Airbnb was founded a little over a decade ago, the developers hoped to provide an alternative to traditional travel accommodations. Today, with annual revenue in the billions, the service is an industry unto itself. While most people use Airbnb to “live like a local” while traveling, you can find some truly wacky lodging options if you spend some time searching the platform. Here are just a few of the many contenders for the title of “Weirdest Airbnb in the U.S.” For ease of searching, the listings here have the same titles as they do on Airbnb.

Dog Bark Park Inn B&B Cottonwood, Idaho

As you approach the Dog Bark Park Inn, you won’t have to guess if you’re in the right place. After all, how many buildings are shaped like beagles? When describing the space on Airbnb, the hosts make no bones about who this rental is aimed for. “Stay in a giant dog!” they say. In addition to being inside a massive wooden dog, you’ll find canine- themed games, books, and more. Talk about ruffing it.

Brand New Studio Earthship Taos, New Mexico

Earthships, houses run by clean energy and featuring reused materials, are a fixture of the Taos area. This one, which looks almost like a crashing wave with a

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Your Personal Property Is Worth Less Than You Think Personal property is typically insured for a percentage for what your home is insured for, usually 50%. If you have a home insurance policy of $300,000, you’ll likely have about $150,000 of personal property coverage. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll get a check for up to $150,000 if all your belongings are damaged. It depends on what your personal property is valued at. A lot of personal property is covered at “actual cash value.” Brian revealed that this “value” is less Amazon prices and more

now offer a flat rate deductible, often only around $1,000. The trick is you have to select this deductible option yourself. Your yearly premium will increase, but it could save you a lot in the long run. “There’s often a big difference between a 2% deductible and a $1,000 deductible,” Brian said. “What I found after Hurricane Irma is that if you have an $8,000 deductible on a newer house, your losses were probably under your deductible, maybe somewhere in the $3,000–$4,000 range, so your insurance company didn’t pay. If you had the $1,000 deductible that’s available on newer homes, they would have to pay.” These are just the tip of the hurricane insurance iceberg. You can check out my full conversation with Brian Chapman on “The HartBeat Show” podcast, or on my page “Tim Hart – Loan Officer” on Facebook! He shared advice on hurricane shutters, trees, flood insurance, and other great strategies that can make a huge difference for everyone during hurricane season.

garage sale prices. You buy a great, top-of- the-line TV for $750. But in five years, you probably couldn’t sell it, because who wants a used TV? You’d be lucky to get $200 for your TV. That’s actual cash value, and this formula applies to all of your property. If you want to avoid this depreciated value, you’ll want to change your policy to cover “true replacement cost.” Your Hurricane Deductible Could Be Less In Florida, you’ll typically have two possible hurricane deductibles on your policy. The first

will be a percentage of your home insurance policy. If your home is covered for $400,000 and your hurricane deductible is 2%, you’re looking at an $8,000 deductible. However, a lot of newer homes in Florida have more competitive policies with the option for a much cheaper deductible. Brian revealed that instead of a percentage, a lot of policies

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VanDyk Testimonial

of Thrones” is still one of the greatest television shows I have ever seen.

"It’s been nerve-wracking, but it’s been really fun and easy. Being a first-time home buyer, you have no clue what is going on, but you learn a lot in the process. The advice I can give you is to ask the right questions. If you are confused about anything, ask your mortgage company and realtor. Make sure you have the right people in your corner. Listen to the advice your realtor and mortgage company give you, and do what they tell you to do right away. Big shout out to Valarie Tillman, my aunt and my realtor at Royal Shell Real Estate. Thank you, Tim, for making this process so fun and easy." –Bailey Reed, first-time home buyer Here is what our client had to say about their experience with VanDyk Mortgage.

During the last season, my friend Travis Smith and I started doing a recap show called “Throne Talk.” Even when the plot let us down, it was still fun to watch the show and talk about it. And no matter how rushed the story was, the acting was great, the action was exciting, and the dragons were always cool. I still recommend “GOT” without hesitation. It couldn’t stick the landing, but that doesn’t mean the show wasn’t amazing. If you haven’t watched “Game of Thrones” yet, I say do it! Just be ready to write a better ending in your head when it’s all over.

Bailey Reed

TRIVIA QUESTION: WHAT IS TIM'S FAVORITE SHOW OF ALL TIME?

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Inside This Issue Tim Hart, NMLS #354676 8280 College Parkway Suite #101 Fort Myers, FL 33919 Timdango: ‘Game of Thrones’ Edition PAGE 1

Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com

The Art of Stargazing

Not Your Average Vacation Lodgings PAGE 2

Testimonials PAGE 3

3 Strategies to Improve Your Hurricane Insurance PAGE 4

Hurricane Insurance Tips from Chapman Insurance BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES

Your Pool Cage Isn’t Covered If you have a pool cage, an aluminum Florida room, or a deck on the back of your patio, there’s a good chance it’s not covered. According to Brian, a lot of insurance carriers don’t automatically cover these things. It’s a separate line item you have to buy. If you don’t have coverage on the $10,000 pool cage around your pool, you could find yourself in hot water after a hurricane. You can buy a minimum of $10,000 in coverage for your pool cage, though Brian mentioned that $10,000 doesn’t go a long way. If you have a two-story pool cage, he advises getting $25,000–30,000 minimum in coverage. Pay close attention to whether your insurance will cover replacement costs or if they only cover the depreciated value of your pool cage.

There were over a million insurance claims filed after Hurricane Irma swept through Florida in 2017. This hurricane was so devastating that each month, there are still between 1,000–3,000 claims coming in. In fact, more claims are still being filed today for Hurricane Irma than the number of claims being filed for the more recent Hurricane Michael. I learned this surprising piece of information form Brian Chapman of Chapman Insurance. Brian joined me on my podcast, “The HartBeat Show,” at the beginning of hurricane season this year to chat about hurricane insurance. We’re about halfway through hurricane season here in Florida, and I wanted to take this opportunity to revisit some of the valuable tips he shared with me. Keep in mind, we won’t be discussing what to buy, because as Brian said, “that’s such a big bag and every house is different.” Instead, we’re examining the things you may not be aware of to look for in your existing policy.

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