iQuanti: Everything about a home, from the infrastructure to the equipment that's inside, unfortunately has a limited life expectancy. On top of that, nasty weather and other unforeseen factors can also threaten damage. If something happens to your house, emergency loans can be used to help combat the situation. Here are five steps homeowners can take to finance a necessary home repair:

1. Assess the extent of the damage

The first thing you can do is determine how much damage has actually been done. A wet spot on your ceiling might seem harmless, but a closer inspection might reveal the problem is bigger and possibly a more expensive repair is needed. Though it may cost some money, hire a professional to come out and give an opinion. Ask them to ballpark how much the repairs will cost so that you've got realistic figures to work with.

2. Determine if an insurance claim is needed

Depending on the root cause of the damage, the repairs may be covered by your homeowner's insurance policy. For example, if a hole in the roof was caused by a falling tree branch during a recent storm, then you may be able to file a claim with many carriers. Take note that the deductibles for storm damage may be quite a bit more than your standard deductible. A good way to know is to read your homeowner's insurance policy and ask questions if you need clarification.

3. Explore your financing options

If your personal savings and emergency fund don't seem as if they'll be enough to cover the repair, here are a few financing options you can try:

• Credit card - You could charge the expense to a credit card while at the same time finding a new one with a zero-percent introductory rate. Transfer the balance to the one with the zero-percent APR so that you'll have adequate time to pay it off without incurring interest.
• HELOC (home equity line of credit) - HELOCs allow you to turn the value of your home into a readily accessible line of credit. Interest rates are typically much cheaper than credit cards, and the terms may also be a little more flexible (such as only having to pay back the interest for the first five to 15 years).
• Personal loan - Personal loans are generally quick and can provide you with thousands of dollars of necessary funding. Be sure to shop around for great interest rates and compare secured and unsecured options.
• Borrow from your 401(k) - If you're contributing to a workplace retirement plan and your employer allows it, then you might have the ability to borrow against your retirement savings. Participants may borrow up to 50 percent of the vested account balance or $50,000 (whichever is less), and they have five years to pay it back. This option is convenient, but it does stunt the growth potential of your nest egg.

4. Choose the right financing option

Depending on how much you need and how quickly you need it, choose the financing option that fits the situation. 

5. Make a repayment plan

Making the emergency repair and protecting your home will be your primary goal. But at the same time, it's wise to start planning how you will pay back the money. Take a close look at your budget and look for any expenses that can be reduced or eliminated.

The bottom line

Repairs will inevitably need to be made if you own a home. If an emergency comes up, get the funding you need either from credit or a loan. Don't forget to also check your homeowner's policy to see if your insurance provider may cover it.

Dr. Rebecca Maxwell

Trimera Health is offering psychiatric treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients using marijuana, or cannabis, and building an uplifting image of medical marijuana treatment in Texas. Dr. Rebecca Maxwell is an integrative psychiatrist offering holistic and innovative approaches to treating PTSD and other mental health issues. As the founder of Trimera Health, Dr. Maxwell is advancing the treatments for psychiatric disorders and now administers medical marijuana to patients who have PTSD.

The Texas Compassionate Use (TCUP) Act was enacted in 2015, granting Texans the first legal use of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) marijuana products, solely in edible form, for patients with intractable epilepsy. Since then, the act has expanded its list of eligible patients to those with autism, cancer, and seizure disorders. In recent years, medical marijuana has played a critical role in treating PTSD since TCUP's enactment. 

"Medical cannabis may benefit patients with PTSD by alleviating the common symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and nightmares," Dr. Rebecca Maxwell reports, "My patients have been wary of 'pot docs,' who spend five minutes with you and do not offer a follow-up treatment plan. That's not practicing medicine. Many of them are not prescribing within their specialty. PTSD and mental health disorders should be treated by a psychiatric physician."

Trimera Health strives to provide quality psychiatric care beyond that of the average medical cannabis physician. The practice offers a range of treatment options for all psychiatric disorders and continues developing new approaches to mental health care in the evolving medical world. Dr. Maxwell said, "We give an individualized, truly medical approach to cannabis by spending at least half an hour with patients during initial assessments." 

The attitudes towards medical cannabis have positively changed since the TCUP's enactment, with seven out of 10 Texans expressing their support for medical cannabis. 

"The patient's cannabis is grown right here in Texas and is regulated under strict quality controls," said Michael James, Trimera Health's director of medical cannabis operations, "It's a great thing to finally offer this treatment modality to Texans after a majority of the country has been utilizing medical cannabis for over a decade." 

Trimera Health is a psychiatric medical practice offering mental health services, in addition to alternative treatment modalities, like medical cannabis for PTSD and insurance-covered esketamine therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Since the launch of its medical marijuana program in November 2022, Trimera Health is excited to foster its growth with its patients in 2023. Dr. Maxwell said, "The general response from patients has been positive in relation to reduction in symptoms." 

Trimera Health's practice widens its services statewide, including its administration of medical cannabis, to patients beyond in-person visits via telehealth, focusing on Greater Houston and the southern suburbs. Trimera Health aspires to serve its patients the right way and address the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—to achieve complete wellness. 

For more information about Trimera Health's practices, please call 281-968-8853, or visit our website. https://www.trimerahealth.net/

Welcome to Southminster

Following a national trend in recent years, foresighted couples and singles have begun jockeying for positions on waitlists at Life Plan Communities like Southminster when they reach their late-60s or 70s, instead of their 80s. In order to embrace this evolution and remain on the leading edge of senior living in the Sunbelt city of Charlotte, Southminster has strategically analyzed and anticipated evolving demographic demand and embarked on a well-thought-out eight-year expansion journey. 

In 2020, it completed its first three-phase expansion that included Embrace Health at Southminster, a new person-centered model for higher levels of care. According to Mary Cooper, Chief Operating Officer, who championed this new model of care early on, "The neighborhood design of our small-house model ensures that residents and families always remain central to decision-making regarding their care as their needs change."

Along with this 200,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art health center, Southminster's $140 million expansion included 86 new apartments that increased total Independent Living residences by 27 percent. Southminster had been fully occupied for about four years prior to the groundbreaking, and their waitlist doubled during construction.

Never willing to slow down, Southminster has now embarked on its next strategic plan, "Driving Toward Excellence 2022-2035." It encompasses objectives ranging from diversity, equity and inclusion to technology and data analytics, land acquisition and cultivating innovation. According to Lisa McClellan, Vice President of Human Resources, "Our eye will always be on staffing and recruiting initiatives, but we are increasing our focus and energy toward employee retention and engagement. COVID took its toll on gatherings and engagement opportunities, so we are redesigning our HR priorities to fit the needs of our people."

Immediate construction within the most recent strategic plan includes renovating two dining rooms and the main corridor beginning in January 2023. Southminster will also implement a new master site plan that includes outdoor amenities such as outdoor patios and fire pits, walkways, and exercise spaces.

Part of the plan in this new era of senior living involves philanthropy and making an impact on the broader community. Tracy McGinnis, Southminster's Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic Initiatives, reports that since its inception, Southminster's fund has distributed over $13 million in financial support to residents living on its South Charlotte campus. Since expanding its philanthropic mission more than six years ago, Southminster has given over $3 million in philanthropic support to various non-profits across Charlotte Mecklenburg. 

Southminster recently announced a collaboration with The Ivey, a Charlotte non-profit devoted to serving individuals living with early memory or cognition concerns and their caregivers through programs designed to optimize brain health for aging well. It also strengthened its partnership with The Shepherd's Center of Charlotte, a local non-profit with a mission that includes offering lifelong learning, free transportation, and Medicare counseling to seniors across Mecklenburg County.  "We believe in collaborating with like-minded organizations to accelerate impact across all generations through education, the arts, and building healthy communities in Charlotte Mecklenburg," McGinnis said. 

According to Ben Gilchrist, Southminster President and CEO, "Our living, breathing strategic plan will enable expanded services to a broader market throughout the region in the years to come. The future is bright indeed." For more information on Southminster, please visit www.southminster.org.

Project Uprise
Project Uprise: Education that Matters

Project Uprise, an education and marketing company created with the sole purpose of fighting against child trafficking in the United States is launching this weekend, on Jan. 7 & 8. And with it, dozens of celebrity athletes, influencers, coaches and business executives are coming together to show their support.

But they are not coming out for another fundraising gala or telethon. They are building a groundbreaking collaborative business platform that offers incredible educational products, and exclusive merchandise, designed to set a new standard to implementing change in a measurable way. And the best part is, it is built to strategically fund the fight against child trafficking inside the United States.

"After over two decades working with corporate brands and for-profit businesses while at the same time working with nonprofits, it becomes very clear the changes that need to happen on a cultural level that can only gain momentum if it is attached to a self-funding business model to capture the attention and maximize returns. So we developed a system to solve that and have some amazing celebrities, business coaches, and global entrepreneurs collaborating with us. This has become a snowball and we get to override the cultural resistance to talking about the problem by empowering everyone to be a part of the solution. People are ready for massive change and we will lead it by saving the children first." - Project Uprise CEO, Livia Fisher-Kane

Livia Fisher-Kane, CEO and founder and her husband, Aaron Fisher-Kane co-founder and CSO of Project Uprise started on a journey 20 years ago. The vision was simple, but not easy: flip the script on how things are done with non profits. They started as documentary filmmakers in their early 20s' working with animal welfare nonprofits in Brazil . Their first film made such an impact that the state government of Rio started implementing animal welfare laws and incentives that served as an important seed to change in legislation across the country. Since then they have built a successful career working with celebrities and corporations, developing cultural shifts and independent business systems to scale and improve ROI. They will use the success and knowledge from these systems to grow Project Uprise.

To kick things off, Project Uprise is "launching" with a free 2 day event that counts with the likeness of legendary athletes and top earning coaches such as Royce Gracie, Wanderlei Silva, Chael Sonnen, Denis Waitley, Matt Morris, Ray Higdon, just to name a few. They have been brought together by serial entrepreneur, producer, and Chief Experience Officer for Project Uprise, Adora Crystal Evans. Speakers will be offering advice and coaching on personal and business development and how to maximize impact in 2023 together with incredible stories and powerful interviews. During the event several collaborations will also be unveiled and made available for purchase with all profits going to The Harbour Youth in Albuquerque, NM with the goal to fund their entire operations 24/7 for 12 months.

Project Uprise invests 100% of profits after taxes into strategic anti-trafficking programs such as The Harbour Youth, a drop-in center for homeless youth in Albuquerque serving as an effective interception center for victims of trafficking. Project Uprise also has a national plan for The Harbour Program working with it's director Shelley Repp.

"Our goal is to go mainstream. Is to level the field for those fighting for what is right. We need to protect our children. And people are ready to uprise and make things happen. We are going to build a culture where the most influential people, the people our kids look up to, are the ones making the biggest difference. In a real way. And that's when we truly implemented change." - Aaron Fisher-Kane, Project Uprise Chief Strategy Officer

Other programs include providing career resources to survivors and at-risk youth globally through The Uprise Academy and The Butterfly Effect Program, a sponsorship program for survivors pursuing creative careers. Project Uprise is committed to fund and support the most effective anti-trafficking programs and efforts targeting prevention, interception, rescue, rehabilitation and professional resources for at-risk youth and trafficking survivors inside the United States.

"The reason why we started with the fight against child trafficking in the United States is because it's the biggest and most urgent matter we have in our hands, and it's undebatable. By impacting that reality through a duplicatable collaborative model, we give the world the blueprint to change. That is our legacy. That's when we know we gave the world the spark and the plan they need to achieve anything. Everyone is invited. This fight belongs to all of us." - Livia Fisher-Kane

Join, support, stay connected with Project Uprise through their website www.timetouprise.com or on social @timetouprise.

In 2022, American consumers faced the highest electricity costs in more than 40 years, due to inflation, a rebounding economy and fuel-related repercussions from the Ukraine war. It appears the worst is not over. A newly released study from Ownerly, a leading home and property value estimation platform, analyzed 12 months of Energy Information Administration (EIA) data and found the increase in out-of-pocket consumer spending exceeded 22 billion—not all related to an increase in usage.

Ownerly examined electricity price data between October 2021 and September 2022 to identify which states paid the most in 2022, which states saw the greatest percentage increase from the previous year and where overall electric costs increased the most. The time period of our analysis also coincides with the highest inflation rates Americans have seen in four decades.

"The last six months have been even worse for residential energy bills than the previous six months," said Ownerly data analyst Darcy McCusker. "Nine states including Hawaii, Texas, Oklahoma and New Hampshire have had increases of $30 or more per month since April alone, and just over half of all states have seen a percentage increase of at least 10%." 

Key takeaways

• Hawaii and Connecticut had the highest monthly electric bills in 2022; Utah and New Mexico had the lowest. Hawaiians paid on average $210.26 a month, followed by  Connecticut ($173.16), Alabama ($164.62), Georgia  ($153.45) and Texas ($152.83).
• Hawaii had the greatest dollar increase in energy costs, but Maine had the highest bill increase. While monthly bills went up $38.08 in Hawaii, Maine saw the highest bill increase over the 12 months we examined, paying 31.26% more monthly than the previous year. 
• Prices in Wyoming and Oregon actually dropped in 2022. Not all states saw a monthly rise in electric bills: monthly average bills dropped slightly in Wyoming (-79¢) and Oregon (-24¢). 

These bills also include higher electricity usage during the summer months. "So many of the colder states that use more energy in the winter than the summer, like North Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia, could see those same increases this winter," McCusker said. 

The EIA also expects US energy prices to remain high into 2023.

Find the full study and a breakdown by state here: https://www.ownerly.com/data-analysis/best-worst-states-electric-bills

How to lower your electric bills

The following energy-saving tips can help lower electric bills without necessarily requiring costly retrofits or remodeling. 

• Be mindful of maintenance. Keep appliances running efficiently by periodically vacuuming under your refrigerator and changing your HVAC filter, among other things. Home appliances consume less electricity when they are properly maintained. 
• Look at your lighting. Invest in energy-efficient LED bulbs and use translucent lampshades to maximize their performance. Motion sensors can be connected to your lamps to turn them off when not in use. This can also be accomplished with smart bulb schedules and automation.
• Ask your provider for an energy audit. Many utility companies offer free consultations for ways to help lower your energy bills. Also, many states offer incentives for energy efficiency. Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency and plug in your zip code to find programs in your area.
• Check for available rebates. Some cities or energy providers may offer rebates to homeowners who use smart thermostats, energy-efficient appliances, smart lighting or other energy-saving technologies. Reach out to your bill provider and ask if there are any rebates or incentives available to you.

Costlier home modifications can generate bigger energy savings, but may not pay for themselves in the near term. If you happen to be remodeling anyway, some energy-conserving upgrades to consider include:

• Adding more insulation to retain indoor heating and cooling
• Swapping in energy-saving appliances
• Installing energy-efficient doors and windows
• Improving your HVAC system

Find more tips here on How to Save Energy at Home

Methodology

To determine monthly electric bills by state, Ownerly examined residential estimated electricity use and sales data from the US Energy Information Administration from October 2018 through September 2022. For the purposes of this study, 2022 refers to energy prices and usage from October 2021 through September 2022. Note that statistics do not include any customer service charges from providers.

About Ownerly

Ownerly provides homeowners, buyers and sellers with professional-grade home values used by real estate agents, banks and lenders. With Ownerly, users get important home sales insights and can track the value of their single most important investment—their home.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact Kerry Sherin ([email protected]).