7 Mar 2023

Why a Structural Warranty is Important for Homeowners: Understanding the Benefit

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As a homeowner, you understand the immense value of your house and all that it provides to you and your family.

You’ve likely invested considerable time, energy, and money into maintaining its structure to ensure comfort and beauty in this beloved space over the years. But did you know that having a structural warranty can provide an added layer of financial protection? Read on to learn why a structural home warranty is important for homeowners — so you can decide if investing in one makes sense for your situation.

What is a Structural Warranty and How Does it Work for Homeowners

A structural warranty is essentially an insurance policy that covers mistakes made in the construction of a home. It is designed to protect homeowners from large repair costs in case of major structural issues like cracking foundations, leaks, etc. Usually, the warranty is provided by a third-party supplier so it’s important to check and make sure that the company providing your warranty isn’t just looking to take money without giving any protection in return – find out the specifics of what’s covered and how long you’re covered for before signing on the dotted line. Structural warranties often provide peace of mind for homeowners which is worth its weight in gold. So no matter what type of construction project you’re facing, don’t forget to do your research and give yourself every chance to rest assured, knowing that you’re protected if anything goes wrong.

Benefits of a Structural Warranty for Homeowners

When you purchase a home, you want to be sure that the structure of the building will withstand the test of time. This is where getting a structural warranty for your home can come in handy. Structural warranties provide homeowners with peace of mind and assurance that long-term investments, such as their home and its components, are protected from any potential damage or defects. Structural warranties can last up to 10 years and they provide repair coverage or replacement coverage in the event something goes wrong due to an unexpected malfunction or defect. In addition to protecting homeowners from costly repairs, structural warranties also help to boost a home’s value on the resale market. Homebuyers typically prefer homes with warranties since it helps them feel confident about their purchases knowing that if something does happen down the road, there is some type of insurance protection in place.

Different Types of Structural Warranties

If you’re building a house, it’s essential to know about different types of structural warranties that can protect your investment. This type of warranty is basically an insurance policy intended to cover the costs of any damage caused by faulty workmanship or materials. Structural warranties vary in terms of coverage but generally provide protection for the replacement or repair of framework and reinforcing items such as columns, joists, and beams, as well as foundation work. One type is a “limited period” warranty which provides coverage during the first few years after construction, usually 5-10 years depending on the contract. Another type is a “structural defects” warranty which covers specific elements against defects that reveal themselves sometime in the future – usually several decades beyond construction. Understanding these different levels of protection will give you peace of mind on your new home investment.

Why You Should Invest in a Structural Warranty

If you’re considering purchasing a new home, or you’re in the process of building your dream house, investing in a structural warranty is something you should seriously consider. A structural warranty can provide considerable peace of mind that if any major problems do arise with the home’s structure, they will be professionally addressed and fixed. Most warranties will cover a variety of items including any defect related to workmanship or materials used in construction. Structural Warranties also typically offer up to 10 years of coverage on major defects so that if you have any problem with the property’s basic structure during that time then it will get taken care of without big bills coming your way. Overall, getting a structural warranty is definitely worth it if you are purchasing a particularly expensive property as it gives you added protection and may save you thousands down the road.

What to Look For When Selecting a Structural Warranty Provider

Selecting the right structural warranty provider can often be a daunting task due to the sheer number of options available in the market. It’s important to choose a provider that has experience and expertise in the field and can offer excellent customer service. One should also use review sites to check out customer feedback, as there is no better way of knowing if prospective providers can fulfill their promises. Additionally, one should consider what types of warranty coverage they are offering and make sure it includes protection against all potential risks when purchasing a new home. Ultimately, finding the right structural warranty provider gives you peace of mind that your investment will be safeguarded in case of any unexpected events or issues.

Questions to Ask Before Deciding on the Right Structural Warranty Provider

When it comes to structural warranty providers, you want to make sure that you’re getting the best coverage possible. Before signing with a provider, be sure to ask a few questions first. First, is the provider licensed and certified? Be sure that the company has all of its necessary documents in order. Second, what kind of coverage are they providing? Different providers offer different types and levels of coverage, so be sure that you know exactly what is being offered. Finally, always check the claims history of any provider you consider; this will give you an indication as to how quickly they respond to claims and help ensure that any potential issues can be addressed quickly. Taking these few steps will lead you to the right structural warranty provider for your project.

In conclusion, having a structural warranty for your home is definitely something to consider for the protection of your home and investments. This kind of warranty ensures that your expensive repairs are taken care of if an unforeseen event happens. A structural warranty has various types like an insurance policy, so you can tailor it to fit your specific needs. Make sure you select a provider who will help with any questions or concerns you have and won’t leave you struggling in the dark during a difficult time. Doing thorough research and asking questions beforehand ensures that you a getting the best type of coverage for your home from the most reputable provider. With all this in mind, investing in a structural warranty is truly worth it for homeowners.

21 Feb 2023

Haunting mystery solved in desegregation of Fredericksburg school

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The 1962 photograph is soul-stirring — a preteen Black student, standing alone, far apart from classmates outside the previously all-white Maury Middle School, in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

The evocative image of the young man, on the day he desegregated the school was taken by a photographer with the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, and has been displayed for years on the public school system’s website, in the retelling of its once-segregated past.

robert christian desegregating maury school
A 1962 photo, originally posted in Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, of Robert Christian, 12.

Yet, 60 years later? “Nobody ever knew who he was,” marveled Chris Williams, assistant director of the James Farmer Multicultural Center at the University of Mary Washington. “There was no name in the newspaper when that picture was taken — it just said ‘a young Negro boy.’”

Finally, Williams and other researchers have learned the identity of the person in the picture, who attended the school named for Matthew Fontaine Maury, a founder of modern oceanography before joining the Confederacy during the Civil War.

“The first student to desegregate it was a young man by the name of Robert Christian,” Williams said. “He was 12 years old.”

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Now, Williams and other researchers are set to unveil a Fredericksburg civil rights trail, entitled “Freedom, a Work in Progress,” on Thursday. The three-mile walking trail will guide participants through post-Civil War history in the city, including the site of the former school, which closed in 1980 and was converted into condominiums in 2007.

However, before the Maury school was built in 1920, the site was already rich in history.

“The Colored Cemetery at Potter’s Field was a place where Black citizens were buried, within the city of Fredericksburg,” Williams said. “But because the city needed a place to build a school, they dug up those bodies and moved them elsewhere.”

Interred bodies of enslaved people and free Black people were moved to Shiloh Baptist Cemetery.

Finally, the solitary young man tells his story

In September of 2022, co-researcher Victoria Matthews asked Williams’ cousin, Frank White, to see if he could discover the identity of the young man.

“Literally, within three hours, he found his sister,” who put Williams in touch with Christian, he said.

“At first he was hesitant,” Williams said. “Eventually he agreed to do an interview, which I must tell you was the most moving interview I did, in speaking with all these African American elders here in the City of Fredericksburg.”

While the historic photo depicted white schoolmates gawking at the school’s first Black student on the day he entered Maury School, Williams said Christian described the hostility he faced during the school year.

“It was a bit traumatic for him to recount those stories of what he went through during that time in 1962, being the only Black boy in the classroom, hearing the N-word, every day,” Williams said.

The unkindness ran deep.

“He was on his own, literally,” said Williams. “Nobody would play with him, nobody would sit with him at the lunch table — the teacher forced him to sit at the back of the classroom.”

Christian described the isolation he felt.

“His house was within a minute of the school, and he said he ran home every day after school,” Williams said. “He was just traumatized.”

Eventually, during their hourslong conversation, Williams sensed Christian felt the catharsis of finally detailing his painful experience: “He told me it was like talking to a family member.”

Christian’s desegregation story, at the site of the former Colored Cemetery at Potter’s Field is one of 22 stops on the civil right trail. It chronicles court rulings and protests from the Jim Crow era to the Black Lives Matter movement, stopping at churches, cemeteries, markers and monuments.

The unveiling event for “Freedom, a Work in Progress” will take place at UMW’s Jepson Alumni Executive Center in Fredericksburg on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.

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21 Feb 2023

US dollar to lose global dominance – Putin

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The Russian president says Moscow will cooperate with its partners to develop a safe system for international settlements

The US and other Western currencies will inevitably lose their leading position in global cross-border transactions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

Delivering his annual address to the Federal Assembly, the head of state said that Moscow would cooperate with its allies to build a secure system of international settlements that are not dependent on the dollar or the euro.

According to Putin, the current policies of Western states are causing the US dollar and the euro to lose their universality in international payments.

He explained that Russia’s former Western partners are forcing Moscow to cut settlements in dollars and other Western currencies.

In December, Putin stated that the share of ruble transactions in Russia’s foreign trade had doubled since the beginning of 2022, and now accounted for one third of the country’s settlements. He projected that the use of national currencies in place of the US dollar and euro in trade with Russia’s international partners would continue to grow.

The process of de-dollarizing the Russian economy started back in 2014, when Western nations introduced the initial sanctions against Moscow over Crimea’s reunification with Russia, which was formerly part of Ukraine. Sanctions imposed since the start of the military operation in Ukraine have sped up the process, particularly after over $300 billion in Russian foreign exchange reserves and other assets were frozen by the US and its allies.

21 Feb 2023

Western sanctions on Russia failed – Putin

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The economy turned out to be much stronger than expected in the West, the president has said

The expected economic destabilization resulting from the “theft” of Russia’s foreign exchange reserves by the West did not materialize, President Vladimir Putin stated on Tuesday.

According to Putin, the economy has overcome all of the sanctions-related risks and is actually entering a new cycle of economic development.

“There are opportunities for a breakthrough in many areas,” he said, addressing the Federal Assembly in his key annual program speech.

Putin noted that Russia’s GDP in 2022 decreased by just 2.1%, according to the latest data, despite Western projections of a decline of up to 20%.

The government poured in more than 1 trillion rubles (over $13 billion) to support the economy amid the Western sanctions, he said.

“The sanctions have provoked price increases and other problems in the West itself, but they are trying to blame Russia for everything,” Putin stated.

The president called on the government to bring the economy to new frontiers of development.