If I were to do it again, I would put a clause in the contract stating that the contractor loses $100 a day for every day he goes over a specific time period.

Theresa F.

Many homeowners are unaware that the masonry company isn't responsible for cleaning the debris left behind...While I would always tell the homeowners upfront about this, many masons neglect to.

Industry Insider Terrance J.

A good uninsured/underinsured policy would have eased the process for me. Also, there would have been more money available to recover.

Scott K.

It is important to carefully evaluate any home before allowing your loved one to be placed in it. Check for state inspection records – they are easy to obtain. Also, visit with the management and assess their commitment and professionalism.

Industry Insider Joe G.

The quality of care a person receives from an assisted living facility is relative to the amount of time and vigilance the family and loved ones exercise in researching, interviewing, and reviewing the assisted living facility and its staff.

Avon A.

Avoid spending money on appraisals, home inspections, or any other expenses related to the home purchasing process until the mortgage loan officer informs you that all of your loan documentation has been submitted and approved.

Industry Insider Avon A.

When we arrived at the second place, residents greeted us and welcomed her by name. Instead of a staff person taking her on a tour, three residents conducted a complete tour and talked about all the wonderful activities.

Gerald A.

My advice for anyone thinking about purchasing a home without a real estate agent is to be patient and persistent...You would think that once you have a mortgage company, the rest would be easy, but it is just the beginning.

Rebecca B.

Plan ahead. Buy long-term care insurance if you can afford it — and do it early. Current medical care normally involves nursing homes for most seniors.

Monica C.

I would probably go to a few residential contractors and ask what they had seen done in the region already instead of making a very expensive mistake and assuming it would be OK.

Cathleen V.

It would have been sensible to do the countertop replacement first, but sometimes action overtakes common sense. In the end, everyone was careful not to ding up our new carpet, so there was no harm done.

Curt S.

Don't be afraid to stand up for you what you want...or you very well might find yourself dishing out thousands more dollars, like I did, to get the exact results that you wanted the first time around.

Pam G.

I highly recommend contacting local organizations, FEMA, and other government agencies. Grant money is available to help those in need. It sometimes takes time and persistence to get it, but there is help.

Robin M.

Knowing exactly what type of care is necessary and for how long the care is needed will help you choose a nursing facility for those exact needs.

Donna C.

Don't be scared off if the home is being sold by the owner. Sellers are often more motivated to negotiate when they are doing the work.

Katie S.

Our presence onsite helped to catch a lot of things that many contractors do when they are putting together houses en masse...Don't be afraid to have a voice before, during, and after production.

Lisa W.

You can recover from identity theft, but it is best to have legal help to ensure that all issues are resolved.

Donna C.

Getting out of my marriage was a lot less complicated than I expected, but divorce is a painful experience and one that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

Angela W.

Had I diversified before the crash, the impact would not have been as great. Had I taken my lumps, I would have escaped with 75% of the value instead of the 25%. Had I not become a day trader, we would still have $50,000 in the bank.

Bruce L.

Whether it was pride, self-preservation or naiveté, I hesitated to ask others to speak for me or interpret the vast quantities of data I gathered. If I had to go through the first five years again, I would find a personal advocate...

Cynthia R.