Wildfire Season Hits Close to Home

Wildfire Season Hits Close to Home

Summer in Oregon is pretty hard to beat. Long days, weekends outside, time on the river and evenings that seem to go on forever.

But for many of us, summer has also come to mean something else: wildfire season.

It's become a familiar part of life in Oregon. We check air quality before heading outside, watch smoke settle into the mountains and keep an eyeon fire maps when a new plume appears on the horizon. And for some communities, the impact is much more serious, with evacuations, damaged homes and weeks ormonths of uncertainty.

Wildfires also have an impact on homeownership in ways we don't always think about.

Wildfires and Homeowners Insurance

One of those impacts is homeowners insurance.

As wildfires have become more frequent and costly, insurance has become a bigger consideration for homeowners and buyers, particularly in areas withhigher wildfire risk.

If you're buying a home, this matters because homeowners insurance is part of the mortgage process. Waiting until the last minute to find coveragecan create an unnecessary headache, especially if the property is in an area insurers consider higher risk.

It's one reason we encourage buyers to start looking into insurance early. You don't need to become an insurance expert. You just want to know that coverage is available, what it may cost and whether that cost changes the overall picture of what you can comfortably afford.

And if you already own your home, wildfire season is a pretty good reminder to pull out your policy and actually look at it. Know what your coverage includes, check your deductible and make sure your policy still reflects your home and belongings today.

The People on the Front Lines

Of course, it's impossible to talk about wildfire season without talking about the people who spend their summers fighting them.

Firefighters and first responders do incredibly demanding work to protect homes, land and communities across Oregon and throughout the country. And for many wildland firefighters, that work is seasonal.

That can lead to a question we hear in the mortgage world: Can I qualify for a home loan if my job is seasonal?

The short answer is that seasonal employment doesn't automatically prevent you from qualifying for a mortgage.

Lenders look at the bigger picture. Depending on the loan program and your individual situation, a history of recurring seasonal employment and income may be used when qualifying. That might mean looking at previous W-2s, current earnings, employment history and whether there is a pattern of returning to the same type of work each season.

So if you're a wild land firefighter, or anyone else whose income looks different throughout the year, don't assume that a traditional 9-to-5 paycheck is the only path to buying a home. A conversation with a loan officer can help you understand what your income looks like from a lending perspective and what options may be available.

Homes for Heroes: Giving Back to ThoseWho Show Up for Us

This is also one of the reasons our partnership with Homes for Heroes means so much to us at Boss Mortgage.

Homes for Heroes was created as a way to give back to the people who serve their communities every day, including firefighters and EMSprofessionals, law enforcement, military members and veterans, healthcare professionals and teachers.

For firefighters, eligibility is broader than you might think. Active, former and retired firefighters can qualify, along with both full-time andvolunteer firefighters and eligible EMS professionals.

Through the program, eligible heroes can receive savings when buying, selling or refinancing a home with Homes for Heroes specialists. It's atangible way to say thank you to people who spend so much of their lives taking care of everyone else.

And especially during wildfire season, that feels worth talking about.

Home Means a Little More DuringWildfire Season

Wildfire season is a reminder of just how much the word home can mean.

It's the place we want to protect. It's the community around us. And it's something firefighters and first responders put themselves on the line toprotect every single year.

If you're thinking about buying a home and have questions about insurance, seasonal income or how your employment may affect qualifying, startthe conversation early. And if you're a firefighter or another eligible community hero, ask us about Homes for Heroes and the savings that may beavailable to you.

We're always happy to help you understand your options. No pressure, no assumptions, just a place to start.

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