Erik Martin

Hello. I’m writing an article this week for Better.com (https://better.com/content) and am seeking to interview real estate professionals, personal finance experts, business/finance faculty, real estate attorneys, and other subject matter experts (NO lending professionals please) on the following topic, details below. Please let me know if you would like to participate. Mortgage rate predictions for 2026. I can only accept full-sentence written responses (which I can use as quotes) for this article. My deadline for written answers to these questions is noon Central, Friday, January 16, 2026. QUESTIONS: 1. Please explain why mortgage rates don’t necessarily fall immediately after the Fed cuts rates. Explain how mortgage rates price in expectations ahead of policy changes, discuss the role of inflation, bond yields, and economic data, and use a simple analogy for readers to better understand. 2. What is your mortgage rate forecast this year? What will the benchmark 30 year fixed rate mortgage average (a) by midyear, (b) by the end of 2026, and (c) across the entire year, and why? 3. Explain how lower rates could increase your buying power, and what “buying power” means in practical terms (e.g., monthly payment, loan qualification, etc.). Provide a simple explanation with math showing how a lower rate can affect your mortgage payments. 4. Could 2026 trigger a refinancing wave? Why/why not? What is your prediction? 5. Should readers wait to purchase or refinance this year? Why/why not? Discuss scenarios where waiting versus acting now could make sense. 6. How much do rates need to drop for refinancing to make sense? 7. What factors most directly impact mortgage rates, moreso than Fed decisions? 8. Anything else you’d like to add? 9. What is your full name, title, company, city/state location, and email address?  

Hello. I’m a freelance writer with The Zebra (www.thezebra.com/resources). I’m seeking to interview personal finance experts, insurance industry experts, finance/economics professors, and other experts for the following story: My deadline for written answers to these questions is noon Central, Thursday, January 15, 2026. Please contact me if you would like to participate. Thanks! QUESTIONS: 1. Explain why big home expenses often catch homeowners off guard (e.g., homes age quietly and expensively, repairs tend to cluster and not arrive one at a time, and many homeowners confuse maintenance with insurable damage, etc.) 2. What are the most common major home expenses homeowners face (e.g., roof replacement, HVAC systems, plumbing failures, etc.), and what can these repairs or replacements often cost? 3. Explain why homeowners insurance typically doesn’t cover aging or wear and tear vs. what it does cover when it comes to major home expenses. 4. Explain in detail what happens when you have roof damage and want to get homeowners insurance involved: what are the rules and details when it comes to roof age versus storm damage, ACV versus replacement cost, partial payouts due to depreciation, and why insurers ask about roof age upfront. Also, what is the average roof lifespan by material, what are claim payout differences by roof age, and what are carrier underwriting guidelines around roofs? 5. Explain how depreciation affects insurance payouts: what depreciation means in insurance terms, why older components receive lower payouts, and when depreciation applies even with coverage. 6. Explain how maintenance can affect insurability, not just repairs; why deferred maintenance is a red flag for insurers; how neglected systems affect coverage approval, renewal decisions, and claim denials; and the overall relationship between maintenance and coverage eligibility. 7. Explain why it’s smart to plan ahead for major home expenses, how to balance deductibles and emergency savings, and warranty versus insurance differences. 8. Explain how insurance is a backstop, not a maintenance plan: how insurance protects against catastrophic loss, while maintenance protects against protectable failure. 9. Explain why and when to conduct an insurance checkup when you own an aging home: why it’s important to carefully review and update roof endorsements, deductibles, replacement cost options, coverage after renovations, and understand exclusions before making a claim.  

I’m seeking to interview personal finance experts, insurance industry experts, finance/economics professors, and other experts for the following story: QUESTIONS: 1. Define and explain what a “gig worker” is, how it’s similar to or different from freelancers/independent contractors, and different types of gig workers nowadays (e.g., app-based driving gigs, non-driving contract work, etc.). 2. Explain why gig companies that hire gig workers typically don’t provide full car or health insurance. Also, where does platform coverage begin and end for gig workers? And what are “coverage phases”? 3. Explain auto insurance requirements and options for gig workers. Define each of the following and explain when they are needed and the rules/requirements for each: a. personal auto policies b. rideshare endorsements c. hybrid policies d. commercial policies e. any others? 4. Please clarify insurance misconceptions around “the app being on” 5. Explain current carrier offerings for gig driver coverage (endorsements versus bundle policies) 6. Explain coverage differences between rideshare versus delivery drivers 7. Explain what gig drivers often get wrong most often about car insurance (e.g., Uber will cover me all of the time, food delivery is the same as ridesharing, my insurer doesn’t need to know , etc.), and how these misconceptions can lead to real world consequences (e.g., denied claims, policy nonrenewals, etc) 8. Explain why it’s important and necessary to inform your insurance company during the underwriting process (or later if updated) if you are using your car for gig work; explain underwriting versus claims impact, and provide examples of when disclosure matters most. 9. Explain other types of coverage for gig workers to know about, including: a. Driving-related protections – who needs this and why? b. Income protection (e.g., general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, workers compensation insurance, temporary incapacity coverage, etc.) – who needs this and why? c. Health-related insurance – who needs this and why? 10. Explain why insurers treat rideshare vs delivery coverage differently, and what the rules are here. 11. What crucial questions should drivers ask to choose the right insurance coverage (e..g, how often do I drive, what type of deliveries do I make, do I drive one vehicle or multiple, etc.)?  

Hello. I’m a freelance writer with The Zebra. I’m seeking to interview personal finance experts, insurance industry experts, finance/economics professors, and other experts. This article will explore what financial wellness means for everyday people, risks to financial wellness, how car, home, and renters insurance supports financial wellness, and more. I can only accept full-sentence written responses (which I can use as quotes) for this article. My deadline for written answers to these questions is noon Central, Thursday, January 15, 2026. QUESTIONS: 1. Please define and explain what “financial wellness” means to consumers, and why it’s important to take stock of your financial wellness regularly – especially with the turn of a new calendar year. 2. What are some significant risks to financial wellness that can destabilize households (e.g., damage to your home, car accidents, theft, liability claims, etc.)? Why and to what extent can consumer debt escalate after unexpected expenses like these? 3. Please explain how having sufficient insurance coverage can support financial wellness, and why it makes sense to have sufficient insurance protection overall. 4. Explain how and why having sufficient auto insurance is a must (even required by law), how liability coverage protects future income and assets, how deductible amounts affect emergency cash needs, and when minimum coverage may not be enough. What minimum coverage levels and deductible amounts do you recommend for most drivers and why? 5. Explain how and why having sufficient (a) home insurance or (b) renters insurance (answer for both separately) is smart, what these policies protect (in particular), how to choose the right deductible and coverage amounts, and the minimum coverage levels and deductible amounts you recommend for most homeowners or renters and why. 6. Why is it important and strongly recommended to perform an insurance checkup as part of your financial wellness plan? How often should this be done (reevaluating your coverage levels/policies) and why? 7. Overall, what does insurance-related financial wellness look like in practice (e.g., knowing what your insurance covers and doesn’t, having deductibles you can afford, avoiding coverage gaps that lead to debt, treating insurance is protection and not paperwork, etc.)? 8. How should readers best get started with choosing or changing their insurance coverages so that they better ensure financial wellness? What are your tips here?