The yearly rate Ohioans paid for homeowners insurance rose $6 between 2006 and 2007 to $548, ranking the state sixth-lowest for such premiums, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said.

A financial review may not be at the top of everyone’s New Year resolution list. But as homeowners start 2010, they should add “insurance policy checkup” to their to-do list.

In today’s sagging real estate market — where homes often remain unsold for months on end — sellers sometimes have no choice but to move and leave their properties vacant for a time.