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Mark Nash is a real estate author, broker and syndicated columnist based in Chicago. The author of five books, his latest Real Estate A-Z for Buying & Selling a Home is available in December 2006. The Library of Congress has invited Mark to Washington, D.C. to present his fourth book 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home on March 21, 2007. He contributes residential real estate analysis to Bloomberg TV, Business Week, CBS ... [More]

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[Book-Reviews:Music] Rick Davis' new book contains a wealth of information for those looking to break into the music business. Mr. Davis is the master of press, public relations and music marketing. Long respected in the industry for finding airplay for independent and label artists, he cuts to the chase in his new A-Z book on going from zero to star. If you're looking to by-pass American Idol, this definitive new book is your road map. Not being in the music business myself, I found the book an easy read, chock full of sure-fire ways to learn the basics and a whole lot more.

Happy About Apartment Management
[Book-Reviews:Business] If you're looking for a no-nonsense, nuts and bolts book on building and tenant management, pick up a copy of Happy About Apartment Management. Written by an ensemble of experienced managers, the just-the-facts-please content is a quick study in the areas and technologies a new or experienced owner should keep their eyes on. While the book is filled with quick-tips and advice to keep your eye on the prize; the business of managing a building is the common thread. If you're looking to profit from apartment building ownership, this should be required reading.

Retire Rich With Your Self-Directed IRA By Nora Peterson
[Book-Reviews:Non-Fiction] Ms. Peterson's new book offers those frustrated with financial planners perspective of churning their IRA accounts to generate fees for themselves instead of truly exploring options to grow their clients financial base in a IRA. Going on your own in investments can be seen as risky by new investors, but the author lays out the principles to be successful in a variety of investments that many lay-people aren't aware of. rolled into this definitive book is the foundation of starting your own business to manage a menu of investments. A foreword by Christopher F. Meshginpoosh, C.P.A. lays out the benefits for readers to start their own self-directed IRA.

Prefabulous -The House of Your Dreams Delivered Fresh from the Factory, By Sheri Koones
[Book-Reviews:Business] Sheri Koones latest book Prefabulous follows on the heels of her three previous shelter books, all considered home runs by those who are in the residential housing industry. Prefabricated homes of today offer features and benefits that place them on equal footing with stick or site built homes. Koones in her thorough and leave no stone unturned style, explores the options in rich from-the-trenches writing detail, coupled with relative photography.

Untold Secrets - How the Real Estate Market Really Works By Kerry D. Bodily
[Book-Reviews:Business] Untold Secrets: How the Real Estate Market Really Works is Mr. Bodily's companion book to his software system that prices and values all forms of real estate. His value model features utilizing today's competition versus the existing model of using yesterday's sold comparable properties. Written in an easy-to-understand style, lay people outside the industry can gleam important strategies to implement when purchasing or selling a home. The author's trio of chapters on wearing a buyer's, seller's and agent's hat places the reader in all three modes, that often are down-played by tunnel vision real estate transaction participants, are especially relevant.

Your Successful Career as a Mortgage Broker By David Reed
[Book-Reviews:Business] David Reed's newest mortgage title; Your Successful Career as a Mortgage Broker rounds out a successful on-going mortgage banking career and his previous three mortgage-related books. Based in Austin, Texas, Mr. Reed writes mortgage columns for Realty Times and Mortgage Originator. For those considering a career as a mortgage broker, banker, processor, or underwriter, this book is chock-full of everything you need to know before taking the plunge into this exciting field of work.

Beyond Buzz - The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing By Lois Kelly
[Book-Reviews:Business] Lois Kelly's first book Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing drills deep into how marketers must move beyond talking at their customers and align themselves in their lives, to make the relationship connection, and thus the resulting sales. Kelly has an impressive resume that includes time at Harvard and has contributed articles to Advertising Age, Brand Week, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal. Ms. Kelly understands the need to listen closely to consumers to find out as much about what turns them off and what turns them on, to drive sales. The bad news consumers share with service providers and manufacturer's in surveys or in discontinuing use, might not be what corporations want to hear, but Kelly's viewpoint has interested clients such as Dunkin' Donuts and Sun Microsystems.

Visualizing Density By Julie Campoli and Alex S. MacLean
[Book-Reviews:Maps-Guides] Planner and designers must make room in their reference library for this engaging new book that explores land density in the United States. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a think tank, in conjunction with the authors, Julie Campoli whose focus is landscape change, sprawl, and density and Alex MacLean, an aerial photographer, have produced an authoritative book for both professionals and the layperson. Green building and design is more than a trend and this in-depth book outlines the current density problem and as well as offers solutions to uninspired sprawl and urban housing concentrations that strain infrastructure and residents.

Celebrity Homestyles - Candice Bergen
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Emmy award winning actress Candice Bergen easily transplanted her West Coast casualness into a home she shares with husband Marshall Rose in East Hampton. Transporting her easy interior design look into this handsome shingle-style home sited on lush ample grounds took some adaptation from both the architect and Mr. Rose who had a long history with the home. When Bergen came into Rose's life, the bones of their country home were stark and the living spaces were divided into a formal plan. With help from a noted urban interior designer, Bergen accomplished her goal of lightening, harmonizing and relaxing, what is still a "statement house."

Celebrity Homestyles - Helen Mirren
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Their shotgun-style house in New Orleans' lower French Quarter is as polar opposite as Helen Mirren's palace digs in her Academy Award winning role portraying Queen Elizabeth ll in the 2006 blockbuster hit; "Queen". Mirren shares her home here with husband Taylor Hackford, director of many successful films. Unassuming from the street, the intimate side courtyard draws you into the open living, dining and kitchen space. One with high ceilings to marginalizes the steamy heat, broad, luxurious moldings and period antiques that say "stay and let's catch up with all that's new."

2007 Inverts Some Home Sellers Into Landlords
[Real-Estate:Selling] For many real estate opportunity seekers of 2006, the reality of a quick-flip at market-high prices is beyond a glimmer of hope. With mounting negative cash flow from holding an over-priced property for months on end, the hold and wait recipe has now transitioned to renting until the market bounces back to pre-2006 price levels. Applying a tourniquet to cash wounds is number one for home sellers who thought the market would return for over-priced properties with the spring market in 2007.

Dog Parks Emerging "Must Have" For Pet Loving Home Buyers
[Pets:Dogs] Home buyers across the country are adding in rising numbers a walk-to dog park to their new home search parameters. I first reported this trend in my annual survey- " What's In, What's Out with Homebuyers in 2006". Many first-time and repeat home buyers in suburban and urban communities want to include a nearby dog park as a day-to-day way to integrate their favored pooch into their next hood.

Invisible Home Buyers Impacting Housing Markets and Trends
[Real-Estate:Buying] One story not portrayed in residential real estate market reports are the growing ranks of home buyers who can't afford to purchase a home, even if they wanted to. I predicted in mid-2004 that these invisible first-time buyers, whose presence is not reported in housing statistics could have a slowing effect on future home sales, at all levels.

What Every Homeowner Should Know About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
[Real-Estate] Known in medical circles as the silent killer, because the gas carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Almost five hundred residents of the United States are killed from carbon monoxide poisoning. Many deaths and hospital visits could be eliminated if households knew what to or what not to do in their homes.

Sub-Prime Mortgages Shaking Out In 2007
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] All the rage in the real estate boom years, sub-prime mortgages could get any potential home buyer into a home, despite weak employment or credit history. No-money-down, interest-only and marginal credit-worthiness were the hallmarks of sub-prime mortgages. Add to the menu, option adjustable rate mortgages which feature negative amortization, no wonder defaults on these risky loans by borrowers are on the up tick. Mortgage underwriters are now growing leery of marginal borrowers with home price appreciation stagnating and weakening credit worthiness of borrowers.

Reverse Mortgage Proceeds Can Play Havoc With Medicaid Eligibility
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] Seniors looking for a way to boost income often consider reverse mortgages. Before you make the leap into this attractive way to tap your homes equity, you should understand fully some of the pluses and minus' for this newer loan option. Reverse mortgages tap a homeowner's equity in their primary residence either through monthly payments, one-time payouts or as a line of credit. But, beware of lenders who rush you into the loan, without providing thorough counseling.

Quality Construction Counts In Condo Purchase And Resale
[Real-Estate:Building-a-Home] The new-construction boom has crated thousands of new condominiums. Some are well built and some utilize questionable building techniques. Before you sign a real estate purchase contract, be aware of some beyond the surface construction flaws that should make you run not walk from the development.

Common Home Sale Negotiating Baits And Switch Tactics
[Real-Estate:Buying] Buyers and sellers do a dance sometimes in negotiating a contract. But, both sides should be prepared for curve balls from an invisible third party or a nice-as-pie-but-inflexible principal. You can overcome these price and term bait and switches if you know how to respond to these no so obvious wheeler-dealers. The main tactic they use is to get you baited first, once significantly involved, they attempt to adjust terms in their favor.

Design Secrets For Creating A Must-Have Living Room
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Before you purchase anything for a living room re-do, consider some design basics as you formulate your look. These simple but time-tested tips work in contemporary or transitional settings. As a real estate broker and a syndicated columnist on décor for luxury home markets in Naples, Florida and Westchester County, New York, I’ve seen few décor home runs and many decorating disasters. My first piece of advice is to slow down your project, and consider some design basics that can help your new living room say, wow!

Are You And Your Pet Prepared For A Disaster?
[Pets] Devoted pet owners in Katrina placed themselves in harms way when they realized they had no plan for their cat or dog in a life-threatening storm. Pro-active pet lovers escaped with their beloved pet and in some situations, thinking saved not just their life, but also Fido or Mickey.

"Caving" And "My Spaces" Emerging Trend At Home
[Real-Estate] Partnered couples of all demographics are getting away from it all at home, in private dedicated personal spaces. Man and mom caves, my space, chill rooms, do-not-disturb getaways, and time-out hideaways are what these emerging places are called by devotees. It appears that after a couple of years deferring to the other half, some people need a place where they can go alone, close the door, not be bothered and return again and again to their unchanged, un-negotiated environment.

Home Buyer Sweeteners Offer Givebacks But Cloud Values
[Real-Estate:Selling] In 2006 with many residential real estate markets in the doldrums, real estate agents and home sellers decided giving buyers; flat-screen televisions, tropical vacations, automobiles both new and used, closing costs and a myriad of other freebies would perk up buyers interest in a competitive marketplace.

Price Not Media Primary Driver Of Home Buyers Late 2006 Study Reports
[Real-Estate] The residential real estate industry of late, has not been pleased with all the bubble headlines. They feel that the doom and gloom have influenced home buying decisions in the negative. But, a recent study conducted for The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) paints a different portrait of what drives or parks home buyers in today’s marketplace.

Residential Real Estate Economics 101
[Real-Estate] Boom, bust or treading water, shout the headlines. Buyers and sellers sit on the sidelines, attempting to figure out if it’s time to buy or to take profits. Has there really been a bust, or merely a slowdown? No, but we are seeing a return to the pre-frenzy days where buyers and sellers viewed residential real estate as housing and not a get-rich-quick investment. And, let’s clear up one parallel that seems ever-present, the bubble. The real estate bubble talk was filled with hype comparing the red-hot housing market with the tech stock market boom and bust at the millennium.

Snoring Rooms Offer Alternative To The Couch
[Home-Improvement] Those who snore and their sleep-deprived partners make up a significant part of the U.S. population. No matter who retreats from the relationship bed, the often-utilized alternative is the family or living room sofa. Or, refusing the alternative, and twisting and turning all night with the "buzz saw" can strain a relationship, not to mention the deep circles sleepless nights create. A solution and trend in homes is to have an adjacent space to the master bedroom serve as a "snoring room". And surprisingly enough, the "buzz saw" is often the one delegated to the snoring room.

Understanding Allowances-Standard Features And Upgrades In Construction Contracts
[Real-Estate:Building-a-Home] Beware of allowances and pricey upgrades when looking at specifications by architects, designers and contractors when remodeling or considering a new construction home. Standard features and specifications should be included any construction contract. If you’re considering a mid-priced home or remodel, mid-priced appliances, cabinets, flooring, lighting, plumbing, and windows should be standard, not an upgrade or an allowance.

Replacing Not Remodeling Leads Resale Returns
[Home-Improvement:Remodeling] Makeover programs on television might be the rage, but a 2006 study by Remodeling Magazine and excerpted by The National Association of Realtors states that of the top ten home improvement projects researched, on cost recouped at resale, seven are replacement projects. Replacing faded or damaged siding, and upgrading to energy efficient vinyl or wood windows led the resale return list with vinyl siding returning on average nationally 87.2 % and wood windows returning 85.3%. In some markets such as California, returns were as high as 102.2% for windows and 101.8 % for fiber cement siding.

Total Monthly Costs Overview For New Homebuyers
[Real-Estate:Buying] It’s easy for new homebuyers to get caught up in the basic costs and perceived affordability of purchasing their first home. But, beyond the mortgage payment, to avoid budget shocks later, it’s best to discover all the costs of home ownership. Costs will vary depending on the type of home (condo or single-family), location (urban, suburban or rural) and the type of mortgage loan you receive.

Today's Buyer And Seller Leads Merit More Than 60-Day Kick-Out Clause
[Real-Estate] The transitioning market has been difficult for many real estate agents, add the annual third-quarter slowing, and it's time to rethink how you approach post-boom home buyer and seller leads. The first item you need to re-invent is how you handle and market to leads that you used to give sixty days to and then optioned your kick-out clause, much like home-sale kick-out contingencies in real estate contracts. Consumers today are looking for an agent that has more on their mind than the clients commission check in the bank in the next couple of months.

2006 Third-Quarter Housing Numbers Not Headlines Portray Reality
[Real-Estate] Bubble this, dramatic decline that, and housing bust to boot. If you relied on headlines in 2006 to make residential real estate decisions, you were misled. The statistics tell the real story, yes, not a pretty one in all markets. Stripping away the hype will give you an accurate picture of what did and didn't happen. The National Association of Realtors released their numbers for the third quarter of 2006. Like it or not, the association's numbers are viewed by national economists and the federal government as reliable.

Flood Insurance Benefits Outweigh Costs
[Insurance] Thousands of under-insured homeowners in the path of Hurricane Katrina learned first-hand the financial devastation of flooding. Every home in the United States has a one in four chance of experiencing some type of flood damage every three decades according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With the increase in global warming, more intense storms with their severe flooding will alter the financial future of those with no or minimal insurance for rising waters.

Home Sellers Perspective Key To Housing Market Rebound
[Real-Estate:Selling] Sellers don't rule in 2007, and neither do buyers. It's that simple and if you're planning to sell your home in this new and vastly different market from the glory years you should be prepared with this mantra: reality. Buyers are very realistic and have more options than ever to find a home seller who offers them something that many others still refuse to put into their home sale vocabulary.

One-Third Of Condos Purchased By Single Women
[Real-Estate:Buying] Who knew that single women are gaining important strength in home purchase decisions? One is The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and the other is a Fannie Mae study from 2003. Fannie Mae projects that by 2010 thirty-one million households in the United States will be headed by women. That’s an impressive number, one not lost on businesses like home improvement, furniture and other nesting-oriented corporations.

Bricks and Sticks: Firewood Facts
[Real-Estate:Building-a-Home] If you're ready to graduate from picking up the expensive per-use bundles of firewood from the local convenience store and have a load of firewood delivered, keep in mind some tips on purchasing firewood in bulk. Firewood comes in two versions, soft or hardwood. The most common hardwoods for burning are elm, hickory, maple and oak. Popular softwoods available are pine and popular. Hardwood is a more efficient heat source and burns at a slower rate than softwoods.

Private Mortgage Insurance Deductibility Rules Murky
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] Recent legislation signed into law allowing some tax deductions on Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) premiums by homebuyers is filled with more questions than answers as of this writing. As with any tax questions, seek out an experienced tax professional. Many in the mortgage industry were caught off guard by this new tax law. Depending on many variables in the legislation, do not take for granted any advice on deductibility from those who do not have a thorough understanding of the short and long term implications of this legislation.

Top Tips for Buying a Luxury Home
[Real-Estate:Buying] Not all homebuyers are created equal. Luxury homebuyers are educated in the process of purchasing a second or third home, but not necessarily in the nuances of a second-home market. Today in 2007 with the myraid of details and new developments in the purchase transaction process, you should be aware of some suprises and how to address them.

Real Estate Consumers Have Changed, Have You?
[Real-Estate] The only constant is change, it's a saying that has been around a long time and it's never been truer than today in the residential real estate business. With over 75% of home buyers starting their home search on the Internet in 2005, up dramatically from 25% in 2003, consumers are changing faster than some real estate agents. Don't allow yourself be one of those left behind from all the change. Keep in mind that the "new age" real estate consumers believe it's about them, not you.

I've Heard it All and So Should You, Confessions of a Real Estate Columnist by Edith Lank
[Book-Reviews:Business] Edith Lank's new book "I've Heard it All and So Should You" is based on years of seasoned advice to real estate agents and consumers across the United States based on her nationally syndicated column. Her column zooms in on the pleasures, pitfalls or perils involved in the purchase or sales of residential housing. Lank's personal style contributes to the no-holds-barred questions from those involved in or contemplating a real estate transaction. Sifting and focusing her readers in a process that features a myriad of details, emotions and legal issues, but with a perspective that calms and orients. This timless new book is a handy reference guide for real estate agents of any length resume and home buyers or sellers.

Top Mistakes of Home Buyers and Sellers in 2006.
[Real-Estate] 2006 was an unusal year for residential real estate. The much over-hyped real estate bubble didn't pop. But, home buyers and sellers did a slow dance to determine who was going to be driving the bus. Seller's continued to be stuck in the previous mold of "we rule". Buyers on the other hand saw loads of inventory and rising market times, both signals that they had more clout than ever before. Here are the top mistakes both sides made in 2006.

What's In - What's Out with Homebuyers in 2007
[Real-Estate] What's In, What's Out with Homebuyers in 2007 by Mark Nash is based on a survey of 923 real estate agents, managing brokers and association executives who responded to a survey request in Agent to Agent ezine, published by Mark Nash. Agent to Agent is distributed monthly to real estate professionals in all fifty states and Canada.

Decorating Do's and Don'ts for Home Sellers in 2007
[Real-Estate:Selling] Home sellers contemplating placing there home on the market in the next year and want to prepare, should consider what trends home buyers are saying yes too. This tips are based on a survey of 923 real estate agents, managing brokers and association executives who responded to a survey request in Agent to Agent ezine. Agent to Agent is distributed monthly to real estate professionals in all fifty states and Canada. This article is a no-cost run-at-will with permission from the author. Contact Mark if you would like additional quotes for your article.

Bricks & Sticks:Interior Lighting
[Real-Estate:Building-a-Home] Lighting can make or break a home or a room. Designers use lighting to add drama to a space, provide for work surfaces, highlight style features or combine lighting with fixtures such as a chandelier to make a glimmering statement. Understanding how to use lighting effectively can increase the curb appeal, resale value and the marketability of a home.

Bricks & Sticks: Ceiling Options
[Real-Estate:Building-a-Home] Real estate ads and builders brochures often contain ceiling descriptions other than the standard eight-foot flat types that are found in many homes today. Understanding the options you have, especially when building a new home can create a unique space for your family to enjoy.

Bricks & Sticks: Staircases
[Real-Estate:Building-a-Home] Staircases offer style as well as functional appeal to a home. Many home owners and buyers don't always understand staircase options available. Knowing the parts of a staircase, configurations and basic code requirements can help you find the best staircase for your remodeling or new-construction project.

Celebrity HomeStyles: Giorgio Armani
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] World famous designer Giorgio Armani escapes the hustle and bustle of the epicenter of fashion to his Caribbean sun-palace on Antigua. Perched on a rocky hillside, the cluster of buildings consist of a main home and numerous villas for guests. Adopting the architectural footprint from previous owners, Armani tweaked and embellished it in his low-key palette of deep browns, taupe's, and light natural colors. With painting-perfect views of the most beautiful sun-drenched waters in the world, he wanted to create a soothing backdrop inside for the drop-dead world seen through expansive porches and terraces outside. Classic but sleek wide-slatted black shutters control the sun and filter light inside gracious contemporary rooms with wood peaked and planked ceilings. Parsons style tables, minimal but statement accessories, and bleached muslin paired with gray linen fabrics say cool in more ways than one.

Savvy Home Buying Tactics; Financing Exposed from the Inside by Thomas L. Dussault.
[Book-Reviews:Business] First time or move-up home buyers and investors will find Thomas Dussault's new book a timely, worth while resource when considering the right mortgage option. The author brings a hefty twenty-five years of financial and investment management experience to the reader, but his writing style reflects a long history of boiling down mortgages to the average home buyer. Important information is bolded and chapters include several short essays on related topics, boxed tips, tables, related resources and a summary. The summaries might portray a textbook, but when you're new to very specific and new information, making sure you have the right take-away will save you time and money when managing your mortgage experience.

Negotiating a Real Estate Contract
[Real-Estate] Negotiating the purchase or sale of a home can be fraught with struggles, ill-will and nastiness. coming the three deal-killers is easy if you remember one thing. Keep your emotions out of real estate contract negotiations. It will reward you handsomely. Plus, if you exit successfully from a ugly negotiation you still have to endure several weeks or months with the other side. On top of that, you might need to go back to the buyer and seller and ask for a closing date extension or inspection repairs. If wear out the other side early, they'll be much more unlikely to agree to anything you ask for simply because they don't like you or your attitude.

Celebrity HomeStyles: Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Princess Marie-Chantal's title might communicate a life of leisure and tradition. Make no mistake, this is not your ordinary modern princess. With four young children plus a successful clothing line, she went looking for a new home with husband Prince Pavlos of Greece. The new home search also included a Trans-Atlantic move to England following a stint in New York. Possessing a fresh new-century maturity, this cutting edge business woman and mother wanted a refuge from their whirlwind life when she finally arrived home from abroad or the office.

2007 Residential Real Estate Forecast
[Real-Estate] In many ways 2006 was the non-year for real estate. Many markets waited for spring market which was disappointing. Markets then believed buyers would re-group in summer,and buyers were a no-show. Fall and last market hopes were dashed when fall came and went, with plenty of traffic at open houses, but few contracts.

Covenants, Easements, Eminent Domain and Restrictions in Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Owning property and its legislated bundle of legal rights can become complex when you aren't aware when your rights are being violated. Once a property survey is done, it might include easements and encroachments which might affect the value of your property. Or, if you're purchasing a home in a Homeowners Association (HOA), you will be presented with the covenants and restrictions, and most deeds carry covenants on animals and other non-residential uses, make sure you read them carefully. Eminent domain has been a hot topic in 2006, as the Federal Courts have ruled in a new direction that has wide implications for homeowners across the nation.

Real Estate Transfer Taxes Overlooked Sale or Purchase Expense
[Real-Estate] A real estate transfer tax is a one-time tax paid at the closing of a property, and is considered a stream of revenue for state budgets. This transfer tax though, once collected is not generally used for housing-related purposes. The tax is based on the value of a property as agreed to by the parties in a real estate contract.

Celebrity Homestyles: Sofia Coppola
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Screenwriter and director Sofia Coppola has deep Hollywood roots, but forget the glam when it comes to this sensible nester who calls home a Manhattan loft complete with a newly-arrived baby. Basic art-gallery-white walls highlight a long passion for black and white photographs, line and oil artwork, complemented by mid-century European furniture. Fresh flowers have a everyday place in her home, much like everyday homes in Europe

Celebrity Homestyles: Hannah Storm
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Hannah Storm is one of the warm, contemporary, personable faces that comes into our home every weekday morning on CBS' The Early Show. Ms. Storm's home offers her a relaxing environment that is filled with a transitional style, interior design wise. Transitional is the blending of contemporary and traditional decor in her vintage clapboard Connecticut home, filled with avant-garde art work and furniture from pre-war Europe. The real focus in her home though, is her need for functional style based on being a busy mother of three, partner to sportscaster Dan Hicks, and up-at-the-crack-of-dawn coanchor.

Top Tips for Home Buyers and Sellers During the Holidays in 2006
[Real-Estate] Searching for or selling a home in November or December can be stressful in addition to the built-in holiday frenzy. Simple tips for buyers and sellers can minimize stress and possibly facilitate a sale.

5 Minutes to Maximizing Real Estate Technology, A Desk Reference for Top-Selling Agents by John D.
[Book-Reviews:Business] John Mayfield's latest title in his "5 minutes to" real estate agent-broker series is technology. Offering both new and experienced practitioners a functional overview of how technology and real estate consumers have merged to create a new and required skill-set for those looking to grow in the marketplace. Mayfield, a proficient techie, pens articles's for the Hewlett Packard's Web site. An added bonus is a ROM that offers sample information from the text version, to illustrate in a technology format, how top producing agents have embraced their clients call for them to be pro-active in blog-sphere, podasts, e-mail, virtual tours and computers.

FAQ #3 from Media - Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Real estate bubble talk seems to be the most prevalent question I'm asked by the national media, be it print, online, or TV. The problem is that the market national real estate is comprised of thousands of micro-markets and making a sweeping generalization about the status of residential real estate in the United States doesn't serve anyone. After all would these journalists want their own home price deflated based on some broad market hype? I don't think so. Here are some common questions with my response.

Drum Beat Of Realty Downturn Off Key
[Real-Estate] One thing is for sure, real estate bubble headlines sell newspapers, not houses. Bubble this and bubble that, is your market one of the top over-priced ones? Comparisons to the dot-com crash, what's a home buyer to think? Exactly that, think, research and make educated decisions. Here is a reality check for those considering a home purchase.

New Semester Perfect Time for College Students to Adopt New Personal Finance Attitude
[Finance:Personal-Finance] The beginning of a new year at college is filled with expectations of cool courses, new friends, catching up with old ones, and something that that never seems to change for freshman or seniors alike; a limited cash flow. How to successfully oversee your student loans, credit cards and cash-on-hand can ease some stress and allow you to concentrate more on acing your courses.

Biophilic Design Shy Relation of Green Building
[Real-Estate:Green-Real-Estate] Green building is more than just a trend. An often overlooked part of Green building is what is called Biophilic design. The goal of this sub-genre is to bring the outdoors into interior living spaces, either residential or commercial. The introduction and interaction with natural elements for aesthetic and health purposes is beginning to receive wider acceptance as indoor air pollution becomes a growing concern for urban dwellers and suburban ones who live in air-tight energy efficient homes.

Transitioning Condo Associations from Developer to Owner Controlled
[Real-Estate:Condominiums] Purchasing a new construction home in a homeowners association can be time-consuming to manage just within your own four walls. But, take the time to learn and understand what your developer should and should not be doing during the crucial homeowners association turnover period. "Turnover is a process, not an event and it can take a few months or many years" stated Shirley Feldmann, founder of Association Advocates, Inc., which specializes in consultation and project management services for homeowner associations. A unique service they offer is in critical step of when a developer turns the association over to the homeowners and their management team, either professional or self-managed.

The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson. The Pretty Boys & Dirty Deals of Henry Willson - By Robert Hofler.
[Book-Reviews] A recent paperback edition of the hardcover edition (2005) penned by someone who is in the know, Variety reporter Robert Hofler unlocks a gay closet door shut tighter than the 1960's television show Get Smart's famous series of vaulted ones. Hollywood manager and agent Henry Willson operated an Adonis mill in the 50's and 60's that fed his business and personal agendas, including his taste for beautiful men, access, and power. He preyed on no-name men who would exchange anything for success in movies and television. Willson's keen eye for stars-to-be was legendary, but the downside included a controlling personality that willingly sacrificed Tab Hunter and others to Confidential Magazine exposes in order to protect his main event, Rock Hudson. He demanded a rigid gay closet etiquette of his stable of gay-identified actors, one that could have possibly contributed to the messy lives of those he touched, in more ways than one.

Elizabeth: By J. Randy Taraborrelli
[Book-Reviews:Non-Fiction] A once-in-a-lifetime epic book on the epic person, Elizabeth Taylor. This reviewer is of a certain age to remember the drama of the 1960's movie stars, jet setters and celebrities. Only one power couple then as well as today could overshadow Jackie and Ari and that was Liz and Dick. Mr. Taraborrelli in one of many fresh pieces of information in his latest dynastic (the Kennedy women, Princess Grace et al.) biography reminds us that anyone who has a intimate relationship with Ms. Taylor calls her only Elizabeth, never Liz. Truly one of the last studio movie stars, whose enduring legacy has been incessantly reported and tinged with high highs and low lows, is brought to a human connection through her ongoing tireless philanthropy for AIDS in what is a definitive and highly researched book by one of the best page-turner biographers today.

The Year of Magical Thinking - By Joan Didion
[Book-Reviews] In an exceptional writing style Joan Didion articulates the experience of losing a love-mate, one of the largest losses in life. And at the same time accounts the health crisis her daughter was experiencing. Painful, real, alive, and magical without being syrupy, make this book one of the authors best gifts to the human experience. Readers needing a quick dose of how-can-I-get-through-another-day of grieving or life should read this book. Didion's breakout recounting of her own experience of death, families, and relationships won the National Book Award.

The Importance of Being Barbra by Tom Santopietro
[Book-Reviews] Can anything be still unsaid about Ms. Streisand? You bet and Tom Santopietro looks at the great savvy artist and business person in a new way, by breaking down her entertainment and non-personal life into ingredients of a recipe that consist of movies, recordings, television and theater stardom, philanthropy and politics that create the outcome of a one-of-kind person known to many as only Barbra, and way before another diva named Madonna came across our lips. Even if you've never been a follower, this book will make you appreciate the eclipse of a rare multi-dimensional human that can move Presidents and audiences alike.

Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart and Her Amazing Life - By Lloyd Allen
[Book-Reviews] There are two sides to every media story, and Martha Stewart's friend Lloyd Allen tells the inside story of Ms. Stewart in a sharp contrast to the supposed reality offered by the tabloids. A clear-cut reflection of her history by family, friends and business associates makes it the best "about Martha" books available. Being a perfectionist as Stewart confesses she is, is not easy, but admission is half the battle of conquering a personality trait, albeit one that really isn't so bad considering the alternatives. Being derided and set up for years as the over-achieving woman, this book sets the public straight on one of our cultures truly remarkable business successes and an icon to millions who never stopped believing in her inexhaustible contribution to making the American home a better refuge for all of us.

The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and Mississippi Gulf Coast- By Douglas Brinkley
[Book-Reviews:Non-Fiction] One year after Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast, Douglas Brinkley pens a thorough no-holds-barred accounting of the story behind the headlines and sound bites. Anyone from first-responders to everyday citizens can learn from the multitude of mistakes and indecision in one of the centuries largest natural disasters that grew exponentially from human error. If you thought the visual images of corpses floating in flood waters in New Orleans was graphic, this book drills so deep into the indifference to human suffering, you pray for those lost, praise the Coast Guard and loose faith in some of our fellow Americans.

Real Estate Brokerage: A Guide to Success, By Dan Hamilton
[Book-Reviews] Owning a business of your own is the American dream. Real estate agents or those considering opening their own residential real estate brokerage should read Dan Hamilton's new soup-to-nuts book on establishing a successful brokerage.

Book Review: Refi-Bust: Mortgage Brokers Gone Wild! by David Lawrence
[Book-Reviews:Business] Many mortgage lenders and bankers are upstanding professionals, some though like any business are not. Finding your way to the right one is explained by short-hand in a new book by David Lawrence. Peeling back the facade of an industry in the fore-front of the real estate boom, a no-holds-barred perspective brings to light the growing mortgage refinancing hangover.

What To Do (Or Not To Do) as a Guest at Real Estate Client Events
[Real-Estate:Buying] Home buyers and sellers that we have a special connection with like to invite us to their housewarmings, baby showers, graduations, dinner parties, wedding, golf outings and sometimes even an event related to their business. I'm always honored to be invited, but first impressions in social situations can endear you deeper to them or undo all the effort you've made to capture the client. And with some events a social in nature, it's easy to cross some lines, but tread carefully before you do. Here are some hints to make your foray into the personal lives of your clients a positive one.

Real Estate Client Holiday Gifts Reinvented
[Real-Estate:Selling] Six years ago, with the Internet slowly creeping into our lives (and our business) I sensed change was in the air, as far as my clients annual holiday gifts were concerned. So I conducted a not so scientific study by sending out a postage-paid questionnaire to active and closed clients asking for their input about what they would like to receive from me as my year-end gift.

Realty Agents and Clients:Fine Line of Personal Familiarity
[Real-Estate] Working with home buyers and sellers in the sale or purchase of their home, falls on the personal side of their life. But maintaining a professional perspective on all the information that we know about the private side of their lives, can make it difficult when working with them or after you have closed a transaction, on how to respond to direct or indirect information concerning them. What to do, especially when some clients are referred by other clients of yours who might have a more intimate or familiar relationship with them and information comes to you second-hand related to important life changes about your clients.

Dress Etiquette: What to Wear
[Shopping-and-Product-Reviews:Fashion-Style] People like to dress appropriately for an event, be it a dinner out with friends or an important wedding. But host and hostesses should be clear when issuing invitations what the desired dress is. I've received many ambiguous related invitations over the years and wanted to help others dicipher the vague dress-requests they might receive.

Real Estate Agents: Dress for Success
[Real-Estate:Selling] It's important now more than ever for real estate agents to take the time to send the right impression when meeting home buyers or sellers. A slowing market means you're up against strong competition from other agents. Knowing what to wear can turn a first impression into a closed client. Here are some fashion dos and don'ts.

Agent Marketing Minute: Let a Brag Book Tell Your Story
[Real-Estate:Marketing] In today's competitive real estate marketplace, I still amazed at how few agents know how to communicate their real estate business story to a home buyer and seller. First impressions count, and you need to be prepared verbally and visually to tell your story and why the consumer should use you and not the competition. Soon after I started in the business I developed for lack of a better name, my brag book, that take on all listing appointments and first meetings with buyers.

Agent Marketing Minute: The Traditional Press Release is Dead
[Writing-and-Speaking:Writing-Articles] Like it or not the traditional press release is dead. Write short articles (300-600 words) about your specialty and email or fax to local journalists. Include a short bio about yourself at the end. Position yourself as a source for real estate related articles and television news segments. Find new and different angles on current headlines, journalists at times get brain dead too. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices going.

Agent Marketing Minute: Marketing is not Advertising
[Real-Estate:Marketing] Real estate agents wear many hats including one for marketing, advertising , merchandising, and publicity hat. Many agents think these are all one and the same. To be effective you need to know the difference and use all four to reach target real estate markets. Let's explore what each is and a brief example.

Agent Marketing Minute: Email Signatures
[Real-Estate:Marketing] Maximize your signature. Add a timely or seasonal message to your signature. Time to spring ahead, change your clocks on April 10th, Be extra alert it's back to school. Add a testimonial from a client, Thank-you for all your help in the purchase of our new house, your experience and patience was invaluable. The Smiths, 123 Main Street, Anytown USA. Congratulate local sports teams on winning, go Wildcats on another winning the championship! Promote an upcoming non-profit benefit, Breast cancer walk on October 1st, if you want to donate or walk, contact me.

Agent Marketing Minute: Public Open Houses
[Real-Estate:Marketing] With rising inventories and anxious sellers demanding more and more open houses, you have to be creative. I've used with success a progressive open house that consists of at least five homes that are within walking distance of each other. Many agents might think banding together with the competition to draw more people is dangerous, but I look at it as completition.

Agent Marketing Minute: Email Auto Responders
[Internet-and-Businesses-Online:Autoresponders] Many email users think that the use of auto-responders are only to be used when you are out of town. With the speed of the Internet, many people expect a quick response when you are in town. Often you're not in front of your email or can't respond quickly because you're with a client or in a meeting. This is when you need to have your auto-respond turned on, and many savvy agents have it on 24/7, just in case a lead or query comes in via email. It's easy to compose a standard reply, think about what your message says on voice mail and incorporate similar ideas. Keep in mind that the Internet user wants assurances that you'll get back to them promptly.

Themes Can Add Zip to your Entertaining
[Home-and-Family:Entertaining] After entertaining at home for over thirty years, you get a little jaded by hosting and attending the standard dinner party. Oh course, if it's the right mix of people, you have nothing to worry about. But sometimes if you're mixing a group that you have never brought together before, a theme can set a tone, that takes the pressure off the guests and rests it on the shoulders of the Arabians, the French Masquerade, or the Toga clad. And who doesn't like to get dressed up and act out a bit? here are some ideas to get your creative juices moving.

Home Appeal for Today's Market
[Real-Estate] Sellers get today's market with pricing and longer market times, but understanding that the priced-right home needs to have an up-to-date appeal to home buyers can be a daunting next level. After years of hearing from successful sellers that they didn't have to do a thing, sellers need some rehabilitation to understand how they can stand out from their competition with rising inventories. Many sellers are open to a overhaul if the tips come from someone other than their agents mouth. Here is a handy list to help convince sellers that some features in their home might need some attention.

Celebrity HomeStyles: Meredith Vieira
[Real-Estate] Home-as-a-refuge will never be more important to Meredith Viera while she completes the transition from ensemble member on the popular The View to the stratosphere of day time television as co-host of The Today Show. Tucked away in the Hudson River Valley, far enough away from Manhattan to provide a oriented home for her husband and three children, is a Italian style home that says yields a comfortable elegance.

Questions and Answers from New Real Estate Agents
[Business:Careers-Employment] What a difference a year makes, especially in the real estate brokerage business. Everything was hot a year ago, but today we're back to a normal, read longer market times, market in most areas of the country. I spend time every week teaching new agents the day-to-day parts of the business and coach many other new and experienced agents. I have them fill out a survey about common take aways from the business. Here are some of the results, based on full-time agents with at least three closed transactions.

How to Lose 35 Pounds in Four Months
[Health-and-Fitness:Weight-Loss] Over the last couple of years, my weight started to creep up and up. Each year I had to buy new pants and belts as my waistline expanded. With my mid-century birthday approaching I thought I better get back to a more normal weight if I wanted to feel as good as I always had. Plus I love food and eating. For the record I'm six feet tall and now weigh one-hundred-ninety pounds.

The Art of Starting a Conversation
[Business:Networking] Meeting new people and feeling comfortable is a learned skill. I’ve found that the more people you meet the easier it becomes and you get better at asking interesting and occasionally provocative questions. And, you have to learn to be an active listener. No one likes someone who interrupts or is preoccupied with getting his or her point across. Conversations are not about winning or loosing, they’re based on learning about another person.

Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] Home buyers can be faced with paying Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI if they are putting less than a twenty-percent down payment on their new home. This monthly mortgage insurance remains in effect until the borrower has made principal payments to have twenty-percent equity or appreciation now vests them with at least twenty-percent equity. Some mortgage lenders now offer programs to eliminate PMI. These new programs offer borrowers a first mortgage for eight-percent, and a second mortgage for fifteen percent with a five percent down-payment. This loan is PMI-free.

Where The Under Valued Real Estate Markets Are
[Real-Estate] Real estate bargains? With all the talk about a bubble, come on. Yes, there are areas in the country that haven't experienced the large run-up in home prices the last couple of years. According to the real estate research service, Local Market Monitor, six towns qualify as under-valued according to their most recent survey. An interesting note is that two are in Texas and all in more southern areas of the U.S.

Earnest Money and Real Estate Transactions
[Real-Estate] First-time homebuyers and those that haven't purchased a home for many years are often surprised at how important earnest money in negotiating the purchase or sale of a home. What changed is the prices of today's homes and the old saying give us a thousand dollars and see you at closing is really outdated. Would you take a home you've been actively marketing for ninety days off market for four hundred thousand dollars, for a thousand? No, and you shouldn't. Here are the ins and outs of earnest money and a couple of related experiences.

Decor Goes Green
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Green and sustainable building have gathered wide acceptance, but green is slowly moving into interior design. While green building means resource efficient and environmentally conscious, sustainable design is based on three areas; energy conservation, indoor air quality, and resource conservation. Sustainable renovation and earth-friendly materials make green decor a no-brainer.

Indoor Gardeners Rediscover Terrariums
[Home-and-Family:Gardening] Everything that is old is new, and the resurgence in the popularity of terrariums is proof. The rage in the the 1970's, time-stretched indoor plant lovers have begun to bring the terrarium back into home decor. Glass enclosed containers feature miniature plants and accents. Easy to take care of and perfect for the absent-minded homeowner, terrariums are a cinch to create and maintain. Here are some handy hints.

Real Estate Agent Costs for those New or Considering the Profession
[Business:Careers-Employment] Many wish they new before they took the plunge and started their pre-license education to become a real estate salesperson or broker. The first heads up is that your pre-license education is not about the day-to-day aspects of what you'll do in the business; it's about the real estate laws in your state and applicable national laws that effect real estate transaction in your state. And no one will talk about the costs that you'll be asked to pay shortly after you begin your career as a real estate agent. If I knew up-front all the costs involved, I would have more pro-active in saving additional money to spend on marketing instead of all these start-up costs. Which by-the-way recur on an annual basis. Other costs such as marketing and desk fees are additional. This list is just the basic get you started, so you can plan.

Homeowners Insurance
[Insurance:Home-Owners-Renters] Disaster strikes when we least expect it and having homeowners insurance gives us peace of mind from many forms of disasters, but not all. Katrina victims learned the hard way what is and what isn't covered under basic homeowners insurance. You can add additional coverage through broader policies and Federal Flood insurance. Most mortgage lenders require that you purchase coverage before closing or escrow on a property. Here are some handy tips on homeowners insurance. State laws vary on coverage and limits, be sure to talk with an experienced insurance agent in your state about specific laws and customs.

What Every Buyer And Seller Should Know About Fair Housing Laws
[Real-Estate] Five major Acts of Congress have created protections for home buyers and sellers in the U.S.. These protections are known as Fair Housing Laws. Many states have enacted their own Acts which add additional protections. Locally cities and counties can add additional protections (or protected classes's. Be sure to check what state and local laws in your area cover in addition to Federal Fair Housing Laws. There are exceptions and variables to these laws, inquire at your local governmental office for complete details.

What Occurs at a Real Estate Closing or Escrow
[Real-Estate] Smooth closings or escrow don't just happen. Real estate agents, mortgage lenders, attorneys, title companies, surveyors, insurance agents, and the property buyer and seller can contribute or hinder a successful closing or escrow. Often, buyers and sellers reach this concluding occasion and do not know what they could have done to prevent delays or no closing at all. Here are some tips to move you along to accomplishing your goal; to buy or sell a home.

Make Your Powder Room Say Wow!
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] As a full-time real estate broker, I've seen many bathrooms, including forgotten powder rooms. These little jewels of space are a great way to experiment with your wildest decorating dreams. Guests enjoy a playful theme, and costs can be contained when your doing a small space. Have fun and if you tire of a look, it's not that difficult to reinvent your powder room.

Sustainable Home Building
[Real-Estate] Sustainable design is the buzzword today along with green building. There is a difference between the two. While green building means resource efficient and environmentally conscious, sustainable design is based on three areas; energy conservation, indoor air quality, and resource conservation. Viewed as new-age in construction circles, sustainable design looks at homes holistically, and not just a bunch of unrelated systems thrown together. Natural forms of energy, such as wind, solar, and geo-thermal if available on-site are maximized.

Home Buyers And Sellers Have Agency Relationships With Realty Agents
[Real-Estate] One of the most under-reported topics in real estate are the relationships real estate consumers have with real estate agents. Known as agency, the type of agency relationship you have with a real estate professional could impact the purchase or sale of a home.

The Sellers Even Took The Light Bulbs!
[Real-Estate] After being in residential real estate over ten years, you think you have heard or seen it all. Late this last winter I was at a party and some new first-time homeowners shared with me their recent experience at a final walk-through before closing. They met their real estate agent at the property filled with excitement for their last look before they took legal ownership and possession. The buyer thought the house looked strangely dark when they drove up. It was dark, very dark! The sellers had taken every light bulb inside and out. They reasoned since they weren't attached that they could take them along with the rest of their personal property. While this isn't typical, you should know the difference between personal property and a fixture.

Types Of Liens On Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Occasionally at the closing or escrow table the subject of liens against a piece of real estate comes as a surprise to either the buyer of seller. What they are and mean to either party is explained by Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home. You should have a good understanding of the types of liens involved with real estate. Consult an experienced real estate attorney for lien information specific to your state.

Hardwood Floor Options for Your Home
[Home-Improvement] Hardwood floors are all the rage with homebuyers and those looking to remodel rooms with other less durable, tough, or natural flooring materials. Many different looks and types of hardwood floors are available today. Depending on your budget, there is a hardwood floor product for you. Make a trip to your local home center store to see firsthand the different options available. If you're not the weekend handyman type ask for preferred installation contractors at the home center.Here are some handy tips and hints.

Types of Real Estate Deeds
[Real-Estate] Real estate deeds are part of the process of taking title in a property. Title is the right to hold an ownership interest in a property, the right is transferred through a deed. There are several common forms of deeds. Review the type of deed that you will receive from the seller of the property you are purchasing with an experienced real estate attorney.

Options to Hold Title on Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Don't wait to the flurry of activity right before closing on your new home to decide how to hold title to the property you're purchasing. After you have an accepted contract on a home, consult with an experienced real estate attorney to determine which option is best for you and anyone else you are buying the property with. Title is the legal document that gives you ownership or evidence that you own a specific piece of land. Here are some common types of ways to hold title. Check with an attorney on variables in holding title by state.

10 Best Cities for Real Estate in 2006
[Real-Estate] Buy, sell or hold seem to be the biggest worries of home buyers and real estate investors in the 2006 residential real estate market. After solid double-digit appreciation in many major markets the last five years, investors and home buyers alike see the brakes on growth in 2006. Where to go? Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home lays out where investors and home buyers can make a go it in 2006.

"House About It" by Sherri Koones: Book Review by Mark Nash
[Book-Reviews:Non-Fiction] Houses have been my other spouse for as long as I can remember. Buying and selling residential real estate, educating real estate consumers, building spec homes, and consulting with those who want to build a home are my professional specialties. To take some of the mystery of of what some perceive to be a daunting task, a book that just recently came to my attention is a definitive book for those who are planning on building or remodeling a home. House about it by Sheri Koones, Gibbs Smith, 2004, ISBN 1-58685-377-5, Paperback 350 Pages will become a desk-reference for first-time and experienced homeowners who are building or remodeling, interior designers, architects, and contractors.

Boomers Discover Reverse Mortgages
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] As retirement looms in the not too distant future, aging baby boomers are looking for ways to tap equity in their primary residence to finance their golden years. Reverse mortgages have been around about ten years, but only in the last three have they gained prominence. A Reverse Annuity Mortgage or RAM allows those 62 years old and older who own their home, to tap equity, but not sell the property.

Countertop Choices Explode
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Kitchen countertops are one of the largest design decisions you'll make planning a new kitchen. Depending on your budget, care, and maintenance, there is certain to be one today that will give your kitchen the wow factor. One of the first decisions considering a countertop is to think if you want it to make a statement , complement, or be background to your cabinets.

Structured Wiring Hits Home
[Home-Improvement] Right up there with all the buzz about green homes is structured wiring, now entering the main stream must-have for technology based homebuyers. Structured wiring has long been a part of outfitting commerical building projects with intergrated systems for data, security, and entertainment. Now, with design advances and lower costs homeowners can add heating, cooling, and lighting controls to these intergrated systems. No longer Jetson-cute, these systems are energy and time-savers for homeowners.

Celebrity Homestyles: Pamela Anderson
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] Where would this stunning actress live besides the beach Mecca of North America? No where but Malibu, California. Home to Pamela and her two sons is a bungalow with a comfortable sense of today's zip with yesterdays qualities. Floral prints, cabana stripes, and the ever changing rugs keep her home from getting dated. Rounding out the California chic look are collections of antique crystal stemware and wicker furniture.

Foreclosures: Investment with Risk
[Real-Estate] With the rise in interest rate the number of foreclosed properties typically follows. Many investors are taking a fresh look at these opportunities. But they are not without risk and first-timers should tread carefully. Homes enter into foreclosure for non or partial payments by the lender holding the mortgage or for unpaid property taxes. The time lines can be long for any property entering into a foreclosure and the debtor does hold rights to redeem the property by paying off delinquent monies owed during defined right-of-redemption periods. Some tips about foreclosures.

Mortgage Fraud on the Rise
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] The overheated real estate market in the last couple of years created the prefect environment for mortgage fraud. I believe in the next eighteen months this issue will surpass foreclosures as the largest remnant of the real estate bubble. Identifying loan fraud is easy. Look for inflated appraisals, mortgage interest rates puffed based on biased credit scores, and inflated closing costs to the buyer. Remember, making a false statement to a mortgage lender is a crime. Run don't walk when someone asks you to do something that doesn't seem legit. It's not worth risking everything to purchase a home. Here are some quick tips to determine if mortgage fraud is going on in the purchase of your home.

Safe and Secure at Home
[Real-Estate] One of the rights bundled in home ownership is quiet enjoyment. Maintaining a secure and safe home is an ongoing program to ensure your quiet enjoyment. Many times a break-in or fire occurs when a homeowner lapses in following some basic do's and don'ts. Here are some tips to help provide a safe and secure home for your family.

2006: 25-34 Olds Choose Geography Over Job
[Real-Estate] A new survey by The Segmentation Company verifies officially for the first time that college-educated men and women in the 25-34 age group want quality life-style cities that are attractive, feature easy commuting, open spaces, affordable housing, and opportunities to connect with others like themselves. I've been watching this growing trend among all home buyers that I work with for several years. Coveted neighborhoods and districts mean more than what you live in, within them. Walkability ranks high for these new urbanites.

Tips for Purchasing a Vacation Home
[Real-Estate] Investing in a vacation home might be for the pleasure you receive from it, than as a real estate investment. Second homes can bring enjoyment to you and your family, but buying at the right price and time, can make all the difference between profit and loss. Be sure to visit your proposed purchase destination both in-season and out-of-season. Many vacation spots are desolate off-peak.

Home Swapping on the Rise
[Real-Estate] Tired of the same old tourist experience, travelers young and old are learning about the benefits of swapping their home in the States for a local one in a foreign country. It's more than the economics that appeal to those who want to experience a country or locale like one of the natives. Those with special needs or want all the conveniences of home like a washer and dryer opt for exchanging their home here for one abroad. The Internet is a great way to find home exchange services and gain insider information for a smooth swap.

Feng Shui and Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Many buyers after touring a prospective home practice westernized feng shui when they turn to me and say "bad house karma." We all know when a house is out-of-sync. Stuffed with belongings, one-off colors, and bad seller energy. Here are some tips to improve house karma.

Agent Recruiting in 2006: Not the Same Old Drill
[Business:Careers-Employment] Let's start off with a given. The 2006 real estate market is tough and unlike anything we've seen in five years. The problem is if we go back five years, it was the advent of the Internet in residential brokerage. We're at an historical point in our business. While the go-go market was going on, real estate consumers changed. Now that we're in a more traditional market, we can't rely on our traditional habits of recruiting and training agents.

Expert Tips to Take the Stress out of Entertaining
[Self-Improvement:Stress-Management] After over twenty-five years of entertaining at home both as a single person and coupled, I have some ways to take the stress out of having people into my home. It's easy in the beginning to focus on food and drink to create the wow factor of having guests over for dinner, but in the end it's the people that make for enjoyable times. I've been to friends, relatives or business associates homes where fabulous food was over whelmed by the lack of mixing the right guests, stressed-out hosts or hostesses, and too little or too much liquor. Finding the right recipe for entertaining is easy.

Home Buyer & Seller Contract Negotiation Worksheet
[Real-Estate] Anyone who has gone through the negotiating process in the sale or purchase of a home understands all the big and fine points that are open to negotiation. Real estate agents, buyers, sellers, and for-sale-by-owners will appreciate this handy worksheet. Even if you're working with a real estate agent, it helps to keep track of all the pieces to an offer to purchase or real estate contract. It also saves time from flipping through lengthy contracts to locate specific information. Keep the completed form in your file incase there are any questions that arise as to who said what, when.

Insider's Corporate Relocation Glossary.
[Real-Estate] Is not that you don't have enough to do, moving your career, family, and home. Corporate relocation is big business and has tried and true procedures and jargon. Here are some of the words you'll hear once you're in the process.

Don't Get Housing Sticker Shock After Accepting Job Offer
[Real-Estate] In the flurry of activity interviewing and traveling for a position you really want, you might overlook the housing quotient of your new career move. Housing prices are at record highs, and sadly your new job location may put you in the housing poor house, even if your compensation is also at record highs. Moving from a smaller market to a major metropolitan area can inflect major sticker shock when it comes to purchasing a new home. What's a potential transferee to do? Be prepared to do some research to arm yourself in salary and relocation negotiations.

Every Landlords Guide to Finding Great Tenants by Janet Portman; Book Review
[Book-Reviews:Law-Legal] Multi-unit investors are the bread and butter clients of experienced and successful real estate agents. 1031 exchanges are one of the many options for landlords-to-be. After the closing or escrow though is when the real work begins and offering ways to smooth the operational transition for new or repeat owners of rental properties, can be a great source of future referrals for real estate agents. A new book released in 2006 should be a required closing gift from the selling agent to the buyer of any multi-unit building or complex, with two or a thousand units.

Get Organized Before Your Buyers Home Inspector Arrives
[Real-Estate] You've just sighed the relief of having an fully executed sales contract, but you need to get prepared for the real do-or-die; the home inspection. Taking some steps to prepare your home for the inspector can help curtail overly long inspections and ease buyer anxiety.

Tips to Jump Start New Real Estate Agents
[Business:Careers-Employment] The first year in real estate can be rewarding for those that can set objectives, gather information to support and find resources to meet them. When a new agent that I coach doesn’t have objectives, information or resources it’s a red flag. Being a fresh face in a new career and office overwhelms the majority of we call the future of real estate.

Today's Real Estate Agent Job Description: Do You Have the Skill Set?
[Business:Careers-Employment] Every year many people think about starting a career in real estate sales. It looks enticing, the freedom to create your own schedule, to be in control of how much you earn, and to have your own business. The reality though is not a pretty picture, over one third of new real estate agents leave the business in their first three years. Why do so many leave? The biggest factor is that they haven’t researched the real estate business to determine if they have the required skill set to be successful. Like any career there are some skills that can help set you on a path to success.

Real Estate Agents: Niche Marketing Versus Farming
[Real-Estate:Marketing] Ask yourself this question: “Before you were in real estate sales, how many of those flyers, newsletters, recipe cards, and even calendars that you received from an real estate agent “farming” your household went straight into your wastebasket?” Studies indicate that return on direct mail advertising is somewhere below two percent. Wouldn’t it make more sense to direct all that time, energy, and money formerly spent on developing a geographic farm into building relationships or a niche with potential clients? Now ask yourself: “How many other agents in your community are also marketing to the same geographical farm that you do?”

A Cure For a Real Estate Bubble Hangover
[Real-Estate] Arm chair residential real estate investors are not a pretty picture these days. Many of these type of investors would love to have a makeover for their portfolios. Mainly the newbie group that cattle-called weekend millionaire workshops are the ones holding many properties, huge debt and bought in at or near market highs. On top of those problems, the number of buyers sniffing around over-priced markets has dwindled to a trickle. Plus, the few buyers around are the first wave of vultures looking for those desperate to sell. What's a teetering weekend millionaire investor to do?

Emerging Fee-For-Service Option To Traditional Model
[Real-Estate] Consumers who don’t want to pay a commission but still want the services of a real estate professional when they sell their home have turned to brokerage models offering fee-for-service. Fee-for-service models can offer one service such as a listing in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or bundled services that would also include a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), a marketing plan and negotiation of contracts. The seller with a flat fee or an hourly rate for the service selected compensates the brokerage. Extensive real estate information is available to home sellers on the Internet. Technology driven consumers now look to real estate agents to provide technical pieces of the transaction. Fees range for a MLS listing: $250-$750, prepare CMA: $100-$250, negotiate contract $500-1,000.

Realty Agent Paid Less Than Public Thinks
[Real-Estate] Real estate consumers see commissions paid to brokerages between 4-8% and feel that as home prices rise, agents are over compensated. Consumers would be surprised at how little of the commission actually shows up in their agent’s wallet. Most real estate transactions have a listing (seller’s) agent and a cooperating (buyer’s) agent from different brokerages. Most agents have to split their commission with their brokerages in exchange for, marketing, administrative and technology services. Industry sources state the cost to a brokerage on average is $17,000 per year to provide services to an agent.

Defining Alphabet Soup Of Real Estate Pros
[Real-Estate:Buying] Curious what those initials stand for on some real estate agents business cards? Consumers should know the difference between professional designations and real estate license levels. The top three professional designations according to industry sources are the Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), and the Graduate REALTOR Institute (GRI). Real estate license levels vary by state law. Broker and salesperson are typically the two levels of real estate licensure. Most states have a renewal period where licensees meet mandatory continuing education requirements.

Find A Real Estate Agent Before You Need One
[Real-Estate] Select a real estate professional, as you would retain any professional such as an accountant, attorney or doctor. Basic considerations should be: full-time, minimum three years of real estate market experience, minimum 10-12 transaction sides each of last three years. Good communication, negotiation, and technology skills. Ask for past and current client references and check them. Your real estate professional is the one person who can set the tone for your good, bad or ugly real estate transaction.

Majority Start Home Search on Internet
[Real-Estate] The availability of homes for sale on the Internet has exploded recently. National real estate websites sponsored by brokerages, trade associations, and newspapers provide real estate surfers with the majority of properties listed. Anonymity and convenience of the Internet have changed how consumers begin their home search. Learning about a community and the historical financial data on comparable properties allows the consumer to drive their search before they contact a real estate agent. This shift from the real estate industry controlling information to consumer driven continues to force the industry to provide new value and business models for savvy Internet real estate consumers.

Fine Print Matters At Public Open Houses
[Real-Estate] Brokerages and agents have added a permission statement to the sign-in sheet for your authorization to receive telemarketing from the agent or company for their real estate services. The residential real estate industry was included in legislation in 2003 for the Do-Not-Call registry. To sign up for Do-Not-Call visit:www.donotcall.gov. If you are required to sign in for security reasons at a public open house, and do not want to be contacted by the agent or their brokerage, next to your contact information place the statement “Registered Do-Not-Call household, do not contact”.

2006 Real Estate Deals Could Be In Your Own Back Yard
[Real-Estate] What real estate bubble? That's what home buyers and investors are saying in many parts of Georgia, Idaho, North and South Carolina, and Texas. These towns might not be cutting edge trend wise, but they offer those still looking for a real estate bargain new territory for appreciation. Plus you might actually be already living in a town that fits the profile for the next wave of real estate frenzy.

Slowing Real Estate Markets Feature St. Joseph
[Real-Estate] With the slow down in the real estate market even my Jewish home sellers have discovered St. Joseph. A statue of The Holy Family's foster father buried in the yard of home being sold, buried upside down should bring a buyer, or so goes the folklore. Several web sites on the Internet offer a kit that outlines the correct procedure and includes your own St. Joseph.

Green Homes More than a Trend
[Real-Estate:Green-Real-Estate] The pulse for green homes has increased dramatically in the last year. From a low whisper to a roaring engine, green is growing, and it's much more than a trend. With rising energy prices in 2006 to wide spread climate awareness, home buyers are looking to be eco-friendly at home. Green homes are defined as those that have lower than historic levels of environmental impact. Here are some tips on going green.

1031 Exchanges: The Basics
[Real-Estate] Long utilized by savvy real estate investors, 1031 exchanges are evolving as an important tool for main stream real estate consumers. 1031 exchanges are allowed under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States. The code permits investors to defer capital gain taxes on the exchange of like-kind properties. You should always consult a qualified attorney or tax advisor to determine if or how an 1031 exchange should be used.

Fast Real Estate Facts
[Real-Estate] Conjecture abounds in real estate conversations. The best source for up-to-date facts about buying and selling a home is The National Association of Realtors(R). NAR offers real estate journalists a reliable source to report just the facts. Here are some fast facts based on their extensive research.

Owning versus Renting
[Real-Estate] For first time home buyers deciding to take the plunge and buying a home can be a tough decision. Especially in todays real estate market with prices flat or declining. Here are arguments for both renting and buying.

Mortgage Options for Home Buyers
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] To first-time or even repeat buyers it can be daunting to figure out what all your mortgage options are. Especially when you're time pressed to make a commitment to one after you have drafted a contract to purchase a home. Here is an overview of available mortgage products. I've included common loan terms from mortgage lenders.

Damask & Toile's are Back in a New and Big Way
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] They were history for over a decade, Damask and Toile fabric looks. Their look was heavy and dated, screamed 1960's decadence and 1970's over-the-top decorating. An interesting thing happened in the last couple of years, they underwent a make over, I would even consider the new softer, less intense presentation that these prints can offer a window opening, chair or room. Traditional designer is very 2006, Trad is Rad!

Kinkade Homes to Become Three-Dimensional
[Home-and-Family] Long admired by thousands of devoted fans, Thomas Kinkade announced that a architect is designing homes based on the artists input in the $4-6 million dollar range that will be built in Couer d'Alene, Idaho. The new development will not be the first to have Kinkade inspired homes. Four years ago a subdivision in Vallejo, California sprouted Kinkade-styled homes. The subdivision sold well with average prices around $400,000.

How to Get National Media Without a Publicist
[Business:PR] When I wrote my first book in 2001 I was clueless on how to promote it. I hired a publicist at a hefty price. Although he did a good job considering it was a non-fiction business title, after the first couple of months he moved his focus on to new projects and authors. I was dead-in-the-water publicity wise at this point, but my book marketing campaign was just in its infancy, and so was my writing career. I figured I better learn how to be my own publicist and quick.

Real Estate Appraisers - the Silent Giants
[Real-Estate] Often considered the silent giant in real estate transactions, appraisers can substantiate a purchase contract price or report that it doesn't appraise out. Death to a transaction is the later and that is why appraisers are termed the quiet giant. Their ability to assign value can create or make them quiet or kill the sale of a home which makes them the giant. Appraisers and their role in home purchases and sales are often misunderstood. Mark Nash author of four real estate books including 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and a regular columnist for RealtyTimes offers an inside perspective on residential real estate appraisers.

Real Estate Career Not Just About Sales
[Business:Careers-Employment] Easy money, flexible schedules, and being your boss seem to be the buzzwords with those considering a career in residential real estate. Sales was intentionally left off the job title. Real estate is moving away from being a sales career to being a resource for consumers that are buying or selling a home.

Talks begin for Multiple Listing Service Overhaul
[Real-Estate] Serious conversations have begun at the top levels of the residential real estate industry to merge and overhaul the data collection services for the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Thought to be long overdue by many inside and outside the industry. Old habits are hard to kick, but the migration of home sale inventory to the Internet and new online brokerage models have forced change on an industry that has been steeped in control of what many believe is one of the largest values added today in the sale or purchase of a home; the Multiple Listing Service.

Brokeback Mountain Challenges Culture and Hollywood
[Arts-and-Entertainment:Movies-TV] The first tremors that Brokeback Mountain was coming out of the celloid closet began in late January 2006, as the film went into major distribution nationwide. After a slow roll-out and strong word of mouth, many people who thought they would never vote for two men kissing as MTV's hottest kiss did witness the idea of two people in love who just happened to be of the same gender.

Home Sellers Showing Preparedness Checklist
[Real-Estate] One of my often used sayings with those selling their home at a listing presentation is; "Marketing a home is not the same as living in one". The rebuttal from property owners is usually a groan and then after the staging and streamlining is completed, the question is what do we need to do before each time our home is shown? I developed a handy checklist that is a good reference guide for day-to-day pre-showing "must do's". Pass this list on to house and pet sitters, nannies or anyone else who will be responsible for preparing your home for a buyer showing.

Preparation is Key for Successful Mortgage Application
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] First time or repeat, the requirements for applying for a mortgage is constantly in the state of change. Take the time to be prepared before you meet with your mortgage banker or broker, otherwise you'll get into what I call the "document chase". This chase can be time consuming and frustrating for home buyers. Request your banker or broker to email or fax you a complete list of all the documents required to complete the application process.

Home Warranties Offer Peace of Mind for Home Buyers
[Real-Estate] Home buyers have many worries when purchasing a home, especially if it's the first time. After finding the dream home , reality can set in after a property inspection has been completed. A hot water heater near the end of it's useful life, a furnace that runs but hasn't been properly serviced and a dishwasher that could have a mind of it's own can make for some sleepless nights for home buyers before they sign the mortgage papers.

How Home Buyers Can Find the Right Neighborhood
[Real-Estate] The ying of finding the right home needs to be balanced by the yang of locating the appropriate neighborhood for your needs. Home buyers can determine if the neighborhood fits their parameters by following these simple tips by Mark Nash author of four books including his latest 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and as a regular columnist for RealtyTimes.

Barns - Vanishing American Architectural Icons
[Home-and-Family] Once prominent landmarks that dotted rural America, barns are vanishing at an alarming rate. Known as one of the earliest forms of architecture in colonial times through the industrial revolution, these icons represent and record our agrarian roots. As time marches on and the natural materials that barns are constructed of decay, each year we loose an important part of our collective past.

Spring '06 FAQ's from Home Buyers, Sellers, Builders, and Developers
[Real-Estate] Everyone's curious about what's going on in the residential real estate market. More so in spring 2006 market than ever before. All the hype about a real estate bubble has created anxiety about what's hot, not, selling, sitting and the overall tone. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and regular columnist for RealtyTimes shares what he and a network of agents across the country have heard from home buyers, sellers, builders and developers as the spring market reaches it's peak.

Your Selling Your Home, Not Your Pet
[Real-Estate] We know you love your pet and it loves you too. But many home buyers won't and it could get in the way of selling your home. Buyers can afraid of dogs big and small, allergic to cats and turned off by lingering pet odors. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and a syndicated columnist shares some do's and don'ts for home sellers when marketing their home.

2006 First Quarter Real Estate Market Update
[Real-Estate] Buy, sell or hold seem to be the biggest worries of real estate investors in the 2006 residential real estate market. After solid double-digit appreciation in many major markets the last five years, investors see the brakes on growth in 2006. Where to go? Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and syndicated columnist for RealtyTimes.com gives his report on the first quarter of 2006.

Chicago Housing Stats Say "Buy Not Bubble"
[Real-Estate] Chicago Mark Nash real estate author and columnist says hype surrounding the real estate bubble hasn't played out in the Chicago real estate market and if recent sales numbers are any indication, good old Midwestern values have spared home buyers and sellers here from any hissing sound from deflating bubbles. While there has been conservative appreciation in home prices in the metropolitan Chicago market, speculation was never as large or as rampant as in California, Florida or New York. After all, the heartland doesn't see gambling with real estate investing as a good or a sure thing.

Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft when Buying and Selling a Home
[Real-Estate:Selling] Real estate transactions consist of mountains of paperwork. Loan applications, purchase contracts, credit reports, disclosures, mortgages, W-9 forms and HUD/RESPA statements. Many of these contain your social security number (SS#) and other vital information that could be stolen by one of the many people whose eyes it passes by. Factor in faxes and emails containing the information and it would be easy for your identity to be stolen when buying or selling a home. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and a syndicated columnist for RealtyTimes.com offers tips on how to protect your identity in the purchase or sale of your home.

Style Ideas to Add Glamour to Your Home
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Stagnant decor can benefit from a quick glamour update that doesn't have to break your bank. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and syndicated columnist offers quick ways for you to add glamour to your home.

Ingredients of Winning Kitchen Design
[Home-Improvement] Designing a new kitchen is both exiting and daunting. Where do you start and what are the must-haves? Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and columnist for RealtyTimes shares the top things that go into today's kitchens.

Tips to Ensure You Get the Right Home Improvement Contractor
[Home-Improvement] It's hard to find good help and especially if you're planning to market your home or you have just purchased one that needs some updating. Complaints about home improvement contractors rank high on consumer agency lists. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers do's and don'ts for home buyers and sellers when planning to hire an outside contractor to repair or renovate their home.

Residential Real Estate More About Personalities than Homes
[Real-Estate] Standing around at a cocktail party or the water cooler you first hear about the dynamic with the personalities of a real estate transaction than the home that was just purchased or sold. The sellers who took every light-bulb, the low-ball offer, the realty agent who took negotiations on a needless tangent that derailed the transaction, the home inspector that killed the deal and the sellers attorney whose specialty is litigation not real estate contracts.

Top Tips for First Time Home Buyers
[Real-Estate] Buying your first home needn't be as daunting or as stressful as you think. The process is very much like a recipe for cooking. Adopting a pro-active perspective from the day you decide to buy a home until you walk out of closing or escrow can be the single largest decision you make that will impact your overall home buying experience. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers tips to simplify and focus while buying and looking for your first home.

Home Styles of the Rich and Famous: Anjelica Huston
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Not too distant from the bright lights and celebrity world of Hollywood, California legendary actress and director Anjelica Huston has made her home in the what's known as the Central Valley. Her film career has ranged from the serious Prizzi's Honor to the lighter The Adamms Family. Home for Huston is a large property spanning over one-hundred acres and features a group of buildings that in addition to her home also include several guest houses and a studio. Her love of horses prevails with sweeping fenced pastures and western style out buildings.

Before and After: New Functionality for Obsolete Dining Room
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] The email came in this last winter from a young couple who had bought a charming vintage four room, one bedroom condo in a friendly, walk-to-everything location. They loved the place, but needed a home office and an area for her burgeoning scrap book hobby. Could I come over and talk about looking for a larger home and selling their current one? I had sold them their home (I am a real estate broker and author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home) just over two years ago and set up a date to talk over the possible move to a larger home, but I wasn't convinced that they really needed a move, I thought to myself that they needed a fresh perspective on the space they already had.

Stigmatized Homes can be a Mystery to Homebuyers
[Real-Estate] You might never know if that pretty house that you feel in love with was the scene of a gruesome murder or the laboratory of a methamphetamine manufacturer. State laws vary for requiring the seller of a home to disclose to buyers if a property has a "psychologically disturbing history" or is stigmatized. Ghosts, occupied by someone HIV-postive, murder and drug centers top the most common home histories that disturb buyers. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers tips on how to deal with stigmatized properties.

Condominium, Cooperative and Homeowner Association Glossary
[Real-Estate] Every business has its jargon and residential real estate is no exception. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares commonly used condominium, cooperative and homeowner association terms with home buyers and sellers. -Common area/grounds: The elements of building and grounds that all unit owners own jointly...

Home Mortgage and Financing Terms
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] Every business has its jargon and residential real estate is no exception. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares commonly used mortgage and financing terms with home buyers and sellers. -Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM): A type of mortgage loan whose interest rate is tied to an economic index, which fluctuates with the market. Typical ARM periods are one, three, five, and seven years...

Home Buyers and Sellers Real Estate Glossary
[Real-Estate] Every business has its jargon and residential real estate is no exception. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares commonly used terms with home buyers and sellers.

Insiders Guide to Real Estate Agent Commissions
[Real-Estate] Many real estate consumers are bombarded today with the call for lower real estate commissions, and it would seem to make sense. As home prices have risen dramatically over the last couple of years, real estate commissions have dropped to 5.1 % as a national average according to industry sources. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home outlines how real estate commissions are paid out among the four principals to a residential transaction.

Checklist for Setting Up a Home
[Home-and-Family] No matter how many times I've set up a new home, there have always been too many trips to a variety of stores for a couple more things to make my new house a home. This check list is the result of my involvement the last couple of years investing in Florida properties that I renovate and then stock with everything including the silverware. Seasonal real estate buyers in the market will pay a premium for turn-key homes, where all they have to do is wheel their luggage in. My latest and fourth book 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home started me on this enjoyable voyage of helping others through their home purchase and selling maze.

Painting Do's and Don'ts for Home Sellers
[Home-Improvement:Painting] It's easy, quick and cheap, but don't make the mistake that it can cure every homes woes. To do it right when selling you should follow some basic rules of using paint as part of your home marketing to-do list. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares some tried and true tips on how to get the most mileage out of repainting a room or an entire house.

Selling? The Cleanliness Quotient Matters to Home Buyers
[Real-Estate] Some home sellers just don't get it. They've upgraded their home with every whistle and bell, had an interior designer in to spruce everything up. Potential buyers though take a brisk tour with their arms folded, before you realize it the showing is over, but maybe it never began. Outside they can't wait to wash their hands and breathe some fresh air. Dirty homes no matter how fancy are more difficult to sell.

1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home is a Classic
[Real-Estate:Selling] Nash's fourth real estate book working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV, CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investor’s Weekly, Dow Jones Market Watch, HGTV.com, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.

Homeowners Associations Should Impact Buying Decision
[Real-Estate] Affordable housing today in most urban real estate markets equates to properties where the homebuyer is part of a homeowners association or HOA. Condominiums, town home’s and single family homes in planned communities make up the majority of consumers who benefit from the association providing some of the maintenance and management of their property or common elements. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares the ins and outs of being a member of a homeowners association.

Expert Dispels 2006 Real Estate Myths
[Real-Estate] Things change and so does real estate. What's in, goes out of favor with home buyers and sellers. What was true in the last couple of years doesn't ring true now. Markets and buyers taste shift, locations are no longer affordable, buyers find new value perceptions, paint colors evolve and new technologies redefine what we need in a home. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home and syndicated columnist for Realty Times dispels common home buying and selling myths.

Change Looms Large for Residential Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Web sites that are housing-centric like CraigsList and Zillow in addition to consumers yelling at real estate settlement tables "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!" are all indicators in addition to bubble woes that some major changes in residential real estate are fermenting. What will they be and how will the business change are answered by Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home.

Home Inspection and Final Walk-Through Checklist for Homebuyers
[Real-Estate] It can be daunting for homebuyers and sellers to keep track of all the details related to a home inspection or final walk-through. After nine years as a real estate broker and as a syndicated columnist on RealtyTimes.com and author of my fourth real estate book; 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home, I have mapped out all the possible items and ideas that you should keep in mind when completing these two important parts of a home purchase or sale.

Etiquette for New Homeowners, and their Friends, Neighbors & Relatives
[Real-Estate] Moving is hard work, stressful and filled with adventure. These do's and don'ts can help you position the new home adventure you or someone you know is having a positive one. It makes sense to know what's proper and what's not in your or your relatives, friends or neighbors new home and hood. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares some do's and don'ts on new homeowner etiquette.

What Every Homebuyer And Seller Should Know About Radon
[Real-Estate] It's easy to forget other home hazards with all the attention paid to mold in the last year. But homebuyers and sellers should keep other hazards such as radon on their radar. Radon is a radioactive (uranium) gas that occurs naturally in soil, bedrock and water. It poses a health problem when it enters the air in homes. It can seep from the soil into basements and living spaces on concrete slab foundations. If you have water supplied by a well, radon can also be present in your drinking water. One out of every fifteen homes in the United States is estimated to have elevated radon levels.

Basic Homebuyer Checklist for House Hunting
[Real-Estate] Touring homes can be over whelming to first time homebuyers. What to look for, what to ask about and what is good for resale, yes you need to think about that when your buying can distract buyers. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home has created a worksheet that you can use with each home you tour. It saves excessive note taking and keeps you focused on what you're looking for to compare and contrast potential homes. I created a short list of the basic items you should keep in mind when you viewing homes the first time. Typically when you go back for a second showing you will want a more detailed list of what to look for. Locate a virtual tour of a property after you've seen it once to refresh you on features you have questions about.

Low Cost Decorating Ideas that Say Luxury to Homebuyers
[Home-Improvement] Forget shabby-chic and white-on-white. Homebuyers want warm understated elegance in homes they would consider their own. Going through hundreds of homes a month as a broker, I see first hand the body language and hear the comments from today's homebuyers on what reels them in or turns them off. One of the most interesting examples on how decorating and reformulating a home came early this spring market when a two-story center entry colonial became available.

What Every Home Buyer and Seller Should Know about Mold
[Real-Estate] The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina brought mold into the forefront in media depictions of the interior of devastated homes covered from floor to ceiling with mold. Depending on where you live in the United States, mold will have varying degrees of impact if you are buying or selling a home. Add mold to your list of potential hazards in a home you're considering purchasing or selling, but don't overlook asbestos, lead and radon as other hazards in your quest to determine if mold poses a problem.

Ingredients Of A Winning Contract For Homebuyers
[Real-Estate] Homebuyers should take the time to research and gather information before presenting a purchase contract. Property sellers will be receptive to your proposal when you present them with the customary supporting documents with the contract. Real estate contracts contain many blanks that can be balanced against each other adding up to a strong offer. Knowing which supporting information and the typical numbers for the blanks will save you time and could save you dollars.

Don't Overlook Resale Impact When Remodeling
[Home-Improvement:Remodeling] Pickled oak floor and cabinet finishes, whirlpool bathtubs and indoor-outdoor carpeting were once the rage. Careful planning when remodeling today can save you time and frustration when you sell your home. Here are some tips to save you the aggravation of steaming off all your expensive wallpaper. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for BUying and Selling a Home offers potential remodelers some tips to consider brfore starting a project, especially if you plan on selling soon.

Don't Overlook Building Permits and Certificates of Occupancy on Home Purchase
[Real-Estate] Buying a resale or new construction home today requires homebuyers to be aware if remodeling or new construction was completed. It most likely was if you are buying a updated resale home. New kitchen, bathrooms and circuit breaker electric systems all require a building permit from the local building department. Educate yourself before house hunting about the factors involved in federal, state, county and local building codes that govern residential buildings.

Homebuyers Should Steer Clear of White Elephant Properties
[Real-Estate] First time homebuyers need to know what type of properties might speak to them but not to the majority of homebuyers when they need to sell. According to industry sources the average homebuyer stays in their first home just shy of six years. Buying a white elephant can be a costly mistake, both in selling price and long market times to find the buyer willing to take a chance on a home that doesn't fit the market.

Consider Timeshare Purchase Only A Vacation Investment
[Travel-and-Leisure:Timeshare] On a recent vacation I had a first-hand opportunity to see how the timeshare world operates and it wasn't a pretty picture. I've never been a big fan of timeshares as a real estate investment and so I decided I'd better get the low-down on what they're all about and how consumers or vacationers get sucked in to the timeshare world. We were paying guests at a small resort that was part of a timeshare listing service, one that you could exchange your share in another timeshare property for this one. Over fifty percent of the hotel lobby was the office area for seven full-time timeshare sales people that worked the ever-changing flow of new arrivals staying at this beautiful place.

Foreclosures: Not the Next Generation for Property Flippers
[Real-Estate] The slowing real estate market in 2006 will provide the first real price opportunities for buyers for the first time in most American residential real estate markets. But don't look for bargain basement prices on foreclosures. Several factors will keep foreclosure prices at points that might not be worth the additional risks involved with them. Experienced foreclosure buyers will still be in the market, and don't underestimate their influence if you end up in a bidding war with them at a foreclosure auction.

Flipping Properties Not for the Risk Adverse in 2006
[Real-Estate] Real estate profit talk has permeated American culture the last five years. The pickings were good for those looking to flip properties and make a profit on minimal improvements and higher than normal appreciation rates. 2006 presents a sobering reality for weekend millionaires and arm chair investors. With rising new construction and resale inventories and declining numbers of buyers make flipping properties a riskier proposition than ever before.

Real Estate Attorney Benefit Not Cost in Home Purchase or Sale
[Real-Estate] The costs associated with buying or selling a home can add up quickly. Many buyers and sellers opt not to retain an attorney to save the several hundred dollars it costs to have one review the contract, deed and title, respond to inspection issues, and make sure the contract is performed according to its terms. The cost of an attorney is one that should not be eliminated in an effort to save money, in the end the lack of legal representation in the sale or purchase of a home could cost you much more than the money you saved.

Property Red Flags For Homebuyers
[Real-Estate] Many home buyers judge a book by its cover, a sometimes costly mistake. It's easy to be infatuated with a cutting-edge kitchen or drop-dead views in home that you want to buy. Don't skip having a property inspection on your dream home. Most home inspectors are licensed or certified today, but they can only report what they see. Sometimes materials defects or red flags are hidden behind walls, soil surrounding foundations or buried in sewer lines. Know what the red flags are and what they mean in additional costs or if they are not easily corrected. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers homebuyers tips on real estate red flags for homebuyers.

Internet Marketing Not Optional For Home Sellers In 2006
[Real-Estate:Marketing] It wasn't too long ago that all a real estate agent or for-sale-by-owner had to do to let the world know that they were interested in selling their home was to place a sign in the front yard and run a classified ad in the local paper. In 2006 it is a totally different world in residential real estate marketing. If you're trolling for buyers you better be in their path, which is the Internet. According to The National Association of Realtors(R) over seventy-percent of homebuyers start their search on the Internet before contacting a real estate agent.

Tried And True Menus For Real Estate Open Houses
[Real-Estate] Spring's arrival kicks off the largest annual exchange of residential real estate in the United States. Open houses are as much a part of this ritual as cherry blossoms, your Saturday or Sunday best and freshly mowed grass. While great food won't sell a tired mid-century ranch, having food and beverages can make some buyers linger longer and provide a quick pick-me-up for weary homebuyers who do a alot of walking, climbing up stairs and are in and out of transportation viewing potential properties. I've field-tested these with real estate agents at brokers open houses as well.

The Difference Between New Construction And Resale Homes
[Real-Estate] The allure of choosing kitchen cabinets, flooring, adding a fireplace and being the only ones to inhabit a property drives many homebuyers to buy a new construction home. Before signing the developers contract consider some possible resale issues if you decide to sell your new home within two years of occupancy. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for buying and Selling a Home explores the pitfalls and benefits of purchasing new construction instead of a resale home.

Real Estate Open Houses Are Business Affairs In 2006
[Real-Estate] The last couple of years public open houses were cursory in most markets as homes sold before the advertised date. Listing agents used them to prospect for new clients and let curious neighbors and too-little-too-late buyers see what could have been. Not so in 2006. Softening sales and rising inventories of available homes have made public open houses the bread and butter this year in residential real estate marketing.Spring's arrival kicks off the largest annual exchange of residential real estate in the United States. Open houses are as much a part of this ritual as cherry blossoms, your Saturday or Sunday best and freshly mowed grass.

Moving Preparation Key in Home Purchase or Sale Frenzy
[Real-Estate] Moving is like life, what you make it. Organization in packing and moving can save you time and limit stress at the end of an long process that transitions you into or out of your home. It's easy to delay the laborious task of getting three moving company quotes, finding temporary storage and deciding what to move, donate and throw away. Even the throw away items might need special attention such as paint, old gasoline or computers. As an experienced real estate broker who has seen the right way to move and the all-nighters the last five nights before moving, I can tell you it's much easier on relationships and pets to become proactive in the moving department of your next residential real estate transaction.

Real Estate Agents: A Day in the Life
[Real-Estate] Every couple of months while we're driving from one property showing to the next a client says begrudgingly "you have such an easy job driving around looking at houses all day". Yeah,right. The recent flurry of articles proclaiming that today's real estate commissions are too high in relation to the amount of work agents do to receive them, haven't provided the new Internet brokerage models large market shares. And haven't convinced buyers and sellers to say "I wish I knew how to quit you" to realty agents.

Home Sellers Feature Failures Can Fizzle Buyers
[Real-Estate] The rise in home prices in the last four years have required homebuyers that are coupled to have two incomes and singles to work harder than ever to meet mortgage payments. These buyers are as choosy as never before when paying top-dollar for the American dream. Home sellers should be prepared to offer home features that appeal to these educated and savvy buyers.

Landscaping Can Make or Break Curb Appeal for Homebuyers
[Home-Improvement:Landscaping-Outdoor-Decorating] Homebuyers love an inviting home even before they see the interior. Home sellers can take some easy steps to turn a drive by or Internet photo of their home into a showing appointment. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers easy tips for your readers and viewers to prepare their home for spring market.

Don't be Lured to Purchase Second Home on Vacation
[Travel-and-Leisure] Don't make the mistake of buying a vacation or resort property or time-share on your first visit to a leisure destination. The lure of tropical winds, waves crashing on leisurely beaches and days of unstructured schedules can ferment into real estate shopping. Understand the many factors that influence you while you're on vacation and resist the temptation to purchase. Discover what questions you should ask yourself before you buy that condo with the gorgeous sunset views.

Practical Kitchen Design is Winning Recipe to 2006 Homebuyers
[Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating] Open shelving, gleaming granite counter tops and glass doors on refrigerators are the rage in kitchen design today. But these looks don't fool many who have interacted with them. Homebuyers in 2006 look for practical design options to make their time in the kitchen more leisure and lower day-to-day maintenance.

Strategies for a Transitioning 2006 Real Estate Market
[Real-Estate] Real estate consumers are the winners in the latest round of real estate bubble headlines. The media's focus offers information and opinion on markets and practices to the individual property owner and investor. Mark Nash residential real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers strategies for consumers on how to read signs of a softening market.

Spring Not the Best Time to Get a Real Estate Deal
[Real-Estate] Warmer breezes, tulips blooming and open house signs are rituals of spring. The annual reawakening after the shorter days of winter aren’t always the best time to get a deal on a home. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers tips on why the dynamics of the residential spring market traditionally aren’t the optimal time to get the best price on a home. Plus he offers the best times to get a better deal in resort, lake, skiing and vacation locales.

Fashion Do's and Don'ts When House Hunting
[Real-Estate] Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers homebuyers fashion home runs and strikeouts when shopping for a home. It might not be obvious that what you wear when house hunting can impact what you pay for a home. Years of showing homes and introducing prospective buyers to home sellers, the way buyers project themselves fashion-wise makes a big impression.

Do-It-Yourself Staging Tips for Home Sellers
[Real-Estate] The buzzword today with residential real estate agents is staging. Staging a home can change a homes atmosphere that appeals to homebuyers and which may bring a higher price and accelerate market time. By adding small decorative touches, rearranging or deleting furniture or creating vignettes a home can look like a professional stager was hired.

Gay & Lesbian Homebuyers Can Eliminate Purchase Process Mountain
[Real-Estate] The Oscar nominated film Brokeback Mountain highlights same-gender relationships. Many gay and lesbian homebuyers aren't aware that their rights in 2006 to a non-discriminatory home purchase process could be guaranteed by local or state laws. Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares with single or partnered gay and lesbian home buyers some do's and don'ts that can help eliminate headaches and frustrations before and after purchasing a home.

Saying "I Do" to your First Home Purchase Together
[Real-Estate] The activity, excitement and endless planning that go into a wedding can distract you from understanding the importance of selecting the right home for your life together. Your new home will provide the environment where your life together is played out every day. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers bride and groom to be some do’s and don’ts for making and selecting your first home together.

Home Buyers Shouldn't Say Love or they'll Pay Dearly
[Real-Estate] Valentines Day and phrases associated with it reminds me to tell my clients what not to say when interacting with a home seller or a real estate agent that represents the seller at home showings. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for BUying and Selling a Home offers tips to help you save some money once you find the perfect home.

Do's and Don'ts when Purchasing New Construction Homes
[Real-Estate] The vision of a new home with the ability to upgrade finishes, alter floor plans and be the first to occupy a property lures buyers into builders and developers model homes every day. According to industry sources over 70% of home buyers want a new home. These new construction focused buyers might see a picket fence, but they should be prepared to ask the right questions and see red flags before signing on the line. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home shares his advice for figuring out who's who and what's what when buying new construction.

Learn the Abbreviated Language of Realty Agents
[Real-Estate] Sunday mornings with the newspaper real estate section can be daunting to home buyers and sellers. Figuring out the shorthand for popular home features takes an inquiring mind. Mark Nash, author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home takes the guess work out of listing sheets and classified residential real estate ads.

Tax Tips for Home Buyers and Sellers in 2005
[Finance:Taxes] Primary residence buyers and sellers understand the fundamental tax benefits of owning a home. Many though aren't aware beyond the typical deductions of mortgage interest and real estate taxes what and when other home buying or selling expenses can be deducted. Mark Nash author of "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" shares tax tips for homebuyers and sellers.

2006 Home Sellers Energy Inefficiencies Can Sour Buyers
[Real-Estate] Forget the real estate bubble, energy prices are a primary concern for homebuyers. Stung by rising mortgage rates and higher commuting costs from recent increases at the pump, homebuyers in the last three months have paid extra attention to energy costs during their home search. From my experience and hearing client reports as they look for seasonal homes in southern climates, natural gas, heating oil and electricity costs have moved dramatically up the list as potential deal-killers. Sellers should be prepared for buyer inquiries about energy consumption and efficiency improvements. Energy questions apply to condominiums and single-family homes.

Top Mistakes of Home Buyers and Sellers in 2005
[Real-Estate] The 2005 residential real estate market was filled with anticipation of the over- hyped real estate bubble. Though we'll only see a correction, home buyers and sellers made some mistakes that those looking to buy or sell in 2006 can put to good use in their transactions.

2006 Decorating Do's and Don'ts for Home Sellers
[Real-Estate] Today's savvy post-real estate bubble (it's only a correction) homebuyers require quality finishes and neutral color palettes in homes they ultimately purchase. If you are contemplating selling your home in 2006 and need to decorate before placing your home on market remember that cutting-edge interior design and commitment colors ( strong, bold, trendy) are usually a red flag to home buyers. Buyers consider "visual veneer" a mask for defects in a home.

What's In, What's Out with Homebuyers in 2006
[Real-Estate] Builders, developers and home sellers looking to get buyers to contract in 2006, should listen to the good, bad and the ugly feedback from homebuyers in 2005 heard by residential real estate author, broker and expert Mark Nash.

Use Winter Months to Prepare your Home for Spring Buyers
[Real-Estate] If you are planning to sell your home this spring, real estate expert Mark Nash lays out the plan to prepare your home for home buyers. Top tips for getting a plan and implementing it can set you on course and limit market times.

So You Want to Buy a Home?
[Real-Estate] Taking the plunge into home ownership can be a rewarding step for many first-time home buyers. Before you take the plunge, look before you leap. Homeownership is not for everyone. Read the excerpts below from my latest book; "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" Thomson/ South-Western, 2005.

Top Tips for Selling a Home during Holidays
[Real-Estate:Selling] When don't have the luxury of waiting until after the holidays to sell your home, Mark Nash, author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home offers you; Tops Tips for Selling a Home during the Holidays can help you decide how much holiday decor is too much of a good thing.

Top Tips from Real Estate Author Mark Nash for Negotiating a Home Purchase Contract
[Real-Estate] Whether buying or selling a home, negotiations can become a frustrating and emotionally draining exercise in buying your dream home or selling your present home. Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips shares some insights into keeping your cool during negotiations and still have both sdies feel like they won.

Don't Skip Home Inspection Before You Buy
[Real-Estate] Home buyers should spend the time and money to have a professional certified or licensed home inspector do an analysis of a home's structural components and electrical, mechanical, plumbing systems before they buy. A home inspections purpose is to discover defects, systems or appliances near the end of their useful life and damaged elements. Home inspections should be done before you close on your existing or new home.

Real Estate Bubble Adding Price and Risk to Location, Location, Location Mantra
[Real-Estate] Real estate investors familiar mantra location, location, location are nervously replacing the second and third locations with price and risk.

Housing Froth Creating Imbalance for Consumers and Investors
[Real-Estate] Mark Nash real estate author, broker and national radio show host alerts buyers, investors and sellers of residential real estate of potential market changes in over-heated markets across the country.

Part 1: FAQ's From Media Interviews With Real Estate Author
[Real-Estate] The real estate bubble is hot topic today. Looking before and beyond the bubble, real estate author Mark Nash has commented on a wide range of consumer real estate questions and topics. Want the story behind the story or a fresh perspective? Interview Mark Nash.

Do Bankers, Bubble, Discounters, & Justice Department Cloud Real Estate Industry?
[Real-Estate] Mark Nash is a residential real estate author and broker in Chicago informs consumers of the top issues impacting residential real estate today. He has contributed his real estate insight to CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, Dow Jones Marketwatch, and Universal Press Syndicate. Mr. Nash specializes in helping consumers succeed in real estate.

Is Housing and Real Estate Bubble Hype Irrational Exuberance?
[Real-Estate] The housing and real estate bubble has moved from behind the headlines to the cover and lead story. Mark Nash is a residential real estate author and broker in Chicago. He has contributed his real estate insight to CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, Dow Jones Marketwatch,and Universal Press Syndicate.

How to Sell Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent
[Real-Estate] Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a home shares top tips for property owners to sell their own property. Many for-sale-by-owners or FSBO's want to pocket the commission that averages 4-7 percent nationally. Mr. Nash walks you through the most difficult tasks for FSBO's...

Realty Agents: Don't Ask Don't Tell?
[Real-Estate] Not all real estate agents are created equal. Would you use a new or part-time accountant to fight the IRS? When your purchasing or selling your largest asset know the questions to ask real estate agents before you sign on the dotted line.

Internet Battleground for Future of Residential Real Estate
[Real-Estate] Residential real estate faces a transformation in the near future from new players on the Internet.

Real Estate Bubble: Sophisticated Musical Chairs?
[Real-Estate] Many unseasoned real estate investors need to heed indicators to not suffer losses from speculation in over-heated real estate markets. Market timing will be key to maximize profits before a down turn occurs. Mark Nash, Real Estate Author lays out the indicators.

Short Cut to Self-Confidence: Say Yes to You!
[Self-Improvement:Positive-Attitude] Do you look to others for recognition to build your self-confidence? Successful people say yes to themselves. Learn to recognize the flags when others might be limiting your personal and professional growth. Take control fo your life and become the person you always wanted to be, say yes to you!

Top Tips for Buying and Selling a Home
[Real-Estate:Selling] The process of buying or selling a home is simplified by seasoned real estate broker and author Mark Nash in his latest book 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home. CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV and CBS Market Watch give a thumbs up to this reader friendly book that features a bullet-point style and over 1001 practical tips for busy first-time and experienced home buyers and sellers.