Upside down cake

Do you ever come home from work and feel that everything's just "upside down" at home?  I mean, the dishes aren't done...no one's picked up after themselves... there's dirty laundry all over...the dog is loose?  And you're hungry, and no one's even offered to cook dinner?  I've certainly had those days (although we don't have a dog).   Now for those of you who know me, you know I like my life to be "in order."  Last week I watched my granddaughters while their parents took a much needed, well deserved trip away for several days. Although I had a memorable time with the girls, ages 5 1/2 and almost 3, I remember why God gives children to younger women!  We played and laughed and cuddled.  I became "the best" Grandma for those few days.  Ahh, grandchildren.  God's gift to grandparents. 

I wonder what it's like inside this "unique" home?  Looks like it "leans" a little...

HOPE...

I was reminded today by a dear friend about why I love selling real estate so much...it's my opportunity to make a difference in someone's life each and every day by how I act/react to their wants and needs in the real estate department!  I am reading Dave Ramsey's new book, EntreLeadership (have you read it?) and he says that HOPE is the core goal of everything he does.  When  he ships a book, he's creating HOPE to help someone get out of debt; when he sells a ticket to one of his events, he's selling HOPE to someone needing to hear what he has to say.  I've long thought that there's too many naysayers in this business...let alone life.  My purpose in this crazy economic real estate climate may just be to create HOPE with those that I work with.  That their house, which is for sale, will find favor with just the right buyer out there...Godly favor. God is no respector of persons; in spite of the economy, our office has been extremely blessed this year.  I've met lots of sellers out there whose agent simply didn't know what to tell them.  They've told them that "nobody's buying."  Well, that's just not true... 

Buyers today ARE more selective than they were, say, 5 years ago.  They are looking at all their choices in the market.  Wouldn't you?  They want to get the best deal out there.  Wouldn't you?  They want the most updates for the least price.  Wouldn't you?  If you're selling or thinking about selling, you need to think from this perspective.  What can I do to de-clutter my house?  To give it a fresh, clean look?  As Realtors, we can give you advise of where to focus your attention to get the most bang for the buck.  Just ask, we're glad to help.  

We need to articulate HOPE.  Life is good.

Your small home...reasons to love it

Hang ‘em high. Look in the picture above and see how they've used wire racks on the wall above your sink to add S-hooks, and hang cooking utensils. It’ll free up a drawer or two.

Nooks and crannies. Bare walls above a phone nook or cabinets, and underneath windows, beg for storage. Make use of that open space above your cabinets with store-bought shelves and brackets painted to match the cabinets.

A freestanding window seat stores rarely-used kitchen gadgets and provides additional seating.

Remember, there's plenty of perks that come with your smaller home:  lower taxes, less maintenance, lower heating & cooling costs, and often times less lawn to mow! 

Yes, you can! Squeeze a small office into your small home, that is. But that doesn’t mean you have to take over one of the kids’ bedrooms—just look for under-utilized space.

One idea might be a store-bought island to be used in the kitchen for bill-paying to a breakfast nook.

Another idea might be to use a closet to accommodate a built-in desk, shelves, and lighting. Make a nearby chair do double duty for your desk.  Whoa!  Never thought of that before.... :)

Those out-of-the-way spaces. Alcoves, lofts, stair landings, basement and garage corners, and bedroom nooks qualify as potential office space. Use freestanding shelving units and bookcases. Plants or privacy screens can “wall” the area without making it feel smaller.

Under-used dining rooms. Formal dining rooms can be overrated. If yours isn’t being used regularly, convert it to a small office. You’ll be close to your main entry, making it easy to receive clients and business associates. If a nearby kitchen or other busy household area is a noisy distraction, install French or sliding doors as acoustic barriers.

It's back to school time!

It's hard to believe that summer is winding down and it’s time for back to school. I’m getting ready to take my youngest to college…sort of like the first day of kindergarten! They have a program for the parents, we get to eat lunch in the college cafeteria with our son, and then they have a ceremony starting their college career. When I step back and look at the big picture, it’s sort of like the kindergarten sendoff. My, how time flies! In the blink of an eye…

Enjoy time with your family! I recommend the book, “A Kissing Hand” if you have a young one entering kindergarten! Ask me about my experience with it...

How to polish up and improve your credit score to take advantage of the real estate buyers' market.

With the economy and job market just coming out of a "down" period, a large percentage of the population is concerned and wondering how less-than-perfect credit scores might affect their ability to take advantage of the current buyers' market in purchasing a home.

In order to know what you need to do to position yourself favorably, you need to understand the different components making up the big picture that is your credit score. Here are the key components, with the percentages that each component contributes to your total credit scoring and a tip on how to improve each one:

•Payment history contributes 35% to your credit score: Make sure to obtain and analyze your credit report yearly. You can get a free copy of your report once a year. Look to make sure that the information is accurate. If you find errors, dispute them until they are corrected or removed from your credit history. If you’ve had a significant hardship such as bankruptcy, make sure that accounts that were involved are showing as paid accounts.
•Amount of debt that you owe contributes 30% to your credit score: Control the amounts that you charge to your credit cards to less than 30% of the total amount of credit available for each card. Paying down the card or cards that are the closest to their limits is a great strategy for increasing your score. Use the free services and tools that some credit card companies offer, like text or e-mail alerts, to track and control your card balances.
•Length of time in credit history contributes 15% to your credit score: If you have an old credit account that you’ve paid off and don’t use, consider using it to pay for a monthly "necessity expense" to keep an aged account active. Active accounts are considered above inactive accounts for scoring purposes, so if you need to use a card, use the ones that you’ve had the longest and then, if possible, pay the balance off at the end of each month.
•Recent credit history contributes 10% to your credit score: Refrain from opening new accounts or from consolidating debt from several cards to one card. Generally speaking, lower balances on a number of cards are better than a much larger balance on just one. And, of course, it goes without saying, paying your bill on time is critical. Just one late payment can have a significant negative effect on your score. If you’ve had major issues with your finances, such as a bankruptcy, opening a new credit account and managing it well and paying on time will help you re-establish a good credit history.
•Number of types of credit being used contributes 10% to your credit score: Again, stating the obvious, don’t open new credit accounts for anything but necessities. Before using credit for purchases or opening new credit, always do a self check to ask yourself, “Is this a want or a need?” Use the answer to that question to guide you into making better financial choices and decisions.
Be persistant and consistant! The accumulation of making better decisions and establishing better financial habits will ultimately lead to higher credit scores. Higher credit scores will lead to significant savings, as a result of qualifying for better interest rates, when it comes to obtaining a mortgage for your new home.

Have your own observation or tip for scoring better credit? Tell us in the comments.

3 Ways to Celebrate Dads in a New Way - Relationships and Money - daveramsey.com

3 Ways to Celebrate Dads in a New Way - Relationships and Money - daveramsey.com

Real Estate Investing has options

Many have made the transition from stock market investing to real estate.  But real estate investing is not for the faint of heart.  I've met some wanna-be landlords who fall prey to the "I don't have money for my kids' Christmas and can't pay the rent" saga.  Others let tenants move in with the "I promise to pay my deposit in 3 monthly installments."  You ought to sit down with me some time.  I have lots of stories to tell!  Some of them legal...

The biggest pitfall I've observed is renting to the first person who can fog a mirror.  Be sure to check out the potential tenant's references and credit history.  Maybe even go two landlords back - they have nothing to lose by telling you the truth.  The current landlord may want to get rid of them or else they'll be surprised to hear they've made an application with you.  I've known people who will even check with the local sherriff's department to see if the applicant has a history of passing bad checks.  All good things to check out.

But don't get me wrong...choosing the right property, and the right place and time can be a good investment.  I have learned lots of tips from working with investors through the years...There are some bargains out there with some foreclosures, but be sure you know what you're getting into.  Sometimes it may be worth more to pay more for a property with major improvements already in place.  It's hard to find those that only need carpet and paint...usually if it needs carpet and paint, it needs roofs replaced, ceilings repaired, frozen water lines repaired, etc.  You get the idea.  Working with a Realtor who knows the market can prove invaluable.  I'd love to teach you what I've learned!