If you’re having trouble selling your home in the current economic downturn, there are options. Many people have had their houses on the market for 6, 7, 8 months or longer without any offers. You may need to sell your home due to a job transfer, divorce, increased family size, or perhaps your payments are too high and need to be lowered. What should a landlord do? Your best bet may be to rent your home until home prices start to recover.

Many homeowners are afraid to rent their homes because of the horror stories they hear: unruly tenants punching holes in walls, clogging toilets, or not paying rent for months, forcing the landlord to make potentially damaging mortgage payments. to pay. But these problems can simply be avoided with a good rental agreement and good management.

Most people who are not experienced landlords prefer to have their rental handled by a real estate company. This is a good idea if you are willing to listen to your agent’s advice regarding the price of your rental. Real estate agents know the market and will tell you the rental price of your house in the current market. They will manage to find a tenant and check credit. They will manage home repairs and evictions, if necessary. The experienced real estate manager knows how to keep tenants from “misbehaving” so he can feel safe renting his property.

If you prefer to handle the rental yourself, here are some tips for being a successful landlord.

Before you start the rental process, get a good rental agreement. Check out some landlord websites that post handy rental agreements and rental application forms you can use. You can also see a lawyer to get a good rental agreement and an application form. Be sure to address things like who tends the yard, if smoking is allowed, if pets are allowed and if an additional “pet deposit” is required, who is responsible for fixing appliances if they break, what appliances are included, etc. Once you’ve found the rental agreement you want to use, the next step is to obtain a “Move-In Condition Report.” This report addresses the condition of the home and allows the owner and tenant to acknowledge the condition of each room in the home. If there are any questions about the condition of the property at the time of move-in, the report will clarify any questions. Generally, the tenant must return the report to the landlord within 2 days of moving into the property.

Next, look for a service you can use to check the credit history of prospective tenants. You can join the National Association of Independent Homeowners for a nominal fee and check credit online through their website.

Once you’ve found the right tenant, you’ll have them sign the rental agreement, collect the deposits and first month’s rent, and hand over the keys. It’s a good idea to collect the deposit and first month’s rent in the form of a money order. You wouldn’t want a tenant to move into your house only to find that their deposit and rent checks are invalid! He would have to start the eviction process without receiving any money!

Once you have received the initial money order at move-in, you may want to allow the tenant to make future payments by personal check. If you ever get a check returned, your rental agreement should specify that all future payments will be made by money order.

Finally, it is a good idea to find an attorney who specializes in evictions. He will probably never need one as long as he manages his property according to the lease, no exceptions, always being courteous to his tenants. But if he ever needs to evict, he’ll feel better having an eviction lawyer in his arsenal.

If you bought your home in 2002 or earlier, you’re in luck. You can probably rent your house for a profit, or at least an amount that covers your mortgage payment. Even if you have to rent your home for $100 less than your mortgage payment, you probably won’t have to foreclose on that amount.

You may be able to pay your home rent at a loss if the home you are moving into has a lower monthly payment than your current home. Depending on your financial situation, renting at a loss of, say, $200/month may be better than leaving the house empty, losing the full amount of your mortgage payment each month!

It’s a good idea to look at your entire financial picture before deciding whether to stay in your home, rent it out, or sell it for less than you want in this economic downturn. For more information and tips on selling your home, visit http://tampahouse1.com/home_sellers.html

There are many options you can take if you really want to control bed bugs. Unfortunately, many people are not familiar with these things, so your first option is to contact professional exterminators immediately. Although this is not a bad idea, it would be best if you could try some simple mite control first. This will not only help you save money but also save you from methods that require the use of harmful chemicals.

Before attempting different bed bug control methods, the first thing to do is to make sure that your house is actually infested with bed bugs. There are many things you can consider that will help ensure that your home is indeed infested. If there are dark fecal stains on your mattress, it is more likely that it is infested with dust mites. Another way to find out is to use an electronic mite trap. This will help you take bed bug samples, which should be compared to reference images that can be found on the internet.

Painting or varnishing your furniture is said to be one of the best ways to indirectly kill these pests. Paint and varnish act as bed bug control agents that cut off their access to the food supply. Just be sure to follow painting safety methods when doing this method to ensure your home remains safe and free of harmful paint or varnish fumes.

Another method you can do is to spray organic pesticides or insecticides inside your home or in an area where there is an infestation. There are dozens of bed bug control sprays that can be purchased, and you should be very careful when choosing which one to use, to ensure that your method of bed bug control is safe for humans.

If the infestation gets out of control, then your best option is to contact a professional exterminator. One of the most common methods that these professionals are doing is fumigating the entire house to get rid of these pests. This bed bug control method will definitely eliminate the problems for good, and you don’t have to worry about them coming back to your house.

Investing in commercial property may involve investing in multi-family real estate or in buildings that are rented for commercial and industrial purposes. Commercial rental property encompasses everything from a rental home to a large apartment building, large industrial warehouse, or office building. Any time you own property as an investment that you do not live in and intend to earn money by renting it out, this property can be viewed as commercial property.

If you are a commercial property owner, you will need to understand commercial property management. Managing your property effectively is the key to making your investment worthwhile. Managing your property well while helping you find and keep tenants and will help improve your property value so you can benefit from property appreciation.

Understanding Commercial Property Management

When most people think of commercial property management, the focus is on tenant relations. This is, in fact, a key part of commercial property management. After all, you need to have tenants so you don’t have a vacant property that costs you money to operate but doesn’t generate cash. You need to keep your tenants happy so they want to stay, and you’ll need to make sure the tenants follow the rules of the lease so they don’t damage your property or disturb other tenants. You’ll need to respond to tenant complaints, make necessary repairs if there are problems affecting your tenants, and make sure you collect rent regularly. If a tenant leaves, you will also need to find a new tenant to take their place so you don’t lose your rental income.

While tenant management is the cornerstone of property management, it is not the only important aspect of commercial property management. You also need to take care of the building itself to ensure that your property does not deteriorate and that it keeps up with competing spaces so that it can remain attractive to tenants.

This means that part of managing commercial property is performing ongoing maintenance and regularly updating your space. You don’t want to let problems slide until they become big problems, and you don’t want to put off maintenance until you have problems. Instead, you’ll want to make sure you’re always up to date with your building’s important systems and infrastructure. If the systems need servicing, for example, you’ll want the servicing done for everything to work properly. The renovations you will want to do should be done in line with what other similar apartment or commercial buildings in your area are doing.

Finally, the last part of property management focuses on budgeting. This includes setting an operating budget, setting rents, and making sure you are cash flow positive so that your commercial property can be a good investment that will generate ongoing income for you.

So what are the consequences of letting my home be foreclosed on or doing a short sale? Here’s an example, if a prospective homebuyer hopes to obtain a Fannie Mae mortgage for a future primary residence home purchase, a past foreclosure that occurred sometime in the prior 5 years will render the borrower ineligible for a loan from Fannie Mae. This cannot be said of a prospective buyer who sold his property through a short sale, it is that he will qualify for a Fannie Mae backed loan for a primary residence after only 2 years.

Non-primary homeowners who have had a prior foreclosure have an even longer waiting period to satisfy before being eligible to purchase another home. The waiting time is extended from five to seven years to qualify. If you have successfully negotiated a short sale and would like to purchase another non-primary residence, you will only have to wait the same 2 years as you would have for a primary residence.

If you want to get a loan through a mortgage company and you have a prior foreclosure on your record, you will be asked to answer “yes” to question C in Section VIII of the standard application 1003 which asks if your property has been foreclosed on . in or given title or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure within the last 7 years. Although you can still apply for a loan with a mortgage company, your interest rates will increase dramatically. If you negotiated a successful short sale in lieu of foreclosure, a short sale disclosure is not required, so your interest rate should remain relatively reasonable.

A big “hit” that borrowers worry about is the effect on their credit score as a result of a foreclosure or short sale. With a foreclosure you will experience a huge shock, expect to see your score drop from 250 to over 300 points. The negative impact on your credit score will generally remain on your credit history and weaken your score for more than 3 years. A successfully negotiated short sale, on the other hand, will list missed mortgage payments. It will be reported as “paid off” or “negotiated” which will reduce your points by as little as fifty points, not the three hundred that a foreclosure would do, assuming you were current on the rest of your payments during your brief sale period. This drop can affect your credit score for as little as 12 to 18 months.

How do your credit score and credit history differ? Well, your score fluctuates, your history will remain intact on your report, for any creditor to monitor, for a specified number of years, even if your score has improved. A foreclosure remains a public record and a fixture on your credit report for at least ten years. A short sale does not register on your credit history, only your missed mortgage payments. There is no specific reporting item for “short sale” as the loan is typically reported as “paid in full, paid off.”

You may not think that something like a foreclosure could affect your security clearance, but it can and does. Surprisingly, a foreclosure is the most challenging issue against a security problem, aside from a misdemeanor or felony conviction. If a client has a foreclosure and is a police officer, military, CIA, security, or anyone else who requires a security clearance, they will almost inevitably be revoked and the position terminated. If you successfully negotiate a short sale, that fact, by itself, does not defy most security clearances.

Have you thought about how a foreclosure or short sale could affect your current job? Employers may check your credit regularly, assuming your position involves a sensitive topic. A foreclosure is often considered grounds for immediate reassignment or termination. A short sale, on the other hand, is not reported on your credit report and therefore does not pose an employment challenge.

If you decide to change jobs, or have no choice but to change jobs, you should consider how a foreclosure or short sale could affect your future employment. A foreclosure exposes you to early challenges as many employers use a credit check for many new applicants. Generally, a foreclosure that negatively impacted your credit will be challenging for employment. Again, a short sale is not reported on your credit report and therefore will not become a challenge for employment.

A big concern for most homeowners facing a foreclosure or short sale is the deficiency judgment. With 100% foreclosures (unless you live in one of the non-deficiency states), the bank can go after the homeowner for the deficiency. Some successful short sales actually work with the lender and get them to agree to waive the right to sue the owner for the deficiency. The amount of deficiency must also be considered. With a foreclosure, you must go through the REO process if your property does not sell at auction. An REO typically results in lower sales prices and a longer period of time the property could stay on the market, especially in declining sales markets. Unfortunately, all that slowdown and lower sales price could mean a higher deficiency judgment for the owner. A properly handled short sale is more likely to fetch a price more in line with market value and will generally be better than an REO sale, and should result in a smaller deficiency, meaning banks will generally be more willing to negotiate with you.

How will you heat your house when the power goes out? Do you have access to cheap or free firewood? Have you considered installing a wood stove and you don’t have much money?

First of all, what is needed to heat with firewood? Well, to start with, you need a good, approved wood stove. Why certified? Because they use less than half the wood used by the previous generation of wood-burning stoves, they don’t expel clouds of unburned soot as they burn, and they also have close clearances to fuels, some as much as 4″. Virtually all have a ceramic window that looks like glass but is impervious to heat, through which you can enjoy the fire and keep up with the need to adjust the kindling or feed more. I don’t recommend getting a stove with a catalytic combustor as they are more expensive and have decreasing efficiency. The efficiency of a stove without a combustor never changes and the newer standards have been met without combustors since 1992, when the current EPA standards were established. The fire chamber of certified stoves is designed to burn wood efficiently without smoldering, even when completely turned off. This gives you more heat from each piece of wood while exhaust is cleaner and hotter, virtually eliminating creosote buildup in your chimney. By the way, never connect a certified stove with a 6″ exhaust to an 8″ pipe. Due to designed burning, all certified stoves are designed for a 6″ chimney, which has a stronger draft than an 8″ chimney. Be sure to use the listed stovepipe and allow for clearances in the pipe and stove for safe installation. Your insurance company may deny a claim caused by a stove that is improperly installed or does not meet all authorizations. Also, I recommend a wind directional swivel cap on all wood stove installations. They are the solution for drafts caused by a strong wind coming down the chimney and filling the house with smoke.

Once installed, a wood stove can give you a lifetime of trouble-free service. So why don’t more people heat with wood? Probably because it’s not comfortable, it’s messy, it takes up space, etc. While this is true, I would like to say how comforting it is to have my three cords of firewood winterized, knowing that if a storm or blizzard blows or the power goes out (sometimes for days), my family and I will be hot and we can cook our food on our trusted stove. Our children remember those moments as special, all in the same room not far from the stove while outside the snow piles up and the wind blows. There is nothing like the warmth of wood to soothe the soul and warm the body!

If you can’t afford a new wood stove, keep your eyes peeled on Craigslist or eBay for a good deal on a used stove. Last week I called a newer Lopi for $400 but someone offered them $450 and they took it. It was an $1800 stove when it was sold new 4 years ago and hardly used. I’m always looking for used stoves for friends and sometimes I’ll trade one in for a profit. If you buy a used range manufactured after July 1, 1992, it will meet the new Phase II standards. Washington is the only state that has its own standards, which are now 4.5 grams per hour (gph) of particles. Most new and some used stoves will meet this standard. Check out “EPA Certified Stoves” online if you find a used stove you’re considering.

It is true that firewood takes up a lot of space. There’s no way to avoid it. If you live in the city, you may have to get creative to make the space. Perhaps the lumber can be stored under a second-story deck, against a garage wall, or even in the basement. If you live in the country, a shed roof can be attached to a barn to make a stylish wooden shed. On my house, I installed a metal roof under an overhead deck and kept a whole bead of oak just outside the door. In the cold of winter I don’t have to go far to get more firewood. The other two cables are stowed under an overhang on the far side of the barn and wheelbarrowed up when necessary. By the way, I have never burned 3 whole strings. That’s my extra margin of safety!

Inside the house, I store a week’s supply of firewood near the stove in purpose-built brick containers. The raised hearth is 3 1/2″ thick concrete and filled with rebar, allowing me to split firewood right on the hearth. Under the fireplace there is a large drawer for firewood where I also keep the paper. The implements hang from hooks nearby. I use a coal hood to remove the ash and carry more firewood.

Lighting the fire in the morning is a special ritual for me. After heating with wood for more than 25 years, one thing I am clear about is starting a fire. I always start by using at least two pieces of wood, 1 of them large and the other smaller and facing each other. I split the kindling into chips for initial starting and add larger pieces until ignition is achieved. The smaller logs start first and the larger one ignites soon after. My favorite wood to burn is oak. It burns longer and smells better than anything else in these places. My favorite wood stove is a Brass Flame. Of course they’re certified, they’re built like a Sherman tank, they have a double air vent for quick fire starts, they look good and burn efficiently. I have found used ones for several friends and family. I have a bit of a bias in this department; my brother developed the Brass Flame and it was the first stove to pass emission standards without a catalytic combustor. All certified stoves on the market now copy their combustion process, the big secret being a lot of secondary and tertiary air. He made 10,000 of them before selling them to Earth Stove, who made them for a few years and then sold them to a larger company, which dropped the line. They come in 2 models, the 805 (smaller) and the 1005. If you can find one, you won’t be disappointed! Expect to pay between $150 and $500.

When heating with wood, it’s a good idea to keep a pot of water on the stove to replace the moisture removed by dry heat. An old cast iron teapot serves this purpose. Another useful addition is a ceiling fan, placed near the stove and used to move heat away from the stove. Without a fan, it takes much longer for the heat to fill the house. Since heat seeks cold, it eventually warms the place up, but in the dead of winter, who wants to wait? This little addition makes a big difference!

One more thing that makes a big difference in helping to heat your home more efficiently is bringing outside air directly into the stove. This is required on mobile homes and all new homes, but it’s a good idea in any home. If you have a crawl space under your house, a 3″-4″ pipe in the crawl space is adequate for this purpose. In my case, I put a 4″ pipe in the open air before pouring the slab. Pedestal stoves are designed for outdoor air, but stoves with legs will need to be adapted. Special outdoor air adapters can be ordered or made for any range.

To clean ceramic glass in the morning when the stove is cool, I simply take a piece of newspaper dipped in water and emulsify the creosote, scraping it off with a razor. Even the best stoves accumulate in the window.

I hope these tips are helpful. I cannot stop sharing the primary satisfaction that I feel when heating with firewood. This is how our ancestors heated and cooked their food until the last century and many in the world still do. To me, it looks like the way God intended it to be!

How many of us have had a few drinks at the bar, at a friend’s house, or at a work event and thought I’d only had a few so I’m okay to drive home? For some, this ends up being an expensive decision and they find themselves charged with operating under the influence (OUI).

What you need to know about OUI charges is that if an experienced attorney is hired early, it can make a world of difference. In an OUI case, the state’s attorney has to prove several things beyond a reasonable doubt, we call these parts elements of the crime. In an OUI case, the elements of the offense are that the 1.) defendant, 2.) operated a motor vehicle, 3.) on a public thoroughfare, and 4.) while his ability to do so was impaired or his alcohol content in blood is greater than 0.08.

We’ll take these OUI elements one at a time. It may sound like a no-brainer, but it must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they have the right person in court. This is fairly simple to prove, but it does require some form of identification or circumstantial evidence; testimony from a police officer or testimony from a civilian who was at the scene of the alleged crime will normally suffice.

Second, to prove an OUI, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you had driven a motor vehicle. Once again, proving this element is normally not that difficult, however a skilled and experienced attorney can exploit this area to your advantage. The specific facts of your case will determine the feasibility of mounting a defense on this issue.

Third, to prove an OUI, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the operation of the vehicle occurred on a public highway. Again, this may seem like an easy thing to prove, but to an inexperienced prosecutor, this element may be overlooked, allowing an experienced OUI attorney to obtain a direct or not guilty verdict. Simply put, the prosecutor must prove that the operation occurred in an area generally open to other members of the public to operate their vehicles.

Finally, the state’s attorney must prove that your ability to do so was impaired or that your blood alcohol content was above a.08. If the individual facts of the case permit, the prosecutor may proceed with both theories.

Starting with the last one, if you have a blood alcohol content of .08 it will be shown by a blood test or, more commonly, a breathalyzer test. However, if you have refused to take either type of evidence, this theory of prosecution will not be available, and furthermore, your refusal is inadmissible at trial in Massachusetts. It is important to have an experienced OUI defense attorney, especially a former prosecutor, because they are well-versed in the potential issues that may prevent this evidence from being used at trial or how to deny it if it is presented as evidence at trial.

With the first theory tested as to whether your ability to operate said motor vehicle was impaired, many factors will ultimately influence the outcome. These often include, but are not limited to, observations of driving behavior (if the driving was erratic), observations of you at the time of the alleged violation (slurred speech, ability to stop, glassy bloodshot eyes, ability to understand), whether field sobriety tests were conducted, and what the results were (commonly, one-legged standing or nine-step walk and turn). It is important to remember that field sobriety test refusals cannot be used as evidence against you. An experienced drunk driving defense attorney knows the playbook on how these field sobriety tests should be conducted and can often poke holes in the administering officer’s testimony at trial.

One final consideration is whether it is a post OUI, Massachusetts allows for a lifetime review, so if you were ever convicted or received a continuation without an OUI finding in any state in your lifetime, you can be charged with the corresponding back. offense and have enhanced penalties, I have listed the possible penalties below. In practical terms this means that the prosecutor must have a second trial if he is found guilty of an OUI in the first trial, this is known as a bifurcated trial. The prosecutor in this second trial has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are, in fact, the one who has been previously convicted of a drunk driving offense. Proof of the back is often done through certified court documents, live testimony, and checking motor vehicle records. Again, this element tends to be hyper-technical and requires an experienced attorney to combat.

YES / DUI / DRUNK DRIVING PENALTIES

1st OFFENSE YES

Imprisonment in House of Correction: Not more than 2 ½ years House of Correction Fine: $500-$5,000

License Suspension: For 1 year, Hardship leave counts for 3 months for work or school and General Hardship for 6 months

Alternate First Offense Disposition:

Probation with mandatory participation in the offender-paid 24d drug and alcohol education program

License suspended for 45 to 90 days, a hardship license is generally available upon completion of an intake to the 24d program.

2nd OFFENSE YES

Incarceration in House of Correction: Not less than 60 days, not more than 2 ½ years Fine: $600-$10,000

License suspension: for 2 years, considered work/educational hardship in 1 year, general hardship in 18 months

The condition of the hardship license is the installation of an ignition interlock device for at least 2 years.

Alternate Second Offense Design:

Probation with a 14-day confined treatment program paid for by the offender.

Eligible for first offense disposition if you have had only one prior offense that is more than 10 years old

3RD OFFENSE YES

Incarceration in House of Correction: Not less than 180 days, not more than 5 years State Prison

You may be cared for in correctional facility treatment programs

Fine: $1,000-$15,000

License suspension: for 8 years, considered employment/educational hardship in 2 years, general hardship in 4 years

A condition of any hardship license is the installation of an ignition interlock device for at least the hardship period.

4TH OFFENSE YES

Incarceration in House of Corrections: Not less than 2 years (1 year Mandatory Minimum), not more than 5 years

Fine: $1,500-$25,000

License suspension: for 10 years, considered employment/educational hardship in 5 years, general hardship in 8 years

A condition of any hardship license is the installation of an ignition interlock device for at least the hardship period.

5TH OFFENSE YES

Incarceration in House of Correction: Not less than 2 1/2 years (24 months mandatory minimum), not more than 5 years (felony status)

Fine: $2.00-$50,000

License Suspension: Lifetime, no hardship

LICENSE RESTORE FEES

First Offense $500.00

Second Offense $700.00

Third Offense $1,200.00

Tidying up my bookshelf recently I found an old book with loose pages that were turning brown. Evidently a book that I had kept for years although I don’t remember buying it. I decided that if I had kept it that long I would read it again, it had to be worth it!

The book was by Percy Ross, a philanthropist and millionaire, who started his life in an extremely poor family. In fact, at the age of 6, he had to help the family economy by selling eggs to his neighbors. At this young age he built his own round of eggs. His dad told him to give away an extra egg from time to time. This unusual gift kept his clients engaged and he used it as a lesson for years to come.

As a child he was desperate for a bicycle, which his parents couldn’t afford and he envied every sign of luxury he saw and decided that one day he would be a millionaire and help others.

It’s a fascinating book where you find out how he went from rags to riches through hard work and some sexy tactics. Then he put his secrets, his 10 rules to ask, what he had achieved so much for him, in this book so that you too can achieve what you want.

Fascinated by his stories, I googled Percy Ross and found that he died in 2001 at the age of 84, but two years earlier he had closed his newspaper columns where people could write whatever they wanted, he closed them with a note saying it said: her bag was empty now, but how she had enjoyed helping everyone. He gave away 30 million in his lifetime. In the book that he wrote at seventy he swore before he died that he would give every penny.

He must have been a wonderful man to have known. This is a book worth reading if you can get your hands on a copy.

His advice could help you get a business loan, like you did through thick and thin, or help you through any situation. So if you want to improve your life, this is a book that could help you.

At the end of the book he explains how to decide exactly what you want, how to be specific in your requests and decide exactly what you want in all areas of your life, how to prioritize, and how to ask exactly to achieve your dreams. His thoughts were that if you ask the right way you can achieve almost anything.

Book Review: “Ask for the Moon and Get It” by Percy Ross with Dick Samson.

Other great books to read:

“Stop worrying and start living” by Dale Carnegie.

“Feel the fear and do it anyway” by Susan Jeffers.

“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill

“The Giant Within” by Anthony Robins.

“Use Your Head” by Tony Buzan.

Maxwell’s “Psycho-Cybernetics 2000” malt Bobbie Sommer Foundation

In today’s economy, many homeowners are trying to enter the real estate market without the help of a broker. As an agent, I’ve found that the main reasons for this may be the price homeowners pay to sell their homes, or simply bad experiences with real estate agents. Many brokerage firms charge a standard 6% commission, which can become a lump sum for some owners. However, it is important to remember the time and money that homeowners must invest if they want to sell through selling by owner.

1. Put a price on your house

This is the most important part of the process. Be very careful not to overprice your house; the price premium will reduce buyer interest in the property and make competing homes appear to be a better value. Price gouging when selling a home is the number one reason many “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) home sellers fail to sell their homes successfully.

The best way to price your home is to research the asking price of similar homes that have recently sold in your neighborhood. The easiest way to accurately price your home is to contact your local home appraiser. This will prevent mortgages from being turned down in the future if you find a potential buyer.

Finally, set your price to just below a whole number, like $349,000 instead of $350,000

2. Market your house correctly

Welcome to the age of the Internet: EXHIBITION, EXHIBITION, EXHIBITION. In today’s market, 92% of buyers search online for their next home. That’s compared to just 28% who look at print advertising. We specialize in internet strategies to promote the sale of your home. A couple of places you can start connecting with potential buyers are Zillow.com, ForSaleByOwner.com, FSBO.com, and social media.

It is very important to write a detailed description of your house, but remember that being simple and to the point is everything. Details like beds/baths, square footage, nearby schools, grocery stores, and your home’s best features are critical when a buyer is trying to find the perfect fit.

Last but not least, get a yard sign. It’s proven that about half the time your home buyer is referred by a neighbor or friend who lives in the area, so make sure everyone in your neighborhood knows you’re selling!

3. Photography and staging

The first impression is key. Photography and staging go hand in hand. Make sure the yard/driveway is clear. Remove parked cars, trash cans, and bicycles. The same applies to interior shots. Remember to think of the furniture as accessories and the room as a stage. Take lots of photos, because the more you take, the better the chances of getting great shots.

You are selling your house. Usually this is one of his most valuable possessions. It deserves quality. Put some effort into it. will be worth.

Conclusion

Most “For Sale By Owners” (FSBOs) are willing to cooperate with brokers, usually offering a 3% commission and saving the remaining 3%. The main concern is the time and money that a “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) has to invest. After paying for advertising, he interrupts family showing time, keeps the house clean at all hours, hosts open houses every weekend, negotiates with unqualified or bargain-hunting buyers, and finally covers the fees. from lawyers, they are “for sale by owners” and really save big. ? For some owners it really isn’t worth their time and since 95% of properties are listed with an agent, and 95% of buyers buy something that is listed, it just leaves an “owner for sale” with a scope of 5%. If you played that in Las Vegas, that wouldn’t be a very good odds in today’s market. Happy selling!

They watched from the shadows as the clerk opened the back door to make his nightly run to the trash pen. He didn’t deviate from the routine the last two nights. It was 1:35 AM, right on schedule. When the young man returned with his empty cart, they pulled their ski masks down to their chins and jumped out, guns drawn. They pushed the employee into the restaurant. Upon entering the office area, the two robbers went into a frenzy. One burglar grabbed the manager, pointed her gun at her and yelled at her to open the safe, while the other forced other closing employees to lie down on the cold tile kitchen floor. The lives of the employees are forever changed when they experience the terror of staring at the brink of life and death.

Unfortunately, this scene takes place somewhere every night in the world of fast food. A world serving the public, late at night with predators on the prowl, waiting and conspiring to seize every opportunity to forcefully steal your hard-earned money. Crime prevention solutions cost virtually nothing more than implementing changes in policy, routines, and discipline.

Opening the back door exposes the company to loss of cash and proceeds and employees to serious crime, including homicide. Opening it at night greatly increases the chances of bad things happening. However, it is one of the most serious and most violated infractions of all security policies. It is a virtual weak link that can become one of the strongest ties in creating a safer environment for customers and employees when executed correctly.

This particular scene can be avoided with simple policies and procedures to limit these dangerous exposures to crime and theft. Most importantly, procedures must be embedded in employee training and routines in the restaurant, and violations must be punished with appropriate discipline. Door control is not only essential for keeping employees safe and secure, but it is also an important component in preventing theft and inadvertent loss.

Policies

Effective back door policies include prohibited opening hours, such as night hours and possibly peak hours when each employee must focus on serving the customer. Sound loss control programs ensure the door is locked at all times and monitored by a member of management each time it is opened. Door lock and alarm keys should not be left in the possession of the management team or readily available to non-management personnel. Trash runs done after dark should be done through the lobby doors while the restaurant is open and never after the doors are locked.

procedures

When opened, the door should not stay open. During a trash haul, all trash is placed outside the door, then closed and locked unless a member of management controls the open door. Clear trash bags must be used and all cardboard boxes must be taken apart. No one can enter through the back door. Any request to enter or open the back door must be made at the front desk. Audits should be performed routinely to verify compliance with company policies related to door unlocking, key control, alarm testing, and procedures related to garbage disposal.

Equipment

The liftgate must be equipped with an audible push bar alarm with a key that cannot be removed while the alarm is in the “off” position, a peephole or a small (less than 4″) covered window, and anti-pry plates. on the lock Exterior lighting illuminates the back door and trash pen areas If the restaurant is equipped with a perimeter alarm system, the back door must be included A sign in the applicable languages ​​on the door indicating the rules for authorized openings help communicate clear expectations.

Technology

Apply simple technologies to audit compliance and report unauthorized openings that endanger the lives of employees and the profitability of the company. Effective digital camera systems include monitoring of door activity. Audible enunciators and/or strobes near the manager’s office notify when the door is opened. Exception reports can be generated by connecting alarm contacts with a restaurant camera system. Reports can be transmitted to supervisors and/or security representatives with an attached video of open door activity. Additional combined video and audio technology can interact with store staff and/or customers causing trouble from an external monitoring station.

The back door of every restaurant is essential to maintaining effective operations from garbage removal to inventory receipt. Sound loss control principles involve controlling when the door is opened. The old habits of maintenance or warehouse employees having the door keys in their possession, the keys hanging from a hook or the indiscriminate loan of management keys are difficult to change. Maintaining control is often seen as a drawback by management. The costs of implementing new backdoor policies, procedures, and disciplines are inexpensive. When the gate is not controlled, the chance of bad things to happen increases dramatically, as shown in the opening passage above. When “nothing bad has ever happened here” and “if it ain’t broke, why fix it!” are the answers to not having proactive loss prevention procedures in place, the final price can be extremely high.

Making a home more energy efficient will pay off the investment, especially over time. Not only will you be doing your part for the environment, but you could save hundreds, even thousands of dollars in utility bills over the years you stay in your home. And, an energy efficient home is much easier to sell when the time comes.

You may not want to just launch an effort to make your home more energy efficient all at once, but as you do repairs, upgrades, and maybe a little remodeling, the little extra costs will be recouped faster than you could. wait. After all, some of the things you can do to make your home more energy efficient don’t cost much, especially if you’re renovating anyway.

For example, adding weather stripping to doors and windows will probably cost you less than $50. You could save more than that in the next year in reduced energy bills because your home is losing less hot or cold air. Installing window film on east and west facing windows will probably cost less than $100 if done and less than $250 if done professionally. You’ll lower your heating and cooling bills and prevent fading of your carpet and furniture from strong sunlight, saving more than your investment in a year or two.

Switching from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs will cost you a little more when you first buy the bulbs, but you’ll save on electricity and replace bulbs much less frequently.

Adding storm doors and windows will save heating and cooling costs by reducing the amount of conditioned air lost and the amount of outside air drawn in. If your budget is tight, you can try doing what our grandparents did when they wanted shutters: make your own shutters. You just need some wood, some nails, and some heavy plastic.

If you’re replacing appliances, it pays to insist on energy-efficient models and options, such as ventless moisture-sensing dryers, front-loading washers, and in-door refrigerators with water and ice. If you’re replacing a water heater, attic fan, or heating/cooling system, you can certainly purchase replacements that are more energy efficient. You can replace your water heater with instantaneous water heaters or a solar water heater; replace an electric attic fan with a solar powered fan. Replace your heating and cooling equipment with a single energy efficient heat pump. For real savings, try choosing a zone-programmable system with timers that allow you to control the temperature in various parts of the house based on your family’s needs. Replace a toilet? Choose a dual-flush toilet to save water.

When it’s time to replace your roof, choose a metal roof for your replacement. Metal roofs are less expensive and very energy efficient. If you don’t want a metal roof, you can always install attic sheets to prevent heat loss.

All of these options are great choices, both for the environment and for your family. But don’t forget to look for possible discounts and tax breaks.

Many utility companies offer rebates to customers who install energy-efficient appliances and lights. Just call your utility company and ask. Then make sure you understand the standards to qualify for rebates.

If you install a whole house surge suppressor or disaster proof features, be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you will be eligible for any reduction in your insurance rates.

Investigate energy efficiency financing for your upgrades if you’re making your home more energy efficient. Check out FHA Energy Efficient Mortgages, FHA Section 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance, etc.

And don’t forget the opportunities to save on your taxes.

If you are going to use a remodeled or added room as a home office, be sure to deduct the appropriate percentage for utilities, etc. each year as a business expense.

Learn about the US Energy Policy Act of 2005. Allows homeowners to get tax credits for renovations that improve the energy efficiency of their primary residence. The maximum credit you can take is $500, but you can take credits for:

10% of the cost up to $500 for energy efficient exterior doors or storm doors

10% of the cost up to $500 for a qualifying metal roof

10% of the cost up to $500 for adding insulation that is expected to last at least 5 years

$300 for qualified central air conditioning, heat pumps, or geothermal heat pumps

up to $150 for a qualifying gas, oil or propane hot water furnace or furnace

up to $300 for a qualifying gas, oil, propane or electric heat pump water heater

up to $2,000 for solar water heating

Making your home more energy efficient can be good for the environment, good for your family (and your wallet), and good for your home’s resale value. Do your research and shop carefully when making home improvements. Going green will typically pay for itself within 5-10 years with reduced energy bills.

Copyright 2007 by ABCD Publishing