A new study from the Atlanta office of MetroStudy has shown that the Atlanta residential real estate market may have hit the bottom. This would be good news for all home owners and anyone trying to sell their home. “Atlanta’s housing market has hit a bottom,” said Eugene James, director of MetroStudy’s Atlanta division. “Almost all housing indicators have reversed and are now heading in a positive direction. Finished inventory has been reduced to a level where builders have been forced to resume building new homes.” This September, Atlanta’s finished inventory was reduced to about 11,000 units, which is a 37 percent decline from September 2008 and a 48 percent decline from September 2007, according to Metrostudy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remodel your counter tops and floors with our granite and other natural stone slab and tile selections, whether for your own quality of lifestyle, or to prepare your home for sale: Natural Stone Atlanta ; info@naturalstoneatlanta.com ; 404-592-5597

Mummy Pizzas Ingredients 2 English muffins 1/4 cup pizza sauce 2-4 stuffed green olives or pitted black olives, sliced (need 8 slices) 2-3 pieces mozzarella string cheese Directions 1. Toast English muffins. 2. Preheat oven to 350*. 3. Lay 4 muffin halves on baking sheet. 4. Spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce on each muffin half. 5. Set 2 olive slices in place for eyes on each muffin half. 6. Pull string cheese into pieces and lay on muffins above and under "eyes", layering them to look like mummy wrappings. 7. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Brain Spread This is a GREAT appetizer for your next Halloween Party! If you don't have a brain mold, you can substitute by lining a med. size round bowl with saran wrap and making your mold. Once the mold is set, you can take the round end of a knife or other dull, small, blunt end object and create your crevices and creases to make your brain. Takes a little more time, but works well. When done designing your brain, peel off the saran wrap, and plate to serve along with your crackers, chips etc. SERVES 10 -12 Ingredients 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 (1/4 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin, softened in 1/4 cup water 1 bunch green onion, finely chopped 1 lb crabmeat or lobster, shredded (or 3 lbs. cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped) 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon lemon juice Tabasco sauce or creole seasoning, to taste Directions 1. Heat soup, undiluted, and mix in the cream cheese. 2. Stir in softened gelatin, and blend well. 3. Fold in remaining ingredients, and pour into a lightly-oiled brain mold. (pour some oil in and swirl it around, then pour out excess). 4. Chill until firm, and serve with your favorite crackers, pita or bagel chips or scoops. Barbecued Bat Wings SERVES 8 Ingredients * 4 lbs chicken wings * 2 cups ketchup * 1 1/2 cups molasses * 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar * 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce * 2 tablespoons sugar * hot sauce * salt * black pepper * black paste food coloring * blue paste food coloring * green paste food coloring Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the chicken wings for twenty minutes in a large pot. While the wings are cooking, prepare the sauce. Whisk together the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth in a large roasting pan. Add enough black, blue, and green food colorings to the sauce to make a dark black sauce. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, stirring once. 2. Drain the wings well and add them to the sauce and toss to coat evenly, poking the wings liberally with a fork. 3. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 450 degrees. Toss the wings in the sauce again to coat evenly. Bake until the sauce is thickened and slightly blackened, flipping the wings over occasionally, about another 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Spider Web Platter SERVES 8 -10 Ingredients 2 (14 ounce) cans refried beans 1 lb lean hamburger 1 (1/4 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix 1 (10 ounce) can Ro-tel green chilies 4 ounces medium hot chunky salsa 1 (8 ounce) package four cheese Mexican blend cheese 4 ounces sour cream Tortilla chips or Frito Scoops Directions 1. On a lg. round or oval dish spread out refried beans. 2. Fry hamburger until no longer pink, and drain grease. 3. Add Rotel tomatoes and let liquid boil out. Mixing a few times so the burger doesn't stick. 4. When most of the juice is evaporated put the meat mixture over the refried bean layer. 5. Spoon on salsa and spread across meat mixture. 6. Sprinkle with cheese. 7. Bake in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 8. In the meantime, spoon the sour cream into a small Zip-Lock bag, and cut the corner. Pipe a large dot in the middle of the cheese, then make a line about 1" from the circle all the way around. 9. Make another circle 1" from previous circle all the way around, and continue making lines until you are at the edge of the mixture. 10. Drag a tooth pick through the sour cream to make a web design OR you can draw horizontal lines with the sour cream a few inches apart, all the way around to make a spider web, so you can add more sour cream to the top. I usually do it this way. 11. Decorate the top with a little spider for added affect (can be an edible food "spider" on non-edible novelty item) 12. Use tortilla chips to scoop dip. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have a beautiful new counter top to work on with your new recipes and cooking; Granite Countertop Atlanta; info@granitecountertopatlanta.com

With bargain prices and an $8,000 tax credit set to expire Nov. 30, first-time homebuyers rush in where they previously feared to tread. Here’s one more way the housing bust has changed the rules of the real-estate world: In this market, first-time buyers are getting VIP treatment. Indeed, they’re the star players in a nascent market revival. New buyers accounted for almost half of all sales during the first part of the year, well above historic levels, according to the National Association of Realtors. Tanking prices have certainly drawn the newbies in; J.K. and Nicole Harvey, for example, just snagged a three-bedroom Dutch colonial in Trumbull, Conn., on a corner lot — after bidding $50,000 less than the asking price. Low interest rates and a new federal tax incentive are making a difference, too. But more than anything, first-timers are benefiting from not being homeowners. They don’t have to worry about selling their current homes, most likely in a down market, to raise money for new ones. “The world is their oyster right now,” says Mike Larson, real-estate analyst with Weiss Research. Small wonder that agents are now gladly tagging along as the “kids” kick the tires on starter homes. That’s a big change from the way things used to be: For most of this young century, the real-estate scene was dominated by homeowners trading up, flipping properties or snapping up vacation homes. Bubble-driven prices meant that even “starter homes” were out of reach for younger couples. Brokers and agents shunned first-time buyers because they needed too much hand-holding and, of course, because they weren’t that lucrative — why waste time peddling $150,000 condos when you could make seven times as much money selling a single $1 million McMansion? But today, new buyers with humbler aims are just as likely to get the red-carpet treatment. Right now, of course, buyers of all stripes face what seems like an unprecedented opportunity. This year the housing affordability index reached its highest point in almost 40 years. But not every “Sold” sign is a marker on the path to prosperity. Despite signs of improvement in a growing number of markets, hardly anyone expects a quick return to boom times. That’s partly because first-timers are more willing to scoop up bargains at the bottom end of the market than jump into a bidding war. And buying a home can be trickier and scarier than ever. Still, virtually everyone agrees that the housing market won’t fully recover until buyers soak up the bloated inventory of available homes — in other words, until the rookies come through. Tax breaks for rookies First-time buyers owe some of their time in the sun to Congress and President Obama. This year’s stimulus bill included an $8,000 tax credit aimed at first-time buyers — and it wasn’t long before those newbies got wooed by a business-starved real-estate industry. Phoenix-area builder Fulton Homes blasted its mailing list with information about the tax credit and material promoting homes tailored to young couples. Over a recent 12-week period, the company sold 120 homes to first-time buyers, says Dennis Webb, Fulton’s vice president of operations. Brokerages like Watson Realty, in Jacksonville, Fla., have issued buttons to their agents that read “Ask me about the $8,000 tax credit!” Mike Crowley, a broker in Spokane, Wash., even hosts a regular seminar for first-time buyers. He provides pizza and soft drinks, but that’s a pittance compared with the $3,000 he budgets each month to promote the classes on radio and television. These days the seminars focus special attention on the tax break. Crowley says the workshops have helped his office sign up more than 30 clients in the past year. “We’ve got it dialed in now,” he says. But for all the love it’s getting, some say the tax credit’s impact is limited. For one thing, $8,000 is a drop in the bucket for shoppers in expensive housing markets in the Northeast and California. The credit’s income ceiling — it phases out completely for couples earning more than $170,000 — isn’t mentioned on those buttons. And the credit often isn’t enough to get a first-timer over the down-payment hump. In fact, the typical newbie can come up with only a small fraction of the 10% to 20% that most banks are looking for these days. All of which means that many first-timers are getting into real estate in a more traditional way — with help from mom and dad. Erik and Jessica Wackenstedt of San Diego shopped for months before finding a row house with Pacific Ocean views, marked down to $530,000 from $700,000. Erik Wackenstedt’s father, Lars, loaned the couple $225,000 to make a hefty down payment. His motives weren’t entirely unselfish; he says he thought that payments from a loan to his son could provide a more reliable income than any of his other investments. There were other strings attached to the assistance: When Erik Wackenstedt originally asked for help a year ago, his father refused, saying that prices were “on the stupid side.” (In this case, obviously, dad was vindicated.) The bank of mom and dad While nobody tracks loans like these, some families see them as a win-win. The youngsters receive financing at a rate much cheaper than they would find at a bank, while the older lenders get to help their kin and still collect an income. Elders who are feeling flush can still make gifts, of course. Each donor can give up to $13,000 each year to each relative, tax-free. Nicole Harvey’s family gave her money from a trust that was supposed to remain sealed until the now-33-year-old woman turned 40. Ultimately, it was her father, Oscar Marcos, who decided that giving up a few years of investment gains was a tolerable price to pay for getting a home cheap. While their parents may be stepping up to the plate with help, some new homebuyers say real-estate agents are only making their lives harder. Michael McLane, a 23-year-old educational consultant from Tempe, Ariz., started shopping for a home online in March and attracted a swarm of brokers. “As soon as I put my information in, they were on me like chicken hawks,” says McLane, who wound up needing a new e-mail address for all the spam he got from desperate agents. His answer? Sidestepping them and buying a home directly from a builder. But some buyers say it isn’t always that easy, especially when the relationship with the agent gets further along. They tell stories of agents pushing them to buy from their brokerage’s listings (as opposed to the complete local inventory), while others report sellers’ agents who call several times a day. Once a deal gets to the contract stage, many cash-strapped brokers have been adding document preparation fees and other vague surcharges, according to Barry Zigas, director of housing policy for the Consumer Federation of America. Zigas adds that many first-timers are unaware of cozy ties between agents and the lenders, home inspectors and title companies they recommend — relationships that can boost a buyer’s costs. (A representative for the NAR says such fees and relationships should always be disclosed to consumers.) Looking for ‘move-up’ buyers Not all brokers – even well-meaning ones – are thrilled by the influx of first-timers, with some complaining that they offer a toxic mix of cluelessness and arrogance. But others have a deeper economic worry: By focusing on cheaper homes, the thinking goes, the new buyers are pushing average prices down, which in turn discourages “move-up buyers” — growing families and upwardly mobile types who would normally be trading up to something more luxurious. “For the overall market to recover, we’ve got to get people into that move-up market,” says Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Gillespie is among the throng of real-estate honchos pressuring Congress to increase the current tax break from $8,000 to $15,000, extend its duration and make it available to all buyers, regardless of their income or whether they’ve bought before. The price tag: an estimated $36 billion. Naturally, among the beneficiaries would be people who overpaid and overborrowed for the houses they’re in now. By comparison, this generation of first-time buyers is more cautious. The kids want fixed-rate mortgages they can easily afford, and they aren’t merely looking for a property to flip. A survey by the NAR showed that the average first-timer hopes to stay in the home for 10 years, up from seven at the peak of the boom. Regardless of how long first-timers stay, many economists believe these buyers can tip the first domino and kick-start the rest of the market. As Mark Markelz, a broker in Fairfield, Conn., puts it, “Without first-time buyers, you are going nowhere.” Help for that first down payment Until recently, the typical first-time buyer paid less than 5% as a down payment; now most banks are asking for 10% or even 20%. Here’s how buyers are making up the difference. The Feds Loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration permit down payments as low as 3.5%. They make up 18% of the market, up from 4% in 2006. The catch: Borrowers must pay mortgage insurance, usually 1.75% of the loan upfront — or $5,250 on a $300,000 loan — plus an annual 0.5% premium. Glenn Kelman, chief executive of discount broker Redfin, says some sellers shun FHA-backed offers because they take longer to close. Family money Parents can give up to $52,000 to a couple tax-free (if each parent gives $13,000 to the child and his or her spouse). Most lenders require a “gift letter” explaining that the money does not have to be paid back, says Keith Gumbinger, vice president with HSH Associates, and some require the borrowers to come up with cash of their own. If the family money comes in the form of a loan, the IRS sets minimum rates — currently just above 4% on longer-term loans — to ensure it isn’t merely a run around the gifting laws. Tax credit The much-ballyhooed $8,000 tax credit is set to expire Nov. 30, though industry groups are pushing to extend or expand it. Typically, the credit can be used for closing costs but not the down payment itself. One often overlooked plus: The government defines a first-time buyer as anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the past three years, so some former owners can qualify. Brad Reagan of SmartMoney ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remodel your kitchen and bath with the help of Savannah Discount Granite

Anglin Insurance Agency announces the launch of a new website, InsuranceCantonGA.com. September 16th, 2009 – Anglin Insurance Agency today announces the launch of the marketing campaign InsuranceCantonGA.com. Anglin Insurance Agency is a family owned insurance company with a fully licensed staff and a total of 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. They offer car insurance, life insurance, and homeowners insurance in Canton, Georgia as well as North Georgia including Jasper, Woodstock, Kennesaw, Ball Ground, Cumming and Cherokee, Cobb and Forsyth Counties. InsuranceCantonGA.com provides information on a wide variety of coverage options. In addition to standard benefits, Anglin provides a variety of extra features and low-cost, additional coverages. Among Anglin Insurance's Auto Coverages are Liability, Bodily Injury, and Property Damage, Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists coverage, Collision, Medical Payments, as well as full, Comprehensive coverage. For Georgia policyholders, Anglin Insurance Agency provides property damage coverage when loss is caused by an uninsured motorist (deductibles applicable). Their staff can also tailor your Homeowners insurance policy by choosing from several levels of protection and a number of optional coverages. Anglin offers coverage for physical damage, fire, theft and liability. It can protect your home and outbuildings on your premises, as well as personal property, such as clothing and furniture. Anglin also offers specialized coverages to insure your vacation home, recreational and computer equipment and personal valuables and collectibles. The website, InsuranceCantonGA.com in an interactive web portal connecting users to extensive and detailed information on all types of coverage and coverage options. Those seeking coverage are provided with the option to fill out an online insurance quote form and receive a free quote via e-mail. The information submitted is kept confidential and will be used for quote purposes only. The Insurance Canton GA marketing campaign will be a multimedia operation that will include the website, www.insurancecantonga.com, plus ad placements in various media outlets, supported by online promotions including blogs, newsletters, articles, and other online strategies to help inform those seeking insurance coverage about the various coverage options offered through Anglin Insurance Agency. The site and campaign will be managed by Panorama Press, an Atlanta-based marketing firm specializing in strategy, sponsorships and web development. “The primary objective of the Insurance Canton GA campaign is to inform those without coverage in Canton and throughout North Georgia that Anglin Insurance Agency provides low-cost coverage options and a capable and professional staff able to customize a coverage policy to their specific needs and budget,” said Manuel Enrique “QuiQue” Lopez, spokesman for Panorama Press. Anglin Insurance Agency is located at Marietta Hwy, Suite 101, Canton, GA 30114. They can be reached by phone at 678-391-9157, online at www.insurancecantonga.com, or via email at info@insurancecantonga.com.

Many American families are finding themselves deeper and deeper in debt. Complicating matters even more, new legislation passed by Congress in 2005 will make it harder to declare bankruptcy, and saddle filers with a greater percentage of their debts to repay. If you, too, find yourself in trouble financially, there are usually no easy answers - but there are some ways out for those willing to commit to changing their spending habits. Your ability to pay your bills can be affected by situations beyond your control such as serious illness, divorce, or unemployment. Poor financial management can also threaten your economic security. You may be able to juggle your creditors for a time, but eventually you may come to realize you need help in resolving your financial problems. Consumer Debt The first step in regaining financial control is to limit, if not eliminate, the use of consumer debt. One popular radio talk show host suggested you cut up all your credit cards, or put them in a baggie, fill it with water, and freeze them. Continuing to charge will delay your eventual day of reckoning, and only exacerbates your overall financial hardships. Whenever possible, it's best to pay your living expenses in cash, using credit as a convenience that you pay off in full at the end of each month. If you cannot pay your bills in cash, you need to seriously consider your standard of living and how you might be able to get by on less. Sit down and make a plan that's livable for you. Credit Counseling Resources The National Foundation for Consumer Credit (NFCC) is a non-profit organization with offices in all 50 states. The NFCC can help you arrange repayment plans that fit your income level and ability. They will study your debts, analyze your income and help you work out ways to overcome your financial problems. You can call 800-388-2227 for information about the closest member agency. Consider a Consolidation Loan If you have equity in your home, consider a home equity loan. This type of loan can consolidate all your consumer debt into a single payment, usually with a lower interest rate and often with income tax deductible interest. Be careful, however, not to tap into your equity, only to run up consumer debt again. Paying Down Debt Takes Time If you create a strict plan for eliminating your consumer debts and stick with it, it could take as few as two and as many as five years to implement your plan. The first step in any debt reduction plan is a sincere commitment by the entire family to control spending and eliminate financial waste. Bankruptcy - The Last Resort Bankruptcy should be considered only as a solution of last resort. Bankruptcy carries numerous negative implications and should not be entered into lightly. It's always smart to consult an attorney before filing; in some cases it's required. You can usually retain your home, personal belongings and an automobile necessary for you to work. However, remember that bankruptcy does not change the habits that created the financial difficulties in the first place. There is life after debt - but it takes constant financial discipline and a commitment to living within one's means to stay that way. Material discussed is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only and it is not to be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, please note that individual situations can vary therefore, the information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Diversification does not ensure against loss. Source: Financial Visions, Inc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For assistance in developing a financial plan that can leave you debt free and on the path to a more secure financial future, please contact... Insurance Canton GA ; info@insurancecantonga.com

The house is a system. You save money and improve performance when you take cost-effective measures that reduce building loads, and then install systems and appliances that are the right size to meet the reduced loads. In general, over-sizing worsens performance and increases costs. The most effective strategy for improving household energy efficiency is to first target your home’s envelope—walls, attic, windows, and doors. Then improve the energy efficiency of systems, such as heating, cooling, lighting, and appliances. Finally, consider clean energy generation (solar, geothermal, and so on). 1. Make sure your walls and attic are well insulated. Effective insulation slows the rate that heat flows out of the house in winter or into the house in summer, so less energy is required to heat or cool the house. If your house has no wall insulation, and it has more-or-less continuous wall cavities (such as conventional stud walls), blown-in insulation can greatly improve your comfort and save enough energy to be very cost-effective. (It rarely pays to blow additional insulation into already insulated walls.) If your attic is unfinished, it often pays to upgrade its insulation. Your contractor’s expertise is more important than the insulation material you choose. Properly installed fiberglass, cellulose, and most foam insulation materials can all reduce the heat conduction of the completed wall system. The key is “properly installed.” Ideally, the contractor will use an infrared camera during or after installation to look for voids. 2. Upgrade or replace windows. If your windows are old and leaky, it may be time to replace them with energy-efficient models or boost their efficiency with weatherstripping and storm windows. It is almost never cost-effective to replace windows just to save energy. According to EnergyStar.gov, replacing windows will save 7 to 24 percent of your heating and air-conditioning bills, but the larger savings would be associated with replacing single-glazed windows. However, if you are replacing windows for other reasons anyway, in many areas the additional cost of Energy Star–rated replacement windows is very modest, perhaps $15 per window. This upgrade would be cost-effective—and increase your comfort to boot. 3. Plant shade trees and shrubs around your house. If your house is older, with relatively poor insulation and windows, good landscaping (particularly deciduous trees) can save energy, especially if planted on the house’s west side. In summer, the foliage blocks infrared radiation that would warm the house, while in winter the bare branches let this radiation come through. Of course, if your house has very good insulation and Energy Star or better windows, the effect is much, much smaller because the building shell itself is already blocking almost all the heat gain. 4. Replace an older furnace with a high-efficiency system. If your furnace was built before 1992 and has a standing pilot, it probably wastes 35 percent of the fuel it uses, and it is probably near the end of its service life. In this case, in all but the warmest climates, ACEEE recommends early replacement with a condensing furnace with annual efficiency of at least 90 percent. This type of furnace wastes no more than 10 percent of the natural gas you buy, and may save you as much as 27 percent on your heating bill. If your furnace was installed after 1991, it probably has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 80 percent, so the savings from replacement is smaller, but would be at least 11 percent if the unit is working perfectly. Your heating service technician or energy auditor may be able to help you determine the AFUE of your present system. For houses with boilers and hot-water heat distribution (radiators, baseboard), the savings from a modern condensing boiler with outdoor reset or equivalent feedback controls can be substantially larger, since the condensing boilers allow reducing the circulating loop temperature almost all the time. 5. Improve the efficiency of your hot water system. First, turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). Second, insulate your hot water lines so they don’t cool off as quickly between uses. Third, use low-flow fixtures for showers and baths. While storage water heater standards were raised in 2001, it was probably not enough to justify throwing out an existing water heater that is working well. Advanced contractors are now installing “on demand” hot water circulating loops that use a small pump to accelerate delivery of hot water to remote fixtures, which works great with low-flow fixtures. These are activated when users turn on a bathroom or kitchen tap, and turn off when hot water reaches the fixture. In ACEEE’s opinion, a continuous recirculating “hotel” loop wastes enormous amounts of water-heating energy, not to mention the electricity used for pumping. 6. Replace incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). CFLs can save three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescents. Most people don’t think about the fact that the electricity to run a lightbulb costs much more than the bulb itself. One of the new CFLs costs about two or three dollars, but it lasts 10,000 hours and uses only about 27 watts to generate as much light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. During its life, it uses about $22 in electricity, so the total cost is about $25. A 100-watt incandescent bulb costs 50 cents, but lasts 1,000 hours so you need 10 of them ($5 to buy) to last 10,000 hours. In those 10,000 hours you will use 1,000 kilowatts of electricity, which will cost more than $80 at a national average price. So the lighting cost of the CFL is less than one-third of the cost for the incandescent. The best targets for replacement are 60- to 100-watt bulbs used several hours a day, because usage affects how long it takes to recover the investment. 7. If you are thinking of buying a new refrigerator, don’t leave the old one plugged in, in the basement, as a backup for party supplies and liquid refreshment. Electricity to operate the old one isn’t free: figure an extra $50–150 per year to run it. In contrast, the new one, particularly if Energy Star rated, may cost only $30–60 per year to run because refrigerator efficiency has improved so much in the past three decades. Under these circumstances, think about how much refrigeration you really need. The best rule is to have only one refrigerator, and to size it to meet your real needs. That allows the luxury of ice-makers and similar conveniences with a clear conscience. Also consider configuration. A similarly sized refrigerator with a top-mount freezer will use 20 to 25 percent less energy than a side-by-side model and often offers more usable refrigerator and freezer space. 8. Take advantage of new tax incentives to improve your home. Federal tax incentives are available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Energy efficiency incentives for upgrades to existing homes have been extended, and are now available for 2009 and 2010. These incentives now cover up to $1,500 (from $500), based on 30 percent of the cost of the improvement. Improvements can include building-envelope improvements (windows, insulation) and heating/air-conditioning upgrades. There are also 30-percent credits, without a cap, for on-site renewables (solar photovoltaic and solar hot-water systems, small wind systems, and geothermal heat pumps). 9. Schedule an energy audit for more expert advice on your home as a whole. Energy auditors and raters use specialized tools and skills to evaluate your home and recommend the most cost-effective measures to improve its comfort and efficiency, as well as the best sequence for doing them to take advantage of interactions. The rater can also provide independent verification of contractors’ work quality. Look for raters who are RESNET Accredited. In some regions, there are Home Performance with Energy Star programs, too. Most of these programs include low-cost home assessment and strong quality assurance practices and/or inspections. by Harvey Sachs ---------------------------------------------------------- Icestone Countertops - Environmentally friendly, "Green" countertops of 100% Recycled glass in concrete, visit Icestone Atlanta, or email

Tax accounting is accounting for tax purposes. In the United States, tax accounting is governed by the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Tax accounting is defined as the field of accounting that considers the tax consequences and implications of every transaction upon the company’s operations. Tax accounting is a method of producing financial statements that uses the same methods that will apply to your tax return. Unlike generally accepted accounting principles (gaap), tax accounting is an extensive set of laws and regulations required of businesses to guide them in submitting income tax information. Penalties can be incurred if the proper method of tax accounting is not used or if requests to change the accounting method have not been done properly according to the correct internal revenue code section, which is section 446(f). The cash method, or cash basis, of tax accounting is simply recording transactions as the money is exchanged. For small businesses that may not pay a secretary or have an accounting staff, the cash method of recording tax accounting is fitting as long as the business is not required to file a tax return using the accrual method. Income tax accounting is a particularly troublesome area for many companies because of the complexity of tax return law. Tax accounting is an intensive introduction to federal income-tax concepts, statutes, and regulations, and their use in accounting and planning of business activities of corporations, partnerships, and individual proprietorships. Knowing what tax accounting is and what it involves, along with what a tax accountant does for the business, helps the business prepare for his future tax return preparation and will help to assure that the business records it’s items properly and efficiently as established by law. For sole traders and partnerships, annual tax accounting is essential to provide profit & loss statements which will in turn be used to form part of your individual income tax return. Finally, income tax accounting is important for complying with tax laws, as well as for minimizing tax expenditures. The most challenging aspect of tax accounting is not the preparation of an income tax return, but tax planning. By utilizing tax accounting to create a tax plan, a tax accountant can help you minimize your taxes and keep more money in your pocket. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For help with your tax accounting or for general tax accounting information, visit businessaccountantsatlanta.com, info@businessaccountantsatlanta.com

Established Atlanta sales trainer announces launch of new marketing campaign

Atlanta, Georgia, July 28 – New Home Sales Trainer, an Atlanta based sales training firm specializing in new home sales training with general sales training programs as well, announced the launching of the Green Eco-Home USA campaign. The firm is well established as experts in helping companies improve their skills and methodologies to enhance the effectiveness of their sales team and increase sales. Services include sales training, motivational speaking, on-site sales training, sales management consulting, effective communication, marketing training and sales team coaching.

The Green Eco-Home USA campaign will specialize nationally in the environmentally-conscious sector of the housing industry, by promoting and exploring the eco-friendly, “Green” approaches to home building and the best sales approaches and techniques to SELLING GREEN HOMES. Real Estate agents and businesses wishing to learn and apply the sales skills necessary to succeed in this vastly growing “green” home building and sales sector can take advantage of Green Eco-Home USA and New Home Sales Trainer founder, Joe Colletti’s three decades of experience in marketing and sales, Real Estate management, and training nationally within the housing industry. In addition to marketing and sales consulting, Mr. Colletti’s company has been responsible for the sales management of more than 8,000 home sales and has developed a strong background in master planned, golf course and new home neighborhoods.

Green Eco-Home USA will implement a strategic, multimedia campaign of internet presence and web-marketing and promotions including on-line ad placements, blogs and other social media networking, web articles and e-newsletters. The Green Eco-Home USA campaign is supported by a blog, greenecohome.blogspot.com, along with the support company website, newhomesales-training.com. The blog and website are interactive web portals that make it easy for businesses and agents in the housing industry to learn about the many aspects and options available when evaluating, improving, and utilizing their sales practices specifically geared for sales of the green eco-home.

The blog, website and campaign will be managed by Panorama Press, an Atlanta-based marketing firm specializing in strategy, sponsorships and web development. “Our primary objective is to inform home sales agents and businesses in Atlanta and throughout Georgia how Green Eco-Home USA will aid in their sales training for green eco-home sales and improve upon the effectiveness of their sales skills, techniques and successes towards increased sales specifically in the green eco-friendly home marketplace,” said Manuel Enrique “QuiQue” Lopez, spokesman for Panorama Press. “We want the real-estate businesses to know that Green Eco-Home USA and New Home Sales Trainer founder, Joe Colletti, will be offering to builders, developers, realtors and others in the national housing industry the opportunity to receive the effective new home sales training in the Green Eco-Home marketplace, including motivational speakers, on-site sales training, sales management consulting, effective communication, marketing training and sales team coaching.”

“We are excited to be working with Panorama Press because their ‘outside the box’ thinking and ‘hands-on’ approach as marketing partner is exactly what we require to compete in today’s economic environment. Like our clients, we recognize that creativity and determination, such as they bring to us, are keys to moving forward,” said Joe Colletti, President of New Home Sales Trainer in Atlanta, and founder of the Green Eco-Home USA campaign.

To request additional information about Green Eco-Home USA by New Home Sales Trainer, call Panorama Press at 678-391-9136, or contact info@panoramapress.net.

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LEED began in 1994 spearheaded by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) senior scientist Robert K. Watson who, as founding chairman of the LEED Steering Committee until 2006, led a broad-based consensus process which included non-profit organizations, government agencies, architects, engineers, developers, builders, product manufacturers and other industry leaders. Early LEED committee members also included USGBC co-founder Mike Italiano, architects Bill Reed and Sandy Mendler, builder Gerard Heiber and engineer Richard Bourne. As interest in LEED grew, in 1996, engineers Tom Paladino and Lynn Barker co-chaired the newly formed LEED technical committee. From 1994 to 2006, LEED grew from one standard for new construction to a comprehensive system of six interrelated standards covering all aspects of the development and construction process. LEED also has grown from six volunteers on one committee to more than 200 volunteers on nearly 20 committees and nearly 150 professional staff. LEED was created to accomplish the following: * Define "green building" by establishing a common standard of measurement * Promote integrated, whole-building design practices * Recognize environmental leadership in the building industry * Stimulate green competition * Raise consumer awareness of green building benefits * Transform the building market Green Building Council members, representing every sector of the building industry, developed and continue to refine LEED. The rating system addresses six major areas: * Sustainable sites * Water efficiency * Energy and atmosphere * Materials and resources * Indoor environmental quality * Innovation and design process Benefits and disadvantages LEED certified buildings typically use resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings often provide healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. The USGBC has compiled a long list of benefits of implementing a LEED strategy which ranges from improving air and water quality to reducing solid waste, benefitting owners, occupiers, and society as a whole. Often when LEED certification is pursued, this will increase the cost of initial design and construction. One reason for the higher cost is that sustainable construction principles may not be well understood by the design professionals undertaking the project. This could require time to be spent on research. Some of the finer points of LEED certification (especially those which demand a higher-than-orthodox standard of service from the construction team) could possibly lead to misunderstandings between the design team, construction team, and client, which could result in delays.[citations needed] Also, there may be a lack of abundant availability of manufactured building components which meet LEED standards. Pursuing LEED certification for a project is an added cost in itself as well. This added cost comes in the form of USGBC correspondence, LEED design-aide consultants, and the hiring of the required Commissioning Authority (CxA) - all of which would not necessarily be included in an environmentally responsible project unless it were also seeking LEED certification. However, these higher initial costs can be effectively mitigated by the savings incurred over time due to the lower-than-industry-standard operational costs which are typical of a LEED certified building. Additional economic payback may come in the form of employee productivity gains incurred as a result of working in a healthier environment. Studies have suggested that an initial up front investment of 2% extra will yield over ten times the initial investment over the life cycle of the building. Although the deployment of the LEED standard has raised awareness of green building practices, its scoring system is skewed toward the ongoing use of fossil fuels.[neutrality disputed] More than half of the available points in the standard support efficient use of fossil fuels, while only a handful are awarded for the use of sustainable energy sources. Further, the USGBC has stated support for the 2030 Challenge, an effort that has set a goal of using no fossil fuel green house gas emitting energy to operate by 2030. In addition to focusing on efficient use of fossil fuels, LEED focuses on the end product. For example, because leather does not emit VOCs they are deemed healthy for environments, disregarding the use of extremely harmful chemicals in the process of tanning leather. Other products that do not use harmful chemicals and focus on more sustainable production do not earn any additional points for their attention to environmental concerns. LEED is a measurement tool and not a design tool. It is also not yet climate specific, although the newest version hopes to address this weakness partially. Because of this, designers may make materials or design choices that garner a LEED point, even though they may not be the most site or climate appropriate choice available. ncentive Programs Some areas have implemented or are considering incentives for LEED-certified buildings. The city of Cincinnati, Ohio adopted a measure providing an automatic 100% real property tax exemption of the assessed property value for newly-constructed or rehabilitated commercial or residential properties that earn a minimum of LEED Certified. In the state of Nevada construction materials for a qualifying LEED building are exempt from local taxes. Pieces of construction that are deemed "inseparable" part such as concrete or sheetrock qualify. The state of Michigan is considering tax-based incentives for LEED buildings. Many local governments have adopted LEED incentive programs. Program incentives include tax credits, tax breaks, density bonuses, reduced fees, priority or expedited permitting, free or reduced cost technical assistance, grants and low interest loans. Certification Different LEED versions have varied scoring systems based on a set of required "prerequisites" and a variety of "credits" in the six major categories listed above. USGBC LEED 2009 (v3) In LEED 2009 there are 100 possible base points plus an additional 6 points for Innovation in Design and 4 points for Regional Priority. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification: * Certified - 40-49 points * Silver - 50-59 points * Gold - 60-79 points * Platinum - 80 points and above Point rating Points have been distributed as follows. Required "prerequisites" in each category receive no points. Sustainable Sites 26 Possible Points * Prerequisite 1: Construction Activity Pollution Prevention * Credit 1: Site Selection * Credit 2: Development Density and Community Connectivity * Credit 3: Brownfield Redevelopment * Credit 4.1: Alternative Transportation—Public Transportation Access * Credit 4.2: Alternative Transportation—Bicycle Storage and Changing Rooms * Credit 4.3: Alternative Transportation—Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles * Credit 4.4: Alternative Transportation—Parking Capacity * Credit 5.1: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat * Credit 5.2: Site Development—Maximize Open Space * Credit 6.1: Stormwater Design—Quantity Control * Credit 6.2: Stormwater Design—Quality Control * Credit 7.1: Heat Island Effect—Nonroof * Credit 7.2: Heat Island Effect—Roof * Credit 8: Light Pollution Reduction Water Efficiency 10 Possible Points * Prerequisite 1: Water Use Reduction * Credit 1: Water Efficient Landscaping * Credit 2: Innovative Wastewater Technologies * Credit 3: Water Use Reduction Energy and Atmosphere 35 Possible Points * Prerequisite 1: Fundamental Commissioning of Building Energy Systems * Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance * Prerequisite 3: Fundamental Refrigerant Management * Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance * Credit 2: On-site Renewable Energy * Credit 3: Enhanced Commissioning * Credit 4: Enhanced Refrigerant Management * Credit 5: Measurement and Verification * Credit 6: Green Power Materials and Resources 14 Possible Points * Prerequisite 1: Storage and Collection of Recyclables * Credit 1.1: Building Reuse—Maintain Existing Walls, Floors and Roof * Credit 1.2: Building Reuse—Maintain Existing Interior Nonstructural Elements * Credit 2: Construction Waste Management * Credit 3: Materials Reuse * Credit 4: Recycled Content * Credit 5: Regional Materials * Credit 6: Rapidly Renewable Materials * Credit 7: Certified Wood Indoor Environmental Quality 15 Possible Points * Prerequisite 1: Minimum Indoor Air Quality Performance * Prerequisite 2: Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control * Credit 1: Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring * Credit 2: Increased Ventilation * Credit 3.1: Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan—During Construction * Credit 3.2: Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan—Before Occupancy * Credit 4.1: Low-Emitting Materials—Adhesives and Sealants * Credit 4.2: Low-Emitting Materials—Paints and Coatings * Credit 4.3: Low-Emitting Materials—Flooring Systems * Credit 4.4: Low-Emitting Materials—Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products * Credit 5: Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control * Credit 6.1: Controllability of Systems—Lighting * Credit 6.2: Controllability of Systems—Thermal Comfort * Credit 7.1: Thermal Comfort—Design * Credit 7.2: Thermal Comfort—Verification * Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views—Daylight * Credit 8.2: Daylight and Views—Views Innovation in Design 6 Possible Points (ID Credit 1.1-1.4 has 4 points, and ID Credit 2 has 1 point) * Credit 1: Innovation in Design * Credit 2: LEED Accredited Professional Regional Priority 4 Possible Points * Credit 1: Regional Priority [edit] USGBC LEED v2.2 In LEED v2.2 for new construction and major renovations for commercial buildings there are 69 possible points and buildings can qualify for four levels of certification: * Certified - 26-32 points * Silver - 33-38 points * Gold - 39-51 points * Platinum - 52-69 points Point rating Points have been distributed as follows. Required "prerequisites" in each category receive no points. Sustainable sites (14 points total) * Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Plan (required) * Site selection (1 pt) * Development density and community connectivity (1 pt) * Brownfield redevelopment (1 pt) * Alternative transportation availability: o Public transportation access (1 pt) o Bicycle storage and changing rooms (1 pt) o Low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles (1 pt) o Parking capacity and carpooling (1 pt) * Reduced site disturbance: o Protect or restore open space (1 pt) o Development footprint (1 pt) * Stormwater management: o Rate and quantity (1 pt) o Treatment (1 pt) * Reduce heat islands: o Roof (1 pt) o Non-roof (1 pt) * Light pollution reduction (1 pt) Water efficiency (5 points total) * Water efficient landscaping: o Reduce by 50% (1 pt) o No potable use or no irrigation (1 pt) * Innovative wastewater technologies (1 pt) * Water use reduction: o (20%) (1 pt) o (30%) (1 pt) Energy and atmosphere (17 points total) * Fundamental commissioning (required) * Minimum (code) energy performance (required) * Fundamental Refrigerant Management (required) * Optimize energy performance by 14% (new) or 7% (existing) buildings (2 pts, required as of June 26, 2007) * Energy optimization (8 pts in addition to the 2 required above) * On-site renewable energy/Green Power (4 pts) * Enhanced Commissioning (1 pt) * Enhanced Refrigeration Management (1 pt) * Measurement and verification (1 pt) Materials and resources (13 points total) * Storage and collection of recyclables (required) * Building reuse: o 75% reuse of building structure and shell excluding windows (1 pt) o 100% reuse of building structure and 50% of walls, floors, ceilings (1 pt) * Construction waste reuse or recycling: o 50% diversion (1 pt) o 75% diversion (1 pt) * Reuse of existing materials: o 5% salvaged or refurbished materials (1 pt) o 10% salvaged or refurbished materials (1 pt) * Recycled content: o 10% recycled content (1 pt) o Additional 10% (1 pt) * Use of local materials: o Manufacture within and Extraction within 500 miles (800 km) of building site, 10% (1 pt) o Additional 10% (1 pt) * Rapidly renewable materials (1 pt) * Certified Wood (1 pt) Indoor environmental quality (15 points total) * Minimum indoor air quality (required) * Environmental tobacco smoke control (required) * Outdoor air delivery monitoring (1 pt) * Increased ventilation (1 pt) * Construction indoor air quality management (2 pt) * Indoor chemical and pollutant source control (1 pt) * Controllability of systems (2 pt) * Thermal comfort (2 pt) * Daylight and views (2 pt) Innovation and design process (5 points total) * One point for having a LEED AP as a principal participant on the project. * Additional points for this category are awarded above and beyond the core 64 points, and are described as rewarding strategies that go above and beyond the criteria for those points. Examples for up to four design points using steel construction include structure as finish, structure as plumbing, lightweight materials, recyclability, and potential for disassembly. (up to 4 pts) Process LEED certification is obtained after submitting an application documenting compliance with the requirements of the rating system as well as paying registration and certification fees. Certification is granted solely by the Green Building Council responsible for issuing the LEED system used on the project. Recently the application process for new construction certification has been streamlined electronically, via a set of active PDFs that automates the process of filing the documentation. Directory of LEED-certified projects The Green Building Council provides an online directory of LEED-certified projects.[13] LEED versions Different versions of the rating system are available for specific project types:[14] * LEED for New Construction: New construction and major renovations (the most commonly applied-for LEED certification)[15] * LEED for Existing Buildings: Existing buildings seeking LEED certification * LEED for Commercial Interiors: Commercial interior fitouts by tenants * LEED for Core and Shell: Core-and-shell projects (total building minus tenant fitouts) * LEED for Homes: Homes * LEED for Neighborhood Development: Neighborhood development * LEED for Schools: Recognizes the unique nature of the design and construction of K-12 schools * LEED for Retail: Consists of two rating systems. One is based on New Construction and Major Renovations version 2.2. The other track is based on LEED for Commercial Interiors version 2.0. LEED has evolved since its original inception in 1998 to more accurately represent and incorporate emerging green building technologies. LEED-NC 1.0 was a pilot version. These projects helped inform the USGBC of the requirements for such a rating system, and this knowledge was incorporated into LEED-NC 2.0. The present version of LEED for new construction is LEED-NC v2.2. LEED also forms the basis for other sustainability rating systems such as the Environmental Protection Agency's Labs21. LEED is a measurement tool for green building in the United States and it is developed and continuously modified by workers in the green building industry, especially in the ten largest metro areas in the U.S.; however, LEED certified buildings have been slower to penetrate small and mid-major markets.[16] Also, some criticism suggests that the LEED rating system is not sensitive and does not vary enough with regard to local environmental conditions. For instance, a building in Maine would receive the same credit as a building in Arizona for water conservation, though the principle is more important in the latter case. Another complaint is that its certification costs require money that could be used to make the building in question even more sustainable.Many critics have noted that compliance and certification costs have grown faster than staff support from the USGBC. In 2003, the Canada Green Building Council received permission to create its own version of LEED based upon LEED-NC 2.0, now called LEED Canada-NC v1.0.[17] For existing buildings LEED has developed LEED-EB. Recent research has demonstrated that buildings which can achieve LEED-EB equivalencies can generate a tremendous ROI. In a recent white paper by the Leonardo Academy comparing LEED-EB buildings vs. data from BOMA’s Experience Exchange Report 2007 demonstrated LEED-EB certified buildings achieved superior operating cost savings in 63% of the buildings surveyed ranging from $4.94 to $15.59 per square foot of floor space, with an average valuation of $6.68 and a median valuation of $6.07.[18] In addition the overall cost of LEED-EB implementation and certification ranged from $0.00 to $6.46 per square foot of floor space, with an average of $2.43 per square foot demonstrating that implementation is not expensive, especially in comparison to cost savings. These costs should be significantly reduced if automation and technology are integrated into the implementation.[19] LEED and carbon trading It is expected that LEED-NC 3.0 will include a requirement for a carbon footprint (carbon building print) and a significant reduction of GHG (green-house gases) beyond a baseline level. The reduction in carbon dioxide must be measured based on the direct and indirect carbon dioxide and equivalent reductions. These include emissions related to the consumption of grid delivered electricity, on-site combustion of fossil fuels, and fugitive refrigerant emissions. The efforts to quantify emission and reductions in emissions will be in an effort to monetize the climate change externality in the same way that a Kyoto Clean Development Project (carbon project) does. ITC Hotel Sonar Bangla Sheraton & Towers in Kolkata, India is the only green building project in the world to monetize the reductions that acts as the main precedent for this type of project. Professional accreditation Green building professionals can become LEED accredited. This accreditation enables an individual to facilitate the rating of buildings with the various LEED systems. Since January 2008, professional accreditation is administered by the Green Building Certification Institute. Between 2001 and June 2009, LEED accreditation required that candidates only pass one exam to earn their LEED Accredited Professional designation. After June 2009, LEED accreditation has three tiers and requires candidates to pass a series of LEED exams. The LEED v3 2009 accreditation process changes were made to mirror the various LEED Building Certification Rating Systems.[20] The first tier exam is called LEED Green Associate. The second tier exam is called LEED Accredited Professional with specialty and has five separate exams to allow for individual specialization. The third tier standards have not yet been determined or released[21]. The Green Building Certification Institute has an education provider program that provide seminars and lectures to prepare candidates to take and pass the LEED Exams. International initiatives With many countries either having, or being in the process of developing domestic assessment methods, international exchanges and coordination have being increasingly evident. In 1997, for example, the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee 59 (ISO TC59) - Building Construction resolved to establish an ad hoc group to investigate the need for standardized tools within the field of sustainable building. This subsequently evolved and was formalized as Sub-Committee ISO T59/SC17 – Sustainability in building construction – the scope of which includes the issues that should be taken into account within building environmental assessment methods. In Europe, under European Committee for Standardization's TC350 -Sustainability of Construction Works, a consensus-building process that relates to other standards (ISO) and harmonizes existing approaches was launched. These standards shall enable the exchange of sustainability information related to internationally traded products and services. The Sustainable Building Alliance (SB Alliance), a non-profit, non-partisan international network of universities, research centers and technical assessment organizations that is intended to accelerate the international adoption of Sustainable Building (SB) practices through the promotion of shared methods of building performance assessment and rating. The SB Alliance initiative is supported by the UNESCO Chair for sustainable buildings and the UNEP sustainable building and construction initiative. Facts It is estimated that the value of green building construction is projected to increase to $60 billion by 2010. By 2009, 82% of corporate America is expected to be greening at least 16% of their real estate portfolios; of these corporations, 18% will be greening more than 60% of their real estate portfolios. The green building market is estimated to be worth $30-$40 billion annually by the year 2010. By 2010, approximately 10% of commercial construction starts are projected to be green. According to McGraw-Hill bulding smart Smart Market report 2006. Every business day, $464 million worth of construction registers with LEED. Since 2000, USGBC's membership has more than quadrupled. Currently, there are 19,957 member organizations including corporations, government agencies, non-profits and others from throughout the industry. Over 5 billion sqaure feet of commercial building space is involved with LEED green building certification system. Construction yields an annual output of U.S. $4.6 trillion, contributing to 8-10% of the global GDP encompassing a workforce of 120 million people and billions of transactions each day. Comprises 13.4% of $13.2 trillion US GDP. This includes all commercial, residential and infrastructure construction. Commercial and residential building construction constitutes 6.1% of GDP. Buildings represent 38.9% of US primary energy use. Building are one of the heaviest consumers of natural resources and account for a significant portion of the greenhouse gas emissions that effect climate change. In the US, buildings account for 38% of all CO2 emissions. Building represent 72% of US consumption. Building use 13.6% of all potable water, or 15 trillion gallons per year. Buildings use 40% of raw materials globally (3 billion tons annually). EPA estimates that 136 million tons of building related construction and demolition debris was generated in the US in a single year. Compare that to 209.7 tons of municipal solid waste generated in the same year. The three largest segments for non-residential green building contruction - office, education and healthcare will account for more than 80% of total non-residential construction.