Photography - Microsoft's Photosynth

The future of photography

A lot has changed since the early days of photography. And we continue to make advances.

WE all know that digital photography opened up whole new possibilities. I stumbled upon the live labs website and was blown away at one direction photography could take.

Microsoft's Photosynth is a new way to view pictures. It weaves together thousands of photos. The subject can then be studied from all sides. It's a lot like walking into a picture! Simply amazing, isn't it?

Microsoft has a limited number of collections. In a way, that's good. Otherwise, you could spend hours navigating through the photos!

TO SEE THIS COOL SITE, GO HERE: http://labs.live.com/photosynth/default.html

Algonac/Clay Twp Four reasons to visit over June 22, 23, & 24

Four reasons to visit Algonac/Clay Twp over June 22, 23, & 24

1. The tall ship Highlander Sea will be on the waterfront and offering onboard tours.  Ocean Express will be displaying an 49 ft Ocean Express Cat race boat  outside the museum from Friday through Sunday.

2. The annual Antique Boat and Car show takes place at Algonac Harbour on Saturday

Miss America 10 will be on display.

3. Sunday is the annual Log Cabin Day throughout Michigan.  The Log Cabin on the Clay Twp property will host special activities from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 

4. The Algonac Museum is open from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm with exhibits highlighting
Chris-Craft, Gar Wood, and much more

These events are bound to be fun filled with a great weather forcast for the weekend.

Algonac Michigan and Surrounding Area Events

ALONAC MICHIGAN! We are busy here in Algonace trying to do things to bring folks into our community, here are some fun events going on here this summer.

GACC Summer Events:  Save the dates!!

July 19^th- Monthly Membership luncheon - located at: Cheers on the canal

August 2^nd-   3rd Annual Wine Tasting-  located at: The Algonac Harbor Club

Click here for event flyer - http://www.algonacchamber.com/Wine%20Tasting%20Flyer%2007.pdf 

August 10, 11 & 12-   4^th Annual yard Sale Trail-  vendor space available in the park.

Click here for vendor info-    http://www.algonacchamber.com/Antique%20Yard%20Sale%20Trail%20Contact%202007.pdf 

August 18 & 19^th- Chris Craft Classic Hydro Plane Races- Fantasy Seating available thru the chamber

Click here for more info-   http://www.algonacchamber.com/hydro%20fantasy%20seating%202.pdf

September 16^th- 10^th Annual Car Show & Duck Race-

Click here for Duck Race info -  http://www.algonacchamber.com/Rubber%20Duck%20Race-%2007.pdf

Click here for Car Show sponsorship-  http://www.algonacchamber.com/car%20show%20sponsorship%20flyer%2007.pdf

  Come on Over to Algonac Michigan and share the fun!

Serene and Beautiful and The Lord Only Created SO MUCH OF IT

It's calming, refreshing and after a long day at work staring away at it will offer comfort and solitude. The St. Clair River Which extends from the Southerly Mouth of one of the 5 Great Lakes, Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair.It is a river in central North America which actually drains Lake Huron into Lake St Clair, forming part of the International Boundary between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is also a significant component in the Great Lakes Waterway with shipping channels permitting cargo vessels to travel between the upper and lower Great Lakes.

Crossings (Compliments of wikopedia)(picture from my website)

This is a list of bridges and other crossings of the St. Clair River from Lake St. Clair upstream to Lake Huron.

This list is incomplete; you can help by going to wikopedia and expanding it.

Crossing	Carries	Location	Coordinates
Russell Island Ferry	Algonac, Michigan and Russell Island, Michigan
Walpole-Algonac Ferry	Algonac, Michigan and Walpole Island, Ontario
Sombra-Marine City (Bluewater) Ferry	M-29 St. Clair Parkway	Marine City, Michigan and Sombra, Ontario
St. Clair Tunnel	Canadian National Railway	Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario
Blue Water Bridge	I-69 I-94 Highway 402

Marine City, where I live, is located centrally along the river between St. Clair and Algonac. The waterfront here is unbelievable. People found that an hour or more one way to and fro work was worth the drive. They had the river to come home to.  Will this all change with the rising prices of gas. Only time will tell. The reality is that our Higher Power, the Creator of heaven and earth, only created so much of this beautiful river to see ships from many lands. It is premium. But because of the depressed economy we are finding hard to get the premium price. There are some great waterfront bargains out there.

Future Blogs about these fine homes for sale along the river right now are forthcoming. One that was featured in an earlier blog:
History repeats Itself...Marine City REALTOR Shares a Story -1945 Parker Street, Marine City. MI 48039 Beachfront has just reduced

 price to $299,900. 

Another fine Waterfront home located across from the river with riverfront property is going to be featured in my next blog Can You Help Me.  This will be featured on a featured listing blog.

Harsens Island, Michigan To be Or NOT To Be Harsens Island Bridge Project

DEQ hearing draws more than 200 attend Harsens Island meeting  The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has until Aug. 9 to make a decision about a permit request to build a bridge from mainland Clay Township to Harsens Island. Officials from the DEQ listened to comments from area residents at a public hearing last week. The Detroit International Bridge Co. wants to build a 1,950-foot drawbridge from a site off Pointe Tremble Road in Clay Township to a property on the island adjacent to a marina and a house east of the Champion's Auto Ferry landing. READ More
 

This Is the Hot Topic of the Island Right now - Margaret Jeans restaurant has been sold for the bridge development. She currently is leasing waiting to see when he last day of serving the best food in the area will be.

Harsens Island, Michigan is a beautiful island accessible by ferry or your boat only. here are some great pictures

And a Map

SUMMER SCHEDULE
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs continously
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

WINTER SCHEDULE
Begins December 1st - (May start later depending on demand)
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs every 15 minutes on the hour
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

RATES:
*$5.00 per vehicle
$2.00 Mopeds and Motorcycles
$4.00 per axle for single wheel trailers
$12.00 per axle for larger vehicles and trailers
$80.00 - book of 20 commuter tickets
* This rate will be increased to $6.00 per vehicle effective Jan. 1, 2005
All other rates will remain the same

Champions Auto Ferry to Harsens Island Phone Number 810-748-3757SUMMER SCHEDULE
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs continuously
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

WINTER SCHEDULE
Begins December 1st - (May start later depending on demand)
6:00AM to Midnight - Service runs every 15 minutes on the hour
Midnight to 6:00AM - Every 20 minutes on the hour

RATES:
$6.00 per vehicle
$2.00 Mopeds and Motorcycles
$4.00 per axle for single wheel trailers
$12.00 per axle for larger vehicles and trailers
$80.00 - book of 20 commuter tickets


Champions Auto Ferry to Harsens Island Phone Number 810-748-3757

of the island. What do you think? We look for your comments.

Marine City REALTOR Helps Senior Sellers Sell Their Homes and Buy New Ones

Taking the Seniors Real Estate Specialist class now sponsored by The Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® was one of the best classes I have taken.

The designation, which certifies that a practitioner is proficient in serving clients aged 50 and older, has surged in popularity in recent years, say Gary Thomas, chairman of the board of SAREC.

"Older home buyers have special financial and lifestyle needs," says NAR President Thomas M. Stevens. "The SRES designation indicates advanced education and commitment to this population. With the oldest of the baby boomers turning 60 this year, and given the importance of the emerging senior market nationwide, the number of REALTORS® earning this designation is likely to increase dramatically over the next few years."

The SRES designation was developed by the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council, which was created in 1997 to focus on the needs of home buyers and sellers aged 50 and over.

To earn the SRES designation, you must complete a two-day course covering issues such as specialized housing options and asset protection. You can then carry the designation on a provisional basis for as long as one year, and must execute three senior property transactions during that time.

- REALTOR® Magazine Online

Reasons To Earn Your SRES®

More the than 50% of my listings and sales right now belong to the senior community. These folks are very fragile and this is a very emotional experience for them. They usually are scaling way back in size and Stuff to make life easier for themselves and their loved ones. With this move also comes reality. The reality that there may not be much time left. Certainly not the time they usually want or hoped for. Many of the seniors wonder where the time went and want to make the best of their retirement. They need extra TLC - I enjoy this part of my real estate consultanting so much - it is very rewarding and lasting friendships are made.

History repeats Itself...Marine City REALTOR Shares a Story -1945 Parker Street, Marine City. MI 48039 Beachfront

We all know that beach-front is very limited no matter where it is. God only created so much beach-front in any specific area and in Marine City, Michigan, there is some but not a lot. Beach-front here in Marine City is scattered along the St. Clair River in various parts.

Over 40 years ago my father sold a waterfront lot to a nice couple. They built a lovely step saving  waterfront home on 65' of beachfront.

This conveniently laid out custom ranch has had only the one owner. Now the owner has had to move to assisted living, his daughter came back to the establishment to resell the beautiful lot now with a nice house it. It's on the St. CLair River, south of Marine City. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, quality Brick ranch, 1 Owner, across from Fawn Island. Anderson windows, new front storm door,all new kitchen , granite counters, carpet,floors. Views of river from kitchen, dining room, living room, and master bedroom. Walk around attic+ garage attic. Lovely shaded yard and sandy beach. New front porch and walkway. Florida room off living room is a great retreat to relax and see ships from many lands pass on by. Priced at only $299,900

9,900.

Anyway, this is an honor to list this property again and see history repeat itself through another generation of REALTORS.

Do You See the Spell Check?

Thanks Active rain for that little spell check tool.  . Now we should all make use of it. Yes including me.

Just wanted to let the ActiveRain Community know that there is a great FREE spell checker here.

Since most online text applications do not have a spell check function, I found this to be a great tool. Now just have to remember to use the tool everytime. Does anyone in our ActiveRain Community have any other spell check tools?

WHO IS THAT CUSTOMER THAT BECOMES OUR CLIENT

 I was going through some papers and found the below tucked away in a 1996 day-timer. Thought it would be interesting to share with the Active Rain Community. The Active Rain Community has given so much to others and I am so happy and privileged to be a part of Active Rain. being a part of this Active Rain community has helped me grow both personally and professionally. 

Word: cus·tom·er    (kst-mr) KEY  

NOUN:

1. One that buys goods or services.
2. Informal An individual with whom one must deal: a tough customer.

A CUSTOMER is the most important person ever in business. . . in person, phone or mail.

A CUSTOMER is not dependent upon us . . we are dependent upon him.

A CUSTOMER is not an interruption of our work. . . he is the purpose if it. .  . we are not doing hima favor by serving him, he is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

A CUSTOMER is not an outsider to our business . . . he is part of it.

A CUSTOMER is not a cold statistic. . . he is a flesh and blood human being with feelings and emotions like your own, and with biases and prejudices.

A CUSTOMERis not someone to argue and match wits with. Nobody ever wins an arguement with a customer.

A CUSTOMER is a person who brings us his wants. It is our job to handle them profitably and to ourselves.

So what do you think? Is a customer someone that enhances and makes your business? Maybe you have anything to add to the list?

What Really Matters - A Home Inspection

Buying or selling a home can be stressful. A home inspector is suppose to create a peace of mind with the home inspection. Often the opposite happens. The buyer is asked to absorb a lot of detail and information in a very short time. (Most inspections take 1-3 hours.) In that time there are reports, photos, checklists, photos, possible environmental issues to be addressed, and any questions that you have that need answering. Take this and add the sellers disclosures and issues you noted on your home preview - talk about overwhelming! What should you do? This article is to help you get a handle on the purpose of a home inspection and to offer some home inspection procedures.

We suggest you relax. Most of the inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These things are all nice to know about. Just remember that that the issues that really matter will fall into 4 categories.

1. Major defects. This would be structural or mechanical failure.
2. Something that could lead to a major defect. A small roof flashing leak, for example.
3. Something that may create problems when it comes to the financing or legally living in the home.
4. Safety issues such as exposed wiring, or gas leaks.

Anything in these areas should be addressed. Often a serious problem can be corrected immediately and at a low cost. This can protect both the property and a life.

Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of the defects uncovered during an inspection. Understand that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. know that no home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Do not kill your deal over things that do not matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already on the seller's disclosure, obvious issues noted while walking through before your made your offer, or nit-picky items.

If you are a HOME SELLER You could sell your home for more by getting a pre sale inspection 

Scope of the Home Inspection

Below is a generalized list of items included in our full home inspection. There is not enough space here to list everything that will be inspected. Parts of a house that would have to be damaged or are unsafe to inspect will not be inspected. If you have any questions, please call me.

Structure - The foundation, floors, framework, chimney. This will also include the inspector entering the crawl space, basement and attic when applicable, and if possible. I have no problem entering almost all attics and crawl spaces.

Electrical- Service line, capabilities (volts/amps), main breaker, fuse/breaker box (location and internal condition) proper grounding, correct sizing of breakers and/or fuses, panels (location and internal condition), wiring installation, condition of wiring, electrical distribution, operation of GFCI/AFCI's, switches and outlets, light fixtures.

Plumbing - The condition of water supply and waste removal systems, including evidence of leaks, proper venting, etc. All operational water fixtures and drains will be operated and inspected.  Numerous fixtures will be run at once to test for proper water pressure  and  drainage from the sewer line.

Heating - Operational check and visual inspection of the primary heating system, including duct work, radiators and pipes (for boiler systems), and a test for carbon monoxide to verify the condition of the heat exchanger for forced air or gravity systems.

Air Conditioning - Operational check and visual inspection of the central AC system (weather permitting - the outside temperature must be above 65 degrees).

Exterior- Porches, decks, grounds (including grading, drainage, etc.), masonry and siding, fascia, trim, eaves, soffits, sidewalks, driveway, windows, doors.

Roof- Covering material, gutters, downspouts, flashings.

Interior - Cracks, water stains, fit of windows and doors, level and structural condition of floors.

Garages / Out-buildings - Structural condition, roof, floor, doors, windows, electrical, automatic door openers, miscellaneous features.

Now go get that home inspection.