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  <title>Doug Moore-Realtor&#174; Blue Ridge, Georgia | Ellijay, Georgia </title>
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  <updated>2008-10-02T18:15:31Z</updated>
  <author>
    <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
  </author>
  <entry>
    <title>Blue Ridge Ga Welcomes 2008 USARA National Adventure Race</title>
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    <updated>2008-10-02T18:15:31Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px; "&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;The United States Adventure Racing Association &lt;/span&gt;will hold its 2008 Golite Natural Adventure Racing Championships in Blue Ridge, GA, according to race organizers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Fannin County Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Race LLC will host the 2008 national championship race on November 6, 7 and 8. According to Chamber of Commerce president, Jan Hackett, BRMAR race managers, Chamber leaders and local officials are looking forward to welcoming teams from across the country to the North Georgia mountains, beginning with registration on November 6, the 24-hour race November 7, and awards banquet on the 8th.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Currently there are 65 teams registered from across the country, including Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Kansas, Washington, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Louisiana and Iowa. Teams are required to navigate a series of checkpoints using only a map and compass to guide them while transitioning between several disciplines such as: Trail Running/Trekking, Mountain Biking, Paddling and Orienteering. These teams will have to push the boundaries of human endurance and teamwork just to finish the 24-hour race.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Each of the teams competing in this year's race have proven themselves in one or more of the regional qualifying events held across the United Stated during the 2008 season. This alone will ensure fierce competition at the GoLite USARA National Championships in November. Add the lure of being crowned best of the best and determination to win turns to a will of steel. Last year over 15 of the top 20 ranked teams in the US competed in the National Championship Race. There are a lot of adventure races in the US each year, none of them offer such a competitive field racing for such high stakes.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Headquarters for the national race will be the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Center, in downtown Blue Ridge in the historic Fannin County Courthouse. Host hotels are Comfort Inn and Ramada Inn, and the awards banquet will take place at Cadence Equestrian Community, also in Blue Ridge, according to BRMAR race director Ron Zadroga. Race organizers and the Arts Association are planning special events and activities for everyone before and during the national race November 6-8, 2008. One event will be a national juried art show sponsored by the Southern Appalachian Artist Guild from October 18 through November 14.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The GoLite USARA Adventure Race National Championship is the "Heart &amp;amp; Soul" of Adventure Racing in the United States. Co-ed teams of 3 compete in 45 USARA regional qualifying events across the U.S. for a chance to battle it out for the title of USARA Adventure Race National Champion.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Race, held each April in Blue Ridge, enters its 12th year in 2009. It is one of Georgia&amp;rsquo;s most popular adventure races, drawing up to 100 teams of three each year who run, canoe, mountain bike and orienteer their way through the Chattahoochee National Fore&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Blue Ridge Ga Welcomes 2008 USARA National Adventure Race</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/720306/Blue-Ridge-Ga-Welcomes-2008-USARA-National-Adventure-Race" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/720306/Blue-Ridge-Ga-Welcomes-2008-USARA-National-Adventure-Race</id>
    <updated>2008-10-02T18:14:38Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 11px;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;The United States Adventure Racing Association &lt;/span&gt;will hold its 2008 Golite Natural Adventure Racing Championships in Blue Ridge, GA, according to race organizers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Fannin County Chamber of Commerce and the Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Race LLC will host the 2008 national championship race on November 6, 7 and 8. According to Chamber of Commerce president, Jan Hackett, BRMAR race managers, Chamber leaders and local officials are looking forward to welcoming teams from across the country to the North Georgia mountains, beginning with registration on November 6, the 24-hour race November 7, and awards banquet on the 8th.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Currently there are 65 teams registered from across the country, including Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Kansas, Washington, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Louisiana and Iowa. Teams are required to navigate a series of checkpoints using only a map and compass to guide them while transitioning between several disciplines such as: Trail Running/Trekking, Mountain Biking, Paddling and Orienteering. These teams will have to push the boundaries of human endurance and teamwork just to finish the 24-hour race.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Each of the teams competing in this year's race have proven themselves in one or more of the regional qualifying events held across the United Stated during the 2008 season. This alone will ensure fierce competition at the GoLite USARA National Championships in November. Add the lure of being crowned best of the best and determination to win turns to a will of steel. Last year over 15 of the top 20 ranked teams in the US competed in the National Championship Race. There are a lot of adventure races in the US each year, none of them offer such a competitive field racing for such high stakes.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Headquarters for the national race will be the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Center, in downtown Blue Ridge in the historic Fannin County Courthouse. Host hotels are Comfort Inn and Ramada Inn, and the awards banquet will take place at Cadence Equestrian Community, also in Blue Ridge, according to BRMAR race director Ron Zadroga. Race organizers and the Arts Association are planning special events and activities for everyone before and during the national race November 6-8, 2008. One event will be a national juried art show sponsored by the Southern Appalachian Artist Guild from October 18 through November 14.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The GoLite USARA Adventure Race National Championship is the "Heart &amp;amp; Soul" of Adventure Racing in the United States. Co-ed teams of 3 compete in 45 USARA regional qualifying events across the U.S. for a chance to battle it out for the title of USARA Adventure Race National Champion.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Blue Ridge Mountain Adventure Race, held each April in Blue Ridge, enters its 12th year in 2009. It is one of Georgia&amp;rsquo;s most popular adventure races, drawing up to 100 teams of three each year who run, canoe, mountain bike and orienteer their way through the Chattahoochee National Fore&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Fourth of July activities in Union County </title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/135533/Fourth-of-July-activities-in-Union-County" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/135533/Fourth-of-July-activities-in-Union-County</id>
    <updated>2007-06-30T07:33:00Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;img title="Hiawassee Georgia Fireworks" src="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/Fireworks.jpg" height="136" align="left" alt="Hiawassee Georgia Fireworks" width="191" /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;12:00 p.m. - Nottely&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Marina Boat Parade&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;p&gt; Judging for the annual July 4 boat parade will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Nottley Marina, located just north of Blairsville on Hwy. 129. At 12:00 p.m., trophies will be given out to the winning boats and the parade will begin. The parade typically heads down Lake Nottely to Eagle Bend before breaking up. Contestants can use any theme for their boat that they wish. Past themes have included &amp;quot;Christmas in July,&amp;quot; military, and a superhero boat with Superman and Wonder Woman. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;strong&gt;1:00 p.m. - Ole&amp;#39; Fashioned&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Games at Meeks Park&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; The Union County Lions Club is all ready for the 2nd annual 4th of July ole&amp;#39; fashion games at Meeks Park on Wednesday, July 4 at 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; The games will begin at 1:30 p.m. sharp and continue to 3:30 p.m., ending with the watermelon eating contest. Games for all ages, four years and up. For the 15 and up group there will be football throw, softball throw, relay races, age group races, frisbee toss and ending with a tug of war made up of teams from different groups. See more information on page 6B. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Blairsville fireworks&lt;/strong&gt; The annual fireworks display for Blairsville will be held at Meeks Park on July 4 and is scheduled to begin after dark:.&amp;quot; The public is encouraged` to arrive by 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. in order to secure a good spot. Other locations such as North Georgia Technical College and areas along Hwy. 515 are also good spots for viewing the display. The event is sponsored by the Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Suches fireworks&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt; The fireworks will begin at dark but the festivities start earlier as the Suches Community and visitors gather around 7:00 p.m. for hot dogs, soft drinks and snacks and a chance to meet friends, old and new, in what has become a Suches tradition in the past few years. It is also hoped that there will be patriotic and old time mountain music both recorded and live featuring local musicians. See more information on page 6B.     </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>What is Private Mortgage Insurance? (PMI) Part I</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/135377/What-is-Private-Mortgage-Insurance-PMI-Part-I" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/135377/What-is-Private-Mortgage-Insurance-PMI-Part-I</id>
    <updated>2007-06-29T21:38:03Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
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&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/money.jpg" align="left" alt="Private Mortgage Insurance" mce_src="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/money.jpg" style="width: 130px; height: 130px;"&gt;&lt;span class="mceItemHidden"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Private mortgage insurance&lt;/span&gt; (&lt;span class="mceItemHiddenSpellWord"&gt;PMI&lt;/span&gt;) is often a necessary expense that companies buying a house with less than 20 percent down in cash.&amp;nbsp; &lt;span class="mceItemHiddenSpellWord"&gt;PMI&lt;/span&gt; allows you to purchase a home with a small down payment and helps the lender resell your mortgage the secondary market to an institutional investor.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;PMI is additional insurance &lt;/span&gt;designed to protect the lender from individuals who default on their loan and who have less than 20 percent equity in their property.&amp;nbsp; Mortgage experts say that home buyers who make small down payments ar more likely to default on their home loans that those who put down the traditional 20 percent of the purchase price.&amp;nbsp; Lenders require those buyers to purchase PMI to insure the lender against the extra risk of foreclosure.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Most states have regulations&lt;/span&gt; prohibiting lenders from making a loan in excess of 80 percent of the purchase price without PMI.&amp;nbsp; The difference between putting down 20 percent and 15 percent or even 1 percent, wouldn't see to make a substantial difference on the surface but the MBA says that 20 percent provides a necessary cushion for both home buyers and lenders. &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the latest property &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com" mce_href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com" target="_blank"&gt;listings in North Georgia&lt;/a&gt; Visit &lt;a href="http://www.buyblueridgegeorgia.com" mce_href="http://www.buyblueridgegeorgia.com" target="_blank"&gt;http://www.buyblueridgegeorgia.com&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;span class="mceItemHidden"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>15 Tips to Protect Your House Against Fire</title>
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    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/135372/15-Tips-to-Protect-Your-House-Against-Fire</id>
    <updated>2007-06-29T21:22:17Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
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&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;I accumulated these 15 Tips to Protect Your House Against Fire from several sources.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;1. Replace electrical cords at the first sign of cracks or damage.&lt;/p&gt; 2. Use only one extension cord at a time, and don&amp;rsquo;t plug more than one into an electrical outlet.&amp;nbsp; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;3.&amp;nbsp; Make sure your smoke detectors are in good working order. Keep one in the kitchen and one in every bedroom.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;4. Keep space heaters away from anything that could catch fire and turn them off when you leave the room.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;IN THE BEDROOM:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;5. Don&amp;rsquo;t smoke in bed. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;6. Don&amp;rsquo;t tuck in sides or ends of your electric blanket. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;7. Turn off heating pads before going to sleep.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;IN THE KITCHEN:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;8. Keep towels, curtains, and other flammable items away from the stovetop. &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;9. Store paper grocery bags away from the stove and the back of the refrigerator, where they&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; could use the unit to overheat. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;10. Keep a fire extinguisher handy.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM:&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;11. Clear the dryer vent regularly.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;IN THE BASEMENT/GARAGE/OUTSIDE:&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;12. Have your furnace serviced at least once a year. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;13. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;14. Don&amp;rsquo;t put fireplace ash in a paper bag. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;15. Store gasoline, paints, solvents and other products that give off vapors well away from the furnace or other ignition sources.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;For the latest &lt;a href="http://myagentdoug.com/"&gt;Ellijay Ga&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://buyblueridgegeorgia.com/"&gt;Blue Ridge Ga &lt;/a&gt;and Blairsville Ga listings goto &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com//"&gt;http://www.quicklistingalerts.com&lt;/a&gt;.  Or contact &lt;a href="http://myagentdoug.com/"&gt;Doug Moore&lt;/a&gt; a Local Realtor.&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>How to Avoid the 8 Most Common Home Buying Errors</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/135365/How-to-Avoid-the-8-Most-Common-Home-Buying-Errors" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/135365/How-to-Avoid-the-8-Most-Common-Home-Buying-Errors</id>
    <updated>2007-06-29T21:15:23Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
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&lt;p&gt;Shopping for a new home is an emotional experience. It is, however, also a business transaction, and must be treated as such. Three of the most devastating things that can go wrong are: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;p class="western"&gt;      Paying too much &lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;p class="western"&gt;Losing      a dream home to another buyer &lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; &lt;p class="western"&gt;Buying      the wrong home &lt;/p&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;When you have a systematic plan before you shop, you&amp;rsquo;ll be sure to avoid these costly errors. Here are some tips on making the most of your home purchase: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get     the information you need&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; What price do you offer a seller? Is the seller&amp;rsquo;s asking price too high? Is it a deal? Your own research is important, as is the assistance of a Realtor&amp;reg;. A professional Realtor&amp;reg; can offer an unbiased opinion on the value of a home, based on many factors and a great deal of information. Without knowledge of the market, your offer could be too much. Or worse, you could miss out on a great buying opportunity. Hire the right person and trust that person to represent your interests. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buy     YOUR home &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; What do you need and want in a home? Sounds simple, but clearly identifying your needs and bringing an objective view to home shopping leaves you in a much better position. How much space do you &lt;em&gt;really&lt;/em&gt; need? Too small and you may feel like you live in constant clutter. Too big and maintenance may become too daunting. Outline all of your priorities, and work on finding not just a great home, but a great home for you.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Check     the title&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before you sign any document, be sure the property you are considering is free of all encumbrances. As a part of his or her services, a Realtor&amp;reg; can supply you with a copy of the title to ensure there are no liens, debts, undisclosed owners, leases or easements against the title. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Update     the survey&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before the purchase is completed, an updated survey is essential. This report will indicate boundaries and structural changes (additions to the house, a new swimming pool, neighbor&amp;rsquo;s new fence which is extending a boundary line, etc.), and will guarantee that you are indeed getting what you pay for.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minimize     the unexpected&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; For $300 - $500, a professional inspector will conduct a thorough inspection of the home. Their expertise can mean the difference between uncovering major flaws before or after you own a home. Make the final contract subject to the report&amp;rsquo;s findings. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Get     pre-approved&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; It only takes a few days to get financing pre-approval. When you are shopping for a home, this gives you more power. A seller is more likely to consider an offer from a serious buyer. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Remember     additional costs&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Besides the funds for the purchase of a home, you&amp;rsquo;ll need funds for items such as loan fees, insurance, legal fees, surveys, inspections, etc. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Take     a deep breath&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Before you sign, ensure that all documentation clearly reflects your understanding and conditions of the transaction. Has anything been forgotten? Don&amp;rsquo;t rush. You could lose money, financing, or even the sale if you attempt to push things through too hastily.&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Epworth to hold annual 4th of July Festivities</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/135359/Epworth-to-hold-annual-4th-of-July-Festivities" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/135359/Epworth-to-hold-annual-4th-of-July-Festivities</id>
    <updated>2007-06-29T21:06:22Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;a href="http://www.thenewsobserver.com/articles/2007/06/29/events/calendar03.txt"&gt;Epworth to hold annual festivities&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;Epworth&amp;rsquo;s annual Fourth of July celebration will start at the Epworth Campus with a pancake breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. then come down to the park for family fun. There will be bingo, a dunking tank, old fashioned hay rides, face painting, a country store, cake sale, food and more. Don&amp;rsquo;t miss the antique car show! Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the noon patriotic program, rain or shine.&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Albuquerque is For Horse Lovers</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/134673/Albuquerque-is-For-Horse-Lovers" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/134673/Albuquerque-is-For-Horse-Lovers</id>
    <updated>2007-06-29T01:51:01Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/skyline.jpg" height="202" align="left" alt="Albuerque Skyline" width="636" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The true Southwest awaits you in &lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albuquerque,_New_Mexico" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Albuquerque, New Mexico&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. There are many ways you can immerse yourself in the rich &lt;a href="http://www.itsatrip.org/albuquerque/culture-heritage/default.aspx"&gt;culture and heritage&lt;/a&gt;, rooted in centuries of history. You can enjoy blue skies and sun that shines 310 days a year- perfect for outdoor activities. &lt;strong&gt;Albuquerque, NM&lt;/strong&gt; is a destination like no other.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is much to do for a visitor to Albuquerque.&amp;nbsp; Such as the &lt;a href="http://www.cabq.gov/biopark/aquarium/" target="_blank"&gt;Albuquerque Aquarium&lt;/a&gt; which is a part of the &lt;a href="http://www.cabq.gov/biopark/" target="_blank"&gt;Albuquerque Bio-Park&lt;/a&gt;. As a visitor you can take a journey down the Rio Grande, observing the denizens of rivers, coral reefs, and the open ocean. Some highlights include sea horses, an eel tunnel, sea turtles, and sharks.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is also the &lt;a href="http://www.sandiapeak.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Sandia Peak Tramway&lt;/a&gt; whick is the world&amp;#39;s longest aerial tramway. Rising vertically from the base to the top of 10,378 foot Sandia Peak, a ride on the tram offers a panoramic view of 11,000 square miles of New Mexico. Once at the top, you can enjoy dining at &lt;a href="http://www.sandiapeak.com/index.php?page=high-finance-restaurant" target="_blank"&gt;High Finance Restaurant&lt;/a&gt;, which specializes in prime rib, seafood, and some of the world&amp;#39;s most spectacular sunset views! In winter, you can ride up the tram and then ski down the other side, enjoy the Sandia Peak Ski Area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.laurawarden.com" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Albuquerque Horse Properties Expert&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://activerain.comhttp://activerain.com/image_store/agents/2/8/0/3/2/28032/user28032_1_l.jpg" height="170" align="left" alt=" Laura Warden Albuquerque Horse Properties Expert" width="145" /&gt;There are any number of possible places in and around Albuquerque for horse-lovers to settle.&amp;nbsp; And Laura Warden is your local expert.&amp;nbsp; As Laura puts it on her webstie, &lt;em&gt;&amp;quot;if you want to avoid seeing &amp;quot;equestrian estates&amp;quot; with a citified agent who tries to mince through the barn in high heels, doesn&amp;#39;t know reining from dressage, and enthuses about the place&amp;#39;s &amp;quot;ideal horse fencing&amp;quot; when it&amp;#39;s strung with barbed wire, give Laura a call!&amp;quot;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Her website has many &lt;a href="http://www.laurawarden.com" target="_blank"&gt;great tools&lt;/a&gt; to help you locate your ideal &lt;strong&gt;Albuquerque Horse Property. &lt;/strong&gt;Be the first to know about new listings as they become available with her &lt;a href="http://www.laurawarden.com/Choices/ListEmail.aspx" target="_blank"&gt;listings sent to your email&lt;/a&gt; service.&amp;nbsp; Go ahead and &lt;a href="http://www.laurawarden.com/ABQContent/IDXhorse.aspx" target="_blank"&gt;search the local MLS&lt;/a&gt; for your dream property from her website.&amp;nbsp; You can search through many &lt;a href="http://www.laurawarden.com/ABQContent/Map.aspx" target="_blank"&gt;neighborhood maps&lt;/a&gt; to really get to know the surrounding areas of Albuquerque.&amp;nbsp; And she has great information on her website about the &lt;a href="http://www.laurawarden.com/ABQContent/horsearea.aspx" target="_blank"&gt;Horse Friendly Areas&lt;/a&gt; of Albuquerque.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laura and her husband Brian,&amp;nbsp; are long-time horse owners who have raised four daughters, all of whom have ridden competitively. The Wardens know horses, from Arabs to Warmbloods, and they know horse properties of all types throughout central New Mexico.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contact Laura today and she will find your dream &lt;strong&gt;Albuquerque Horse Property&lt;/strong&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;Laura Warden&lt;/div&gt;          &lt;div&gt;Choices Real Estate&lt;/div&gt;          &lt;div&gt;834 Griegos NW #3&lt;/div&gt;          &lt;div&gt;Albuquerque, NM 87107&lt;/div&gt;          &lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="mailto:nmbroker@earthlink.net"&gt;Laura@LauraWarden.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;          &lt;div&gt;(505)263-0665&lt;/div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>St. Louis, Missouri - "Mound City" and Gateway to the West</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/133482/St-Louis-Missouri-Mound-City-and-Gateway-to-the-West" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/133482/St-Louis-Missouri-Mound-City-and-Gateway-to-the-West</id>
    <updated>2007-06-27T14:38:00Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;div class="blog_entry_wrapper"&gt;     &lt;div class="blog_entry"&gt;     &lt;div&gt;        &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.explorestlouis.com/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/skyline.png" height="141" align="left" alt=" " width="226" /&gt;&amp;quot;Mound City&amp;quot; has much to offer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;        &lt;p&gt;People tend to think that St. Louis is in Missouri, but geographically &lt;a href="http://www.valuelistre.com/content/article.html/1396701" target="_blank"&gt;St. Louis is in the area between the Ozark&lt;/a&gt; uplift of southern Missouri and the synclinal basin of central Illinois.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Saint Louis area&amp;#39;s &lt;a href="http://stlcin.missouri.org/research/mustsee.cfm" target="_blank"&gt;main attraction &lt;/a&gt;then, and still a major attraction now, is the confluence of the Missouri River (North America&amp;#39;s longest river) and the Mississippi (North America&amp;#39;s biggest river).&amp;nbsp; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are looking for information on what there is to do in Saint Louis you can check out the &lt;a href="http://www.explorestlouis.com/" target="_blank"&gt;Explore Saint Louis &lt;/a&gt;website.&amp;nbsp; For example you can plan a group tour by checking on local &lt;a href="http://www.explorestlouis.com/dining/index.asp?PageType=1" target="_blank"&gt;dining&lt;/a&gt; or a list of the local &lt;a href="http://www.explorestlouis.com/attractions/index.asp?PageType=1" target="_blank"&gt;attractions&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.valuelistre.com" target="_blank"&gt;Saint Louis Discount Real Estate and Mortgage Expert&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ValueList Real Estate Services&lt;/strong&gt; is&amp;nbsp;the largest full service/discount real estate and &lt;strong&gt;mortgage company in&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;St Louis&lt;/strong&gt;. With the &lt;a href="http://www.valuelistre.com/content/article.html?id=50851" target="_blank"&gt;ValueList &amp;quot;Flat-fee&amp;quot; listing program&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.valuelistre.com/content/article.html?id=50851" target="_blank"&gt;,&lt;/a&gt; a home seller can save thousands of dollars on their real estate commissions! With &lt;strong&gt;ValueList &lt;/strong&gt;there is no need to sacrifice full-service in order to save money on your real estate commissions and there is no reason to sacrifice your hard earned equity in order to receive full-service!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The ValueList web site also&amp;nbsp;offers articles&amp;nbsp;if you are looking for a &lt;a href="http://www.valuelistre.com/content/article.html/1399305" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;new home in&amp;nbsp;St Louis&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, an existing &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.valuelistre.com/content/article.html/1405136" target="_blank"&gt;home for sale in St Louis&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;or other &lt;strong&gt;St Louis real estate&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;ValueList Real Estate Services &lt;/strong&gt;is a&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;St Louis flat fee&amp;nbsp;Realtor&lt;/strong&gt; and &lt;strong&gt;St Louis&amp;nbsp;discount real estate company. &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://valuelistre.com/files/370620/St.%20Louis%20Cardinal.jpg" height="121" align="left" alt=" " width="100" /&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And as a special promotion you can register right now to win Cardinal box seat tickets just click the cardinal for more information.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So whether you need a mortgage or you want to buy and sell contact today.&lt;/strong&gt;                   										&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ValueList Real Estate Services&lt;br /&gt; 														Phone (314) 231-LIST&lt;br /&gt;Fax (314) 621-0832&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;                  										ValueList Real Estate&lt;br /&gt; 														4251  Marty Ridge Dr.   &lt;br /&gt;Saint Louis, MO 63129 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;/div&gt;   &lt;/div&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Facts about Asbestos...</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/132428/Facts-about-Asbestos" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/132428/Facts-about-Asbestos</id>
    <updated>2007-06-26T11:58:11Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;Recently I had to deal with a house that was suspected of having asbestos.&amp;nbsp; I had to do a lot of research so here are some basic facts that I thought I would share with you.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is Asbestos?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Asbestos is a silicate mineral made up of tiny fibres. When it is disturbed, it produces a dust that contains asbestos fibres. Fibres breathed into the lungs can cause a range of health problems including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="justify"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How Can I Identify Asbestos?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p align="justify"&gt;Asbestos has no odor and can not be identified by visual observation. There are some common products that were produced over the years that may contain asbestos (such as 9&amp;Prime;x9&amp;Prime; floor tile which contains asbestos 95% of the time). Visual inspection can not determine if there are asbestos fibers in it. Asbestos fibers are very small and some times invisible to the human eye. As a result, microscopic analysis is the only way to determine if a product contains or does not contain asbestos. Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) are the only two approved methods of analysis to determine asbestos content in a material. PLM is the US EPA accepted method. In addition, the lab performing the analysis must be an approved laboratory and participate in the National Voluntary Lab Accreditation Program (NVLAP), a certification program that evaluates analysts in determining the type and quantity of asbestos in a material.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p align="justify"&gt;Sampling of suspect asbestos materials must be performed by an inspector accredited by the State of North Carolina. Inspectors are trained to look for certain materials in buildings that may contain asbestos and are also trained in proper sampling techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="justify"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Does Asbestos Need to Be Removed?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p align="justify"&gt;At present there is no requirement in some states to remove asbestos materials from commercial and industrial buildings unless the identified asbestos material has deteriorated to the point that it may become air-borne and, therefore, a possible health hazard. Even in a deteriorated condition, asbestos does not have to be removed if it can be repaired or enclosed. Depending on the type of asbestos that is deteriorating (flooring, pipe insulation, etc.) repairs may include wrapping asbestos pipe insulation in polyethylene plastic, or covering flooring material with a non-asbestos flooring material. Some people prefer removal as an option, but repairing or enclosing the asbestos is usually less expensive than removal. If removal is the option of choice, caution must be used by the owner in deciding who will remove the asbestos material. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p align="justify"&gt;Friable asbestos is the more dangerous and the most regulated type of asbestos. Removal of friable asbestos should be performed by an asbestos contractor with a Supervisor and workers accredited by the your state. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p align="justify"&gt;Non-friable asbestos is asbestos where the fibers can not easily be made air-borne. An asbestos release will not result simply from touching non-friable asbestos such as floor tile. Non-friable asbestos must be beaten or broken (such as floor tile), cut or sawed (as in sheet linoleum), or sanded (as in the mastic (glue) under flooring). Non-friable asbestos can become friable and a hazard if handled improperly, but normally an asbestos contractor is not required to remove this material unless it is already in a deteriorated condition or will become friable during removal.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p align="justify"&gt;Non-friable asbestos may be safely removed by a homeowner or non-asbestos contractor if handled properly. This includes no sawing, cutting, or beating apart the material or using any power tools to remove it. Precautions should be taken when removing non-friable material such as keeping breakage to a minimum and keeping the material wet when disturbing it.&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Top 10 Ways to Prepare your Home for Vacation</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/130704/Top-10-Ways-to-Prepare-your-Home-for-Vacation" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/130704/Top-10-Ways-to-Prepare-your-Home-for-Vacation</id>
    <updated>2007-06-23T22:45:03Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p class="MsoNormal" align="center"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Also Titled - Preparing House for Extended Leave&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Before you leave for an extended vacation, consider preparing your house for extended vacation with these precautions: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;1. Don&amp;rsquo;t leave house keys in outside hiding places. Give a key to a friend or neighbor and be sure to leave your vacation telephonenumber.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;2. Arrange for someone to pick up your mail and newspapers every day and have your lawn mowed.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Make sure your shrubs have been pruned to give them a kept look.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;3. Ask your neighbors to be alert for suspicious people or vehicles.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;4. Use 24-hour timers to turn house lights on and off. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;5. Leave drapes and blinds in a daytime position.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;6. Lock or bolt windows, doors and outside sliding doors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;7. Close all interior doors (to stop the spread of fire and smoke).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;8. Turn off the water supply to your water heater, washing machine and dishwasher, and shut off the water heater&amp;rsquo;s circuit breaker.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;9. Leave a car in the driveway.&lt;/p&gt;  10. If you have an alarm system, be sure your friend or neighbor has the code.    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Grand Opening of Amicalola Deer Park</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/128978/Grand-Opening-of-Amicalola-Deer-Park" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/128978/Grand-Opening-of-Amicalola-Deer-Park</id>
    <updated>2007-06-21T14:30:55Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Amicalola                              Deer Park Grand Opening&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;                           &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="http://rainbownation.org/images/slide13.jpg" align="left" alt=" " /&gt;The                              grand opening of Amicalola Deer Park at Rainbow Nation                              in Dawsonville will take place this weekend, beginning                              June 22 at 5 p.m. Games, food, arts and crafts, and                              live music and entertainment will be available. Contact                              Sean Smith at (706) 265-4278.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp; ion - 1 day pass&amp;nbsp; donation - weekend pass Seniors &amp;amp; Children 12 and under are Free&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here some information from there website:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt; Amicalola Deer Park is more than a place to enjoy the beautiful deer, much more! It&amp;#39;s a place of great fun for everyone. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can take a hike with friends, skip a stone in the river, or enjoy family friendly, primitive camping.  &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Amicalola Deer Park is the perfect place for a field trip, group picnic, youth event or a quiet weekend enjoying nature with family and friends...&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you visit Amicalola Deer Park, you are helping create a place of sanctuary for our fine animals... Group visitations are available by appointment. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Unique Civil War Memobralia </title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/127669/Unique-Civil-War-Memobralia" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/127669/Unique-Civil-War-Memobralia</id>
    <updated>2007-06-20T06:49:37Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;strong&gt; Rescuing a Piece of Romantic History&lt;/strong&gt;  - 7/1 - 7/31/2007 at 9 am - 5 pm&lt;br /&gt; Sweetheart jewelry, mementos from the Civil War given from soldiers to their  loved ones, will be on display during July. This loan from The National Museum  of Patriotism is part of the largest collection in the world. $2.50 - $4.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Phone: &lt;/strong&gt; 706-864-3513 -&lt;strong&gt;  Location: &lt;/strong&gt; Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site, #1, Public Square, Dahlonega, GA&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Directions:&lt;/strong&gt;  Located on the Public Square in Dahlonega, 5 miles west of Ga. Hwy. 400    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Rabbit show to be held at fairgrounds</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/127602/Rabbit-show-to-be-held-at-fairgrounds" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/127602/Rabbit-show-to-be-held-at-fairgrounds</id>
    <updated>2007-06-19T23:38:28Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There will be a rabbit show on Saturday, June 23 at 2 p.m. at the Kiwanis Blue Ridge Fairgrounds.&lt;/strong&gt; Trophies and ribbons will be awarded. No pre-registration or entry fee is required and is open to all youth and adults.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There will be a question and answer session and lectures on various aspects of the rabbit industry beginning at noon. Exhibitors will get into the fair free by entering through side door. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please arrive at the fairgrounds no later than 1:30 p.m. For more information, call Rhonda Mathews at 706-632-2013.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>7 Ways Owner Financing Benefits Buyer and Sellers</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/127597/7-Ways-Owner-Financing-Benefits-Buyer-and-Sellers" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/127597/7-Ways-Owner-Financing-Benefits-Buyer-and-Sellers</id>
    <updated>2007-06-19T23:32:09Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;About 20% of the houses sold in the U.S. involve some form of &lt;a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0974363103?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;tag=one-20&amp;amp;link_code=em1&amp;amp;camp=212341&amp;amp;creative=380429&amp;amp;creativeASIN=0974363103&amp;amp;adid=e10759e7-8093-4974-909e-782c75edc0cc" name="0974363103" title="0974363103" id="amzn_cl_link_0" target="_blank"&gt;owner financing&lt;/a&gt;. Without a lot of the technical terminology, here are some simple facts.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;As the buyer:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;1. You can secure a property for which you may not qualify for financing through a bank, even though from all indications you are financially able to handle the mortgage. A common reason the buyer may not qualify for a bank loan is a recent life change such as new to the area, a change of employment, divorce, starting a new business, etc. Banks don&amp;rsquo;t like to see changes and may deny the loan solely on that basis. Also, if you are currently paying on other &lt;a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764525654?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;tag=one-20&amp;amp;link_code=em1&amp;amp;camp=212341&amp;amp;creative=380429&amp;amp;creativeASIN=0764525654&amp;amp;adid=83100509-5874-4ce3-ae33-66d25992abad" name="0764525654" title="0764525654" id="amzn_cl_link_1" target="_blank"&gt;real estate&lt;/a&gt; mortgages, or if you are not a U.S. citizen, you will likely have difficulty securing a bank loan. Lending institution policies may make it impossible for these and certain other people to obtain traditional financing.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;2. You can schedule a closing a month or two earlier if you don&amp;rsquo;t go through a bank.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;3. The overall closing costs can often be reduced.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;4. You can maintain greater privacy concerning your financial and personal history if you don&amp;rsquo;t use a traditional lending institution.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;As the seller:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;1. You can increase the pool of potential buyers by offering owner financing, and this can help you sell your property faster! You can greatly expand the number of potential buyers, if you are willing to look beyond natural boundaries. As more and more properties are marketed on the&lt;br /&gt; Internet, this issue will become increasingly relevant.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;2. You will be more likely to receive the full asking price if you agree to provide owner financing.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;3. You can almost certainly obtain a higher annual percentage rate on the unpaid portion of the mortgage than you could obtain by having that amount of cash in certificates of deposit, treasury bills or similar secure investments.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Seek the services of a competent professional if legal or other expert advise is needed.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Get the Latest Listings in &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/blueridgega/" class="alinks_links" title="Ellijay Ga" rel="external"&gt;Ellijay Ga&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://buyblueridgegeorgia.com" target="_blank"&gt;Blue Ridge Ga&lt;/a&gt;, Blairsville Ga and Jasper Ga. Goto Quicklistingalerts.com&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>7 Tips to Selling Your Home in The Spring and Summer</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/125507/7-Tips-to-Selling-Your-Home-in-The-Spring-and-Summer" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/125507/7-Tips-to-Selling-Your-Home-in-The-Spring-and-Summer</id>
    <updated>2007-06-17T08:53:06Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;If you could sell your home under ideal conditions, your life and that of your real estate agent would be much easier. But that&amp;rsquo;s not always possible. Even though summer is traditionally a period of high sales activity, certain conditions can make a summer home sale difficult. If you hope to add your home to this summer&amp;rsquo;s sale statistics, the following tips can help to make your homemore summer-friendly to potential buyers:&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;blockquote&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;1. Curb appeal is probably more important in late spring and early summer than at any other time of year. With extended sunlight, everything outdoors will be on display longer. Shrubs, perennials, trees and lawn should be at their best during this period. Make sure the door area is clear of bicycles and toys. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;2.Be sure that air conditioning is working properly and that it is turned on during those days that you&amp;rsquo;re away and potential buyers will be looking at your house. If your home doesn&amp;rsquo;t have central air conditioning, showing it in the heat of summer with window units projecting from the sides and some rooms hotter than others can be a turnoff to a sweaty buyer. To take some of the edge off a hot house, consider installing economicalceiling fans.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;3. During the stifling days of late spring and early summer, homebuyers&amp;rsquo; thoughts will turn to patios, decks and maybe pools. Make certain your backyard is inviting and attractive. House hunters will be paying it special attention during the summer months, envisioning barbecues or children playing. Clean your patio furniture and arrange it keeping the viewsfrom indoors in mind.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;4. Clean your windows until sparkling. Open blinds and curtains so plenty of light illuminates the home&amp;rsquo;s interior. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;5. If you touch up wall paint, keep the colors neutral and light, which will make the room feel cooler than a dark shade.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;6. If you have a pool, make sure it&amp;rsquo;s clean. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;7. A large pitcher of lemonade thirst quencher might also be the deal clincher. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;/blockquote&gt;For a free comparative analysis of your home visit &lt;a href="http://www.buyblueridgegeorgia.com" target="_blank"&gt;http://www.buyblueridgegeorgia.com&lt;/a&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>3 Quick Ways to Lower your Home Insurance Premiums</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/125504/3-Quick-Ways-to-Lower-your-Home-Insurance-Premiums" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/125504/3-Quick-Ways-to-Lower-your-Home-Insurance-Premiums</id>
    <updated>2007-06-17T08:48:30Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, you can save money on your home insurance premiums by installing these safety features: &lt;/p&gt; &lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;An approved burglar system, for a saving of up to 15 percent.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;An approved indoor sprinkler system, for a saving of 8 percent. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Deadbolt locks on exterior doors, for a saving of 5 percent.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;When reviewing your insurance policy on an annual basis, ask your carrier about other costsaving measures that may include window locks, smoke detectors and fire alarms.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;For the latest listings in &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/blueridgega/" class="alinks_links" title="Ellijay Ga" rel="external"&gt;Ellijay GA&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/blueridgega/"&gt;Blue Ridge GA&lt;/a&gt;, Blairsville GA and Jasper GA goto &lt;a href="http://quicklistingalerts.com/"&gt;http://www.quicklistingalerts.com &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Georgia Heritage Center for the Arts - Mountain Heritage Arts Tour</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/124734/Georgia-Heritage-Center-for-the-Arts-Mountain-Heritage-Arts-Tour" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/124734/Georgia-Heritage-Center-for-the-Arts-Mountain-Heritage-Arts-Tour</id>
    <updated>2007-06-15T22:38:34Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;strong&gt;Mountain Heritage Arts Tour &lt;/strong&gt;- 6/22 -  6/24/2007 at 10 am - 5 pm&lt;br /&gt; Showcases art in the making along scenic routes in Rabun, Habersham and White  Counties in the Northeast Georgia Mountains. See artists working in studios,  galleries, country inns, restaurants and wineries in this self guided driving  tour. Start at the beginning or just pick a spot along the way. The tour of  demonstrating artists is free. Some special events require admission. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Phone:&lt;/strong&gt;  706-754-5989 -&lt;strong&gt; Location: &lt;/strong&gt; Georgia Heritage Center for  the Arts, 11785 US Highway 441 N, Tallulah Falls, GA &lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Directions:&lt;/strong&gt;  US Hwy 441 to Tallulah Falls. Northbound on left past bridge. Southbound on  right before bridge.    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Appalachian Jam - 7/7 &amp; 7/14 &amp; 7/21 &amp; 7/28/2007 at 2-6 pm - Square in Dahlonega</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/124728/Appalachian-Jam-77-714-721-7282007-at-2-6-pm-Square-in-Dahlonega" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/124728/Appalachian-Jam-77-714-721-7282007-at-2-6-pm-Square-in-Dahlonega</id>
    <updated>2007-06-15T22:34:39Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;strong&gt; Appalachian Jam&lt;/strong&gt;  - 7/7 &amp;amp; 7/14 &amp;amp; 7/21 &amp;amp; 7/28/2007 at 2-6 pm &lt;br /&gt; Come and listen to the sounds and songs of yesteryear. North Georgia&amp;#39;s mountain  music singers and pickers will appear on the grounds of the historic Dahlonega  Gold Museum. Enjoy acoustic and old-time strings as the sounds of yesterday fill  the air. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Phone:&lt;/strong&gt;  706-864-3513 - &lt;strong&gt;Location:&lt;/strong&gt;  Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site, #1, Public Square, Dahlonega, GA&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Directions:&lt;/strong&gt;  Located on the Public Square in Dahlonega, 5 miles west of Ga. Hwy. 400    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Summer Bird Walk to Be Held!</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/124721/Summer-Bird-Walk-to-Be-Held" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/124721/Summer-Bird-Walk-to-Be-Held</id>
    <updated>2007-06-15T22:25:26Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;strong&gt;A bird walk is scheduled for Saturday, June 16, from 7:45 to 10 a.m. at the Fannin County Park.&lt;/strong&gt; Expect to see local breeding birds - bluebirds, warblers, tanagers, vireos, swallows and sparrows. Meet at 7:45 a.m. at the Blue Ridge Bird Seed Co., 611 East Main Street in downtown Blue Ridge or the Fannin County Park at 8:15 a.m. Bring binoculars, a field guide and enthusiasm! Beginners are always welcome. Call 706-258-2473 for more information.    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Family Day Independence Day - 7/4/2007 at 10 am - 10 pm </title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/123136/Family-Day-Independence-Day-742007-at-10-am-10-pm" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/123136/Family-Day-Independence-Day-742007-at-10-am-10-pm</id>
    <updated>2007-06-13T23:00:15Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Family Day Independence Day&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;  - 7/4/2007 at 10 am - 10 pm &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Fun for the whole family all day on the Historic town square followed by one of  North Georgia&amp;#39;s most impressive fireworks shows. Fireworks show will be held Lumpkin County High school at dusk. Free&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Phone: &lt;/strong&gt; 706-864-3513 -&lt;strong&gt;  Location: &lt;/strong&gt; Dahlonega Public Square, Dahlonega, GA&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Make plans to attend today.&amp;nbsp; Contact me if you need more information about area or lodging options.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Georgia Mountain Fair - 7/18 - 7/29/2007</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/123134/Georgia-Mountain-Fair-718-7292007" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/123134/Georgia-Mountain-Fair-718-7292007</id>
    <updated>2007-06-13T22:57:09Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Georgia Mountain Fair&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;  - 7/18 - 7/29/2007&lt;/strong&gt; - Mon-Fri: 10 am &amp;ndash; 8 pm &amp;amp; Sat: 9 AM &amp;ndash; 8 PM &amp;amp; Sunday 9 AM &amp;ndash; 6  PM &lt;br /&gt; First class musical performances, fun carnival rides and more. Pioneer Village  is a replica of how the ole mountain towns used to be.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An old, one room  schoolhouse, a log home with furnishings just like it was in the 1800&amp;#39;s&lt;/strong&gt;, a  mercantile store, smoke house, barn and corn crib are just like it was then. It  takes you back. &amp;quot;Old Ways&amp;quot; Demonstrations will take you back as local folks show  how &amp;quot;moonshine&amp;quot; was made, corn milling, shake making, cider squeezing, pork skin  frying, quilting, black smithing, soap and hominy making, and more. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cost: $8  (Children under 10 years free) 3-Day Weekend Pass: $16. Parking fee: $2 per car&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Phone: &lt;/strong&gt; 706-896-4191 -  &lt;strong&gt;Location:&lt;/strong&gt;  Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, 1311 Music Hall Road, Hiawassee, GA&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Make plans to attend today.&amp;nbsp; If you need more information about the Area or places to stay email me at dougmo@gmail.com or visit http://www.myagentdoug.com&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Mountain Top Rodeo - R-Ranch in Dahlonega</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/123128/Mountain-Top-Rodeo-R-Ranch-in-Dahlonega" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/123128/Mountain-Top-Rodeo-R-Ranch-in-Dahlonega</id>
    <updated>2007-06-13T22:51:38Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;strong&gt;Mountain Top Rodeo&lt;/strong&gt;  - 6/22 - 6/23/2007 at 6-10 pm&lt;br /&gt; Enjoy this year&amp;#39;s world-class competitive action, with the breathtaking beauty  of it&amp;#39;s North Georgia Mountain location. Non-stop action, hilarious antics, and  more fun than you can handle! Midway, which houses the vendors and exhibitors,  opens at 6 pm. while the events begin at 8 pm each night. Tickets available in  advance. At the gate: 2-Day Pass- Adult $20, Child (4-12) $10. 1-Day Pass- Adult  $12, Child $6.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Phone: &lt;/strong&gt; 706-864-3513 -&lt;strong&gt;Location:&lt;/strong&gt;  R-Ranch in the Mountains Resort, 65 R-Ranch Rd, Dahlonega    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Wildlife Adds Value</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/121177/Wildlife-Adds-Value" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/121177/Wildlife-Adds-Value</id>
    <updated>2007-06-11T18:18:01Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;img src="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/deer.jpg" height="120" align="left" alt="Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate" width="173" /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;L&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;arger, more remote tracts offer opportunities for hunting,&lt;/strong&gt; but even an acre or less can be enhanced by the presence of wildlife. The aesthetic appeal of nature&amp;rsquo;s creatures can be subtle or dramatic. A glimpse of a deer browsing at dawn, the cheerful melody of songbirds, butterflies flitting among the flowers, rare animal discoveries - all these events can add greatly to the overall life experience.&amp;nbsp; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A wildlife haven on your land can be a highly rewarding experience. &lt;/strong&gt;Various county, state and federal agencies provide information and other assistance to landowners interested in establishing or improving habitat for wildlife.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Water on the property greatly expands the possibilities for enjoying &amp;ldquo;feral friends.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/strong&gt; A fish-stocked pond, flocks of waterfowl, bullfrog voices filling a summer night - strangely reassuring, almost magical.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;For the Latest Land Listings in&lt;a href="http://www.buyblueridgegeorgia.com/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/blueridgega/" class="alinks_links" title="Ellijay Ga" rel="external"&gt;Ellijay Ga&lt;/a&gt; or Blairsville visit &lt;a href="http://www.quicklistingalerts.com/"&gt;http://www.quicklistingalerts.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <title>Young Harris College&#8217;s Rollins Planetarium  Opens New Show!</title>
    <link href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/120012/Young-Harris-Colleges-Rollins-Planetarium-Opens-New-Show" rel="alternate"/>
    <id>http://activerain.com/blogsview/120012/Young-Harris-Colleges-Rollins-Planetarium-Opens-New-Show</id>
    <updated>2007-06-10T06:37:35Z</updated>
    <author>
      <name>Blue Ridge Ga Real Estate &gt;&gt; Real Property in Blue Ridge Georgia (United Country Landmasters)</name>
    </author>
    <content type="html">
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The new Friday night public show for June and July at Young Harris College&amp;rsquo;s Rollins Planetarium will be Skies Over Georgia&lt;/strong&gt;. Find out what&amp;rsquo;s in the sky tonight in this live starshow featuring constellations, planets and other interesting sky objects currently visible from the beautiful north Georgia mountain region. No matter what the outside weather is like, viewing conditions are always perfect under the 40- foot planetarium dome, thanks to a state-ofthe art Chronos projector, which can show all stars visible to the unaided human eye under a pristine dark sky. Skies Over Georgia will be presented on the following Friday evenings: &lt;strong&gt;June 8, 15 and 22; and July 13 and 20.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Planetarium programs in June and July start promptly at 8:30 PM. Seating begins about 10 minutes before showtime. The planetarium is located in the Maxwell Center building on the campus of Young Harris College. There is no admission charge.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;If skies are clear, the Young Harris College Observatory is open immediately after the planetarium show ends, which should be about 9:15. The observatory features a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, and is located about a mile-and-a-half from campus on the grounds of the Brasstown Valley Resort. Maps are available in the planetarium lobby if needed. The observing session will include a guided tour of the constellations. The session will end between 10:00 and 10:15 PM. The observatory is open on the same dates the planetarium is open.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; For recorded information about planetarium and observatory events, please call the planetarium info line at (706) 379-4312&lt;/strong&gt;, or to get more detailed information, visit the college web site at www.yhc.edu, then click the &amp;ldquo;Rollins Planetarium&amp;rdquo; link on the left-hand side of the page.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Source: http://www.unionsentinel.com/news/2007/0607/Arts_Leisure/041.html&lt;/p&gt;    </content>
  </entry>
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