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: David Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE Chicago Real Estate Agent
: David Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE Chicago Real Estate Agent's Blog
: Tag "tips and advice"
tips and advice: Are You a Procrastinator? Find Out How to Change - 05/24/12 05:34 PM
There are more distractions today than ever before, thanks to the influence of the Internet. Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are among the online time wasters that lure us from the task at hand. But here's the disconnect: even as the opportunities for procrastination grow, so does the demand for fast, creative, motivated workers.So why do we procrastinate? Some experts, like Joseph Ferrari, associate professor of psychology at Chicago's DePaul University, believe we procrastinate because we were overregulated as children or because we feel anxious about a task. But virtually all authorities on the subject agree that procrastinators are made, not born. … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: Great Online Tools to Keep Projects on Track - 05/09/12 05:43 PM
If you are responsible for large, complex projects involving far-flung teams, overlapping deadlines, and many tasks and activities, you have definitely outgrown physical project management solutions such as to-do lists, sticky notes and whiteboards.
Fortunately, there are many online project management tools that can help you plan, manage, monitor and coordinate large, highly complex projects.
These tools offer tracking mechanisms so that you can keep track of all the moving parts and ensure that everything is going forward, as well as organizational and monitoring capabilities that enable the project team to deliver a successful result.
Many online tools have robust planning … (2 comments)
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tips and advice: Shh … We’re Eating; Mindfulness Meditation in the Dining Room - 05/03/12 07:54 PM
Most of us would agree we need a break from our fast-paced lifestyles. But would eating in silence be carrying it too far?
Mindful meditation – a technique to slow down and be in the moment – is moving from the yoga mat to the dining room table in hopes of restoring calmness to the process of nourishing our bodies.
Once the preserve of Buddhist monks, mindful meditation is now seen as a powerful tool by the scientific and medical communities to combat stress, depression, anxiety and other lifestyle diseases. Mindful eating is being touted as a way of bringing a … (2 comments)
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tips and advice: How to Boost Your Business With Facebook - 04/23/12 07:19 PM
If you’re a real estate agent, you’re likely familiar with Facebook. Social media is becoming increasingly important for businesses as potential clients turn their attention away from traditional forms of advertising to find information and products.
Facebook is not limited to just connecting with people in a social way. It has led the online networking revolution and can add tremendous value to a real estate agent’s marketing efforts.
Following are a few good reasons real estate agents should use Facebook:
You get found by those who are looking to buy or sell. You connect and engage with current and potential … (4 comments)
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tips and advice: How to Market a Commercial Property to Upscale Tenants - 03/24/12 04:47 PM
Marketing commercial properties for lease to upscale tenants can be challenging.
Upscale tenants are more selective and demanding, but they are willing to pay a premium to get what they want.
Your commercial property will have to meet their exacting standards.
Failing to advertise a property’s desirable features can result in it being overlooked.
Following are some ways to ensure that doesn’t happen:
Promote Your Location: Higher-end tenants are very interested in the location of a property. If there is access to high-volume foot traffic, parking and public transit, promote those features, as they will be attractive to tenants looking for them … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: Tips for Buying That First-Ever Income Property - 03/15/12 08:06 PM
First-time investors with limited income or reservations about real estate investment often start with an income property that can serve as both their residence and a source of income. This is an asset for first-time buyers with limited income as well as an opportunity for new investors to jump into the real estate market. Following are a few tips that first-time investors need to be aware of when buying a home with rental income:Research the Neighborhood: Areas where there is substantial investment being made usually indicates that a neighborhood is on the upswing. The potential for appreciation over time is as … (4 comments)
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tips and advice: Nine Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive - 03/15/12 07:28 PM
These days, staging your home involves more than de-cluttering and inexpensive fix-ups. You can spend big bucks…Or not! The following tips can help you add value to your home:1. Listen to your real estate agent. He or she views hundreds of houses a year and knows what works.2. Watch the trends and incorporate them in simple, effective ways. In 2012, buyers will be looking for extra storage and great laundry rooms. De-clutter all your closets and add inexpensive but attractive storage in the laundry area. Fresh paint and attractive baskets can go a long way.3. Position one of today's colors - … (1 comments)
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tips and advice: How to Prepare for the Spring Housing Market - 02/15/12 08:09 PM
Spring is just around the corner. It is the time of year when sellers and buyers gird up for what has traditionally been the most important season for buying or selling a home. The following are some ways to prepare:
Sellers
Sellers should be aware that there's a lot of competition for buyers in the spring. That means sellers should do everything possible to differentiate their home from others, including the following:
Polish windows and floors, rake the yard, mow the lawn, and add flowers in containers. Wash blinds and curtains and have carpeting cleaned. If a seller has spent the … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: How to Hire the Right Bookkeeper - 02/10/12 10:01 PM
You cannot win a band competition without instruments, and you cannot succeed in business without a bookkeeping system.
Hiring a bookkeeping service is normally the best choice for every business that isn’t large enough to have a bookkeeper on staff. Attempting a shortcut by assigning bookkeeping to an untrained employee as a side duty is a recipe for disaster. A sound bookkeeper is identifiable as conducting the work using the right processes.
Reliable bookkeeping services create a system of verification and reconciliation. This ensures data integrity. Bookkeepers accomplish this by comparing your accounting to statements and reports from financial institutions. Good … (2 comments)
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tips and advice: Selling Your Home? How to Make it Appeal to Buyers - 01/17/12 06:50 PM
Today's buyers love vibrant accent walls, usually in contrast to earth-toned neutrals. However, be careful not to be too bold and too personalized with your color choice. A fresh coat of neutral paint is often a cost-effective solution and an accent wall can make a space look bigger, feel warmer and more up to date.
Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, so it makes sense to spend the majority of your renovation dollars to upgrade these spaces. In the bathroom, new fixtures, a soft color for the walls and sconce lighting will make a world of difference. Add fluffy white towels, flowers and … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: Customers Will Adore You When You Do These Things. - 01/16/12 09:05 PM
Business owners can get customers to fall in love with their company - and boost their bottom line - by going the extra mile, creating a connection and giving clients a reason to return. Many successful entrepreneurs and companies have adopted the strategy. Take award-winning Laguna Beach interior designer Rejoy Geehan. She treats her clients like royalty from beginning to end. From arriving to a first meeting with a small housewarming gift to following up with a thank-you card, Geehan turns a business transaction into a warm relationship. PR titan Cerrell Associates, whose founder Joe Cerrell worked closely with former President … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: 5 Tips for Losing Weight After the Holidays - 12/27/11 03:39 PM
After weeks of parties, baking, extravagant dinners and holiday-themed cocktails, many people wake up in January to find they've added a few extra pounds. According to several studies from the last 10 years, the average adult gains at least one pound during the holiday season. A study by The New England Journal of Medicine indicates most people don't ever shed that weight. Following are some tips and tricks to help you sensibly shed the holiday weight: Trade Sugary Juice and Soda for Water: Drinking water will help your body flush out toxins and can stop you from overeating. If you overindulged … (1 comments)
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tips and advice: How Smaller Resolutions Can Get You Bigger Results - 12/26/11 10:20 AM
On Jan. 1, many people pledge resolutions of titanic proportions. By the time February rolls around, though, about 75% of those people will have given up.People fail on resolutions because big goals aren't realistic. So instead of making big goals, make smaller, more realistic goals that are not only doable but also rewarding. For example:Play More: Get involved in a fun recreational activity like a cooking class. Try out a new hobby or rekindle an old one. That way you'll be carving out more time for yourself and doing something relaxing. Stepping away from what you normally do most of the … (3 comments)
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tips and advice: What are the Secrets to Attracting FSBO Business? - 12/21/11 08:14 PM
With a flood of properties on the market driving down resale prices, sellers are looking to save money by selling their homes themselves.
The theory of this is that they can pass on the amount of commission they’d give to a real estate agent to prospective buyers. But most owners who sell by themselves have little or no knowledge of how to market or stage a home for a successful and timely sale. That’s where a real estate agent can help.
Building relationships with owners who are attempting to sell by themselves is in a real estate agent’s best interest, as … (2 comments)
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tips and advice: How to Help Your Agent Sell Your Home - 12/15/11 02:49 PM
While your real estate agent may be working flat out to sell your home, you - as the seller - also have an important role to play.It's up to you to prepare your home for sale.While your real estate agent may suggest, recommend and even cajole, selling your home is your job, and no one else can do it for you.You have only one chance to make a first impression.It's so true.A recent survey indicated that more than 60% of buyers knew the property was for them the minute they walked in the door.So make sure you put a lot of … (1 comments)
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tips and advice: 5 Ways to Take Advantage of the Current Market - 12/15/11 11:46 AM
Real estate remains a bargain in much of the United States. For many home buyers this is the ideal time to jump into the housing market with a long-term investment strategy. Following are five tips to help you take advantage of a down market. Use a Buyer's Agent: A buyer's agent can help you navigate a rapidly changing marketplace and let you know how to maximize your real estate dollar. Get Preapproved for a Mortgage: Sitting down with a mortgage professional before you begin your search will help refine what you are looking for. This will allow you to set your budgets … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: How to Use Those Weird QR Codes - 12/13/11 09:35 PM
Confused about the black-and-white boxes that seem to be popping up in the corner of every poster, flyer and billboard?
Welcome to the world of Quick Response (QR) codes.
People can scan the codes with their smartphone cameras and receive video, photos, text information and more.
The one at the top of this article will take people to www.google.com when scanned.
As a way to bring people into an online space, QR codes have great potential for small businesses.
They’re inexpensive and easy to use, and they’re an interactive and fun way to engage an audience.
Following are four ways to … (5 comments)
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tips and advice: 7 Tips for Surviving the Holiday Road Trip - 11/23/11 12:16 PM
The holidays are a time of candy canes, presents, and, of course, long car trips to visit family and friends across the country. Surviving a road trip can be a challenge even for adults - but with kids? Well, you just have to prepare ahead. Following are some tips to get you started: 1. Smile through the "Daddy I have to go," moments by packing toilet paper and bringing a potty chair. 2. For babies, attach colorful mobiles that are out of reach but within visual range of their car seats. They'll be happily occupied for hours. 3. Encourage toddlers … (1 comments)
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tips and advice: Simple Food Ideas for a Jolly Holiday Season - 11/22/11 12:34 PM
It's difficult to believe that the holidays are upon us once again, but it's time to start the preparations. You can make this year's festive season stress-free and memorable with some simple food ideas. The holiday season should be about having a good time with your friends and family and not about feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Take some pressure off your gatherings by preparing dishes ahead of time that only need to be reheated before serving. Do you have friends and family who also like to cook? Ask them to bring an appetizer or side dish to give you more time … (0 comments)
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tips and advice: Why it Pays to Use a Buyer's Agent - 11/22/11 09:38 AM
These days, a click of the mouse can open a world of dream homes to you. But when you're facing down a determined seller or trying to figure out what to offer, it literally pays to have a buyer's agent on your side. Real estate is all about negotiation. On one side there's the seller and his or her listing agent, who is bound by a legal agreement to represent the seller's interest. On the other side is the buyer - you - who wants to walk out a winner, having paid a price you're comfortable with for a home you love. … (0 comments)
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David Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE Chicago Real Estate Agent
Gurnee,
IL
More about me…
Midwest Premier Realty, Gurnee IL 224-321-0699
Address: Gurnee, IL, 60031
Office Phone: (224) 321-0699
Cell Phone: (224) 321-0699
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