First Blog Posts

  Being intentional and competitive are musts when buying a home this season. That’s why pre-approval is so important today. Pre-approval from a lender is the only way to know your true price range and how much money you can borrow for your loan. Peter Warden, Editor of The Mortgage Reports, explains: “The lender will check out your personal finances and issue you a letter confirming the amount you’re eligible to borrow. This not only gives you a firm budget for house hunting, but also lets sellers know you’re qualified to make an offer.” Why does that matter so much today? There are many more buyers looking for homes today than there are homes available for sale, and that’s creating some serious competition. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average home is g... 04/19/2022

 Social Media – Organic and Paid Wait…. WHAT?  . . . .There’s More Than One Type of Social Media? What’s The Difference? How Do I Know What I Need? Can I Have Both? Should I Have Both? What is Social Media? Let’s Start with that Question Firstso·cial me·di·a/ˌsōSHəl ˈmēdēə/noun – websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.From Wikipedia :“Social media are interactive computer-mediated technologies that facilitate the creation or sharing of information, ideas, career interests, and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.”Pretty straight forward, right?So, briefly – before we go any further – The simple difference is this:Organic social media is posted for free. Paid social media is shared with Ad ... 03/31/2022

Hello, ActiveRain community, this March ActiveRain Challenge 2022 has been educative and a great ice breaker not only to create an effective blog signature but to present myself to the community as well. My name is Norberto Fabre, I'm a Florida State Licensed Mold Assessor in the Fort Lauderdale area and an engineer. I decided to join ActiveRain after my mentor John M. Acaron, CMI, MRSA recommended it as an opportunity to meet professionals, expand my network around Fort Lauderdale, FL and learn from the experiences of others. If you are ever in the need of mold assessments, mold remediation protocols and post-remediation verifications feel free to reach out! My contact information is on my new signature. Coming back to the main topic, I got very excited when I started reading how to cr... 03/14/2022

Hands down, the Lake Travis area in the Hill Country has got to be one of the most topographically beautiful places to live in Texas.Just click on the link below... it's got everything!Cary Nemeroff - Lakeway, Bee Cave & Hudson Bend, Texas Expert Realtor(512) 409-4047cnemeroff@kw.comhttps://laketravis.com/visiting-lake-travis/#:~:text=Lake%20Travis%20is%20a%20BIG,maximum%20width%20is%204.5%20miles. 02/22/2022

Why Now is a Great Time to Buy a Hi-Rise Condo in Downtown CalgaryAccording to Calgary Economic Development's  Calgary Head Offices - Fact Sheet 2021, Calgary contains the highest concentration of head offices in Canada with 71% of them being oil and gas companies.Boom and Bust Leads to Head Office ReductionThe Calgary economy has been tightly tied to the oil and gas industry. When oil prices are high, the city and province reap the rewards. When prices are low, it is just the opposite. It has been a constant cycle of boom and bust.The last seven years however have seen an unprecedented exodus of head offices from the downtown core. This started with the sudden reduction in WTI crude prices from $93.17(USD) in 2014 to $48.66(USD) in 2015. This caused many oil and gas companies to re-eva... 02/12/2022

Under Contract! This beautiful home is located in Conway, SC. Looking forward to 2022 being an amazing year!https://www.myrtlebeachrealestateguide.com/homes/2505-Suzanne-Dr/Conway/SC/29526/124299055/ 01/06/2022

SOLD!! This beautiful condo in Waterway Village features 2 beds, 2 baths, and many upgraded features throughout. https://www.myrtlebeachrealestateguide.com/homes/639-Waterway-Village-Blvd/Myrtle-Beach/SC/29579/122093682/ 12/21/2021

Home Improvements During Labor Shortage Tight labor markets are affecting industries across the country. Skilled and unskilled jobs remain unfilled as employers struggle to find prospective employees. For anyone ready to hire a contractor or handyman to perform home improvement projects, this shortage is causing frustration. As more people embrace the “staycation” and seek ways to upgrade their homes, many are finding few tradesmen to even come to provide estimates, much less schedule the work.If you are trying to find good people to help with home improvement projects, there are still a few ways to achieve your goals. Here are a few tips to help you find a professional to help with your project.• Social Media – One great way to find reputable laborers is to ask for help from local soci... 12/08/2021

Once you are in the IRS's collection system, it is very important to know the system roadmap. Collections run in pretty much a linear manner--step by step until the collection action is resolved, the statute of limitations runs, or any number of other possible outcomes.One of the "stops" on the collection roadmap is an IRS levy. If you do not pay your taxes or make arrangements to settle your tax debt, the IRS may determine that a levy is the next appropriate action. An IRS levy permits the legal seizure of your property to satisfy a tax debt. It can be in the form of a wage garnishment, social security income offset, taking money out of your bank or financial account, seizing and selling your vehicles, real estate, and other personal property.Generally, the levy is put in place after s... 11/19/2021

✨OPEN HOUSE✨ Join us this Sunday, Nov. 7 from 12pm-2pm and tour one of the finest Estate Waterfront homes in "Harbor West" gated waterfront community in South Gulf Cove featuring a heated pool, spa, private deeded Dock & 7500lb boat lift with GEM remote! "DEEP SAILBOAT WATER ACCESS"For more information, call or text 941-426-4394 📲 11/02/2021

With the high cost of real estate in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California, many people are looking towards other states when deciding to purchase a home or raise a family. Taxes, Jobs and Cost of Living California has one of the highest state income taxes in the country, so that alone is a factor that can put more money in people’s pockets and allow them to spend more of it on housing and other costs.   The job market in California has been strong recently, and while there may be better paying jobs and opportunities in certain areas and industries like Silicon Valley or the newer Silicon Beach area of Los Angeles, on a relative basis, it may not make that much of a difference once the high cost of living is factored in. California has a net Out-Migration to other states as can... 10/27/2021

There are a lot of choices you've got to choose from a new home. From location, cost or several factors that may affect the unit value. You’ll be forced to understand many things that you haven't heard before. One among the foremost ones: what type of home do you wish for? Which one will I prefer in Townhouse vs Condo ? If you’re not into a single-family home, you may consider the option of Townhouse vs Condo. Both options have similar square measure and quite a few variations. Deciding which suits your real estate needs may need a further analysis and understanding the pros and cons of each of the unit. Here’s to kickstart our knowledge about Townhouse vs Condo, especially Townhouse Fresno for your ideal home;Basic of CondoA condominium is designed pretty similarly to a flat or an apar... 10/09/2021

Before writing was invented, humans shared stories orally.  Ancient Chinese, Egyptians, Indians, and others told their stories and created myths and legends through drawing, painting, and poetry spanning thousands of years and several cultural milestones of human history.In modern days, we listened to our ancestors telling their stories and learned about history through many forms of communication.  A love of stories is encoded into our DNA.  Stories matter to us on a deep, emotional level. As a business owner, as a leader, as an entrepreneur, your story matters. Tell that story to your employees, investors, customers, and potential clients.  Keep them listening.  Consider why to tell your story.Create and Strengthen RelationshipsInternet-savvy consumers don't just want to "buy stuff" f... 10/04/2021

Central Florida Home Prices Can't Go Straight Up Forever… …But this isn't a bubble!       Home prices in the Orlando Area and all across the United States are climbing at the fastest pace in history, eclipsing even the boom in the days leading up to the Great Recession. Bidding wars have become common, many are forced to pay all cash and some bids are coming in $1 million over asking.      It's all sparking fears that the United States is in the middle of another housing bubble that will end in a terrible crash. Industry executives and economists agree this explosion in home values is unsustainable, as home prices can't go up 20% year-over-year forever.      Yet today's housing market is very different from the mid-2000s bubble that wrecked the economy.       Unlike then, there is curre... 08/23/2021

So, You Want to Be A Real Estate Investor...The Top Questions Real Estate Investors Ask–AnsweredAs a real estate investor, your number one priority should be to be open to learning and educating yourself on the real estate market's happenings. These frequently asked real estate questions will provide you with a better understanding of what to expect as a real estate investor and provide you with the ability to stand out from your competitors. 1. Is Getting a Real Estate License as an Investor Necessary? It is not necessary to receive your real estate license as an investor. However, numerous benefits come with acquiring a real estate license. As an investor with a real estate license, you'll gain unlimited access to property information, be able to network with fellow real estate entrep... 07/20/2021

Spring is here, and with it comes lots of rain (at least where I live). Being a homeowner and rental property owner, there are several things to do to keep my houses in top shape during this season.The true cost of homeownership is higher than you think, but keeping up with preventative maintenance will lower costs in the long run! 1. Clean out the guttersGutters are great for diverting water off of your roof and away from the foundation. But if they are clogged with leaves, sticks, and other debris, they aren't doing their job.Make sure to keep you gutters clear to keep the water going where it's supposed to. It will also help prolong the life of your siding and fascia as the water isn't sitting in and around the gutters and rotting the wood.2. Give your HVAC a tune-upWith the warmer w... 05/25/2021

Alaska Forestland; Hunting, Timber, Investments! When looking to Buy, Sell or Invest in Forestland anywhere in Alaska, there is only one place to call. When you need an Expert in all facets of Timberland, Hunting Land, and Investment Properties; Call on the Forestland Experts at Woodland Management Service and Woodland Real Estate, Keller Williams Fox Cities and their Alaska real estate associates. The experts at Woodland Real Estate and Woodland Management Service have over 30 years of experience in working with hunting and timber land investments throughout North America. When you are ready to get serious about your forestland investments, call on the Forest Land Professionals. 04/04/2021

It's been a busy week for us ActiveRain developers.  We have released a number of changes  that will hopefully make your experience better.Here's what we've released this week:- Minor formatting and text changes to the site layout and several pages- Bug fixes to the front-end codeHope everyone has a fantastic weekend! 03/19/2021

The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted on December 27, 2020, deals with the annual tax extenders. Congress made some of them permanent, while others got short- or long-term extensions.These are the big five Form 1040 tax breaks that were scheduled to expire on December 31, 2020: Exclusion from income for cancellation of acquisition debt on your principal residence (up to $2 million) Deduction for mortgage insurance premiums as residence interest 7.5 percent floor to deduct medical expenses (instead of 10 percent) Above-the-line deduction for tuition and fees Non-business energy property tax credit for energy-efficient improvements to your principal residence Here is what Congress did with each of these five provisions: Cancellation of debt. Extended through ... 02/18/2021