After reading Seth Godin's blog entitled National Day of Service, I was inspired!  I've already started my family on the right path toward creating a better environment by starting our goal to go green.  You can join me by reading my post on One Million Acts of Active Rain Green.  In Seth's post, he discussed several ways we can make a difference by volunteering.  Everything isn't always about giving money, nor is it always about being local.  I'm taking from his post and re-blogging some of the things we could do online. Teach someone how to sell their services on Craigslist, or how to use the web to find a job. Build a Squidoo lens every day for a year about a favorite author or musician and dedicate the proceeds to charity. 300 a year could earn tens of thousands of dollars for a cau... 01/21/2009

It's cold out there.   In Garfield Heights this morning, the news reporters said it was 5 degrees.  It wasn't supposed to get much warmer (high of only 14 today).  But we're used to it being cold here, aren't we?  That's not even what I'm writing about today. Today, I'm writing about being safe in cold weather like what we are experiencing this week.  Here are some tips so that you'll make it through this cold front safe and sound! 1. Cover up!  Keep as much skin as possible from being exposed to the cold.  Pull hats down low over your ears and forhead.  Wear your scarf over as much of the bottom half of your face as you can. 2. Wear layers! A shirt or sweater and a pair of pants isn't going to keep you warm out there this week.  So wear thermals if you have them!  If not, wear a t-shi... 01/14/2009

There is no question that it has been a challenging year in real estate, and 2009 will be plagued with many of the same problems i.e. short sales, foreclosures, financing difficulties , and appraisals that fall short of the purchase price, But homes did sell in 2008 and they will sell in 2009! Sellers must make pricing their home correctly a top priority. In 2008, we saw asking prices vary widely as it was difficult for many sellers to accept the downturn in the market.  The homes that sold were the ones with realistic prices. The facts that really matter when when pricing your home are the selling prices of other homes in the area, followed by condition and location. Below is a chart that shows closed homes in Garfield Heights, Ohio through the multiple listing service in 2007 vs. 2008... 01/12/2009

Those of you who know me and my family personally in Garfield Heights, Ohio will be shocked at this post.  I'm attempting to make us go green. Now, before you all jump up clapping, whistling, and patting me on the back, I have to make a confession...  I'm not going into this all gung-ho like lots of people do.  I'm slinking into it, being a super secret, super spy about things we can do easily to go green in our house and with my family. So today, I was overjoyed to find one more thing I could do to help the planet!  Central Florida real estate agent Debbie Summers hipped me to a great and easy way to help save our environment! The Yellow Pages is going green so they are now giving people a quick and easy way to opt out of receiving the big, clunky, (unused in my house) yellow and white... 01/12/2009

I've been reading with ever-increasing alarm about crimes on the rise in Garfield Heights. These aren't your regular car-jackings and burglaries.  These are crimes of opportunities for certain. Young kids, probably teenagers, are catching residents as they go for late-night strolls.  I'm sure you see them all the time - couples, neighbors, joggers, etc., out in the evening after 8 p.m. for a walk, jog, or run.  A bunch of kids accost and then rob them.  Police are looking and doing all they can to catch the culprits but in the meantime, be safe! Definitely don't walk out alone at night! Stay in well-lit areas when you do go out. If you see a suspicious group coming toward you, cross the street! Whatever you do, do NOT confront them! If you are accosted, do not resist. Your purse, wallet... 11/14/2008

No, it's not what you think!  Wal-Mart has not decided to move it's headquarters to New Mexico or Chile.  Something much, much worse has happened and, unfortunately, it has happened in my little suburb of Garfield Heights, Ohio. Wal-Mart in the new shopping plaza on Transportation Boulevard shut its doors on Monday morning.  The unthinkable happened.  Without any warning to employees, who showed up to work yesterday as they did for every Monday morning for the past year since the plaza has been operational, only to be told that the store was closing.  Just like that, all of those employees were now out of work with no opportunity to search for another place of employment. I've often wondered why companies chose to close that way.  I mean, if you're in a techy job, I'm sure they wouldn't... 09/16/2008