homes live

Don't Outsmart Yourself When Selling Your Home

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:30:08 -0800

There are always homes that struggle to sell. You may have avery good home in a very good location but still find itdifficult to sell. Well, there is always a reason. Here are somecommon reasons why such homes don't sell:Being Over-priced ' The foremost reason for many homesnot selling is their price. If you're selling your home, makesure you price it in line with market expectations. Your home'sonly worth as much as buyers are willing to pay for it. You mayhave got a high appraisal value but if you're struggling to sellyour home at that price, you need to realize that your home'sover-priced. You need to look at what other homes in yourneighborhood are selling for and how much have recent homes soldfor. You can only charge a premium to other homes if your homehas any special feature that there is a demand for. Otherwise,do not outsmart yourself by pricing your home higher than whatother homes are selling for.Poor negotiation ' Second reason for the fallout of mosthome ...

Finding your dream home

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:57:37 -0800

Finding your dream home starts with you. That's a statement thatyou will have to remember throughout your search for your dreamhome. The reason is because throughout your journey of findingyour dream home, you will find yourself being derailed one timetoo many. Everyone will want to give you advice on where is thebest location, who's the better realtor, who is bettercontractor, etc. so, remember, it's YOUR dream home. When indoubt, refer to yourself. Better yet, browse through magazinesand newspapers and cut out pictures of homes that you like,areas that you fancy and paste it into a special 'My dream homeproject' book. This way, you can't go wrong.The first thing to do is to determine the area where you want toget a house in. Your dream home should not be too far away fromyour work place, schools, family members, etc'unless you want itto be, of course. Get a real estate agent to help you buy thehouse off the original owner. Some websites actually allow youto key in an ...

Dogs, Seniors and Young People.

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:12:31 -0800

Senior Visiting with Dogs and Young People.I have had the privilege to visit with the seniors now for manyyears with my Dogs. I have two therapy dogs, Nikki and Benny. Itake them both visiting in separate senior homes. I belong toTherapeutic Paws of Canada. What a wonderful organization it is. How did I get started into this wonderful work? I was visiting adear young friend in the palliative care unit in our localhospital. My friend was dying. On this day, she was totallyexhausted and sleeping. I was watching her, in turmoil with whatwas happening when very softly in walked Linda and Tasha, theresident visiting golden retriever. My friend could not benefitfrom this visit, but boy, I sure did. This dog helped me get agrip on my emotions. Such a beautiful dog she is. Tasha andLinda the owner became my mentors. I knew this is what I wantedto do. Tasha's owner, Linda, wrote a 'Tribute to Tasha'. I haveit published on my site, with her permission.http:www.mimfreedom.comim...

Tropical Christmas

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:16:15 -0800

I can recall from my days in England, watching television atChristmas and seeing how others celebrated across the world. Atone time I used to think about people in Australia, who seemedto be featured on the news every Christmas Day: "it's not likeChristmas, hot weather and going to the beach".Why I used do think like that I really do not know. I did notlike the cold once I got past the age of about . Or was it ?Who cares, I hate the cold now. That's one of the many reasons Ilive in what many call paradise: Palawan, in the south west ofthe Philippines.Being a predominantly Christian country, Christmas is a bigoccasion in the Philippines. It is also still a religiousoccasion, which of course it should be. Only a tiny percentageof people can afford gifts, so the emphasis is on familyholidays, time together, and for many going to church. Very fewfamilies have anything special for Christmas lunch, they justdon't have the money. They do make up for it, though, asFilipino...

6 ways to destroy a beautiful complexion

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:12:52 -0800

Women and men. too spend billions of dollars trying to maketheir complexions look great. Sometimes their efforts areself-defeating. Some of the following problems you have heard ofbefore but I bet you haven't heard of all of this.Sun damageHarmful UV rays can cause scarring of the elastic tissues inyour skin. These elastic tissues make skin soft and easy tomove. A condition called solar keratosis develops from long termexposure to UV rays. This will cause the skin to lose itsflexibility and will make a year old woman look . Plus skincancer can ruin your entire day. Use sunscreen.Also, many women, after years of sun exposure develop acondition called, Fungal Solar Keratosis. The sun damage cracksthe skin, allowing fungal parasites under the skin. Theseparasites will interfere with normal healing even if therapeuticskin creams are used. Special fungal skin creams are the onlysolution.http:www.themoldlab.com GrandPaGrandPaGraham.comBad make upMany manufacturer...

Market Price vs Sales Price when Selling or Buying a Home

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:10:15 -0800

MarketSales priceWhether you are planning to buy or sell a property it isimportant to become familiar with the terminology of realestate. In real estate the three terms that are commonly usedinterchangeably are value, cost, and price. Although, all areconcepts relating to value, they are not the same. Let's beginby differentiating between the terms.Value deals with something that will happen in the future;whereas cost relates to past events, and the amount of moneyactually paid for the property is the price. Depending oncircumstances, the value of a property may be the same, morethan, or even less than the price. Several things determine thevalue of a property: the degree at which it satisfies a need,ratio of supply to demand, transferability, and whether aperspective buyer with need for the property can financiallyafford the property.Value is a term, which should be used when speaking of what youthink the future benefits will be from the ownership of aparticular pro...

Determining the List Price When Selling Your Home

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:59:43 -0800

If you ask most people for the value of their home the responseyou receive will probably be much higher than the market value,a projection of the price the home should bring when the realestate market is competitive and open. This occurs because somepeople have a difficult time separating the emotions for theirhome from the actual value and tend to include improvementscostof repairs, which do not add value to the property. The property may be difficult to sell if too high a price isasked. Potential sellers may opt to look at similar houses withlower prices forcing seller to eventually lower the price belowwhat the market can handle. You'll only get what your house isworth if it matches what the buyer is willing to pay. Everyseller wants to get as much money as he can for his property,for this reason a systematic method clear of judgment must beused to reach a selling price that is competitive. This methodalso gives the seller room to negotiate. You can do this or hirea...

Protecting Your Home both Inside and Out

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:06:18 -0800

p>If you are a parent, you have probably wondered at one time oranother, what more you can do to protect your children andyourself, not only physically but emotionally, mentally,spiritually etc. Today many parents and families arediscouraged. They perceive, and even experience first hand adisturbing lack of basic civility and community respect. Thisdisregard of the 'protective virtues' often leads to anxiety andfear. Those who disregard civility and respect demean those whotake the time to work hard for their homes and their assets.They also demean those who work hard to maintain elevated ideasand standards within their homes. If you are a parent, don't letnegative trends discourage you. Stay proactive and protect yourhome both inside and out.Protect Your Home on the Outside In regards to protecting your physical home, the steps arefairly simple. The installation of home security systems, motiondetectors,

The Charlotte Mason Method Increases The Effectiveness Of A Home

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:53:35 -0800

When it comes to home schooling, parents need all of theresources they can muster. Designing curricula, scheduling fieldtrips, and tailoring lesson plans to children in different gradelevels can be challenging. Using children's literature to enrichthe curriculum you teach in the home learning environment can berewarding to both you and your children.Charlotte Mason, a British educator whose life spanned the lastquarter of the nineteenth century and the first quarter of thetwentieth century, fervently advocated the use of literature inchildren's education. Often referred to as the founder of homeschooling, Mason pioneered a liberal arts approach to children'seducation. In contrast to the rigid memorization required ofstudents during her time, Mason's educational theories embracedthe concept of instilling a love of learning in children andexposing them to a wide variety of subjects.Today, many parents use the Charlotte Mason method as a homeschool resource. Several of Mas...

Baby Proof Your Home - Frequently Asked Questions

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:53:20 -0800

Keeping your baby safe at all times is one of your greatestconcerns and responsibilities. There is so much to consider andit is very easy to overlook something that might be fairlyobvious to some but escape others. Things like coveringelectrical outlets, putting up baby gates and turning pothandles to the rear of the stove are discussed in this articleand is presented in a question and answer format.Q. What is the best way to approach baby-proofing ourhome?The best way is to see your home from the eyes of your child. Itis recommended that you get down on your hands and knees andcrawl around your home. This will enable you to see hazards youmight not have recognized at your full height. Are electricaloutlets in baby's reach or are there electric cords hanging downthat your baby can pull on or get tangled in? Does yourfurniture have sharp corners? Are there precious items at yourbaby's level that should be put up out of reach?Q. What is the most hazardous situation for m...

Baby's First Days at Home

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:35:39 -0800

The moment that you have waited for has finally arrived: the dayyou bring your newborn baby home from the hospital. Like allother expectant parents you will have spent the last nine monthspreparing for this day. You will have a baby room full ofeverything a newborn could possibly want. You will have readbook after book on a wide magnitude of baby topics from what toname your baby to when you can expect those first words. Youwill have walked and paced the length of baby's room, imaginingyour little bundle sleeping peacefully in her crib. Now themoment has arrived. In the crib lies your sleeping baby and themost exciting adventure of life is about to begin.The first few days home from the hospital are just as importantto you as they are to your baby. As new parents you will havegone through an exciting birth that will have left youbreathless and exhilarated. During your first days at home it may be wise to limit theamount of visitors that you welcome into your home. You n...

Unique Storage Ideas for Your Home to Help You Organize With

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:48:29 -0800

Just by browsing antique shops or flee markets on a weekend, youcan discover many unique storage ideas for any room in yourhome. And what better way to not only add beautiful storageitems to your decor, but to add some charm and history as well!Below are several popular antique finds that are truly uniquestorage ideas for you to consider the next time you are outshopping. When you are searching for these items, keep in mindthat you are looking for storage pieces. For example, thatornate sofa table may be pretty, but that bookcase will provideyou with much more storage room. You will see that many of theideas are listed under more than one room category. That is thebeauty of these pieces'they can be used in almost any room ofthe house! Unique Storage Ideas for the Living Room: 'Curio cabinet 'Display your pretty accessories in the glass window and thenstore CDs, DVDs, old magazines, games, or extra remote controlsin the wood cabinet below. 'Bookcases ' These aren't just ...

Living in Las Vegas

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:20:11 -0800

Las Vegas is one of the sunniest cities in the United States --with an average days of sunshine per year and only .inches of rainfall. The winters in Las Vegas are like no other.Many of us do not pack away our shorts because we can wear themyear round. Las Vegas has been the fastest growing city for over a decadenow. It all started in with the opening of threemega-resorts: MGM Grand, Treasure Island, and Luxor. For tenyears, an average of ,-, new residents moved here eachmonth. In December , ten years later, over , newdriver's licenses were issued.Just as the people that live in Las Vegas are very diverse, sois the choice of where to live. People that are not from LasVegas seem to believe that we all live on "The Strip." Nothingis further from reality. The most popular areas to live, such asGreen Valley, Southern Highlands, Anthem, and Summerlin aresuburbs nowhere near The Strip. Southwest and Northwest LasVegas are growing at astronomical ...

Myths and Truths of an Online Work At Home Parent

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:26:58 -0800

Myths and Truths of an Online Work At Home ParentYou decide that working - hours per week out of the home isjust not for you. Now what? You begin to explore the internet for options, most sound togood to be true. Are they?Who do you ask? Who do you trust? Does this really work? Can yoube successful?Discover Myths and Truths of becoming an Online Work at HomeParent!Myth: Working from home is easier than working outside of thehome.Truth: Working from home successfully is usually much harder.You only depend on yourself for your paycheck. You will need toorganize your time around your children and family, which ismuch harder than asking your coworker when they are free forlunch. Working from home takes extraordinary organizationalskills and a true commitment from yourself and your family.Myth: I'll be able to work whenever I want.Truth: You'll be able to work when you can convince your spouseand children that you need to work. Life doesn't stop becauseyou need to si...

Checklist for buying a home

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:31:42 -0800

I had a client who called saying that his bath tub just fallenthrough the floor in his new home new to him. Mold had eatenaway the floor from the crawlspace up. The seller had placed afew xs under the floor to hold everything up long enough tosell the house and get out of town.I asked if he had the house inspected before he bought it. Hesaid, 'no, was that important?'Even if you do get a home inspector, look for these thingsyourself. Some home inspectors don't look for these items. Somenever go into the house.Mold test The number one problem faced by new homeowners ismold. You read about it in the news. Every week I get a callfrom an attorney gathering info for a lawsuit against a homeseller and their real estate agent. The topic is always mold.You can get inexpensive mold test kits athttp:www.tennesseemold.comGutters The number one cause of mold in a home is improperlyinstalled or damaged gutters. They allow water to pour into thewalls. And water causes damagin...

Wise ways to discipline

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:06:43 -0800

First of all there are some very important factors to considerfor discipline to work well. Without them, your efforts toeffectively teach your children will ultimately fail. . INFLUENCE: You cannot teach what you do not live. Forexample, you cannot teach your child not to yell at you, if youyell at your child. Much of what our children learn is throughobservation and imitation. Our babies and children watch usintently, and our influence over their lives is immeasurable.Every day, remind yourself that you are a leader and an exampleto your children. and remember that when you blow it, as we alldo, the best example to set is to say sorry, have a cuddle, takea big breath, and move on. . ENVIRONMENT: Babies and children are more receptive todiscipline when we create a WARM, SAFE AND STIMULATINGenvironment. Warmth means our children know they are cherished,valued and approved of. We make it clear that when theymisbehave, it is the behaviour we disapprove of, not them. W...

Stay At Home Mom - Don't Miss Their Wonder Years

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:41:20 -0800

You Can Defintely Be a Stay Home Mom!In the st Century, the possibility of being a stay at home momis actually greater than in times past, believe it or not. Your probably are thinking that this is a pipe dream from adifferent era. But it's important to recognize the vastresources available to you, in order to make this a viable andworkable solution for your family situation.If you haven't noticed, you'd have to be in denial, thatinformation on just about any subject is available at the touchof button or keyboard. Finding the right keys to type may beyour only hold-back.Literally, anyone can create a significant income from the useof your personal computer in today's world. Every subject matteris covered to the nth degree. So, your only reservation is whodo you trust to supply you with a solution that fits your needsand abilities.What you want and are seeking is simple, straight forward,honest, information that will work for you, right? Well, we highly suggest that ...

Porch Swing Places

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:33:55 -0800

So you've purchased a Porch Swing or are about to and you planto hang it on the Porch? Not so fast!Where you install your Porch Swing is as much a function of theneed you are trying to satisfy as tradition and practicality. Ifnostalgia is your motivator, then the porch may well be the bestplace for your Patio Swing. But if you want a "Swing with aView", you might want to consider other options. And what aboutprivacy and solitude? If these are your deciding factors, thenyou might consider a more secluded area. Finally, if romance isyour concern, then the immediate surroundings will factorinto the decision of where to put your Porch Swing.If you bought your Porch Swing because you long for the good olddays, then the porch is probably the best place for your swing.It is after all where your memories probably happened. Perhapsyou have cherished memories of swinging with Grandma on hotsummer days trying to catch a breeze. Or maybe you fell in loveas a teenager on your p...

STOP! DO NOT RE-FINANCE YOUR HOME UNTIL YOU READ THIS ARTICLE!

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:08:06 -0800

I would like to begin by asking you a question:Do you have a spare , in cash that I could take from you?Oh, you don't have , in cash? Then would you mind signinga contract with me allowing me to take , per month from youfor the next years no reason, I could just use the cash?No? Why am I getting the cold shoulder here? I didn't reallythink it would be such a big deal I mean, you're certainlywilling to part with that money for the banks and mortgagecompanies. Why not me?Nearly every home owner is parting with hundreds of thousands inhard-earned cash when they purchase or re-finance a home. It isa shame since nearly every person's home will be their largestlifetime investment. Rather than being the most incredibleinvestment opportunity ever, the average person's home is thesingle largest cash drain and budget spoiler.HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS: YOU don't have to be a part of this cash flow drain any longer.YOU can definitely create more cash from your ...

America's Public School System --- Brutal And Spartan

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:23:38 -0800

The public school system in America has become a dismal failure.But education in many other times and cultures has been quitesuccessful. The ancient Greeks, whose civilization was at itsheight around B.C., founded Western civilization as we knowit. The Athenian Greeks invented or perfected logic, drama,science, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, literature, andmuch more. Yet ancient Greece had no compulsory schools.Other than requiring two years of military training for youngmen that began at age eighteen, Athens let parents educate theirchildren as they saw fit. Parents either taught their childrenat home or sent them to voluntary schools where teachers andphilosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle gave lecturesto all who wanted to learn. These great teacher-philosophers didnot need a license to teach, nor did they have tenure.The ancient Athenians had a free-market education system. Thethought of compulsory, state-run schools and compulsorylicensing would h...

Handling Weather Emergencies. Part 2; Home Security, Evacuation

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:46:26 -0800

B>IntroductionPart of this article on preparing for weather emergenciesdiscussed forming an emergency plan to reduce the stress andworry of facing a full blown weather crisis.The focus was on safeguarding your family by planning well inadvance of any threat.This, the second half of the article, looks at two things.Preparing your home to survive severe weather, and securingit in case you have to leave.Coping with evacuation or temporary isolation, andassembling one or more emergency kits.Home SecuritySome forms of weather related emergency are capable ofdestroying your home no matter what you do - floods, tornadoesand Category hurricanes come to mind. But long term preparation and a clear plan for when severeweather is approaching can do a lot to protect your home fromdamage or destruction. Or to protect you if you are inside.So put together a plan about securing your home and loadingvaluables and essential supplies into your vehicle in case youhave to leave quic...

Simplicity with your home wall decor

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:20:02 -0800

I can still picture my roommate as she lay stretched out on thefloor, rummaging through a pile of Martha Stewart magazines. Itwas our mutual friend's birthday and we preferred to deliver ourown personalized birthday gifts. My roommate sat on the floor,cutting out various chunks of pages from the magazines. Afterobserving her assorted scraps, she mixed and matched the paperin what formed a fitting and creative design. She neatly wrappedthe gift in her personalized wrapping paper. In a hurry, I rushed to the nearest gift shop and purchased somepink and yellow wrapping, and then splurged on the additionaldecorations, including ribbons, a matching birthday card and amulti-colored bow to top it off. In comparing the two gift appearances, we had very distincttastes. My roommate's presentation was well-thought of,personalized and simple. My gift looked more like a storedisplay flaunting the loudest and most colorful wrappingoffered. I realized then that I had executed decorat...

America's Public School System --- Brutal and Spartan

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:11:12 -0800

The public school system in America has become a dismalfailure. But education in many other times and cultures has beenquite successful. The ancient Greeks, whose civilization was at its height around B.C., founded Western civilization as we know it. TheAthenian Greeks invented or perfected logic, drama, science,philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, literature, and much more.Yet ancient Greece had no compulsory schools.Other than requiring two years of military training for youngmen that began at age eighteen, Athens let parents educate theirchildren as they saw fit. Parents either taught their childrenat home or sent them to voluntary schools where teachers andphilosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle gave lecturesto all who wanted to learn. These great teacher-philosophers didnot need a license to teach, nor did they have tenure.The ancient Athenians had a free-market education system. Thethought of compulsory, state-run schools and compulsorylicensing would...

So You Want to be a Work at Home Mom

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:43:27 -0800

So You Want to be a Work at Home Mom?But Where do you Start?Right Here!!!! Plan Before you sign up for anything, buy anything, do anything, youmust plan. Ask yourself the important questions, like what doyou want out of this and what are you passionate about. Prioritize Many of us jump into things that we really can't handle. Don'tget me wrong, we are all Super Mom!!! However, we need to knowwhat is the most important to us, and how to fit all of thepieces together. Budget Similar to time prioritizing, except with money. It is easy tospend all of your money at the beginning not thinking of thisventure as long term. Or make the mistake of spending money yousimply just don't have. Let's not forget why you are doing this.It is to make money, to contribute to your family, not to breakto bank trying. Research Before investing in something, whether it is time, money, orboth, you must know what you are investing in. Flashy websites,big promises, and dollar signs...

"When's Sarah Coming Home?" Helping Your Child Understand Death

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:53:35 -0800

For most children, their first experience with grief comes withthe death of a beloved family pet. When Zoe the eight-week oldpuppy dies of parvovirus or Tweety the budgie stops singing hismorning song, a child experiences profound and lasting loss forthe first time in their young lives. Children want and need to know about death, yet we are oftenreluctant ' even squeamish ' when talking about it.Conversations with kids about death can be extremely difficult,but they are so important. Helping children understand the deathof their pet may arm them with the skills they need to cope andgrieve effectively when someone they love dies. Everyoneexperiences a sense of shock when death occurs, and this isespecially true for children. They have no prior experience, andusually no information to help them comprehend what "deadforever" means.Death and grief are extremely difficult human emotions,therefore, there is no right or wrong way to deal with death. Asadults, our reactions to...