Questions You Should Ask A Realtor Before Signing Anything
by Chuck Lunsford
Questions you should ask a Realtor before signing anything. A Realtor is hired to help you complete a real estate transaction with your best interest in mind. However, there are a few questions that you can ask a Realtor to ensure that you will receive the best service possible. Also, these questions will help you to make sure that the Realtor will be able to meet your expectations.
1. When you are hiring a Realtor for your real estate transactions, you are hiring them for their professional experience. Therefore an important question is; how much experience do they have in real estate. How much experience do they have working with real estate in the area you want to conduct your real estate transaction?
Even though Realtors follow a higher level of ethics, there are still new Realtors. There are also Realtors that are new to the area and may not have the necessary connections that it would take for you to get the service you need.
2. Are you able to check their references? Can you talk to one or two of their previous customers? Do they have any letters of recommendation that you can read? Most good Realtors will offer this information before you ask, but if not, it should not be a problem for them to provide these to you. You are hiring someone just like any other job.
3. What education does the Realtor have? What ongoing education have they completed? Do they have any other certifications do they have?
4. What time frame do they work? Selling or buying a home takes a great deal of time. If a Realtor is only working part time, that is only part time that they will be able to dedicate to you. Therefore, if they work 5pm to 6pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday, that is all the time they would have to work for you. This may not be the best hours for a home to be bought or sold. You will need a Realtor that can be there to help you. A good Realtor works seven days a week and would be on-call. When a home can be shown or sold they will be there.
5. Are they a member of their local Board of Realtors? It is a good idea to make sure that they have taken the time to work with the local Realtors and understand the area they are working in.
6. What tools will they have available to help you complete your real estate transaction. Do they go through the MLS listing service? What other forms of advertising options will they use? Do they have open houses? What contacts do they have?
7. Will it be the Realtor themselves that will be completing your transaction, or will it be the Realtors assistant. Can you request that the Realtor be the one that is working with you.
8. Where will the Realtor be getting their leads? Will they be going from their own lists, or will it be from many sources.
9. What can you do to make sure that your home is ready for the market. Are there repairs, etc to make sure that your home will sale for the price you are looking for? If you are looking to buy a home, is there a faster way that you can view homes that are available.
10. What are the Realtors fees? Are they negotiable? What amount of the commission is going to be put into advertising? Will you be paying any additional fees, other than the down payment and closing costs?
After you have asked the Realtors you are looking to hire, you will have a good idea of what you can expect. If you are ready to sign a contract at this point, try to make it a short contract. Also, see if there are options for non-exclusivity. If however you find the perfect Realtor for your needs, sign away. They are likely to make sure that your real estate needs are taken care of.
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Washing Wine Glasses: From a Chore to an Art Form
Washing Wine Glasses: From a Chore to an Art Form
by Jennifer Marie Jordan
No one is particularly fond of washing dishes, with many people reserving it for times when the tower of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink begins to resemble the Tower of Pisa. But, for those who have a collection of wine glasses, particularly crystal wine glasses, washing dishes correctly becomes essential in preserving the glasses ability to fully do their job.
Non-Crystal Wine Glasses
Non-crystal wine glasses are not as high maintenance as crystal wine glasses, but they still require a certain know how, knowledge on what to do for everything from using dish soap to removing a rabid wine stain that, no matter how much you yourself whine, will not come out.
Just Add Water: A simple method in wine glasses is to just add water. Rinsing the wine glasses three or four times in hot water should be enough to remove all residual wine. And, placing the wine glasses upside down on a clean cloth, when finished, will help the wine glasses in their quest to air dry.
A Touch of Soap: Adding just a drop of soap can help remove a wine glass with a stubborn wine residue. The soap used should be very mild, and the cloth used for scrubbing should be soft and sponge-like. Be sure you rinse all the soap from the glass; if the tiniest amount remains, you may find that your next glass of Merlot is as sudsy as a bottle of beer.
Use the Dishwasher: While it may seem like the modern day dishwasher is a place where wine glasses go to die, those that are not made of crystal and do not possess long stems can actually be washed in this manner. But, if you wash wine glasses in technology, don�t use very much detergent and don�t allow the dishes to be dried by heat; as soon as the dishwasher is finished rinsing, remove the wineglasses and dry them by hand.
Crystal Wine Glasses
Crystal Wine Glasses are definitely the most elegant of glasses and they know it, standing tall and acting as if they are the Holy Grail. Because of this, they require a lot of tender loving care and they need more attention than other types of dinnerware. If they don�t receive it, they will likely rebel, forfeiting their ability to enhance the taste of wine, ruining it in the process.
Crystal is porous and can absorb flavors � particularly soapy flavors � with relative ease. If this absorption happens, you might have a clean wine glass, but you will also have a wine glass that alters the flavor of your wine, adding in a dollop of detergent.
Use Washing Soda: Washing soda � and baking soda works too, but not as well � is a type of cleaning soda that is designed for use on glass in a gentle, but complete, manner. It is made to be a cleaner that won�t be absorbed by crystal. Most grocery stores sell it in the detergent aisle.
Use the Force of Lukewarm Water: Like non-crystal wine glasses, crystal wine glasses can be washed simply with water. Making sure the water is lukewarm in temperature, rinse the wine glass repeatedly. If the wine won�t come out, add just a drop of very mild detergent and gently wash with a soft cloth. Never use a steel or a wool pad, your crystal wine glasses will never speak to you again.
Don�t Use the Dishwasher: While the Maytag man would probably assert that dishwashers are safe enough for crystal wineglasses, the truth of the matter is the dishwasher can ruin the wine glass one of two ways. While one of these ways simply involves placing your wine glass in the dishwasher, allowing it to run, and then opening it up only to find that your one crystal wine glass is now several pieces of crystal wine glass, the other way a dishwasher can ruin it is by allowing detergent to bake into the crystal. This baking causes the wine glass to cloud, ruining it and refuting the old �crystal clear� saying.
Place Over Boiling Water: The experts at the Riedel Wine Glass Company suggest that to make your crystal wine glass really shine, hold the glass over a pot of boiling water, allowing the steam to cover it. Once this �steam bath� is finished, simply dry the wine glasses with a linen towel.
Taking care of dinnerware can be no fun: the easily aggravated wine drinker may simply refuse to give their dinnerware proper care, telling their wine collection to kiss their glass. But, taking proper care of wine glasses is elemental in making sure the wine glasses hold their ability to add to wine�s elegance, never losing their edge and beating a regular old cup by a stem.
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US Subprime Market - Is the worst yet to come?
US Subprime Market - Is the worst yet to come?
by Althaf Ahmed
With the bubble bursting on subprime mortgages, analysts expect a significant fall in growth in the second half of 2007, with the worst yet to come
The first signs that the bubble was about to burst on the United States housing bubble of the last decade or so was the sharp fall of the US stock market. It fell sharply as the subprime mortgage crisis began its inevitable spill into the broad financial markets.
Two hedge funds run by a leading New York broker began to shows signs of serious trouble as a result of their heavy exposure to subprime mortgages. Eventually the company had simply no option but to prop up the funds from their own capital. The feelings in capital markets were that the possibility of write-downs of securities backed by subprime mortgages at other institutions would become a very strong reality which would in turn become a genuine threat to other parts of the economy.
The cost of borrowing is beginning to rise steadily and consumers are caught in a difficult position as their one major asset in their lives;their home, is making the steady slip between being an asset to a liability.
Analysts generally concur that for a long time house prices have raised to a level where they far outstrip any logical relationship to what people earn or what they will return in rental income. Nowadays the average rental cost per square foot is half what it takes to repay a mortgage.
In the glory days of the property boom, consumers were encouraged to buy properties and borrow too much money. Mortgage banks were happy to lend money and asked for very little equity in the property as security. Sometimes as low as 10%.
Ask yourself what kind of banker would do such as thing? One who could then sell on these mortgages in a block to hedge funds, where the securities were backed by these shaky mortgages. It was a win/win situation then.
The consumer enjoyed the security of “owning “their own property, the mortgage banks earned a nice commission on selling the mortgage and the hedge funds were able to sit on blocks loans on secured assets.
Now that the dust has begun to settle on this fiasco, analysts fear that a trillion dollars in mortgage loans out there will not be repaid. This means foreclosures, and a glut of property on the market, Mortgage banks are now battening down the hatches, demanding equity of 30-40% and considerably higher and fixed interest rates for new borrowers. This trend is expected to continue for at least the next five years.
In the short term, financial forecasters predict that the US economy will face a major uphill struggle to achieve the 2-1/2 to 3 percent growth rate had aimed for in the second half of 2007. The new forecast is a growth rate of less than two percent for that period, largely as a result of a major fall in consumer spending.
With an election year in the offing, democratic congressmen are pushing a proposal to” bail out” subprime borrowers on humane grounds. Many of these home owners are now approaching retirement age. Statistics show that around a third of them have no form of pension and were dependent on the “profits” from the sale of their property, as it would allow them to take care of themselves in their golden years. Now they are faced with the reality of having lost their equity, and may be both homeless and on the poverty line.
Whether the US government can turn their back on these people remains to be seen. If Congress decides to step in and underwrite the bulk of the projected bad debt, then austere times indeed are expected for the US economy.
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Shock Secrets of Successful HYIP Investment. Do You Use It? - Auto Recovery
Shock Secrets of Successful HYIP Investment. Do You Use It? - Auto Recovery
by David Vagner
What is your goal? To earn money quickly, get additional income without work. HYIP market can realizes your dreams or makes you bankrupt. Where is limit? Listen to me and you will know how to be rich.
As successful HYIP investor you should know golden rules of sure investing. These rules are very significant and I want you to know them at your finger tips before you actually start your investing way.
Think Long-Term: Never ever think or plan to get rich within a short period of time. It is not reality. Usually good HYIP will never pay quite your principal and interest in less than 6 months.
Do not Quit: Winners do not quit and quitters do not win. It is a law of our life. The next step you take could be the winning step but if you quit, you'll never know how much you are loosing. Just keep investing and learning better ways to better your situation in life.
Be Prepared to Loose: In everything you do in life there are always times when losses occur. Life is all about ups and downs. Use losses or failures as a stepping stone towards greater success and also as an experience to make better investment plans, ameliorate on your strategies.
Diversify: Never put all your eggs into one basket. This is very important rule in HYIP investing. Invest in more than 5-7 programs to create multiple streams of investment income for yourself.
Research and research again: Always conduct your own research too. Always keep your ears on the ground, join HYIP forums, read the FAQs and Terms, read emails sent by the programs you join, check monitoring sites as theHYIPs.net and write their support if there are issues you are not clear on in their terms or FAQs. Ping their domain to define their IP addresses and use an IP search tool or software to determine their location. Do not forget to do a whois search to define if what the programs say in their �About Us� is the same as it is in the search. When you get this information, compare it with what they say about themselves. Also, NEVER sign up a program that is hosted on a free hosting service or sites that use the same scripts. Never reply to any email asking for a confirmation of your username and password.
Protect yourself, your e-currency account(s) and your investments: This is another very important point to note. Avoid using your real names when dealing with programs you are not sure of except when it has to do with receiving your money via wire-transfer where you have to give your full details to the program to enable transfer of funds to your account. Also use different passwords for your e-currency accounts, your email address(es) and your investment programs. This will prevent fraudulent programs from trying to use the same password you used to join them to open your e-currency account(s). NOTE: If you are using e-gold, make sure you apply the security features as explained by e-gold to protect your account.
Avoid Greed: Do not let the human factor of greed take over your investment decisions. The scammers use the human factor of greed to lure you into investing your money with them. From my personal experience, I lost a lot of money due to the fact that I allowed the emotion of greed to do my investing for me. Scammers offer very high and unrealistic interest rates within a very short time. When this happens, you will know immediately that this will not last but the emotion of greed will always tell you to give it a try and this is where your downfall and failures will begin. These scammers might pay you the first time just to encourage you to invest more and when you do, they disappear.
Please take note of these important rules above and you will enjoy investing in HYIP investment programs.
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Child Sexual Abuse - Signs And Symptoms
Child Sexual Abuse - Signs And Symptoms
by Wendy McLellan MA, LCDPII
Sexual abuse has affected millions of children throughout the world. Child sexual abuse is defined as: An adult using a child for sexual purposes. This can be in the form of child pornography, submitting children to look at pornography, fondling, touching, kissing, sodomy, exposing oneself to a child, rape, oral sex, intercourse, or having the child touch the adult. All children will react differently to this type of trauma. There is no one single identifiable sign or symptom that all children will have. They may have very subtle symptoms or they may have very pronounced symptoms. I have gathered a list of symptoms that children of sexual abuse are often seen to have.
Bedwetting (after being potty trained)
Waking up in the night screaming, nightmares or other sleeping problems
Showing an unusual fear of certain people, places or things
A reluctance to be with a certain person
Loss of appetite or trouble eating
Fear of the bathroom
Excessive crying
Mood changes, anger outbursts or withdrawal or fear
Becomes worried when clothing is removed
Wearing layers of clothing
Age inappropriate knowledge of sex
Imitating sexual acts with other children or toys, such as dolls
Withdrawing from activities they used to be involved in
Difficulty walking or sitting
Complains of pain with urination or bowel movement
Bleeding from the genital area or anus
Academic problems
Lowered self esteem
Symptoms of PTSD such as panic attacks
Somatic complaints
Regression of behavior
Having new words for private body parts
Excessive masturbation
These are all symptoms of child sexual abuse. One common feeling I have found in working with children and adolescents, is guilt. Children usually feel guilt over the abuse that occurred. It is important to remember that under no circumstance is a child ever responsible for what happened to them. It is crucial that �re- victimization� does not happen. Some ways a child can be re- victimized is by saying to the child:
�Uncle Joey, or Grandpa Bob would never do that to you, why are you lying?�
�It couldn�t of been that bad, or you would have told me sooner�
Child sexual abuse victims usually carry this trauma with them for the rest of their lives. Some children as they begin to get older will start using drugs, get into relationships with others who are abusive, see themselves as �damaged goods� and begin acting out sexually. Engage is self mutilation, such as cutting behaviors. Some children gain weight or don�t take care of themselves so they look �unattractive� to others.
There is hope. Finding the proper treatment for past trauma can be influential on how they cope with this as an adult. Rape crisis centers are usually available in most states. There is also a national rape crisis center. They are a full service agency that addresses prevention, education, crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy. They work with both children and adults. There is also a 24 hour hotline available at the national rape crisis center, for parents or victims of sexual abuse.
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008
How Do You Drink Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea?
How Do You Drink Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea?
by Marcus Stout
Most people associate oolong tea with China. And, it�s true that China is where oolong tea originated and that most of the oolong tea produced in the world today is produced in China. However, oolong teas from Taiwan, known as Formosa oolong teas are delicious too, and should certainly be part of your regular collection of teas.
Taiwan, in fact, is the second largest producer of oolong teas in the world, and produces some of the finest. In particular, Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a delightful treat. Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a full flavored tea that still manages to remain light.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a wonderful blend of flavors and aromas. It has a more complex flavor than many other teas, with a wonderful floral aroma and a melding of flavors like peach, cedar and chestnut. The finish is slightly sweet and the flavor is always mild. Drinking Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a unique experience because each taste of this delicious tea will take you deeper into its combination of tastes and scents.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea is rare in comparison to other teas. Finding it may be a bit difficult and it may be a bit more expensive than other teas you�ve tried. Oolong teas are more labor intensive to produce, which typically makes them more expensive.
And, Formosa oolong teas are even more expensive than Chinese oolong teas because the costs of labor are higher in Taiwan. However, like fine wine, rare teas can be appreciated on many different taste and aroma levels and are worth the extra expense.
The best tea merchants, both online and in your local area should have access to Imperial Formosa oolong tea. Once you�ve purchased some you�re certain to be anxious to give it a try.
Formosa teas are brewed a bit differently than other teas. First, run hot tap water into your teapot and tea cups to warm them. A traditional Yixing clay teapot is recommended for brewing oolong teas. Then, put fresh cold spring water into your tea kettle and bring it to a boil. Purified water is preferable to tap water for brewing oolong teas because the high mineral content enhances the tea�s flavor. Once the water comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and allow the water to cool to about 180�F. Remove the hot tap water from your teapot and cups and add the loose tea leaves to your pot. Use about one rounded teaspoon for each cup of tea.
Next, you�ll want to �awaken� the tea leaves. This is done by pouring some hot water over the oolong leaves to rinse them, pouring this water off quickly. Now you can add more water and allow the tea to steep for about one minute. Be careful not to over brew oolong teas, else they become bitter.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea leaves can be infused several times before the leaves need to be discarded. Because of this, the tea is not nearly as expensive as it may seem at first. Each infusion of the tea will cause a different aspect of the subtle flavors to be prominent, allowing you to detect more of the tea�s complexities with each cup.
It is not recommended that you add milk, sugar or lemon to oolong tea, but that you taste it for its own delicious flavor.
Imperial Formosa oolong is a great tea to enjoy on its own or with food. Imperial Formosa oolong is a great choice to serve with typical lunch fare, such as sandwiches, soups and salads. It is a wonderful complement to spicy foods at any occasion.
Oolong teas are also delicious served with seafood dishes, particularly those that are very rich, like lobster and scallops. It also goes well with chicken dishes, especially those with cream sauces. And, it is the perfect complement to any duck dish.
In many cultures, cooks take great care to serve a complementary tea with the meals they prepare, much the same way that wine is chosen to complement the meal.
Finally, Imperial Formosa oolong is a wonderful tea to serve with dessert, especially light desserts. Consider it with desserts such as key lime pie, and banana pudding as well as with light cakes like angel food and pound cake.
Once you�ve discovered the many nuances of oolong tea, you�ll likely want to try it iced, as well. Iced oolong tea can be very refreshing, while remaining full of flavor and fruit. When making Imperial Formosa oolong tea for iced tea, allow the tea to cool before adding ice. Adding ice while the tea is still warm will likely dilute the tea too much. Imperial Formosa oolong�s mild flavor can be compromised if over diluted.
Many people have not yet tasted Imperial Formosa Oolong tea, but nearly all who have tasted it have found it to be one of the most interesting teas they�ve ever sampled. With its complex blend of flavors and light texture, it�s a tea that will please your palate in many different ways and always leave you wanting more.
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A Family Christmas Sleigh Ride
A Family Christmas Sleigh Ride
by Stacey Leigh
You see pictures of it in magazines, commercials, flyers, paintings. But do people still really do it? Yes they do. A sleigh ride at Christmas time. It still does exist.
A few years ago a good friend of mine called me up and asked if I would like to bring my family to her family Christmas party. Of course I said yes. She then told me that we would be meeting at a farm to go on a horse drawn sleigh ride. What a great idea! It was one of the best Christmas get togethers we had gone to.
So this year I thought. Hmmmm what could I do for my family Christmas. As most of you know, as the years go by families go their separate ways. Sometimes even at Christmas. So, what we try to do is get all the brothers, sisters, Aunts, Uncles, cousins etc.. together a week or two before Christmas day. What better way to get everyone together, than to go on an old fashion Christmas sleigh ride.
I thought first I will call the oldest person in the family to see how she felt about it. Well let me tell you my 86 year old Grandmother is almost as excited as my 6 year old daughter. She told me that she had always wanted to go on one but had never gotten the chance in all her years. What a great memory this will be for her. Seeing her great grandchildren, grandchildren and daughters all together on something she had always wanted to do. Merry Christmas Gramma!
Now the planning begins. I choose a date, then called a local farmer to book the sleigh ride. You may want to book early so that you can get the date and time you want. I made a list of all my guests. And as Santa would do, I check it twice. I then called everyone. Told them about the family Christmas party and what we would be doing. By the way...Everyone loves the idea. While one the phone with my guests I ask them what they would like to bring. It's a potluck all the way. This way it's makes it a little easier on the host for when we get back to the house. Everything is prepared, (you may have to warm a few things) but you are able to serve the food as soon as everyone gets back from the Christmas sleigh ride.
Once you know what everyone is bringing, make a list of it so that you can make sure you have enough for the amount of people you are having. For instance, I'll be having around 30 people back. So my menu is: Brie-warmed and served with crackers, cheese and kielbasa platter, vegetable tray with dip, cabbage rolls, lasagna, sweet and sour meatballs, cheesy mashed potatoes, fresh rolls, Cesar Salad and some yummy Christmas baking. I will also serve hot apple cyder, have some beer and wine and juice for the kiddies.
Try to do all your shopping a few days before the event. That way everything is fresh, and you still have time to prepare what you're making. Make sure you have all the glasses, plates, cutlery, napkins, bowls etc. that you need. I use paper or plastic so that I'm not spending all my time in the kitchen while everyone his here. It's a quick and easy clean up and I can enjoy some Christmas cheer with my family and friends.
I am really looking forward to my family Christmas sleigh ride this year. And if you decide to try this wonder festive event, I'm sure it will become one of your family favorite traditions as it has ours.
Merry Christmas!
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