Sneaky Ways to Determine if It's a Sellers Market For Sale By Owner Homes

According to recent statistics, the number of people who are now offering their home for sale by owner (FSBO) is as high as 25-30 percent. The average Real Estate Broker's commission is around 5.5 percent, but it can get as high as 8 percent in certain areas.

But if you want to sell your house quick, before you decide to do all of the work yourself and put your house up as a For Sale By Owner, you might want to try a few tactics to determine if it is a buyers or sellers market.

In a Buyers market, real estate sales slow down. This can happen within just a few months and when it does, even if your neighbor's house sold for a huge profit it doesn't mean your home will be able to do the same now. In this case, you might want to reconsider selling as a For Sale By Owner, because it will take you much longer to get a decent price by yourself.

What you're wishing for is a Seller's market, where most people are getting more than the asking price and inventories of houses are low. This is prime time to sell your house quickly. There are a few easy ways to determine what the market is doing that won't cost you anything but a little time.

Start by just being aware of how long houses in your neighborhood are on the market before they sell. Then find out if the house did indeed sell, or if it was pulled off the market because the owners couldn't get a decent price.

A great way to analyze the number of buyers looking for houses in your area is to drive around your neighborhood, find a few places where the realtor is having an open house, and see how long it will be open. Then, arrive at the house about ten minutes before the "open house" closes on any particular day. Introduce yourself, have a cookie or two, quickly walk through the house and chat with the realtor. You might even be so bold as to ask him or her if they have been very busy today. Then, before you leave, be sure to glance at the sign-in sheet and note the number of visitors that viewed the house. If there are only a few names on the list, you might want to reconsider selling as a FSBO house. If there are a lot of names, you may be in the money!

Another way is to find out how fast other houses have sold. If you did your homework and drove through the neighborhood, you will have a general idea. If you have a friend who is a realtor, try checking the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for data about the average number days a home for sale was on the market, and average days to close. Unfortunately, only a realtor can access the MLS data, so this would probably be your last choice for research.

If the average to number of days to close is around 45 days, you can assume it's a hot sellers market. If the average is six months or more, it is a buyers market and you might want to reconsider selling your house as a FSBO, or take it off the market and wait until you have a better chance for a quick sale.

Does Someone You Care About Have Anorexia?

Anorexia is an eating disorder that develops when someone stops eating enough food for adequate nutrition. It can happen slowly, over several months or even years, as when some people grow older or develop an underlying disease like cancer. As their appetite dwindles, they may stop eating altogether or gradually eat less and less. Without taking in enough calories or nutrients, a person can get sick or become weak. Any other health condition that develops during this time can then further compromise that person's health.

Another type of anorexia is based on personal self-image. People who are trying to lose weight sometimes take extreme measures by reducing the amount of food they eat and eating much less frequently. While it can be easy to lose several pounds each week in this way, such dramatic weight loss can lead to unhealthy consequences, including heart arrhythmias, weakness, dehydration, loss of concentration, and nutritional imbalances, among others. If left undiagnosed and untreated, some of these results can be fatal.

If you suspect someone you care about has anorexia, here are some of the possible symptoms that may indicate the presence of this situation.

1. The person may eat little or nothing for many meals. Watch to see how much food is placed on the person's plate, whether she eats it all, and if she has second helpings. If she picks at her food, spits some bites into her napkin, or leaves some on her plate, this could signal that she isn't getting much nutrition, especially if it happens frequently. She may sip water instead or poke at her food instead of taking regular bites, chewing, and swallowing.

2. The person may binge and purge. You might see the person stuffing her face with regular or high-calorie foods, and then disappearing into the bathroom soon after eating. Excessive eating followed by fasting, or binging following by prolonged bathroom visits may be signs that the person is not processing food correctly.

3. The person may use diet aids or medications to slow eating. If you have access to her medicine chest, or feel comfortable enough asking, you can find out if the person is taking diuretics to make her urinate more frequently and eliminate extra water for temporary weight loss. An anorexic also may be taking appetite suppressants that cause her to feel less hungry and to eat less. She also might have medication to cause frequent bowel movements, or even take enemas fairly often. This, however, may cause the intestines to become sluggish and stop working much on their own.

4. The person might show signs of moodiness, fatigue, or depression. These, however, also may represent other conditions as well, so urge the person to see the doctor if you're not sure anorexia is the cause.

If someone under your supervision shows symptoms like these, take her or him to the doctor. If the person is an independent adult, make yourself available as a confidante, and when opportunities arise, be ready to advise a medical examination.

How Does God See You?

Does He like what He sees? Can I tell you He loves you 100% and loves everything about you? He loves all your annoying habits, He loves those extra pounds you have gained, and He loves you when you falter. Basically, He loves you. As a new creature in Christ when God looks at you He sees you as being redeemed. He sees the work Christ has completed on our behalf. He loves you even if you never change from this very day.

This morning I was trying to start my quiet time. I had my notebooks and Bible out all ready to get started. I sensed God saying, "Put those down. Calm your mind down. You know what, Kimberly I love you. Just think about it for a minute." I quickly was in tears. He truly loves me. I know we all "know" God loves us, but do you really know it. Do you live like He loves you?

God thinks I'm beautiful! Whether the world thinks that or not! God likes my silly jokes, whether my kids like them or not. God thinks I'm cool even if the world says different. God sent his Son to die for me, how much more special can that be.

Today, I ask you to truly dwell on the fact that God loves you. Soak in it, breathe it, and then live it. When God loves me I can conquer anything in his strength alone. I do best when I give it all to God and throw my hands up and say, "God it is yours I can't do it anymore." It is a shame I don't do that first, but I'm learning and you know what God loves me in spite of myself.

Home Staging to Sell Your House

For some of you, it may be a hard thing to sell a home, which has so many memories of your life associated with it. On the other hand, for some people; their homes are considered a memory of some bad happenings. No matter what, there is a lot of preparation that needs to be done to set your home, which is now a house on sale.

First thing you have to do is to disassociate with your home. Make yourself psychologically prepared to stay away from your emotions and realize the fact that this no longer will be yours. Don't walk backwards into your memory lane. Look forward for your future. Clear away your personal belongings like photographs and heirlooms etc. Sometimes buyers can get distracted by the personal artifacts. Instead, make them feel and think about their own photos on the walls of your home.

Humans collect masses of junk in their life time. We buy things when we see them inside those glass cases and later, they become space consumers in our home. If you don't need some stuff anymore, donate it or give it away. Keep the book shelves clean and neat so as with the kitchen cabinets. Put away those knickknacks and think of it as you- already packing your stuff and moving out. Rent a storage unit to store your books and furniture; this gives them a good feeling of space. You can also keep away your old furniture from the buyer's curious eyes. Leave just enough furniture in the room to show the purpose of the area and make sure the pieces of furniture don't block the walk way.

Buyers love to look around. They would open your kitchen cabinet and closet as well, so make sure they are neat and tidy. Do not keep any embarrassing stuff lying around and make sure you clean up your shoes. On this note, it would be a good idea to keep them lined up in their proper place. Take the window curtains and built-in fixtures with you. All those belongings that are of your fond memories; you take it away and keep it safe with you.

Do minor repairs with your home such as cracked floors and counter tiles. Holes in the walls should be taken care of and all those leaky plumbing should be fixed. Paint your walls with neutral colors, which would give off a good feel. Clean the windows, making them neat and presentable; and you may use a pressure washer to spray down the sidewalk and the exterior area. Make sure you clear the home of spider webs, which means that you must vacuum your home daily. See to it that the floors are waxed, the entire home smells nice, and that any kind of unpleasant odors are a strict no-no.

Make sure your rooms get lots of bright light. In order to this, remove curtains and let the fresh light come into your house. Keep the doors leading into all the rooms' open, welcoming potential buyers for their inspection. Scrutinize your work and take a walk through your entire home to make sure everything is right. Before your buyer comes in, keep clear the sidewalk. Manicure your lawns and trim the bushes of your garden. Keeping these things in mind means that you will definitely have everything under control and buyers will see that they will have a good deal if they purchase your house.

Organize Your Kitchen 101

Plan and write all activities that are currently going on in your kitchen. Write what activities you want to take place in the kitchen, and write which activities that are happening in the kitchen that you no longer want.

Will homework be done in the kitchen?

Will bills be done in the kitchen?

Is the kitchen a wrapping and project center?

Are documents filed in the kitchen?

Do crafts take place in the kitchen?

Are seasonal activity items kept and stored in the kitchen? (like gardening items)

As soon as you know every activity that occurs in the kitchen that is going to stay, write exactly where the activity will occur. Near that area will be the place to keep the items necessary for the activity. If there is not room for the activity (such as homework with homework supplies)and it's supplies, the activity must be moved elsewhere. All kitchens have boundaries, so prioritize what is most important for the kitchen area.

Eliminate section by section. Remove everything from the counters and walls (including top of refrigerator, stove & sink) sort through everything. Once you have completed this, do the same with all drawers and cabinets. Sort all items in one area before moving to the next.

If right-handed, work clockwise around room. As you go through the sorting process, ask yourself these questions:

o Is this item useful to me? Have I used it in the past year? If not, move it out!

o Is it in good condition? Does it work properly? If not, either fix it or get rid of it.

o Do I have too many of these? If you cannot use them all, keep those in best condition and store excess supplies elsewhere or give them away. Being in good condition has nothing to do with whether or not you need it!

o Is this a seasonal item I can store elsewhere?

After the eliminating and sorting phase, choose where the categories will go.

Eyeball the amount of items in the category and measure the space you have for it. The space is your boundary.

Check for items you may already have or purchase organizing containers to keep your categories separate. I use a brother labeler to label every container and also the shelf that the category belongs. I know where things go, but the rest of the family doesn't. The labels assist everyone in the family in knowing where to find things and where to put them away. I was a server for many years when I was younger. The labels work in the restaurant industry and they work for me at home.

Store all the categories into their cabinets, drawers, and pantry. It's helpful to reorganize (straiten up) quarterly, wipe all shelves and drawers down, deep clean the fridge, etc.

o Store items used most often in drawers and cabinets that are easiest to get to.

o Store like items with like.(microwave dishes, baking supplies, Tupperware & matching lids, etc.)

o If you have small children, store items you want in their reach down low, and items you don't want them to reach up high (breakables, alcohol, toxic items, foods you want to limit or restrict from their diet, etc.)

o Store appliances and items on the counter only if you use them regularly (at least 2-3 times a week). Otherwise, put them away. For example, If you only use your blender occasionally then it gets to be put away.

o Consolidate duplicate items into one container (spices, etc.). Exception: yeast or other things with expiration dates

* For energy flow: eliminate all items that are chipped, or only one in a set.

* Items from a painful past - like dishes from a divorced marriage, disturb energy so let them go.

How to Trace Text Messages on Cell Phones - Figure Out Who Owns the Number Sending Random Texts!

Do you know how to trace text messages on cell phones? My guess is that if you are reading this article, then you probably want to find out! Today I am going to show you how to trace text messages, so you can learn who is sending them with a reverse cell phone search.

A reverse cell phone search allows you to trace text messages, picture messages, or phone calls when you do not know where they are coming from. If you are getting prank, harassing, or annoying text messages and do not know who is sending them, then you need to trace the text message and find the owner using a reverse cell phone number database.

To learn how to trace text messages on cell phones all you really need to do is get the number or numbers that you need to trace, and head over to a quality reverse cellular phone directory. Because cell numbers are private and not available to the public, you will have to pay a one time small fee to access the database, but it is well worth it.

The key is to make sure that you use a database that is not free, because while they do exist, these databases have trojan viruses and malware all over them, and you do not want to damage your computer, because that would cost you much more money! Also stay away from any cell phone databases that want to charge you a recurring fee, because it is not needed.

Learning how to trace text messages on cell phones is pretty easy, so go ahead and give it a try today to find out who is sending all of those random texts!

Living Life In A Time Starved World

Recently I saw an advertisement for a time management booklet: "Shorter deadlines, competing priorities, endless meetings, interruptions and even higher quality expectations are just some of today's time challenges. And yet the number of hours in the day remains the same."

As entrepreneurs we all struggle sometimes with managing our time effectively. I once heard an entrepreneur say that of the people he knows, his entrepreneur friends are the worst people when it comes to managing their time and priorities. Too often we fall prey to the misguided notion that being busy is the same as making progress.

There are many areas involved in effective time management:

o your attitude

o goal setting

o setting priorities

o planning

o scheduling

o analyzing your progress

o dealing with interruptions

o meetings

o paperwork

o delegation of tasks

o taming procrastination

o time teamwork

KEY PRINCIPLES

Here are some key principles I have found to help me manage my time more effectively:

1. Good habits are the key to good time management.

The essence of good time management is creating good habits. A good habit to develop is to focus on results. Setting goals and striving to reach them must become a habit. Before your next meeting, think to yourself-what is my goal in doing this or meeting with this person? What specific results would I like to see come from my time? You must learn to place a high value on your time. There are a million things, advertisements, books, media events and people vying for it. You must distinguish between what and who is important and what or who is not. This might sound a little harsh at first, but focusing on results in developing your habits will help you focus yourself and your time.

2. Good habits start with setting goals.

There are several points to remember when setting good goals.

First is to write your goals down. Studies have shown that you are much more likely to accomplish your goals if they are committed to paper. As someone once said, "A short pencil is better than a long memory."

A second point is to break down your goals into three categories: short, intermediate and long term. I would advocate that you should have a separate list for your personal, professional and life goals. The personal goal list would cover areas like: personal relationships, use of free time, personal growth activities, reading up on a particular topic, taking continuing education classes or seminars, etc. Your professional goal list should be clearly focused on building your business, increasing revenues, cutting costs, strategic planning, marketing, employee management, creating partnerships and meeting beneficial business contacts. Your life goals would cover the broader picture of what you want to accomplish in life and what who you want to be remembered for.

3. Pursuing specific goals is the key to reaching success.

Setting good goals requires some planning and concentrated effort. Far too many entrepreneur have good intentions for their business, but lack goals that are specific enough to help them achieve success. Most entrepreneurs who fail to reach their goals do so because they fail to make specific, or S.M.A.R.T. goals.

S.M.A.R.T. goals are:

Specific. Your goal should be as detailed as possible. For example, "I will call all new prospective clients I met at the last networking event by this Wednesday at noon." "I will take a vacation at least three weeks this next year."

Measurable. Good goals allow you to quantify your efforts. "My company will increase top line sales to repeat customers by 2% this quarter by determining what their current needs are and developing a service to meet their needs before anyone else does. We will do this by surveying each of them and following up with a personalized phone call to clarify their answers."

Achievable. It is good to set your goals high, but not impossibly high. "I will meet three new venture capitalists this month and begin building a relationship with them with the purpose of seeking funding from them in the next six months." "I will re-write the three primary sections of my website by this next month to better reflect who my new targeted customer is and to help them find the solutions they are looking for more quickly on my site."

Result-oriented. In order for your goals to be SMART, they must focus on what you DO want, not what you do NOT want. For example, a goal of "I do not want to fail in my business" focuses on what you do NOT want. An example of a SMART goal is, "I will increase my passive income by 15% this year by writing a "How To" manual on "10 Steps to Small Business Forward Financial Planning" and sell it on a website for $89.99."

Time-limited. Put a specific time limit on your goals and have someone hold you accountable for reaching that goal. "I will finish researching my marketing strategy within the next six weeks and then spend two hours a day for three weeks until I finish developing my customized marketing plan."

QUESTIONS TO ASK

Every one of us has 168 hours in a week. How we spend our time and prioritize our life says a lot about how successful we will be personally and professionally. There are many things that compete for our time: finances, future plans, family, fun, friends, present goals, pressing projects and pushy people. I heard someone once say, if you don't control your time someone else will.

When thinking about how to successfully manage your time, here are a couple questions to ask yourself:

o Do I have specific things I want to accomplish each day?

o What percent of the time do I meet my daily goals?

o What specific things do I do to manage my time successfully?

o What are the priorities in my life?

o Does my schedule reflect those priorities?

o How successful do you feel in managing your time effectively?

A Short Guide to Home Gym Financing

If you're feeling oppressed and pressured by the ever-increasing membership fees of fitness clubs, why not consider building your own fitness hub in the comfort of your home instead? And if you feel that your pockets are too strained to take yet another beating, have you ever considered asking for home gym financing?

Home gym financing falls under the category of home improvement. It is certainly one of the most popular reasons why people approach loan companies today. The need to exercise is great, and being able to exercise at home with the best gym equipment is an ideal solution to all your fitness problems.

If you wish to apply for home gym financing, here are some tips to improve the chances of your application gaining a quick approval:

Be Practical

Before approaching any mortgage or loan company, be sure that you already know EXACTLY what you wish to buy for your personal gym at home. Be practical when choosing the exercise equipment you're about to purchase, and don't focus too much on the high-end models, as that will just make your application all the more difficult to process.

Know Your Credit Rating

If your SAT score is what determines your collegiate future, it's your credit rating, on the other hand, that holds your fate in the world of financing. To know your credit rating, try to obtain a copy of your credit report first.

In there, you?ll know whether you have a good credit rating which generally automatically gives you the privilege of having a pre-qualified-loan or a bad one. The next step will tell you what to do if the latter holds true in your case.

Fixing Bad Credit

If you're unlucky enough to have a low credit rating, the best thing to do is either enlist the services of a credit repair company OR get help from your local credit counseling center. Whichever the case, it's imperative that you fix your credit first before approaching any loan company for your home gym plans.

How to Buy Football Scarves

Football scarves are a great accessory to any outfit and everyone loves them because of the huge variety of choices available. They can be worn anywhere right from public events to the pub and most of all football games. But, in order to get the right football scarf in terms of beauty and price you should know how, where and when to buy them.

There are quite a few points that you should keep in mind when buying football scarves:

Buy high quality

Scarves can be worn for years, as they retain their colour, texture and overall brilliance. Therefore, whenever you buy a football scarf see to it that you buy one of high quality so that it can stand the tests of weather and time. There are some awesome scarfs available made of cotton as well as silk in addition to the football scarves that are a mixture of various fabrics. If the scarves you buy are knitted together make sure that the knit is strong and won't open out easily. High quality football scarves may be a bit on the higher side, but as you will be getting a higher quality you will not need to buy any more scarves for a few years or so saving you money in the long run.

Choose the length

There are various sizes available when it comes to football scarves. You will find small, medium and large scarves available; the most common being the medium scarves. However, many people prefer the longer scarves as they wrap around you much better and quite often look more fashionable. The longer scarves also allow you to let the scarf come down to your waist which shows off your teams colours much better.

Decide on the design

As you start looking at buying football scarves you will notice that they will be quite a few designs such as team flags, emblems and so on for you to choose from. Also, make sure to try them on you before you buy; because, the flags may look cool on some people whereas emblems seem trendy on others. Therefore, when choosing, choose the ones that look the best on you rather than what you see on others.

Football scarves are growing in popularity and there are not many football fans who don't wear them often. Therefore, be a part of the society and wear glamorous football scarves that help enhance your attire.