Are you really there ?

One of the surest ways to make someone feel that you are insincere is to have them perceive you as if you are using a scripted effort at "being" sincere.

At that second, trust begins to evaporate. I call this the "Yikes, I've lost them!" moment.

The defining mark of being a professional at your craft is performing the task-at-hand in a seemingly effortless fashion.

There is no easy way to gain this seamless proficiency without practicing what we want to achieve with relentless persistence until it becomes part of our nature.

For example:

We no longer think about getting on a bicycle and pedaling down the garden path; however, I suspect there isn't one reader here who doesn't vividly remember falling off his/her bicycle before learning how to find his/her balance. We skinned our knees because the very thing we were trying to achieve distracted us.

I've played the piano since I was a little boy and went on to play professionally for many years. In the beginning, I was aware of every single key on the keyboard. After countless hours of practice, my mind and eyes no longer thought about my fingers. Once I stopped being aware of what I was doing, the mechanical playing of notes turned into - music.

So, how do we achieve a natural flow in our real estate presentations?

Some agents use video cameras. This is fine, but it's not in real time. Life is not a scripted reality show. (There's an oxymoron.) If you think you don't look sincere on camera, it may simply be your own perception of you being "aware" of yourself! Ego is hard to self-ignore. The world is saturated with You Tubesque amateurs. You Tube is a good place to go if you want to see how not to look.

Other agents will talk into a mirror. This does help if you can remove yourself from the situation - which is a hard thing to do since (again) you're looking at yourself. If you can't remove yourself, mirrors are very good if you want to get the listing on your own house…

The best suggestion I have ever received is from an actor. He advised, "Look into the camera and speak as if you are talking to a trusted friend...or a loved one." In our case, we are looking into the eyes of our clients instead of the camera.

The only "trick" is you have to mean what you say.

This method allows you to adjust your notes to your own emotional variables and you can practice your presentation using nothing more than an empty chair and your own imagination. The most important element is to be yourself. People have an inner sense of someone making a genuine effort. (Don't you?)

(Tip: If you are in your office, you may want to make people in the immediate area aware you are practicing talking to an imaginary person in an empty chair. If not, the next morning you may find all sharp objects have been removed from your desk - and/or you've been possibly nominated for Congress.)

When we first meet serious clients they are evaluating us from a highly emotional angle. Senses are heightened and the primal "fight or flight" instincts are close to the surface. One wrong nuance and we could lose them.

Of course, real estate is a business - but it's a business that concentrically effects our clients and their families on a very core level.

Whether it is expressed or not, we are being judged from the heart as well as the head.

Personally, I find great satisfaction in having gained the trust of my clients to the point where they are signing an agreement without a hint of worry or hesitation

If we "internalize" the commitment to our clients by knowing our craft and expressing an honest desire in helping to the extent that their needs become our own - we are doing our jobs at an elevated level.

It is only when we cease being "aware" of these efforts that we achieve the highest degree of natural sincerity.

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Luxury Real Estate

While most luxury real estate marketing professionals are still reeling from the downturn in the market and working harder than ever just to keep up, some are seeing the enormous opportunity that the new era of the internet has to offer and they are starting to reach for the gold ring. Yes, there is a gold rush out there. But, what may not be obvious is what the new gold looks like and how to find it.

The new gold is all about identifying an uncontested niche in your marketplace where you can add extraordinary value; then staking your claim to ownership of that new market space. It is about cashing in on who you are, what you are most passionate about and leveraging the new media tools to reach and connect with your ideal clients in a focused manner.

What Is the Catch?

You need to know who you are, what you stand for, what you are passionate about what you can do better than anyone else in your marketplace. You need to discover you unique voice. Only then will the new media tools make any sense to you in terms of their potential to tap the gold reserve that awaits you. The tools are meaningless otherwise. Only when you become "follow-worthy" will you attract and retain your audience, and also convert that audience into cash flow.

You Must Discover Your Golden Voice

The blog is a great example of a new media tool that is useless without knowing your unique voice. Luxury real estate agents have been hearing, for a couple years, that they need to blog. They have been promised that Google will magically send traffic to their sites if they just spew "content". Never mind that the content that they are writing about or the stories they are reporting are of any interest to a target market. Forget the idea of original content. After mindlessly regurgitating other people's information, most agents abandon their blogs within 60 days concluding that it was a waste of time and was of little value in terms of generating immediate leads, let alone transactions.

What an awesome tool the blog is for those who have discovered their unique "golden" voice, a voice that is "follow-worthy"! Blogs offer anyone the opportunity to become a syndicated columnist because followers can subscribe to their "column", keep up on the latest installments and also engage in discussion with the author and other followers. Plus, it is virtually free! So, is the help you can get from your silent marketing partner, Google. Google wants to help create a perfect match between you and your potential audience, your ideal potential clients because they sell more ads when users experience better search results.

Right now, there is an abundance of unexploited marketing niches right under your nose, where you can become the undisputed market leader. But, you will not perceive these untapped "gold mines" if you do not know your own mind. You first need to discover your own golden voice.

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7 Biggest Google Mistakes Made by Small Business Owners

7 Biggest Google Adwords Mistakes

Once we get to take a look at the settings in these campaigns it is usually pretty obvious why the company is not achieving the results it expected:

1. The website is not designed to be compelling, nor capture leads or sales.


2. The keywords are too broad in nature - e.g. 'carpet' and 'cleaning', instead of 'carpet cleaning Houston'


3. The keywords are lumped into single adgroups with no attempt at putting them into themed groups: e.g. 'carpet cleaning', 'tile cleaning', 'upholstery cleaning' are all in a single adgroup.


4. Conversions are not set up, so there is no method to track leads and what keyword, ad etc. generated the lead.


5. Ads do not match the keywords, or do not point to the relevant page in the website.


6. Ads are poorly constructed and do not entice visitors.


7. Bid costs are too low relative to daily budgets or vice versa.

It is perfectly possible to stick a bunch of seemingly relevant keywords into a campaign, slap together an ad and let it rip!!!

However, doing this will almost certainly not bring you the results you would like.

Does Google Want You to Fail?

Of course the answer is no, but you have to understand that Google has built its dominant market share by realizing that people using a search engine want 'relevance' - they want to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. This means that if an advertiser is bidding on the keyword "dogs", but they sell "custom dog collars", they will get a ton of searches for anything containing the word "dog", 99.9% of which will not be relevant for "custom dog collars", so the click through rate (CTR) will be very low for this advertiser. (CTR is the percentage of clicks relative to the number of times that an ad was shown in a search).

Google will penalize this advertiser by showing their ads lower down the page (or more likely on page 24!!!) because they are not relevant to most people searching for dog related keywords. This gives a better experience to the search engine user, which is the goal.

How to construct a well put-together Adwords campaign is not rocket-science, but it does take a degree of understanding of the mechanics of the system to ensure the type of results that are desired.

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A Day of Computer Prohibition!

Imagine a day coming to the office and discovering that the Internet lines are down. Is it still possible for companies to operate in these circumstances? Definitely a bad day for the average company big or small, but these circumstances would be very different for the Internet marketer. Let us see why.

Not withstanding the fact that many big companies such as hospitals, airports managements do have their private "generators" to deal with such situations, the computer in the office world can be summed up in three grand chapters namely communications, information and data processing. For the Internet marketer, if these basics are obviously similar they do not tie him down to his computer due to him having created an automatic follow-up for the majority of them.

It would be interesting to test a day in the office with no Internet access. Are people still capable of hand-writing a message to their colleagues, using a flowchart or even conceiving one? How many offices out there have foreseen an emergency plan and are set-up for such a day, heaven forbid and is it conceivable? My point is that we are very much addicted to our computers granted that they do increase the speed of daily chores, they have albeit indeed stolen human contacts and personal touches and have made every monthly bill from these conglomerates all but humane.

Conversely, the Internet marketer - and we all need to be one* - should enjoy a day or two of computer prohibition sprinkled into our weekly lives. We would use that time very productively by visiting our friends, taking a walk and thereby doing some public relations (in a small manner) as well as taking a little distance from our business to conceive some possible improvements to its approach and future; business that in any case runs without our constant presence, because that is how it must be setup. One website, an auto-responder are the basics, and upon these two essentials an empire can be build with all compatible ramifications that in time get included. The "job" of the marketer will then profit from when the office is closed due to the dreaded local Internet failure.

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SEO - Search Engine Optimization

Learning how to get rated by the search engine can be a daunting task. What I have learned is that you don't need to be an expect. Learn to do what you are good at, writing, sales, coaching etc. Get some good content going. Get your blog SEO ready. Start to look for info on You Tube and Google for free, on how to get your site listed on the first page of Google. I have found many free You Tube video that show me how to get higher ranking. Also you can shop around to get out sourcing prices to have someone do it for you. There are so many opportunities and ways to use search engine optimization. Get a coach to help you with things that are hard for you. Start writing out a plan of action steps that you can do daily. A Daily method of operation. Include at these one action step for SEO. Just relax and take one step at a time. You can do it!

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Have you taken advantage of the $8000 Home Buyer Tax Credit

Another quick blog post for International Developments & Real Estate Blog:

Quick passage by the House last week of a bill extending the $8,000 home buyer tax credit next year for military, diplomatic and intelligence personnel serving overseas increases the odds that Congress will agree to an extension, maybe even an expansion, of the entire credit program well into 2010.

The White House is also signaling that it sees the overall tax credit program -- currently set to expire November 30 -- as an important element in cutting the unemployment rolls and stimulating new jobs next year.

After an economic policy strategy meeting last week in the Oval Office involving President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, congressional aides said Democrats generally support an extension of the housing credit.

Reid already has made clear he wants an extension. He is co-sponsoring a Senate bill that would do so for six months.

Congressman Charles Rangel, chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, sponsored the one-year extension of the credit for military and other personnel serving overseas, and is reported by aides as favoring an extension for the entire program.

The White House has not publicly committed to an extension, but has confirmed that the President is seriously examining that option.

An unexpected development that emerged following last week's White House meeting was the possibility of opening up the credit to a broader group of buyers next year - people who sell their current homes and buy a replacement home.

Though details were scanty, Capitol Hill sources said one option on the table would be to provide a tax credit -- most likely at the $8,000 level -- to replacement home buyers whose incomes do not exceed some limit.

The current credit phases out for single taxpayers with incomes above $75,000, and married purchasers earning $150,000.

A politically sensitive issue hovering over the entire debate on extending the housing tax credit is its cost - what it would add to the federal budgetary deficit. Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody's Economy.com, estimates that widening the credit to all buyers through next August could cost the government upwards of $30 billion.

Rangel's 12-month extension of the credit for service personnel is estimated to cost more than $300 million, but it's mainly being paid for through an increase in penalties levied by the IRS on taxpayers who fail to file corporate or partnership returns.

The New York Times reported that one possible solution to the cost problem would be to divert money not yet spent out of 2009's $800 billion stimulus legislation.

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Turn Small Savings Into a Big Nest Egg

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the personal savings rate of Americans has ranged between -1% and approximately 4% between the years 2005 and 2009. Americans' nonchalance was reflected in the negative savings rate of fiscal 2005, which occurred as people reduced their savings and delved further into debt in order to purchase goods and services. Although the savings rate had rebounded to 6% by May of 2009, as global financial crisis forced many consumers to adopt more cautious spending habits. Despite the about-face in consumer spending habits, in many cases, the attempt at saving proved too little, too late. Read on to find out why you need to save no matter what the economic climate.

Why You Need to Save

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While individuals should avoid excess (and high interest) leverage/debt and prudently manage cash flow, there is also a longer-term need to ensure one has adequate funding set aside for a comfortable retirement. Given historical trends in the U.S. stock market and overall economic performance, people can be lulled into becoming overly optimistic about how much they need to save and their projected life expectancy. The only trends that are relevant for the individual, however, are those that occur over the course of one's lifetime.




Many companies are transitioning jobs (such as back office functions, IT, research and even higher margin services such as consulting and financial services) to other regions of the world, including Eastern Europe, India and China. The economic dynamics and implications of such movement are not comparable to the business settings of the past 50 years. Additionally, medical breakthroughs and other health-related variables have increased people's life expectancy. Certainly, it is better to have a conservative outlook in order to help ensure one has adequate retirement funds.




Financial Scenarios

Saving money and diverting cash away from unnecessary frills and wasteful spending into investment payments such as the stock market translate to huge differences in the size of one's retirement savings over the course of a lifetime. When you purchase a bicycle or go out for a lavish dinner, you are not simply incurring a cost of that bike or dinner (say $100). The amount of the receipt is actually misleading. When you incorporate the basic laws of finance, the opportunity cost of that $100 is much more.




If you eliminate $100 of wasteful spending per month and instead channel that cash to an investment vehicle that yields an annual interest rate of 10%, that translates to more than $75,000 over 20 years, and more than $500,000 over the course of 40 years. Granted, the buying power of figure is chewed up by inflation, but the prudent person still reaps the benefits of not wasting cash on unnecessary things.




Starting principal balance: $0


Monthly investment payments: $100


Interest rate: 10%


Future value: 20 years = $75,936


Future value: 40 years = $632,408




Starting principal balance: $0


Monthly investment payments: $250


Interest rate: 10%


Future value: 20 years = $189,842


Future value: 40 years = $1,581,019




If someone were motivated enough to find $500 a month and put it away in the form of investment payments, the results lead to an exponential increase in comfort during one's retirement. With an annual rate of return of 10% over 40 years, the figure approaches $3 million for your nest egg.




Starting principal balance: $0


Monthly investment payments: $500


Interest rate: 10%


Future value: 20 years = $379,684


Future value: 40 years = $3,162,039




How much more would your nest egg be if you work for a company that matches your 401(k) dollar for dollar up to a certain amount? Given that the federal government's social safety net programs such as Social Security and Medicare are expected to hit fiscal challenges as the baby boomers retire, such anticipated uncertainties encourage individuals to take their retirement circumstances into their own hands. Secondly, the high cost of healthcare in the United States is a primary driver for individuals and couples filing for personal bankruptcy. The power of compound interest can help one to avoid financial straits in the future.




From Wasteful Expenses to Monthly Investment

To redirect cash that might otherwise be spent on junk or unnecessary spending, explore savings opportunities that can increase your monthly contributions to your retirement accounts. These might include:

1. Fewer restaurant lunches and dinners can easily save the typical professional between $100 and $200 per month. Using our numbers above, $100 invested monthly in retirement accounts that earn 10% annually becomes $75,000 in 20 years.
   
   
   
   


2. Purchase discipline at groceries and malls. At the end of your life, it is not the accumulation of objects that provides meaning. A lifetime habit of impulse buying has a tremendous opportunity cost when you realize the power of compound interest. Most people can save between a hundred dollars to several hundred dollars a month with greater spending discipline.

The Bottom Line

If you work for a company that matches your retirement savings contributions, absolutely take advantage of it. It is basically free money. Additionally, the increase in monthly contributions translates into an exponentially larger nest egg over the course of a lifetime.

by Marv Dumon


Monday, October 5, 2009

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Home Value by Square Foot

One of the biggest determining factors in determining comparable value is square footage.

When comparing the square footage of homes always try to keep comps as similar in square footage as possible. Figuring out the price of a home on a square footage basis is an excellent way to compare apples with apples. It becomes more complicated when one home has been renovated and another needs work. Don't compare a newly built home's price per square foot with an older home's price per square foot.

There's Square Footage and There's Square Footage

A square foot is defined as a two-dimensional square measuring one foot on each side. If you are looking at a home that seems a little smaller than the stated square footage, it might not be your eyes. Real estate brokers tend to measure square footage by inside room dimensions. Developers like to measure the exterior of the building. This can add considerable square footage to the home.

You also need to find out exactly what has been factored into the equation. Does the total measurement include basement space? Garage space? Deck space? Space on staircases? There's no standard way to measure square footage. Sellers will include every nook and cranny and buyers won't.

Do not solely compare the size of the land the property sits on and the price of the property. Lots sell for different prices than homes and the cost varies greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. For example, if the house is in terrible shape, or is considered a "tear-down," a developer may only want to pay for the price of the lot, since tearing down and hauling away the existing structure is an added expense.

Side-by-Side Comparison

In some areas of the country, agents do not want to be liable for representing a total square footage of the property. Total square footage is not indicated on the listing sheet, but room dimensions are shown. The room count may not include bathrooms, hallways, closets, and other spaces. You might have to compare every room side by side and guesstimate total size.

In this instance, estimate the total square footage by multiplying the dimensions of each room. For example, if the bedroom is 10 feet by 12 feet, then the area, or square footage, is 120 square feet. Add up all of the room dimensions for a total square foot measurement. You may still have to estimate hallways and other spaces, but it gives you a good estimate.

After determining the size of the home you desire, the equation is simple. Just divide the listing price by the number of square feet and you will get the price per square foot. For example, a 1,000-square-foot condo priced at $300,000 costs $300 per square foot.

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It's always to your advantage to buy a home with a reasonable cost per square foot. A home with a square footage cost lower than other homes in the neighborhood might be a great deal. On the other hand, the home may have a lot of other things wrong with it that need renovation, and unless you had remodeling in the budget, it might not be worth it to you.

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Total Number of Home Listings Down in August

RISMEDIA, September 24, 2009-The number of homes for sale declined nearly 3% in August 2009, compared to July, and is down more than 23% compared to a year ago,

Short Sales Spread across Real Estate Market, Leaving Frustration in Their Wake

^{RISMEDIA, September 26, 2009-(MCT)-A few years ago, few people in the housing market had ever heard of a short sale. Mention the term today and people, whether they are homeowners or real estate agents, just roll their eyes.The practice, which involves selling a property for less than the amount owed on the mortgage, has grown in popularity as an exit strategy for financially strapped homeowners because it doesn't ding a credit report as deeply as a foreclosure. But because the transactions have to be approved by first and second lien holders,}

Another Terror Related Threat hits Dallas and other Cities

An extended period of relatively little news about domestic terrorist threats was shattered this week. A spate of arrests and reports of fearsome plots have Americans back on edge and struggling to make sense of the suspects and continuous headlines. Below, the recent developments:

-- Last week authorities raided several New York City properties in connection with the arrest of Najibullah Zazi, a legal immigrant from Afghanistan living in Denver who authorities said Friday is believed to have been plotting an attack on the New York City subway system on Sept. 11 similar to the 2004 attacks in Madrid. The AP reported that Zazi criss-crossed the globe hunting for materials to make hydrogen peroxide bombs for al-Qaida, enlisting associates equipped with stolen credit cards to help him purchase massive quantities of hydrogen peroxide, acetone (the main component in nail polish remover) and a component to make the compound called TATP, the main explosive used in the London terror bombings of 2005. Zazi, who operated a coffee cart in New York and drove an airport shuttle in Denver, continues to maintain that he is not a terrorist. He has been transferred to NYC to face charges.




-- On Thursday a Jordanian named Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, was arrested in Dallas after he parked a car he believed to be loaded with explosives, but were in actuality fakes supplied to him by an undercover FBI operative, in front of a downtown Dallas skyscraper. Undercover Arabic-speaking agents first made contact with Smadi, who's been living illegally in a small Texas town north or Dallas, after they discovered him championing jihad against the U.S. on an extremist, anti-American website. The relationship between the undercover agents and Smadi culminated with the FBI supplying him with a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac laden with what Smadi believed was an explosive device similar to the one used by Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma City bombing that could be detonated by cellphone. He was arrested immediately after trying to detonate the impotent explosives.




-- Michael Finton, who also goes by the name of Talib Islam, was arrested in Illinois on Wednesday for allegedly plotting to blow up a federal building, an act which led him to being charged with attempted murder of federal employees and attempting to detonate a weapon of mass destruction. Finton, who authorities say idolized American citizen turned Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh, visited Saudi Arabia in 2008 and returned wanting to take action against Israel. He mentioned his intentions to an undercover law enforcement source, who in turn introduced Finton to an undercover FBI agent, who then arranged to supply Finton with an explosives-laden vehicle, just as the FBI did in the Smadi case. On Wednesday, Finton parked the vehicle in front of a federal building in Springfield, Illinois and was arrested after he attempted to detonate the fake bomb with a cellphone.




-- Daniel Patrick Boyd and Hysen Sherifi, two men arrested last month in North Carolina and charged with plotting terrorist acts overseas, were indicted yesterday for conspiring to murder U.S. military personnel by bombing the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. The official indictment against the two provided little information outside of accusing Boyd and Sherifi of obtaining maps of the base and spending considerable time monitoring its activity. Prosecutors say that Boyd, a U.S. citizen, spent time in terror camps located in Pakistan and Afghanistan and fought on the side of Afghanistan against the Soviets in the early 1990s. Sherifi, a native of Kosovo, is a legal U.S. citizen.




-- Two men seen recently taking an extensive number of photographs of the Philadelphia subway system have raised concerns for authorities. Thus far, neither man has been positively identified, though police are hoping to track them down to question them on "the nature or the reason for taking the photographs."




Case officials say the individual incidents do not appear to be linked. As for advice to a worried public, for now it's a return to familiar advice: Remain vigilant, says the Department of Homeland Security, and report any suspicious activity to the FBI via their internet tips line ( https://tips.fbi.gov/ ) or by calling 1-800-CALLFBI.

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5 Projects, Plus Proven Strategies from a Professional Organizer

It happens to the best of us. We're so busy with our summer events and daily to-do lists that things get a little out of place and out of hand. Before you know it, summer's over-and the unresolved clutter from one season starts spilling over into the next.

Preventing this problem is easier said than done. Being organized takes time and energy. And if you haven't done it in a while, it can leave you wondering where you should start and how to get through it.

That's where the advice from a professional comes in. So to help you tackle even the toughest organizational challenges, we interviewed Allison Carter, Chief Executive Organizer and owner of The Professional Organizer, a company that trains and licenses organizers and is dedicated to helping people get organized.

What Should You Do Right Now-Before Summer Ends?

Allison Carter explained that this time of year is crucial to maintaining an organized, clutter-free home heading into the next season. "Before winter, there are some areas of the home, inside and out, that generally need to be cleaned up and cleaned out," Carter stated.

So before you get overwhelmed with other projects or areas of the house you may have been putting off, start with these 5 simple areas before summer ends:




1. The Garden-Gardening hasn't ended until your beds are cleared out and the bulbs are planted. Once that's done, set aside some time to discard the containers you no longer need. Sweep up. Organize seeds and equipment so you know where everything is next year when the warm weather returns.




2. The Closet-As fall approaches, look through the summer clothes you didn't wear even once this year. This is a good time to purge the unloved clothing and donate to someone who can love it. If you store off-season clothing, you can begin the process by storing the clothes that only get worn in summer such as shorts, bathing suits, beach cover-ups, tank tops, and those white shoes.




3. Pool and Water Toys-Pool related toys and equipment should be dried and put into storage bins for re-use next year. Remember to keep it all together, so it's easy to dig out the next time the thermometer climbs back up.




4. Heating-Now is the best time to check your heating and air system, clean out ducts, and perform any maintenance or repairs that are needed. It's also a good time to change your smoke alarm batteries.




5. The Desk-You know they're coming, so why not get ready for those school papers to flow in. Set up an "in box" for each child's papers to be processed. Set up a "keep" box or file for each child's art or paperwork that you want to hold onto for long-term keepsakes.




Being Prepared Makes the Job Easier

To tackle these projects-and other areas of your house that need organization-Carter recommends you have a kit ready to use.




"Many people have a cleaning bucket or a set of tools for the office, but how many people have a kit for organizing? Not enough," explained Carter.

What should you put in the kit? Here are some things Carter recommends you keep on hand to help with your organizing projects:

• Masking tape


• Sharpie markers


• Post-it notes


• Boxes that can fold flat when not in use


• Scissors


• Label maker, stickers or tape


• Trash bags-use black bags for items that should be thrown away


• Donation bags-to make sure you don't confuse donation items with trash items, use white bags for items that are still usable and should be donated
  
  

These items will help you quickly work through your projects and finish them off by storing and organizing your items, as well as donating or throwing away any unwanted items.

Plan of Attack - Organize One Step at a Time

Once you have these items together, it's time to prioritize your projects. Although deciding what to do first, second, third and so on can seem overwhelming, Carter has simple advice to help you decide. "Prioritization is based on how important something is to you," explained Carter.

So she recommends you start by asking yourself a few simple questions:

• Why are you doing a project?


• What will the payoff be when you're done? Less stress? Being able to find things quickly and easily? Having a neat, clutter free environment?


• Is the pay-off worth the time? If so, which project has the biggest pay-off?

Then, follow Carter's ABCs of organizing to tackle each project step by step:




A - Assess your situation.What is the problem? What do you need to solve the problem?




B - Bunch things together if they are used together (for example, paints with brushes). Bunch things together that are like items (shirts with shirts). Banish the things that don't belong there at all.




C - Contain what you keep. Find the right bin, basket, or shelf for the items you are keeping.




D - Designate a spot where the items will live in your home.

E - Evaluate.Every day, week, month and year, evaluate your situation and re-organize what has become undone.




Avoid These Common Mistakes




When it comes to actually tackling your projects, each one will take a different amount of time. But there can be a fear of over-organizing or continually re-organizing.

To help overcome that problem Carter offered the following tip. "One key to staying organized is to learn when you have reached 'good enough' and not strive for perfection...because there is never a perfect."

Another common mistake is not using the space well, including room at the top of pantries or closets. "Adding shelves can maximize the space," explained Carter.

Should It Stay or Should It Go?

When organizing a space, there are bound to be a number of items that you just don't know what to do with. How many sheets should you keep in a full closet? What about that gift you received six years ago?

To help you quickly determine what to keep, what to throw out, and what to donate, Carter suggested the following tips:

• Ask yourself questions about how often you use things, how much you enjoy things, and if you really need the items at all.
  
  
  
  


• Set maximums by space. For example, designate a space and then only save 3 sets of sheets, 1 box of ornaments, and so on if that's all that will fit in that space.
  
  
  
  


• Set maximums by number. For example, keep only 10 scarves, only 40 pair of shoes, only 2 sets of silverware; when you buy a new one, make the tough choice as to which one goes away.
  
  
  
  


• Set standards…and stick to them. For example, don't keep anything broken, stained, or redundant. Who really needs 4 can openers? If things are broken and need repair, set a time limit. If you haven't repaired an item in 3 months, then it's probably not that important to you.
  
  
  
  


• Don't just pile everything up and toss it. Keep separate piles. If something's still useful, but doesn't meet your criteria to keep it, put it in a pile to donate to a worthy cause.

Finally, remember that it's okay to get rid of things that were once prized possessions.

"Just because you loved something once, doesn't mean you still have to keep it," Carter stated. "Taste changes and it's okay to be done with items you don't love any longer."




Timesaving Tips Straight from the Pro




To help you work quickly and efficiently, Carter offers two important tips:

First, group tasks together so you can get the most done in one location or area. Have all your supplies ready before you start organizing a space. Don't leave the room to put things away. Gather up everything that goes elsewhere and put it away after you finish organizing the space or during a break.

Second, don't confuse grouping tasks with multi-tasking, which can be problematic. According to Carter, you shouldn't multi-task on two projects that both require thinking.

"It takes up more time to switch back and forth from task to task," Carter stated. "If you need to do more than one thing at once, only one project should require thinking. The other should be mindless-like folding laundry while having a conversation."




How to Avoid a Major Re-org Every Year…




Regular maintenance is needed to keep your space organized. This means putting things away after you use them.

"Even if you don't do it right away, you should put items away in a reasonable amount of time," Carter explained. "If you work full time or are busy with kids, you might find that you do a big 'put away' session on the weekends. And that's okay."




Don't be afraid to re-organize when you see things aren't working. And, every time you bring something new into the house make sure you have a specific place for it. "If it doesn't have a home, it will become clutter," Carter said.

Keep It Real…And Keep Your Sanity

In her final words of wisdom, Carter reiterated that organizing is an ongoing process, not a one-time thing.

"Most people buy more than they actually need-and that's great for capitalism, but bad for clutter," Carter stated. "If your home is full, think twice and three times before making new purchases. And if you do want to buy something, take a minute to toss something out or donate an item."




In addition, to help stay organized, Carter recommends keeping a donation box in a closet and adding to it every time you find things you no longer need. You can also find a nearby donation center or a charity that will pick up items from your home to save time, energy, and your sanity.

http://www.robertjrussell.com

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Do you want income or wealth ?

Income Creation Vs. Wealth Creation

Whatever their reasons, the simple fact is that people in the job track will never create true wealth because they are copycatting an income creation system, which is based on linear growth, as opposed to a wealth creation system, which is based on leveraged growth.

People copycatting the income creation system are locked into a time-for-money trap. They trade a unit of their time for a unit of dollars. With income creation, 10 hours of work, equals 10 hours of pay. Unfortunately, most of the time, income creation is an endless treadmill. If you don't do the work, you don't get paid. If the treadmill stops, the income stops. People following the income creation system become slaves to temporary income, and they are accidents waiting to happen. If they fall victim to illness, or injury, or long layoffs, or burnout, they are income-less.

Those brave souls who have broken away from the ranks, who have realized that there are other systems out there to copycat -- wealth creating systems -- are choosing to copycat a system that allows them to leverage their time. They don't fall victim to the time-for-money trap because they do not trade time for dollars. For them, 10 hours of work means 100 hours of pay... or even 1,000 hours of pay. Moreover, their efforts create residual income. Unlike temporary income, residual income keeps earning money whether they show up to work or not!

Want to find out more? Click the link > http://10035.powerbarclub.com

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Are you making money online ?

How To Build An Online Income

If you are serious about making some extra money, or you want a bonafide income online then there are a few places that you can start.

The thing about the affiliate marketing route is that it is often the most talked about as it can be simple to do.

Key Words

The thing that always bugged me about affiliate marketing is the fact that no matter how fast you can write or how good a writer you are, the fact remains that if you can't get your head around learning to find great, low competition keywords, then you've almost lost before you start.

If you can't formulate a decent keyword strategy the you probably won't get any traffic. If you have no traffic then forget any income and so the story goes.

If you can somehow get the best keywords and then write well, there is still the little matter of building links.

If your keyword article is great but it has no links then it is possible that some other smarter webmaster may decide to cut in on your dance and rewrite your article and then build twice as many links as you......it happens. In fact it happens often.

Own Your Territory

When your territory gets poached you end up relegated in the search engine results and the competitor ends up on top. That sucks!

If you build enough links and the links have value, then you'll be close to untouchable (but not out of the woods completely). If you do have keywords and links, the thing you'll have over your competitors is age and age of the information does matter.

visit our website: htt://www.robertjrussell.com

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Coaching for Profit

No matter whether you are an individual or a large corporate body, you will always strive to make profit by boosting your sales. No business can do without profit as profit proves to be the most important motivational factor for any individual and business. Today we discuss more on coaching for profit. In fact to put it bluntly, if the company does not make a profit, then everyone is out of a job.

Coaching for profit refers to methods and techniques imparted by a coach to people as to how they can earn rich rewards for the efforts that they have put into the business. Coaching is necessary to understand how to maximize the use of various resources in an organization to optimize output. Coaching covers every aspect of the organization from production to the marketing of the products and to their sales. Business requires employing the right kind of marketing mix whereby the best combination of factors like product, price, place and promotion are can all be derived. Every employee of the organization should be made aware of his exact authority and responsibility. You would actually be amazed at how often this does not happen.

Personality development also becomes a very important component of coaching for profit. This is because it is the way that you market yourself and the goods and services that will make a world of difference. You have to make the people believe in the product and service your organization provides. It becomes very necessary to motivate your sub ordinates, executives and even HR managers. We should remember that it is the collective effort of all these people that will lead to sales and hence generating extra profits.

Remember there is no I in T E A M.

Coaching for profit stresses on the confidence that you will be able to exude in front of your audience. Also coaching in the beginning of your career will go a long way in helping you choose a profession or business that you will enjoy doing and also get excellent returns. Coaching helps you to find the right combination of the nature of the business or profession that you enjoy doing while making a handsome profit from it.

Coaching helps you to be innovative in business. It helps you to improvise on the existing systems or come out with whole new systems. Coaching helps you to gain the early bird advantage as it teaches you methods and techniques to implement and action your innovative ideas. In case you are the team member or owner of the organization you have to develop leadership skills as well. This is because it is only through proper leadership that sub ordinates under you will be able to deliver and the organization will be able to earn good revenues.

However not all the profit that the organization makes has to be taken home. A considerable amount of revenue has to be invested back in business to not only cover up the running costs and expenses but also to come out with new innovations and better technology to make quality products. The world today is very much service oriented and the best example of the service oriented organizations would be information technology and the travel industry which are some of the fastest growing industries.

Hence coaching for the service industry in relation to earning profits is very much different from coaching in the manufacturing industry. Though the techniques are different in both the types of industries, the goal is the same at the end of the day and that is making profits.

For more information - visit: http://www.robertjrussell.com

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The Best & Coolest Real Estate Sites I have ever seen!

I am amazed at how advanced websites have become that are designed to help you find just about anything! Here are some of my favorite sites! Enjoy!

http://www.hoodeo.com

"As The Neighborhood Matchmaker, hoodeo learns about you - your hoodeo profile - then matches you to your top 10 'best places to live' by zip code. You are matched based on lifestyle, property type, and the price you are looking for." Hoodeo.com

http://www.homescape.com

"Homescape provides local, comprehensive property listings and rich content to home buyers and sellers nationwide, while delivering a suite of advertising solutions that offer choice and results that enable real estate professionals to grow their business." Homescape.com




http://www.beatyouthere.com

"We are a real estate search engine that provides you with the most accurate listings and information possible so that you can make an educated decision based on your search." BeatYourThere.com

http;//www.insurancepricedright.com

"As Texas Realtors are always looking for health benefits, this website provides health insurance quotes in a easy and understandable format where consumers can purchase health, dental, vision and Rx plans."

http://www.propbot.com

"PropBot.com's goal is to provide FREE unlimited property listings to REALTORS, brokers, property managers, for sale by owners (FSBO's), and the average landlord; while advancing property search and listing technology." Propbot.com

Follow me on Twitter - CLICK HERE

Robert J Russell, REALTOR, International Real Estate Specialist, Insurance Broker

Real Estate Website - http://www.robertjrussell.com

Insurance Website - http://www.InsurancePricedRight.com

Apartment Locator - http://www.FreeDFWApartments.com

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Obama: Time for 'bickering' is over on health care

AP - President Barack Obama addresses a joint session of Congress on healthcare at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, …

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent David Espo, Ap Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON - Shaking off a summer of setbacks, President Barack Obama summoned Congress to enact sweeping health care legislation Wednesday night, declaring the "time for bickering is over" and the moment has arrived to protect millions who have unreliable insurance or no coverage at all.

Obama said the changes he wants would cost about $900 billion over decade, "less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans" passed during the Bush administration.

In a televised speech to a joint session of Congress, Obama spoke in favor of a provision for the federal government to sell insurance in competition with private industry. But in a remark certain to displease liberals, he did not insist on it, and said he was open to other alternatives that create choices for consumers.

Obama said he remains ready to listen to all ideas but added in a clear reference to Republicans, "I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to improve it."

In an unusual outburst from the Republican side of the House chamber, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., shouted out "You lie" when the president said illegal immigrants would not benefit from his proposals. The president paused briefly and smiled, but from her seat in the visitor's gallery, first lady Michelle Obama shook her head from side to side in disapproval of the interruption.

In general, the president shied away from providing lawmakers with a list of particulars he wants to see included in the legislation, and there was nothing in the speech to invite comparisons with Bill Clinton's pen-waving veto threat more than a decade ago on health care.

Obama's speech came as the president and his allies in Congress readied an autumn campaign to enact his top domestic priority. Republican opposition, contentious town hall meetings and drooping polls have contributed to their woes. An AP-GfK survey hours before the speech showed public disapproval of Obama's handling of health care has jumped to 52 percent, an increase of 9 percentage points since July.

While Democrats command strong majorities in both the House and Senate, neither chamber has acted on Obama's top domestic priority, missing numerous deadlines leaders had set for themselves.

In a fresh sign of urgency, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., announced that his Senate Finance Committee would meet in two weeks to begin drafting legislation, whether or not a handful of Democrats and Republicans have come to an agreement. The panel is the last of five to act in Congress, and while the outcome is uncertain, it is the only one where bipartisanship has been given a chance to flourish.

Obama said there is widespread agreement on about 80 percent of what must be included in legislation. Any yet, criticizing Republicans without saying so, he added: "Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics" and ideological warfare that offers no hope for compromise.

"Well, the time for bickering is over," he said. "The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action."

"I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last," he added.

The president was alternately bipartisan and tough on his Republican critics. He singled out Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for praise at one point. Yet, moments later, in a line apparently aimed at McCain's former running mate, Sarah Palin, Obama accused Republicans of spreading the "cynical and irresponsible" charge that the legislation would include "death panels" with the power to hasten the death of senior citizens.

In one gesture to Republicans, Obama said his administration would authorize a series of test programs in some states to check the impact of medical malpractice changes on health insurance costs.

Responding on behalf of Republicans, Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., said the country wants Obama to instruct Democratic congressional leaders that "it's time to start over on a common-sense, bipartisan plan focused on lowering the cost of health care while improving quality."

"Replacing your family's current health care with government-run health care is not the answer," said Boustany, a heart surgeon.

In a reflection of the stakes, White House aides mustered all the traditional pomp they could for a president who took office vowing to change Washington. The setting was a State of the Union-like joint session of Congress, attended by lawmakers, members of the Cabinet and diplomats.

The House was packed, and loud applause greeted the president when he walked down the center aisle of the House chamber.

Additionally, the White House invited as guests men and women who have suffered from high costs and insurance practices, seating them near first lady Michelle Obama. Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., was also on the guest list. Kennedy, who died last month, had made health care a career-long cause, and Obama spoke movingly of his efforts.

Obama intends to follow up the speech with an appearance Saturday in Minneapolis, the White House announced.

Despite deep-seated differences among lawmakers, Obama drew a standing ovation when he recounted stories of Americans whose coverage was denied or delayed by their insurers with catastrophic results.

"That is heartbreaking, it is wrong, and no one should me treated that way in the United States of America."

The president sought to cast his own plan as being in the comfortable political middle, rejecting both the government-run system that some liberals favor and the Republican-backed approach under which all consumers buy health insurance on their own.

Obama said the legislation he seeks would guarantee insurance to consumers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, as well as other protections. "As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most," he added.

The president assured those with insurance that "nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have."

Obama also said the legislation he seeks would help those who lack insurance to afford it. "These are not primarily people on welfare," he said in a line that appeared aimed at easing concerns among working-class voters. "These are middle-class Americans."

The president also said he wants legislation that "will slow the growth of health care costs for our families."

Obama said a collective failure to meet the challenge of overhauling health care for decades has "led us to a breaking point."

The so-called government option that Obama mentioned has emerged as one of the most contentious issues in the monthslong debate over health care, with liberal Democrats supporting it and many moderates inside the party opposed. An early draft of Baucus' plan calls for an alternative consisting of nonprofit co-ops. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, the Republican who seems most inclined to cross party lines on the issue, favors a different approach, consisting of a standby in which the government could sell insurance if competition fails to emerge in individual states.

To find out more about health insurance - visit http://www.insurancepricedright.com

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