Written by Joseph Perry on June 29, 2011.
Do you love national parks but hate the idea of paying expensive fees to gain entrance into them? Does your vacation itinerary involve multiple states and camping sites? If you answered “Yes!” to these questions, the America the Beautiful Annual National Park and Federal Recreational Lands Pass may be the right option for you.
For just $80 a year, you and three accompanying adults age 16 and older have access to over 2,000 Federal recreation sites where an entrance or standard amenity fee is charged by the following agencies: Bureau of Land Management http://www.blm.gov, Bureau of Reclamation http://www.usbr.gov, Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov, USDA Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us, and the National Park Service http://www.nps.gov. Children under the age of 15 remain free.
The pass is valid for one full year from the month of purchase through the last day of that month which gives you 365 days to explore some of the most beautiful sights imaginable in the United States. Ima
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Written by Adam Sullivan on June 28, 2011.
Two years ago we blogged about doing wide angle, HD videos for our listings. Like the song “Video killed the radio star,” video is in the process of murdering the photo virtual tour in real estate. At a recent conference we attended a Senior Executive with Google indicated that You Tube is currently the second or third most popular search engine in the world (depending on the month). I can certainly believe it. Our YouTube Channel is over 4 years old and our videos have gotten 85,000 views. If you’re wondering why that’s important it’s simple – the more eyes we can direct at our properties, the more opportunities we have to find a buyer who is looking for what we have.
So why is video so important to today’s consumer:
- 1. Video doesn’t lie. Pictures can and should show the home from the best perspective possible. Video shows you what it’s like to actually walk through a home and is trusted by home buyers more than photos that can be edited and enhanced.
- 2. Lay
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Written by Scott Barnes on June 28, 2011.
– The world clawed its way off a financial precipice two years ago, but major nations still have to do some important work to put the global economy on a sound footing. If they don’t take steps such as controlling public debt, a new crisis is possible.
So says a report by the Bank for International Settlements, an organization backed by central banks like the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank.
“Addressing overindebtedness, private as well as public, is the key to building a solid foundation” for renewed economic growth, says the report, released Sunday. Otherwise, fiscal problems “could trigger the next crisis.”
The report, by itself, doesn’t signal anything new about future policies by central banks. But it amplifies many of the concerns they are wrestling with, and comes as the global economy faces significant challenges.
Economic growth has cooled in recent months in key nations including the US. Inflation has revived this year as a global worry, visible in food and oil prices. G
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Written by Scott Barnes on June 27, 2011.
Ever wonder what type of accounts do and do not impact your credit score and history?
A reader writes in with a good question on closing a checking account and I thought Id share the answer, to provide some insight:
G.E., I have an older checking account that I want to close. Will closing a checking account hurt my credit score or credit history in any way? Are there any other possible negatives to doing this?
The short answer is NO (so is the long but let me explain why).
Credit reports and credit scores are out there as a means for lenders to determine if you are credit worthy based on your past and current borrowing and payment history.
Savings and checking accounts, on the other hand, are both assets that you own. As such, they have no impact on your credit (what you borrow).
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Written by Scott Barnes on June 27, 2011.
As strange of a sight seeing the Pope on Twitter may be, it actually took place this week at the Vatican.
Pope Benedict XVI used Twitter to unveil the launch of a new Vatican Web site, timed to coincide with this week’s 60th anniversary of his ordination as a priest, while also improving the Vatican’s marketing outreach to its followers.
Pope Benedict tweeted, “Dear Friends, I just launched News.va Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI.” According to a Vatican spokesman, “The pope sent it, but it was prepared for him. The tablet (iPad) was presented to him. He did the click and sent the tweet.” That tweet alone meant that http://twitter.com/news_va_en added some 22,000 new followers.
While the Pope reaching out to his vast audience may come as a surprise to some, the Vatican is in effect conducting a public relations campaign just as countless businesses do day after day. And just li
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Written by Joseph Perry on June 27, 2011.
Just a heads up for your quarterly estimate tax filers, but the second quarter tax deadline is next week on the 15th. I know, it stinks. What can you do? You’ve gotta pay the man. Speaking of taxes, can you believe we’re already nearly half way through the year? That means you just have a little over six months to do what you can to minimize your tax bill. So, a few quick tips for a mid-year tax checkup.
First, start getting organized. I know, you won’t be getting any tax forms until next year, but I’m sure you have other items that you need to come up with at tax time like receipts and maybe some statements. Do yourself a favor and put together some folders and start organizing those things now. Trust me, you will thank yourself come spring. And second, start looking at ways you can reduce your tax bill now instead of waiting until December. If you’ve got clothes or other items to donate, go do it. If you contribute to an IRA or retirement plan at work, consider bumping up your regular contributions. Think about
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Written by Scott Barnes on June 26, 2011.
Over the past two decades, credit card use has skyrocketed and with this increased usage has come increased problems. Nearly half of all credit card holders will experience problems with skyrocketing interest rates, credit limit reduction, or making minimum payments at some point this year. People are discovering that they are in over their heads with credit card debt and have no clue how to remedy the situation. Finding solutions to credit card issues can be difficult, but following these simple tips can help you manage your credit card use effectively.
Reduce Number Of Credit Cards Held
The average consumer has multiple credit cards from different credit card companies that they carry with them on a regular basis. Multiple credit cards raises the chances of making a payment late, which can result in penalty charges of $35 or more and raise the interest rates for the credit card to the maximum amount allowed by law. If you have more than three credit cards, try to pay off the ones with the lowest credit limits or most restrictions and close the accounts.
Pay Off High Balances
High balances on multiple credit cards can be a severe drain on your finances. It can be difficult paying at least the minimum balances on each card and keeping track of progress can be discouraging. Transferring the balances of each credit card to a single credit account can make the process simpler by reducing your obligation to single payment and progress can easily be seen when paying off the balance. Many credit card companies are still offering low interest rates on balance transfers, so transferring the balances may save you money in interest charges as well.
Credit Limit Reduction
Many credit card companies are reducing the high limits previously offers on certain credit cards to reduce the amount of risk they are exposed to if the account holder defaults on the payments. This typically happens without much warning to the consumer and can negatively affect various aspects of the person’s life, including decreased purchasing power and lower credit scores. The only solution is to pay down the credit card to less than 50% of the available credit. This will return your credit score to its previous level and may allow you to obtain additional credit from other lenders.
Written by Joseph Perry on June 26, 2011.
The family that rented Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuels home has moved out, officials said.
“We are moving,” Rod Halpins wife Lori told the Chicago Tribune Thursday. “All I can confirm is that the moving trucks are here.”
The Halpins lease on Emanuels North Side home ends at the end of June. Lori Halpin said the home would be cleaned and turned over to Emanuel, President Barack Obamas former chief of staff.
Halpin caused a minor controversy last year when he refused to end his lease early after Emanuel announced he would return to Chicago to seek the mayors job.
Emanuels opponents said he wasnt eligible to be mayor because he hadnt lived in Chicago during the months he was Obamas chief of staff.
The real estate agent who helped Emanuel buy the home said the Halpins wanted $100,000 to end their lease early.
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