Best Places 2011
10 Affordable Cities for Retirement
These places are a bargain for retirees — and you can't beat the lifestyle
by: Sarah Mahoney
from: AARP The Magazine
Check it out here: - http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/livable-communities/info-07-2011/affordable-cities.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-122311-FI1t-113&USEG_ID=13840744194
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
How to decorate your home if you plan to sell this Holiday Season!
How to decorate your home if you plan to sell this Holiday Season!
Is your home going to be on the market this winter?
During the spring, summer, and fall months, keeping your home in ship-selling-shape boils down to a few common rules: clear out the clutter, enhance your home’s curb appeal, and be flexible when a real estate agent unexpectedly calls with buyers who want to view your home.
But when it’s time to deck the halls, the tree, and the front yard, what do you do?
The good news is you can keep your home festive while also making it sellable to buyers – even during the harsh winter months.
• Keep decorations to a minimum. A clutter-free home gives buyers the opportunity to picture it as their own.
• Whether we like it or not, people do hold biases so it’s important to choose non-denominational decorations. You don’t have to completely do away with your statues, angels, menorah or twinkle lights.
• Decide to take them out only during important times and then find an easily accessible closet or cabinet to keep them in when buyers swing by to view your home.
• Scale down the tree. A ten foot tree can be distracting to a buyer who’s touring your home. Keeping it a little smaller!
• Don’t hide sellable features in your home. Does your home have amazing molding, an incredible alcove or a really roomy living room? Don’t hide it with garland, piles of presents and a large tree. The bigger your home looks the more it will hold up the value and the price during the negotiation stage.
• Invest in a nice centerpiece for the dining room or your most prominent dinner table.
• Purchase an inexpensive candle with a non overpowering holiday scent such as cinnamon, apple, or spruce. If you’re not sure if the smell is inviting, have a neighbor walk through your home while it’s burning and ask them for their honest opinion.
• Remember your outside is just as important as the inside. Rake leaves, shovel walkways, and remove excess furniture from the front porch. Consider investing in a few winter shrubs or poinsettias to give your curb a little extra appeal.
• If you have a little extra time, bake something sweet such as cookies and have out for them to enjoy. Buyers will appreciate the small gestures to make their time in your home a welcome one.
• A great strategy is to keep a few framed photos of your home during the spring and summer months around. Potential buyers can make a better opinion about the home if they know how it looks throughout every season.
Is your home going to be on the market this winter?
During the spring, summer, and fall months, keeping your home in ship-selling-shape boils down to a few common rules: clear out the clutter, enhance your home’s curb appeal, and be flexible when a real estate agent unexpectedly calls with buyers who want to view your home.
But when it’s time to deck the halls, the tree, and the front yard, what do you do?
The good news is you can keep your home festive while also making it sellable to buyers – even during the harsh winter months.
• Keep decorations to a minimum. A clutter-free home gives buyers the opportunity to picture it as their own.
• Whether we like it or not, people do hold biases so it’s important to choose non-denominational decorations. You don’t have to completely do away with your statues, angels, menorah or twinkle lights.
• Decide to take them out only during important times and then find an easily accessible closet or cabinet to keep them in when buyers swing by to view your home.
• Scale down the tree. A ten foot tree can be distracting to a buyer who’s touring your home. Keeping it a little smaller!
• Don’t hide sellable features in your home. Does your home have amazing molding, an incredible alcove or a really roomy living room? Don’t hide it with garland, piles of presents and a large tree. The bigger your home looks the more it will hold up the value and the price during the negotiation stage.
• Invest in a nice centerpiece for the dining room or your most prominent dinner table.
• Purchase an inexpensive candle with a non overpowering holiday scent such as cinnamon, apple, or spruce. If you’re not sure if the smell is inviting, have a neighbor walk through your home while it’s burning and ask them for their honest opinion.
• Remember your outside is just as important as the inside. Rake leaves, shovel walkways, and remove excess furniture from the front porch. Consider investing in a few winter shrubs or poinsettias to give your curb a little extra appeal.
• If you have a little extra time, bake something sweet such as cookies and have out for them to enjoy. Buyers will appreciate the small gestures to make their time in your home a welcome one.
• A great strategy is to keep a few framed photos of your home during the spring and summer months around. Potential buyers can make a better opinion about the home if they know how it looks throughout every season.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Fixing America, Congress and the National Debt 101
FIXING AMERICA, FiXING CONGRESS, FIXING the DEFICIT 101 -
"WE could end the deficit in 5 minutes". "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election, as per Warren Buffet."
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only ... 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
We are asking each everyone to repost this note or clip, paste and emaill to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congress. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!
If you agree with the above, repost, talk about it and pass it on.
"WE could end the deficit in 5 minutes". "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election, as per Warren Buffet."
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only ... 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
We are asking each everyone to repost this note or clip, paste and emaill to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congress. Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!
If you agree with the above, repost, talk about it and pass it on.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
REDUCED - 5BR/2BA $88,000 (CD rate @ 4%)
A new roof in 2010 completes this spacious 5 BR / 2 BA Brainerd home with ample storage, many built in cupboards, hardwood floors throughout the home, a large 30 x 24 garage finish in knotty pine, art deco interior, large gathering room and near all of the downtown amenities. This would make a great family home or great income producing property.
Seller will entertain an acceptable CD @ 4% interest rate.
Check it out here - http://glarmls.fnismls.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=59693538-eb8e-45f2-bc34-da2671333fdf&Report=Yes
Seller will entertain an acceptable CD @ 4% interest rate.
Check it out here - http://glarmls.fnismls.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=59693538-eb8e-45f2-bc34-da2671333fdf&Report=Yes
Monday, May 30, 2011
Happy Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day to everyone. It is at this time that we remember all of those who so bravely have defended this great nation and who still today are all over the world defending freedom. The sacrifices that those who have died for America and the sacrifices their families have endured should never be forgotten.
I am proud to be an American and I am honored and humbled by our great military and past and present real heroes that have given it all in the name of freedom. Long live their memory! We are proud of YOU.
Please remember them not only today on Memorial Day but all year long. When you see a soldier "THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE."
Let it begin here and now – “THANK YOU!”
.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
REDUCED
REDUCED: 5BR / 2BA / Oversized 2 car garage
Would make a great starter home, larger home for a growing family or would make a great rental property because of location.
Contact me with questions at:
Randy Ahern
Ahern Real Estate
218-838-5066
Monday, May 9, 2011
Improve your Social Capital
How can you deepen your relationships with contacts and improve your social capital?
Here are four steps to get you moving in the right direction:
1. Give your clients a personal call. Find out how things went with the project you were involved in. Ask if there's anything else you can do to help. Important: do not ask for a referral at this point.
2. Call all the people who have referred business to you. Ask them how things are going. Try to learn more about their current activities so you can refer business to them.
3. List 50 people to stay in touch with. Include anyone who has given you business in the last 12 months (from steps 1 and 2) as well as any other prospects you've connected with recently. Send them cards on the next holiday.
4. Follow up. Two weeks after you've sent cards to your contacts, call them and see what's going on. If the contact is a former client or just someone you've talked to before, now might be the perfect time to ask for a referral. If it's a prospect you're calling, perhaps you can set up an appointment to have coffee and find out if their plans might include using your services.
Social capital is the international currency of networking, especially business networking. After just a few weeks of putting these steps in motion you should have more than enough social capital to tap into the rest of the year.
Here are four steps to get you moving in the right direction:
1. Give your clients a personal call. Find out how things went with the project you were involved in. Ask if there's anything else you can do to help. Important: do not ask for a referral at this point.
2. Call all the people who have referred business to you. Ask them how things are going. Try to learn more about their current activities so you can refer business to them.
3. List 50 people to stay in touch with. Include anyone who has given you business in the last 12 months (from steps 1 and 2) as well as any other prospects you've connected with recently. Send them cards on the next holiday.
4. Follow up. Two weeks after you've sent cards to your contacts, call them and see what's going on. If the contact is a former client or just someone you've talked to before, now might be the perfect time to ask for a referral. If it's a prospect you're calling, perhaps you can set up an appointment to have coffee and find out if their plans might include using your services.
Social capital is the international currency of networking, especially business networking. After just a few weeks of putting these steps in motion you should have more than enough social capital to tap into the rest of the year.
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