Michael's Blog

If you own a home, you probably have homeowners insurance. For most homeowners, this insurance was something that was purchased at the same time as the home, and little thought has gone into it since. This is certainly an area that you want to have adequate protection, because your home is probab...

Sometimes it is the little things that add up. Stopping the little spending leaks in your life may amount to significant savings over time. Turn off the television. Premium cable and satellite subscriptions can cost anywhere from $500 to over $1,000 per year or more. If you find that you're not u...

To build wealth and reach financial independence, you simply need to spend less than you earn. It is an easy concept to understand, but why is it so difficult? To answer this question, you need to examine the roots of overspending. When you know what factors drive your spending, you can fight bac...

The ability to save money is the cornerstone of building wealth. In order to save money, you need to spend less than you earn. This is often easier said than done, but there are plenty of ways to help you begin saving money on even the tightest budget. 1. The Importance of an Emergency Fund The f...

Has an Angry Muppet Joined the Jihad?    Dino Ignacio The Sesame Street character Bert made his way into a recent pro-Osama bin Laden protest in Bangladesh. Anti-American protesters apparently lifted this parody image off the Internet and plastered it on a sign as part of a collage of bin Laden ...

Just when you think you've heard it all, here's a story I came across that was a hoot... SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) -- Two practical jokers are behind bars for setting their passed-out drinking buddy's crotch ablaze while boozing in Grover Beach. Matthew Craig Pillers and Jack Brent Nicholas Ke...

Hot sheet is one term used to describe a report from the Mulitple Listing Service (System) of new or recent activity in the MLS. It normally would show the new listings, status changes, and price changes since the last hot sheet was viewed. Some just show the previous or current day activity. Whe...

Experience and Market Area Knowledge: If you're new to the real estate business, or new to the area, get help. A CMA isn't just comparative math. A thorough knowledge of the dynamics of property sales in the specific area is required to make judgments based on the data presented. Carefully Collec...

Set your alarm early because it's moving day! This is the day you've been waiting and planning for for the past eight weeks and now it's finally here. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, take the children to a babysitter or neighbors, drink lots of coffee and get ready for the final tasks in your ...

How To Select a Good ContractorThis may seem daunting but it's really pretty straightforward. A good tip I can give you is try to select contractors you may need on an urgent basis before you need them. Why? Because if you have an emergency repair and need to find someone quickly (who is also goo...