Recent Blog Posts

Never judge a house from the street.LOOKS SMALL, LIVES LARGE650 Military Avenue is a perfect example.Drive by and you might think you are looking at a charming little cottage.Then you walk inside.And keep walking.And walking. There are approximately 5,000 square feet throughout three levels, and what makes this house especially unusual is that each level can be reached from outside.The first level has the enclosed porch I think of as the plant room, two bedrooms, a full kitchen, full bath, half bath and living room with a fireplace.Then just a few steps take you to another level with another kitchen, another living area, a wonderful high-ceiling room, bedroom and full bath.And there is still another level.Downstairs is a new large walk-in shower, a huge flexible room and a partial kitch... 09/13/2026

Massachusetts vs. West Virginia: Mountains, Medicine and Strengthening Rural Communities Content Summary Massachusetts and West Virginia may appear very different at first glance. One is a densely populated New England state known for elite universities and world-leading hospitals, while the other is defined by the rugged beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, close-knit communities, and a deep industrial heritage. Yet both states share important priorities centered on healthcare access, education, and preserving local communities. Massachusetts has developed one of the nation's strongest healthcare and higher education systems, while West Virginia has focused on expanding medical access across challenging mountainous terrain and addressing the unique healthcare needs of rural populations... 09/13/2026

"Our mistakes won't irreparably damage our lives...unless we let them."~ Author, James E. SweaneyYour action for today is to see if you are hanging on toa mistake you made. If you are, ask yourself what it would take to forgive yourself?I watched my son compete in Jujitsu this weekend.He lost his first round of fights due to a mistake he made.He came out of the ring, miffed at that mistake.Then he let it go and went on to win his next fight, having learned from that previous mistake.😊Design An Extraordinary Day!☮💜I work 100% By Referral And Focus My Energy on The 5 Circles of Life!My wonderful team is coached by the #1 businesscoaching company in North America:Buffini & Company...I'm also a 🥷Ninja Selling student for over 26 years!    09/13/2026

🈚▐►RENT to OWN SWMH  -FULL SIZE MOVE-IN READY Summerville-CharlestonCALL  / TEXT Steve to Visit in Person  843- 881-7171🈚▐►DISCOUNTED RENT to OWN  SWMH FULL SIZE Summerville-Charleston BUY HERE  SEE WholeSale Buyer Values:✴️▐►SCInvestmentProperties.com ** Contact us Today!★ We contact ALL who Visit Our FREE Preferred Buyer VIPCall Steve for Your Appointment to Visit these Homes AVAILABLE  3bd - 2ba DWMH     HandyMan Special  Matthews SC  Move to Your Location  3bd - 2ba DWMH     FULLY Renovated AUGUST          2026 Summerville 1 3bd - 2ba DWMH     FULLY Renovated AUGUST          2026 Summerville 2 2bd - 1ba SWMH      FULLY Renovated DECEMBER   2025 Fort Lawn SC  3bd - 2ba SWMH      FULLY Renovated DECEMBER   2025 Fort Lawn SC 4bd - 2ba DWMH     FULLY Renovated JANUARY       2026 Summerv... 09/13/2026

4 bedroom home for sale in Netherwood Heights Plainfield NJ is a very specific search, but it reflects how serious buyers increasingly look for homes online. They are not simply searching for an address. They are combining location, price, bedroom count, property features and lifestyle needs to narrow hundreds of possibilities into a manageable list.If your search has brought you to 741 Belvidere Avenue in Plainfield, New Jersey, there has been an important change.The home is now offered at $629,999.The property remains a four-bedroom, two-full-bath home on approximately 0.45 acres, with a remodeled kitchen, flexible ground-level living space, and a two-car built-in garage. The question for a buyer is no longer simply whether those features look attractive online.The question is whether... 09/13/2026

That extra decade gives you more time to build equity with every payment, more exposure to home appreciation, and more years of amortization working in your favor. It’s not just about owning - it’s about how long your money has to grow. The earlier you start, the more your future self benefits. Curious about how to get started? Send me a message! #realestate #realestateagent #financehub #buying #selling 09/13/2026

🐾 September 13 Is National Hug Your Hound Day Message From Charlotte's Pet Friendly Realtor®: No Hound Should Be Left Unhugged! "A hound will die for you, but never lie to you. And he'll look you straight in the face."— George. R. R. Martin If you share your home with a hound, today comes with a very simple assignment: hug your hound! I share my home with a black and tan coon hound with a bit of beagle mix. So he's very excited about today and also looking forward to a few extra treats in honor of the day. I have a special affinity for hounds... before Bingo, I had my Gracie who was a Whippet (a breed in the Greyhound family). National Hug Your Hound Day is observed every second Sunday in September and was created as a reminder to appreciate the special relationship we have with our dog... 09/13/2026

On September 10, 2026, Realtor.com reported that nationwide median weekly housing trends for the week ending September 5, 2026.Total available listings gained 4.2% for the week ending  September 5, 2026, from the same period of time in September of 2025.Time on the market unchanged 0 day for the week ending September 5, 2026, from the same period of time in September of 2025.Median listing prices declined 1.4% for the week ending September 5, 2026, from the same period of time in September of 2025.New listing in the market lower 0.8% for the week ending September 5, 2026, from the same period of time in September of 2025.For complete more detailed information about Realtor.com’s real estate trends for the week ending in September 5, 2026, please click HERE 09/13/2026

September 12, 2026  Elizabeth J. McCormick (1903) was the first woman/trailblazer to officially earn a real estate license in the United States. She established the Women's Real Estate Association of Chicago by breaking through the glass ceiling of a male dominated profession. Her passion was aimed at empowering women with innovative strategies and commitment to excellence. Coldwell Banker is the oldest residential real estate franchise system in North America. Colbert Coldwell's brokerage was founded in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. In the beginning he formed a partnership (Tucker, Lynch & Coldwell in 1906). By 1913, he invited Benjamin Arthur Banker to join, and in 1914, the firm officially transitioned into Coldwell Banker & Co.Franklin D. Roosevelt - Before the... 09/13/2026

Happy Sunday to you all!    This week I had more slots filled on my calendar, which is a bit different.   From the coffee meet-up with Zoe from the UK, then Friday I went to have my teeth cleaned. I had searched for a dentist a couple of months ago, but thinking my last appointment was in Denver in April.  It wasn't, it was in January.  SO, luckily, here you don't have to wait for months to get your teeth cleaned.   BTW, the cleaning doesn't cost the same here either - it was 75€, which equates to $87.   Also asked how much a crown would cost, as I paid around $1800 for the last one in Denver.  It is 750€ ($870).  THAT is a huge savings!Thursday afternoon, one of my neighbors from the building, her husband, and daughter were all having lunch at the pastelaria in the parking lot, and ask... 09/13/2026

Fourteen?! How did that happen so fast?Somehow, that little boy who arrived while Geno and I were off enjoying a Mediterranean vacation has grown into a handsome, talented, kind, and pretty amazing 14-year-old!Every year, I make a collage to capture a little piece of Hudson’s journey, and this year’s 12 photos, one for each month since his last birthday, are a pretty wonderful reminder of just how much can happen in a year.There are the touchdowns, slam dunks, big plays and proud Nana moments… but it’s the everyday moments that make me smile the most. Watching Hudson grow into the young man he is becoming is one of life’s greatest gifts.He’s still passionate about football and basketball, and I’ll happily be in the stands cheering him on every chance I get. But what makes me proudest ha... 09/13/2026

Explore Northern and Central NJ real estate submarkets, comparing single-family and multifamily trends, inventory, rental demand and buyer strategy.Northern and Central NJ real estate submarket trends in 2026 reveal something buyers, sellers and investors should understand: there is no single New Jersey housing market.Conditions can change significantly from Union County to Essex, Middlesex, Somerset, Morris and Hudson counties. They can change again when the analysis moves from single-family homes to two-family, three-family and four-family investment properties.That distinction is becoming increasingly important in a higher-rate environment. Single-family buyers are confronting affordability ceilings, while multifamily investors must balance persistent rental demand against higher bo... 09/13/2026

Trivia question answers for Saturday September 12, 20261. What is the plural of "crisis"? Crises2. What Greek god is the ruler of the underworld? Hades3. What is the literal translation of the word "Utopia"? No-place4. Who is the Roman goddess of love? VenusTrivia questions for Sunday September 13, 20261. How many holes can be found in a standard bowling ball?2. Who was the star of the TV cooking show "The Galloping Gourmet"?3. How much does a human brain weigh?4. What caused fjords?Enjoy your day. 09/13/2026

Posts Just For You- This Week at ActiveRain September 6 to September 12, 2026  Every day, there is something to learn here at ActiveRain.  With this series, I highlight posts that gave me that lightbulb moment. It could be something techie, a post about Real Estate or other professions, about a place, or a person. Or, it could be a post that made me sit up and take notice! September 6:  John Martino   How Old Is Too Old for a Home’s Major Systems?   John does a good job answering the question all buyers want to know.  September 8:  Hannah Williams     The Real Estate Secrets Nobody Mentions: True Connections Commissions aside, you know it’s about the connections! Jeremy Williams    Why Asking for Help is So HardIt’s hard to ask someone for help. But, think about this…most people love to... 09/13/2026

🥗Catholic Charities - Puerto Rico☀️For ALL of Your East Valley AZ Real Estate Needs📞Call or 🙋‍♂Text Brian at 480-773-2370📨Email BrianInspired by posts that I see from others, I wanted to begin a weekly series of resources for people in need who are in the East Valley.  Researching for this weekly series has helped me discover what is out there for those in need.Catholic Charities is committed to helping a community’s most vulnerable with solutions that permanently improve lives. They do this by serving and sheltering neighbors, strengthening children and families, and welcoming refugees and immigrants, and collaborating with the community. To learn more, click HERE.☀️For ALL of Your East Valley AZ Real Estate Needs📞Call or 🙋‍♂Text Brian at 480-773-2370📨Email Brian  ~  Search the MLS for... 09/13/2026

Buyers may wait for the right home to finally come on the market.Sellers may wait for the right time to make their move.Maybe people don’t hate waiting nearly as much as they hate waiting without anticipation.When you know what you’re waiting for and believe it’s worth the wait...the waiting feels very different.In real estate, the right opportunity is often worth waiting for!Happy Sunday. Sheila 09/13/2026

This lovely 3 bedroom 2 bath home is located in Willowbrook; Glendale, AZ 85302. This Glendale, AZ 85302 is well maintained with many updates showing pride of ownership. This Willowbrook; Glendale, AZ 85302 property features an updated kitchen, new A/C, dual paned windows with weatherguard, window shutters, exterior lifetime coating, updates to bathrooms, new exterior doors, refurbished pebbletec pool, and a fireplace. Your family will make many memories this Glendale, AZ home that was built in 1978. Come see this Glendale, AZ 85302 home today!This home is in the Glendale Union School District, the high school in the area is Apollo High School. Apollo is an excelling school in the school district. Apollo High School also has a wonderful theatre arts program. Apollo prides themselves on ... 09/13/2026

The 2026 Economic Report of the President includes a chart that should stop anyone involved in housing. From 2000 to 2023, real house prices increased 81.9% while real median income increased only 12.3%. Housing prices rose nearly seven times faster than income. That gap is the affordability crisis in one picture.What caught my attention, though, is what the report says next. It directly connects housing affordability to construction productivity. While overall U.S. productivity doubled from 1970 to 2020, construction labor productivity fell by about 30%. The report goes further and says residential construction productivity remains close to levels seen in the 1930s.That should bother us. We have improved nearly every major industry through manufacturing, standardization, technology, da... 09/13/2026

Here's something I've been wondering about. If you were buying a home in The Villages today, would the restaurants nearby have any influence on where you bought? I'm not talking about choosing a house because your favorite restaurant is around the corner. But would being a golf cart ride from several places you enjoy matter?I think it would to me. Dining becomes part of life here. Meeting friends for lunch, grabbing dinner after golf, heading out for happy hour or deciding at 5:00 that nobody feels like cooking. Some people probably want plenty of choices close by. Others may say it doesn't matter at all because they'll hop in the golf cart or car and go wherever they want.I'm curious. If you were choosing between two homes you liked equally, could the dining options nearby break the ti... 09/13/2026

RECIPE: Creamy Angel Chicken PastaThe Sunday Supper That Feels Like a HugSunday dinner calls for something a little comforting, but that does not mean we need a sink full of dishes or an afternoon-long project. This Creamy Angel Chicken Pasta brings tender golden chicken, delicate pasta and a silky herb sauce together in about 40 minutes—and it looks every bit as lovely as it tastes.It is easy to understand the appeal of this style of Sunday supper. It has familiar flavors, pantry-friendly ingredients and just enough richness to make an ordinary evening feel special. My version uses mushrooms, Parmesan, lemon and Italian herbs for a fresh, balanced sauce without relying on condensed soup or a seasoning packet.Grocery ListMeat: Four small boneless, skinless chicken breasts or two large b... 09/13/2026