Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Realtor® Rates have dropped to seldom seen levels and its time to buy! If you have been on the fence about investing in Real Estate in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls or Altoona Wisconsin or wondering whether its a good time to buy, there is no time like the present. Talk to your lender about how to “lock in” these really low rates. Give me a call today and we can find the perfect home. You cant beat the prices and you cant beat the rates. Its a win win. If you would like to work with an agent who is leading the way call 715-894-1001 today or send me an email. Search Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate! Read my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog! Buy Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate List and Sell Your Eau Claire Wisconsin Home Work with ... 12/12/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent Ok maybe that title doesn't make much sense. But after all the anticipation surrounding the release of the Blackberry Storm and then the uproar over the number of bugs, it probably did feel like some crappy weather for you. Even more so considering the price you paid to be one of the first to own this new toy. Well there might be help and hope for you with a new upgrade to the OS(operating system) According to this story the phone “now behaves more responsively, quickly and smoothly with an operating system upgrade from OS 4.7.0.65 to OS 4.7.0.75” Your phone is probably telling you about the upgrade now but a word of warning: “There is no charge for the upgrade — as there shouldn't be. However, Verizon Wireless does say that network charges may ap... 12/10/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I just came across an article and thought it might have an impact on you or your business. Apparently “Office Depot Inc. will close about 9 percent of its North American stores and cut 2,200 jobs over the next three months while planning to open fewer locations next year in an effort to cut costs.” You can take a look at the rest of the story here. It certainly doesn't look good for the company in general. I think they are trying to head off bankruptcy but I don't know if it will help. I am sure there is stiff competition with Staples and Officemax. I just wonder about the relative stability of the company if it only took a small decline in sales to potentially drive it out of business. Why are so many companies on the financial “edge” so to speak?... 12/10/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. As I recently announced in my last post there have been some major updates to social networking. So Facebook drops a bomb on us all with their new release Google, not wanting to be outdone, starts dropping some bombshells of their own. Also I promise to lay off the violent overtones in the rest of this post! :) Google Friend Connect What is it? Basically a way to streamline your social networking and integrate it within your website and throughout the web. The goal? Make it easier to sign in and integrate all sorts of sites. Why do you want this? Well it has a lot of different application potentials and certainly might make it easier bringing app... 12/06/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. There were two recent announcements for social networking in the past couple of days. Stay tuned for the next announcement in my next blog entry. Ok, ok whats all the hubbub about? Well one of the biggest announcements was the release of Facebook Connect. Whats that you say? Well here is the official page from Facebook direct. Here is a story announcing the feature going live. Here is another story talking directly with Facebook developers about the new features and other things. Well if you read all of those stories you will probably start realizing that this is pretty big news. In fact according to the one story “If it isn't clear by now, Faceb... 12/06/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. Maybe it seems like I have been reporting on viruses and security issues a lot lately but it also seems like a lot of people have been having troubles. Anyone in the security field knows that the best solution is being proactive. So thats why when I hear about some new potential threat I like to get the word out as quickly as possible, especially when it is a particularly nasty threat. This trojan known as, Trojan.PWS.ChromeInject.A, “installs itself into Firefox's add-on directory, registers itself as Greasemonkey, and begins searching your hard drive for passwords, login details, your World of WarCraft account information, and your library card... 12/06/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it seems some unnamed company has made a significant boo boo. This “mistake” is basically a rootkit that potentially opens up a huge backdoor. This is very bad news indeed. At this point no one is saying who but it is hinted that it is an “an unnamed Enterprise Information Security (EIS) suite.” Basically Enterprise refers to, well straight from the article, “Who are the lucky customers who bought/will buy the software that harbors this stealthy little stowaway? Enterprises. Big companies, who spend big bucks to develop and protect big secrets.” Will this affect consumers? Possibly. Its whether or not the sa... 12/04/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I have seen countless posts and conversations with people that make the claim that somehow Mac's are more secure than a PC and are immune to viruses. Nothing could be further from the truth. Now the current Mac OS is built upon Unix and thus possibly more secure in a roundabout way that is far too complicated to explain here but through Apple's own advertising they have continued to mislead the public on this subject. I don't want to get into security vulnerabilities as a whole because the topic is so vast and so subjective that there is no clear answer. But when it comes to viruses a Mac is no more secure than a PC. In fact the widely held belief that Macs are immune to viruses could lead to a massive infection. I don't know percentage wise of ho... 12/03/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. According to this story mortgage applications have been reported at record rates as mortgage rates have fallen to very low levels. “Potential borrowers were lured by enticing mortgage rates, which dropped dramatically after the Federal Reserve unveiled a plan last week to buy up to $500 billion of mortgage securities backed by government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae , Freddie Mac , and Ginnie Mae.” What does this mean for people in our area? I would hope that it would encourage buyers to come out and invest in the community. This is a great opportunity to do so and indeed that is what I am attempting to do here. With rates this... 12/03/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. After reading Brad's article on how his family's network of pcs was infected over the weekend I found it highly coincidental but extremely pertinent. What I have noticed after repairing, fixing and working on around well over 100 family members and friends computers over the years and I having done this professionally, is that the majority of computer issues stem from a few basic problems. Windows is hardly ever updated. Most people do not understand the dire consequences of this and either don't know how or just assume that it is automatic. The first thing I do is have it set to automatically download and instruct people to manually install the ... 12/02/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Realtor® I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. I saw this article and am sort of scratching my head because to me this just doesn't seem like a good idea. “He is helping homeless people illegally move into foreclosed homes.” I suggest reading the article quick to get a feel for it. Here are some other things to note: “He also breaks into the homes he shows.” “Pierre herself could be charged with trespassing, vandalism or breaking and entering.” Now I am not saying that something shouldn't be done about homeless people or foreclosures. Personally I think there shouldn't be homeless people in our country and we definitely have some foreclosure problems facing us in parts of the country, but this doesn't seem like a good solution. Regar... 12/01/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Realtor® I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. Probably everyone living in the United States is well aware of Black Friday and all its glory or lack there of. Fewer still are aware of the deals available on Cyber Monday. What is it anyways? Well its basically a Hallmark Holiday in that its entirely invented but I guess what isn't? Its a way for online e-tailers to market their goods and hopefully sell a whole bunch of something to someone! Gimmicks aside it certainly is a great way to save some money and get some great deals on stuff. Everyone likes stuff right? I noticed that it actually is probably a better deal than the Friday specials, especially when it comes to electronics. My favorite site is http://www.newegg.com/ of course. ... 12/01/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. There is no better time to invest in our community than the present. Currently homeowners in Eau Claire, Altoona, Chippewa Falls Wisconsin and the entire Chippewa Valley have been drastically reducing prices to entice buyers. Combine that with historically low interest rates, some as low as 5.5%, and you have a great opportunity to find a home for your family or buy a great investment property. If you are looking to buy or sell your home in Eau Claire, Altoona, Chippewa Falls Wisconsin give me a call today. I know the area very well after living here 30+ years. If you are new to the area and are considering making the move give me a call. I can provide... 11/30/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. With a volatile stock market it seems like a somewhat risky proposition to invest in. I am sure there is money to be made but at the same time you might not know who to turn to for good advice. At this point I don't know anyone that can predict what will happen. It is true that any investment has inherent risk. There has been much speculation about the future of Real Estate. Some would argue that with prices down it seems crazy to invest right now. But there couldn't be a better time! In fact the prices combined with historically low interest rates means you can get one of the best deals ever. I can show you how to take lower priced homes and tur... 11/29/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. What's the best time to invest in Real Estate and your future? Right Now! Currently there is one of the best windows of opportunity available for investing in Real Estate in our area. All over Eau Claire, Altoona, Chippewa Falls Wisconsin and the Chippewa Valley you can find excellent pricing on all sorts of different Real Estate investments. Duplexes or larger multi-family units are available as well as a variety of different houses that would be perfect for renting! Never thought of yourself as a landlord? I can walk you through the steps it takes to be on your way to one of the greatest investments you can make. I can show you how to manage yo... 11/29/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. Looking for more information about Real Estate in Eau Claire Wisconsin or the Chippewa Valley? How about some great investment tips and advice? Right now is a very unique opportunity available for investment in Real Estate. With an excellent combination of prices and interest rates you can't go wrong! Rates have been as low as 5.5% and chances are they might even go lower still. There is no better time to invest in your future and your community. If you would like to work with an agent who is leading the way call 715-894-1001 today or send me an email. Search Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate! Read my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog! Buy Eau... 11/29/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. When you are first starting to search for homes you probably started that search on the Internet. Almost every website that is connected to our local MLS lets you search for listings in our area but one thing to understand is that it is certainly easy to do, but the data is sometimes difficult to manage. One of the problems that comes about is when Agents try to list the home and it falls on the border of a certain area. You see our MLS is set up for a variety of different areas, the city of Eau Claire is actually divided into parts, North, South and West. You can already see the problem since there isn't an East, now the Agent has to decide what... 11/29/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. When you are first starting to search for homes you probably started that search on the Internet. Almost every website that is connected to our local MLS lets you search for listings in our area but one thing to understand is that it is certainly easy to do, but the data is sometimes difficult to manage. One of the problems that comes about is when Agents try to list the home and it falls on the border of a certain area. You see our MLS is set up for a variety of different areas, the city of Eau Claire is actually divided into parts, North, South and West. You can already see the problem since there isn't an East, now the Agent has to decide what... 11/29/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. When you start looking for a new home it only makes sense to start with a complete list of what's available. While almost every website will let you search for local listings as long as it is connected to the MLS system, being able to manipulate the data is the difficult part. Sure you can enter in a price range and try to narrow down the list but what if the price changes? Will you know? Thats why I try to set up all my clients with an automated search specifically set up for them. The moment a new listing changes price or comes onto the market that matches the criteria we set, you are notified instantly by email! What better way to stay on top ... 11/29/2008

Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Agent I originally posted this in my Eau Claire Wisconsin Real Estate Blog. Today technology is perhaps the single, most important aspect of Real Estate. We look at listings online and can get a feel for the house without even leaving our homes or offices. On top of that the majority of people looking for homes today start their search online. One of the newest ways to stay on top of new listings is to have me set up an automated search for you. What this does is email you the moment a new listing comes on the market. This means you can be the first person to take a look at new listings which puts you a step ahead of the competition. Setting this up is easy and only takes a few minutes but it can be the most important pa... 11/29/2008