Find YOUR Neighborhood

Choosing your home is not just about selecting the actual place you will live in – it is much more than that!  Each location/neighborhood has something different to offer. It has its own set of people, activities, style, amenities, culture and vibe. You have to think which one is the appropriate fit for you.

Here are a few things to consider when selecting your style of neighborhood:

1. Select the Style of Home – Knowing this will automatically eliminate about half of the neighborhoods based on your preference for a single family home vs. row home in an urban setting.

2. Find your Budget – This is not just your mortgage, but factoring in the cost of living in your town including taxes, fees and additional costs to enjoy what your community has to offer.

3. Family & Schooling – If you have children or are planning on starting a family, it’s all about location, location, location! Know the school district and its reputation before you fall in love with a neighborhood or be willing to sacrifice something.  There is always private school!

4. History of the Housing Market – How has the local market been performing over the last few years? Has pricing increased /decreased / is it trending in a certain direction? Speak with your Realtor (Lena) for a local assessment before you invest.  Remember an investment is for a longer period of time, so regardless of prices now (high or low), you need to look at the big picture.

5. Around the Corner – Be aware of your surroundings. What is the overall area like around the corner – green grass or rundown homes? What is nearby – convenience to locations such as grocery stores and pharmacies. What is important to you and your family, privacy or convenience?

Contact a Realtor and make an informed decision in choosing your neighborhood and live happily ever after. You might be surprised in finding a neighborhood fit for you and your family that you have not even considered!

On June 20, 2012  the Montgomery County Woman Owned Business Network (WOBN) came to my home for the June Meeting. The WOBN meets monthly and is comprised of women that are in business, own a business, support business or just like networking!

Ladies enjoyed networking, buffet dinner/apps, and a grab bag of door prizes that gave all of us a nice chuckle! Below are a few photos from the event. If you are a woman in the area and want great networking, join me at our next meeting: http://wobn.eventbrite.com.

Sara Canuso, president of A Suitable Solution, is the creator of the life-changing program Influence to Income:  90-Day Influence Mastery Program to Use the power of influence to create income and opportunities. 

In this intensive one-on-one coaching system, Sara works with executives, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and others who are ready to dramatically increase their income, business results, and career satisfaction through the power of influence. Many factors go into becoming a person of influence, and the Influence to Income program addresses your mindset, branding and image, rainmaking and networking.

A certified seminar leader, masterful coach, and inspiring speaker, Sara also shares her approach workshops, keynote presentations, and corporate training seminars. She gives her audiences practical tools to inspire confidence, create powerful first impressions, and provide the clarity and power people need to achieve their fullest potential. Her talks produce immediate, lasting results. At the end of Sara’s events, participants typically rush to the stage, eager for more time with her.

Executives and top companies, including the Philadelphia Main Line and Burlington County Chambers of Commerce, Pennsylvania and New Jersey Governor’s Conferences, and Hyatt Hotels hire Sara. Clients say that their view of their future is forever altered because of working with Sara. 

Using warmth and humor, Sara addresses thousands of people annually at events such as thePennsylvaniaand New Jersey Governor’s Conference for Women, the American Bar Association Women’s Rainmaking Conference and Women in Technology, the Philadelphia Business Journal, and the National Association of Women Business Owners. 

An innovator and expert in the importance of image in the courtroom and the business arena, Sara has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NBC, CBS, and KYW radio. She also has written on the impact of image for corporate Americaand in the Legal Intelligencer, Philadelphia Business Journal, and Westlaw Journal, the  and the Burlington County Straight Word.

 http://www.asuitablesolution.com/

5 Cities to Retire In

Retirement is something we plan for our entire life.  If you are considering retirement, the following questions might have crossed your mind. How do I spend my time? Where do I live after retirement? If you start answering these questions, the obvious answer would be to pick the best town in which you can live and enjoy your retired life. So, here are some of the best cities across the U.S. to retire in.  You can see the difference from East, West, North and South.

FYI: Those looking to fly south and retire in Florida, I can help you find the best properties with my Florida Real Estate Licence!

1.  Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is a city which has a population of about 70,000 and is situated in Washington. This is the perfect sized city where you can spend your retirement years. It’s a small city filled with activity. It’s rich with beautiful and elegant terrain of Washington, situated between Vancouver and Seattle.

2.  Largo, Florida
It is just like Bellingham and also has nearly the same population which makes it perfect sized. It is one of the best cities to retire in. It has many wide-open spaces, many golf courses and plenty of coastlines which make it scintillating.

3.   St. George, Utah
St. George is the place for you if you enjoy sports and recreation. With 35 miles of walking trails through the beautiful terrain of Utah, it also has a large public pool and tennis courts. St. George is a great place for sport enthusiasts across the nation. The size of 50,000 would be the perfect sized city for your retirement needs.

4.  Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is the smallest town on the list with a population of only 23,000. But it has just as much to offer you, in fact something more than other cities. If you are a party lover or love to hang around at night, it’s a city that is renowned for its nightlife and the multitude of theaters. It is nicely located in New Hampshire right near Maine. Portsmouth is a fantastic town to spend your retirement years with happiness.

5.  Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin has a population of 46,000 people which is double that of Portsmouth, but it is evaluated to be one of the wealthiest cities in the nation. It is full of antique architecture and Victorian style homes from history.  Most of the architectures are from the Civil War, but it blends the past well with the present. It is a fast growing city and will prove a perfect spot for you to retire in.

At the end of it all, retirement is a way of life. Don’t limit your plans based on finances alone, but open the door to locations and a new place to call home, a new way of life to celebrate life and activity.  AlthoughFlorida is a personal favorite of mine, we can help you scout towns and properties in ANY city!

Creating Curb Appeal

Time to talk about your home’s curb appeal. First impressions mean everything. So, your home should make an impression when a prospective buyer shows up or your friends stop by!

Curb appeal can often make the difference between a house sitting for months or selling in few weeks. Every passerby appreciates the house when it is looking beautiful and appealing. So, here are some practical ideas about improving or creating curb appeal.

Colorful: Adding Color Around the Home
A GRAND Entrance: Walkway to the Front Door
Architectural Facade: Accent/Highlight Unique Home Features
Lighting: Day & Evening to Create a Warm Environment
Landscaping: Simple to Complex – Make Sure It’s Clean and Fresh

Quick Tips for the Weekend Warrior to add Quick Appeal on a weekend. Share your before and after photos on our Facebook Page.

Color
Color is a very useful asset for creating the curb appeal exactly the way you want. Color can be used in many ways to enhance your exterior, interior door, windows etc.

• Exterior Paint. A new color can add to your landscaping, highlight windows and entry doors and help impact your overall area’s appeal. Don’t forget to paint the trim with a complementing color to pull the look together.
• Accessories for Porch/Gardens. A quick fix is accenting with flowering potted plants, easy to maintain and water. Don’t forget the overall outdoor space and accessories from an outdoor rug, landscape lighting and furniture with colorful cushions.

A Grand Entrance
An entrance sets the stage for the experience behind the door. Think about small things like a reclaimed or old knocker.

• Paint the front door! Clean the hardware or replace with unique pieces.
• Roll out the Welcome Mat. Literally, a new mat at the door is welcoming and fresh!
• Entry Gate? Steps? Slab? What is at your front door, brighten it up with a pair of urns, planter boxes or a sculpture.
• Unique architectural details to enhance the beauty of your home. Weather-vain, stained glass windows, painted shutters, door knobs, knockers or window boxes.
• Accent the entrance with a stone walkway.

Lighting

• Lighting effects can be used to create drama. In the evening or while entertaining, your lighting brings life to your home after dusk.
• Small solar garden lights can be added along the garden or perimeter of the home.
• Lanterns with candles or light bulbs is a fashion that will never go out of style! Hang them in entertaining areas such as low hanging trees.

Finding a home that is right for you and your needs is a process. Below are 3 simple steps to help you decide what is important to you when you search for your home.

• BUDGET

  Find out how much you can realistically afford for a monthly mortgage. This is not what the banks are willing to lend, but what will fit your lifestyle and not take over your lifestyle.

• WISH LIST

  Write a list of the ideal features you would like in your home. After you list the features from number of bedrooms to fireplace to swimming pool, prioritize them.

• NEIGHBORHOOD

  What part of a neighborhood or city is important to you? The privacy, space, school district, recreational and community involvement? Working with a REALTOR ® together you will identify 3-4 potential neighborhoods to search for homes.

Home ownership is a privilege. If you are looking to purchase a home, then take the time to find not just any place but a place that will offer you the feeling of a place to call home.

MONEY MATTERS: “SAVY” WAYS to Manage Debt, Cut spending and Manage Your Budget

When your family loses its only income, or a significant part of it, you can feel as though it’s the end of the world. Even in families with significant assets, the sudden loss of income creates serious worries, or worse still, a real sense of panic.

While you can’t change the fact that your income has stopped, you can minimize the impact of the loss by making a conscious decision to actively manage your new financial reality. The sooner you assume a proactive stance, the sooner you’ll be able to make sound decisions, financial and otherwise, to help you regain control over your destiny.

Here are suggestions to help you better manage and control your finances while you are unemployed:

Using input from all your family members, figure out ways to cut as many extraneous expenses as possible. If you include the family in the planning process, you’ll find it much easier to gain their cooperation when it’s time to implement the plan. Obviously, you can’t cut expenses like the mortgage (unless you can refinance), but the reality is that most other expenses can be managed in a more cost-efficient manner, sometimes with surprisingly little sacrifice.

Begin by eliminating those “nice to haves” but “definitely not necessary” expenses such as frequent meals out or new clothes each season. Then, examine ways to spend less by implementing some clever cost cutting measures. Here are just a few ways to become a smarter consumer:

• Compare Health Insurance Plans: Don’t assume your company provided COBRA plan is necessarily your best option.
• Shop the Sales: Particularly during bad economic times, retailers get fairly aggressive at running special sales and promotions. Take advantage of combining sales with coupons and other special discount services.
• Credit Cards: If you can’t bring yourself to eliminate or reduce your dependency on credit cards, at least manage your cards more efficiently. If you’ve already got credit card debt, or you think you soon will, find a new card with a lower interest rate and transfer your outstanding balances immediately.
• Reduce Use of Services: Think of ways to creatively reduce your consumption of services. If your child takes weekly piano lessons, consider switching to every other week instead. If you normally bring the car in for a wash each week, consider doing it once a month instead. These small changes add up over time.
• Bank Fees: Banks are notorious for tacking on extra fees for services like checking accounts and ATM privileges. Shop around to see if you’ve got the best deal.
• Phone Bill: Now is the time to actually pay attention to all those annoying telemarketers who call trying to get you to switch your long distance service. Odds are good you can lower your calling rate with just a few well-placed inquiries. It’s also a good time to evaluate if you really need to have a “soup to nuts” cell phone plan that include more minutes or special features than you are using. If you want to be able to make long-distance calls for free, including overseas, consider using a service like Skype that you download to your computer.
• Car Insurance: Assuming you have a good driving record, you might be able to easily reduce your premiums by shopping around.
• Groceries: Shopping with a list, a full stomach, and coupons can help you significantly reduce your family’s food bill.
• Free Entertainment: From concerts in the park to movie night at the library, opportunities abound for free or low-cost entertainment options. Check your local papers for listings of options in your neighborhood.
• Use the Library: The library is one of the best bargains going. Take advantage of the books, free videos and CD’s, and research databases offered by your local library.

In addition to spending less and economizing where possible, here are some ways to keep your financial picture sound on a long-term basis:

• Decide which bills to pay first: Pay debts that are secured, such as house or car payments first. Falling behind on your mortgage will lead to late penalties and could cost you your home, so this payment should be first on your list. Don’t let your payment decisions be dictated by which collection agency yells loudest.
• Be judicious about cutting household help: Particularly in the arena of childcare, you don’t want to eliminate your support system, only to have to scramble madly to replace them in a few months. If you can’t afford to continue full-time help, speak with friends who might be interested in hiring your sitter or housekeeper on a temporary basis, while you only use them on a part-time basis.
• Keep perspective when checking your investments: Given the volatility of the stock market, your portfolio will go through ups and downs. Don’t get in the habit of checking your portfolio on a daily basis – you’ll suffer needless worry and anxiety.
• Don’t raid your 401(k): It’s tempting when you lose a job to withdraw money from your 401(k) or retirement plan. If at all possible, don’t do it. Distributions from your qualified retirement plans are subject to income taxes and a 10% penalty. More importantly, the money you take out won’t have the chance to grow and help provide for a secure retirement.
• Take advantage of discount cards: If you have a high school or college student in the house, they can purchase a student advantage discount card and receive significant savings on everything from movie tickets to Amtrak travel to purchases at Target.com.