10 Big Mistakes Novice Real Estate Investors Make

Buying real estate is as popular as ever, and it seems pretty straightforward at first glace. With mortgage interest rates at all time lows and plenty of real estate to buy, many investors truly believe that they can do a bit of cosmetic work, accessorize a bit, and then put up the for rent or for sale sign. Unfortunately, it is not quite that easy and there are some common mistakes that can be avoided if one plans ahead and truly understands what he or she is getting into before investing.

Don't Fall In Love

The first rule of thumb when you are investing in real estate is that you cannot fall in love with any one property. When you are looking at real estate to buy for investment purposes you can't think like a homeowner, you must think like a business owner. Don't think about what you like about a home or a piece of real estate, think about how well it will sell or rent in the current market.

Not Exercising Due Diligence

When you invest in real estate you can't simply invest if the property looks good at face value. A very thorough inspection of the structure needs to be done as well as research on the local market. One must also look into the vacancy rates and average rents for homes or structures that are comparable. A diligent business owner will also look into how the neighborhood is zoned as well as any regulations that will apply to the rental property. You will also want to check into how many other rental properties are in the area and if they are comparable to the property you are looking at.

Forgetting the Rule about Time and Money

Many new investors forget that all home improvements are not as cheap and as straightforward and they hoped that they would be. The rule that most investor's use is that it will take twice as long and three times the money than you would think to ready a unit for rent or sale. Real estate isn't transformed over night, so one must plan accordingly. Failing to plan ahead for this can leave you in a real bind where you lose money because you don't have the resources to complete a project.

Believing You'll Secure the Lowest Mortgage Rates

Television can be very deceiving for those that are in the real estate investment business. The low mortgage rates are not offered for just anyone, they are for owner occupied homes, which are considered much less of a risk than a unit that is rented out. Homes that will not be owner occupied will experience mortgage rates that are 1.5 to 2% higher, which can make for a huge difference in monthly payments for the investor and his or her tenants. You also need to be aware of your credit, if you have terrible credit you won't have much luck getting a loan, but the better your credit is the better your rate will be.

Failing to Pre-Screen Tenants

Many new landlords are so anxious to get their new tenants moved in that they forget all about screening them to be sure that they have a relatively clean credit history, they are gainfully employed, and that they have a good rental history. While screening tenants can take a bit longer than you might like to wait, it's easier to get this done than to try to evict a tenant. It's always better to pre-screen than deal with the headaches later.

Breaking Your Own Rules

New investors often set business rules for themselves, and then occasionally they get a bit soft. If you have established rules about what day the rent is due, pet policies, waterbeds, or lawn care, stick with those rules. The minute you stop obeying your own rules you set your self up for disaster. If you stick to your rules and you refuse to break them no matter the situation, you will find that you are much more successful in a business sense.

Investing in Obscure Areas

Generally, it is not a good idea to invest in properties that you cannot visit regularly. Long distance real estate investments leave you out in the cold and you may have no idea what is going on in or around your property. It is a good rule of thumb to only invest in areas that you live.

Paying More than the Property Is Worth

New investors often do not do the proper research and end up paying more for a property than it is worth. When you are investing you have to think about yourself, even if that means that you have to low-ball the seller at first. Investing in real estate is all about getting the right price for you. You need to know that you can cover your mortgage and your expenses from a rental payment, so really consider what the local market will allow.

Failing to Look into the Competition

It's a good idea to look at the competition, especially if they are successful. Lower payments, exciting features, and more will often help fill rental units. Pay attention to what works in your area and duplicate it if possible.

Not Acquiring Enough Insurance

Being under insured is a common mistake of new real estate investors. You need to know that your insurance company will cover accidents on the property as well as damage due to fires or natural disasters.

As you can see, there are a lot of mistakes that you can make. Luckily, if you plan ahead and do not rush into real estate investment you can avoid a lot of these pitfalls, saving you a lot of time and money. Avoiding mistakes will help you become a much more successful real estate investor.

Andrew owns a website that offers useful guide on real estate business. Vist his website at: http://www.buy-and-sell-house-fast.com/ for more tips.

What You Need To Know To Stop Foreclosure on Your Home

Understanding how to stop foreclosure is essential, especially if you find yourself unable to make mortgage payments. The faster you act when facing financial problems, the easier it will be to stop foreclosure homes. The longer you are in denial, the fewer options you will have.

Even if you have bad credit, if your home has a lot of equity you may be able to get a refinance home loan package. If you can borrow enough money on a new home loan to pay off your mortgage, arrears, and by costs, you canstop foreclosure.

In most states, the law stipulates that if you pay your arrears in full, your lender must stop foreclosure. If you don't owe much in arrears, this is a useful option to keep in mind, especially if you have some way of raising the funds.

You and your creditor may be able to come to some sort of agreement to stop foreclosure. There are several ways to do this:

You can choose to let a third party negotiate for the home loan to be settled for less than the original amount. A new loan is arranged to pay the lender the late payments and the various transaction fees that have accrued.

If you are not very behind, your lender may be convinced to temporarily lower your monthly payments, your interest, or bywise make repayment easier for you. A professional stop foreclosure negotiator may be able to help you accomplish this and stop foreclosure on your home.

If you can, arrange with your lender to pay as much of your arrears as possible up front. Pay the rest in agreed-upon monthly increments in addition to regular payments. For this to work, you need a down payment and proof of income. However, most lenders will happily accept this agreement and stop foreclosure proceedings.

You can try forbearance. In this situation, the creditor agrees to stop foreclosures proceedings and legal action. In exchange, the debtor must agree to pay a specific sum of money, make property repairs, or possibly put the property up for sale.

http://www.foreclosuredeals.com/stopforeclosure.html

Giving Your Tempe Home a Shot in the Arm

Tempe, Arizona is such a great community to live in that homes for sale practically sell themselves. Who wouldn't want to live in such a dynamic community, a place with easy access to Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa and Scottsdale? Tempe offers great schools, beautiful planned communities, and lots of variety, conveniences and amenities.

If you own a home in Tempe, you've probably seen your home equity increase as your home appreciates in value. You may be tempted to sell your home and use some of the equity as down payment for a larger home in Tempe.

Whether you plan to sell your home or not, chances are you'd like to make improvements to the property to increase its value. What are some changes you can make to your property to keep that home equity growing? The answer may surprise you. The trend nowadays focuses not on the inside of your house, but the outside, the landscaping.

Landscaping has become the hottest trend in property improvement. But the focus isn't on merely adding some flowers or shrubs to your property. New buyers are looking for landscaping that creates a livable area outside the home, a yard that expands the space of the home to the great outdoors.

The Arizona sun provides so many days of beautiful weather, it's a shame to waste time indoors. That's part of the reason home owners are looking for what amounts to an outdoor living room.

Having a simple patio isn't sufficient. If you really want to improve your Tempe home, consider adding a patio or terrace that reflects the elegance of the rest of your home. Instead of a mere concrete slab patio, add paving stones or tiles.

Another important feature to consider is a covered area. As much as you may love the sun, having a sheltered or shaded area to take a break is an important part of creating the feel of an outdoor living room.

The patio or terrace becomes an important part of the home for entertainment and enjoyment. What can you do to make your patio more functional, with a feeling of permanence? How about adding a built in grill, or consider making a mini-kitchen outdoors. It may take a little money to add the features, but its well worth it in terms of the value it adds to your home.

What living room is complete without a fireplace? Well, fireplaces are important parts of indoor living rooms, but not such a practical part of an outdoor living space. If you are considering adding an outdoor fireplace or fire pit, rethink your plans. These features add little value to the home because they aren't something that is commonly used by most residents.

Water features, like ponds or waterfalls, offer little desirability. The feature may be pretty, but in the end it's merely time consuming to maintain. A far better use of money is in a swimming pool. Traditionally, swimming pools aren't considered a great equity generator in other parts of the country, but in Arizona, a pool can be a deal maker for a home.

More and more home owners are investing serious money in the landscaping around their home. They find the investment pays off not only in future sale of the property, but also increases their enjoyment of the home.

Consider making some improvements to the outside of your Tempe home, and you'll find that your house has a whole new lease on life.

Reg Gustin is a senior loan officer with Sun American Mortgage and specializes in helping families and their financial lending needs.

Get a FREE mortgage rate quote from a reputable Arizona mortgage company at http://www.arizona-homes-store.com/arizona-mortgages.html

Search the Arizona MLS at http://www.arizona-homes-store.com/arizona-mls.html

Click here: http://www.arizona-homes-store.com/arizona-real-estate-appreciation-report.htmland get a FREE copy of The Greater Phoenix Area Housing Appreciation Report, as compiled by Arizona State University with your free subscription to his monthly ezine, MARKET NEWS.

Traffic School Online What You Really Need To Know Guide.

Yes, I?m a pretty good driver. In fact I grew up in a town where cars?hot rods and trucks and the like?were respected, if not revered. I had undergone my training in a driver education program at a high school that had the knowledge of wintry weather and expected the need for definite driving skills that surpassed those persons living in sunny states.. perhaps for instance driving on ice, snow, sleet etc.

In spite of being quick and hyper-alert, though I love to drive a good fast car, in all my driving years (which equals about thirty-one years); I have only had three traffic violations: the first one was when I was 16 years I had got a speeding ticket, trying to beat curfew; the second one for a no seat belt ticket, when I was pulled over because a headlamp was out; and got a red light violation one night when I much aware but wanted to get home after working continuously all day and all night at a college an hour and a half away from where I lived.

But alas last week, having just relocated to a new town only recently- in the last few months- I got pulled over yet again for speeding. For sure, I was a bit startled, personally I feel I was not speeding, but was doing 44 in a part of town where, I have since studied, the signs go from 35 to 25 to 35 to 25 (in one spot TWO SIGNS, one for 35 AND one for 25 are together?????)?almost like a speed trap set-up, if you ask me.

To my good luck, the officer was not only a cool chap, but also kind and jovial. One of the first things he said, after enquiring with me when was the last time I got a speeding ticket (which was 30 years ago), was that I could go to traffic school online!

Sure, I heard a couple of my friends talking over the last few years about traffic school online, and just about everything like how you can keep adding points to your driver record (points increasing means, evidently, insurance rates increasing), as well as learned of friends who had done traffic school online to ease the cost of the traffic ticket. (For instance, a red light violation, once a whopping $107 in my area, is now nearly $400!). Hence I now get to experience first hand the traffic school online adventure. No sooner I started to research I discovered that, logically, one must use an accredited traffic school online- one that is genuine and will issue you the documentation you need to prove to the courts you have paid your penalty.

Another thing I found out about traffic school online are they can be manageable, thus allowing you to study at your own pace or during at times when you are available; besides traffic school online is cheap; and the fact that traffic school online, if you search long enough, will surely appeal to your particular learning style?offering you games if you are a go-getter, or maybe text only if you prefer verbal instruction, as well as cartoons and short films if you are a keen visual learner.

Here?s hoping that I manage to complete my traffic school online in the next few days, and will either go with comedy or cartoons and games. They not only look promising but hopefully will not humiliate me too much with road rules I learned 31 years ago and ace on every DMV test, etc., despite the fact that once every decade ?forget?. What a reminder!

About the Author:

Ernest R. Peterson provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for cars, auto accessories as well as other related information.

Real Estate Contracts

A real estate contract is for the purchase or sale, exchange, or other trade of real estate between two or more individuals or parties. Real estate, also called leasehold estate, is essentially a rental of real property, and rental contracts cover rentals, since they normally do not result in recordable deeds. Freehold trade of real estate that are generally more permanent, are dealt with by real estate contracts, and they include dealings in the title fees, life estates, remainder estates and freehold property. Real estate contracts are usually bilateral contracts, where terms are agreed upon mutually by both parties and should have the legal prerequisites specified by the contract law in writing.

Any real estate contract must have certain details well written to avoid further misconception and misunderstanding. These details include a proper identification of both parties between whom the exchange of real estate property will take place. A clear description of the both parties is required as well, as their intentions for the deal. A clear description of the real estate property must be made in the contract, including the address of the estate and other details as agreed upon by both parties. The price that the estate is being sold to the buyer and the terms of payment must also be clearly quoted to avoid misinterpretations. The signatures of both parties are mandatory on the contract, but it must be noted that this is voluntary, and no one can be forced to sign a contract.

There has to be a mutual agreement on all terms of the contract by both parties in the contract, which is monitored by the lawyer under whose supervision the contract is made.

Contracts provides detailed information on Contracts, Business Contracts, Legal Contracts, Employment Contracts and more. Contracts is affiliated with Divorce Legal Forms.

Impulse Heart Rate Monitor Review

Spinning, aerobics, tae bo, dancing, running, swimming ? all of these are considered to be effective cardio workouts. And anyone who has ever tried to lose weight understands the importance of a good cardio workout. But the secret of getting a good workout isn?t in the amount of sweat you lose ? it?s your heart rate. Use an impulse heart rate monitor, and maximize the time you spend exercising.

Only a cardio workout can effectively burn fat and help you achieve long, lean body mass. Most people understand that cardio is the key to burning fat and slimming down. Using an impulse heart rate monitor can be your key to maintaining a healthy heart rate, and taking off that excess weight. This small device, which is available in wrist and strapless varieties, can change the way you work out.

A impulse heart rate monitor records the heart rate during your work out, so you can see just exactly what you?re getting out of your time spent exercising. Seeing how high your heart rate is getting, and how long it?s staying elevated, will help you fine-tune your routine so you can start getting results. Maintaining a target heart rate is the secret to a great, and effective, cardio workout. Learn how to use your impulse heart rate monitor, and learn how a good cardio workout can change your life.

Many impulse heart rate monitors now come with extra features that really help you focus your workout and target your body. Today, impulse heart rate monitors can show you cardio zones, calculate how many calories you?re burning while exercising, show BMI (basal metabolic index), and even display your heart rate in two different ways, number and percentage. With all that working for you, it?s almost too east to custom-design an effective, targeted workout that will help you look and feel physically fit.

Impulse heart rate monitors are small and easy to use, attaching right to your wrist like a watch, or coming in strapless design. Most impulse heart rate monitors record several different workouts, so you can see improvements as time passes. Be sure to record your heart rate while your body is at rest, before you start working out. This will help you learn your targeted heart rate, and make your exercising more effective. With your impulse heart rate monitor, you can work on designing a real fat-burning workout.

To find the best impulse heart rate monitor for your needs, compare prices online. The Internet lets you compare prices and shop around, to find the best monitors for your needs. Most impulse heart rate monitors are extremely affordable, often priced under one hundred dollars even for designs featuring a lot of extras. Shop around and find the impulse heart rate monitor that suits you best, and change the way you exercise. One machine, one big step toward having that perfectly toned, tight body.

Looking for Top Brand Heart Rate Monitors at Below Retail Prices?

FITZZ.COM - Personal Health & Sports Products Home Fitness Exercise Equipment Online

Benefits of Los Angeles Flat Fee Realtors

Every day, a number of Los Angeles residents considered placing their home for sale on the market. If you are one of those individuals, you have a number of options when it comes to selling your home. Out of all of the options available, using a professional realtor is often viewed as the most popular option available.

If you are in the process of selecting a Los Angeles realtor to do business with, it is likely that you may be concerned with the cost of obtaining assistance. A large number of homeowners are concerned with the cost of a real estate agent. If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, you should not have to worry about the high costs associated with using a real estate agent. This is because it is possible to find a low-cost flat fee realtor. Los Angeles has a select number of low-cost realtors; all you have to do is find them.

Before finding a flat fee realtor, it is important to understand how most flat fee realtors operate. When a realtor charges their clients for their services used, many real estate agents charge commission or a flat fee. Commission based realtors are paid a specific amount of money that is determined after the sale of your home. Flat fee realtors are often paid after the sale of your home, but their fees are usually decided up front.

One of the many advantages of using a flat fee realtor is that you will know ahead of time how much you will be required to a pay a realtor. In addition to having an exact dollar amount before the sale of your home, a large number of home owners can save money by using a flat fee realtor. This is because most realtors will charge the homeowners the same amount of money, no matter what their home ends up selling for.

If you are the owner of an expensive home, you are encouraged to use the services of a flat fee realtor. Los Angeles residents, with homes that are expected to sell for a large amount of money, can retain a higher profit from the sale of their home with a flat fee realtor. Los Angeles residents have been making money this way for years now. If you are interested in doing the same, you need to find a low-cost flat fee realtor today.

When it comes to finding a flat fee realtor, Los Angeles residents have a number of options. You can easily compare the flat fees charged by a number of Los Angeles realtors online. Most Los Angeles realtors have online websites. These online websites can and should be used to find a low-cost realtor. If you are interested in finding the lowest costing realtor, you are encouraged to compare prices on your own. What you view as low-cost, another individual may not. That is why it is important to do your own research instead of relying directly on recommendations from others.

Once you have found a low-cost flat fee realtor that meets your expectations, you are encouraged to consider retaining their services. Selling your home can be a difficult and sometimes complicated task. Eliminate the unnecessary time spent marketing your home to buyers that aren?t even interested. Let a flat fee Los Angeles realtor do all of the work for you.

Brad Horn is a writer for 1 percent realtor where you can find a great resource for information regarding Los Angeles Flat Fee Realtor

The Axioms Of Investment Probability

Whether you are an experienced investor or a Buyer who is beginning now to explore the ever-evolving world of real estate, or even if you are merely a cyberspace vagrant who stumbled across this Article by pure coincidence, chances are high that you will agree with my statement that eating chocolate cake every night for dinner does not go a long way towards meeting the generally accepted objective of health and nutrition. If you agree with this statement, however, by implication you also agree on the fact that eating chocolate cake every night for dinner does go some way towards meeting the generally accepted objective of health and nutrition - albeit minimally.

And this is the whole point: some people live to 100 years while smoking, drinking and eating chocolate cake every night throughout their entire lives. Likewise, some lazy people with no education whatsoever get rich, and they do not even have to win the lottery. But those are the exceptions that prove the rule. There are times when one can win by fighting the odds rather than playing with them, but the chances of success are greatly reduced - albeit they still exist. Hence, to maximize returns, there are probabilities that most investors need to put in their favour.

Here is a pleasant surprise. Unlike many of life's other challenges, putting investment odds in one's favour requires very little incremental effort. One doesn't necessarily have to study harder, work harder or eat better. In fact, the less you do, the better off you will be.

But there is also a catch. In real estate investing our natural psychology can sometimes pull us away from doing the right thing. The unique challenge of successful investing is that many real estate investors do not quite really understand how investment probabilities work, so they are not able to put them to use. Furthermore, many investors are unaware of how their own psychology leads them away from basic investment principles. Successful real estate investing is in direct function of putting the Axioms of Investment Probability in one's favour. These Axioms are:

[ In the short-term, real estate markets move randomly and are, therefore, unpredictable.

[ In the long-term, real estate markets are predictable and invariably tend to move upwards.

[ Risk is largely absorbed by holding many fractional smaller investments instead of a large single investment.

Let's now examine these Axioms closely, beginning with the first. Why are real estate markets unpredictable in the short-run?

In real estate, of course, no value is more important than market value - and no other factor is of a more ephemeral nature. This is so because real estate is an imperfect market. Although commonly and somewhat misleadingly referred to or otherwise thought of as one market, real estate consists of several, smaller markets, each one of which is constantly subjected to and shaped in accordance to external influences and in direct function of economic variables. Externalities the likes of demographic variations, income fluctuations, trends and social preferences, technological progress and government policies - all have a bearing on the desirability of a certain real product and all are proximate factors affecting demand and, conversely, supply at any given time. As such, the numerical determination of market value is also shifting in the short run to follow and reflect the impact of externalities.

This leads us to the second Axiom, that is in the long run real estate markets are more predictable in that many of the above-mentioned externalities have settled already into and have become part of what we, in real estate, refer to as ?established markets'. Sure, it is tempting to invest into newly-developed neighbourhoods, or even into sprawling new towns, but fact of the matter is that real capital assets hold their values better in established neighbourhoods in the long run. New subdivisions and developments are invariably more exposed to the conditions of the moment, whether the developer is lowering prices because he is pressured by his own financial commitments, or merely because the market turns ?soft'. In hindsight what may look as a ?good deal' today may not be a good deal at all tomorrow.

By contrast, values in established neighbourhoods tend to be more stable, since housing supply is produced using land, labour, and various inputs such as electricity and building materials. And, clearly, in older neighbourhoods the value of land typically skyrockets, since supply of land is exhausted. As real estate is a fixed and durable commodity and the land underneath is practically indestructible, in Economics real estate markets are modeled as a stock-over-flow market. About 98 percent of supply consists of the stock of existing houses, while about 2 percent consists of the flow of new development.

And why is it the prices of real capital assets invariably tend to increase in the long-term? The production of real estate output requires a constant supply of a labour force which can conserve and add value to inputs and capital assets, and thus create a higher value. The rationale behind this is that labour adds value by satisfying demand through production, since when people acquire income they tend to invest it, and the more people that acquire income the more people that tend to invest it. Therefore, there is a correlation between capital and employment in real estate or, if you will, between income and labour. An increase in levels of consumption sets forth an increase in prices caused by a corresponding increase in demand, in itself generated by a commensurate increase in the income-employment factor. It follows, therefore, that growth is derived by the equilibrium of capital and investment with labour and employment. This is specifically the reason why many economic analysts keep their eyes on interest rates and levels of employment, when it comes to forecasting and anticipating the future performance of real estate markets.

As to the third Axiom of Investment Probability, it is a recognized concept in modern economic investment theory that the risk of investing in several real capital assets is not equal to the sum of the risk of each asset but that, rather, it is lower than the sum of all risks. The reason is that the risk of each real capital investment is offset, to a certain extent, by the risk of other real capital investments. The lure of a single high-yield investment is tempting and capturing but, all other variables being constant, many fractional smaller investments add up to the same yield over the same capital investment with a much lower degree of risk.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://wwwrealestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles on Real Estate Economics and Finance. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Baby Furniture Buyers Guide

Baby furniture is one of the most popular types of gifts given at a baby shower. Gift shopping for nursery furniture can be made easier if the new parents have a gift registry at some popular stores in your area. However, this is often not the case. Be sure to always enclose a gift receipt with your gift so it can be returned if the new parents get duplicates.

Baby furniture is one of the most popular types of gifts given at a baby shower. Gift shopping for nursery furniture can be made easier if the new parents have a gift registry at some popular stores in your area. However, this is often not the case. Be sure to always enclose a gift receipt with your gift so it can be returned if the new parents get duplicates.

Communication between the guests would be wise to prevent any duplicate gifts. The guests could also choose to get together on something more expensive such as a piece of nursery furniture. The parents need items that will hold up well for their newborn, so check to make certain the item you choose is sturdy and built for safety.

Purchasing an expensive gift such as a piece of furniture for the nursery would help the new parents tremendously as they are probably strapped for cash at this point. What with the pre-natel care and the upcoming hospital and doctor expenses that come with any childbirth.

Baby Cribs

Cribs will be the most important piece of furniture the new parent will need for the baby. They come in a wide variety of styles and finishes to match any nursery theme or color scheme the parents might have for the nursery. They come as standard cribs, canopy, convertible, sleigh and various other types. Some of the more common features available would be adjustable mattress heights, metal mattress supports, one of three different kinds of release mechanism, rolling casters and/or a teething rail. A baby can use the crib from birth until around the age of 3. A safe and sturdy crib will cost from $150 to over $1000 depending on the quality of the wood and the features provided.

Crib Mattresses

A crib mattress is a very important item for the baby as she/he will be spending over 50% of his time on the mattress until he/she is around 3 years of age. Mattresses come in basically two types: foam or innerspring/coil. Foam weighs less while the innerspring/coil will last a much longer time. Accessories include bedding, crib sheets, crib wedges and waterproof mattress pads. High quality foam mattresses will cost between $80 to $100, while an innerspring/coil mattress will cost from $75 to $200.

Bedding-Bumpers-Sheets-Quilts-Shams

Most standard, canopy and convertible cribs will use standard size crib bedding. A round crib, porta crib, cradle and bassinet will all need special bedding to fit the size of the particular item. A bumper is a necessary item that is needed to keep the baby safe by keeping the baby's arms and legs from getting stuck in the slats. A quilt or comforter should not be used in the crib, but rather as a play mat for the baby. A diaper stacker is used to store your diapers and to keep the nursery more organized. Pillows are a safety hazard for the baby and should never be used in the crib. Most bedding sets can cost from $50 to as high as $700 for a set with better quality fabrics etc.

Changing Tables

A changing table should be well padded, have guardrails and include safety straps for the baby. They come in several types such as the combination sytle, dresser drawer and one with open shelves. Accessories include changing pads, oraganizers and wipe warmers. A changing table can be used from birth until about two years of age. They range in price from $90 to $200 depending on the accessories and storage space they have.

Rocking Chairs

A rocking chair would be a welcome addition to the baby nursery or living room. The rocking chair would give the mom-to-be lots of quality time with her newborn baby.

Moses Baskets

Moses baskets are a rather unique piece of furniture. A moses basket would be an unexpected but welcome baby shower gift. Also something the mother could pass on for a heirloom. This is an item that could be passed from generation to generation.

Child's Rocking Chair

A children's rocking chair would make a great gift. One that most people wouldn't think of giving. You wouldn't need to worry about duplicating your gift with some other guest with this gift.

Playpen & Play Yard

Play yards come in 3 different types. The basic which can be used as a playpen or a crib. One that has a bassinet built in for the newborn. A canopy style to keep you infant shielded from the sun and to keep in cooler in the outdoors. Accessories you can purchase seperately include a changing station, netting for outdoor use and sheets. A play yard can be used from birth until about 2 years of age. Good quality play yards cost between $60 to more than $200.

Portable Travel Crib

A portable travel crib would be great for those over-night trips out of town or state to family or friends.

Cradles

A cradle is used from birth until 4 months or the baby is able to roll from side to side. Cradles usually include a padded bumper, fitted sheet and a quilt or comforter. One of the advantages of a cradle is that you can rock it and it is lower than a crib.

Baby Dresser

Every nursery needs a chest of drawers for the newborn. You can buy them with a theme, in different styles, shapes and colors. If you know how the new parents will be decorating the nursery, you can match the baby dresser to the theme.

High Chair

All new parents need this very essential piece of furniture. There are several types of high chairs: Adjustable, conventional, booster and wooden. The high chair should have an adjustable tray, locking mechanism, some kind of restraint system and possibly rolling casters which are allowed to be locked easily. Parents can use the high chair as soon as the baby is born for bottle feeding if it is capable of fully reclining.

Bassinets

A traditional piece of nursery furniture would be a bassinet. The baby can use the bassinet from birth until about 4 month of age. Bassinet sets usually include a hood cover, fitted sheet, plain sheet and a bumper.

Car Seats

A car seat is a necessity because every state requires the baby be restrained while in a car. Newborns must travel in the back seat in a car seat that faces the rear of the car. After the baby is a year old you change to a forward facing car seat. Car seats come in several different types. An infant car seat, convertible and booster seats. Infant and convertible car seats cost between $60 and $300.

Strollers

Strollers come as a standard stroller, single, umbrella, double strooler or as a travel system which is a combination stroller and car seat. Most strollers have a canopy, front bar, harness, reliner and a storage space. Accessories available include accessory bars, attachable toy and activity bars, infant headrests, rain sheilds and stroller connectors for attaching two strollers together. A stroller can be used from around 4 months of age until about 3 or 4 years old. Depending on the style and quality strollers can be purchased for as little as $15 to as much as $1,000.

Baby Monitor

A monitor may be a luxery item, but it can give the parents added reassurance that their baby is safe. There are several types: audio, audio/movement and audio/video monitors. Monitors can be used from newborn to toddler. Depending on the type of monitor, you can buy them for as little as $20 on up to $400, with the audio/video monitor being the most expensive.

Bouncer Seat

A very useful item is a bouncer seat. They can come with an accessory toy bar, canopy, restraint and variable speeds. A bouncer seat can be used from newborn until the baby is 9 months old. The standard non-battery operated bouncer seats cost between $40 and $75 while the battery operated seats tend to cost a bit more.

Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randy is owner of Profitable Home Businesses, How to Plan a Baby Shower and Las Vegas Weddings.

Poker Etiquette Key Points You Must Follow When Playing Poker

In poker, the best rule to follow is to treat your opponents as you would like to be treated. All other rules and principles originate from this one concept. Not only will your opponents appreciate your good intentions, but by following this concept and some other key points, you will feel like a more confident, knowledgeable and skilled player at the poker table.

The first rule of thumb is to be as polite as possible. You should always play the game like you are playing with your best friend, except without all the talking. Maybe a better person to imagine is your boss. If you imagine your opponents that way, you will avoid swearing and other inappropriate behaviour. This will also likely improve your game. Bad form can really damage even the best hands, as it is likely to distract you.

Never toss your chips. This is rude and it prevents other players and the dealer from counting your bet. You may be forced to place more chips if your bet cannot be determined. Always move your chips neatly toward the dealer.

Use appropriate language, especially when talking the dealer. It's not the dealer's fault when you receive bad cards and it's not his fault you're a bad player either. He or she is merely doing his or her job, which likely entails long hours and low wages, so treat him or her with respect.

Rely on the dealer if you don't know how to read your hand. This is especially important if you are an inexperienced player. Don't ask other players for help at the table. This is extremely bad form.

The general rule to follow is that for every one player, there is one hand. That means you should avoid giving other players advice about their hands. This is better for you and better for your opponents, because your motives and strategy cannot be questioned.

Think about tempo. It is bad form to play too slowly. It can cause your opponents and the dealer much frustration. It also makes the game less exciting and can cause your opponents to lose their cool and take it out on you. You shouldn't play slowly unless you want to get a bad reputation at the tables.

Even though you may want to, don't pocket your chips. It is in appropriate to mislead other players about how much money you have at the table. Even if your only motivation is to hide them from yourself, keep them on the table.

Play only when it is your turn. This means that you keep your poker face at all times, especially when it is not your hand. This includes not making folding gestures out of turn and refraining from betting out of turn. Failing to do this can give your opponents insider information.

You shouldn't eat at the poker table. Anything that adds clutter to the table should be avoided. And, eating can make the cards or chips needlessly greasy.

If you have the winning hand, don't delay. It is bad form to hold your hand back to gain suspense if you suspect you are the winner. It will be embarrassing for you if you have to be asked by the dealer.

Don't expose your cards during the game. This is a simple idea, but one to follow nonetheless.

And, one of the most important rules of etiquette is to be silent. Even if you've been dealt an awesome hand and the community cards only make it better, there is a chance someone else can beat you. You don't want to have to eat crow later. Also, don't comment on others' actions, previous hands or games, your hand, opponents' hands and any other time you consider speaking, really. Choose your words carefully. It can protect your hand and others' hands.
About the Author

Nearly Everyone Uses It and So What?

Occasionally a prospective client comes to me very gungho about getting publicity and declares that they envision coverage in every major newspaper in the country and on every network broadcast. After all, their logic runs, our product is something everyone uses -- we have close to 150 million customers a year in the U.S. alone.

Whoa! I reply. That's not enough of a reason for the media to do a story. Nearly everyone uses a toothbrush and a wallet of one sort or another, but how often do you see stories about either of those items in the papers or on the nightly news? Prevalent doesn't mean interesting or timely. So let's brainstorm about what would entice the media to consider something about your item newsworthy.

By putting a spin on something ordinary, or identifying some unusual aspect of something ordinary, you have a good chance of getting major media hits. For instance:

* Create a controversy. E.g., claim that 90% of Americans use each toothbrush far too long.

* Give an award. E.g., a prize for the world's rattiest wallet.

* Offer surprising facts about your product. E.g., how long ago people were using toothbrushes surprising similar to today's.

* Show an unexpected clientele using your product. E.g., wallets for toddlers or for nudists.

* Piggyback on the news. E.g., play up the connection if there's a toothbrush scene in a new feature film or a popular sit-com.

* Do a survey. E.g., what percentage of people never leave the house for any purpose without bringing their wallet.

* Compile a set of useful tips. E.g., ten ways you should never use a toothbrush.

* Donate your product or a gift certificate to a good cause. E.g., a new wallet for every high school graduate in your home town.

* Offer a freebie. E.g., a free call-in line for questions about dental hygiene.

* Invent a new use for your product. E.g., wallets designed for efficiency at security checkpoints.

* Tie your product to economic trends. E.g., what toothbrush sales reveal about recessions and economic booms.

* Do something anachronistic. E.g., create wallet carriers, which a butler can hold out for the man in the house when he comes home from work.

* Sponsor a charity event. E.g., the Toothbrush Ball.

* Do something about your environmental impact. E.g., recyclable wallets.

* Celebrate an anniversary. E.g., your 10 millionth toothbrush sold.

* Create regional variations. E.g., the Tall Texan wallet, the Seattle Surprise, the Plains Packer.

* Get offbeat endorsements. E.g., from a punk rocker, a bartender, a has-been politician for your toothbrushes.

* Feature employees with stories. E.g., an over-80 wallet designer, marketing vice-presidents who are twins.

* Run an event for kids. E.g., develop a show that travels to day-care centers on how to brush teeth.

Once you have a newsworthy angle, then the ambition to get your story into every household in the country makes more sense!

Marcia Yudkin is the author of the classic guide to comprehensive PR, 6 Steps to Free Publicity, now for sale in an updated edition at Amazon.com and in bookstores everywhere. She also spills the secrets on advanced tactics for today's publicity seekers in Powerful, Painless Online Publicity, available from www.yudkin.com/powerpr.htm .

Recognising the Potential in Property Deals

I found a nice little house for sale last week in a neighbouring town while I was driving home. I always keep and eye out for real estate investing opportunities. An old lady was in the front yard cleaning up some weeds. The property had two agents? boards out the front. I had noticed this place about six weeks earlier with a ?for private sale by owner? board out the front only. The owner was trying to sell the place privately. Now it had two agents? boards in the front yard.

When the private sale board was up I had enquired what the asking price was. It turned out the owners wanted $178000 for the home. I did some calculations at the time, but the figures did not add up to my requirements. So I did not pursue it any further.

When I noticed the two agents? signs this time and I saw the elderly lady in the front yard I thought I may as well make some new enquiries. The owner told me that there had been little enquiry for her property. No real estate investors had shown any interest even any real serious live in home buyers. Enid asked me if I wanted to look through the house. I had time and said if it was okay with her that would be great.

As I walked into the back yard I noticed how big it was. There was a gas line easement at the back and a large park out the front. The house is on the same road as the primary and secondary schools as well. Down the street past the schools about 400 meters is a new housing development that is adding massive value to the area for real estate growth and capital gains.

The block of land the house is on, is long enough to build two adjacent town houses. They would blend into the area very well. Especially with the parkland out front and no one able to build behind. I immediately began to think about the zoning of the block. If it was R1 or R2 zoned. I will enquire at the local council. If the zoning turns out to be R2 then I would be able to build a pair of three bedroom duplexes. It is only a short walk to the town centre as well. Another plus in this investment property?s favour.

I found this potentially great deal by always watching what is going on in my targeted areas. This is something that is important to any real estate investor. The other important aspect is to recognize the hidden potential that some properties have. Also you need to be able to capitalize on these opportunities. This all takes time to learn and to put into practice. But it is certainly worth the effort to ensure you move along with your wealth creation and retirement nest egg.

To your investing success

Leo Love

PS If any of your family or friends is interested please pass this on to them

http://www.therealestateinvester.com

I am an experienced and passionate investor. I buy typical mum and dad type houses that give me cash flow and capital growth. My website offers helpful tips and ideas for any type of investor to help you with your wealth creation. Using my site will help to prevent you falling into the traps the inexperienced investors do.

Mortgage Jobs Decrease Due To Housing Slowdown

Job cuts in the mortgage industry go hand-in-hand with decreased home buying and building numbers. With many companies trying to adjust to the stalling market, jobs seem to be dwindling.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, for instance, has eliminated several positions from across the country this year. The company has not specified exact numbers, but said that some employees not needed in the mortgage sector have been transfered to other business lines.

"Our long-standing commitment is to retain as much talent as we can," said Lynn Greenwood, a senior vice president for Wells Fargo.

Industry experts say that job cuts are unavoidable in a slowing market. Most analysts predict that there will be more cuts in the coming months.

Richard Bove, financial analyst for Punk Ziegel & Co., said that the downturn may become a painful experience for those in the mortgage industry. He noted that just this past week, three national mortgage companies have warned investors that they expect earnings to be negatively impacted for the quarter.

"Wells Fargo has a bigger commitment to housing than most any other company in the United States," Bove explained. "No matter how well-run they are, and Wells Fargo is one of the best-run companies out there, they simply won't be able to avoid this blow."

Bove disagrees with the company's insistence that the changes in jobs have been "minimal."

"They won't be minimal," he said. "I guarantee they won't be. Frankly, I'd be worried if they really were minimal, because they have to protect the health of the company at a time when the whole industry's sick."

Bove did say that Wells Fargo holds a competitve edge over other mortgage competitors, due to the diversity of the company.

"Maybe they won't find jobs in Des Moines, but maybe they'll find other Wells Fargo jobs," he said of the recent job eliminations in Des Moines, Ill.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the slowdown is seen in the entire industry, affecting builders, lenders, real estate agents, brokers and credit companies.

David Seiders, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, said that he expects to see worse numbers in the next two quarters.

"There's no doubt the contraction is going to be larger," Seiders said.

Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

Austin Real Estate Listings

Austin has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. It has a population of half a million. Austin is considered a good place for entrepreneurs, with great opportunities and a good business environment. Therefore, it is an ideal location to invest in real estate. Shop around to the different neighborhoods, and see what surrounding attractions exist, so that you will know how to pitch the land if you ever want to resell it on the market.

With its clean air, clean water, and healthy food facilities, it has attracted many people. Austin has the campus of the University of Texas, where many students come to study. All these factors contributed to the real estate boom in Austin.

In Austin there are many real estate agents or brokers. They provide listings for real estate once the buyer registers with them. They also give lists to the buyer according to the buyer?s needs. Many real estate agents have websites where they keep updated lists of the properties they have to trade.

There are many other websites which provide information about the city of Austin. These websites also possess real estate listings. But the problem with such listings is that most of the time they are not updated. Hence, time can be wasted.

The newspaper is one of the best and cheapest options to get real estate listings in Austin. Most local newspapers provide listings in their classified section or in special issues on real estate. Local magazines devoted to real estate also give listings on real estate in Austin.

Austin Real Estate provides detailed information on Austin Real Estate, Austin Real Estate Brokers, Austin Commercial Real Estates, Austin Real Estate Listings and more. Austin Real Estate is affiliated with Dallas Real Estate Agencies.

10 Best Cities for Real Estate in 2006

Buy, sell or hold seem to be the biggest worries of home buyers and real estate investors in the 2006 residential real estate market. After solid double-digit appreciation in many major markets the last five years, investors and home buyers alike see the brakes on growth in 2006. Where to go? Mark Nash real estate author of 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home lays out where investors and home buyers can make a go it in 2006.

-Atlanta, Georgia. Below average appreciation rates that have not matched other major markets.

-Austin, Texas. Good news here, affordable housing prices attracting employers. Rising appreciation.

-Boise, Idaho. New on real estate investors radar, attracting scores of out-of-state buyers. Good profit prospects.

-Dallas, Texas. Prices creeping upward, fueling investor interest. Many tired of northern winters put this on their must-move-to destination list.

-Houston, Texas. Demand from Katrina transplants driving a strong market, plus attractive pricing is making this a popular relocation market.

-Las Vegas, Nevada. Market returning to normal appreciation rates, demand stays steady. One of the fastest growing areas in the country.

-Phoenix, Arizona. Ignored in the boom, now being discovered by investors. Most cities here are bargain-priced.

-San Antonio, Texas. Waking from a stagnant appreciation period. Good returns projected here for the next several years.

-Seattle, Washington. Good economy and low inventories offer attractive appreciation gains in 2006.

-Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Solid Midwestern values speculate-proof this burgeoning market.

Mark Nash is the author of Fundamentals of Marketing for the Real Estate Professional, Starting & Succeeding in Real Estate, Reaching Out: The Financial Power of Niche Marketing, and 1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home. Mark is a contributing writer for: Realtor (R) Magazine Online, Broker Agent News, Real Estate Executive Magazine, Principal Broker, and Realty Times. His tried and true real estate tips has been featured on Business Week, CBS The Early Show, CNN, HGTVpro.com, The New York Times, and USA Today. Purchase his books at http://www.1001RealEstateTips.com.

Online Gambling Software

The Messina Bridge Development Will The Project In Sicily & Mainland Italy Commence?

If you are a property or real estate investor in Sicily, you will probably be aware of the ongoing situation regarding the proposed Messina bridge, which would connect Sicily and mainland Italy, by road, and drastically reduce the speed to travel between the two. The bridge would in effect probably greatly aid the Sicilian economy and make Sicily even more accessible and attractive to investors and realtors. With the defeat of Berlusconi from office, the bridge project (which would mean creating the longest suspension bridge in the world) this year 2006 looks unlikely to go ahead. The project was a pet project of Berlusconi's and Prodi who has taken over power, clearly seems to believe that the bridge is unnecessary and a waste of money.

On the 19th September 2006, approximately 1000 residents of Sicilian and neighbouring mainland areas i.e. marched in Rome to voice their support and desire for the Messina bridge project, demanding an improved infrastructure in the South of Italy, which has arguably, been neglected over the years. The North of Italy is more affluent than the poorer south. One group involved with the protest went as far as staging a pretend funeral to highlight the death of the bridge project. The protestors want the project brought back to life.

Sicily has lacked investment in the past and the protestors, who included Sicily's local government chief Salvatore Cuffaro, believe that the bridge would drastically help the Sicilian economy and also create thousands of jobs. The bridge has already been approved by the E.U. and there is a fair amount of opposition to the bridge, in addition to support for it. The opposition highlight the costs that would be involved, and concerns that the mafia could become involved in the financial side of the construction work. Others highlight concerns over the environmental impact of the bridge, if it is built. Many Sicilians though, feel that they deserve finally to get some investment into their depressed region.

Under Berlusconi, the bridge development would have commenced this year and finished 2012, at an estimated cost of more than 4 billion euros. Estimates in the media, state that the bridge would likely be able to handle four and a half thousand cars per hour, up to two hundred trains a day. This project would certainly help the Sicilian economy and also booast the Sicily real estate market.

Sicily property Italy
Barcelona property

St. George Utah is Pure Fun in the Sun

If you are considering a retirement move, St. George, Utah is a safe, fun place to live.

Washington County and St. George (the city in the heart of Washington County) enjoy a very low crime rate. When it comes to raising children our community, schools, and parents in particular, use strong old fashioned values to guide the children and teenagers. This caring environment produces warm, friendly families who care about their neighbors and neighborhoods.

Summers in St. George are hot from June to August. Summer temperatures run from about 104? to 110? during the day. Fall and spring are beautiful with temps running 70s to 80?s. Winters are crisp during January and February with hard frosts at night and 50? temperatures during the day.

St. George has an amazing variety of entertainment activities. For example we have a 2000 seat outdoor amphitheater (Tuachan Amphitheater) that has a stage back drop of soaring 1000 foot red rock cliffs. These cliffs occasionally are highlighted with natural water falls shortly after a rain fall. Productions of Cats, Westside Story, South Pacific, and Peter Pan are just a few of the shows that run throughout the summer and fall.

Washington County, where St. George is located, also has a live musical theater in-the-round (St. George Musical Theater), two new libraries and several first-class restaurants. There is shopping galore, with most stores being new or nearly new.

Of course, the natural beauty of Southern Utah is amazing. Several National and State Parks are very close by. The red rocks of Zion Park, Bryce Canyon and Snow Canyon State Parks are within just a few minutes to a few hours drive of St. George.

The St. George area attracts a lot of retirees. This means that age restricted communities abound. In addition to the retirement communities, the builders tend to cater to retirees by building a lot of one story homes with large rooms and small easy to manage yards. There are also several gated communities geared towards the ?well-to-do? with home prices starting at $750,000 and going up from there.

If you are looking for a great retirement town, St. George, Utah might be the place to move to.

This content is provided by Don Glasgow and may be used or republished only in its entirety with all links included. To sign up to receive weekly St. George foreclosure listings click Here.

Get Fit with a Jogging Stroller

Having a baby is one of the most joyous times of your life and if you were careful during your pregnancy, you probably only gained in the vicinity of about thirty pounds of extra weight.

Women who spaced their children widely apart, say having a baby in their twenties and then another when they were in their thirties; frequently comment that the weight was much easier to lose when they had their first child. There are many factors that contribute to this.

Women in their twenties are generally more energetic than their peers that are a little older. Women also tend to be a little more sedentary in their thirties and this can cause their metabolisms to run a little more slowly. If you've ruled out any physical problems that can make exercising out of the question for yourself and you have your doctor's okay to begin working out again-get a jogging stroller and run your way back to your smaller size clothes.

This is a great activity that you can do with your baby and many jogging strollers have excellent shock systems that give the baby a smooth ride no matter how rough the sidewalk can feel. Additionally, many babies find the rhythm of the running very soothing and take a nap while you get fit.

If you decide to run with your baby during the months when it gets darker earlier; make sure that you're visible. Even if you just jog in the neighborhood. People let their guards down and that's when accidents can happen. Use reflective strips on both yourself and your jogging stroller to ensure you can be seen and avoid accidents during your jaunts with your baby.
About the Author

Volvo Focuses Attention To Gen Y With C70

In the global automotive world, one car company stands out as the producer of the safest cars. Volvo, the Sweden-based Ford-owned car brand, has always been the trend setter when it comes to safety features. This dedication to produce safe cars has even led to what some people would call a ?boring? design.

But Volvo engineers have been working to produce a car with safety features and good looks combined. In the past ten years, Volvo has said goodbye to boxy designs and is developing and producing vehicles that are aimed at the younger generation of car buyers. The Volvo S40 and the Volvo C30 are two of the best looking cars from the company which shows their wholehearted efforts to produce safe and stylish vehicles. Another model though that is attracting the attention of more aesthetically tuned car buyers is the Volvo C70 convertible.

The Volvo C70 is the successor of the Volvo 780 and it is currently competing with popular models such as the Saab 9-3, the Audi A4 Cabriolet, and the Volkswagen Eos. It joined the youth oriented models in Volvo?s lineup in 1997 and since then, it has been turning heads. Some automotive experts think that the Volvo C70 is one of the most stylish vehicles to have been produced by Volvo. Of course, the fact that it is a convertible has a lot to do with its appealing form.

While the Volvo C70 has a high aesthetic value because of it being a convertible, it also suffers some drawbacks for the same reason. For one, luggage capacity is minimal. Once you have the top down, the already limited trunks space shrinks even further.

But Volvo designed an ingenious solution for this. With a touch of a button, a mechanism forces the folded roof upward against the top of the trunk. Once that step is done, it is just a matter of sliding in your limited luggage into the car?s trunk. Once the luggage is safely stowed away, just simply release the forced up folded roof, close the trunk?s lid and you are ready to go. Volvo C70 owners can also use the second row of seats to hold their cargo. The limited legroom of the second row of seats makes it more suitable to hold cargoes than passengers.

The interior of the vehicle is what Volvo would call Scandinavian luxury. Combining simplicity and luxurious features, Volvo has made the C70 one of the vehicles in its class with the most appealing interior. The floating console is also an integral feature of the C70. The said feature has earned the praise of Volvo consumers.

The tone of the interior of the C70 is aluminum with black surrounds. This gives the inside of the C70 a simplistic but luxurious appeal. A luxury feature of the Volvo C70 includes heated seats which is, of course, a necessity on Sweden?s icy and chilled roads. The most notable feature of the C70, of course, is the three-piece folding roof which is quickly stowed away with a touch of a button. This feature though can only be used once the car is stationary.

The Volvo C70?s looks is complemented by a powerful engine. Under the C70?s stylish hood lies a 2.5-liter five-cylinder, turbocharged engine that has been made to be very capable of producing 217 horsepower at 5,000 revs per minute. The said power output is more than enough for the compact convertible. With that much power and the vehicle?s relative small frame, the engine and the host of Volvo C70 parts, the vehicle is reported to achieve speeds of a hundred kilometers per hour from a stationary position in just 8 seconds. All in all, this convertible from Volvo is a solid car which can give its competitors a good run for their money.

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.You can also, Volvo C70 parts visit for more information.

DIY Public Relations

Ever felt aggrieved that other entrepreneurs make the headlines but you don?t? Louise Third, founder of Integra Communications, the enterprise PR specialists, says it?s not as tough as it looks; it just requires planning and the application of some basic rules.

Kevin and Dawn Hartley, the owners of Mozart?s Restaurant in Nottingham have tangible evidence that a planned use of PR can significantly improve sales. The couple, who opened the 40-seat restaurant in November 2002, decided to take every opportunity to contact their local press and radio with ?news? and comment. Their opening was marked on Radio Trent FM with champagne and canap?s and was followed a month later by a 2 hour Christmas Show broadcast live from the restaurant. BBC Radio Nottingham carried a Valentine?s recipe on the website and 50,000 listeners enjoyed a live cooking session in association with the Nottingham Restaurant Awards.

?Our biggest media coverage success came on National No-Smoking Day in 2004 when we took the decision to announce that Mozart?s had become Nottingham?s first totally non-smoking restaurant,? says Head Chef Kevin. ?Not only did BBC Radio Nottingham interview us then, but when the government White Paper on smoking was published last November, we were bombarded with requests for interviews.? Kevin and Dawn found themselves on several local radio stations, and in front of regional TV cameras. Although the media requests were quite demanding, the couple made themselves available for interview, thus helping the journalists complete their work and gaining a profile for the restaurant. As a direct result of their PR efforts, the Hartleys have enjoyed a 15% rise in trade.

Inside every small business is a story bursting to get out. Start with that positive attitude and you will get thinking creatively about possible media coverage. A clever use of public relations will help people to understand what you offer, will gradually build your reputation and keep you at the forefront of people?s minds ? ahead of the competition!

Basic rules
The fact that Kevin and Dawn planned a media campaign as part of their overall sales strategy brings us to the first rule of sound public relations:

1. Use PR as an integral part of your marketing plan: once you have decided the level of sales you need to breakeven and then to make a profit, identify those who need to know about you and what you offer. If you have opened a new shop, customers may be very local but if you specialise they may travel from much further away. Perhaps you coach senior executives to cope in stressful conditions: then your potential clients may be the UK?s FTSE 100 companies or large public corporations. You may decide to use a combination of direct mail, networking so you get referrals/recommendations and publicity.

2. Identify what your target customers read, watch and listen to. This is likely to be a mixture of local, regional and national papers, trade or professional magazines, local and national radio stations and TV, not to mention all the ?New Media? options. If it is practical, ask them; if you are visiting their premises, what publications can you see in reception? Make a list, find the name of the most relevant editor or feature writer and call them to see how they would like to receive your news. The fax machine used to be widely used to issue press releases; this was then overtaken by email, but ironically many PR firms are reverting to fax; it can?t be erased or ignored and is still cheaper than post. Then there?s the direct call to the journalist or news desk??.if you have a very strong story. However, be realistic. Don?t set your sights on regular television coverage, but equally don?t rule it out (at least regionally).

3. Find the ?news?. Be ruthless and think like a journalist, otherwise your release will get tossed in the bin. The journalist will be looking for things their readers will find interesting, amusing or useful. Here are a few ideas, but there are as many permutations as there are businesses:

? a significant new contract
? launch of a survey / report
? a new appointment
? sponsorship of a local charity / event
? welcome or condemn new policy/proposals
? claim first/last/biggest/latest (but avoid best!)
? launch a campaign / involve a celebrity
? letters to the Editor

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I helped a client, Linda Russell, to launch a new shop in north-Nottinghamshire. Not that newsworthy you may think, but this was no ordinary shop and Linda is no ordinary lady. Having recovered from breast cancer and reconstructive surgery at the age of 31, Linda launched ?Perfect Fit?, an online service selling the latest designs and styles of lingerie for women with post-operative needs. The shop would allow Linda to display her stock, provide a professional fitting service and offer a sanctuary for women to meet and talk. We issued a pre-opening media release with the headline, ?Linda?s Perfect Fit helps Breast Cancer ?blues?? and linked the launch to Breast Cancer Awareness month by including a quote and useful statistics from the regional Cancer Research UK representative. This small campaign had all the necessary ?hooks? for media coverage and gave the journalists what they needed. As a result Linda received full page and editorial coverage in the main regional press, feature and interview slots on local radio and a phone-in on BBC Radio Nottingham. Timing, planning and sensitive delivery was all it took.

4. Write the media release. Although you want to encourage the journalists to use your story, this is not a sales pitch, so avoid gushing praise of yourself and your product. Here are some basic guidelines:

? Cover the facts in the first paragraph including who, what, why, when, where and how as clearly as you can.

? The second paragraph should build on the first and carry any significant facts

? Include a quote; this adds personality and endorsement to the story

? Use Notes at the end to carry background information which reporters can use for research. Remember to include a contact name and number.

? Choose a simple, attention-grabbing headline which re-enforces the overall message

? Type MEDIA RELEASE at the top, date it and indicate when the information can be published.

? Use A4 paper, 1.5 line-spacing, wide margins and type

? ENDS to indicate you have finished.

? Limit your release to one page if possible, two at the most. Short, informative and interesting goes down well with busy reporters.

? A well constructed, high resolution (300 dpi) photo can turn a mediocre story into the one that gets coverage.

? Proof-read the release before it goes out. Then get someone else to do it again. It?s amazzing what you can misss??

5. The follow-up. So far so good, but now comes the tricky bit: you need to check that the right person has got your release and if so, talk to them about the chances of it being used. Always assume the journalist or editor is busy and ask if they are free to talk. Be prepared as they may have additional questions and may need convincing of the strength of your story. Don?t say anything you wouldn?t want reported if it sounds as though they are interviewing you. Radio stations will either pre-record an interview in person or over the phone, or ask you into the studio, again to pre-record or go live. Check that you know exactly what to expect; it is not unreasonable to ask what the questions might be.

Kevin Hartley of Mozart?s Restaurant has learned a great deal from the experience and has no doubt that working with the media is good for business. ?You need to make yourself media-friendly; that means being very flexible so they can meet their deadlines. You need to build a list of contacts at the local radio, press and TV offices and be bold enough to pick up the phone when you have some news. We now seem to be in their database, so journalists wanting a restaurateur to comment on something seem to ring me.? It just goes to show how even the smallest business can make headlines .

Finally, as media relations is a commercial activity you should try to measure the effect any exposure has had. It can be as simple as monitoring phones calls and website hits in the period immediately following the coverage. If you convert these into sales, all the better. If people are more aware of you, introductions become that much easier. Stick at it and you will be amazed how a little effort can go along way.

Mozart?s Restaurant: www.mozarts.co.uk
Perfect Fit: www.perfectfit-online.co.uk

About the Author:

Louise Third is a Partner in Integra Communications http://www.integracommunications.co.uk Alongside the agency, Louise provides a coaching service, giving PR guidance to smaller businesses who might not be able to afford an agency but are prepared to do the legwork themselves.

Magnesium applications in the short term

Magnesium is a very abundant metal, but is produced in small quantities. The amount of magnesium produced each year is about 400,000 metric tons. The amount of aluminum produced each year is about 22,000,000 metric tons. Both metals were isolated and identified by Sir Humphrey Davy within a year of each other.

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal. Based on structural metal occurrence in the Earth's crust, magnesium is the third most abundant after aluminum and iron. Silicon is the most abundant element, but it is not a structural material. Based on the magnesium in brine deposits, salt lakes and the oceans, magnesium is by far the most abundant of all metals. There are 6,000,000 tons of magnesium in a cubic mile of seawater. There are 330 million cubic miles of seawater according to the Scientific American.

Magnesium has properties that enable it to be used in many areas. Its very light weight makes it especially attractive to aerospace and to automobile industries. However, magnesium has struggled for acceptance for many years, mainly due to a high price when compared to aluminum. That wide variation of price is being overcome and magnesium is now ready to be more widely used to benefit mankind and the environment.

Magnesium's density is 1.74 compared to aluminum at 2.7. There are other basic inherent advantages with the use of magnesium, not the least of which is greater rigidity and a much higher damping capacity.

Of the total amount of magnesium metal used in industry on a worldwide basis in 2002, approximately one-half went to aluminum alloying and desulfurization of iron and steel. The magnesium industry did very little work and invested very little money in these applications. Most of the research and development was done by the end-user company.

Most of the major uses of magnesium in automobiles were developed and promoted by engineers and designers employed by the auto companies. That included the earlier use of magnesium in the Volkswagen Beetle, the world's most successful car, with approximately 25 million vehicles being built. Construction continues in South America and Mexico. The Beetle used approximately 44 pounds (22 kg) in each car. Magnesium was specified by Porsche in the original car and has remained that way. (Porsche first worked with a magnesium engine in 1928.)

The potential for magnesium applications is limitless. Magnesium development needs some long-range vision, technical intelligence, and lots of work and money. Unfortunately, many of the producers are fighting for survival and it is difficult to justify the investment of large amounts of money in research and development. But without the vision and investment, plus a strong marketing effort, magnesium applications will continue to be slow in developing.
The great immediate future for magnesium remains in the world autos. There is a need for light weight and there are many millions of cars produced each year. However, the auto industry has changed and it has less designers and materials people on companies' staff than was the case. To get more magnesium usage in automobiles, the magnesium industry must take a much more pro-active approach to the auto companies. In many cases, the final design decisions are being left to the Tier 1 suppliers. The auto companies are becoming specifiers of components that they will assemble. Much of the component supply is based on just-in-time delivery.

Any new magnesium use must meet some basic review criteria:

1. The cost of the finished product must be competitive. This includes the direct cost and the overall usage cost. For example, a lightweight part on a car may cost more than aluminum, but the lighter weight may have many other advantages that would add value to the use of the magnesium part.

2. The application must be reducible to efficient manufacturing processes. This includes casting or fabrication rates, scrap, and finishing and assembly operations.

3. Resistance to corrosion. Magnesium occupies a very high position on the table of electrochemical activities. This means that it tends to corrode faster than some other materials. Alloy development, assembly research, and coating technologists must continue to work to lessen these problems.

4. Flammability. While magnesium does not burn unless it melts, finely divided powder and shaving created in fabrication operations can catch fire. In any case, it is an area that must be constantly addressed. As long as science teachers in high school classes continue to burn pieces of magnesium ribbon, the image of the bright white fire will far surpass any knowledge of the fire resistance of solid magnesium.

5. Commonality. Aluminum objects exist everywhere. There are a million examples of aluminum use. There are very few visible examples of magnesium use. Many people go through their lives without ever coming into contact with magnesium unless it be in vitamin supplements or Milk of Magnesia. This has changed to some extent with the increased use of magnesium in computer cases and cellular phones.

Magnesium can be utilized in any item that is used in a repetitive fashion by human labor. The use of magnesium in chainsaws, nail guns, electric drills, plasterers, and brick layers tools is greatly advantageous to the man who works with the tools all day.

Magnesium was used in ladders for many years, for example, by fire departments. When the price of magnesium increased dramatically in the 1970s, many users crossed over to aluminum because of the cost difference.

Magnesium producers must realize that magnesium will only become a wider used material if information and data on the metal and its alloys is readily available. Without this step forward, magnesium cannot experience the interest and growth that its marvelous properties warrant.

Magnesium alloys that will withstand higher temperatures are being developed. This type of work, promoted by the magnesium researchers in many areas, is now getting closer scrutiny from the auto manufacturers for engine blocks and transmission housings. The recent announcement by Mercedes-Benz of a new 7G-TRONIC seven speed, automatic transmission that will be standard on the E500, S430, S500, CL500, and SL500 cars from Autumn 2003 was of great interest since the housing will be in magnesium, enabling the change from 5-speed to 7-speed without a weight penalty.

At present, approximately 1 million GMT800 full size trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUV) are produced annually. These vehicles have two magnesium transfer cases (total weight 7 kg) per unit. At VW in 2002, about 600 manual transmission cases were produced daily for the VW Passat and the Audi A4/A6. Magnesium transmission cases are also used in the VW Santana produced in China. These are all manual transmissions and the temperature of operation is below 125?C so a standard AZ91 alloy can be used. Automatic transmissions run at higher temperatures and new alloys with better creep resistance at the higher temperatures are needed. Some automatic transmissions are starting to be produced for production model cars in magnesium.

German carmaker Audi, a unit of German vehicle manufacturer Volkswagen, plans to launch on the Spanish market its all-road vehicle Audi V8 Quattro, it was reported on May 5, 2003.
The car is equipped with a 4.2 liter, 300 hp engine, and can develop from 2,700 to 4,600 revolutions per minute (RPM). The model has five-speed, Tiptronic automatic transmission with Dynamic Shift Programme (DSP), which allows an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. The car can reach a maximum speed of 240 km/h. Audi V8 Quattro will be introduced on the Spanish market at a price of $76,500 (67,820). [Editor's note: Through the use of magnesium components, the engine weight of Audi V8 Quattro model has been reduced some 5 kg compared to other Audi eight-cylinder engines. Tiptronic is a registered trademark of Audi. It is a special kind of transmission, which combines the convenience of the automatic transmission with the dynamics of a manual transmission. The driver can switch from automatic to Tiptronic at any time while driving. In both modes, gear shifts take place with no power interruption.

When there are 40 million cars produced per year, then the addition of 20 kg on 25% of the vehicle production would require 200 million kg of magnesium or 200,000 tons of magnesium alloy. This would require a 50% increase in the total world production of magnesium.

The automotive use that has received the greatest worldwide acceptance is the steering wheel. Nearly one-half of all vehicles produced in 2002 used a magnesium die-casting for the steering wheel. The reason for magnesium is to keep the weight down as the wheel is designed to contain an air bag container. The wheel is also made of an alloy that will deform and not break on impact. This same design parameter has been used when designing the ignition mechanisms into the steering column. In crash testing, it is important that the steering column go up and away from the driver's body. The lighter weight of the assembly helps in this.

Georg Fischer AG of Switzerland has a contract for magnesium steering column components that will be used in the 2004 Ford 500 sedans, Freestyle sports wagons and Mercury Montegos. Parts will be produced by die-casting at a North American location. Fisher will die-cast magnesium steering/ignition lock housings for Visteon, a Tier 1 supplier that is the system designer.

Increasing the use of magnesium in cars is not easy. Over the years, magnesium and aluminum (and some plastic) have switched and swapped places as the preferred material for some auto parts. In recent times, hydro-formed steels and dual-phase steels have also fought to maintain the dominant position of steel in the automotive industry. However, in the past year or less, magnesium has again moved up. Taking advantage of the light weight and the reduction in primary metal prices, the die-casters have continued to work with automotive engineers and designers to keep magnesium in the cars.

Part of the magnesium problem has been the close review given (benchmarking) to instrument panel support beams (IP) by companies like GM. The close scrutiny using Toyota and Nissan as the comparison cars shows that the Japanese do not use magnesium, but use tubular steel as the best low cost structural material for the IP.

It is now reported that magnesium has been made the go-to material of choice with the GM plastic NAO '04 Model Year Epsilon IP structure changing to magnesium (from Lunt and Meridian) early last year. The '04 Impala Monte Carlo x-car will revert from tubular steel to magnesium IP from Meridian. The next release of the mid size GM SUV for the '06 model year will revert from magnesium with a steel extension to all magnesium IP (source not yet determined).

It was reported also that magnesium will be used in the IPs in the next generation Pontiac Grand AM mid-size car in '05 model year. Magnesium is also being considered for use in the frames of the retractable hardtop roofs for convertible models of the Grand Ams.

One of the largest magnesium die-castings is the one-piece instrument panel (IP) for the GM G-van (GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express). The finished IP weighs 12 kg as opposed to the 18 kg in steel. The part also offers better crashworthiness and cost savings due to design consolidation (25 parts in magnesium design vs. 67 parts in steel).

The IP die-castings for recent models GM H-car, (Pontiac, Bonneville, and Buick LeSabre) weigh 5 kg and are made by Meridian of Canada. It was also reported recently that the new Porsche Carrera GT will use a magnesium console cast by Stolfig.

Ford has reportedly decided on magnesium for the Front End Support Assemblies (FESA) for light-duty trucks. Magnesium was said to have beat out hydro-formed steel tubular steel, extruded aluminum, and molded plastics composites. Die-cast AM60 was the final choice. The reason for the magnesium success was the projected weight and cost-savings, size and space considerations, performance and dimensional control. The assemblies will first be incorporated into the 2004 standard-size F-150 pickup trucks. Estimates say the parts could use 5 million kg of AM50 per year.

The finished FESA castings will weigh more than 6 kg each. This is more than the total average of all magnesium used in North American cars. This is the first application in a structural part that will support the radiator and other front-end components. Castings will come from Meridian with magnesium from Norsk Hydro. Ford reviewed the aluminum supports used by GM and looked at plastics parts from Europe before deciding on the magnesium.

Magnesium has been used in automotive seats. First used by Mercedes as an integrated seat structure with a three-point safety belt in the SLRoadster. The seat was made up of five parts with a total weight of 8.5 kg. It was chosen over steel, aluminum, and plastics. The alloy used was AM50 and AM20. Now it is reported that the Alfa Romeo 156 uses a magnesium seat in a two-piece design.

GM has offered magnesium wheels for the Corvette since 1998. There is a very great interest in magnesium wheels for everyday vehicles. One advantage is the fact that the reduction in unsprung weight makes it much easier to reduce total car weight. The group that can develop an economical magnesium wheel that will meet Detroit standards will have a great potential to develop a very profitable business. The new Porsche Carrera GT will be built using magnesium wheel rims from BBS in Germany. No weights were given. There will be about 1500 of the cars produced.

Application development remains the key to the expansion of magnesium production. Many of the newer companies have stepped up to join and/or replace some of the old reliables in this type of research and development. Many countries with companies that produce and/or use magnesium are also assisting in the promotion of magnesium research and development.
About the Author

Peter Howard is a freelance writer for Magnesium .

A Bikini Overview

Many women are a little uncomfortable wearing bikini swimwear. If you've got bulges anywhere, the bikini will show it off! But going to the beach and not focusing on yourself will reveal an essential truth: hardly anyone will be staring at your problems and, besides, no one's perfect. Even swimsuit models in the magazines and on TV have been air brushed here and there (though you are unlikely to see them at your local pool or at the beach).

Bikini swimwear is definitely a hotter item than regular swimsuits these days, judging by the selections of bikini swimwear in most stores. Most women would rather wear a two piece than a one-piece as you get more tan and can look sexy doing it. It's just that showing more skin can be embarrassing if you are less than satisfied with your body shape. Hey, that's what one-piece suits are for. You can stay with a darker color with some tummy control if needed.

There are many types of bikinis: bandeau top, halter top, triangle top, boy short bottom, Brazilian cut bottom, thong, g-string mini, mini, micro and hardly anything at all. There are bikinis for pregnant woman that use top and bottom draping to smooth the silhouette. There are mastectomy suits with insertable pad pockets.

Thong bikinis are also now very popular bikini swimwear. Thong bikinis have a strap and just a little cloth in front and behind. The top is usually very skimpy to match. If you are looking for goddess swimwear and you can bring it off ?the thong bikini is for you.

There is a whole industry with styles just for babies and toddlers. Beach prints with seashells or fishes and waves are always popular. Let's not forget the swimwear with the prints of Disney characters like Nemo from Finding Nemo or Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Two-piece suits can be worn at any age although on the very young its just cute--but not necessary. Little boys like swimwear with prints of Spiderman and the X-Men, etc.

Larger-breasted women will want something with straps or a halter?unless it is a very well fitted tube top. Most designers sell separates to match your top and bottom exactly. For smaller breasted women just make sure you buy for your breast size. Triangle tops enable you to adjust the fit somewhat. If you want to alter your breast shape, look into silicone gel bra enhancers which can be worn under your bathing suit top.

Eugene Brenner is owner and webmaster of Brazilian-Bikinis. This site contains information about bikinis, other women's swimwear and casual wear as well as lingerie.

http://www.brazilian-bikinis.org

The Big Question for Any Relationship

I've got one big question. It's a question that will make everything in your relationship completely worthwhile... even the bits that get on your nerves and cause you head and heart aches...

It's the type of question you wouldn't ordinarily ask - but that's okay, because you didn't know to ask it... until now!

For most people, relationships don't go smoothly. Undercurrents, disputes, emotions, periods, children, habits, morals, values, work hours and workloads, these are just a few of the kind of things that can cause conflicts. But what if I told you something...

What if I told you it's not about the issue?

My philosophy is that no issue is bigger than the relationship. If we're honest it's never really the issue that causes the problem. What causes the problem is the emotions behind the issue.

And what causes the emotions?

What causes the our relationship conflicts is, at the core, very rarely the issue that's in front of us now. This may seem hard to take at first so let me explain a little more.

When we react to something someone says or does we are in effect re-acting - behaving in way we acted before. This is what we might call learned behaviour. We may have learned that behaviour in a number of ways: watching our parents behaviour in a relationship, seeing it on TV, our own experience etc.

Are these learned re-actions appropriate in all circumstances?

I'd say no. A few days ago my partner made a sweeping statement that... well... to be frank, pushed all my buttons. What she said was like a red rag to a bull. Thankfully I caught myself before any real damage was done. I immediately knew there was nothing wrong with what she had said, or how she had said it. But the words she used, reminded me of someone else and a pattern of behaviour I ran with them. This is the type of conditioned, unconscious, response I'm talking about.

If your partner presses your buttons does it mean the relationship bad?

Conflict doesn't have to mean the relationship is bad. It can indicate that you, or your partner, or most probably both of you, on occasions, have some things that you need to become more aware of. If you can begin to view your relationship as a playground to work these things out, the relationship can become a whole new arena of fun and games. And this is where my question can really help...

My question will get you thinking about the how you can help yourself and your relationship become a harmonious haven rather than a gladiator's ring. It will help you be a more understanding person for your partner and it will help to spare you from saying things you'll regret later.

The question is profoundly simple. But when you ask it and use the outcome effectively you begin to take your relationship onto a new level. Things that used to cause you problems will vanish. And when new things come up they'll have very little power.

When you find your buttons have been pushed the question you have to ask is this: What's this really about?

Simple isn't it. But it takes you right to the heart of the matter. As I said, relationship conflict is rarely about an issue and more to do with the conditioned responses.

By asking my question what you do is take the conditioned behaviour and transform it into the conscious. In effect what begins to happen is this: you move beyond the past conditioned response that causes conflict and are left with the current issue. This question allows you to understand what's going on inside you. Knowing this means you can then bypass the past and deal with what is currently before you.

But what if you don't want to move beyond the past?

Then I guess you'll continue to re-act it out... until the pain and loss get the better of you.

My very good wishes
Neil

About the Author

Are We Entering a Buyers' Market?

No matter where you live, the real estate market will either be a buyers' market or a sellers' market. It might even be slightly in between the two market conditions.

Most real estate agents consider a normal market to be one in which homes take an average of six months to sell. That means that in the MLS, there are at least six months of homes on hand to sell for the number of buyers in the market. If the number is higher than six months inventory, then the market is becoming a buyer's market. If it is less than six month inventory, then the market is swinging towards a seller's market.

Many formerly hot areas of the country are now becoming buyers' markets. In these areas, there are now too many homes on the market for the number of buyers. Homes are taking longer to sell and the prices are falling.

Some buyers believe that winter is always a buyers' market. It is true that there are fewer buyers out looking during the winter, there are usually fewer homes on the market as well. Seasonally conditions aside, a buyer's market is seen when buyers realize that their interest in a home is sought out.

When a buyer gains the control they will increase their demands o the sellers. They ask for things to be conveyed with the property, such as appliances and decor, that normally wouldn't be. They may ask for a home warranty at the seller's expense. Some demand the seller pay an increased portion of the closing costs. The contingencies can go on and on.

Not all sellers will lose out during a buyer's market. People who have owned their homes for a long time are able to sell at a profit, despite the buyer's market, due to the equity they have built up.

Sellers who must sell quickly will often take little or no profit from the sale of their homes, with a few taking a loss. These homeowners often have little or no equity built up in their homes.

One thing you can always depend on is that the market will eventually flip back to a seller's market. It is a never-ending cycle. If you find that you are a seller in a buyer's market, you could just hold on until the market turns back in your favor. But if you have equity in your home and have wisely maintained it, you may not find the buyer's market too unfavorable.

Martin Lukac represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate and mortgage rates. We specialize in daily updates, mortgage news, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

Buyer Agents Vs Seller Agents: What's The Difference And Should I Care?

Are you unsure of what type of real estate agent to use when you are selling your home and/or buying a new home? Understanding the function of a real estate agent and what their relationship to you as a seller or buyer is tremendously important. For a first time home buyer or seller you should be aware of some facts, and clear out the cobwebs of confusion on the responsibilities and duties of a real estate agent.

Real estate agents, depending on the state in which you live, may only be allowed to act only as a seller?s or buyer?s agent. In many instances however a real estate agent may take on a dual role of representing both the seller and buyer. This type of agent is known as a dual agent. In other words they have a duty to sell the home for the best possible price for the seller, and at the same time are committed to get the best asking price for a buyer. This can be a somewhat upsetting for many people, but the best defense is being in the know about the legal and moral responsibilities associated with a real estate agent?s dual agency representation, and how you can feel positive about working with them.

In most states real estate agents are legally required to state which party they are working for. Most of the time real estate agents work for the individuals that are selling a home. Make sure to ask, if you are unclear so to alleviate any nervousness on your part. Always presume that any real estate agent is working for a firm that represents both a seller and a buyer, and if you are a buyer, make sure to keep to yourself any information that may affect any deals that are offered for your purchase of a house. Buyer?s agents have a loyalty only to the buyer. This is established by a signing of a contractual agreement between both the agent and the buyer. The buyer should be aware that agents are held to a legal and moral obligation to not reveal any personal facts not only to the home seller, but to the real estate agent. Material disclosure is allowable though about the property, such as any known pest infestations, or problems with the structure itself. A dual agency for a real estate agent is usually understood for them if they represent a buyer; make sure to check into the real estate agent?s status for your own serenity. Nonetheless, contract protection is afforded for anyone that is interested in purchasing a property through an agent that represents a seller?s interest by signing a contract to represent both.

If you are selling your home and you will be searching to buy a home in the same area you need to expect a reasonable amount of service from the real estate agent that represents you. The agent?s goal should be to fully represent your best interests. Your agent needs to clearly inform you if they will require you to sign an exclusive contract. This legally binding contract will require you to work with that agent only. You should always search around for an agent that will allow you to have other realtors working on your behalf to locate a new home for you. All agents should work diligently to help you sell your home by providing comparisons studies of the properties in your area, to handle any inspections or appraisals, and to work with your mortgage lender and in the loan application process. He or she should be more than willing to consider and respect your wishes when scheduling an open house for either other agents or for the general public. Agents should always be courteous about appointment times to meet with you, and should always leave a cell phone in case of unexpected issues surrounding the sale of your home. Your buyer?s agent should clearly explain all aspects of the contract to you. Issues such as contract compensation and their exact fees for selling your home, along with other important details such as how long you must list your home with them should be covered in a written contract. Never take their word for it. Get everything in writing. Be careful, verbal contracts, maybe legally binding.

Buying or selling a home should be a pleasant experience. Selling and buying is a serious decision that can influence your financial and emotional well being for years to come ? consequences of how informed you are will be long lasting, many years after you have left the bargaining table.

Matthew McDonough is a real estate investor and a former real estate agent in New York. He owns property throughout the USA. He wants to share is knowledge and operates the website Inside Real Estate Info