Real Estate Information Archive

I spent the last four days in Milwaukee at the Wisconsin Association of School Boards  Educational Convention.  I must admit, I didn’t want to go.  I thought about the time way, the real estate work I should be doing, the buyers I should be contacting, but I went.

I attended the general sessions with speakers who were sometimes engaging and interesting, and who sometimes I thought would never end.  I attended breakout sessions on communication, raising educational standards, passing a referendum, tax levy credits—my head is spinning but the time was definitely well spent and will help me better serve the students in the Sevastopol School District.

Friday’s keynote speaker was Richard Picciotto, author of Last Man Down, was a New York City Fire Chief on 9/11. I recall being glued to the television for the week after 9/11.  I’ve watched,  I am sure, every movie and documentary about the day.  Chief Picciotto’s firsthand account of what it was like to be inside the North Tower of the World Trade Center, knowing that the 100 stories above were crashing down upon him, and then thinking he would die but finding his way to daylight was harrowing, riveting and reminded me of that day in which no movie ever has, and I am so happy I stayed for this final session.

The Chief was there to recount his story but to send us a message.  He spoke of how our country came together in the days and months after 9/11 and how we knew that the enemy was those who destroyed the WTC towers and whose mission is to destroy America.  He reminded us that we need to come together now for a several  reasons: 1) Whether we agree or disagree with the United States’ military presence in other countries we owe our thanks and support to those who serve; 2) To make America strong in every way, morally to financially, we must forget Republican and Democrat and come together to tell our elected representatives what we expect and what we’ll accept; and 3) To think about our priorities, what’s really important in our lives—as he did in the eight seconds it took for the North Tower to crash down around him.

So, I am better informed to continue my work on the school board.  I am motivated to get involved and learn all I can about those officials I’ll be voting for this year.  I am reminded of how fortunate I am to live where I do with my family and friends close by.  And, I am energized to provide excellent service and advice  to my real estate customers and clients.  I’ve received the treasure of time and intend to make use of every moment...I hope you will too.

THE TREASURE OF TIME

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.

It carries over no balance from day to day.

Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.

What would you do?

Draw out every cent, everyday, of course!

Each of us has such a bank.  It's name is TIME.

Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds.

Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever you have failed to invest wisely.

It carries over no balance.

It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you.

If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back.  There is no drawing against "tomorrow".

You must live in the present on today's deposits.

Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running.  Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed one grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a pre-mature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer with kids to feed.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLI-SECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment you have!  And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

And remember that time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is your gift.

That's why it's call the treasure!

--Unknown Author

I found an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on financial inicentives offered by the federal government, in the form of tax credits, that homeowners can receive for home improvement projects.  Click on the link below to view the article.  Gosh, it seems like there is a credit out there for just about anything.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125520769923778297.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_personalfinance

I won't be begining any home improvement projects this winter, but running an energy-efficient home this winter doesn't necessarily entail buying expensive solar panels or wind generators. Neither does it mean you have to wear your outdoor clothes inside to stop you shivering!  Consider these:

Laundry: Wait until you have a full load of laundry and run the machine on cold. Detergents are available to clean clothes at low temperatures. 

Dishes: Wait until the dishwasher is full before turning it on. If you have the time, use the air dry or no-heat dry settings so the dishes dry without using electricity.

Windows: In the winter during the day, open the blinds on south-facing windows to allow the sun to warm your home then close them in the evening to increase insulation. (In the summer, you can do the opposite to keep your home cool.)  

Computers and TVs: Turn off your appliances when you are not using them. Even when they're in standby mode they are still using electricity -- it's estimated 5% of household energy use is from appliances leaking away electricity. So turn them off at the wall.

Showers: While a long, hot shower is nice and relaxing, you can save a lot of money taking shorter showers and by installing energy-efficient showerheads that give you a good shower while reducing water use.  

Space heaters: Surprisingly, space heaters are a lot cheaper than a central heating system. And don't forget to turn them off when you're out. Installing a programmable thermostat will also keep your heating bill low

Furnace filter: Change the filter at the start of every season and then every month or two after because a dirty filter makes the furnace work harder and be less efficient.

Floors and drafts: If you've got hardwood floors, put down some rugs, particularly if you have wood floors above a cold basement. Make sure also that you've installed insulation such as weather-stripping at the bottom of doors.