Only 10% of the power used by today’s incandescent bulbs is emitted as light, while the other 90% is released as heat,” Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., said when she introduced her legislation to ban standard light bulbs. To eliminate this waste, Harman has proposed legislation that would effectively eliminate incandescent light bulbs from store shelves nationwide as early by 2012. Her proposal was incorporated as part of an energy bill passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month. Though the incandescent light bulb has logged more than 125 years as the reigning light technology with little competition, lawmakers supporting the legislation see the 4 billion light-bulb sockets in American homes as an obvious way to curtail energy consumption and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

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Frequently, homeowners do not know the exact location of their lot lines. Other times, contractors doing work for the homeowners fail to follow the property lines when making improvements to homes. The most common problem between neighbors has to do with the installation of fences. Depending on the configuration of the lots, bushes, trees, other obstacles and the location of the home on each lot, neighbors frequently pick a line that usually ends up on one neighbor’s side of the property by a couple of inches to a couple of feet.

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As housing markets deteriorate and a liquidity squeeze buffets the credit markets, mortgage delinquencies and home loan defaults have increased substantially. One forecast now predicts that these numbers will climb even higher over the next six months. The Core Mortgage Risk Monitor (CMRM), an index of foreclosure risk compiled by First American CoreLogic, increased by 1.6 percent compared with the three months ended June 30. High risk markets have foreclosure rates and fraud and collateral risk indices three times the national averages. High risk markets also have job issues such as high unemployment of low wages and wage growth, all indications of economic stress.

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$5,850,000

MLS Number: 50913

City: Valle Crucis, NC
Stories: 2
Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4.5
Area: Boone-Blowing Rock, NC
Year Built: 1990
Plus Five fully furnished 1,400 sq. ft. Rental Cottages. Each built in 1996 on approx. 1/2 acre sites. Current cottage average annual rental income $150,000.

39.4 acres with 360 degree view of Blue Ridge Mountains.

5,200 sq. ft. main house built in 1990 on 1.24 acres.

No restrictions and no zoning offer many other options:

* Family compound
* Corporate retreat
* Religous retreat
* Horse farm / Dude ranch
* Recording studio
* Cottages can be sold separately
* Land can be further subdivided if desired

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

click here for more information

search for : Valle Crucis, NC, Blowing Rock, NC, Blue Ridge Mountains

Despite charges of improprieties against builder owned mortgage companies, home buyers themselves are generally satisfied with their builder-lenders As part of its 11th annual survey of new home buyer satisfaction with their builders, J.D. Power and Associates, for the first time measured the experience of purchasers who used their builders as their lenders in 17 markets of the 24 markets covered in the larger survey. The recent study found that the majority of those who opt to obtain financing through their builder do so because of competitive rates. They also claimed the process was easier and more seamless, according to the global marketing information services firm.

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This buyer’s market is characterized in the same fashion as buyer’s markets in years past — a huge surplus of unsold properties. As a result, single home and condo prices have experienced a decline for well over the past 18 months. So, buyers need to ask themselves “is now the time to buy”? Will prices continue to decline, stay the same, or begin to edge back up to pre-real-estate-bubble prices. Either way, there may be no better time and now to act. The best strategy for real estate investing and the best way to make money in real estate is to buy low, when the conditions are in the favor of the buyer to buy.

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search for : buyer’s market, condo prices, real estate investing

Prospective North Carolina real estate agents desiring to obtain their license must take and past an exam that covers their duties as trustees for the funds of others. It is important that both licensees and applicants carefully study topics that will allow them to pass the exam. The courses and study guides are available from a variety of sources but must be compliant with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission rules as well as the Trust Account Guidelines.

One such study guide is available from CompuCram® and we have been asked to review their courseware. CompuCram® is a guaranteed way to pass your North Carolina Real Estate Broker Exam. The course comes complete with more than 840 questions, an unlimited number of exams and features no expiration date allowing the subscriber to review and take the state exam an infinite number of times.

With a courseware writing team of over 200 subject matter experts, you are guaranteed that the business stays abreast of the changing industry regulations and latest additions to the exam. The CompuCram real estate exam review material always includes the “hottest” topics on the most recent exams. With thousands of students using the exams, who provide the firm with valuable feedback, you benefit from the efforts of others.

And the best part is that there is no waiting for your product to be shipped, just download the software now and immediately start your study for this very profitable career.

search for : North Carolina real estate agent, North Carolina Real Estate Commission

The concept of staging homes was created in 1971, but staging isn’t so large that home staging businesses are fighting each other for customers says Lamay Hostetler, a partner in Phoenix-based Staging Solutions, LLC. “It seems like there’s so much business out there that there’s really no need to be competitive,” she said. “In most industries it’s not like that.” Halvorsen and Judy King, owner of Cave Creek-based Advantage Staging, worked together Tuesday on staging Randy Hunt’s vacant house in Ahwatukee. Together, they set up a temporary bed in the home’s master bedroom, using a bed skirt, boxes, an air mattress, a mattress pad, a comforter and pillows. They placed paintings and plastic plants around the house , did some light cleaning and more work.

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search for : staging homes, home staging business

Runaway foreclosure numbers are impacting a new group of victims — renters. Across the country, a rising number of landlords are falling behind on mortgage payments, sending their properties into foreclosure. In many cases, their tenants are being forced out of their homes. Often, the tenants’ first notice of trouble occurs when they get a letter from the bank directing them to leave the premises. In many cases, the homes and apartments entering foreclosure are owned by investors who got low-rate teaser mortgages and intended to hold the buildings for a few years and then sell them at a profit — before their mortgage rates rose. Now, with the housing market badly depressed in many markets, the owners can’t sell the homes or afford the higher mortgage payments. Many are defaulting.

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search for : Runaway foreclosure numbers, low-rate teaser mortgage

According to a Consumer Reports National Research Center survey of 2,167 households , more than 90 percent of those who tried to talk down the price succeeded on furniture, electronics, appliances, even medical bills. The most successful hagglers shaved an average $50 off the asking price of an individual item or service. Of those who yakked their way to a better deal, 94 percent scored a lower price at least once during the past three years. Overall, 61 percent of respondents bargained at least once during that time. Not for the introverted, shy or withdrawn, successful negotiations do require a level of assertiveness and the willingness to risk rejection.

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search for : successful haggler, successful negotiations