Thomas Reid's Blog
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Time to make your listing stand out from the rest and get the most exposure possible.
Financial planning experts recommend having an emergency fund in case something unexpected like a layoff or injury interrupts your paycheck. Your safety net should cover at least six months’ worth of living expenses. Here’s how to calculate what you need to save:
Gather your financial records for the past 12 months. Include bank and credit card statements, ATM receipts, and canceled checks.
Create a 12-month grid on paper. Down the left-hand side write all your fixed monthly expenses: mortgage or rent, insurance policies, car payments, utilities, medical expenses, etc. Then add other major spending categories such as food, entertainment, etc.
Do some arithmetic. Use the financial documents you collected to calculate the amount you spent in each category during each month of the past year. Total the expenses for each month and then add them together for a yearly figure.
Divide the figure by 12 to determine average monthly expenditures. Then multiply the average by six (or eight, for a more comfortable safety net). This is how much you should put aside.
In addition to your emergency fund, you should also have on hand an emergency credit card with the largest credit limit you can qualify for. Apply for this card before an emergency hits, as credit card companies are less likely to give you a line of credit when you are without income.
Rememb
Who doesn’t love the sight of holiday lights twinkling all about? Just don’t take any chances with safety—or run up a huge electricity bill. Here are a few tips to consider when planning your holiday display:
Do you still use those old traditional sets of colored bulbs? If you do, you should be aware that some of those older strings can use up to 10 watts per bulb. Strings of modern miniature lights use about 70 percent less electricity— and the bulbs last longer. If you want super efficiency, buy some LED holiday bulbs. These bulbs are safe to touch, won’t burn your hands, and they’re shockproof and shatterproof. Best of all, LED bulbs present no fire hazard, the bulbs last a long time, and they can cut your energy costs by 85 percent.
Additionally, don’t overload your home’s electrical circuits. Older homes generally carry a maximum of 1,800 watts. Newer homes generally can handle 2,400 watts. All outdoor cords, plugs and sockets should be weather-proof. Keep your electrical connections off the ground. Make sure your wiring is clear of drainpipes and railings, too. Check your light sets for frayed wiring, damaged sockets, or cracked insulation before you decorate. If you find any of these problems, replace the entire set.
Make sure you buy the kind of lights you need—indoor sets for your tree and other areas inside your house, and
Is it fate ?
For the past couple of days I have been helping one of the employees in my office with her house. Her house is located in Owego, NY and was effected by the flood of 2011. Her neighbors told her that the water has never come up that high which was evident that numerous people parked their cars near her house to get them away from the flood waters from further down the road. Kari and her husband Ed moved all of the items that they didn't want to get wet from the basement to the first floor. The even had the furnace disconnected and put on the first floor.
The flood waters rose to a level over 26 feet sending water into areas that have never been flooded before. Kari and Ed received 3 feet of water into the first floor of their house. All of the personal possessions that they moved to that floor were now ruined and sitting in flood water.
By the time that the local police started allowing other people in to the area, Kari and Ed had all of their furniture moved into the backyard. Now was the time to start tearing the walls down to the studs and removing the insulation to stop any mold from growing.
In the master bedroom we removed a closet. In the closet was another void which was assumed to be the chimney since above it was brick. The inside of the closet did not contain brick but did contain a stainless steel vent pipe which was used for the water heater in the basement. &nbs
A friend of mine who also happens to be my personal Insurance Agent sent me this link about flood information from FEMA. If this is something you are considering then give Jim Rollo a call at State Farm Insurance, 607-754-3000. I hope this information is helpful to you...
How can I protect myself from a flood?
Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States. Flood effects can be local, impacting a neighborhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river basins and multiple states.
However, all floods are not alike. Some floods develop slowly, sometimes over a period of days. But flash floods can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes and without any visible signs of rain. Flash floods often have a dangerous wall of roaring water that carries rocks, mud, and other debris and can sweep away most things in its path. Overland flooding occurs outside a defined river or stream, such as when a levee is breached, but still can be destructive. Flooding can also occur when a dam breaks, producing effects similar to flash floods.
Be aware of flood hazards no matter where you live, but especially if you live in a low-lying area, near water or downstream from a dam. Even very small streams, gullies, creeks, culverts, dry streambeds, or low-lying ground that appear harmless in dry weather can flood. Every state is at risk from this hazard.
Before a FloodTo prepare for a flood, you should:
AvoidI rented an apartment my entire adult life until about 6 years ago. Not because I didn't want to buy a house, it was because of where I lived and the housing prices at the time. I lived in NYC, specifically in Queens. Housing prices and interest rates where ridiculous. There was no way I was going to be able to save up the 20% needed to put down and there was no way I was going to be able to afford the astronomical monthly mortgage payment along with everything else.
Some things then happened in my life that I will get into in other blogs (no, I did not win the lottery). I now live in a beautiful house in Upstate NY, Binghamton to be specific. After buying my own home I decided to start my own business and sell real estate. I figured I could help people who were just like me. People who didn't think they could afford a house because they didn't have all of the information.
The point I am trying to make is that if you have a job and decent credit then you should really consider buying a house. Call me and I will introduce you to a mortgage lender who will help you decide if this is a good time for you to buy. You need to know how much money you are going to need to put down and how much your monthly payment is going to be.
I know that your parents, grand-parents, aunts, uncles and friends probably all own their own houses and they want to help you with all of their advice. If they are
