Attending the National Association of Realtors Convention 2011

Posted on December 4, 2011 by

This year the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Convention for 2011 was held in

Me at the 2011 National Association of Realtors Convention in Anaheim, CA.

Anaheim, California.  I attended, and was there for a period of five days.  As part of the convention, I was able to participate in special exclusive events for Realtors called ‘knowledge sessions’.

Some of the knowledge sessions consisted of briefings on the national economy from members of the Federal Reserve, as well as a NAR economist.  Others that I attended were on marketing, social media, video making and many other special interests I had to help me improve my business and relationships with my clients.

There was also in the convention center a bookstore and a very large expo center.  In the expo, I was exposed to products and services from around the world to better help my business and relationships with my clients.

Being a Realtor from Battle Creek, Michigan, it was very benefitial to find new ideas to help me reach more people to help them become homeowners.  Having an understanding of what is happening at a national level gives me an better understanding on how my local market will be impacted.  Here is a photo of me on one of my more casual days on Sunday at the NAR convention.

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Financial planners in US – How can the best one change your mind set about debt?

Posted on December 3, 2011 by

The following is a guest article submitted and written by Kenneth Parkar:

As the American economy is in a state of turmoil and also at the brink of yet another financial fiasco, the people in the nation are worried about their spurring debt obligations. With the raising of the debt ceiling, the personal debt ceiling of most debtors have also been risen and this is the recent issue that is bothering most of them. Research reveals that the residents of Texas, Atlanta and San Antonio carry the highest balance on their credit cards and they’re perhaps in dire need of a financial planner to help them out. Though debt settlement usa is an option that you can choose when you want to waive off a portion of the debt amount that you owe, yet getting a financial planner by your side can help you stay on an edge. However, how will you know which planner is the best among all of them? There is a yardstick according to which you should choose the cream of the crop. Read on to know the qualities that you should look for in a Dallas financial planner.

  • He should possess financial knowledge: One of the most vital qualities that you should look for in your Dallas financial planner is his knowledge. Personal finance management is a vast field with various distinctive areas and some other specialties. The Dallas financial planner should be able to describe an investment or a financial asset and also tailor an approach that is suitable for your changing financial needs. He should be aware of the recent financial regulations and laws, the market trends and everything about the contemporary financial life in the US.
  • Demand experience and a proven track record: Before choosing a Dallas financial planner, you should ask for an experience certificate or a proven track record of their success in the industry. The finance industry is such an industry where the past performance can often predict the future performance and this applies to all those who navigate the market. Look for someone so that he may have your best interests in mind and also has enough expertise to help you deal with any kind of financial problems.
  • They should have a strategic mindset: The best financial planners in Dallas are big picture thinkers and when they assess your personal financial situation, they’ll advise you with respect to the big picture. If you can get a planner who can advise you with the big picture in mind, you should be thankful as the ultimate debt solution should be in accordance with the economic condition of the state and the country.
  • They should offer a holistic approach: Finances are multi-faceted as you should choose a planner who is a Jack of all trades, if not master of all. The best Dallas financial planners should take a holistic approach towards the financial planning and should try to improve your financial condition by improving all other parts of your life. They should help you determine where your money is coming from and where it is going as this is the most important part of budgeting.
  • He should be patient: Dealing with the finances of a person and helping him eradicate debt needs a lot of patience and the best financial planner should have this quality. Patience is the cornerstone of this industry and he should have a disciplined approach towards your debt situation so that he can assist you in getting out of debt with ease.

Therefore if you have sought help of debt settlement usa services and not got much desired results, you can take help of a Dallas financial planner. However, make sure you choose him after verifying all the above mentioned points so that you get the best help from him.

For more updates please visit : http://twitter.com/debtcc

 

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Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

Posted on November 24, 2011 by

Thanksgiving is a holiday which centers around re-uniting with family and friends, and giving thanks for all your many blessings.  I hope all of my friends out there have a fantastic Thanksgiving holiday, and create some wonderful new memories.  May the Lions win the game today, but if not, may everyone have a great time anyway!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

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Book Review: ‘The Big Short’ by Michael Lewis

Posted on November 20, 2011 by

If you have ever wondered where your equity went in your home, the answers lie in a book written by Michael Lewis entitled ‘The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine’.   The book carefully unravels the incidents behind the scene on Wall Street that led up to the crash of the real estate and mortgage market starting in 2005 or 2006.

Sparked by policies created during the Clinton administration in the White House, when the sub-prime loan was introduced to loan money to the poor for housing, this type of lending was exposed in as early as 1997 and several companies engaging in these practices went bankrupt at that time.  However, the model was continued and used as an instrument that evolved into what amounts to a massive Ponzi scheme of the mortgage industry that lasted over a decade, and ultimately crashed the economy.

This book is very enlightening, and is well worth the read.  In March of 2010, when the book was released, the New York Times had this to say about it: “When the crash of the U. S. stock market became public knowledge in the fall of 2008, it was already old news.

The real crash, the silent crash, had taken place over the previous year, in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn’t shine, and the SEC doesn’t dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower- and middle-class Americans who can’t pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren’t talking.”

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Buying a House is Easy in Battle Creek, Michigan

Posted on November 10, 2011 by

Buying a house is easy in Battle Creek, Michigan. Many first time home buyers come to

Buying a house in Battle Creek can be easy.

me with the look of utter uncertainty about how they would ever go about it.  Becoming a home owner seems to consist of so many unknowns, that they do not know where to begin. 

A recent example of a young lady that contacted me through my website at: www.michaeldelaware.com was of the same idea.  She filled out one of my information forms on the website, and forwarded it to me.  I received it and called her within a half hour of her having sent it to me.  After a short conversation with me, she soon began to believe that buying a house is easy in Battle Creek, Michigan. 

Working with an experienced Realtor can make the home buying process easy.

Here is the timeline on how I worked with her to make her see that buying a house is easy in Battle Creek.  She contacted me through the website on August 20th, I called her.  I connected her up with a local lender, after assessing her needs.  She was pre-approved for a loan by August 23rd, and we went looking for homes. 

We wrote a total of three separate offers, and were not successful on the first two, but the third we were successful.  We just got the home completed and under contract on September 5th, and she will likely close on the loan and be able to move in sometime between the end of September and mid October. 

As a Realtor, I not only helped her see that buying a house is easy in Battle Creek, Michigan, but she also is realizing that it does not have to take a long time to find the perfect house for her and her family! 

So, it is true that buying a house is easy in Battle Creek, Michigan, and as a local Realtor, I would like to offer my services to you and your family too.  Just take a minute to visit my website: www.michaeldelaware.com and see for yourself.

Posted in Advice for Buyers, Buying a Home, First Time Home Buyers | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Walking through the Fort Custer Recreation Area

Posted on November 9, 2011 by

A week ago I went out to the Forst Custer Recreation area and did some hiking to get a little exercise.  The leaves are beginning to turn color, and there are many colors to enjoy wherever you walk. 

The trails are of all types of grades, and many people go mountain biking there, as well as running in addition to hiking.  The entrance to the Fort Custer Recreation area is off of Dickman Road, just over the Kalamazoo County line before you arrive at Augusta, Michigan. 

The Fort Custer Recreation Area

Posted in Adventures, Beauty in Michigan, Regional Attractions, Seasons | Tagged , , , , ,

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving in Southwest Michigan

Posted on November 8, 2011 by

Turkeyville is located near Marshall, Michigan

Getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday in Southwest Michigan should always include at least one November visit to Turkeyville just outside of Marshall, Michigan.  The Turkeyville farm is a facility perfect for families with children, as they get to experience hay rides, pumpkin picking, pet some farm animals, have ice cream and even see some real turkeys! 

As one of the local attractions in the area for family members, Turkeyville is always one I try to mention this time of the year as many people moving into the area do not know about it right away.  Turkeyville even has family theatre where they serve dinner on certain days of the week, as well as outdoor festivals on weekends during the spring, summer and fall.  There is always something happening at Turkeyville, but the autumn is one of the best time to go visit.

Turkeyville has an ice cream parlor...

If you like eating Turkey, their restaurant has a wide selection of turkey dishes and other great foods.  It is perfect for lunch, or dinner.  They even are open for turkey dinner on Thanskgiving, so you do not have to cook if you do not want to.  All in all, Turkeyville is a fun place to go for an excursion, and you will always find something fun to do there as a getaway.

Cornwell’s Turkeyville Farm and Restaurant is the official name of the facility, and it is located at the corner of N Drive and 15 ½ Mile Rd, about a mile from I-69 off Exit 42.  It has an interesting history.  Originally a farm held by the Hawkins family, established in 1836, Asahel Hawkins who had emigrated from Vermont, began with 80 acres of government land and eventually increased his holdings to 240 acres. 

After his death in 1881, his son Asahel Myron Hawkins took over the farmstead.  He grew

Hayrides are part of the fun at Turkeyville

a variety of crops, and held several Convis township civic offices including supervisor, clerk, highway commissioner and justice of the peace.  His son Schubail Hawkins ran the farm until 1933.  In 1942 the farm was converted to Turkey production and in 1968 the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Generations of Asahel Hawkins opened a restaurant.  Today, Cornwell’s Turkeyville Farm and Restaurant still raises live turkeys, and has expanded the facility to include many other attractions as you can see here.  A great place to visit!

Turkeys are a huge part of Turkeyville in Marshall, Michigan

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