The TEFL News Network

My New Life Back Home

April 1st, 2008

The Market Is Getting Better

It’s true. I believe the market has truly found it’s bottom. Commodity prices have stopped their runup, the dollar has stabilized and best of all, private groups are beginning to buy up distressed assets at low prices. This is truly looking like good news for the economy.

It’s also great news for our family. I started off in real estate when we came back. Some people have called me foolish for getting into a career that was getting hit by bad news, but I didn’t listen. That’s actually a good time to get into a field. If you can make it in a tough market, then you can make it anytime.

March 26th, 2008

International Real Estate

I gained a lot of experience abroad in different markets and while I wasn’t involved in real estate, I was able to get a good feel for local markets. At the time when the dollar was high, there were many great real estate values out there. Now I’d say that many international locations are beginning to price themselves out the market.

For example, in the Philippines, their currency has appreciated more than 25% in the last year. What does this mean? It means that real estate has gotten a lot more expensive. Without a doubt, international real estate is not buyer’s market, but since for every loser there is a winner, someone who invested in real estate in the Philippines just a year ago would have seen a 25% return on investment.

March 23rd, 2008

Getting A Grandfather Clock For Our New Home

I remember when my parents bought our grandfather clock. It was a big deal for us. My parents put it right where the hallway joined the living room. It stood so stately there for years. It added a certain ambiance to the entire home and I know we all felt like it was something special, because we knew only “rich” people could have a grandfather clock. I was young and I loved to watch the clock move, work and chime.

Grandfather clocks are the large clocks that usually have a large wooden case, long pendulums and mark the time with chimes on the hour and half hour. They are stately and reverent, but that’s not why they are called grandfather clocks. Instead, grandfather clocks get their name from a popular song in the 1800’s written by Henry Clay Work.

I have been thinking about getting a grandfather clock for our home. Since we have a new home, it’s only fitting that we get some furnishings that will help create the same traditional ambiance I remember from growing up. I think my kids deserve a chance to experience a grandfather clock.

Without a large budget, it was good to find out about affordable grandfather clocks. I think the key to remember when buying a grandfather clock is that the clock will last for generations and it’s an investment that you can hand down to your own children.

Of all of the grandfather clocks I found at 1-800-4clocks.com, I think the Howard Miler Grandfather Clocks were the most beautiful. The Howard Miller Greene Grandfather clock is just so nice and would be a great addition to the corner of our living room. It would truly set the tone for the room.

Ah, I can just see the kids reaction if we put the grandfather clock in that corner. I have a feeling that our boys would be just as mesmerized as I was when I was their age.

March 11th, 2008

Finding the Lowest Mortgage Rates

I am always helping my new real estate clients find the lowest mortgage rates. I guess that can be a major concern for many people buying a house and taking on a new mortgage. Even a small mortgage rate difference can translate into a lot of money over the course of a 30 year mortgage and let’s face it, it’s better to have that extra money in your pocket.

There are many ways to find the lowest mortgage rates on the market. Naturally some of them are easier than others, but I have found that it’s a big plus to find one “go to” lender that consistently offers the lowest mortgage rates.

AAXA Discount Mortgage has great mortgage rates on a huge variety of loans. They are able to match your needs to the best mortgage and give you a great rate. They sure make finding a mortgage easy.

March 11th, 2008

Finding A New Home

I love helping people do what they need to do to find a new home. A new home is one of most important achievements a family can have in their life. It’s a feeling of stability and it’s a great storehouse of value. I am often asked by friends about how to find a new home and I have decided to give a few tips on how to make it happen.

1) Go to a Real Agent with access to the MLS system in their area. This means that you have a lot of homes available from many different agents.

2) Do your own research on areas that you might want to live in before you even start looking for a home. Limit your search to those areas you are comfortable living in. Pay attention to the schools in any area in particular.

3) Use your own agent, don’t let the seller’s agent lead the way. You want to make sure the agent is working for you, not the seller.