Month: February 2017

Texas Real Estate

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Texas is the second largest state in United States next to Alaska in terms of area and California in terms of population. Texas has several metropolises due to its oil industry that contribute to its growth. Several cities have a lot of historic importance and are known for its cultural heritage.

Real estate scenario in Texas has shown an upward trend in many cities. Influx of immigrants from nearby cities and states has increased demand for real estate. Most immigrants prefer to settle down and buy on their own home.

Most cities in Texas offer reasonably priced homes that are affordable to most consumers. Dallas is one of the biggest cities of Texas and has a definite oil influence, which has contributed to growth of real estate in this city. Yet, real estate prices are surprisingly cheap as compared to other big cities. Austin is another good city preferred by many home seekers as an ideal destination for standard living. Real estate prices in this city are increasing rapidly and customers are advised to make an early bid to avoid increase of prices. Houston is another major city in Texas that is growing at a steady rate. San Antonio is a small city, which has now started growing and developing as compared to other established cities.

On an average, a good family home in Dallas is priced at around $ 260000 while that in Austin is approximately $ 200000. A similar home in Houston would cost approximately $ 150000 on an average while that in San Antonio would cost

$ 220000. It is observed that on an average, appreciation of real estate prices is a little over five percent every year. Thus the future of Texas real estate seems to be bright. Prospective customers need to take advantage of such low prices at the earliest to avoid higher rates in future.

The real estate market comprises of various agents and agencies dealing in buying, selling and leasing of accommodation for residential and commercial purposes. It has many professionals such as estate agents, brokers and lawyers that provide their services to individuals that require a home in Texas.

What Might Be Involved in Hiring a Handyman

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A well-skilled handyman is able to take on a wide-range of home improvement jobs within the home, which might be minor or extensive in nature. In general, a lot of us don’t have the skill, time or inclination to do the necessary home repair or maintenance work. Often we will look in the direction of the qualified trades person, which for general repairs around the home would mean the handyman who is the perfect for this type of work.

The handyman is essentially a person able to take on all-types of home repairs, maintenance issues, and needed improvements. As a jack-of-all-trades, the handyman is there to assist with those small to medium-sized projects in and around the home, which would otherwise be too small for a commercial builder or contractor to take on.

Deciding on the right handyman is always a vital decision. It often helps if you’re able to hire a worker who offers an all-round skill set, someone you can trust, and can work on their own to complete any project to a high standard.

Hiring a handyman can be done in several different ways, and doing your due diligence at the start means you are going to find to skilled professional who cares about the work they do. A great place to start in the search for a handyman is to get personal referrals, which might come for a friend, co-worker, or neighbor. Alternatively, you might want to search online for a local based trades person. Also, if looking online always look to find positive reviews next to a company’s name, which means other customers where happy with the service. Irrespective of the steps taken, you always want to check that the person being hired is qualified, licensed, and insured to carry out the intended work.

It is always a wise precaution to request identification from anyone that is about to enter and work on your home. Having a quote confirmed in writing is also suggested and this should highlight the work to be carried out, the cost of materials, and the clearing and disposing of waste material at the end of the job.

Also, avoid paying for a job 100% up front, especially if this is the first time that you have used a particular handyman. Often, you can pay 50% of the cost and the balance on the completion of a successful job. Although, you might have the pay the cost of materials from the get go. When paying a trades person in installments, get a receipt, as this proves your payment is made and also allows you to keep up-to-date records.

Real Estate Contracts Determine the Success Or Failure of Your Real Estate Business

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Let me first state that I am not an attorney and nothing I write or say should be considered legal advice. Please contact an attorney before making any legal decisions.

When doing any type of real estate investment deal it is critical that you have quality real estate contracts. Whether you are investing in foreclosures, buying out of bankruptcy or any of the other dozens of real estate investment strategies, quality real estate contracts play an important role in your success.

Quality real estate contracts will help to ensure that you, the real estate investor, are fully protected within the confines of the law. You want real estate contracts that will protect yourself and your business to the highest degree whether you are the buyer or the seller.

If you are the buyer you want to use real estate contracts that will allow you to easily walk away from the deal if necessary while at the same time offer the stiffest penalties if your seller should decide to walk away. And the converse is true when you are the seller.

There are certain real estate contract clauses which will allow you to do this when used correctly. You can use inspection clauses, mortgage contingency clauses, appraisal clauses, default clauses…the list can go on and on. The important thing to remember when using these clauses is that you use them correctly.

You need to make sure that your “Defined Terms” are congruent throughout your real estate contracts.

You need to make sure that the contracts that you use do not conflict.

The real estate contracts that you use will directly effect the success or failure of your real estate business because they can either protect you from lawsuit or leave you open to folks who would rather sue you to get rich than work hard themselves…not to mention that your real estate contracts can determine the success or failure on a deal to deal basis.

I would recommend that you use contracts that come from one source because real estate contracts that come from one source can help to eliminate the problems above and much more.

What Does a Paralegal Do Day to Day?

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Paralegals assist attorneys in the delivery of legal services. They work under the supervision of an attorney. One of a paralegal’s most important tasks is helping attorneys prepare for closings, hearings, trials, and corporate meetings. Paralegals serve as support staff for attorneys through the gathering and analyzing of information relevant to court cases. They perform any function delegated by an attorney, including but not limited to the following:

· Conduct client interviews and maintain general contact with the client
· Locate and interview witnesses.
· Conduct investigations and statistical and documentary research.
· Conduct legal research.
· Draft legal documents, correspondence and pleadings.
· Summarize depositions, interrogatories and testimony.
· Attend executions of wills, real estate closings, depositions, court or administrative hearings and trials with the attorney.

The only legal services that paralegals can’t perform are presenting cases in a court, giving legal advice, setting fees and accepting cases.

A paralegal can be a freelancer or employed by an attorney or law firm or employed by a paralegal firm providing paralegals to attorneys and law firms. A freelancer paralegal charges the attorney for the work he does. If the paralegal is employed with an attorney or a law firm, he is paid a salary by the attorney or law firm. A paralegal employed with a paralegal firm is paid a salary by the firm who then bill the attorney or law firm hiring the firm. Besides attorneys and law firms, government departments, insurance companies, real estate companies and corporate also require paralegal services. Within these organizations, paralegals are responsible for a variety of areas including bankruptcy, corporate, criminal, family and labor law, litigation, immigration, intellectual property, real estate and employee benefits to name a few.

Generally, there are no specific qualification requirements for becoming a paralegal. However all paralegals in California must complete 4 hours of mandatory continuing education in either general law or in a specialized area of law. Many universities offer paralegal training programs. Most paralegals have an associate degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor’s degree coupled with a certificate in paralegal studies. There are professional bodies that provide voluntary certification for paralegals. Some employers train paralegals on the job, hiring college graduates with no legal experience.

A Paralegal must be able to document and present findings and opinions to the supervising attorney. Good research and investigative skills and understanding of legal terminology are essential for a paralegal.

Knowing the Basics of Interventional Pain Management

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Anyone, who is dealing with chronic and/or acute pain, knows the “pain” associated with the condition. In most cases, patients spend a considerable amount of time with primary care doctors, physical therapist, and specialists, hoping to find a more permanent solution. Interventional pain management is a practical alternative in such cases, where the concerned patient has tried all other treatment options.

Understanding interventional pain management

Interventional pain management is a specialized field in medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of chronic and/or acute pain and other related disorders. This is more of a “multidisciplinary” approach, which is offered by a team of experienced doctors and healthcare professionals. With interventional pain management, doctors aim to reduce chronic and or acute pain, besides focusing on better living. The treatment is entirely different from other forms of pain management because there is no direct dependency on pain-relief medications. In most cases, a physician may refer the matter to a pain management doctor, who will decide on the line of treatment, depending on the facts of the case. In case of interventional pain management, pain management physician will work together with chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, neurologist, and orthopaedic surgeon as needed to treat the condition by utilizing minimally invasive procedures such as epidural injections, facet blocks, trigger point injections, etc.

Things worth knowing

Interventional pain management is particularly beneficial for patients who are suffering from neck and back pain. Physicians may use more than one approach to the condition, depending on the diagnosis. The use of steroidal injections in the joints and epidural space is quite common, while injections are also used to treat a spinal nerve root, which is diagnosed as the source of pain. Branch blocks are also used for diagnostic purpose followed by radiofrequency ablation, while doctors may also use additional injections in the facet joints. Discography is also utilized to find the possible cause of pain, and in this procedure, a special dye is used in an injectable form into a disc to understand the pathology better.

In some cases, minimally-invasive procedures like “Radiofrequency Ablation” can be used for the medical branches, so as to restrict the movement of pain signals. Doctors may also suggest the use of heated electrodes for certain nerves that carry the pain signals, and this process is also known better as Rhizotomy. Not to forget, physical therapy and other forms of occupational therapies are also used for the treatment. Doctors also suggest lifestyle changes to patients, if they find any hope for better health.

The first appointment

You need to visit an Interventional Pain Management specialist, who will do a thorough exam to understand the possible concerns and issues related to the condition. Doctors may also suggest a few tests including x-rays and MRI for accurate diagnosis. You must also discuss the other kinds of treatments you have tried for your condition, and as required, doctors may suggest a line of therapy, after discussing the expectations, costs and other aspects.

Alimony, Support and Division of Assets Explained in Pennsylvania

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Spousal Support

Spousal Support is available to a married spouse, when the couple resides in separate homes and one spouse earns more than the other spouse. There are defenses against spousal support and it is important to have an attorney assist you in your claim for or against spousal support.

Alimony Pendente Lite

Alimony Pendente Lite is a type of support that is limited in nature and paid to the lesser income earning spouse by the higher income earning spouse in accordance to a statutory formula until the divorce is finalized. This support was enacted to equalize the parties incomes during the divorce proceedings and allow each spouse to afford the divorce process and expenses.

Alimony

In Pennsylvania, there is not a set formula to determine post-divorce alimony. Whether or not to award post-divorce alimony payments lies within the exclusive discretion of the court. The court relies on the following 17 factors to determine whether to award post-divorce alimony.

The 17 Factors of Alimony

  • The relative earnings of both spouses.
  • The duration of the marriage.
  • The ages and physical, mental and emotional states of the two spouses.
  • The sources of income of both spouses. This includes medical, retirement, insurance or other benefits.
  • The expected future earnings and inheritances of the two spouses.
  • The degree to which one spouse has contributed to the other spouse’s education, training or increased earning potential.
  • The degree to which a spouse will be financially affected by their position as the custodian of a minor child.
  • The standard of living of the spouses established during the marriage.
  • The relative education of the parties. This also considers the amount of time it would take for the spouse seeking alimony to acquire the education or training necessary to find employment.
  • The relative assets and liabilities of the two spouses.
  • The property each spouse brought to the marriage.
  • The degree a spouse contributed as a homemaker.
  • The relative needs of the two spouses.
  • The marital misconduct of either of the spouses during the marriage.
  • The federal, state and local tax consequences of the alimony.
  • Whether the spouse seeking alimony lacks sufficient property to provide for their reasonable needs.
  • Whether the spouse seeking alimony is incapable of supporting themselves through appropriate employment.

[1] Title 7, Pennsylvania Code, §6102.

Division of Assests

In Pennsylvania “marital property” means all property acquired by either party during the marriage and the increase in value of any non-marital property acquired. However, marital property does not include:

Veterans’ benefits exempt from attachment, levy or seizure pursuant to the act of September 2, 1958 (Public Law 85-857, 72 Stat. 1229), as amended, except for those benefits received by a veteran where the veteran has waived a portion of his military retirement pay in order to receive veterans’ compensation.

Property to the extent to which the property has been mortgaged or otherwise encumbered in good faith for value prior to the date of final separation.

Any payment received as a result of an award or settlement for any cause of action or claim which accrued prior to the marriage or after the date of final separation regardless of when the payment was received.

Property acquired prior to marriage or property acquired in exchange for property acquired prior to the marriage.

Property excluded by valid agreement of the parties entered into before, during or after the marriage.
Property acquired by gift, except between spouses, bequest, devise or descent or property acquired in exchange for such property.

Property acquired after final separation until the date of divorce, except for property acquired in exchange for marital assets.

Property which a party has sold, granted, conveyed or otherwise disposed of in good faith and for value prior to the date of final separation.

Pennsylvania states that the increase in value of any non-marital property acquired pursuant to subsection shall be measured from the date of marriage or later acquisition date to either the date of final separation or the date as close to the hearing on equitable distribution as possible, whichever date results in a lesser increase.

Chitosan Research

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One of the many remarkable diet control supplements that can substantially contribute to weight loss is Chitosan. Chitosan is a naturally occurring substance that resembles cellulose in its structure and is derived from a polysaccharide called chitin. Chitin is primarily found in the exoskeletons of shellfish such as shrimps, crustaceans and crabs. Shells of these animals are crushed into a fine powder. This powder is passed through a process of deacetylation resulting in the formation of Chitosan.

The most remarkable property of Chitosan is that it is a special fiber that acts as an effective fat binder at the rate of six to ten times its weight. The soaked up fat molecules are then converted into a form that is not suitable for absorption. Being a non-digestible substance, consumption of Chitosan does not add any additional calories into the body. Recent research has found that Chitosan has the ability to interfere with fat digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Apart from this, Chitosan also facilitates the excretion of dietary fat through feces. Research has shown that consumption of Chitosan in combination with ascorbic acid would reduce the fat levels significantly.

Along with controlling weight, Chitosan also has other health benefits. Chitosan has shown to effectively control the blood serum cholesterol levels. Research has shown that Chitosan could increase the level of HDL cholesterol in the body, while lowering the levels of LDL cholesterol in the body. Chitosan performs the function of a cholestryramine and is particularly beneficial to patients suffering with coronary heart diseases.

Make More Sales By Being Contrary

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Here’s something I’ve been playing with, and my results have been pretty good, too.

A few months ago a friend was launching a big product with lots of cash prizes for the top affiliates. I knew there would be tons of affiliate competition, with every affiliate trying to out-do the others with bigger and better bonuses.

How to compete?

I decided not to.

Instead, I thought about what every affiliate’s bonus pages would look like: Highly polished, slick, professional, lots of graphics, videos, etc.

Odds are they would all start to look very much alike, right?

So I thought… what if I did something different?

What if my page looked like something you might get in the mail – black and white sales letter, using the Courier typewriter font, very old-school looking…

And what if, instead of a highly polished professional photo of myself, I used one where I just woke up? Or one where I just finished exercising, or just finished the yard work?

In other words, I looked like the guy next door and not some slick marketer.

Taking this thinking to the next level, I decided I didn’t want to spend time or money on creating a bonus. Everyone else was doing that, so why should I?

Instead, I would hold a live class. The homework would be to go over the program before class. Then in class we would implement, step-by-step, what was in the program. And I would record the whole thing, so people could just follow along.

In case you’re wondering – it worked beautifully. My sales were a very decent 5 figure number, and my commissions were half that plus bonuses.

And one more thing – I cheated, too. I had my virtual assistant run the class for me. She got to learn some great new skills, and I put less than 2 hours into the entire project.

The takeaway: When you have a lot of competition, it’s time to stop directly competing and find another way.

If they are using tons of graphics and slick videos, you go with a 1980’s black and white typewriter look.

If they are offering bonus packages filled with 5, 10 or 20 products, you offer no products (I offered hold-your-hand training, which in my opinion is worth far more anyway.)

You get the idea.

Do you know what would work even better than that?

MAILING the actual letter. Yup. Talk about old school. If you collect real addresses of your BUYERS, you might consider doing this on big ticket items.

I know marketers who do this. They are few and far between, and they are KILLING it. They only mail to buyers, which greatly improves their conversions. They use a service to send out the mailers for them. And they make more on one of these mailings than most successful marketers earn in 6 months.

Which brings me to my second idea… if you don’t already have the mailing addresses for your buyers, start collecting those now.

When you have a sizable portion of them (at least 200, preferably 500) approach a marketer with a product your list would love. Make sure there is plenty of profit in that product. Take the sales letter, adapt it to a black and white mailer (cheap to produce) and send it to your buyers.

See what happens. Tweak, rinse and repeat.

You can easily DOUBLE your income using this method.

Know why? Again, because it’s contrary. It’s different. Almost no one is doing it.

Your customer gets maybe a half dozen pieces of mail in a day. Two are bills. Two are sales flyers from local businesses. One is a catalog.

And then there’s that mysterious white envelope. Yeah, it’s going to get opened. Yes, it’s going to get read.

Steps to Choosing a General Contractor

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Choosing the right General Contractor is an important process. Your home is a special place and you deserve to have a safe and comfortable living environment. The definition of the word “contractor” from Webster’s point of view is one that agrees to furnish materials or perform services at a specified price, especially for construction work. Here are some things to look for when choosing the right general contractor for your project.

– Don’t be scared to ask for references. If they hesitate to give their information then they are trying to keep you from finding something out. A good contractor has nothing to hide.

– Don’t be pressured into signing a contract. Explore your options and choose the right person for your project. And never sign if you don’t understand. Tell them to break everything down on the contract. For example, have each kind of material in its own space with the price next to it, then the cost of labor on its own.

Example: 10 2x4s @ $1.00 a piece — $10
Labor total $500 or $15 per hour

– If a contractor wants to be paid by the hour, be sure to have proof of all hours worked. Ask how they plan on keeping track of their time and if they can estimate how long a job will take.

– Get all estimates in writing. Make sure the contractor sticks to the original plans, unless you want something different.

– Never pay when a contractor demands cash payments, always have record of all payments.

– Ask them if they will guarantee their work and for how long. If something happens because of the contractors negligence it is the contractors responsibility to fix their mistakes.

– Always make sure the contractors will clean up after themselves. Some contractors will leave you to clean up after their work. Get it in writing and specify everything that needs cleaned up and how.

– Only make final payment when all work is done. That includes cleaning up. Make sure you are satisfied with the work and go over everything that was done before you hand them the final payment.

The contractor you choose should be able to put new insight on your project, and make suggestions on things you may not have thought of. They can tell you the proper materials and should use all the safest most efficient ways to complete your project in a timely manner. But, always remember, it is your project and everything should be done your way. The contractors work for you!

Atlanta Apartment Rents

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Apartment rents are a major concern for a person looking for an apartment for short- or long-term accommodations in core business centers such as Atlanta. Apartments are recent additions to this business center, and these offer move-in rent concessions or post-construction rent concessions. These concessions temporarily dilute the overall average rental structure.

Mostly, low rates forced developers and landlords lease the apartments at a lower rate and by piling on concessions. Many apartment management companies still offer concessions, such as a month’s free rent or waived security deposits. Sometimes even four months free rent is allowed. Rental concessions are available for older apartments as well.

In Atlanta, high-rise luxury apartments account for the majority of rental types. Furnished and unfurnished apartments are available for the native community as well as job seekers or students from other states and abroad. Generally, the Atlanta apartment market has switched to a lower rate corresponding to a weak job market. Negative absorption and positive absorption are two other conditions affecting the rate of apartment rents. Negative absorption tends to decrease the rental rate, while positive absorption will increase the rental rate.

In the Atlanta metropolitan area, the monthly rent rate of one-bedroom apartments is higher than that of two- or three-bedroom apartments. These are specific areas where apartments are built to cater to various socioeconomic groups with distinct administrative or natural boundaries. These apartment markets always show a big difference in rent levels. Some recent natural disasters have also affected the normal rental rates in Atlanta.

The National Real Estate Index reports that there has been a slight decrease in rent for class A apartments in Atlanta. Atlanta apartment rents show some seasonal and business up-down rates. The suburban apartments are more feasible and profitable for those who wish for a quiet life. Urban apartment units such as elevator buildings or loft conversions with extra facilities such as a parking area, fitness center, and swimming pool cost about 50 percent more than those in suburbs.