Immobilien News

Few locations in the Caribbean rival Puerto Rico for beauty and fewer still rival it for investment potential. As a territory of the United States, it has almost been recognized as one of those states several times in the last couple of decades. Political optimists predict that, in our lifetimes, the US will add Puerto Rico as its fifty-first state. With statehood, real estate values in this small island country will skyrocket. Wise investors are busily scanning Puerto Rico real estate listings today with an eye for what tomorrow might bring.

Of course, there are lots more reasons to buy land, a home or a hotel in this tropical paradise. Rich with history, natural beauty and a vibrant if colorful lifestyle, it is a natural draw for tourists, retirees and those who can afford the luxury of spending weeks or months in one of the many this rentals that range from small apartments to beachfront mansions. Many who visit, however, do not bother to leave. With prices for homes and property still in the „reasonable“ range by investment standards, there are plenty of people and companies eager to seal the deal on some investment-quality Puerto Rico.

Unlike some of the smaller island countries of the Caribbean, It can offer you a city or country view. It has great beaches, towering cliffs and waterfalls and a thriving tourist-driven economy. Of course, tourism is not the only draw for persons interested in investing in it offerings.

Industry is also thriving here, where shipping lanes to the US, South and Central America all intersect. This makes this one place where investors interested in industrial, business and residential properties can stand to make a financial killing. The Puerto Rico real estate market is a draw for almost every sort of real estate investor, and perhaps for a few of us who are simply charmed by the beauty of the place and the warm, tropical winds.

Whatever your reason, I’d suggest you spend a couple of weeks in Puerto Rico and familiarize yourself with the different regions. There are plenty of realtors that offer international rentals and you can use the time for sightseeing and as well as view targeted areas for potential investment purposes.

With its tropical overtones and subtle Americanized social infrastructure, this country is possibly the most underrated investment opportunity in this region of the world. That does not mean, however, that real estate in Puerto Rico is not selling or that it has bottomed out on pricing. While there are good deals to be had, there is no glut of properties desperate to be mopped up by investors. Even with the current US housing crisis, the Puerto Rican market is holding its own and resell of properties here usually nets the investor a tidy return on his initial investment.

So for warm winds, a range of geographic beauty and a variety of properties with varied potentials, think it and consider it an investment with a bright future.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

I was hanging out with a few people at a wedding recently and the conversation turned to

today’s real estate market.

One of my friends, John, from a town near San Jose, CA told a fascinating, yet familiar,

story. I thought I would share it with all of you.

John and his wife, Liz, decided to sell their home. They bought the house in 2004, saw it

increase in value, and this summer decided to sell it. They interviewed four different

agents to sell their home and finally decided on the one who agreed to sell their home for

what they wanted to sell it for.

They believed the home was worth $625,000. The first three agents who came in to

interview for the listing told them the house would never sell at that price and that they

should consider listing it below $600,000. They all felt $589,000-$599,000 was the

„magic“ number.

John is a commercial real estate broker. He knew that his asking price was high but he

was in no hurry to sell. He also didn’t like the fact these three agents weren’t offering

any „solutions“ they were only discussing the „problems“ he would face at the higher

price.

These agents told John and Liz about the current market conditions for their area. If

their home sold, it would likely take up to 120 days. There was a 55% chance that the

home wouldn’t sell at all during these four months. Based on what they wanted for their

home, they needed to be prepared for this. The agents told them they needed to consider

lowering the price.

John and Liz talked very seriously about lowering their price. Then they met a fourth

agent named Lynette.

Lynette came in and presented her case. It really wasn’t much different than the rest.

She also told them about days on the market and the chances of selling their home. She

also suggested they may be priced a bit high but then she offered an option.

„Let’s stage your home using a professional home staging company,“ Lynette suggested.

„This is going to cost you about $4000. We will list the home at the $625,000 you want

but to offset some of this expense, when I sell your home, I will split this expense with

you.“

Whereas real estate professionals, like Lynette, are highly skilled in marketing, selling

and closing your home, home stagers are designers. They are artists who prepare your

home for resale.

Home stagers work with the „flow“ of your home. They will remove and re-arrange

furniture. They will eliminate clutter. They may even add pictures, bedspreads, paint,

art, rugs and other items to make it more appealing. They may even assist in enhancing

curb-appeal.

Their goal is to make an incredible first impression on potential homebuyers the moment

they pull in front of your home.

Lynette explained that although the décor of the house was very nice and contemporary,

the home was cluttered because of their three young boys and busy lifestyle. The home

didn’t feel as large as it was because it was packed with too many items to display it

properly. The home was „too personal,“ she told them. They had picture of the boys

all over the house from birth to last year’s soccer playoffs.

She told them that they needed to compete with new home builders who are offering

buyers the most incredible purchase incentives. She said that when you walk into the

model homes of the builder you are „blown away.“

„THAT is your competition,“ Lynette said. „You need to blow away the people who

walk into your home too.“ She also explained that the last few clients who hired her

home staging company sold their home in less than 60 days and didn’t discount their

asking price.

John and Liz were not crazy about spending $4000, and certainly not thrilled about taking

down pictures of their beloved family, but they were encouraged by Lynette’s creative

idea. At the end of the day, what they really cared about was selling this home, so they

did it.

John said the home staging company came in and made the house seem like a „hotel.“

„They took out way more things than they put in, but it did look better, like a nice bed

and breakfast hotel,“ he said. „It almost made me want to stay there,“ he joked.

It worked. Their house sold in three weeks….at the $625,000 list price. Lynette did an

amazing job from start to finish!!

Just this month, I sold my very own investment house that was staged in 11 days. There

were three like models listed in the subdivision at the same time. Mine was the highest

priced. My incredibly talented real estate agent did an amazing job too but I truly

believe staging was a real key as well. I did take a small loss on this home. However a

sale in 11 days is no small accomplishment in today’s market.

Experts say that if you are hiring a professional staging company, plan on spending

between $2000-$5000 based on the size and condition of the home. If you just want

consultation, plan on $100 or so per hour.

Experts, like StagedHomes.com, say that a staged home sells in half the time as a similar

home that is not staged and that a staged home sells for 7-10% higher.

Coldwell Banker tracked nearly 3,000 properties, ranging in price from $229,000 to $4.8

million, in eight major U.S. cities.

During this time, they determined the average home was on the market for nearly 31

days, the typical staged home sold in less than 14 days.

The average home sold for 1.6% over the seller’s asking price. The staged homes, in the

Coldwell Banker study, over the same time, went for a 6.3% more.

This means, if the average home price is $300,000, you can expect the average staged

home to sell for $318,000-$330,000. Obviously, this makes the $2000-$5000 investment

a no-brainer.

Inventory is at an all-time high in many areas. The National Association of Realtors

recently reported the biggest drop in home prices since the trade group began compiling

price data in 1968. Many experts are now saying housing prices will continue to decline

though 2007.

So do you take your home off the market until 2008, and hope it gets better, with the

possibility it gets even worse, or do you separate yourself from the competition and do

what it takes to give your home the very best chance it has to sell today?

We are in a slower real estate market, however the people who are most committed to selling their

home will likely still be successful. When you are selling real estate it’s no different

than selling any other product. You have to market to find a capable buyer and then you

have to impress him.

Your real estate professional will market the property to bring the buyers but the product

and how it’s displayed will determine if it sells and at what price. This is where the

professional home stager comes in.

OK, so you want to give Home Staging a try? Here’s how.

There are many websites out there. Just type „professional home staging“ into your

favorite search engine like Google, Yahoo!, or MSN and you can start looking for the one

that best fits you.

If you want to try doing it yourself, take these tips from professional home stagers like

StagedHomes.com and others:

HOW TO „STAGE“ YOUR HOME YOURSELF

MAKE AN AWESOME FIRST IMPRESSION

Look at your house like you will look at the homes you want to buy next.

Prospective buyers make up their minds about your house even before they get out

of the car.

This is your chance to WOW them. Clean up the yard; rake the leaves and sweep

driveways and porches.

Get out the rags and cleanser and spend 30 minutes scouring your front door,

porch, railings and steps.

Make sure all of all your trash cans, recycling cans, other bins, discarded wood

scraps, extra building materials, etc., are in the garage.

Check gutters for roof moss and dry rot. Make sure they are swept and cleaned.

Look at all plants. Prune your bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking

windows.

Weed and then mulch all planting areas. Keep lawn freshly cut and fertilized.

Remove dead plants or shrubs.

Clear patios or decks of all small items such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal,

barbecues, and toys. Box them away and store them.

Check the paint condition of the house, especially the front door and trim.

UNCLUTTER YOUR HOUSE

Empty your closets to a minimum, clear out the cupboards, and get rid of the small

appliances. Take books off the shelves, get rid of all of the magazines, the CDs,

video games, and DVDs, and lose the kid’s toys. Minimize it all.

Rent a storage unit or box what you want to keep and toss the rest.

Now is the time to say goodbye to your house and your stuff and transition. Your

life may be a bit uncomfortable during this time but you are now in the business of

selling your home.

GET RID OF THAT FURNITURE

An easy way to „unclutter“ and create a much greater sense of space is to get rid of

some furniture.

Consider moving your sofa, extra chairs, and end tables into storage so you can

make the home feel like it is larger and has much more space.

If your furniture is old, you may want to pack it away and rent a few more

contemporary pieces.

The goal is to sell your home, not display your old furniture.

MAKE YOUR HOME „THEIR“ HOME

The goal here is to get the potential buyer to imagine that he is living in your house.

If he feels like an intruder during his tour, your chances of selling the house are less.

That means put away anything connected to your family or personal interests. Like

trophies, family vacation photos, and personal mementos. Box it all away!

Clear refrigerator fronts of all messages, magnets, pictures, reminders, etc.

Stagers say the bathroom is a crucial place to pay close attention too. Shampoo

bottles in the shower and toothbrushes near the sink make it very hard for the

buyer to picture himself there. Box it away during the day and bring it out at night

for your use.

Keep the towels to minimum as well. Think „neat hotel bathroom“ on the day you

checked in.

MAKE THAT HOUSE AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE

If your house is clean, the buyer tends to believe everything else is great with the

house as well. This means clean everything! The mirrors, walls, floors, carpets,

drapes, bathrooms, kitchen, and even door handles, light fixtures and pantry

cupboards.

If you hate cleaning, bring in a professional maid service regularly while your home

is listed and get someone in to do the windows, driveway and walkways. Remember,

it costs money to make money.

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL HANDYMAN

As I mentioned, I recently sold an investment property of mine that was staged in 11

days. I staged it myself by following all of the items listed here.

The day before my agent officially placed my home in MLS and started contacting

all of his previous clients, I called a handyman to come out and fix a few things.

I had a missing face plate for a light switch. I had some mold around one of the

toilets. One of the sinks had a broken drain valve. The door leading out to the

garage was dinged up a bit and needed a coat of paint. This was less than $100

worth of work. Many sellers would simply have ignored these items, offered the

buyer a blanket repair credit, and said „get it fixed yourself when you move in.“

Because of my research on this topic, I knew better and made an appointment to get

the handyman out to fix it. He was busy so he committed to come in a week.

However, my home went on the market the next day.

Two days later, five days before the handyman came; the eventual buyer of my

home toured my house. He came back a week later, after the handyman had been

there, and bought it. When I finally met the buyer at the final walk-through, I

asked him whey he didn’t make the offer the first time through.

He told me the missing face plate on the light switch and the dinged up garage door

really bugged him. When he came back and it was fixed, he was impressed and

knew I cared about the home.

A $3 item from Home Depot and a simple coat of cheap grade white paint almost

cost me the sale of my home.

Don’t wait! Fix those minor problems today!

COLOR UP THAT HOUSE WITH PAINT AND CARE

A fresh coat of paint in key areas of your home really makes a big difference. If

your home feels „special“ like you care, that will translate to buyers. Experts say

flowers in the entry or near the front door make your home feel more special, warm

and inviting.

FACE IT, YOUR HOUSE STINKS…MAKE IT SMELL BETTER

Stagers say that people don’t realize it but many of their homes simply stink. They

stink from pets or just everyday family use. The easiest way to overcome this is to

keep your windows open for 10 minutes a day.

This strategy works better than deodorizers, says Barb Schwarz, president of

StagedHomes.com, since a lot of people have allergies to artificial room fresheners.

The oldest trick of all? Leave chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. The smell

helps buyers bond with your home.

MAKE YOUR HOME BRIGHTER AND MORE ALIVE

When things are lighter they feel more vibrant and alive. Dark is depressing. You

don’t want the buyer feeling depressed walking through your home.

Staging experts say clean windows let in as much as 30% more light than dirty ones.

Get them cleaned.

Clean the shades on your light fixtures and add floor lamps if an area seems dim.

Get rid of those energy-saving 60-watt bulbs and go with higher wattage lights for

maximum illumination.

When it comes time to show your home, make sure all the lights are on.

GET HOMEY AND CREATIVE

Flowers, plants, candles, expressive art are all items that are not overly personal

that give a good vibe to the buyer walking through your home. Show these off or go

buy some to add that touch.

You want your home to feel like a model home you see at a new house tract or,

better yet, a comfortable hotel lobby.

For real estate agents, in my opinion, this is a great tool to separate yourself from your

competition in trying to get a listing and sell the home. I think it’s a good idea to take a

few home staging classes or have a professional home stager as part of your team as an

option to present sellers.

StagedHomes.com offers two-day home staging workshops for real estate agents.

For homeowners with a lot of equity, I think hiring a professional stager is a tremendous

idea as well.

If you don’t have as much room financially and the costs of hiring a professional stager

seem preventative, you may want to try the „do-it-yourself“ ideas listed above first.

If those still don’t work, but you notice the feedback is more positive, you may want to

then consider hiring a home staging professional.

From all indications, and I can tell you first-hand, the price of staging your home is small

compared to the benefits you can realize.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Interior designers always come up with great ideas for home improvement. If you made a unique design for a deck that you think many people will like, you may as well sell that and make some money. There are many ways to sell a design idea for a home. All you have to do is find out which one is best for you from the tips below.

1. Offer it to an architect that you know

Unless you are a licensed architect, interior designer, or a builder in the business of building decks for homes, it would be difficult for you to make money off your design. You need to offer it to someone who professionally designs for homes. An architect would gladly take your design if they have a client who wants a deck incorporated into their home. Imagine how much time and energy an architect will save if they no longer have to design the deck because they bought your design from you.

2. Sell it online

If you don’t know any architect or are too shy to approach one, you may be able to sell your design online. You can make your own website if you don’t have any yet, or you can sell it on Craigslist. But remember not to show the whole design because someone might just copy it without your knowledge and it would be difficult to know if that happens. Offer to personally bring your blueprint or 3D rendering to the potential buyer’s location.

3. Partner with a renovation company

You can also partner with a renovation company to call you if they need a deck or patio design. This is a good idea because decks and patios are popular renovation projects so you will have no shortage of customers. Make sure to have more than one design so that the customers will have options. Always make 3D renders of your designs to show to potential clients.

Find a renovation company that is honest and won’t screw you over. Head down to their office and sell your work or offer them your services. There is no harm in trying.

Copyright

Before letting anyone see your design, check your state’s law on copyright and see if your deck design can be protected. After all, your design is your intellectual property and a copyright is a layer of protection to protect your design from being used by others without your permission.

Selling your deck designs may be difficult, but if you have determination, you can find an architect or a renovation company that will pay for your work so you can make money.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Before I define professional selling. Let’s look at some of the related professions. Below are some definitions of professions/occupations that relate to professional selling from Wikipedia:

• Marketing is defined as an ongoing process of planning and executing the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) for products, services or ideas to create exchange between individuals and organizations
• Advertising is defined as a form of communication that typically attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular brand of product or service.
• Public relations is defined as the practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and its audiences.
• Sales Promotions is defined as the pre-determined actions designed to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability for a limited time (i.e., contests, point of purchase displays, rebates, free travel, and sales incentives.)

What about the sales profession?

Notice in the above definitions, the profession is *not* defined as the individual. For example, marketing isn’t defined as „people who market.“ Yet, the sales profession is often explained as „individuals who sell.“ Therefore, selling shouldn’t be defined in this manner. Notice also, that the above professions are *not* defined by the activities of those individuals. In other words, the profession of advertising isn’t defined as „placing ads on television.“ Therefore, selling shouldn’t be defined in this manner.

Academically, selling is thought of as a part of marketing, however, the two disciplines are completely different. Sales departments often form a separate grouping in a corporate structure, employing individuals who specialize in sale specific roles. While the sales process refers to a systematic process of repetitive and measurable milestones, the definition of the sales „profession“ doesn’t exist (until now with this article).

So the questions become:

• Who is „in“ the profession and who is not?
• How does selling relate to marketing, advertising, promotions, and public relations?
• What shared competencies do individuals within the sales profession need?
• How do these competencies align to roles in terms of focus and differentiation?

A definition should provide a meaning. To determine the meaning of the sale profession, it is useful to determine what the sales profession *must* contain.

The following three tenets are required for professional selling:

• The focus of the sales profession centers on the human agents involved in the exchange between buyer and seller
• Effective selling requires a systems approach, at minimum involving roles that sell, enable selling, and develop sales capabilities
• A specific set of sales skills and knowledge are required to facilitate the exchange of value between buyers and sellers

Within these three tenets the following definition of profession selling is offered by the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD):

Professional Selling is:

 „The holistic business system required to effectively develop, manage, enable, and execute a mutually beneficial, interpersonal exchange of goods and/or services for equitable value.“

Note: this definition was published by ASTD in 2009.

What does this definition accomplish?

First, it creates a definition of world class selling. An organization wishing to benchmark its selling effectiveness can leverage the above definition to clearly understand strengths and weaknesses. Without such a definition, most adjustments to the selling team are arbitrary and subjective. By understanding the system’s view required for selling effectiveness, organizations can look at indidual sales team members as well as sales team processes and tools and how they align to the buyer.

Second, it allows for more consistent results in performance through the clear establishment of roles regarding who is „in“ and who is „out“ of professional selling. For example, if it doesn’t involve a human agent, it is not within the sales profession — it’s a marketing function with a transaction (i.e., a „sale“). For this definition, sales operations, sales recruiters, and sales trainers are „in“ the profession because they possess unique skills outside of their regular job titles. They posses knowledge and skill that is unique to enabling the definition.

Third, the definition lays the foundation for sales talent management/people strategies. With such a definition, sales development employees can create learning solutions that fit the unique aspects of a sales culture. At the same time, front-end recruitment strategies and more clearly tie to retention strategies.

Fourth, it helps organization on exemplary performance. By setting a bar with such a definition, organizations don’t have to settle for mediocre sales effectiveness. They can use the definition to help bridge the gap between sales capacity and sales team competency.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

If you are looking to buy a holiday or second home or invest in Romania, Transylvania or at the Black Sea and you are a foreign citizen/investor, there are few aspects you should know about the procedure an the costs for the acquisition of Romanian land or Romanian houses.

After 2012, foreign citizens EU citizens (non-Romanian) may purchase a home or apartment in Romania may freely buy and sell any Romanian property, without restrictions. Along with the sell price for the property, buying real estate in Romania has other costs associated with it.

If you have chosen to collaborate with a Romanian real estate agent/ broker you can expect to have an additional commission of approximately 2-4% of the price of the property. The local tax will be 2-4% of the price of the property. The signing of a contract must be witnessed by a public notary who submits it for certification by the Land Registry in charge of real estate records. The fees for the Romanian public notary is about 0.5-1% of the purchase price. You will also have to pay fees to the Land Registry („Cartea Funciara“) to register the Transfer Deed. The Romanian Land Registry Fee for a purchase of a property will vary from 1-3% according to the length of time that the seller had owned the property and the property’s value.

The Romanian law on property states that Citizens of EU member states, legal persons incorporated in the EU member states and stateless people domiciled in an EU member state can purchase land in Romania only if the land is used for secondary residences or for secondary headquarters after a 5 (five) years term from the accession of Romania to the EU (starting with January 1st, 2012); only for the agricultural land and forest land 7 (seven) years term from the accession of Romania to the EU ( starting with January 1st, 2014).

But for the Citizens, legal persons and stateless people not from a EU member state, the Romanian legal system establishes that they can purchase land in Romania, under the conditions of international treaties between Romania and the states of origin on these persons, under a reciprocity basis.

In our point of view, a prudent investor will hire a Romanian lawyer/ a Romanian Law Office, who will liaise closely with the notary on the verification of the title, obtaining the Land Registry excerpt and the drafting of the agreement for the transfer of ownership of the real estate. This means that the Romanian lawyer will be solely acting for and is responsible to his or her client, whereas the notary will not have the same degree of responsibility to the purchaser.

Under Romanian law there are three basic rights to land and buildings such as right of ownership; usage rights as lease, usufruct, superficies; concession right. The principle of contractual liberty represents the key core of the property law in Romania.

Sometimes, an investor/purchaser can opt for closing a pre-sale agreement, by which the seller undertakes to transfer ownership to the buyer at a certain date in exchange for an agreed consideration. The content of the pre-sale contract will stipulate all commercial and legal conditions for the transfer of ownership, as conditions precedent to the final transfer of ownership. The closing of such pre-contract for purchase does not means the transfer over the property, but the stipulate binding obligations for the parties, in regard to, as example, damages or penalties set out in them, if the seller refuses to sign the final notarized deed of transfer at the agreed deadline.

The closing of the pre-sale agreement is to protect the investor/buyer from any possible purchase to other buyers and to matters regarding the fixed price and duration of a future purchase. In our point of view, it is a must that the pre-sale agreement to be concluded at a Public Notary and clearly stipulate the sale price and other clauses regarding duration of future purchase. In this case, it can be enforced in court on the buyer’s request as a deed to transfer ownership.

A sale agreement signed in Romania, according to the Romanian legislation will mandatory stipulate: obligations of the parties for the fulfillment of the sale contract, delivery and quality conditions of goods and/or services, terms, payment methods and payment guarantees, payment instruments and price insurance, contractual risk, as well as method of solving eventual litigations arising from the contract. Other required elements include the full name and identification details of the parties (for legal entities) and name of the person signing the contract (representing a legal entity).

Our team of romanian lawyers offer a wide variety of legal services in the real estate law http://www.lawyersinromania.com

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Faith can be a misused word, both inside and outside the church. Inside, when asking to which church a person belongs, we often hear, „Of what faith are you?“ when intended is: „Of what church or denomination are you?“ Outside we hear, „I have no faith in government – in public education – in marriage.“ when intended is: „I have no confidence in government, etc.“ Misuse outside the church is easily remedied by inserting the correct word. Inside the church, however, misuse – since faith is the foundational means by which we come to God – may suggests a serious problem. Vigilance comes more readily with a better understanding of the English language and through a deeper study of God’s Word and His inspired writers at large.

The word faith in English grammar is a noun. Traditionally nouns are defined as the names of persons, places or things. Nouns also come in different forms. There are proper nouns which are capitalized and common nouns which are not. There are concrete and abstract nouns. Concrete nouns refer to something perceptible, which can be seen, heard, touched, and so on: shoe, soup, grass, teacher. Abstract nouns, on the other hand, designate a quality, condition, action, or state of being that cannot be directly perceived – that is, seen, heard, touched: faith, love, courage, honor.

Concrete, I understand. For instance, a mere glance at my old garden shoes tells me almost everything there is to know about them: dirty, whitish sneakers cracked open at the soles; broken laces, carelessly tied, stained by paint, grass and who remembers what. I can see them, touch them, smell them and, to prove a point, I could even taste them. Abstract, on the other hand, I do not easily understand. It’s vague, out of focus, out of reach, out of site around the corner. A mere glance will not suffice. To reach a correct understanding of faith, I must be taught.

Fortunately, I can be taught through parents, teachers in the church and the many fine writers in church history. Four examples: (1) The writer of Hebrews, a book of the Bible, gave a brief definition of faith in chapter 11 verse 1: „Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen… “ (KJV) (2) The Apostles Creed expanded the definition and provided the essentials of saving faith. (3) The Heidelberg Catechism in 1563, with its 129 questions and answers, gave the church one of the most expanded definitions. (4) After 450 years, the Heidelberg required some deciphering and one of the best books available is Dr. G.I. Williamson’s, The Heidelberg Catechism, A Study Guide.

In the end, perhaps faith is best understood, not by its definition, but rather by its purpose. A wonderful example found as a Theological Note in The Reformation Study Bible entitled, „Faith and Works,“ reads, „Faith is the means or instrument by which a person is saved. Christians are justified before God by faith and by faith they live their lives and sustain their hope… secured by Jesus Christ… called forth by the gospel as the gospel is made understandable through the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. Christian faith is a personal act, involving the mind, heart, and will,… directed to a personal God, not an idol or an idea.“

My old sneakers deserve only a mere glance, but the abstract noun faith merits a deep study of the Bible plus a serious look at the work of inspired writers at large. „Of what faith am I?“ May my answer always be, „The faith stated in the Apostles Creed; the means by which I am saved; the means by which I stand before God in the righteousness of Christ; the means by which I gain life eternal.“

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Are you running out of creative juice for your needed daily or weekly blog? Are you having some sort of repetitions just after two months or so? If you are in this situation, you’re probably thinking of how you can possibly sustain readership with writing ideas or topics that are sure to entice readers to follow you. Here are some topics you can write about for the next days.

Local activities which kids and teenagers would probably ask permission from their parents to join. Every community conducts activities for children and teenagers. These activities are geared to enrich the knowledge and skills of the participants. Most of them are conducted during summer months. But there are also some activities conducted during the other months of the year. These activities can range from art workshops, sports clinics, dance competitions, talent shows, and a whole lot more.

Current news in your local community and even important events of the nation. News affects all. Whatever is happening in the community and in the nation has impact to everybody. Discuss how these events can affect the families and individuals in the community. Assert your point. Give insights on how these events can shape the local real estate industry.

Present places of interests to your readers. Make your real estate blog a reference for readers to familiarize themselves with the community’s various interesting places. Let your writings take them to the vest restaurants, entertainment hubs, museums, shopping destinations, and even tourist spots. These local crowd-drawers deserve to have their spotlights on your blog. It will also help if you’ll notify merchants, establishments or entities which you’ll mention in your writing. Through this, you are getting them fueled to share your writings in their respective platforms. This will eventually increase redirects from their spaces to yours.

Dissect local market studies. Different studies present various insights. They send signals to buyers and sellers alike. Present statistics, data, and other information which will be valuable and influential to the decisions of your readers. Will this month be good to buy a house? Will next month see home prices increasing at least for your market?

Give tips, suggestions, and advises. Your blog can also serve as a communication line between you and your readers. Engage them in your posts through tips about home staging. Suggest ways on how they can better rearrange the room of their sons or daughters. Give advise on how to deal with noisy neighbors. There are plenty of topics in which your expert opinion and advise are warranted.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Are you interested in learning the Italian language right in your own hometown? There are several options that you can explore to find the Italian classes that are just perfect for you! First, you should consider whether you would you enjoy the interaction that takes place among students in group classes, or if you would prefer the one-on-one attention of a private instructor.

1. Group classes at community colleges: One way to learn Italian in your hometown is to find a community college that offers Italian classes in your area. The internet can be an invaluable resource and with a few clicks of the mouse you can identify exactly where there are Italian language courses available. For example, if you live in the U.S. you can go to http://www.community-college.org, where you will find a complete directory of all of the community colleges throughout the country. Many of them offer evening or even online classes! Simply pick the college or colleges that can be found near you and check out their curriculum.

2. Group classes at a private school or institution: Another approach would be to find an independent language school where you can take group lessons. Do you have a Berlitz near you? How about an Inlingua Center? A great way to find the best schools in your area is to talk with people in the Italian community where you live! Many Italian communities even have websites that link to valuable resources. For example, you can find out about the Italian community in Washington, DC at [http://www.italcultusa.org], in New York at http://www.italcultny.org, in Chicago at [http://www.iicch.org], in Los Angeles at http://www.iicusa.org or in San Francisco at http://www.sfiic.org. You can find an Italian community near you simply by going to http://www.google.com and typing in “Italian community in (Your Hometown).”

3. Private lessons: Not convinced that college classes or group lessons are for you? While group classes are more interactive and dynamic, you get less of the teacher’s attention. So, how about taking private classes? There are many ways to find a good instructor. For example, you could post a free “in search of Italian instructor” ad at Craigslist – http://www.craigslist.org – if you live in an area that the site serves. Or, you could place an ad for free in a local newspaper or journal.

Italians take great pride in teaching their native language to non-native speakers, so simply by reaching out and asking questions, you are sure to find plenty of good advice and helpful people. Buon divertimento!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

If you are pregnant and if you do not have a proper housing facility to dwell, this could be a matter of concern for you. This is because a safe and secure housing is a foremost necessity for you and your unborn baby. However, pregnant couples can find themselves a safe housing facility through a housing assistance program. This housing assistance comes from different Federal Government funded grant programs. Keep in mind that the housing assistance does not come from the Federal Government itself. But many grant-making agencies such as action community agencies and non-profit organizations participate in giving out the housing assistance to the qualified and eligible pregnant couples. Housing grants for pregnant couples can comprise immediate shelter assistance, housing for longer times and home-ownership programs.

During pregnancy, in order to get housing assistance, you must bring your immediate shelter needs to the concerned authority. These authorities can be county, non-profit organization and charitable organizations sponsored by the federal government. As a pregnant couple, you can visit pregnancyandchildren.com and womensshelter.org sites to get information on immediate shelters for pregnant women.

Though government assistance is a time-consuming matter, housing assistance for pregnant couples from the federal government can be of a great relief for you. Once you are determined eligible, you can receive various financial assistance to meet your housing needs. Amongst different housing grants regulated by the federal or state government, Temporary Cash Assistance for pregnant couples in the immediate needs of housing may help. On the other hand, while exercising the benefits of instant, medium and long-term pregnancy shelter under this program, take advantage of the Temporary Cash Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Besides addressing your housing requirements, taking care of your essentials like food, clothing, medicines during your pregnancy is an important responsibility of TANF. Every state in the U.S administers the grant program, hence; applying for the program through your state organization will not be a tough chore. Benefits under this program can be available for 5 years.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program is considered one of the effective housing assistance programs for pregnant couples in the U.S. This program is administered by the federal government under the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. Considering housing assistance for pregnant couples, you can receive monthly housing choice voucher to afford a safe, decent and sanitary housing facility in the private market. Any individuals from low-income or very-low-income households can benefit from the program. With cash vouchers easily available from HUD, you can choose your housing from single-family homes to apartments to townhouses. However, remember that the housing facility must meet the living and safety standard as mentioned by HUD while house hunting in the private market.

How to Apply for Housing Choice Assistance

You can visit the Housing Choice Voucher program website to register your application. In this regard, your state HUD office can assist with housing. Once you are found eligible, you can receive grants for housing. Hence, with a safe and decent housing facility, you can ensure safety and security for your baby and you as well.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Buying a home is a big step in your life and should be a very exciting time. Unfortunately, many individuals rush into buying a home with out considering the implications is has on their future. If you’re considering making the move to own it’s important you weigh all the options, and consider what if anything will affect the feasibility of you’re purchase. If this is you’re first time in the housing market consider the following before you make your big move.

1. Get Your Finances in Order

   Have a lot of debt racked up? If thats the case, you may want to play catch up before you even think about buying a home. Bad credit is bad news for those who want a buy a new home. In most cases you will need to get a mortgage before you buy and this means your credit will be under scrutiny. Start getting acquainted with your credit score and begin fix the problems well before you apply for a mortgage.

2. Think about the Future

   If you have a job or other obligation that may require you to move or travel for extended periods of time you want to think twice about rushing into the housing market. Buying a house is a commitment that will tie you down to a particular location for at least a few years. It’s not easy or economically feasible to pack up and sell your home at the drop of a hat.

3. Educate Your Self

   As a first time home buyer one of the worst thing you can do is go into the market unprepared. Familiarizing your self with words and phrases that are used will allow you to better comprehend the market. A better understanding of the home buying process will enable you to make a well educated decision when it comes to you’re final purchase. Entering the market blindly can turn you’re home buying dreams into a nightmare.

4. Be Rational

   We all want to live in the home of our dreams. Unfortunately, like most things in life, the housing market must be approached from the bottom up? Renting is the start of the home owners journey. With your dream home serving as the final destination you will most likely need to take a few stops on the way there. The logical step is to buy a house you can afford not one that lands you in economic turmoil. Consider your first home an investment that you can improve upon over time. Once the home is improved you can sell it and bring yourself one step closer to your dream home. Buying out of your league can be a huge problem so set a budget and find a home within your means.

5. Ask For Help

   Don’t be determined to have a go at it alone. Buying a home is a complicated process and sometimes it really helps to have someone walk you through it step by step. Agents are more than willing to help you look through home listing, find what your looking for, and ultimately take you from start to finish.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg