Buying New Construction...How Do I Begin?
The prospect of shopping for a new construction residence can be quite daunting, but the rewards of owning a brand new home out-weight the disadvantages if you know the potential pitfalls. The following are important considerations: Overall Dollar Budget, Location, Cost Per Square Foot, Finishes, ... more...

A Life Time of Strategic Thinking
You may be one of the thousands who think Strategic Thinking applies only to the captains of business. But consider human stages of life and how Strategic Thinking is used at the most rudimentary level.The first weeks after birth, your Strategic Thinking is getting others to give you food, comfort ... more...

Budgeting: A Tough Love Way to Handle Your Household Budget
Developing and living by a household budget is by far the best way to get your expenses under control which, in turn, can mean a much less stressful life.However, many families find it very difficult to stick to a budget. It does take hard work and a lot of self-discipline, at least in the ... more...

Identity Theft - Is Your Business At Risk?
More and more business owners are purchasing document shredders then ever before.Why?... Identity theft for starters.A new law is going into effect in the summer of 2005 which states that if you employ anyone for any reason and have personal information on file regarding that individual for Social ... more...

Negotiating the Sale of Your Home
Negotiating a successful sale of your home requires an environment that sustains the buyer's interest and trust during the process. Many of our clients have been very experienced negotiators, and from them we have learned that the goal is to reach a "good agreement" - one in which the underlying ... more...

Earning Rental Income from a Gatlinburg Cabin
Gatlinburg has a small but thriving community of property owners. The 2000 census estimated that 3,300 people live year-round in Gatlinburg. Every year, there are hundreds of Gatlinburg cabins for sale and many new buildings continue to be developed.The purchase of Gatlinburg cabins has picked up ... more...

Writing A Restaurant Business Plan To Help Your Business Grow
At one time, every chef has dreamed of opening his or her own restaurant. Indeed, owning a restaurant of your own can be a great way to put yourself squarely in charge of your own financial future.There is a good reason why owning a business remains such an enduring American dream. There is a ... more...

Customers For Life
Whos talking to your customers? Is it your competition? Why or why not? When you stop to think about it, these are valid questions. Most people rely on some sort of clientele for their business, and can improve on customer relations. A more holistic approach to this process incorporates the more ... more...

What Will You Take For A Dollar?
The other day I sat in a meeting listening to a young man extol the virtues of owning real estate. Much of what he said was true. However two things made me sit up and take notice. I couldn't help but comment. First, he said the interest on your home loan was tax deductible, so the government ... more...

Creating a Home Budget Step by Step
The other day I received an email from a guy who was looking for some help with his budget. What he really wanted was to run his family like a business.While I think its a great idea to have the mindset that your family does operate with a bottom-line (that cant or shouldnt be masked by credit ... more...

Perfect Storm
Having lived aboard a sailboat for 2 years I was stricken when I saw the movie PERFECT STORM. I know these are things you want to avoid at all costs. Even little storms can play havoc with your life style on a boat.From a world view it looks like we are headed into a perfect storm of world ... more...

Real Estate Bubble: Sophisticated Musical Chairs?
The real estate bubble is a hot topic today; annual appreciation and housing prices have never been higher in most U.S. markets. While personal incomes have risen in the single digits over the last four years, home prices have risen in the double digits. Home prices in some markets will reach ... more...