Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Baby Boomers are Expected to Boost Real Estate Market

baby boomer real estateWhen it comes to housing, baby boomers are different from many people in two important ways: They have more equity in their homes, and many are preparing to move.

If housing experts are right, boomers ? the 77 million Americans ages 47 to 65 ? soon may be a sweet spot in an otherwise sour market for new homes.

Homebuilders ? caught in a slump that has slashed U.S. new homes sales in half since 2007 ? have been slow to adjust. And the stock of existing homes in many regions is not exactly rich in the type of amenities boomers say they want.

A few builders are shifting to the senior market, but there?s not nearly enough construction planned to meet the pent-up demand, said Edsel Charles, a national and local housing researcher.

?Right now,? said Charles, of Tennessee-based MarketGraphics, ?I think only about 60 percent [of boomers] will find what they want, and it should be much higher.?

So empty nesters like Bruce and Nancy Childs, who decided to downsize from a large home on an acre lot, had better be ready for a slog. The Childses started with a list of 220 houses ? and ended up dismissing all but two before eventually buying in Noblesville, Ind.

?It was a madcap search,? said Bruce Childs, 64, ?and they didn?t have a lot we were interested in.?

It?s a story that Charles, who has been researching new housing in more than 20 states, says will be told more and more frequently as early as next year.

The retirement market, experts say, appears ripe for change.

Having raised families, many baby boomers are ready to turn in the keys to their oversized suburban McMansions. Research suggests boomers are tired of climbing stairs and mowing lawns and will seek ranch-style homes along quieter blocks, with features that make life a little easier on achy backs and knees.

So far, however, boomers haven?t started moving in big numbers.

?They have hesitated because of the recession,? Charles said. ?Once the government and the stock market settle down, and the [housing] market turns, you will find this bunch that has hesitated will become a pent-up demand.?

Boomers and retirees, he says, will be among the largest share of the market beginning as early as 2012.

If so, it could be a potent market.

Unlike the younger families targeted by most builders, boomers have been building equity for decades. They have paid down their mortgages over time, putting them in a better position to sell. Indiana University economist Willard Witte said boomers may be the first demographic to move when the market picks up. Charles agreed.

?I think we are heading into a huge retirement market,? he said.

What boomers want, however, appears to be in short supply.

Most boomers now favor ranch homes that are about 1,500 to 2,500 square feet, Charles? research shows, selling for $140,000 to $230,000. Some prefer age-restricted communities, low-maintenance townhomes and downtown condominiums. The majority, his research shows, say they want single-story houses within neighborhoods that attract a broader mix of people ? and are close to where they now live.

real estate for baby boomers And they carry along a pretty specific checklist:

? Open spaces to host friends and family, rather than separate dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens.

? Features such as vanities and electrical sockets that are a bit higher off the ground than normal.

? Storage, especially his and hers master closets, plus structurally reinforced attics.

? Backyard living spaces ? not swimming pools or outdoor kitchens, but large decks with fireplaces, hot tubs and wet bars.

Jimmy Dulin, a broker with RE/MAX, said boomers will buy existing homes within certain neighborhoods ? but not houses that need work. And, just as the builders are learning, he said, don?t bother showing them a ranch surrounded by two-story homes with kids.

?They want a well-kept and well-maintained house,? he said. ?They want to be around people like themselves, but not necessarily isolated.?

Today?s market is being dominated by first-time homebuyers, Charles said, and families ready for their first move up to a larger house. He encourages builders to look toward the future market but said that, to some extent, their hands are tied.

The economy has slowed home buying, and builders aren?t starting new neighborhoods as they did during the housing boom of a decade ago. That makes some builders hesitant to target a niche, such as boomers.

Originally posted at http://buffalonews.com

Source: http://stevengerstein.benchmark.us/2011/09/12/baby-boomers-are-expected-to-boost-real-estate-market/

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European Auto Repair Tips | Webmaster Articles

[unable to retrieve full-text content]European cars, maybe the high-end luxury vehicles, need repairs on occasion. Some European auto repair issues could be relatively easy maintenance, like replacing common parts that can give up. Other repairs are ...

Source: http://webmasterarticles.net/european-auto-repair-tips/

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The 4Ps of a Fully Alive Business :: Small Business Marketing Blog ...

Back in the early 1960?s the American Marketing Association coined the term the ?Four ?P?s? as a way to describe the essential elements of the marketing mix. Since that time every first year marketing student has been taught to think in terms of product, price, place and promotion as they analyze case studies of companies real and imagined.

Much has changed in the last 50 years, including what product really is, what place entails, how package plays a role and well, pretty much everything about what promotion looks like.

In fact, the very definition of marketing has changed dramatically enough to render the original Four P?s somewhat useless as a foundational marketing and business strategy concept.

Today?s most important business and marketing directive is one of building trust. Engagement, connection and story are the new forms of promotional art. Price is a function of value and place has become bytes and ether more often than a shelf or an office.

There is a home for the Four P?s in today?s business but it?s in the very mortar of the business and the story of its people rather than in a department on an org chart.

That Four P?s are now more about how a business is experienced than what it sells. They reside in the expression of human characteristics that turn commitment into culture and culture into customer.

The following elements make up a redefinition of the Four P?s for the fully alive business and further make the case that marketing is everything you do and every business is really a marketing business.

The Four P's of Business

Passion

The first element of the Four P?s in a fully alive business is the passion for living that the owner of the business brings. When the founder of a business can serve their own personal passion and purpose by growing the business good things can evolve.

The leader of a business must have a great sense of passion for the business, but they also must be able to connect that passion with purpose in order to bring out the desire to commit in others. Leading with passion is how put yourself out there and do what you were meant to do.

?A ship in port is safe but that?s not what ships are built for.? ~ Grace Murray Hopper

Purpose

Purpose is how a business defines why it does what it does. It is the reason people are drawn to work in a business, it?s the reason they come to life inside the business and it?s the reason customers voluntarily become loyal ambassadors of the brand.

Purpose builds trust because it allows people to see their own values in action in support of something they strongly believe. A regular paycheck, important sounding title, or great deal on a cool product, probably doesn?t invoke much in the way of purpose.

Joining a business that is on an epic journey to create joy, change an age old industry, innovate under the nose of a Goliath, or just do a great deal more of the right thing ? that?s purpose, that?s not simply a business it?s a cause and people will do some remarkable things inside and around the support of their cause.

Positioning

Organizations that understand the power of purpose also understand that purpose is what they need to package as their reason for being, core difference and position in the market. They lead with why and let those attracted to that why create their own definition of what.

In fact, brands that start with purpose over product can effectively enter most any market with the same positioning and compete with entrenched category leaders. I know it?s become clich? to cite Apple as an example, but this computer company routinely blows competitors away in any market they enter. Think mp3 players and mobile devices ? two categories they entered and dominate even though they?re a computer company.

Apple?s sense of why is so prevalent in their positioning that it wouldn?t surprise me if they entered the coffee market and became the category darling.

Personality

The final P is how a business uses desirable human traits or personality characteristics a vehicle to allow all that encounter the business to actually experience purpose.

It?s one thing to state your purpose on a plaque or marketing brochure, it?s another think entirely to live by a tangible set of daily habits, language and process that offer proof of purpose.

We are drawn to people and experience that are simple, inspirational, convenient, innovative, playful, community oriented and filled with surprise. These are the personality traits that of a fully alive business uses as the everyday creative language of the business.

These traits act as the filter for every decision and make up how the business is run internally and the brand is experienced externally.

Imagine what would occur if every college students today were taught these Four P?s. Imagine if every business were started with this framework. Imagine if everyone could go to work for a company built with this way of thinking at its core. Imagine if we could experience these Four P?s by simply becoming a customer of your business? What would that be like?

I don?t know, I think it would be pretty great.

Source: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2011/09/12/the-4ps-of-a-fully-alive-business/

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Monday, September 12, 2011

Susan Rice: Palestinian statehood plans a 'mistaken calculation' (VIDEO) (The Christian Science Monitor)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration is turning up its rhetoric in opposition to a Palestinian plan to seek a United Nations vote for statehood later this month. The US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice called the move a ?mistaken calculation? and a ?dangerous diversion? Monday.

Until now, the administration has declared the US would veto a vote on Palestinian statehood in the Security Council and has suggested any vote in the UN General Assembly would be largely symbolic. Admittance of a full-fledged member-state at the UN requires an affirmative Security Council vote.

But Ambassador Rice took a considerably tougher stance on the looming Palestinian action Monday, insisting that recognition of a Palestinian state in the 193-member General Assembly would actually work against the Palestinians? own interests. Speaking at a Monitor breakfast with Washington reporters, Rice said the ?observer-state status? the General Assembly is empowered to grant still confers certain rights associated with a state.

RELATED: Top 5 issues on the table for Israeli-Palestinian talks

???That is why we say [this action] is not symbolic, it is consequential.??

Observer-state status, which is the UN category the Vatican falls into for example, would give the Palestinians access to certain international treaties and institutions such as the International Criminal Court. But the US says that by pressing ahead unilaterally the Palestinians would poison the environment for restarting negotiations towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

?The reality is, the absolute only way to achieve our goal [of] two states living side by side ? is through direct negotiations,? Rice said. ?There is no short cut.?

The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbass, has not decided exactly what path of action it will take when the General Assembly convenes late this month in New York. Amid some indications the Palestinians could decide on a plan as early as Monday, Rice said the US has been working non-stop to dissuade them from seeking any UN vote.

But there is no question the Palestinians??? decision to give up on the moribund peace talks and turn to the UN for recognition has put the US, and President Obama in particular, in a negative light in the very region of the world Obama has sought to woo.

Beyond the Palestinians, Arabs and leaders across the Muslim world have seized upon the contrast between a US president who last year at the UN spoke of his goal of welcoming Palestine into the community of nations by this year?s General Assembly meeting, and a president who would now veto such an initiative.

Rice said that no other US administration had done more to try to advance the cause of Middle East peace, noting that Obama acted the day after taking office to set the peace process as one of his highest priorities. ???You would be hard-pressed to find an administration that has done more from the first days in office,??

Failure of the peace process to advance is not the result of any lack of American leadership, Rice said, but of the ???calculations of the two parties.??

When reminded that South Sudan had been able to accede to UN membership over the past year with US support while Palestine had not, the US ambassador said the case of South Sudan was actually a prime example of how resolution of a conflict through creation of a new state can only work through direct negotiations.

One journalist questioned that comparison, however, noting that Sudan was under tremendous pressure from the entire international community (including the US) to agree to a breakaway state formed by its southern region, while Israel faces nothing similar.

Rice also took the opportunity of the approaching General Assembly session, when Obama will make the customary annual speech to the UN, to underscore what she called the successes of the Obama administration?s more engaged relations with the UN.

She cited advances in international efforts on nuclear security, toughening of measures against Iran and North Korea for their nuclear ambitions, and the UN???s role in safeguarding civilians in Libya, as areas where the US advanced its interests through greater international engagement.

Rice acknowledged that some members of Congress are promoting measures that would withhold at least part of US contributions to the UN with the goal of achieving certain reforms and policy changes.

But she said that the same tactics were tried in the 80?s and 90?s, with fewer results than the Obama administration?s ?reform-from-within? approach has yielded.

All the funding cuts did was ?reduce our standing and our ability to achieve the reforms we all want,? she said. ?They are self-defeating and they don?t work.?

IN PICTURES: The Israeli separation barrier: A West Bank wall

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20110912/ts_csm/408733

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The Advantages of Penny Stock Investing | Penny stocks fortunes

When someone mentions penny stocks, the very term implies cheapness and low returns. Yet with a little knowledge, research, commonsense and luck, penny stocks can be a profitable purchase for investors old and new. What exactly are penny stocks anyway? The most basic definition is any stock trading for five dollars or less. Unlike stocks traded on the so-called major markets (NYSE, AMEX, or NASDAQ) these types of stocks are traded ?over the counter? using quotation services such as the ?Pink Sheets? and the OTC Bulletin Board.

Because of their low prices, these stocks offer promising, yet less risky opportunities for first time investors. For those who are new to the market, the low prices of penny stocks provide a safer way for the less experienced to learn the market and make their beginner mistakes without risking large sums of money. One of the advantages of these stocks are that even if one makes a bad investment, the low price means the potential for substantial losses are limited.

Each of the stock exchange markets list penny stocks, which makes them easy to find and easy to track. Unlike some investment options, there is nothing complicated about buying these stocks because they are sold as common shares. Yet despite their low cost, low risk and easy availability, they can sometimes give surprisingly high returns on your investment. The businesses behind these stocks are often newer start-up companies, so if they take off they can grow with amazing speed in a manner seldom seen by older, more established firms. While naturally this doesn?t happen to every stock, when it does the chances to make solid profits can be exceptional, with significant price increases occurring often within a short time.

On the other hand, what goes up can also go down, and these are no exception. Picking the winners can be as challenging in these stocks as it is in any other financial investment. But risks can be minimized by making penny stocks only a part of a diverse investment portfolio, and because of their low prices, chances for major losses are not as much a concern as they are with the major stocks. As always it helps to do a little research before buying, and local magazines, newspapers and business blogs can contain information on firms that can help to identify the promising up and comers. Also never underestimate the value of a hot tip!

So with low prices, easy availability, reasonable risk and high potential earnings, the advantages of stocks are many. That is why so many investors make penny stocks an important part of their overall investment strategy.

Joann Carlisle is a writer who looks forward to sharing her knowledge and advice with readers. For more on penny stocks, Financial Planning and Investments offers readers tips for penny stock investing.

original article from ezine articles.

Source: http://pennystocksfortunes.net/the-advantages-of-penny-stock-investing-2/

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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Accelerated Learning Techniques- Preparing Your Body | Self ...

I?m sure that you have heard of 1 or 2 accelerated learning techniques already and you may even be practicing these now.

Many scholars who are studying or plan to study accelerated learning techniques would usually think that fast learning or speed learning is all about the brain.

Now, though it is vital to understand the brain before you study the concepts behind speed learning, the whole body is critical too! Actually there are some speed learning strategies that need you to use your body and not just your brain.

Just to be completely clear, these accelerated learning techniques can be specified in step one to speed learning: preparation.

The 1st fast learning system you need to do is to breathe. Yes, breathing is an accelerated learning technique. Surprised? I bet.

Your brain uses 25% of your oxygen supply and being in a stuffy environment can have an effect on your brain?s oxygen supply. In turn, it affects your brains functions. This may essentially improve concentration and focus.

Here's how to do power breathing: power respiring and this is simply a extremely simple proportion of breaths. The proportion is dependent upon you. It is simply a better version of the exercise whereby your stop breathing.

Another less familiar speed learning methodology is to drink plenty of water. Remember when your mom told you to drink at least eight tumblers of water each day? Well, that isn't something that folk just say.

To make sure that your body gets all the water it requires you need to drink at least 2L of water daily. This doesn't include other liquid drinks like coffee, juices or sodas.

Dehydration could cause someone to become distracted, agitated and lose their concentration easily. If you're drinking enough water, you will be able to focus more on your lessons.

Discover more about Accelerated Learning Techniques by visiting my Super Speed Learning website to get some more in depth info.

Leon Edward helps people in Personal and Career Growth, leadership Development, Goal Setting, Success, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blog posts and special reports . Join Leon Edwards Awesome Success Free, Get his personal success, development and growth weekly newsletter as well as success classics and tips on attracting success and wealth. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org Leon Edward also helps people improve IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking , time management and reducing stress. Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.comLeon Edward helps people improve in Leadership Development, Goal Setting, Success, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blog posts and special reports . Join Leon Edwards Awesome Success Free, Get his personal development training, success and growth weekly newsletter as well as success classics and tips on attracting success and wealth. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

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Source: http://awesomesuccess.org/self-improvement-blogs/self-improvement/general/accelerated-learning-techniques-preparing-your-body/

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Saturday, September 10, 2011

Be Aware Of the Symptoms Of Breast Cancer | Buy Individual Health ...

Breast Cancer Symptoms Video

In today?s world, is it that occurrences of breast cancer are growing a lot more than it was many years ago, or it is just that breast cancer symptoms is getting a lot more visibility within the press and medical journals? It appears how the answer is really a little bit of both. The population is increasing and consequently the real amount of cases is more, while the real percentage of men and women diagnosed with breast cancer isn?t significantly various (although it is higher) than in many years past.

One with the things that numerous men and women fail to realize is that anyone can get breast cancer. While it is concept to be tied somewhat to getting hereditary, that does not mean that you simply do not get breast cancer if there is no occurrence of it within your family members history.

Another issue that is each puzzling is why a lot more people, particularly women in which breast cancer is probably to happen, don?t get normal checkups from their doctor to verify for it. I know of multiple individuals who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and when asked when the last time they had a mammogram done to verify for ones presence of breast cancer, they indicated it had been a number of years. This is genuinely unfortunate due to the fact like most things, if breast cancer is caught as early as possible, the chances of beating it grow to be incredibly greater.

You need to be aware with the symptoms of breast lumps, sometimes also known as inflammatory breast caner in order to see your doctor as soon as possible if these symptoms exist. These symptoms include:

* A breast that appears bruised, or is pink or purple.

* If your breast is feeling tender or business and enlarged.

* A consistent warm feeling within the breast.

* Pain or itching within the breast that is constant.

* A ridged or dimpled skin texture, sort of like an orange peel.

* Flattened, retracted, swollen or crusted skin on the nipple.

* Lumps or enlarged lymph nodes under the arm or on the collarbone.

This isn?t an exhaustive list of symptoms but should you are experiencing any of these symptoms or signs, you need to see your doctor as soon as possible to obtain checked out. Most health insurance companies will pay for this examination, due to the fact they realize that it?ll cost them a lot more if the cancer is allowed to grow instead of getting diagnosed, caught, and remedied early on in its development stages.

Many of these same symptoms can also indicate the presence of a breast infection known as mastitis. This sort of infection most often (although not exclusively) happens in younger women, generally under age 35, who are breast feeding young children. This is not breast cancer but is really a effortless infection that is most simply treated with prescription antibiotics. It is often accompanied by fever. The difference right here is that breast cancer does not bring about a fever, nor does it respond to antibiotics.

The bottom line is that you simply need to be aware with the classic symptoms of breast cancer, due to the fact the earlier it is diagnosed and treated, particularly with the advances in today?s medicines, the better your chances of beating it.

Source: http://buyindividualhealthinsurance.org/be-aware-of-the-symptoms-of-breast-cancer/

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