Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Open buying and open selling. If I can sell you something without a sales call or expensive ad campaign, I can sell it cheaper. If you want to buy a business development relationship but you're not willing to negotiate, do contracts and invest a lot of time, you're going to get a lesser deal. It seems like a paradox, but it's not. Firefox is free, largely because it doesn't cost anything for them to 'sell' it to you. If they had to meet with your IT guys and build case studies and fly people out to conferences and take you to fancy dinners, you'd pay a lot for that friction. When the customer does a lot of work for the seller, the seller can afford to sell it cheaper. If you drive to the customs warehouse and pick up that rug t... 03/04/2010

Girls Night Out Or Last Night Out? I was driving down Route 9 in Clifton Park NY when this billboard caught my eye.  My eldest daughter turns 21 on March 13th, so I felt compelled to take a picture of it and put it up on my Facebook wall to remind her to be careful.  I hope you'll share this with your friends and family too. Best wishes and please be safe!!! 03/04/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Try Different.  Try different The usual mantra is to 'try harder'. Trying harder is impossible when you're already trying as hard as you can. But you can always try different. Years ago, I was creating trivia questions for a product we built for Prodigy. We had a 99% accuracy rate in doing the questions. Which was great, except there were 1800 questions in a batch, which meant 18 wrong each time, which was totally and completely unacceptable. These were honest mistakes, made by smart people working as hard as they could. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't do better than 99%. So we switched our system completely and did it in a totally different way. Same number of people, same number of hours, 100% accuracy. If it's not w... 03/03/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  10 Ways to Prevent Costly Mold Damage to Your Home Fixing mold damage can be one of the most expensive repairs you'll ever perform on your home, so here's how to prevent it. Setting your thermostat at about 78 degrees F provides the optimal temperature for preventing moisture problems. Image: Image: Tetra Images/Getty Image It's no wonder homeowners fear a mold diagnosis: Besides the health problems mold causes, the cost of an extensive mold remediation project can reach five figures.Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  10 Ways to Prevent Costly Mold Damage to Your Home You can't totally eliminate mold from your home no matter how vigilant you are, because mold spores are always present in indoor air, part... 03/02/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  I don't feel like it What's it? Why do you need to feel like something in order to do the work? They call it work because it's difficult, not because it's something you need to feel like. Very few people wake up in the morning and feel like taking big risks or feel like digging deep for something that has eluded them. People don't usually feel like pushing themselves harder than they've pushed before or having conversations that might be uncomfortable. Of course, your feelings are irrelevant to whether or not the market expects great work. Do the work. Ignore the feelings part and the work will follow.  Seth Godin. Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  I don't feel like it 03/01/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Chimney maintenance and a fireplace inspection can make the difference between warm safety and drafty danger. To keep your fireplace working efficiently, only burn dry wood. Painted lumber or other scraps can release harmful chemicals into your home. Image: © Masterfile  Your fireplace, the most low-tech piece of equipment in your house, may seem like a simple load-and-light operation, but ignoring annual maintenance can impair its performance, leading to heated air (and dollars) blowing out the chimney, harmful smoke inside, and possibly even a chimney fire. The average number of annual U.S. home fires caused by fireplace, chimney, and chimney connectors between 2003 and 2005 was 25,100, and the average costs for those fires w... 02/27/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Like it or not, the demographics of your local market stamps the headline on your business.  Some of you may have heard this story; A man struggles at work during the day, because his mind is preoccupied thinking about the endless battle with his lawn which awaits him at home.  He has got lots and lots of dandelions and can not get rid of them.  After trying all kinds of products, and seeking the advice of some colleagues, with no success, he decides to pay a professional to come and help.  He got the advice he never expected, and so the expert asked him the big question; Have you ever tried getting used to them? Where is the parallel?  How many times have you cringed at the thought of having to handle a short- sale?  If you've... 02/26/2010

Clifton Park NY - Business Review Saratoga Sweets "Home of the Peppermint Pig" (TM)     Saratoga Sweets first opened for business in 1988 in historic Saratoga Springs, NY. Back then they produced a small variety of handmade chocolates, most made right in the window of their Caroline Street shop. It was during that first holiday season that they were approached by the local historical society regarding a “lost” holiday tradition called the Peppermint Pig™. Using borrowed candy molds and the original recipe, about 100 Peppermint Pigs™ were made just in time for sale Christmas Eve Day. They were greeted that snowy morning by a crowd of Saratogians of all ages gleefully waiting to get their first Peppermint Pig™ in over 50 years. While they didn’t have nearly enough pigs to go around, all w... 02/26/2010

Clifton Park NY - Business Review TUXEGO OF CLIFTON PARK NY   Prom and wedding season is fast approaching, so if you are in need of crisp clean tuxedos, be sure to visit Tuxego of Clifton Park NY conveniently located on Route 9 just north of Grooms Rd.     At Tuxego of Clifton Park NY they want  all their  customers to be able to choose from the most updated, largest selection of tuxedos and accessories available anywhere.  They want to provide unmatched service.  Their friendly, knowledgeable, courteous staff is eager to assist with all your formal wear needs.   They offer superior convenience and accessibility and customers do not have to deal with the parking hassles, confusion, and distractions of a mega-mall.  Pull up front, park, and go on in!   Tuxego of Clifton Park NY provides ... 02/26/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Food Safety Tips.  The CDC estimates that food-borne diseases cause 76 million illnesses in the United States each year. While some contamination occurs at the source and is out of our control, there is still a lot we can do at home to prepare food safely and lessen the risk of illness from food-borne pathogens. Below are five essential ingredients for food safety 1. Avoid cross-contamination  Keep countertops, hands, and tools clean. Use a separate cutting board for meats - be especially careful around produce that won't be cooked. Glass or acrylic boards are easy to scrub and sanitize with a mild solution of bleach and water. Replace acrylic boards once they become pitted and difficult to clean.  2. Store food at proper tempe... 02/25/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Why are you apologizing? I don't understand blog posts, emails and other messages that begin with an apology. If you're sorry to interrupt me with that spam,don't send it.  If you know that yet another blog post on a topic that's not of interest to your readers will annoy them, don't post it. If you're in HR and you know that no one in the office is going to read your office-wide spam about yet another inane meeting, don't bother us. On the other hand, if it's important, if it needs to be said, if it benefits not just you but the recipient, then just send it. Instead of an apology, clearly label it so it's easy to ignore or discard. Even better, don't send everyone a message aimed at just a few people. It's easier than ever to ... 02/25/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Spring Cleaning Guide. Make spring cleaning less of a chore by following these smarter-and mostly greener-tips for this annual rite of homeownership. You should consider getting your living room upholstery professionally cleaned. Image: Chem-Dry. Used with permission. Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Spring Cleaning Guide.  Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition. After a long winter, you throw open the windows, let in fresh air, and scrub down the house. But modern spring cleaning presents challenges your grandmother never imagined. Today's homes are bigger, and the choice of cleaning supplies seemingly endless. While you'll need to devote a day or two to this annual maintenance project, make it l... 02/24/2010

Clifton Park NY - Greyhound Rescue of Clifton Park New York Greyhound Rescue of Clifton Park New York is always looking for good foster homes within 25 miles of Clifton Park NY. Listed below are a few guidelines that should be considered before thinking about becoming a foster home to one of these great pets: A good foster home shouldn't have children under 5 years old. A good foster family should be able to attend all of the meet and greet events. A good foster family should have previous experience in working with greyhounds or plenty of experience working with canines. The greyhound will be coming to your home straight from the track.  As such, greyhounds have never lived outside the track environment and will need to learn basic skills that are taken for granted.  They will need to ... 02/24/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Green Cleaning Products for the Home. Inexpensive green cleaning products-both off the shelf and homemade-can be just as effective on your sinks, toilets, and showers as conventional products. Many sink problems, from leftover toothpaste to stray makeup splotches, can be cleaned with hot water and a natural dish soap. Image: Alex Wilson/Getty Images  Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Green Cleaning Products for the Home.  Grimy grout. Moldy showers. Smells you'd rather not talk about. Given its frequent exposure to moisture, not to mention calls of nature, the bathroom needs to be one of the most frequently sanitized rooms in the house. But if you rely on conventional commercial products for your lavator... 02/23/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Home Office Security Check. This quick home-office security check will help you protect computer equipment, electronics, and personal data from theft, fire, and other dangers. Media safes are designed to protect digital data, such as CDs and DVDs, from melting in a fire. Image: FireKing Security Group Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Home Office Security Check.  More and more people are working from home these days, which means home offices are bulging with pricey equipment-computers, printers, digital cameras-in need of protection. More precious even than the actual hardware is your irreplaceable personal data, whether stored digitally on your computer and hard drives or in the form of hard-copy docume... 02/23/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Buying and Storing Firewood. Knowing how to evaluate, buy, and store firewood is key to the safe, efficient operation of your fireplace, wood stove, or fireplace insert. It's important to have a good storage system for firewood; otherwise it will rot before you can use it. Image: FirewoodRacks.com Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  Buying and Storing Firewood.  Whether you burn fires as a supplemental heat source for your home or strictly for ambiance and pleasure, it's important to know how to properly buy and store firewood. For homeowners looking to fuel a traditional masonry fireplace, fireplace insert, or wood stove, the goal should be the same: to get the best quality firewood for the best possible ... 02/23/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga Real Estate.  Buyers are discouraged by Short Sales.  According to the most recent Realtors® Confidence Index, buyers continue to be discouraged with the extended short sale process, resulting in foreclosures that could have been prevented. New resources from the National Association of Realtors® aim to help Realtors® and consumers successfully navigate the short sale process to help more homeowners avoid foreclosure. "Our members report that short sales are often riddled with delays and red tape," said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. "As the first, best source for real estate information, Realtors® are dedicated to help streamline and improve the short sale process for both buyers and sellers. NA... 02/23/2010

Clifton Park NY Homes for Sale     Springtime is almost here so I thought it would be a good time to provide a "to-do" list to anyone thinking about putting their Clifton Park NY home on the market this spring.  It may look like a long list, but I have expressly created this list with the assumption that we are working with a minimal budget.  It would just be too easy for me to suggest that "everything" gets replaced. The list begins outside the home because first impressions are EVERYTHING!!!  If a Clifton Park NY buyer isn't thrilled with what they see as soon as they pull up to the house, then they will have a real hard time warming up to anything that isn't perfect inside the home.   1) Make sure your mail box is freshly painted and that the post is clean and plum. 2) Make sure your... 02/23/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga Real Estate.  Pennies and dollars. "Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." I'm not sure this is true. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you watch the dollars, you don't have to worry so much about pennies. Big brands don't sweat the small expenses. They don't hassle about a return, or a little coupon fraud or the last penny per square foot on the rent in a prime location. In fact, they understand that there's a powerful honest signal sent when you don't worry about the tiny expenses. It shows confidence. My first business was running a ski club from my high school to a nearby ski area. Most of the other clubs rented expensive coach buses. I rented school buses. That one shift saved thousands of dollars. As a result, I had pl... 02/22/2010

Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  5 Tips for Saving Energy in the Family Room.   Reduce your electricity bills by systematically purging your family room of wasteful energy practices.   The three biggest energy hogs in the family room are the plasma television, DVR/Tivo box, and digital cable box. Image: Steven Errico/Digital Vision/Getty Images   The fun-a video game console, TV, DVR, DVD, and stereo system-that your family room provides comes with a price. By reducing standby power, using rechargeable batteries in remotes, and replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, you could save up to $130 a year in energy costs. Clifton Park Homes for Sale, Saratoga County Real Estate.  5 Tips for Saving Energy in the Family Room.  And if you're in the marke... 02/22/2010