Most of the time the majority of us are satisfied with the company that we have chosen to provide us with internet access. There are times, of course when we may not be satisfied with the service that we receive. For me there are only 2 criteria that must be met by my ISP; they are consistency and speed. I must have reliable access to the internet whenever I need it and I simply don’t have the time to deal with slow connection speeds. Without this access my business would be seriously affected.   Have you ever wondered if you have chosen the right ISP for your needs? Last November Netflix compiled data from all of their 30 million customers in an effort to determine the best ISP’s available to consumers in the U.S. Keep in mind that over 1 billion hours of content is viewed every month... 10/27/2015

Determining just how fast of an internet connection you need really isn’t  very difficult. It all depends on what you use the internet for and how many people will be using it at the same time. If surfing the net and checking emails is your main goal than you don’t need lightening quick speed. However, if you have a house full of game playing teenagers and movie lovers than your requirements are going to be much different. Keep in mind that multiple users are sharing your internet connection and that will definitely slow things down.One thing you need to know is that the advertised download speed that your local ISP’s (Internet Service Providers) brag about is only half the story. Yes, maybe you do have a lightning fast 50Mbps connection but how does that help you if the server you are ... 10/25/2015

I guess that most of us use hugs to greet long lost friends or to comfort someone that’s feeling down but when’s the last time you had a really good hug? You might be surprised to find out that hugging is actually very therapeutic and can even improve your health! Have you ever heard of oxytocin? Oxytocin is a naturally occurring hormone that is made in the hypothalamus and is stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland in the brain. When released it produces a feeling of love and satisfaction and a good hug is a great way to get it flowing throughout your body! But more important than just feeling good, oxytocin is proven to lower blood pressure and to reduce the amount of cortisol that is released into your body. Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” and reducing its lev... 10/23/2015

Did you know that young people between the ages of 8 & 18 spend an average of 10 hours and 45 minutes a day using some type of media? Much of that time is spent online. That equates to more than 75 hours a week and that is way too much. 21% of youth spend an amazing 16+ hours a day on media while 63% use media from 3 – 16 hours a day. Only 16% of young people use media less than 3 hours a day. Studies show that such heavy media usage is taking a toll on the health of the users including a higher risk for depression, increased obesity and development of sleep disorders. When one develops an actual “need” to be online it becomes a type of addiction and requires professional help in order to deal with it. It is normal for young people to experience a spike in their internet usage at times... 10/22/2015

Are you as much a fan of some of the British sitcoms as I am? Admittedly British humor is different from what most Americans watch. I find it to be a very “dry” humor but I really like the fact that with few exceptions most of the British comedy shows are much cleaner and less provocative in nature that many of the American comedies available today. I can watch them with my children in the room without needing to monitor the subject matter very closely. There are quite a few popular sitcoms from Britain that have made quite an impression in the U.S. Most people are aware of Are You Being Served, Monty Python’s Flying Circus and a few other classics but there are many shows that are just as interesting that you may not have heard of before. Blackadder is a very funny comedy starring Row... 10/20/2015

Are you the type of person that doesn’t like anything to change? While some people can easily “roll with the punches” some of us find it very difficult to change the way that we do things. The familiar saying that “habits die hard” is very true for many people but this can sometimes causes problems, especially in the workplace. Learning to cope with changes at work can be quite a challenge for some folks, especially those that have been there the longest. Understanding the reasons for this resistance to change is the first step to helping others cope with the inevitable. Reasons that People Resist Change:  Ambiguity – Not completely understanding the reason for a change can cause concern and confusion amongst those affected the most by it. It’s best to explain the reasons why a new rule... 10/16/2015

For consumers it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between honest and ethical business people and those that should never be trusted. Sometimes we find out the hard way but obtaining a home loan is one endeavor that you don’t want to leave to chance. The huge majority of mortgage lenders are honest, hard working people just like you and I and their ethics are not in question. There is, however, a small minority of lenders that are more than willing to take advantage of the naïve and uninformed. You wouldn’t buy a Rolex watch from a stranger in the mall and the same should apply to choosing a lender when obtaining a home mortgage. Responding to a flyer on the windshield of your car, direct mail from a company that you’ve never heard of or a telemarketer might not be the best way to... 10/15/2015

As we all know, the internet is a valuable tool that most businesses cannot do without. There is no better way to market your product or service that I am aware of but as useful as the internet can be it also has the potential to harm us if someone wanted to damage our reputation. It doesn’t matter if what is posted on the internet is true or not, it only matters that others will read something negative about us and they will have no way of knowing whether it is fact or fiction. Are you taking steps to protect your online reputation? If not, there may be some misinformation on the internet that is hurting your business that you aren’t even aware of. Here are 5 things you can do to help ensure that you look as good online as you do in person. Check all of the major search engines I know ... 10/14/2015

Usually when you ask someone their age you are of course referring to when they were born but there is another type of “age”. It is not how many years you’ve been around but how old you “act”. We’ve all met an older person that behaves like a teenager and we all know someone that seems mature beyond their years.  Have you ever heard someone referred to as having an “old soul”? This is a person that speaks and behaves very maturely even though they may actually be quite young. I have met some very bright children and talking to some of them is like talking to someone in their 60’s!  Remember the saying “You’re only as old as you feel”? I believe that is completely true. Youth is in the spirit and cannot be measured in years. Here’s an interesting and fun age test that you can take on the... 10/13/2015

This may seem an odd question to ask. After all, most of us grew up knowing no other language than English and the thought of not knowing how to speak it seems ridiculous to us. But times have changed and there are millions of immigrants in our country that speak little to no English. Most people agree that anyone wishing to be a citizen of the United States should be required to speak the English language but that doesn’t really answer the question does it? What about foreign workers that come to America on a temporary work visa? Should they also be required to speak our native language? Obviously, if a guest worker in our country is dealing with the public in some capacity (such as a retail store clerk or a sales person) than speaking English would be mandatory. This would be a requir... 10/12/2015

The answer to that is both a yes and a no. There are 2 types of credit checks or what is known in the industry as “inquiries”. A “soft” inquiry is nothing more than when a person checks their own credit score and this does not affect their credit rating in any way, either positively or negatively. There is also a way for others to check your credit known as a “preapproval” or promotional inquiry. This is done when you are being “pre-qualified” for an offer but are not actually requesting credit to make a purchase. This also does not affect your credit rating. A “hard” inquiry is when you are actually requesting a line of credit in order to make a purchase (a car loan, a credit card, etc.). In these instances the creditor (or lender) will request your credit score as part of an active ap... 10/09/2015

This is not the first time that I have discussed why you should have a virtual assistant as part of your staff. The amount of time that you can free up to do more important things can make a huge difference in your daily life and provide you the opportunity to do more important tasks. It has occurred to me however that hiring a VA at the wrong time can be a big mistake. Why do I say this? Well, one thing that many people overlook when hiring a VA for the first time is the fact that you must have a game plan for them to follow from day 1. Without proper planning your new VA will not know what to do and you will end up paying for a lot of wasted time and energy. Assuming that your VA will simply “jump in” and start performing miracles is not very realistic. Remember, most VA’s are telecom... 10/08/2015

It’s no secret that there are many lonely people in the world. Usually most of us imagine that this is what happens to some people as they enter their golden years. To a large extent this is true. A person grows older and finds that a lot of their family has passed on. A dining room that was once full of grandparents, uncles and aunts and, of course, mom and dad is now quite different during the holiday season. It’s a natural progression in life to lose older family members as we ourselves grow older. But did you know that today, more than ever before, there are many young people that spend their entire lives not knowing the wonderful experience of sharing their lives with a loving and extended family?  For many years now our country has experienced a decline in the traditional nuclear ... 10/07/2015

Museum District 2015 Q3 Sales Report Folks- the 3rd Quarter is a wrap!  So as we close out the quarter, you'll find the figures for single family home sales in the Museum District in Richmond, VA for Q3 2015:     Q3 2015  Q2 2015 (for comparison) Number of Homes Sold 16 20 Average Sale Price $367,938 $352,398 Average Sale to List Percentage 98.9% 101% Average Price per SF $208.64 196.49 Average DOM (Days on Market) 20 14 Most Expensive Sales $545,000 $685,999       Pending Listings 9   Active Listings 4    I'm starting to feel like a broken record.  Just like last quarter, inventory is the biggest challenge in the Museum District. Great news if you are selling and difficult if you are buying. With only 4 homes on the market currently, there just isn't much inventory to choose from. MUSE... 10/06/2015

Q3 Fan District Real Estate Report There is a cool breeze in the air and we are starting to see a few pumpkins around the neighborhood porches. That must mean that it is Fall in the Fan District in Richmond, VA!  Slowly (but not slowly enough) we'll head in to the holiday season.  Here's a quick recap of what happened last quarter in Fan District real estate (via CRMLS data): The Fan District real estate market continues to be strong and steady, with price price per square foot rising and Days on Marketing decreasing. All FAN-tastic signs!  Now that the summer season is over, I'd expect things to slow down just a little.Additionally, there were 14 pending (aka under contract) homes in Q3.   There are currently 24 active listings in the Fan. Click here to see all the active Fan listings.... 10/06/2015

If you’ve ever been involved with a real estate transaction before than you have had this term many times. But many people wonder “What exactly are closing costs?”   Simply stated, closing costs are fees charged by lenders and third parties related to the purchase of the home. When a property is bought and sold there are many different people involved in the sale and everyone needs to be paid for their contribution. It’s really a matter of the many laws and legal requirements that apply to the sale of a home as well as the requirements of different lenders. The real estate industry is heavily regulated on the federal, state and local levels and this has created a huge number of requirements that equates to a lot of paperwork and documentation for both sellers and buyers.  At closing tim... 10/06/2015

We like to think that we really know our coworkers and colleagues but how much do we not know about them? Behind every success story is some type of adversity buried in the past. When we see a successful person we tend to think “Wow, he’s a lucky person” or “I wonder how she got to where she is?” The answer to these questions may often surprise you. Many years ago I worked for a foreign man that owned 2 restaurants. He wasn’t at the level of someone like Donald Trump but he managed to do very well financially. He owned a big home that he had completely paid for in only a few short years. He had several vehicles and was able to buy his daughter pretty much whatever she wanted. When the time came for her to attend college he had the money for that too.  It seemed that life for them was be... 10/05/2015

Parade of Homes Builder - Stanley Martin HomesLooking for new construction around Richmond, VA? Equity First Realty® can help you find a new home. The 2015 Richmond VA Parade of Homes is a showcase of home designs in new construction by 40 or more home builders. This event is presented by The Home Building Association of Richmond. This home show truly is "A Tradition of Building Excellence". This annual tour of Richmond Virginia homes has been a long tradition! The association was founded in order to bring this event to Virginia over 50 years ago and now features homes in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield and surrounding areas. The 2015 Richmond Parade of Homes runs from October 3 - October 18, hours are Monday-Friday 12:00pm to 5pm. Contact the Marcus Rice Team for this great event! See ... 10/04/2015

Parade of Homes Builder - Eastwood HomesLooking for new construction around Richmond, VA? Equity First Realty® can help you find a new home. The 2015 Richmond VA Parade of Homes is a showcase of home designs in new construction by 40 or more home builders. This event is presented by The Home Building Association of Richmond. This home show truly is "A Tradition of Building Excellence". This annual tour of Richmond Virginia homes has been a long tradition! The association was founded in order to bring this event to Virginia over 50 years ago and now features homes in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield and surrounding areas. The 2015 Richmond Parade of Homes runs from October 3 - October 18, hours are Monday-Friday 12:00pm to 5pm. Contact the Marcus Rice Team for this great event! See you at... 10/04/2015

Parade of Homes Builder - Finer HomesLooking for new construction around Richmond, VA? Equity First Realty® can help you find a new home. The 2015 Richmond VA Parade of Homes is a showcase of home designs in new construction by 40 or more home builders. This event is presented by The Home Building Association of Richmond. This home show truly is "A Tradition of Building Excellence". This annual tour of Richmond Virginia homes has been a long tradition! The association was founded in order to bring this event to Virginia over 50 years ago and now features homes in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield and surrounding areas. The 2015 Richmond Parade of Homes runs from October 3 - October 18, hours are Monday-Friday 12:00pm to 5pm. Contact the Marcus Rice Team for this great event! See you at th... 10/04/2015