ActiveRain Community

 Imagine my laughter when I just happened upon this street sign, Lazy Lane OR Dead End, while looking at homes. So let's pretend you live on Lazy Lane but if you take a wrong turn it will turn into a Dead End!  That's was an intriguing thought to me in that moment!  I knew I had to snap a photo and the perfect opportunity to use it would appear!   Lazy Lane OR Dead End sounded like situations that pop up a lot in life.....and especially this past few months with all the challenges going on in the world. And let's not forget the ranters on social media that is speeding fast towards Dead End, at some point. Lost friends, lost respect, lost authority, lost business, lost happiness and much more. A big price to pay..   I have long believed it's ALL a CHOICE. Everything in life is a CHOICE. ... 07/25/2020

My neighbors have a green thumb. I enjoy the explosion of color they plant in their beds! This year they added another bed to their yard and I smile every time I walk by. Don't you love the brightly colored selection that harmonize together? "Flowers...are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities in the world."   ....... Ralph Waldo Emerson"Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature."  .......Gerard De Nerval 07/26/2020

You can use the IRS 'Where's my Refund' (https://www.irs.gov/refunds) tool to check the status of your refund. The 'Where's my Refund' tool is updated once daily, usually overnight. Your status is generally available within 24 hours upon the IRS receiving your e-filed return. If you have filed a paper return, the IRS is currently experiencing processing delays for paper filed returns due to limited staffing, but will process them in the order received.  My practice is in Severn, MD.I specialize in the following services for both businesses and individuals:Tax Services:Tax Preparation & Tax PlanningVirtual Tax PreparationAudit ProtectionIRS Tax Problem Resolution Accounting & Bookkeeping Services:Outsourced Accounting and BookkeepingPayroll ServicesBusiness ConsultingOutsourced CFO Servi... 07/26/2020

The future of cosmeticsA modern expectation of almost all industries is to listen to feedback, and make changes accordingly. This is especially true for the beauty industry which manufactures products for all kinds of skin types, hair types and expectations. In fact, the buyers hold a lot of power when it comes to fashions. It may often seem the other way around (with the pressure of advertising and celebrity endorsements), but without the products selling, then the whole cosmetic industry would cease to exist. Or to put it more realistically, the industry follows the purse more than you think.So what are the expectations of the cosmetics industry leading to? What trends are emerging?Green ChemistryMany people throughout the world have been exposed to what our culture of manufacturing h... 07/27/2020

"Be mindful of what you are allowing into your space." -- Dr. Karishma Ahuja Work with a team you can trust! Let us take over your repeated tasks that you know you are supposed to be delegating. Text Katerina Gasset at 561-502-1577 today! #GIDFMTeam #GIDFM #DelegateMyTasks 07/27/2020

07/27/2020

 2020 threw a huge wrench into everything and the IRS collections proceedings are no exception.  With the tax deadline pushed until July 15th and a lot of the IRS closed under shelter at home orders due to COVID19, to the IRS being tasked with sending millions of Americans their stimulus checks, the IRS collections proceedings took a backseat. If you owe back taxes you might just assume you got some breathing room. However, things are starting to pick back up.  According to the Taxpayer Advocate, as of late June 2020, the IRS generated more than 20 million notices, yet these notices were not mailed to anyone. It seems now that the IRS is once again starting to send threatening notices to taxpayers who owe back taxes.  In this article, we share a few things you must do in order to get ou... 07/26/2020

Chris Ivy is new to the Rain and has certainly proved to me that he knows what he is talking about.  I look forward to learning more from his future posts!   Is my profile pic dated? Do I have the correct keywords in my H1 heading? Does our message on our website still fit our targeted market?  These questions along with wondering how often should we update our company website can lead to some anxiety filled moments.   When you look at large company websites like CNN or Apple the content on their websites are always being updated daily.  That's understandable though with the content being news and technology which are always changing.  But what about the small businesses that have an online presence also.  What should be our schedule for creating and updating content on our websites?  I... 07/26/2020

How Long Is a Pre-Approval Good For?  You've decided to make the leap and enter the real estate market as a buyer.  You've been looking at homes online, the temptation has become too strong and you realize it's time to hit the street and actually start looking at properties.  Your Realtor almost immediately informs you that not only will she not participate in your search before she knows you're pre-approved, but also that in this pandemic day and age, without a pre-approval letter no serious listing agent will even let you step foot in the home for a viewing.  And so you reach out to your preferred lender and you get pre-approved for a mortgage.  Now, how long will that preapproval be good for? There are a few elements involved in the lifecycle of a pre-approval so let's look at some o... 07/22/2020

It has been an intense week designing a site with many to please, while remaining true to the original vision.  It is like driving on a mountain road with hairpin turns for miles on end, or navigating fast flowing rapids through giant boulders.   It has been a fun heady ride! We learned so much, and the site is beautiful.  We have a few more revisions and more content to add, before it is done.  And for the moment we can let go of the oars, just flow downstream and enjoy the ride!  Happy Thursday! 07/23/2020

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. Lao Tzu      This Week...So Much Change   Change is a part of life and we’ve all had major doses of change this year.     If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. Lao Tzu With the school year approaching, parents and teachers are trying to figure out what will be best for not just the children but parents as well.  My niece is busy preparing her classroom and how she will work with whatever is decided.      They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. Confucius But, she’s also a mom of 3...all in different schools. Needless to say, she has her hands full.      Tropical Storm Hanna is off the coast of Texas so yes...we will have weather changes this weekend.    When ... 07/26/2020

If you had asked me a few months ago what I felt about “screen time” and kids, I would have told you that I wouldn’t give my kids their own devices or allow social media accounts until they were 15. But things have changed. Now, I’m happy to let the kids on the family tablet, and even allow them to use things like FaceTime, games, and email. Why? Because I want to make sure that they have some type of connection to the outside world.However, this didn’t happen without some ground rules, not only to keep the kids safe, but to make sure they don’t totally fall headfirst into cyberspace. Here’s some tips:No Social MediaOh you didn’t think I was gonna give you a pass did you? No, my 14-year-old is still not on social media, and she doesn’t complain about it, she doesn’t miss it, and she’s b... 07/22/2020

Learn The Top-5 Ways To Sell Your Home In a 'Work From Home Economy" Live on Facebook and YouTube Tonight 7PM EST. www.Facebook.com/AaronjRice 07/27/2020

I’ve been following Kat Palimotti on Active Rain for a long time and was intrigued when she and her husband moved from New York, bought a lot and built in Kalispell, MT! That was a huge decision to make leaving lifelong friends and her real estate business in Monroe, NY.I watched Kat post on the progress of the construction on their new home and love the style and views they now enjoy.I’ve been meaning to call her as I have a friend who has a condo in Kalispell and I’d love for them to meet. I was so glad Kathy Streib and Hannah Williams hosted this July challenge because it forced me to pick up the phone and call Kat!I enjoyed visiting with Kat and learned she has 4 sons who live in Kansas, Iowa, Virginia and NY. Of course now that they have purchased 27 amazing acres in MT she and her... 07/20/2020

Hope you like today's post, I am returning again to the Guitar, starting with 40 Fingers playing Libertango, love the joy they show playing this piece. And I probably wouldn't mind sampling something out of those casks either.  And I want to share this lovely song Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen, seen here in Leeds England in 2013   And to close out here is Estas Tonne playing Perception in Zurich at the Samsung Hall in 2019, I am sure he will be new to most of you.  Do have to say the guitar is a beautiful instrument, especially when played well. Who do you like playing guitar and what songs are your favourites.   07/25/2020

 This is a good post.  Thanks so much,   July Challenge Extended…   In case you hadn’t noticed,  being able to access the ActiveRain site since the first of July has been a bit difficult. Not altogether impossible but well...wonky.    So, Hannah Williams and I are extending the July Challenge ...It’s Time to Reach Out and Touch Someone...Well, Not Literally to the end of August.    What better way to get back into the swing of things here in the Rain than to pick up the phone, call a member you have never spoken to or haven’t in a long time, and write a post about it.    Here are the rules… The July Challenge begins July 1 and ends at midnight PST on August 31, 2020. You can write 1,2, or 3 posts. Each post will earn 750 points. Each post must be 300 words or more and contain at least 1... 07/23/2020

Good news for those who love to shop at Trader Joe's...   We were amused by this sign on the white flag at Trader Joe's this morning. The sign reads virus buster 3000. Each cart and each basket gets thoroughly sprayed with the disinfectant.  It is then wiped dry.  This is ongoing after each use.  The crew is protected with a mask and gloves.     Unlike other chain grocery stores, they are the only ones who clean the carts and baskets.  The others are encouraging Do It Yourself by their customers, by pointing out spray and towels.     What a great way to differentiate themselves from the competition! This is one more way to earn customer loyalty!   Written by Ron & Alexandra Seigel-   CAN YOU STATE HOW YOU ARE DIFFERENT AND BETTER   THAN YOUR COMPETITION IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS?     “We ... 07/24/2020

  One of the delights of living in America is the variety of local delicacies that different places champion as their own. Maine's lobster rolls serve up a briny mouthful of golden summer tucked into a lightly-toasted bun. Wisconsin is home to amazing cheeses: milk's bid for immortality. Nashville's hot chicken dresses up ordinary poultry in a peacock's bright plumage. And Cincinnati's Greek-style chili, a thin gravy flavored with cinnamon and chocolate, sounds repulsive at first, until you taste it, close your eyes, lick your lips, and realize you've just touched the void. But no city's local specialty enjoys more fame than Philadelphia's cheesesteak. Granted, the word "steak" is doing a lot of work here — it's usually just a thin shaving of top round. But brown it on a griddle, scram... 07/27/2020

 Please feel free to share. Click here to check out our listings.  You may find the home you have been waiting for or let us be on the lookout and send you automatic emails showing the latest listings.  Just send us a quick email or text giving us your desired area and your wants and needs,  we will then set you up in our system to receive these real-time emails that show the listings as soon as they are added to the MLS, this way you just might be the first to see the new listing! If you know of anyone who may be interested in selling or buying a home we are customer service specialists!  We pride ourselves on old fashion service and build long term relationships with the people we work with.  If there is anything we can do to make your journey and your move easier, just let us know an... 07/21/2020

 Before I get into “pause what a pleasure” It’s hard to believe a decade ago my AR journey began. Needless to say, I love the Rain (and it showed as I splashed often here 9 out of those 10 years!) Whether I am just taking a break “or” this is just my new normal here; I just don’t know. Regardless, I love the Rain and its members! As most of us know; -the real estate business isn’t static. Plus, dealing with the public can at times be very stressful. Even if you’re not “in the business” -life can be stressful which is why I am sharing something I recently learned “pause what a pleasure”. About 6 months ago my girlfriend and I decided to go to a Kabbalah class in Los Angeles. Now despite rumors or Wikipedia’s definition – Kabbalah (from my experience) is an ancient wisdom that empowers us... 01/09/2020