Home Market and Real Estate

The cost of flying is increasing on almost a daily basis. Fuel surcharges, additional fees for baggage, and ticket increases are causing many companies to wonder if it is worthwhile to fly employees around the world for conferences, etc.

Here are a few ideas that could possibly save on costs:

Before booking a flight, confirm travel plans with those you will be meeting. Changes in itinerary often incur charges of $150 per flight or more.

Consider possibly sending presentation materials overnight rather than checking in baggage as it may be more cost-effective.

Passports should be current and be certain to have any visas required for foreign travel.

When checking local airports, investigate flights to airports in the area rather than just the local airport. Some of the others may offer great bargains.

If several company employees are flying in for the same conference, attempt to coordinate transportation to save on expenses.

All flights should be booked for the lowest fares available. If you later see a price lower than the one you paid, ask for a discount.

Consider the possibility of extending a midweek trip over a weekend to reduce airfare costs.

If you are making the plans, consider off-season locations to save money.

Smoke alarms should be an important part of your home and you must be diligent when installing and testing them so that your family will be alerted to any possible dangers of fire.

Remember to purchase only Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed equipment. This information will be listed on the package.

Every level of your home should be protected with smoke alarms, including the basement. Also confirm that there is an alarm near every bedroom.

Always mount the alarms high on the walls or on the ceiling remembering that smoke rises.

Do not install near bathroom doors or cooking area as smoke will cause frequent false alarms.

Do not place smoke alarms near windows or doors where drafts might interfere with their performance.

Push the test button each month to be sure that all alarms in your home are in good working order.

Install new batteries at least annually. It is a good idea to associate this chore with a particular time of year (such as when the clocks are changed) so you will not forget.

If you have smoke alarms that are more than ten years old, replace them for the safety of your family.

Following the above guidelines should insure that your family will be well protected and warned if a fire should occur in your home.

The housing market collapse has left almost every neighborhood with vacant homes and untended property. Neighbors are upset with the fact that these homes are destroying the appearance of the neighborhood and lowering the value of their homes. Although there are laws on the books requiring that these properties be maintained, with so many vacant homes, there isn’t anyone available to enforce the regulations.

Some homes are vacant because families could not afford to pay the mortgage and should never have qualified for it in the first place. Others are a result of job loss, while still others defaulted due to marriage problems, which left only one person with a low income in the home.

In many cases, squatters are moving into vacant properties and signs are attracting vandals and thieves. Homes are being destroyed and many items are stolen for profit.

Some neighborhoods are fighting back. Residents are actually taking turns cleaning up specific properties in an attempt to keep their area looking good. It is upsetting to them to see their locality falling apart because the large mortgage companies who hold title to these properties are not acting responsibly. New laws are being introduced and attempts to increase enforcement are being worked on. But as of today, the neighbors are still working together as a team to maintain the beauty of their neighborhoods and the value of their homes. They are all hoping that these new laws will help alleviate the negative impact these homes are having on their community.

History has often shown us that when bankruptcy filings increase, so does debt. Currently, bankruptcy filings have increased 28.6 percent nationally compared with the number of filings in September 2007. There is always a close correlation between these two numbers, and today is no exception. Consumer debt has been increasing monthly to record levels and the end is nowhere in sight.

Debt of this magnitude makes people vulnerable and the housing situation is compounding the problem. Using home equity to relieve debt is no longer an option and many are finding that they have no place to turn.

Most bankruptcy filings relate directly to job loss, or housing, medical, or credit card debt. Any one of these factors, or a combination of them, can cause a person to find themselves in bankruptcy court.

Bankruptcy counseling is on the increase. Signs of trouble include a 10 percent increase in the household income of those seeking counseling for these problems. This indicates that higher income people are being affected by the financial crisis we are currently experiencing.

Debt-management programs are reporting a 25% increase in the amount of debt being placed into their programs.

People seeking counseling are showing a 22 percent increase in monthly housing expenses.

The number of clients who are living with relatives or friends instead of owning or renting has increased by 23 percent.