“Jane” made a major error in

selecting her Realtor. Jane was

seduced by the Realtor’s big hat and

flashiness. Every Realtor has their

own style. One who’s fun and

flamboyant might be a good fit, but

you want to make sure he or she can

sell your home. A word to the wise,

just because “Uncle Bob” with a real

estate license will give you a major

discount doesn’t mean he is right for

the job. Selling and buying real estate

are major transactions and emotions

do get involved. They require a

professional and a marketing plan.

Look at people with attention to

detail, those who return calls, texts

and emails immediately. These people

are great communicators, and they

will let you know the truth, potential

roadblocks and disclose everything.

If you are selling, your agent will tell

you about the person making the

offer. Likewise, your agent will let

you know if the offer is in all cash, or

if the borrower is financing the

purchase, whether there is solid

proof that the funds are in place to

purchase the property.

Realtors love their work. They have

a passion for meeting people and

work hard to advertise their services.

Many have a presence in the

community. Intimately knowing their

neighborhood is extremely important,

and talking with people in the area is

one way to be on top of their sales

area. Agents are likely to know before

anyone if a new baby is expected or

who may be getting a job transfer.

Look and ask about a Realtor’s

network of vendors. How long have

they known them? These should be

contractors, handymen, cleaners,

insurance providers, appraisers and

top mortgage financers. The best

Realtors will coordinate all this for you,

arranging times and having someone

at your property to meet vendors and

oversee projects. Within an agreed upon

time frame, a Realtor will properly

prepare your home for an open house.

To find “an extraordinary realtor,”

talk with me and neighbors to locate

an agent who has been successfully

selling property in your neighborhood.

With the right professional, the process

should be effortless on your part.

Extraordinary Realtors

Apr i l , 2015 I ssue

S C I E N C E O F I N V E S T M E N T

Best WebsitesThe Wall Street Journal reports

more than 5 million American adults say they’ve used online dating sites

in the past 30 days. Here’s a few:

seniorfriendfinder.comSenior FriendFinder helps match

mature singles and build meaningful relationships online.

eharmony.comeHarmony was the first service within the online dating industry

to use a scientific approach to matchinghighly compatible singles.

It claims to have 20 million online users.

okcupid.comThe Boston Globe says

“this is the Google of online dating.” OkCupid reports its matching algorithm

helps you find the right people.

Ins i g h t sThe Week did some research on how to teach children about their

allowances. One example was from Ron Lieber in Slate.com. He said most

parents “start too late, they hand over too little money and responsibility,

and they tie the money to completion of household tasks while asking

nowhere near enough in the way household cooperation.” But the biggest

problem is that many households “divert the conversation” about money

and the family finances altogether, even when kids express an interest.

Laura Shin in Forbes.com recommends bucking the traditional model of

linking allowances with chores. Instead, use an allowance as a teaching

tool, such as allotting a portion to art supplies or a musical instrument.

Next, teach little ones to mimic an adult budget and split their allowance into

thirds, for saving, spending or giving. This method teaches patience, thrifti-

ness and generosity.

Another idea, proposed by Nicole Dicker in TheBillfold.com, is to give your

children a large sum at the beginning of the year. Let them know it is to

cover expenses for the year. If they should fail, don’t bail them out; there is

no better way to learn.

Other families choose to open up about the family’s books as a basis

for understanding money. Being candid about your own errors can provide

a cautionary tale for children. Whether you go this route is a personal

decision. Finding a way to start such a conversation early is key for children

in today’s complex financial world.

Home renovation is on the rise. According to HUD and the U.S. CensusBureau, more than half of U.S. homeowners made improvements of somesort between 2009 and 2011. Nearly a quarter of those made energy efficient improvements like installing solar panels, adding insulation orimproving heating and cooling. On the more glamorous side, most peopleliked fixing up the smallest room in the house. In 2010 more than 14 million households remodeled their bathrooms. Another popular project was remodeling the kitchen. The least common project was adding aninground pool. There are certain loans provided for renovation. Ask me for more information.

H o m e R e n o v a t i o n

This newsletter is published for home owners and real estate investors. Please refer to my phone number for my specific opinion on various topics and loan programs. This information is provided for general use only and should not be relied upon in making an investment, tax or legal decision.

Bond Marketing ® 4/2015

� The euro has lost more than a fifth ofits value against the U.S. dollar since last July and has now dropped to around$1.06–a 12 year low.CNBC.com

� The U.S. economy showed surprisingstrength in February, adding 295,000 jobs despite severe weather and a rising dollar. Los Angeles Times

� Now might be the perfect time to tap into your home equity. With interest rateslikely to rise in the coming months, thereare home equity lines of credit, known as HELOC’s, with temporary fixed rates.These loans can be used to finance home renovations or even unrelatedexpenses like college tuition. Wall Street Journal

� Credit card companies are clamoringfor your business. A new report fromcredit bureau Equifax shows that inDecember consumer credit card debtreached its highest level in five yearsthanks “almost entirely to shoppers taking out new cards.”USA Today

� American Sniper has become the top-grossing movie released in the U.S.last year with $337 million in domesticearnings so far. It had already become the highest earning war movie of all time, overtaking Saving Private Ryan’s$216 million haul in 1998. Oz.com

Noted

Little Kids With Money