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Identity Theft Protection: a Modern Necessity

 You can do anything and everything over the internet, but YOU are put at risk when you enter any personal information in the forms page on any website. And now, we understand that companies like Google and Yahoo are actually collecting and repurposing all of your browsing history to use in discovering shopping trends, political views and personal interests. We bank, shop, stay in touch, journal, run our businesses and let the world know our every thought and sip of coffee via social networking pages. Talk about being at risk! Wow!

More and more people are find that besides monitoring their personal credit reports every year (or more frequently) they are turning to identity theft protection plans that actually monitor their personal identity.  Identity Hawk offers a wide swath of monitoring the identity of its members. They offer a deeper protection service, going beyond internet monitoring to include credit reporting agencies, utility companies and real estate or mortgage application processes. Check out this added value security measure to protect your identity!

Tax Tips: Deduct Those Closing Costs!

If you bought or refinanced your home in 2010, you may be so focused on your mortgage interest and property tax deductions that you forget all about your closing costs. Any origination fees or discount points that were paid to your mortgage lender at closing are tax deductible on your 2010 return, get this – even if the seller paid your closing costs. If you can’t figure out exactly what you paid, look for your HUD-1 settlement statement, that legal sized paper full of line item credits and debits that you should have received from your escrow provider or title attorney at, or just after, closing. Can’t find it? Drop your real estate agent or mortgage broker an email; they can usually get a copy to you quickly.

Repair Pal Directory for Auto Repair

Finding a car repair shop that you can trust who will not have you featured on Car Talk with Frick an Frack on Saturday mornings is tricky. Houston Car Repair shops that are recommended by Repair Pal can keep your car running in top condition. This site also showcases car information complete with manufacturers specs and reviews from drivers, mechanics and professionals.

User reviews of used cars such as the 1999 Acura TL offer user ratings on all the aspects of the car from interior to common issues. There is also a search feature for researching recalls.

How often and finding time to get the oil changed in your car can be frustrating. When it’s time for an oil change check Repair Pal for information on what kind of oil is best for your vehicle, where a reliable shop is located in your vicinity, and what the ramifications are for changing the air filter with each oil change.

Getting a brake job on your car is expensive if you do, and even more when you don’t. The Repair Pal encyclopedia will tell you what to listen or look for and what is entailed in getting a brake job. Basically, Repair Pal is a great way to research the care of your car as well as find reliable mechanics for any kind of car repair that you require to keep you vehicle in tip top running shape.

Go “Green” at Earthwhile.com

www.earthwhile.com is a ‘green’ shopping site located in the UK. They showcase innovative products for people who want to support environmentally safe lifestyle products without compromising style and quality.

Right now home projects might include updating loft insulation. You will find multiple choices, complete with explanations of the pro’s and con’s of each product.  They will tell you why they like each choice, as well as any limitations they have noticed. The site details how each product works so you can compare other products to these.

Cold winter exposes areas of the home that require increased insulation or weatherstripping. Earthwhile has a kit that you can use to weatherize your garage door. This kit is easy to install, and cost effective to buy.

With energy conservation in mind, outdoor lighting that takes advantage of solar power is an attractive option. You will find many choices of  outdoor security, pathway and entry way lighting.

This site has merchandise for everyone. Take a look at the interesting  inventory of eco friendly toys and gifts in every price range and for every interest.

Become.Com: New approach to web shopping!

This web site offers a fully integrated way to shop and compare products that you might be researching on line. This search engine researches just what you are interested in buying, and explores all web sites to find the best prices, relevant product reviews from consumers as well as experts,  and provides the consumer with all sorts of information that will answer questions without lots of random unrelated noise.

Take a look at what you would find if you are shopping for a mini fridge for your apartment or RV. You can check prices, compare values and locate stores where you can find this item.  If you are looking for a wine glass rack for your RV, boat, business or home, you can compare all styles, prices and designs. Become.com understands how you want to shop, what you want to compare, and provides you with all of that information in one spot, on one page.

Another example, that I found kind of interesting, is shopping for a home bread slicer. I mean, that is an unusual piece of kitchen equipment and I personally don’t like to accumulate single job appliances…But that said, take a look at all the options you can find here; everything from expensive commercial bread slicers to home counter top bread slicers.

For home remodeling projects, you can shop and compare things like pantry cabinet options. You will be able to view and compare wooden styles, multi tiered styles, double door styles…whatever you are looking for; even what you didn’t know existed. This site is a really cool resource for home remodeling or updating.

Consultants Provide Cost Effective Way To Success

The current economy has spawned a plethora of entrepreneurs.  The question begs: How do you start a business on a shoestring, and cover all the details associated with business start ups?  The answer is: Hire a Consultant!  Consultants can be found in every price range and in every area from marketing to accounting to coaching.

Consultants.com offers a short cut to finding the perfect package of consultants.    Answers to some important questions can be found on the website such as When do I need a consultant? How to find and hire the perfect consultant for me? What is the scope of my project? How to interview potential consultants? and more.

Check out Elance to see a list of consultants for hire. They offer a posting service for both consulting companies and also for businesses seeking to hire an experienced and reviewed consulting service. Check it out!  For example, an independent Realtor may be looking for a lead generation consultant. A doctor’s office could use a Office Management consultant. You only pay for results!!

Smart Car Purchasing for 2011

Need a new luxury car for your new home’s garage? Check out http://www.carworks.com/ to look for your new or used car. This site has great reviews, lots of cars to check out, information about the new models and makes, financing options and more.  They represent all the best car makers!

The 2011 car shows featured the Audi S6 and WOW was it ever a popular one to view! Yes, I did attend the car show here in Portland Oregon, and I looked at all the cars from Porsche and Lamborghini to Mini Cooper. The big expensive Audi compared well to every other luxury car shown. It is a super charge, five passenger sports sedan with leather interior and high performance operating package.

Another car I liked is the Jaguar XK series. I love the sleek styling on this beautiful car. I was surprised to see that it can be either leased or purchased with the cheapest prices at Carworks.com.  Find the best deals offered on all makes and models from luxury cars to affordable models, New cars or Used, and buy or lease as it fits your pocketbook.  You can find what you are looking for, both price and terms. You can even research and compare cars in a very user friendly way.

Integrity Rules at RH Dembling Real Estate

If the television program Boardwalk caught your interest last season, you may want to explore Long Branch New Jersey. An historic city on the coast, the opportunity for investment in real estate, whether a new home or a commercial building, is excellent. I had the opportunity to connect with the Realtors at RH Dembling Realty and I know you will find them to be excellent people to help you with all of your New Jersey real estate business.

Key to my own real estate business is honesty and personal integrity. RH Dembling shares this values with me in their business. You will find their website interesting and filled with information. It is easy to navigate, and you can choose from a variety of REaltor’s for your investment or residential needs. Check them out!  In turn, I am happy to show anyone from New Jersey the high points of the Oregon Real Estate Market.

Short Sales in Real Estate

It’s not over yet! NAR released a set of statistics indicating that we can expect to see the influx of a large shadow inventory of real estate short sales. Depending on your market area, anywhere from 12% to 20% of properties going into default will hit the market in the next 12 months.  You can track this information on Zillow and Trulia.  Remember, a real estate short sale is when the sales price of the property will not be enough to pay off the debt against the property. Short Sales are not for the faint of heart buyer. Short Sales take longer to close; the offer you make to purchase a short sale property will be evaluated at the lender’s leisure. They will be looking into such things as whether the owner’s mortgage insurance can cover part of their exposure or debt, and whether or not your offer is better than other offers that may not have come in yet. As a buyer, you will have to evaluate whether your buying power can withstand the time it takes to close a short sale. Don’t take it personally! Keep looking while you wait. The short sale real estate market will reveal some good opportunities for a savvy buyer.