Blogs

Common House Remodeling After You Buy an Old House

By Jack Larson posted 05-10-2021
Buying an old home can give you a lot of advantages than buying a new home. Most old homes are located in some of the prestigious areas and you might find yourself living in an elite neighborhood. Old homes tend to cost less, unlike new homes that attract high buying cost. Despite all these advantages, buying an old home can deplete all your savings after you attempt remodeling it. The pipework and electrical wiring can be messy and the foundation can be rotten, not to mention the roof, which might have shrubs growing on top. Electrical wiring and plumbing works Most old houses were piped using metal which corrodes with time, leading to numerous ...

How Renovating a House Before Selling Gets You a Better Deal

By Jack Larson posted 03-21-2021
How your house looks can make or break a deal with a potential buyer because if it doesn’t look at its best, its potential value cannot be capitalized on. The good news is that a few renovations may be all you need to increase your home’s value and they don’t have to be expensive. Below, we’ve listed some places that will increase your house’s value considerably when renovated and how they impact a home’s value. Roofing One of the most important structures of a house that, when renovated, can have an impact on a home seller’s success is the roof but it’s often overlooked. Even though roof renovations can be tricky, they’re pretty simple most of the time ...

Tips to Decorate Your Workstation to be a More Productive Remote Worker

By Jack Larson posted 03-21-2021
Recently, millions of people worldwide have turned their homes into offices due to the current pandemic. Some companies are even making long-term commitments to remote working. Working from home can be hindered by the working environment or devices being used. As a remote worker having a well-designed and functional workstation can increase your productivity. You can consider adding a touch to the station by decorating it. Here are tips to decorate your workstation to be a more productive remote worker. Use colorful holders to keep notes Colorful noteholders can help you to remain organized by keeping memos close by. You don’t need to tack papers and ...

The Need for Home Insurance

By Jack Larson posted 03-15-2021
Whether you are renting or buying a home, no matter the size, having insurance to protect you is important. In most cases, having insurance on the home that you are buying, or renting is a requirement. Another reason for insurance is to protect your place from: Vandalism Tornadoes Flooding Hurricanes and wind damage Earthquakes Thunderstorms Fire or lightning Hail Smoke Riot or civil commotion Theft Explosion Damage from vehicles Insurance will help you cover the cost of repairing the damage that happens from this. As much as we may not want to think about this, someone may get hurt while ...

How Listening to Customers is Important to Your New Business

By Jack Larson posted 03-14-2021
When you set up a new business, you will be looking forward to finding customers and retaining them. However, this may not happen if you are not ready to listen to them. You can ask them questions and analyze their responses as you converse with them face-to-face or over the phone. Since customers will be the source of revenue for your new business, you have to pay attention to them no matter what. Listening to customers is important to your new business in the following ways. Build relationships When a customer approaches you because of a problem, you should be keen to understand the issue at hand. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by ...

How Relative Humidity Leads to Mold Growth

By Jack Larson posted 03-05-2021
Mold is a commonly faced problem in many homes and commercial establishments. Mold proliferates and leaves a repulsive look calling for immediate repairs and drastic cleaning. Most people fail to find out the reason for mold growth and eliminate them. Mold can frequently occur in the cold season, and it is generally considered a winter problem which is not true. Let’s discuss the ideal conditions for mold growth and list ways to avoid them by adjusting the temperature and humidity. Reasons for mold occurrence Indoor moisture is the main reason for mold occurrence in most areas. Mold can occur in the air conditioner and furnace air evaporator coil due ...

Why Now is the Best Time to Invest in High-End Luxury Real Estate

By Jack Larson posted 01-30-2021
Investing in high-end, luxury real estate is a smart, stable option as part of a diverse portfolio. This market does tend to have some more ups and downs than the average real estate market so choosing when to buy within a market cycle does matter. However, it is a stable investment that isn’t as vulnerable to fluctuations as the stock market. Of course, making good investments in high-end luxury real estate will also depend on the financial position of the investor and the ability to find worthwhile investment opportunities. There are investors who lose money on high-end luxury real estate but they are those who buy at the height of the market and sell at ...

Ideas to Diversify Your Investment Portfolio

By Jack Larson posted 01-29-2021
Diversifying your portfolio is a great way to make sure you have a reliable safety net to fall back on if some investments don’t turn out as expected. Investing in different opportunities allows you to spread the risk around, making sure you don’t suffer any major losses. Establishing a solid strategy is the first step in identifying different areas with investment potential. Some helpful ideas for diversifying your portfolio can include: Think long-term One of the major mistakes that new investors make is focusing on opportunities that offer immediate returns. Many people look for investments that will see them make a significant profit in a ...

Key Things to Verify Before Renting Your Property

By Jack Larson posted 01-26-2021
Renting out your property can be a lucrative business if handled in the right manner. It represents a stable income source to your overall revenue and doesn’t require you to sacrifice a lot of time to its management. There are a few things that should be considered when thinking about renting your property. Making sure your house is prepared to play host to new tenants is essential and involves the inspection of various areas. Some of the key things you should consider when looking to rent your property include: Adequate representation If you happen to be a professional with a full-time job, it’s unlikely that you’ll always have time to address ...

The Key Difference between Customer Support and Customer Service

By Jack Larson posted 01-05-2021
When it comes to client relationships, there are two aspects that often get confused with each other - customer support and customer service. These two aspects might be different in nature, but they serve the same purpose, namely, keeping clients happy. The one cannot exist without the other and when one aspect fails, the other one also gets pulled down. For a business to grow, both customer support and customer service need to run smoothly. To make things a bit clearer and easier to understand, here are the major differences between these two business operations. Broadly speaking When one looks at the general description of each business operation, ...

Relieving the Back Pain Naturally in Easy Steps

By Jack Larson posted 12-12-2020
Back pain can range from mild to severe, depending on the underlying cause. The pain and the discomfort brought about by back pain can lead to immobility or hospitalization. Approximately 65 million people across the US have had a recent back pain episode. Common causes of back pain are prolonged sitting, lifting heavy objects, or sitting in the wrong posture. Most of these back pain episodes can be relieved naturally at home. Below are five tips to help you relieve back pain. Sleeping on a quality mattress If you experience back pain often, sleeping on a good mattress can cause pain relief so that you sleep deeper and wake up relaxed. If you rarely ...

Five Items You Can Create With Minimal Woodworking Skills

By Jack Larson posted 12-08-2020
We all get a wonderful sense of accomplishment from creating something from scratch, from making something with our own two hands. With the global economy in the mess it is, following an unforeseen pandemic that took the whole world by storm, you may be looking to make your own gifts this Festive Season. Or perhaps you really want to design and build your own plasma stand but have written off the idea of making wooden items because of your non-existent woodworking skills? Think again, you may be pleasantly surprised. Wooden chest for storage There are several simple designs to be found online, with step by step instructions that are easy to follow. ...

How to Get Ready for a Water Fountain

By Jack Larson posted 12-04-2020
If you’re considering the installation of a water fountain in your outdoor space then you must be serious about beautifying your home. But, the key to making sure that your water fountain is both functional and beautiful, is to prepare for its installation ahead of time. The thing about an outdoor fountain is that it’s an addition that requires time and patience, especially when it comes to preparation and maintenance. If you’re a weekend warrior who’s been doing your own DIY home improvement for years, then this should be a nice challenge for you. Otherwise, if you don’t have any experience with projects like this then we recommend you hire ...

How to Increase the Rental Value of Your Home

By Jack Larson posted 12-04-2020
Leasing your property quickly and to higher quality tenants is one of the best ways to increase the rental value of your home. Some simple aesthetic improvements can help you to achieve this and many of them will cost you very little. Here are some simple ways to increase the rental value of your home. First impressions count Think about the exterior of your home and what potential tenants will see when they walk in the front gate. Mow the front lawn, trim the hedges, repaint the postbox and give the front door a new coat of paint too. Some new plants in pots at the front door could help to give a welcoming impression. When it comes to the home ...

5 Hotel Sales Tips to Hit Your Revenue Goals

By Jack Larson posted 11-15-2020
As with any other industry, it’s crucial for players in the hospitality sales industry to be on their toes at all times because maintaining a competitive edge is a must. This goes for event planners and the hotels who host them as well. Strategy and innovation are the names of the game and we’ve got just the advice you need to master both. Read on for more. Do In-Depth Analysis SWOT is an age-old strategy and a foundation for any operator in the field. This acronym stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Because it’s not based on hard data, a SWOT analysis is considered a soft metric. However, ...

Benefits Of Integrating Raised Access Flooring Within Your Space

By Jack Larson posted 11-08-2020
As technologies change and buildings continue to evolve, infrastructure has made gigantic strides. In order to meet these ever-changing needs, versatile performance and design, sustainability and adaptability are becoming paramount in the construction industry. Things were much simpler in the past, with limited choices available. These days, tech is much more advanced and innovative, and there are many options to choose from. Since you are here, we assume you are interested in getting more information on access flooring . Let's first discuss its technicalities. What Is Raised Access Flooring? Typically, a raised accessed floor is ...

Staying Focused in the Real Estate Business

By Micheal Hodges posted 11-01-2020
Real estate brokers are a unique breed of professionals, with the freedom to work anywhere (and everywhere) at all times of the day. Being a great broker, in particular, requires a constant shifting of gears, which includes: The ability to build your own business or infrastructure. The talent to find business, and get new listings. The skill to cultivate current and prospective clients. The competence to prep homes for sale. The consistency to close deals, sell homes and earn commissions. These demands, despite their tremendous upside, can take a toll while you engage in different types of work, from different places, at different times of the ...

Family-Oriented Rental Housing: Filling an Urgent Need and an Untapped Opportunity

By Jack Larson posted 08-13-2020
The family-oriented U.S. rental housing stock has failed to keep pace as developers have increasingly focused on the youngest millennials who are often single, urban, and transient, rather than on those with families who require larger units, according to a new report released by the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing and RCLCO . The report, Family Renter Housing: A Response to the Changing Growth Dynamics of the Next Decade , outlines the business case and need for more family-oriented housing now and in the next decade. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the number of people between 30 and 50 years of age will grow by 8 percent between ...