Tag Archives: realty

Surprising Cities Celebrities Call Home

Celebrities only live in Los Angeles or New York, right? Wrong! CNBC, with the help of Realtor.com, found a list of cities that are growing with celebrity residents. We narrowed it down to five cities that we didn’t know were occupied by so many celebs!

 

1.  Alpine, NJ

Flickr Creative Commons: Ken Lund

Flickr Creative Commons: Ken Lund

Who would have guessed that the small state of New Jersey would be home to so many celebs?! CNBC reports that Oprah, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Stevie Wonder (and more!) all have homes in Alpine. Set on the banks of the Hudson, the city is popular because of its exclusivity, and proximity to New York (BergenCounty.com).

 

2. New Orleans, LA

Flickr Creative Commons: Bill Staney

Flickr Creative Commons: Bill Staney

New Orleans is home to more than just jambalaya and beignets. Famous residents include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Harry Connick Jr., and Lil Wayne. CNBC attributes their residency to new tax breaks offered by Louisiana for film and television productions.

 

3. Atlanta, GA

Flickr Creative Commons: Brad Clinesmith

Flickr Creative Commons: Brad Clinesmith

It is reported that Jane Fonda’s loft in Atlanta is up for sale at no less than $1.95 million. Who will purchase the home to join Jeff Foxworthy, Janet Jackson, and Elton John as Georgia residents? Click here to see some celebrity homes in Atlanta!

 

4. Montecito, CA

Flickr Creative Commons: Damian Gadal

Flickr Creative Commons: Damian Gadal

With sweeping ocean views and temperate weather, who wouldn’t want to live on the northern coast of CA? The small town of Montecito is full of celebs, and its homes are among the priciest in the nation. Residents include Al Gore, Christopher Lloyd, Steve Martin, and Rob Lowe.

 

5. Jupiter, FL

Flickr Creative Commons: Dan DeChiaro

Flickr Creative Commons: Dan DeChiaro

Many celebrities live in this growing town just north of Palm Beach including Celine Dion, Burt Reynolds, and Tiger Woods (who neighbors Michael Jordan’s beach home). Want to be their neighbor too? Check out these luxury homes in Jupiter.
For the full list of cities you didn’t know celebrities live in, head over to CNBC!

 

Five Pooch-Friendly Products for Winter

Winter is still here and it’s not going anywhere for a while. For some pet-owners a lot has to be done around the house once temperatures start dropping. These products mentioned below are important to have around the house to make both, your and your dog’s life much easier.

1. Freedom Pet Pass Door

This product is a huge upgrade from the old school doggie doors. During winter one of the worst things is wind, and because some doggie doors are made of thing material or not made for winter time, dog-owners are constantly having to let their dog in and out of the house. Who’s got the energy for that? That’s why these were invented. Magnetic strips on all sides and your dog will feel safe to come in and out as much as (s)he needs to without you having to worry about it at all.

2. Puppy Go Potty

If its something we’ve seen this year is that when it snows, it snows hard. Sometimes the weather may not allow for our pets, or even ourselves to do outside. In these situations, be assure that Puppy Go Potty Liter will help any situation that arises. It seals any odor, and is made out of organic material. Tell us if you currently have a product like this in the house and how it’s working out for you in the comment section below!

3. Soothe & Shield Paw Balm

Winter walks can be very harsh on a dog’s paws. The winter elements, such as ice, snow, and even the salt on the roads can be hurtful to their paws and sometimes even painful. This balm will protect your dog’s paws, and prevent any damage from the cold winter walks.

4. Dog Boots

Most of the people reading this who are dog owners are most likely dog owners themselves and already have more than a couple of dog boots at home. We know at least the Minnesotans do! But for all our dear readers out there who might have just recently adopted a dog, then go ahead and click here so you and your dog can enjoy walks in the snow with no problem. The product itself is self-explanatory, it will protect your dog’s paws from the cold and let him run around without being uncomfortable by the cold.

5. Spill-proof mats

To avoid your dog’s water bowl from getting too cold on the floor, it’s a good idea to have this spill-proof mats. Not only does it avoid a mess but it also allows your dog’s water to stay at room temperature. Not too shabby, right?

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Photo by Josh / Flickr: Creative Commons

Well dear reader this is where we end our post. Hopefully this has given you some guidance as a dog-owner, as to what to do during the winter time. Let us in the comment section below if you have any of these products and how they’ve worked out for you! Or if you’re thinking of buying one as well!

 

 

Top 5 Phone Apps for Realtors

Technology is a great resource for any professional today. For realtors, who are always on the go, what phone apps serve them best to make their jobs that much easier? Well, we’ve gathered 5 apps we suggest every realtor should have on their phones/tablets. Let us know if there is one you use the most:

1. Pro HDR

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View in iTunes store here

This app will allow you to take pictures of your properties, modify the lighting or little edits you can add to enhance the picture and make it a higher definition one.

2.  Storehouse

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View in iTunes store here

Imagine talking to a prospect buyer and pulling out a video and pictures with the virtual tour of a house right from your phone or tablet. This will make you look even more professional, but also one that’s eager and ready to get things done. Your clients will surely appreciate it.

3. Genius Scan

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View in iTunes store here.

 

Realtors, and agents are never in one single place. Odds are sometimes you might have to run back to the office to scan a document and end up losing time and gas. This app can scan your documents and turn them into a PDF or JPEG doc. Take a picture, and send it over through email as either format with no problem and no need to run to anywhere.

4. Waze

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View in iTunes store here.

 

Ever been stuck in traffic in a unfamiliar part of the city wishing you could know of a shortcut? Well, we’ve got one for you! Well, iTunes and Google has one, but we’re telling you this one is will make your life so much easier. This app will tell you the traffic updates  or road closures close to your location. Sounds like a perfect app for someone who’s always on the go!

5. Dashlane

Screen Shot 2015-02-16 at 10.27.28 AM

View in iTunes store here.

Realtors can have over 10 social media platforms. With all the names, addresses, information realtors receive in one day chances are you might forget passwords often. This app will solve that problem alone. Not only does it save your login information, but also receipts, payment methods, credit card information. Perfect app for a busy professional such as a realtor or agent.

 

Gym vs. Home chores: Which one burns more calories?

Do you ever feel guilty for staying home and cleaning your house instead of going for a jog, hitting the gym, or missing your yoga class? Well, fear not dear reader we have good news! You might burn more calories staying home and doing chores than lifting weights! Don’t believe us? No worries, take a look at this infographic and tell us if you were surprised as much as we were.

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Source: Yourgreenpal.com

Minimalist Home Decor: Simplify Your Life

This movement has been around since the early 1960’s. Like a lot of past trends, this one is making its way back into our modern lifestyle. Both in fashion, and in home decor. For some, it’s a lifestyle they decide to adapt for several different reasons; be it less clutter, cleanliness, or even because they just simply like it.

Several young couples today opt to buy a house, rather than rent. As we know, rent prices are steadily increasing while wages are not. However, that is material for another blog. Therefore, investing in real estate becomes the best choice.  With this is money-saving mentality, it’s only normal millennials seek out modern lifestyle choices that can be economical yet trendy.

Now that we’ve answered as to why this movement has become a new setting trend, we’ll now give you some examples, and tips on how become a minimalist yourself. Or at least decorate your house like one.

Tip #1: One room at a time.

The purpose is to get rid of clutter. Odds are you’ll have a lot of it in several rooms. Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to figure out what you’ll be doing with every tiny little thing in every single room of your house. After all you’re trying to change to a perhaps different lifestyle, and doing that won’t happen overnight. It’s a process, don’t rush into it.

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Tip #2: Furniture.

If you’re moving into a new house than this might be easier for you, if you’re redecorating than there is some serious thinking to be done. What goes? What stays? Without compromising comfort or livability the essential question to always ask yourself is: “Do I need it?”. Think that sometimes less, is more. Whatever you find yourself thinking could be tossed/donated and don’t need, then do so.

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Photo by: Cyril Caton / Flickr: Creative Comons

 

 

Tip #3: Clean surfaces, walls, and floors.

Think of it as starting new. Don’t clean the floors and put everything “you think you will need in the future” in storage. Decluttering means getting rid of it entirely. This also means storage itself. Other than perhaps winter gear, there shouldn’t be too much in there. This goes with wall decor too. If you’re into art, then try to think of your living room as an outfit. Does everything match? It is too much? If there the answer for the latter is yes, then donate it or toss it. Keep it simple, and even cleaning will become easier and less of a hassle.

Photo by: Tom Baugis / Flickr: Creative Commons

Photo by: Tom Baugis / Flickr: Creative Commons

 

Tip #4: It’s not all black and white.

Although some people go with the classic white minimalistic type of decor, you don’t have to. The point is for your home to look clean and neat. Solid colors can help you do that. Same goes with the windows, for instance. Many people like to go for the floral, patterned window curtains. But, if you’re trying to stick to the decluttered look, go with clean, neat patterns. Or just one solid, simple color. Going with no curtains at all is also an option. Natural light is great, anyways.

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Photo by Jeremy Levine / Flickr: Creative Commons

 

Well dear reader this is where we end our post. Tell us in the comment section below what you thought, and if you see yourself in the near future being a minimalist or decorating your house like one.

 Find the original article here.

5 Hacks to Make Your Studio Apartment Look Bigger

Do you live in a loft? studio apartment? Do you see yourself living there for a while, or do you just like that style and can’t see yourself leaving it? Well, we totally understand, and we’ve got tips for you to make every square footage of that room count. Here are five hacks to make your studio apartment look bigger than it actually is:

 

1. Lighten up the floors

Yep, that’s right. Make your floors a lighter color. Paint them, or if you’re renting the place  and your lease won’t allow it, then a wide bright rug will do the trick just fine, as well.

 

2.  Clear it up

By this we mean, clear, see-through furniture is your best choice. Side tables with see-through legs. All these help into making it seem there is less space, or clutter. Try it out and tell us what you think!

3. Two-for-One

To some people this idea never seems like fun, but then again some people love the efficiency of it. Think of buying one furniture that doubles into something else. For example, your side table could also double as a bar. These not only save you space, but also keeps you and almost forces you to keep the space less cluttered  and more organized.

 

4. The walls are your friends

Well, it might sound silly but they are! They become extra space you can occupy. For example, hang your necklaces, towels, etc. Have that become another space that you can use. Here’s a tip: make sure everything has at least 5-8 inches of space between each other. The trick is to never make it seem like it’s cluttered.

 

5. Higher Up

Ok, so now we’ve used up your walls, floor, and even doubled-up some furniture use. Now, look up. Yes, the ceilings. No, we’re not hanging anything from there today (although we recommend you do—some interior decorators suggest hanging plants gives it a sense of more space to a room), but we will be painting it. If you are lucky enough to have a high ceiling, then feel free to paint it! We suggest you do the same color as your floor to lighten up the place even more.

 

Well reader, here is where we end our post. Hopefully, you’ve find it informative! Feel free to tell us if you’ve tried any of this and it’s worked! Or, if you’d like to add some more tips, feel free to do so in the comments below!

 

 

Find the original article here.

5 quotes about Minnesota by Famous People

A lot of past and present influential characters have come out Minnesota; politicians, singers, actresses, actors, athletes, etc. The midwest has and always will be a part of them. That is why after reaching stardom, they look back and acknowledge how fortunate they were to be born and raised in Minnesota. Here are some quotes by some of these Minnesota natives:

1. Al Franken

“I grew up in Minnesota, where we treasure our tradition of civic engagement — and our record of having the nation’s highest voter participation.”  

 

2. Bob Dylan

“Well, in the winter, everything was still, nothing moved. Eight months of that. You can put it together. You can have some amazing hallucinogenic experiences doing nothing but looking out your window. There is also the summer, when it gets hot and sticky and the air is very metallic. There is a lot of Indian spirit. The earth there is unusual, filled with ore. So there is something happening that is hard to define. There is a magnetic attraction there. Maybe thousands and thousands of years ago, some planet bumped into the land there. There is a great spiritual quality throughout the Midwest. Very subtle, very strong, and that is where I grew up.”

 

3. Garrison Keillor

“Minnesota is a state of public-spirited and polite people, where you can get a good cappuccino and eat Thai food and find any book you want and yet live on a quiet tree-lined street with a backyard and send your kids to public school. When a state this good hits the jackpot, it can only be an inspiration to everybody.”

 

4. Sean William Scott

“I grew up in Minnesota and everyone is so nice there. It is like Fargo. Everyone’s so chipper and you make friends just grocery shopping. We kill each other with kindness.”

 

5. Jim Ramstad

“The Minnesota spirit of compassion and help for people in need has moved countless Minnesotans to step forward to provide relief for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.”

 

 

Well dear reader, this is where we end our post. If you’re from Minnesota you’ll probably relate to many of these personalities’ opinions. If so, feel free to leave a comment and tell us which one you related to the most. Have a great Thursday!

The 5 Most Unique Buildings Around the World

Ever come across dazzling architecture and think, “how?!”. Yeah, so have we.

Here we’ve gathered a list of buildings from around the world we thought were worthy to mention. Some even seem to be from the future!

1. Indira Gandhi Planetarium, India

From the exterior you can immediately tell this building portrays a planet-shaped like figure, specifically Saturn with a series of rings. The building was built in 1993, a bit before it’s time you could say. Definitely breathtaking.

2. Nautilus House, Mexico

Built 9 years ago by architect Javier Senosiain. The structure follow suit of its name, Nautilus. The buildings main purpose was to seem one with nature, which you could say was achieved. Even inside the building, you’ll find a garden.

3, Piano and Violin Building, China

This amazing building was built in 2007 and it’s located in Huainan City, China. This building required a team of people to design, and several students from the Hefey University of Technology. Truly charming, indeed.

4. PricewaterhouseCoopers Building, United Kingdom

Most green building on this list. Not literally, of course. PricewaterhouseCoopers’s building in the UK uses renewable energy sources with advanced technology. Almost a building of the future!

 5. House Attack, Austria

Located in the Moderner Kunst Museum in Austria by artist Erwin Wurm. The story behind this building is simply a family hurtling themselves onto the roof, which is why building is called “House Attack”. Creative, don’t you think?!

 

Well dear reader this is where we end our post. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed this list and would want to share it with your friends. Maybe you’ve seen a couple of this? Send us pictures. Let us know which crazy building you’ve seen.

 

Find the original article here. 

 

 

 

10 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Real Estate Agent

It’s not easy buying or selling a house. You’re full-time job is work enough. Imagine putting the pressure, stress, and extra work that comes with selling or buying a house. Cue real estate agent. Not only do they advise you on what’s best to their knowledge, but the best are experienced, and can help you get the best for your budget. Don’t stress and call a real estate agent. You won’t regret it! The top 10 Reasons To Hire a Real Estate Agent can be found on this infographic:

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Source: Keeping Current Matters. Find their website here. 

The 6 ways Minnesotans can adjust their home for climate change

 

Winter is already here, but with the holiday hectic activities we might’ve forgotten how to prepare our houses for this abrupt climate change. Here’s how:

 

1. Sign up to power your home with renewables with Xcel Energy.

That means that for the next months although your bill might seem a little higher than usual, it won’t be as high as it could go. This is because Xcel won’t charge the usual $4 fuel charge that you usually see on your bills.

 

2. Clean your gutters.

With the heavy rain fall that will come after the snowy winter ends. The extreme rainfall could exceed the capacity of your gutter, and cause exterior damage to your home. Avoid this by cleaning them. Furthermore, be also sure to check your sprouts and be aware that the water should be flowing far away from the foundation but not fast enough for it not be absorbed into the soil.

 

3. Don’t place your valuables on your basement floor.

Purchase waterproof containers. Even if you think water doesn’t get to your basement, it’s better to be prepared. Store your valuables in a high place, where you know they won’t fall.

 

4. Consider adoption.

This might sound silly but think about adopting a tree! Or, planting one. This is just to add some environmentally conscious advice, in general. Since you know, trees are always highly needed.

 

5. Consider condensing technology.

“”These systems are very energy efficient and have the added benefit of being small enough to mount on a basement wall rather than sitting on the floor and thus reducing the likelihood that the heating plant will be ruined and a house made uninhabitable if water gets into a basement,” Hamilton wrote.”

 

6. Check the street sewer’s drains.

Clean sewers without debris or trash prevents localized flooding when the heavy rain fall occurs.

 

Find original article here by MPR News.