All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR "®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.
Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.
But if you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons to use one:
1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer limited choices.
2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.
3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?
4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.
5. Your REALTOR® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR®, title company or attorney can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.
6. Your REALTOR® can help you in understanding different financing options and in identifying qualified lenders.
7. Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.
8. When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.
9. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often, your REALTOR® can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR® acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.
10. Your REALTOR® will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.
11. Your REALTOR® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your REALTOR® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.
12. Your REALTOR® can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR® is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).
from realtor.com
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
5 Reasons You Should Use a Real Estate Professional
Should you spend the money on a real estate commission or save that money by selling your home by yourself? That is a question many home sellers ask themselves. Today, we want to discuss why it is crucial to have a true professional guiding you through the minefield of challenges that exist in the current real estate market.
The housing market today is more challenging than it has ever been and seems to be becoming more difficult each day. What impact will foreclosures have on prices? Which loan products that were available just last month are no longer available? How do you convince perspective purchasers to pull the trigger on an offer when everyone is telling them that they should see another 100 houses before they make a decision? These are tough questions for a trained, experienced professional. The lay person would find it almost impossible to keep abreast of this rapidly evolving industry.
Here are five important reasons to use a real estate professional:
1. Pricing Is Difficult
Just a few years ago, you didn’t have to worry about overpricing your home. If it was too high, all you needed to do was wait as historic appreciation was taking place. The situation is quite different today. With experts calling for another drop in home values, overpricing your property will cost you time. In this market, time costs you money. A professional real estate agent will discuss how increasing inventory could dramatically impact the value of your property in the months to come. They will help you set the right price in today’s market.
2. Negotiating Ability Is Crucial
Buyers today have an almost unlimited supply of homes from which to choose. They realize that puts them in a great negotiating position. Most buyers are now being represented by an agent. Sellers need to also be represented by a professional expert trained to negotiate real estate contracts.
3. Mortgaging Is Key to the Deal
The biggest impact of the housing market collapse is that lending standards are much stricter today than they were a few short years ago. Rules are constantly changing. Even FHA has gone through a guidelines overhaul in the last several months. You need a real estate expert who has teamed up with a knowledgeable mortgage professional to make sure that the buyer in the deal is in fact capable of obtaining a mortgage. Losing time with an unqualified buyer costs you money in a market where prices are falling.
4. Your Family’s Safety
We have always found it puzzling that the same person that will lock every door and window and set the alarm today will then allow total strangers into their house tomorrow. The real estate industry trains its practitioners to take steps to protect themselves and their clients. Take advantage of putting a person between you and the person calling on an ad or yard sign.
5. You Probably Have More Important Things to Do
Selling a home could turn into a full time job. Learning the necessary disclosures, coordinating the dates of your closings, dealing with a challenge regarding your appraisal and re-negotiating the offer after an engineer’s report are just a few of the concerns you may face. You would probably be better off spending that time with the items important to you and your family and leaving the challenges to your agent.
Bottom Line
To make sure the sale of your home is handled professionally – hire a trained professional. In the long run, you will wind-up with more money in your pocket and have fewer challenges with the move.
The housing market today is more challenging than it has ever been and seems to be becoming more difficult each day. What impact will foreclosures have on prices? Which loan products that were available just last month are no longer available? How do you convince perspective purchasers to pull the trigger on an offer when everyone is telling them that they should see another 100 houses before they make a decision? These are tough questions for a trained, experienced professional. The lay person would find it almost impossible to keep abreast of this rapidly evolving industry.
Here are five important reasons to use a real estate professional:
1. Pricing Is Difficult
Just a few years ago, you didn’t have to worry about overpricing your home. If it was too high, all you needed to do was wait as historic appreciation was taking place. The situation is quite different today. With experts calling for another drop in home values, overpricing your property will cost you time. In this market, time costs you money. A professional real estate agent will discuss how increasing inventory could dramatically impact the value of your property in the months to come. They will help you set the right price in today’s market.
2. Negotiating Ability Is Crucial
Buyers today have an almost unlimited supply of homes from which to choose. They realize that puts them in a great negotiating position. Most buyers are now being represented by an agent. Sellers need to also be represented by a professional expert trained to negotiate real estate contracts.
3. Mortgaging Is Key to the Deal
The biggest impact of the housing market collapse is that lending standards are much stricter today than they were a few short years ago. Rules are constantly changing. Even FHA has gone through a guidelines overhaul in the last several months. You need a real estate expert who has teamed up with a knowledgeable mortgage professional to make sure that the buyer in the deal is in fact capable of obtaining a mortgage. Losing time with an unqualified buyer costs you money in a market where prices are falling.
4. Your Family’s Safety
We have always found it puzzling that the same person that will lock every door and window and set the alarm today will then allow total strangers into their house tomorrow. The real estate industry trains its practitioners to take steps to protect themselves and their clients. Take advantage of putting a person between you and the person calling on an ad or yard sign.
5. You Probably Have More Important Things to Do
Selling a home could turn into a full time job. Learning the necessary disclosures, coordinating the dates of your closings, dealing with a challenge regarding your appraisal and re-negotiating the offer after an engineer’s report are just a few of the concerns you may face. You would probably be better off spending that time with the items important to you and your family and leaving the challenges to your agent.
Bottom Line
To make sure the sale of your home is handled professionally – hire a trained professional. In the long run, you will wind-up with more money in your pocket and have fewer challenges with the move.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Should You Buy or Rent?
Renting may be smarter if home prices in your area will fall further.
By Pat Mertz Esswein, Associate Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, April 2010
If you're a renter, you may be champing at the bit to buy a house after watching prices fall for four years. Is it time to jump? It may well be, especially if you want to capture the home buyer's tax credit (you'll need to have a contract by April 30 and close by June 30). But before you leap, you need to go beyond calculating the impact on your monthly budget and figure out how much home-price froth is left in your local housing market.
Encouraging signs. A key number to consider when switching from renter to homeowner is the price-rent ratio. This figure compares a city's median home price with its median annual rent. At the housing market's peak in 2005, the national median home price had inflated to nearly 21 times the median annual rent. By the third quarter of 2009, however, the ratio had deflated to 15, returning to the historical norm, according to Hessam Nadji, managing director of Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate brokerage company in Encino, Cal.
If the price-rent ratio where you're looking to buy is 18 or higher, your market may still be in the bubble zone, with a greater probability that home prices will fall after you buy. That could put you underwater -- meaning your home would be worth less than what you owe on the mortgage. If the ratio has fallen below 15, there's less chance that home prices will sink.
The table on Rent or Buy below shows the ten cities in which home prices are least likely to drop further, as well as those most likely to fall further, based on price-rent ratios. We also show the gap between median monthly apartment rents and median monthly mortgage payments. Five years ago, the difference between monthly mortgage payments and rent was $745 nationally; by the end of 2009, it was just $181.
To get a rough estimate of your local price-rent ratio, divide the average list price of several homes that meet your criteria by the average annual rent of several rental units with the same number of bedrooms and comparable amenities.
Weighing the decision. A year ago, the price-rent ratio in Phoenix was 14 -- down from almost 19 a year earlier. Home prices had fallen by half, and mortgage rates were at historic lows. Financial planner Brendan McNamar decided it was finally time for him to buy. He had rented since moving to the city in 2006, just after the housing bubble peaked, and was sitting on a nice nest egg from a home he had sold in 2004.
McNamar shopped for a long time, made offers on several houses and eventually bought a ten-year-old, four-bedroom, three-bathroom short sale listed for $219,000. (In a short sale, the sellers get permission from the lender to sell for less than the mortgage amount.) The house had sold for $355,000 in 2007. McNamar offered the full price, which the bank eventually accepted after 90 days. He put down 20% and took out a 30-year mortgage with a low fixed rate of 5.25%. He pays $1,176 a month (including taxes and insurance), which is more than twice his former monthly rent of $550. But because he hadn't owned a home in the past three years, he was able to snag the $8,000 first-time home buyer's tax credit.
From an investment perspective, McNamar wanted a house that would allow him to break even or earn a profit if he sold in three years. But given that prices have fallen even further in Phoenix since last spring -- the price-rent ratio is a rough guide, not an infallible one -- he reckons that his break-even point now may be four years away. But it's not a big financial setback to him because he has no plans to move.
Good deals for renters. Renting can be a smart strategy while waiting for this choppy housing market to settle down. Consider Jeremy Portnoff and his wife, Heather, of Edison, N.J. By mid 2009, the median home price in Edison had fallen a healthy 19%, to $317,000, from the market's peak in mid 2006.
The Portnoffs had their heart set on a home with three or four bedrooms to accommodate the family they hope to have, plus an office for Jeremy. The house they could afford was a starter home, probably a small townhouse -- which, on an after-tax basis, they figured would cost them about the same as renting.
But the Portnoffs also figured that if they sold it in three years, real estate commissions would consume any gains they could reasonably expect. Plus, Jeremy believed that the price of their ideal home in that area would continue to decline.
So they took a pass on buying and got a great deal on renting a two-bedroom townhome -- $1,550 a month, $300 less than when they looked at the same development three years before. The couple prudently plan to continue to pay down debt and save for a larger down payment on their next home.
In some markets, rental prices have dropped as supply has increased. By the end of 2009, the vacancy rate nationally had grown to 8.2%, a 30-year high, according to Nadji, of Marcus & Millichap. Meanwhile, rents had fallen 5.8% from the year before.
Markets with the highest vacancy rates include Jacksonville, Fla. (forecast at 14% in 2010), Atlanta, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and Tucson. Renters in such markets can afford to shop around and negotiate hard. A building's leasing manager may be willing to lower the rent to attract or keep your business.
Nadji expects the vacancy rate nationally to tighten up a bit (to 7.8%) by year-end and start a rapid recovery beginning in 2011, with very strong rent growth between 2011 and 2015. Demographics (five million people will enter the peak renter age range of 20 to 34 over the next decade) and plummeting construction starts in 2009 and 2010 drive his forecast.
Not all cities have an excess of rental units, though. In some large cities, such as New York, downtown Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., vacancy rates have remained tight -- and home prices have remained stubbornly high.
By Pat Mertz Esswein, Associate Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, April 2010
If you're a renter, you may be champing at the bit to buy a house after watching prices fall for four years. Is it time to jump? It may well be, especially if you want to capture the home buyer's tax credit (you'll need to have a contract by April 30 and close by June 30). But before you leap, you need to go beyond calculating the impact on your monthly budget and figure out how much home-price froth is left in your local housing market.
Encouraging signs. A key number to consider when switching from renter to homeowner is the price-rent ratio. This figure compares a city's median home price with its median annual rent. At the housing market's peak in 2005, the national median home price had inflated to nearly 21 times the median annual rent. By the third quarter of 2009, however, the ratio had deflated to 15, returning to the historical norm, according to Hessam Nadji, managing director of Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate brokerage company in Encino, Cal.
If the price-rent ratio where you're looking to buy is 18 or higher, your market may still be in the bubble zone, with a greater probability that home prices will fall after you buy. That could put you underwater -- meaning your home would be worth less than what you owe on the mortgage. If the ratio has fallen below 15, there's less chance that home prices will sink.
The table on Rent or Buy below shows the ten cities in which home prices are least likely to drop further, as well as those most likely to fall further, based on price-rent ratios. We also show the gap between median monthly apartment rents and median monthly mortgage payments. Five years ago, the difference between monthly mortgage payments and rent was $745 nationally; by the end of 2009, it was just $181.
To get a rough estimate of your local price-rent ratio, divide the average list price of several homes that meet your criteria by the average annual rent of several rental units with the same number of bedrooms and comparable amenities.
Weighing the decision. A year ago, the price-rent ratio in Phoenix was 14 -- down from almost 19 a year earlier. Home prices had fallen by half, and mortgage rates were at historic lows. Financial planner Brendan McNamar decided it was finally time for him to buy. He had rented since moving to the city in 2006, just after the housing bubble peaked, and was sitting on a nice nest egg from a home he had sold in 2004.
McNamar shopped for a long time, made offers on several houses and eventually bought a ten-year-old, four-bedroom, three-bathroom short sale listed for $219,000. (In a short sale, the sellers get permission from the lender to sell for less than the mortgage amount.) The house had sold for $355,000 in 2007. McNamar offered the full price, which the bank eventually accepted after 90 days. He put down 20% and took out a 30-year mortgage with a low fixed rate of 5.25%. He pays $1,176 a month (including taxes and insurance), which is more than twice his former monthly rent of $550. But because he hadn't owned a home in the past three years, he was able to snag the $8,000 first-time home buyer's tax credit.
From an investment perspective, McNamar wanted a house that would allow him to break even or earn a profit if he sold in three years. But given that prices have fallen even further in Phoenix since last spring -- the price-rent ratio is a rough guide, not an infallible one -- he reckons that his break-even point now may be four years away. But it's not a big financial setback to him because he has no plans to move.
Good deals for renters. Renting can be a smart strategy while waiting for this choppy housing market to settle down. Consider Jeremy Portnoff and his wife, Heather, of Edison, N.J. By mid 2009, the median home price in Edison had fallen a healthy 19%, to $317,000, from the market's peak in mid 2006.
The Portnoffs had their heart set on a home with three or four bedrooms to accommodate the family they hope to have, plus an office for Jeremy. The house they could afford was a starter home, probably a small townhouse -- which, on an after-tax basis, they figured would cost them about the same as renting.
But the Portnoffs also figured that if they sold it in three years, real estate commissions would consume any gains they could reasonably expect. Plus, Jeremy believed that the price of their ideal home in that area would continue to decline.
So they took a pass on buying and got a great deal on renting a two-bedroom townhome -- $1,550 a month, $300 less than when they looked at the same development three years before. The couple prudently plan to continue to pay down debt and save for a larger down payment on their next home.
In some markets, rental prices have dropped as supply has increased. By the end of 2009, the vacancy rate nationally had grown to 8.2%, a 30-year high, according to Nadji, of Marcus & Millichap. Meanwhile, rents had fallen 5.8% from the year before.
Markets with the highest vacancy rates include Jacksonville, Fla. (forecast at 14% in 2010), Atlanta, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and Tucson. Renters in such markets can afford to shop around and negotiate hard. A building's leasing manager may be willing to lower the rent to attract or keep your business.
Nadji expects the vacancy rate nationally to tighten up a bit (to 7.8%) by year-end and start a rapid recovery beginning in 2011, with very strong rent growth between 2011 and 2015. Demographics (five million people will enter the peak renter age range of 20 to 34 over the next decade) and plummeting construction starts in 2009 and 2010 drive his forecast.
Not all cities have an excess of rental units, though. In some large cities, such as New York, downtown Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., vacancy rates have remained tight -- and home prices have remained stubbornly high.
Friday, November 12, 2010
In The Market Now?
Here's What You Need To Know.
Current market conditions suggest that real estate's traditional "off season" - the months of November, December and January - could actually represent the best opportunity during the next 12 to 18 months to make a deal. For buyers and sellers who are forging ahead in the next 60 to 90 days, here are some keys to success in today's market.
SELLERS
Price Correctly - The discussion on selling your home starts and ends with price. Remember, the right asking price for your home is not determined by what you paid or the balance on your mortgage. Rather, it has everything to do with the market right here, right now. Price according to the market and you have a good shot at selling.
Be Flexible - Consummating a deal today requires flexibility beyond negotiating price. Sellers might be asked to close quickly, "hold paper" (provide seller financing) or satisfy some other unorthodox request. Don't turn your back on an offer just because it requires extra effort. If that effort allows you to sell, it can be well worth it.
Market Like It's Hot - In the winter months, a lot of brokerage firms cut back on advertising and marketing. Bad for them. Good for you. The less marketing they do, the more @properties' print, online and grassroots marketing stands out...giving your home even more exposure relative to the competition.
BUYERS
Be Strong - Most sellers today are willing to give up a little on price in exchange for the assurance of dealing with a financially sound buyer. Take the necessary steps to demonstrate your viability as a purchaser. The more solid the ground beneath your feet, the more leverage you will have in the negotiation.
Know When To Stop Looking - It's not uncommon for buyers today to view three times as many listings as buyers a few years ago. While this is certainly a function of available inventory, it's also an indication of the paralysis by analysis that is dogging the market today. If you're serious about buying in the next 60 to 90 days, focus your search on a specific price, location and features, and when you find the right home, put your energy into negotiating the best deal - not looking for alternatives.
Take a Long Term View - A great price doesn't always equal a great deal. The next home you buy has to be one you can live in, enjoy and re-sell when you're ready. So look ahead five or ten years down the road and ask yourself if you'll be happy living there. If the answer is "Yes", you're home.
If you're ready to buy or sell this winter, or if you're simply looking for answers or advice, feel free to contact me anytime. And remember, I always appreciate your referrals.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Dave Straub @properties Chicago
(773) 255-3180
Current market conditions suggest that real estate's traditional "off season" - the months of November, December and January - could actually represent the best opportunity during the next 12 to 18 months to make a deal. For buyers and sellers who are forging ahead in the next 60 to 90 days, here are some keys to success in today's market.
SELLERS
Price Correctly - The discussion on selling your home starts and ends with price. Remember, the right asking price for your home is not determined by what you paid or the balance on your mortgage. Rather, it has everything to do with the market right here, right now. Price according to the market and you have a good shot at selling.
Be Flexible - Consummating a deal today requires flexibility beyond negotiating price. Sellers might be asked to close quickly, "hold paper" (provide seller financing) or satisfy some other unorthodox request. Don't turn your back on an offer just because it requires extra effort. If that effort allows you to sell, it can be well worth it.
Market Like It's Hot - In the winter months, a lot of brokerage firms cut back on advertising and marketing. Bad for them. Good for you. The less marketing they do, the more @properties' print, online and grassroots marketing stands out...giving your home even more exposure relative to the competition.
BUYERS
Be Strong - Most sellers today are willing to give up a little on price in exchange for the assurance of dealing with a financially sound buyer. Take the necessary steps to demonstrate your viability as a purchaser. The more solid the ground beneath your feet, the more leverage you will have in the negotiation.
Know When To Stop Looking - It's not uncommon for buyers today to view three times as many listings as buyers a few years ago. While this is certainly a function of available inventory, it's also an indication of the paralysis by analysis that is dogging the market today. If you're serious about buying in the next 60 to 90 days, focus your search on a specific price, location and features, and when you find the right home, put your energy into negotiating the best deal - not looking for alternatives.
Take a Long Term View - A great price doesn't always equal a great deal. The next home you buy has to be one you can live in, enjoy and re-sell when you're ready. So look ahead five or ten years down the road and ask yourself if you'll be happy living there. If the answer is "Yes", you're home.
If you're ready to buy or sell this winter, or if you're simply looking for answers or advice, feel free to contact me anytime. And remember, I always appreciate your referrals.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Dave Straub @properties Chicago
(773) 255-3180
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Unfriend Social Media Scammers
Unfriend Social Media Scammers
Stay alert to schemes designed to hook users of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Social-media web sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, have become fertile hunting grounds for bad guys phishing for your ID, angling for your money or hoping to redirect you to malicious sites. Be on the lookout for these three scams:
Money transfers. You get a message from a friend saying that his wallet has been stolen while traveling, and he needs you to wire him money. Because the message seems to come directly from someone you know, you might be tempted to help. But if you receive one of these messages, get in touch with your friend -- offline -- to find out what's really going on.
This scam first showed up in e-mails, and the social-media version works in a similar way: A hacker hijacks your social-media identity and then contacts your friends, usually through a private message, status update or chat message. Because hackers typically send the same message to several friends, you can usually identify the scheme based on the simplicity of the request. "Scammers try to keep their messages generic," says Chester Wisniewski, of Sophos, a data-protection firm. "They won't answer any kind of question that is off the beaten path."
Applications. You might see an update from a friend inviting you to take a quiz, view a "shocking" video or sign up for a free offer. Clicking on the link directs you to an application that asks for personal information -- phone number, Social Security number, or social-media user name and password -- before you can access the content.
Don't take the bait. Providing information could leave you with a stolen identity, surprise charges on your phone bill or a hacked social-media account. The application could also use your account to send the bogus content to others -- which is probably how your friend unintentionally shared it with you.
Before you click through, read user reviews of the application or search the Web to find out whether an application is legitimate. If a rogue app does access your account, social-media resource Mashable.com recommends that you remove it from your social-media site's application settings and then delete any messages it may have posted from your account.
Shortened URLs. URL shorteners such as Bit.ly or TinyURL.com are popular ways to share long links on social-media sites. But a shortened URL can hide a link's true destination, sometimes directing users to a malicious Web site or damaging content.
To protect yourself, Wisniewski suggests installing a URL expander for your browser; Internet Explorer and Firefox both offer options. URL expanders allow you to preview the actual URL of a shortened link before you click. If you do click on a link that takes you to a suspicious site, avoid installing any programs or providing personal information, and make sure your antivirus software is enabled and up-to-date.
Casey Mysliwy, Kiplinger
http://tinyurl.com/unfriendscammers
Stay alert to schemes designed to hook users of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Social-media web sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, have become fertile hunting grounds for bad guys phishing for your ID, angling for your money or hoping to redirect you to malicious sites. Be on the lookout for these three scams:
Money transfers. You get a message from a friend saying that his wallet has been stolen while traveling, and he needs you to wire him money. Because the message seems to come directly from someone you know, you might be tempted to help. But if you receive one of these messages, get in touch with your friend -- offline -- to find out what's really going on.
This scam first showed up in e-mails, and the social-media version works in a similar way: A hacker hijacks your social-media identity and then contacts your friends, usually through a private message, status update or chat message. Because hackers typically send the same message to several friends, you can usually identify the scheme based on the simplicity of the request. "Scammers try to keep their messages generic," says Chester Wisniewski, of Sophos, a data-protection firm. "They won't answer any kind of question that is off the beaten path."
Applications. You might see an update from a friend inviting you to take a quiz, view a "shocking" video or sign up for a free offer. Clicking on the link directs you to an application that asks for personal information -- phone number, Social Security number, or social-media user name and password -- before you can access the content.
Don't take the bait. Providing information could leave you with a stolen identity, surprise charges on your phone bill or a hacked social-media account. The application could also use your account to send the bogus content to others -- which is probably how your friend unintentionally shared it with you.
Before you click through, read user reviews of the application or search the Web to find out whether an application is legitimate. If a rogue app does access your account, social-media resource Mashable.com recommends that you remove it from your social-media site's application settings and then delete any messages it may have posted from your account.
Shortened URLs. URL shorteners such as Bit.ly or TinyURL.com are popular ways to share long links on social-media sites. But a shortened URL can hide a link's true destination, sometimes directing users to a malicious Web site or damaging content.
To protect yourself, Wisniewski suggests installing a URL expander for your browser; Internet Explorer and Firefox both offer options. URL expanders allow you to preview the actual URL of a shortened link before you click. If you do click on a link that takes you to a suspicious site, avoid installing any programs or providing personal information, and make sure your antivirus software is enabled and up-to-date.
Casey Mysliwy, Kiplinger
http://tinyurl.com/unfriendscammers
Friday, November 5, 2010
How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Winter
How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Winter
By an eHow Contributor
Most people think of ceiling fans as a way cool rooms during the hot summer season. However, ceiling fans can be just as useful during winter months. By changing the direction of your ceiling fan's rotation, you can direct the blades to force cooler air upward, towards the ceiling. This will displace the warm air that naturally rises, forcing it down into your living space. While the heating properties of a ceiling fan aren't likely to offset the need for a conventional heating system, it can reduce your dependence on heaters and lower your energy bill.
Instructions:
Things You'll Need
Step stool, chair or ladder
1. Turn off your ceiling fan. You can accomplish this by pulling the string located on the fan or by using a remote control device. You should also flip the fan's wall switch to the "off" position.
2. Wait for the ceiling fan's blades to stop turning. For safety's sake, you don't want to try reaching your hand towards the ceiling fan while it's still in operation.
3. Find a ladder, step stool or chair that you can use to stand on while you're changing the direction of your fan's blades. Make sure to use something that's structurally sound and safe. Whatever you use, make sure that it's tall enough for you to see the ceiling fan's body completely.
4. Search the ceiling fan's cylindrical body for a small toggle switch. On most brands of ceiling fans, this switch will be no more than 1 to 2 inches long and will be vertically oriented. Most toggle switches are made from black plastic, making them easy to locate against a ceiling fan's lightly colored body.
5. Set the ceiling fan's toggle switch in the opposite direction. It should click firmly into place.
6. Dismount your step stool. Move it aside so that you have enough space to stand directly beneath your fan.
7. Turn on your ceiling fan again. Pull the string and flip the wall switch.
8. Pay attention to the direction in which the fan blades begin to spin. During winter months, the fan blades should turn in a clockwise direction.
9. Double-check your results by testing for a breeze. Once your fan is set correctly for winter, you should not be able to feel a breeze from directly beneath the fan.
Read more: How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Winter | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2153849_set-ceiling-fan-direction-winter.html#ixzz14RsseTH0
Read more: How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Winter @ eHow.com
Dave Straub
@properties
773.255.3180
By an eHow Contributor
Most people think of ceiling fans as a way cool rooms during the hot summer season. However, ceiling fans can be just as useful during winter months. By changing the direction of your ceiling fan's rotation, you can direct the blades to force cooler air upward, towards the ceiling. This will displace the warm air that naturally rises, forcing it down into your living space. While the heating properties of a ceiling fan aren't likely to offset the need for a conventional heating system, it can reduce your dependence on heaters and lower your energy bill.
Instructions:
Things You'll Need
Step stool, chair or ladder
1. Turn off your ceiling fan. You can accomplish this by pulling the string located on the fan or by using a remote control device. You should also flip the fan's wall switch to the "off" position.
2. Wait for the ceiling fan's blades to stop turning. For safety's sake, you don't want to try reaching your hand towards the ceiling fan while it's still in operation.
3. Find a ladder, step stool or chair that you can use to stand on while you're changing the direction of your fan's blades. Make sure to use something that's structurally sound and safe. Whatever you use, make sure that it's tall enough for you to see the ceiling fan's body completely.
4. Search the ceiling fan's cylindrical body for a small toggle switch. On most brands of ceiling fans, this switch will be no more than 1 to 2 inches long and will be vertically oriented. Most toggle switches are made from black plastic, making them easy to locate against a ceiling fan's lightly colored body.
5. Set the ceiling fan's toggle switch in the opposite direction. It should click firmly into place.
6. Dismount your step stool. Move it aside so that you have enough space to stand directly beneath your fan.
7. Turn on your ceiling fan again. Pull the string and flip the wall switch.
8. Pay attention to the direction in which the fan blades begin to spin. During winter months, the fan blades should turn in a clockwise direction.
9. Double-check your results by testing for a breeze. Once your fan is set correctly for winter, you should not be able to feel a breeze from directly beneath the fan.
Read more: How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Winter | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2153849_set-ceiling-fan-direction-winter.html#ixzz14RsseTH0
Read more: How to Set Ceiling Fan Direction for Winter @ eHow.com
Dave Straub
@properties
773.255.3180
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