Should I design my investment property? I mean, isn’t it a waste of money to plant flowers, plums, water the lawn, etc.? There are many aspects of property management that are not glamorous, exciting, or necessarily exhilarating. After the adrenaline rush of acquisition has worn off in the not too distant past, there’s the day-to-day […]

No one creates a system-wide strategic disaster plan. Everyone forgot the lessons of how portfolio insurance magnified the losses suffered on Black Monday, October 19, 1987. In the 1980s, everyone who handled money took out what was called “portfolio insurance.” It was software designed to track your investment portfolio. If the market value of one […]

Cryptocurrency is a digital asset that is primarily used as a transaction medium to secure financial transactions, control the creation of additional assets, and verify any asset transfers with the help of strong cryptographic technology. It is also known as a form of digital currency or virtual currency. Unlike central banking systems, it is a […]

The newspaper ad read, “Yorkshire Terrier/Poodle Mix $100.” He knew there would be a special cub among them. Mommy Yorkie met us at the door, barking the typical terrier bark. She was taking care of the only cub left. The first night, Spike cried and tried so hard to get out of his box. He […]

Always have one of these classic sales hot buttons ready to lead and another in reserve, before dialing the call to the prospect or decision maker (“DM”) to request a meeting. (In many ways, these are similar to the short “elevator pitch” you should have ready—we’ll talk about elevator pitches in another article.) (As a […]

Bankruptcy protection is often used to stop foreclosure and give the debtor the opportunity to restructure mortgage arrears on affordable payment terms. When borrowers fall behind on their mortgage, the bank usually insists on paying ALL the past-due mortgage arrears in advance, or within a very short period of two to three months. This financial […]

Virtual real estate is a booming business. Better known as website flipping, it has almost become an art form in recent years with people from all walks of life trying to do it successfully. There are plenty of website flippers out there, but the big money earners prefer to stay out of sight, earning thousands […]

Imagine, you are standing on the sidewalk, looking at an average house. You see the siding, the windows, the front door, and high up, you see the roof. Does the roof have asphalt shingles? Wood shakes maybe? Maybe it is made of metal or rubber tiles? What you see is where the focus goes, but […]

Have you ever walked through a model home and admired the furnishings? Have you seen a piece that would fit perfectly in your home and wish you could get it? Well, you can and for much less than buying at a retail furniture store. You can buy model home furniture if you know what you’re […]

As an architect, when designing new homes for clients, they first come to me with standard tastes that you would see in any home in any neighborhood. What I’m trying to do is expand their architectural vocabulary and be bold in what they’re trying to do, without spending a lot more money. Part of that […]