RECENT BLOG POSTS
Five things real estate agents seldom mention to potential clients: Maybe I'm exclusively a buyer's agent, but I'll still make money when the agent I recommend to list your house sells it.  I will be paid a referral fee from the commission you pay the listing broker, and you will receive nothing ...
11/17/2013
When I was a kid, I learned about the responsibility that came with borrowing money.  If I asked someone to loan me a quarter, I knew that they expected to be paid back.  When I grew up and asked someone (bank) to loan me a bucketload of money to buy a house, I also knew that they expected me to ...
11/02/2013
Unless you live in one of the unique locations in America that does not go through the ritual, you will have an opportunity to enjoy an extra hour of rest on Sunday.  It's payback for the hour we lost in spring.  You will hear and read many suggestions that you check the batteries in your smoke a...
10/31/2013
The Affordable Care Act hinges its success potential on the requirement that everyone must have health insurance.  The logic behind a broad risk pool is clear.  All Americans, rich, poor, healthy, unhealthy, young and old, must be part of the pool to eventually see more affordable health care cos...
10/29/2013
WHEN THE LIPS MOVE... The three semi-lies by politicians that stick in my mind: 1. Read my lips, no new taxes (we'll need to raise the old ones a little though). 2. I did not have sex with that woman (she had sex with me). 3. If you like your health plan, you can keep it (however, only as a cheri...
10/29/2013
One of the privileges of living in this country is being able to enjoy at close range the greatest spectator event in the world.  If one can resist getting too caught up in the heat of the stagnation, watching government do nothing can be very amusing and entertaining.  Many of us understand that...
10/06/2013
Reflecting on the tragedy of 9/11/2001, it occurs to me that the terrorists accomplished their goals all too well.  They murdered thousands of people, and that itself is certainly an incident of terror.  But, their terror seems perpetuated in most of our daily lives and the continued actions of o...
09/14/2013
A year ago, we asked non-buyer/sellers, "How's that fence sitting workin' out for ya?"   The question was directed at folks who watched the housing crash and slow recovery, all the while in disbelief.  They watched as their dreams turned to nightmares, their hopes turned to new hopes, and their c...
09/14/2013
The housing market is in the final stages of a crash and recovery cycle.  For the last several years, many people who wanted to sell their homes and move up to something more appropriate for themselves and their families have voluntarily remained frozen in their tracks.  Many saw their home value...
09/14/2013
In April, I wrote about my experience trying to connect with various contractors at the Apple Valley annual Home and Garden show.  We have several projects in mind and wanted to hire someone to complete them.  Although we left contact information with about a dozen vendors, nobody had responded a...
08/06/2013
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Mike Carlier

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