Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Merry Christmas
Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of the holiday season! Hopefully you don't have too much shopping to do and can stay in and enjoy time with family and friends. We have had a great year and are looking forward to some time to celebrate Christmas with our family and friends! We look forward to a great new year, Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Dr. Marc Faber: Own Some Farmland
Dr. Marc Faber was recently interviewed on Bloomberg and discussed what is the safest investment. Faber highlighted diversification, but noted that all investors should own farmland. Read a quick excerpt from the interview:
Normally what is the safest investment? Treasury bills, cash deposits with banks and then government bonds, corporate bonds, equities are more volatile and more risky, but they also have a higher return. And the highest risk is in commodities because, they do not generate any cash flow. But in this situation, as we have it today, I think that holding cash and government bonds is a disaster in the long run. You may hold a US treasury today and it may rally for 10 days, 3 months, but over the next 10 years it will be a disaster as to have held greek bonds.
My advice is that every responsible individual has first of all, to diversify his assets because we don`t know exactly at what stage the rebooting of the global financial system will happen. Have some money in physical gold ideally outside of the US. You should have some money in equities because as you print money, equity markets tend to go up. Own some farmland, so at least you can live when the reset will happen.
From Bloomberg: http://noir.bloomberg.com/
for more information... http://farmlandforecast.colvin-co.com/2010/12/14/dr-marc-faber-own-some-farmland.aspx
Normally what is the safest investment? Treasury bills, cash deposits with banks and then government bonds, corporate bonds, equities are more volatile and more risky, but they also have a higher return. And the highest risk is in commodities because, they do not generate any cash flow. But in this situation, as we have it today, I think that holding cash and government bonds is a disaster in the long run. You may hold a US treasury today and it may rally for 10 days, 3 months, but over the next 10 years it will be a disaster as to have held greek bonds.
My advice is that every responsible individual has first of all, to diversify his assets because we don`t know exactly at what stage the rebooting of the global financial system will happen. Have some money in physical gold ideally outside of the US. You should have some money in equities because as you print money, equity markets tend to go up. Own some farmland, so at least you can live when the reset will happen.
From Bloomberg: http://noir.bloomberg.com/
for more information... http://farmlandforecast.colvin-co.com/2010/12/14/dr-marc-faber-own-some-farmland.aspx
Monday, December 13, 2010
Commercial Real Estate Auction - Sells Online Only
2 Commercial lots in Bloomington, Indiana for sale Online Only. Bidding ends December 14th at 2:00 pm. Selling Absolute. See our website for more information.
Monday, December 6, 2010
A Year to Celebrate
We had a lot to be thankful for as we celebrated the year at our annual company Christmas party over the weekend. We have had a good year despite the economic hard times our country faces and feel we are blessed to have the business we have. We have a great staff who works hard all year long. Thank you to all of our staff, clients and friends who keep our company thriving. Hope everyone has a great holiday season!
A new home for the holidays?
Even if the weather is bleak, your homebuying prospects may not be. Here are some of the reasons it might be a good time to buy, as well as the best and worst markets for the coming year.
The weather outside may be frightful, but that doesn't mean home shopping at this busy time has to be. True, fewer homes are on the market around the holidays as sellers take some time off to enjoy the season with their family. And fewer open houses are held during the often freezing, messy weather.
But shopping for a home at this overlooked time of year has a few perks, says Dorcas Helfant-Browning, CEO and principal broker with Coldwell Banker Professional in Virginia Beach, Va., and a past president of the National Association of Realtors.
- Sellers who keep their homes on the market at this time are very motivated.
- You have less competition from other buyers than you would in the spring.
- Lenders, agents and others have more time to work with you.
- Interest rates are typically lower than in the spring.
And best of all, she says, although moving during the dead of winter might not be so pleasant, relaxing on the patio of your completely unpacked home when the weather warms up is priceless.
"Get it over with when there's nothing else to do and then enjoy your spring and summer," Helfant-Browning says.
Read More at MSN December Buying Advice
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Energy Steps to Take for a Less Pricey Winter
Last winter's "Snowmageddon" is not expected to do a repeat performance on the East Coast this year. That's the good news for anyone who pays their own heating bills. But the bad news is that most fuel rates have risen.
The resulting bottom line is this: Most people will pay roughly the same amount for heat this winter as they did last winter, the Energy Department predicted on Tuesday. The average household heating costs between October 1 and March 31 will be $962, the Department said. That's just $11 more than last year's total.
[Click here to check savings products and rates in your area.]
As usual, people in the Northeast and who use oil or propane to heat their homes will pay the most. The average winter heating bill for oil customers there will be $2,225 this year, up 14.5 percent from last year, the department said in its latest projections. Northeastern propane customers will pay the most: some $2,685 between October 1 and March 31.
There are ways to minimize that, and here are a few:
Make Small Improvements
Homeowners have until December 31 to winterize their homes and get tax credits for it, the IRS has said. Items like high-efficiency heaters, water heaters and stoves all qualify for a 30 percent tax credit, up to $1,500. The catch is that the $1,500 ceiling is for 2009 and 2010 combined. If you used it up last year, you're done.
[See America's Top Debt-Fighters]
Make Big Improvements
There is a second tax credit that expires at the end of this year. You can also take a 30 percent tax credit if you install a solar electric system, hot water heater, geothermal pump, wind turbine or fuel-cell system. There's no cap on that credit, so it could be a good time to make a long-term investment in saving energy.
Call Your Utility
Many local utilities also offer deals that can cut heating bills. Some give away free programmable thermostats or offer home energy audits. Others offer discounts and rebates on efficient heaters and other appliances.
Get a Space Heater and Use It
Keep your house cool, and use the space heater in the room you're hanging out in. Annual savings? $1,023 if you use electric heat, according to the energy-saving calculator at MichaelBlueJay.com, a website that offers electricity-savings advice.
Consider Switching Suppliers
Enter your zip code at WhiteFence.com to see if there is another energy supplier in your area that charges less, or would cost less overall.
Finally, Make All of Those Tried-and-True Little Moves
Use heavy curtains or shades, close them at night and open them in the morning. Keep the house cool and wear sweaters. Seal windows and doors. Close off rooms not being used. Program the thermostat, or remember to turn it down when you go to bed and when you leave the house in the morning.
Pay Your Heating Bill With a Cash-Back Credit Card
If you are going to spend $1,000 this year, you might as well squeeze an extra $10 out of it for yourself. That assumes your card offers a 1 percent bonus, and that you pay off your card every month. You can use that $10 to buy some nice hot cocoa, sip it while you daydream about spring, and see if it warms you up.
[See When Not to Use Your Credit Card]
(The Personal Finance column appears weekly. Linda Stern can be reached at linda.stern@thomsonreuters.com)
(Editing by Maureen Bavdek)
___
by Linda Stern
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The resulting bottom line is this: Most people will pay roughly the same amount for heat this winter as they did last winter, the Energy Department predicted on Tuesday. The average household heating costs between October 1 and March 31 will be $962, the Department said. That's just $11 more than last year's total.
[Click here to check savings products and rates in your area.]
As usual, people in the Northeast and who use oil or propane to heat their homes will pay the most. The average winter heating bill for oil customers there will be $2,225 this year, up 14.5 percent from last year, the department said in its latest projections. Northeastern propane customers will pay the most: some $2,685 between October 1 and March 31.
There are ways to minimize that, and here are a few:
Make Small Improvements
Homeowners have until December 31 to winterize their homes and get tax credits for it, the IRS has said. Items like high-efficiency heaters, water heaters and stoves all qualify for a 30 percent tax credit, up to $1,500. The catch is that the $1,500 ceiling is for 2009 and 2010 combined. If you used it up last year, you're done.
[See America's Top Debt-Fighters]
Make Big Improvements
There is a second tax credit that expires at the end of this year. You can also take a 30 percent tax credit if you install a solar electric system, hot water heater, geothermal pump, wind turbine or fuel-cell system. There's no cap on that credit, so it could be a good time to make a long-term investment in saving energy.
Call Your Utility
Many local utilities also offer deals that can cut heating bills. Some give away free programmable thermostats or offer home energy audits. Others offer discounts and rebates on efficient heaters and other appliances.
Get a Space Heater and Use It
Keep your house cool, and use the space heater in the room you're hanging out in. Annual savings? $1,023 if you use electric heat, according to the energy-saving calculator at MichaelBlueJay.com, a website that offers electricity-savings advice.
Consider Switching Suppliers
Enter your zip code at WhiteFence.com to see if there is another energy supplier in your area that charges less, or would cost less overall.
Finally, Make All of Those Tried-and-True Little Moves
Use heavy curtains or shades, close them at night and open them in the morning. Keep the house cool and wear sweaters. Seal windows and doors. Close off rooms not being used. Program the thermostat, or remember to turn it down when you go to bed and when you leave the house in the morning.
Pay Your Heating Bill With a Cash-Back Credit Card
If you are going to spend $1,000 this year, you might as well squeeze an extra $10 out of it for yourself. That assumes your card offers a 1 percent bonus, and that you pay off your card every month. You can use that $10 to buy some nice hot cocoa, sip it while you daydream about spring, and see if it warms you up.
[See When Not to Use Your Credit Card]
(The Personal Finance column appears weekly. Linda Stern can be reached at linda.stern@thomsonreuters.com)
(Editing by Maureen Bavdek)
___
by Linda Stern
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
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