Archive for August 8th, 2009

Missouri River Properties

Moving to Kansas City Missouri | America's New Genesis
As mentioned before, Kansas City lies almost in the exact geographic center of the continental United States, on the second largest river in the country, the Missouri River and the Kansas River. … As mentioned before, many residential properties have recently been or are currently under redevelopment in this area. This could easily be your next great relocation. Neighborhoods and Real Estate. Kansas City, Missouri, is organized into a system of more than 150 …  read more…

Farm for sale | River Houses
MISSOURI FARM LAND FOR SALE (MISSOURI) : San Diego Housing … Assuming the listing is still posted on Craigslist (it’s often there for at least 7 days), you can visit the original craigslist posting and click on the Reply To link there. …  read more…

Will the flooding in North Dakota affect the Missouri River?
I own property in Nebraska that borders the Missouri River, will have have to worry about flooding in a few weeks? Related posts No related posts.  read more…

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Benefits of buying properties from Free Omaha foreclosure listings
Omaha is the largest city of Nebraska, USA. The picturesque city of Omaha would provide you with an eclectic blend of tall skyscrapers as well as verdant green parks and avenues. Situated just besides…  read more…

Kansas City Water Fountains
Fountains are the corner stone of Kansas City and they have been apart of this city since the 1890s. The design flare and creativity of the fountains in this beautiful area are second to none and peo…  read more…

In and Around Santa Fe, New Mexico
Visiting in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico opens up the eyes of each individual. Over four hundred years of culture and history, a walk on the streets of Santa Fe is a walk through time. Early sett…  read more…

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Resolved Question: in missouri, how old do i have to be to NEED a fishing license?
I’m 14, and was wondering if on my private property in the gasconade river, I could fish without a license

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Resolved Question: Will the flooding in North Dakota affect the Missouri River?
I own property in Nebraska that borders the Missouri River, will have have to worry about flooding in a few weeks?

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Resolved Question: Help with History questions?
10. The militant Boston leader of resistance against the Tea Act was (a) James Otis (b) Patrick Henry (c) John Bernard (d) Sam Adams

11. The author of the Tract, COMMON SENSE, was (a) Thomas Paine (b)

\John Adams (c) Thomas Jefferson (d) George Washington

12. The United States most valuable allie during the American Revolution was (a) Prussia (b) Spain (c) Holland (d) france

. 13 The American government raised over $200 million and much of the cost of the Revolutionary War by (a) borrowing from Spain (b) taxing American citizens directly (c) printing paper money (d) requesting money from the states

1 14. How did the Revolution affect attitudes toward the education of women? (a) Women were told their place was at home, not schools. (b) Having acquired the vote, they needed education (c) The idea of female education began to be accepted as important in a republic (d) none of the above

1 15. As president, George Washington was careful not to exceed the powers given him by the Constitution (a) true (b) false

1 16. The Bill of Rights guaranteed that Congress would not interfere with the rights to (a) freedom of speech, press and religion (b) vote for all adults (c) both a and b are true (d) neither a nor b is true

1 17. Alexander Hamilton believed the United States needed a completely unregulated economy (b) a fresh start by writing off the Confederation’s debt (c) strong national government (d) an unrestricted political democracy

1 18. When confronted by the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. Washington (a) lacked the power to suppress it (b) suppressed it peacefully with a show of force (c) ignored it until it died out (d) none of the above

19. The politician who sought to preserve it with a minimum of government was (a) John Adams (b) Alexander Hamilton (c) Thomas Jefferson (d) Henry Clay

2 20. The Federalist judge on the Supreme Court at the time of the Marbury V Madison (1803) was (a) John Marshall (b) Olliver Ellsworth (c) Samuel Chase (d)William Hubard

2 21. For Jefferson, one of the most important reasons for the Louisiana Purchase was to open a new territory for the expansion of slavery (a) true (b) false

2 22. The Federalists who organized a scheme to form a ‘northern confederacy the (a) Constitutionalists (b) War Hawks (c) Essex Junto (d) Hartford Convention

23. The Battle of New Orleans in 1815 resulted in (a) a final victory and the end of the War of 1812 (b) emergence of Andrew Jackson as a military hero (c) both a and b are true (d) neither a nor b is true

24. For a generation after 1815, the most expansive force in the American economy was (a) cotton (b) banking (c) commerce (d) iron

25. The natural highway of western commerce and communication in the early 19th Century was the ____

River (a) Missouri (b) Colorado (c) Hudson (d) Tennessee

26 The American Enlightenment advocated scientific achievement (a) True (b) False

27 loyalists in the American Revolution tended to be (a) from all walks of life (b) merchants (c) legislatures (d) laborers

28 The Erie Canal was built with (a) federal government money (b) mostly state government money (c) both a and b are true (d) neither a nor b is true

29 The Monroe Doctrine was primarily involved in (a) arms build up (b) creating a powerful navy (c) expanding U S domestic power (d) foreign policy

30 The property confiscated from loyalists was mostly turned over to yeoman farmers (a) True (b) False

31 An important consequence of the Erie Canal was the establishment of New York City as a major commercial port (a) True (b) False

32. For most African Americans arriving in the colonies in the 17th century there was very little prejudice against them (a) True(b) False

33 The phrase “the folly of England and the ruin of America’ is correctly identified with the Stamp Act (a0 True (b) False

34.Sacajawea was hired by Lewis and Clark to be an Indian scout and trailblazer (a) True (b) False

35. Which individual had the least involvement in the Aaron Burr trial (a) Thomas Jefferson (b) General Wilkerson (c) John Marshall (d) James Monroe

36. At the heart of the protests against the Stamp Act of 1765 was (a) a demand for independence (b) a demand for a bill of rights (c) a demand to boycott British products (d) a demand that the stamps not be sold in the colonies

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Understanding The Workings Of Foreclosures In California

With this economy, people are facing risks all across the nation. Foreclosures in California are becoming more common than ever. No matter whether you’re worried about your home or are interested in ones that are already available through this process, you must understand what’s going on.

A home will first become at risk of foreclosure when it goes into default. This means that they’ve missed a payment on their mortgage. Obviously, almost nobody’s going to leap on them right away, but it does mean financial institutions will start to keep a close eye on their future habits.

Things really become a problem if the home owner continues to miss payments. Three or four times later, a record of notice of default is written. This will be kept around for up to ten days, at which point it will be sent to the home, letting the people who live there know things are getting serious.

However, this doesn’t mean the house will be immediately taken. Home owners typically have a period of several months in which to make payments again. In certain conditions, they can even explain why they’re unable to do what they need to, and be offered a loan or additional help with the terms.

When you don’t, though, you will likely face losing your home. Once everything is official, you’ll receive another notice, things will go on hold, and the IRS will be contacted. Then, twenty-five days later, the house will go on sale. Your last chance to save it is five days before this.

Five days before that sale is the last chance the owners have to make a bid for their residence. You should keep this in mind in case you have your eye on a home that is about to go on sale. Take a look at what’s available, and look into public auctions, where these homes are available.

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How To Take Care Of Your Rental Home As A Landlord

You may be a first-time landlord and not sure of how you should be handling or managing your rental homes in Utah. Many turn to Utah property management companies such as KeyRenterto manage and take care of the rental home. There are some things you can yourself to keep your home in good shape.

Before homes for rent in Utah are occupied, there is a routine maintenance check done around the house. KeyRenter has a 24/7 maintenance crew that can help check for any issues.

Make sure the entire home is clean; this includes wiping down windows and cabinets, and drawers. Check that the appliances work properly in the kitchen and bathroom as well.

Make your home look nice and well-kept by re-painting the walls if you desire. Also, be sure to take pictures with a digital camera of all the rooms in the house. That way you will be able to see if any damage is done after a tenant moves out. You’ll be able to fairly take out of their security deposit the amount you’ll need to fix the damages.

While the property is rented, continue to fulfill any requests of the tenant of any repairs. You are allowed to inspections during the rental time, but you must give the tenant advanced notice before entering into the home. Don’t be negligent when tenants are in your home, you can still keep your property well-maintained.

After a tenant moves out, you can check to see if any damage was done and then get it ready for the next tenants who are moving it. If there is no damage, return the security deposit in full to the tenants. If there is damage that would cost more than the security deposit, you can request this additional money from the tenants.

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Budgeting Tips That Will Help You Avoid Foreclosure

One of the biggest things that homeowners fear is foreclosure. The past few year have seen large numbers of people being foreclosed upon. Unfortunately for these people, the pressures of making their monthly house payments simply became to great. Due to this, the bank that loaned the money was forced to take back the home so as to get back the money it owned.

If you are a homeowner that is in financial trouble or even if you haven’t purchased the hoe, there are various steps you can take in order to prevent foreclosure from happening to you. Utilizing sound budgeting skills is the key to avoid foreclosure.

Determine How Much Money is Coming In

The initial step you need to take when planning a budget is to simply find out how much money you have coming in on a regular basis. If you work a routine number of hours for a set amount of pay, this part will be easy. This step can be a bit more difficult if you are a contractor, work in sales, or simply cannot be certain how many hours you will work each week. If you fall into one of the above categories, you will need to estimate how much you will have coming in each month. If you have been in this line of work for over a year and want to determine whether or not you tend to earn more money during certain times of the year, you should refer to the previous year.

Decide How Much You Can Spend

It is time to start creating a budget for your expenditures once you have assessed how much money you have coming in. First, determine how much you need to pay for your routine bills. These bills may include:

Electric bill Gas bill Telephone bill Car payments Sanitation bills Water bills Car insurance

If you have not already purchased a home and are trying to develop a budget beforehand, you might want to ask the previous homeowners for information regarding their utility bills. By finding out how much they have had to pay for electric and gas, for example, you can get a better idea of what you can expect to pay once you move in.

If you find that the bills will stretch your finances too thin, it is best to pass on the hoe and wait until you are in a better financial position to make a home purchase. Remember, in addition to the regular bills that have been listed, you will also need to pay for house insurance and property taxes. Apart from this, there are day to day expenses such as entertainment, food, and clothing that need to be worked into your budget as well.

Work With Your Collectors

It is essential that you work together with your bill collectors if you are already a homeowner who is experiencing some financial problems. You can often get bill collectors to work out a payment plan with you, though it may seem tempting to simply avoid the phone calls and the letters. Sit down and look at your budget before you work with your bill collectors. That way, you will be clear on how much you can afford to pay and you will be better prepared to work your way toward getting back on track.

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Skyscraper Fire Sale

With the current condition of real estate, people have grown used to seeing significant drops in sales prices, but it was still shocking to hear that a New York City high-rise, originally priced at $1.74 billion, sold for approximately $600 million. Further reports stated that a mere 50% of the 1.6 million square feet of rentable space was inhabited, which may account for the substantial reduction in price.

At first glance, a 65% reduction may seem like a steal, but a closer look reveals the true reasons behind the urgent need to sell. When such desperate measures are taken, the only logical conclusion is that there must be a reason. And that reason is what investors must investigate before succumbing to the lure of initial savings.

The New York City rental market is no different than other real estate market sectors. Vacancies are high and rents are declining. The subject property is 50% vacant. Given that fact, it is reasonable to presume that the property is generating an operating negative cash flow. Even if the property were bought for all cash, when you add back concessions, the property would be generating an operating negative cash flow. By any logical standard, any operating business with a negative cash flow is a failing business. In other words, the buyer spent $600 million for a failing office building business.

Although this situation seems hopeless, it is possible to turn it around. The property can be brought to a profitable level by acquiring renters to reach a 95% capacity. This can be done realistically by increasing leased space by 10% each year for a span of five years. Significant financial investment is needed to improve the units and pay necessary commissions. This is in addition to the costs of maintaining the property until it generates a positive cash flow.

In these circumstances the tenant typically requires agreed upon improvements before signing the lease agreement. In a market such as this, renters can request more because the owner is pressed to fill the space. In New York City the average cost of updating a space is $125 for each square foot, in this case resulting in a $45 million expense based on the 360,000 square feet of empty space.

Another cost to be considered is the 5% – 6% commission paid to the agents responsible for acquiring the renters. Let’s say the owner can charge $55 per square foot each year for five years. At a rate of 5%, almost $5 million must be paid to the leasing agent upon finalization of the lease agreement.

With expenses reaching into the millions, it is unlikely that this property will turn a profit if the buyer has not set aside enough to cover these costs. But planning and persistence could pay off if the economic climate stabilizes. In a span of five years, with a capitalization rate of six percent, the investment could increase to $750 million. Of course, this transaction is not a loss for all involved. For the recipient of fees, commissions, and oversight, the investment may be a profitable. The point is an investor must always be wise about a great deal that is presented. It is important to investigate all the facts before making such a large investment.

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Basement Remodel Idea: Important Things To Consider

Everything, including your basement remodel idea, starts with creativity. You do not have to be a creative genius, though, to come up with a good plan for remodeling your basement. First off in planning for a functional basement is to not think of it as just a basement. Doing this sets a lot of limitations in the process. Your basement is also room but with less partition. Sometimes there’s none at all. And like any rooms, your basement has walls, ceilings, and floors.

If you have a basement remodel idea in mind, you have to take these areas into account. Here are the pointers to explain why you should.

- The walls are like an oil canvas. You imagine what you hope to put (or mount) into it. Some basement remodel idea involves creating partitions if the basement is used for several purposes. In redesigning your basement, make sure your walls set the mood to what the place is for. If it is for a play pen for the kids, you may choose to paint it with pastel colors. In another corner you have a home theater, the color should compliment with the right amount of lighting. You may want to hang picture frames. These details constitute a lot to the beauty of your basement. Plan and design it well.

- The ceiling gives a feeling of space. Normally, the basement headroom is lower than other rooms in your house. It’s a must therefore to give this some thought in your basement remodel idea. To give an illusion of space, design your water pipes and drainage so it passes along the sides of the basement. This way, the center of your basement leaves a lot of headroom. Also, your basement ceiling should be designed in a way that these pipes are easy to access and fix. Some use hanging joists and frame ceilings to serve this purpose.

- The basement floor must be free from any form of moisture. Yes, this is important to consider. The basement is an underground facility and is therefore prone to moisture. The soil surrounding it is damp and dirty. Not only that, pipes from the ceiling may have leaks and would have spills all over. Get some water-resistant tiles for your basement floor (and your walls too). A vinyl is another option too. Plan your basement remodel idea to include a floor that is easy to clean.

- Wires, ducts, and other conducts should be planned out as well. As mentioned with water pipes and drainage, a good basement remodel idea anticipates future maintenance and repairs. The conduits for electrical wirings, phone and TV cables, and air ducts should be a priority in the design plan. If you are drafting it yourself, put those conduits on the opposite side to where your water pipes are located. Not only is it practically but safe too. If you are hiring an architect or interior designer, tell them how you want them arranged.

Simple as these may sound, these are considerations that are worth looking into. Planning out your basement remodel idea can be more fun if these things are sorted out from the start. You want to have a basement that not only you can enjoy for yourself or your family but with your friends too.

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Renting A Home In Utah

You may be deciding on renting a home in Utah, but don’t know the first steps in going about it. Utah property management such as KeyRenter.com helps many find rental homes in Utah that fit their needs. There are several things you should know on how to rent a home in Utah.

Search listings on-line for rental homes in Utah that are available. If you live near the area you want to live in, then you could also drive around looking for rent signs. The best way is to go on Utah property management websites like KeyRenter.com that will have reliable information on all their rental listings.

Once you find a few homes that fit your criteria and is something you want to look further into, then call the landlord or Utah property management to ask for a viewing of the home. Set up an appointment to see the home.

When you go visit the rental homes, bring your background information about yourself with you. This is so you can fill out the application right there if you want to be the first on the list for the home. When you view the home ask questions about it and about the neighborhood.

After the viewing, if you decide you’re not interested in the home, then just thank the landlord or agent for showing it to you. You can also say you’re looking at some other rental homes and if you’re interested you’ll contact them. If you already know you are interested, then ask for an application and fill it out to return to them as soon as you can.

Most likely they’ll run a background check and a credit check on you. If you get accepted after that, then meet with them sign the contract and talk about a move-in date. Ask any questions you may have on the contract before you sign it. After it is signed, make a copy for yourself to keep. The landlord will then give you the keys to the home. Start moving in at the date the landlord said you could. Make sure to make all of your payments on time and to not damage any property while residing there.

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Getting Your Rental Security Deposit Back

When moving into Utah rental homes, many landlords ask for a security deposit along with the first month’s rent. The security deposit is usually around as the same amount as your monthly rent. They ask for a security deposit is to secure money aside for the landlord if anything is damaged or needs to be repaired due to the tenant’s use.

This doesn’t include if an appliance or fixture breaks because of age or other reasons. But if the tenant ruins something such as dirtying carpet, they can get money deducted from their deposit. Utah property management like KeyRenter also ask for security deposits for the same reasons. Make the most of your deposit and do certain things to keep your house clean to get your security deposit back.

Do a run through with the landlord or Utah property management like KeyRenter to document what parts of the house may already be damaged so you won’t be blamed for it after you move out. Take pictures and make a list of what things are already damaged and have a witness sign it as well as the landlord.

Consistently do quick daily cleanings of the rental home. This includes the bathroom sink, tub, and toilet and kitchen appliances like the fridge and stove. This will make it easier when you move out because there won’t be dirt or grime built up from your time there.

When you move out, refer back to the list you made at the beginning and compare the condition of the apartment to what was listed on the document. That way you personally know what has changed in the condition of the rental home.

Arrange for a tour of the rental home after you move out to show the landlord or Utah property management what the home looks like. If there are any disputes, be sure to negotiate or work it out immediately instead of drawing it out and burning bridges.

After you’ve cleaned up and given a tour with the landlord, ask for your security deposit. They might give it to you on the spot or mail it to you later. If you don’t receive it in a few weeks, write a formal letter asking for your deposit back. If for some reason, the homeowner still doesn’t give it to you when you deserve it, you’ll have all the documents and pictures to prove the homeowner is in the wrong.

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Managing Your Utah Rental Homes

If you own multiple properties in Utah and have decided to rent out your homes, be sure to know how to manage your Utah rental homes. You have the choice to do it yourself or to team up with a Utah property management company like KeyRenter to manage all your rental homes in Utah.

If you decide managing all you rental homes in Utah is too much, consider looking for a Utah rental property company. KeyRenter has helped hundreds of homeowners manage their homes and can help you save time and money letting them handle your multiple properties.

Advertise your rental homes through yard signs, ads in the newspaper and local magazine, and internet websites. Keyrenter.com can provide all of this for the homeowner as well as a lockbox. Answer phone calls from prospective tenants and set up a time to meet with them to show them the rental home. Keyrenter.com can set these up for you or can use the lockbox to let potential applicants roam the house by themselves when they are told the code to a lockbox.

Give applications to those who want to fill one out and are interested in your rental home. Ask for references and ask if you can run a credit check on them. Keyrenter.com does a full 12-point residential screening on applicants. Evaluate applicants to find the best tenant.

Fill out the contract with the new tenant so all responsibilities are understood. During the length of stay make sure you and the tenant adhere to the contract. Take pictures of the rooms before the tenant moves in so the original condition of the place is known.

Have an organized way of filing your rental payments and security deposit and any other fees. When your tenant moves out, do an inspection of the property to see if there is any damage that needs to be paid for. You can use the pictures you took to compare to the property. If there is, take it out of the security deposit. Any leftover money is returned to the tenant. Be sure your property has fire, theft, liability, and other insurance for your Utah rental homes before the tenant moves in.

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Due Diligence On Bank-Owned Property: Big Bear Homes

Big Bear Lake, California is a beautiful place to buy a home. If you’re looking at Big Bear homes, buying a bank-owned home can be a great buy for many reasons. The low price being the most obvious. However, like everything else, there are drawbacks even among the many wonderful Big Bear homes.

Because the bank doesn’t know very much about the history of the homes they foreclose on, they are immune from disclosure requirements. This means they don’t have to provide any disclosures that relate to the general condition of the home, even Big Bear Lake homes. The house could have flooded numerous times and be chock full of mold, but they don’t have to tell you because they probably don’t know about it.

A quality home inspector is crucial when shopping one of these Big Bear homes. Your inspector should completely check every aspect of the property to a neurotic extent.

Faulty wiring could cause a fire down the line. an intelligent inspector will keep an eye out for this sort of issue. Leaky roofs may be another surprise you don’t want to experience in a later rainy season. Good inspectors will inspect every detail that is key to enjoyable home owning, even down to appliance functioning.

With all the tempting Big Bear homes available, as with any California homes for sale, it is a smart idea to spend a few hundred dollars on a thorough inspection before you commit to a purchase that is a few hundred thousand dollars.

It is a good idea to start off on the right foot and not be motivated to make a foolish decision by an attractive price tag. New homes fresh out of construction can also suffer from questionable work. Be sure to have these inspected well also. A good price may seem like a great deal. But a real deal comes from a well-informed decision at such an opportunity.

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