General

GOALS DON’T MATTER IF YOU DON’T HAVE A PLAN At this point, you will likely have some exciting goals in mind for your business this year. To turn these goals into reality, it’s essential to have a solid plan in place. With a clear roadmap, you’ll be well-equipped to achieve your objectives and reach new […]

BUSINESS TIPS       A SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO BUSINESS PLANNING   It’s been said that a goal without a plan is just a dream. If your goal is to succeed, you need a business plan outlining how you’re going to get there. A plan shows where to focus your time, energy, and money. […]

  QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.”—Will Rogers, American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Realtor.com reports the real estate market appears to be cranking up for spring, Inventory keeps growing—giving buyers more options versus last year—and prices keep falling, now […]

HOW SELLERS CAN USE THEIR EQUITY TO BUY THEIR NEXT HOME     One of the biggest financial advantages of owning a home is the amount of equity you build up over time. This happens as you pay off your mortgage and as your home’s market value may increase. Right now, homeowners across the country […]

  QUOTE OF THE WEEK “What’s the use of happiness? It can’t buy you money.”—Henny Youngman, English-born American comedian and musician   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Ending the year on a positive note, residential construction spending in December came in 1.5% ahead of the month before. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of $939.5 billion was 6% […]

  QUOTE OF THE WEEK “If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done”—Bruce Lee, Hong Kong-American martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE New Home Sales rose in December for the second month in a row, a 6.7% year-over-year gain, to their highest level since […]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “What’s another word for Thesaurus?”—Steven Wright, American comedian   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Existing Home Sales finished the year up 2.2% in December and up 9.3% for the year—the fastest annual increase since 2021. It was the third straight month of yearly gains, with inventory higher than the same time a year […]

4 STEPS TO CREATING A PERSONAL BRAND Creating a personal brand is key for businesses who personally deliver a valued product or service. A brand encompasses the emotions clients and customers feel when they hear a brand name. Those emotions define the brand in all the experiences someone has with it. Here are four steps […]

BUSINESS TIPS       9 TIPS TO BETTER NEGOTIATING   See it as a natural thing. Some people think of negotiating as a negative thing, akin to arguing. Actually, negotiating is a natural thing we all do. When a child wants an ice cream, or a teenager wants the car keys, a negotiation often […]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The secret to longevity is ice cream.”—Paul Marcus, American centenarian   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Housing Starts rocketed up almost 16% in December, with both single-families and multi-families seeing gains. Building Permits slipped a smidge, but housing completions for the calendar year ran at the fastest pace since 2006. National Association of […]