Ron Stone

Some Existing Homes Will Work Better Than Others For Going “Green”

Making existing houses “green" can be really difficult and expensive. Some houses work better than others to help you achieve this lofty goal. Here are some things to look for when you are house hunting. 1. Basements that are usable are great. Earth... Read >

Owner Financing Terms Offered By Desperate Home Sellers Don’t Need To Compete With The Banks

As a mortgage note buyer, I see it every day, owner financed mortgage notes with terms like 5% for 30 years, 6% for 30 years, 4.5% for 20 years and 5% interest only notes. I even saw a note last summer for 3% for 50 years! In 50 years many of us may not e... Read >

How a Compass And The Utility Bills Can Guide You To A Better House

For a number of years we moved around the country as corporate employees buying and selling a series of homes because the job required it. We were looking for all the standard things like good resale, good schools, good neighborhood and cute houses. ... Read >

Offering Seller Financing To Sell Your Property? Try Targeting These 2 Groups For A Better Sale And

Many property sellers offering owner financing to help sell their home or commercial property are just hoping some warm body with at least a 10% down payment will come along and take their property off their hands. And while this may result in moving the ... Read >

Thinking Of Selling A Note? Here Are Some Basics You Should Know So There Are No Surprises

The first thing you should know is that private mortgage notes or promissory notes secured by a Mortgage of Deed of Trust are purchased at a discount. The discount is based on two main criteria. The first is the perceived risk arrived at by 1) A revie... Read >

Simple Steps to Turn Around a Marriage That You Probably Don’t Hear From Advice Givers

There are a lot of reasons to save a marriage that is foundering. But the biggest and most compelling reason to save a marriage is financial. As many families find out too late, divorce is one of the 3 leading causes of bankruptcy. (The other 2 are ... Read >

A Surprise Relationship Bonus That Came With Our Favorite Exercise

We live in a beautiful mountain location, a resort next to the Appalachian Trail. We spend a lot of time hiking with our dog, seeing the sights and taking pictures of the changing seasons. We see lots of wild life including deer, turkeys, grouse, foxes... Read >

Commercial Bridge Loan Seekers, Here are 5 Watch Outs With Commercial Bridge Financing

For many commercial real estate owners or buyers, the banks are pretty much ignoring their needs. And why not? They get really cheap (near zero interest rate) money from the Federal Reserve that they can buy U.S. Treasuries and pocket a nice spread with n... Read >

One of the Best Money Saving Strategies for Self-Employed Workers

Many small businesses start at home. It’s just practical to avoid buying or renting an office if you are already buying a home. Saving money to invest in the business and keep it going is essential to many new businesses that are struggling to survive and... Read >

Is The Commercial Real Estate Market The Next Catastrophy For The US Economy?

While many economic forecasters are keying on the unemployment numbers, residential foreclosures and the growth of the US economy, there still remains a possible near replay of the residential housing crash. I'm talking about the commercial property and c... Read >

Turn That Music Down Or You'll Go Deaf!

It's the steady nag of parents, but things are getting tougher for parents who want to safeguard their kids' ears. Kids are listening to small music devices that are not as easily noticed and controlled by parents. And it's not solely about control... Read >

Teenager Suffering Significant Hearing Loss. Hearing Loss IS No Longer Just An Elderly Difficulty

Recently, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that fifteen percent of Americans underneath the age of 19 suffer some degree of hearing loss. Yes, young people are going deaf mostly from excessive noise. And the noise is everywhere in... Read >

Paint Treatments To Never Use If You Want To Sell A Home Fast

Painting is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to make a house look fresh and new when you need to sell a house quick. But buyers have certain expectations about paint that a seller must meet. 1. Skip dark paint colors. The most frequent ... Read >

Want To Buy An Energy Efficient Home? Here Are 3 Of The Best Architectural Features To Look For

For those of us who don't like to get high utility bills there are characteristics we look for in a home. It's all about saving money through better science. There are some homes that just suck up power and money in utility bills and there are homes th... Read >

3 Things You Must Do When You Sell A House Yourself

Many homeowners are struggling to sell homes themselves because they are not getting much help from the pros. It can be done. I've done it myself. We all know how to stage homes for resale after watching years of TV advice. We also know we can get any ... Read >