David Blair's (erablair) Blog

Talking about problems Part 2 of 3 What should you do when your daughter announces that she hates school or when your son says he can't stand the kids in his class? Even for children prone to melodrama, these kinds of statements may signal that a child is having academic or social problems at sc...

Help kids communicate about school with these simple tips. Getting the conversation started First, think about the time of day and the kind of questions you ask. Whether your child is a chatty first-grader or a tight lipped teenager, he may not want to talk about a tough math test as soon as he g...

Does your child get stressed out before a test? Follow this checklist to ease worries about standardized tests.　 In many states children start taking standardized tests as early as first grade. With the help of the following tips, you can ease your child's anxieties about the test process: Get th...

How to Communicate With Your Child's School    Knowing how to contact the right person at your child's school can make you a more effective advocate.  Knowing who does what in your child's school and figuring out the best ways to communicate with school staff can help you to be effective in suppo...

For the first time in nearly three years, repeat buyers and investors have overtaken first-time buyers as sales leaders once again in the nation's housing market. As a result, prices of bank-owned REOs and properties involved in short sales are being bid up by multiple offers and cash buyers in m...

Saturday in the Park Music FestSaturday September 04 2010 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM Event Type: Music Come spend a Saturday in the park listening to live music, enjoying art exhibits, tasting beer & wines, viewing vintage cars - there's even a special kids zone. It all takes place from noon to 9 p.m. at...

Step Four: Get the Cost Breakdown In outlining the total cost of the transaction (including required surveys, inspections, lender fees, taxes, attorney fees and closing costs), a HUD-1 or final closing document (depending on the state the purchase is taking place in) breaks down how much each pla...

Step Three: Verify the Property   With an earnest money deposit in place and the property officially off the market, the next step is to have a third party verify that both buyer and seller are meeting all their respective requirements. To ensure that the property is legally available, the agency...

Four Part Series   Step Two: Show the Seller Your Fiscal Faith   Joshua Livingston, director of national sales for American Title Inc., in Omaha, Neb., adds that during the closing process, the buyer transfers some money - anywhere from $500 to several thousand into a third-party escrow account. ...

Four Part Series Part 1 Step One: Negotiate a Price, Get a Loan, Enlist Escrow   How your closing works and what your closing costs depends on what you're buying, the conditions of your purchase and what state you're buying in, says Alan J. Perlowitz, an attorney and managing partner with Chaves ...