Dear Friends of Animals, PETLAND a national pet chain has been uncovered by the The Humane Society of the United States as a huge outlet for puppy mill puppies. The Humane Society of the United States is collecting signatures on a petition to stop PUPPY MILLS. They have filed a class action lawsuit against one well know NATIONAL pet shop PETLAND. The case was dismissed by a federal judge on August 7, 2009. An ongoing investigation into the suppliers of PETLAND puppies uncovered horrible abuses. Those of us who have worked for the humane treatment of animals know that puppy mills are nothing more than flesh mongers.  People profiting through abuse and inhumane treatment need to be stopped. Retail outlets such as PETLAND reap huge profits at the expense of these pitiful creatures who live... 08/17/2009

   MAKE LIKE A DETECTIVE   In the first installment of this series we touched on identifying the reasons your home did not sell.  We advised that to be successful it was necessary to ferret out the obstacles to the sale. The list of everything that could be considered is extensive.  It would be impossible to discuss in detail each possibility in a small series of articles. An experienced Realtor knows what to look for.  It's an unconscious process. Reducing it to a step by step guide would consume volumes.  Let's try to look at the most common problems. You must look at your home as a commodity.  You have to live in the home while it is marketed that is understood.  For the purpose of marketing your home it should be as neutral as possible. To be a good detective remove your personal at... 08/15/2009

REVIVE YOUR EXPIRED LISTING ~ TURN IT INTO A SALE!   Your home has not sold.  Your listing expired without a single interested buyer.       Your plans to move are on hold.  You are frustrated, upset and perhaps a little mad. I'm sorry your home did not sell.   Maybe you think it was bad timing in the market.  Maybe it was the wrong time of the year.  Maybe there were too many homes for sale at the same time.   Maybe you feel your Realtor did not work hard enough.  After all, your Realtor never brought anyone to see your home the entire time they had it listed. We will explore that concept in our final installment. When a home does not sell or get activity there is usually a reason or a series of reasons.  One of the above reasons may have contributed but more than likely there are other... 08/14/2009

My husband discovered this recipe.  It really tastes great and is ready in a jiffy.  Spicy but not over powering. My husband and I have different time schedules and different dietary considerations.  We eat dinner together about 3 nights a week.  I usually eat long before he comes home. When he makes this dish he makes 3 times the quantity and freezes it in 24 oz containers.  It freezes well.  Usually we reheat it on about 60% power for 4 minutes.  It's easy for him to heat up when he comes home.   VELVEETA SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN SKILLET 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite size pieces 2 Cups Elbow macaroni, uncooked ½ lb (8oz) Velveeta Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up 1 can (10oz) RO*TEL Diced tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained ½ Cup Breakstone's Sour Cream 2 T... 08/12/2009

                                                 RELIABLE ABSTRACT AND TITLE COMPANY     For more than 30 years RELIABLE ABSTRACT COMPANY has been delivering competent, dependable and efficient services for the procurement of REAL ESTATE TITLE INSURANCE.   RELIABLE ABSTRACT COMPANY does not charge additional attorneys fees for typical title transactions.  For buyers that can amount to a savings of $200 - $800 at the closing table.   The buyer has the option of choosing who will represent them for Real Estate Title Insurance. We have been very pleased with the services RELIABLE ABSTRACT COMPANY has delivered to our clients.  RELIABLE ABSTRACT COMPANY has never failed to deliver a timely and efficient real estate closing.   Crissy Palermo at a recent closing with our clients - first time ... 08/12/2009

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO QUALIFY FOR THE $8,000.00 STIMULUS!   If you are considering taking advantage of the $8,000.00 stimulus to assist with the purchase of your first home ~ time is running out. On May 1stof this year a new regulation HVCC became law.  HVCC stands for Home Valuation Code of Conduct.  The content of the law is rather mystifying for buyers.  The detail is very industry specific and mandates the conduct of the participants. The manner in which appraisals are generated has changed.  What is important for buyers to understand is that it has added "time" to the processing for any contract for sale to reach closing. In the past most contracts could go to closing within 30 days.  That lead time has greatly expanded.  In many instances we see that it takes at least 30 days to ... 08/10/2009

CARAVIA'S FRESH GOURMET FOODS ~ CLARKS SUMMIT PA   Welcome to Caravia's Fresh Foods in Clarks Summit, Pa.  This is one of our personal favorite eating experiences.  Conveniently located on Northern Boulevard in Clarks Summit, Pa. On any day you will find the most delectable selection of natural and organic fresh fruits and vegetables the entire area                                                         Walking into Caravia's fresh foods you are surrounded by a huge selection of homemade entrees, fresh made to order sandwiches and salads, delicious soups and a mouth watering olive bar.       Sit down and enjoy a casual lunch, or pick up an unforgettable dinner entrée at Caravia's.  Wandering around you will find gourmet and exotic cheeses.      There are frozen organic meats, ready to ... 08/07/2009

    Mannings Ice Cream and Milk has been a local favorite in the Scranton area for years.   Mannings Farm is a small family owned dairy business in North East Pennsylvania.    Their milk and Ice Cream products are well known in the area.  Mannings farm maintains 75 Holstein cows.  The farm grows the food fed to the cows to maintain a standard and consistent diet.         Mannings produces 50 flavors of homemade Ice Cream.  No matter what season it is Mannings is always bustling serving their fresh ice cream at 5 locations.  The milk and ice cream are so fresh you can really taste the difference.         We stopped by the Clarks Summit store for a brief visit.  It's hard to make a decision with all these choices.    There is an array of toppings to choose from to create your own signatu... 08/07/2009

IRS filed fraud charges against a buyer and their accountant for making a fraudulent Home Buyers Stimulus claim. Be sure you discuss the qualifying factors of this credit, with a good financial adviser before you buy a home or file with the IRS.  One factor is misunderstood by many people who have not researched this completely.  Here is an example.  Mary marries John who owns a home in his own name.  Mary moves into the home John owns.  The home becomes their primary residence.  John does not put Mary's name on the deed nor is her name on the mortgage. John and Mary decide to buy another primary residence.  Since Mary is not the owner of record on of  present home,  they feel Mary should be able to buy a new residence in her name only and claim the 1st time home buyers credit. Accordin... 08/07/2009

THIS BIRD IS A PROUD SYMBOL OF OUR FREEDOM    WILL IT CONTINUE TO HAVE MEANING IN THE FUTURE? Is Washington listening to you?  Is your government moving in a direction that you approve? Are you ready for Health Care Reform?  Are you aware there is a provision for "End of Life Discussions" that our government will mandate to us?  This sounds just like a script from Soylent Green the 1973 Sci Fi movie starring Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. There are so many issues that have smacked us in the face in a very short span of time.  Our country used to be more metered and restrained.  In the past before enacting sweeping legislation we moved cautiously and with fore thought.  Imagine passing legislation that the lawmakers and the President have not read?  Would you sign a contract you... 08/04/2009

For years I've been complacent about my car insurance. Renewing with the same national company year after year out of pure laziness. Each year my policy would go up a one, two or three hundred dollars. When I would question the cost the agent would tell me that costs had gone up within the entire industry. My husband and I have not had any tickets or accidents in 20 years. Our cars were not overly expensive nor were they in the high risk class. I could not understand why the cost keep increasing. I had done business with the same agent for home owners and car insurance for 15 years and felt comfortable with them.                                           That was my problem. Not looking beyond my comfort zone. I'd complain to myself about the ridiculous amount, but always forgot to expl... 07/29/2009

Our office handles a lot of HUD properties.  Every month or so I get a call from someone professing to be a real estate investor.  They want to buy a couple of houses every month for cash. They have assembled a list of 25 properties from Realtor.com they want me to show. They range in price from $10,000.00 to maybe $45,000.00.  I usually can ferret these out pretty quickly and know they are a waste of gas and time.  A lot of the properties I am already familiar with.  These people are being sold a bill of goods.  We have one of these FREE SEMINARS going on every month or so.  They advertise on local radio and in the paper. Some of these so called investors have taken mortgages on their homes, gone to SBA for loans or have borrowed other funds to do this.  The only person who is going to... 07/28/2009

Many years ago when I was a single young woman, married friends of mine had an out of town emergency.  They asked me to take care of their 3 children ages 7, 9 and 11 years old.  Panic!  I never had a babysitting job as a teen let alone have 3 kids for 3 days. My cooking expertise was limited to Chef Boyardee Ravioli.  I figured that would only work for one day.  On the shelf my Mother had a Betty Crocker cook book.  I sat down and started to explore.  I finally found a one skillet recipe for HAMBURGER STROGANOFF  That was more my speed.  One pot! Much to my surprise it was a resounding success.  My three charges came back for seconds.  The next day they asked me to make it again for dinner, and be sure to give their mother the recipe.  Wow!  Maybe there was hope for me in the kitchen y... 07/28/2009

Just watched a news article about a really worthwhile program to help our disabled vets become more self sufficient. VETERANS HELPING TODAY'S RETURNING HEROS They provide trained service dogs to assist paralyzed or wheelchair bound vets. Currently there is no government funding available for this program. The Veterans Administration does not provide service animals as part of their rehabilitation. It costs $30,000.00 to train each one of these dogs. There are thousands of wounded vets who cannot afford to purchase one of these dogs. What a great cause this would be for a fund raiser.     Please visit their website http://www.vetshelpingheroes.org/index.htmL 07/27/2009

               "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...                    It's about learning to dance in the rain." Rather simple but it makes a point.  I subscribe to a newsletter and website that you might find interesting.  www.simpletruths.com  by Mac Anderson. The messages are simple and uplifting.  Many times we need a little nudge to turn a bleak day into a sunny one. 07/25/2009

Lately is seems my posts are including lists. I guess that is they way my thoughts have been flowing recently.Lets talk about KEY MARKET FACTORS. I would like to hear from readers on your thoughts and the importance of each. So, give you mind a little workout and think about a property you are trying to sell.How long does it take to sell a property? Some properties sell in a few days, others may take several months. Recognizing some key factors that influence marketing a home, you can get significant control over market time.Having a proper balance of these factors will help in the sales process. LOCATION - Location is the single greatest factor affecting value.  Do you agree or disagree? a neighborhood's desirability is basic to a property's fair market value.COMPETITION - Buyers compa... 12/05/2007

This post is meant for Realtors, who deal with, and Home Owners who are trying to sell or thinking of selling their homes on their own.Why should home owners use a Realtor when trying to sell their homes? A valid question that I just happen to have the answer for. Last post I had a top ten list. This time I am trimming back with a top 8! Ready...Set...                                                     Here we go...During busy and slow markets, you will always pass a number of For Sale By Owners (FSBO) signs throughout your neighborhood. How many of these sellers can answer these 8 questions? How many Realtors can provide the answers.1. PRICEDo I have sufficient data to price my property realistically? Am I familiar with what comparable properties have sold for recently and what adjust... 11/26/2007

WHAT DO YOU DO THAT SETS YOU APART FROM THE OTHERS IN YOUR FIELD?It is a simple question that some have a hard time answering. If you want to succeed, really succeed, you have to have a plan in place to do it. Setting yourself apart, even if it by simple things, will give you an edge in any market.When I go on a listing appointment I always leave the seller with a list of things that I will do for them that others do not take the time to do. Again, these are very simple things, but most people don't take the time to do them. Or agents do them, but don't make there clients aware of what they actually do. That is probably info for another blog, but you always need to tell clients what you are doing for them. It makes them feel more involved and included in the process.                    ... 11/17/2007