Care for Your Valuable Trees This Fall, Enjoy Gorgeous Foliage in Spring

Now is the time of year to ensure that the beautiful trees in your yard will remain healthy and produce a vibrant, green canopy come springtime by treating them against insects, fungus and diseases. If trees are not cared for, these pests can cause your trees to look sick and possibly die next year. The removal and replacement of a mature tree is an expensive proposition for homeowners, easily costing over $1,000 per tree.



Consider this: the Emerald Ash Borer beetle has destroyed over 30 million ash trees to date in the United States and Canada. The larvae from these pests cause the most damage to ash trees from August to October, when they are the most active and voracious. Pine Bark Beetles have multiple generations and can kill a tree within weeks. In 2010 alone, the Southern Pine Beetle, a bark beetle smaller than a grain of rice, killed 14,000 acres of pines in New Jersey. Spiraling Whitefly is causing visible damage to trees and property—especially car paint and outdoor furniture-- throughout Southern Florida due to the sticky honeydew it produces. Unsightly black sooty mold later grows on the honeydew, causing further annoyance to homeowners. Fungal diseases like Oak Wilt and malnutrition weaken a tree, reducing its chances of winter survival.

Tree treatment options are plentiful, but not all are suited to fall's cool, wet conditions. Tree trunk injection is proven effective to protect trees in autumn from destructive insects, diseases and malnutrition that are wreaking havoc across the country. The appropriate treatment formulation is injected directly into a tree's vascular system and is effective within a few short weeks. Unlike bark spraying and soil drenching, nothing is released into the air or soil during treatment when tree trunk injections are used. The active ingredient keeps working through the tree's vascular system into the spring, providing continued protection as trees begin to produce leaves. There is even one injectible treatment available that protects trees against insects for up to two years and can stop damage even if a tree is currently under attack.

Choosing to save trees by treating them is something financially and environmentally responsible that homeowners can consider right away. Professionally applied tree trunk injection treatments cost a fraction of the cost of tree removal and replacement, typically less than a month of cable television service. In addition healthy, mature trees provide shade, which helps reduce air conditioning costs.
In addition to treating trees, removing dropped fruit, dead branches and leaves from around your trees in the fall will help further protect them from pests.

To learn more about tree trunk injections please visit www.arborjet.com.

5 Real Estate Trends to Watch for

If the housing market were human, it would look like it just wrestled a few alligators after running an obstacle course through a snake pit.

The market is beaten and bruised, but still emerging from the recession, which is why Greg Rand, a real estate veteran and author of Crash Boom! from Career Press, wants people to know about five new trends that could help them beat the housing blues.

"The market is made up of buyers and sellers," Rand says. "It's just people who are trying to figure out how to buy low and sell high. The secret to making sure your real estate doesn't turn into a money pit is to watch the trends so you can predict where the prices will rise and where they won't."

Rand's five trends to watch include:

Short-Term Pain - Show me a market where home prices are back to 2002 levels, and I will show you a market that is overcorrecting.

Overdevelopment - One of the reasons the market is overcorrecting is overdevelopment and speculation, as is the case in Florida. Another reason is that the job base has eroded, like in Detroit. Isolated, explainable, short-term distress is the secret. Find your Florida.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - Track employment trends to see where companies are moving, and you will see a harbinger for long-term housing demand.

Lifestyle - Nothing drives migration patterns long-term more than the pursuit of happiness. Look at climate (the Carolinas), leisure trends (Colorado) and cost of living (Texas) for triggers on where the market may shift.

Responsible Government - Look at the state government. Does the state and city in question reward or punish risk-takers? Are you likely to suffer if you succeed there? If so, find somewhere that appreciates entrepreneurs. There's nothing worse than putting your money on the table, only to have it redistributed.

Greg Rand is the CEO of OwnAmerica, a regular Fox TV news contributor, host of Rand on Real Estate on 77 WABC Radio, popular media commentator and author of Crash Boom! from Career Press.

Life-Saving Apps for Natural Disasters

In cases of tragic and unforeseeable natural disasters, mobile technology has been increasingly helpful with communication. With cell phones and mobile applications abound, this technology has aided in activating relief efforts and saving lives in situations where lack of Internet or power outages have affected a majority. Here are a few examples of mobile applications you can use to continue communicating in times of need.

Signal
With the Signal application, users can combine mobile, social and email right into a single platform. During Hurricane Irene, some utility companies used Signal to further communications about power outages, going so far as even allowing its customers to opt-in for SMS updates regarding the current situation. Receiving up-to-date information during a hurricane became crucial for those without power who were cut off from the world temporarily. With text, emails and social media combined, the possibilities for advanced communication are endless.

Life360
Life360 allows users to set up private networks that allow each other to announce their location with the click of a button. Ideal for families, Life360 quickly and efficiently delivers messages throughout each private network so members can alert others that they are safe in an urgent situation.

After setting up, users simply launch the application and “Check In”—notifying your contacts of your location and safety status. For extended use, background tacking allows members to continuously share their locations with one another. In addition, a panic alert feature lets others know where a user is located and that they need immediate help. With features like these installed into a mobile device, no one is ever beyond help during a hurricane or other natural disaster.

Plerts
Plerts (short for “personal alerts) is a free app that captures image and audio from your mobile every 8-10 seconds, transmitting the data and GPS coordinates to Plerts servers. In the case of a natural disaster, users can hit an SOS button and all of the data gathered is then immediately sent to an emergency contact list, providing them with all the information necessary to help you.

Plerts can also record an automated message and deliver it immediately. If your battery dies on your cell phone, you can still get through to your contacts. Or if a cell network crashes, your location and recordings will be sent out the second the network comes back up.

In some cases, using one of these apps could be the difference between life and death. If a hurricane or other disaster is heading your way, or just to enforce a level of preparedness, have your family download one of the above applications. You may be glad you did.

Source: Mashable

Is Your Loan Modification Application Stuck?

If you’re on the verge of losing your home, or you know someone who is, then you also know about the long, bureaucratic process involved in applying for a loan modification from a lender. The most common approach is to apply under the new Home Affordability Mortgage Program (HAMP), but lenders also accept modifications from mortgage holders because lenders really don’t want to take the house—they just want their money. In many cases, however, the approval process takes longer than many homeowners can afford. But one expert believes it doesn’t have to be that way, and that there are solutions for homeowners whose applications seem stuck in the mud.

“Applying for a loan modification can be an extremely stressful process,” says Stephfan Nurse, CEO of Consumer Education—the makers of software designed to educate people about the modification process.

“Even if you send in your documents and your lender tells you everything is okay, you may still have a great amount of anxiety because you have no idea what the lender is doing with your file. You may not know what the next step is and how long it takes to move through each step in the process. There are reasons, however, why the process can get stuck, and there are ways to move that process along, if you understand what goes on behind the scenes.”

Nurse’s tips for making the process smoother include:

• Account Numbers – It often happens that when you fax your paperwork to your lender, the lender either says they lost your paperwork or they just didn’t receive it all. This isn’t because they are incompetent. It’s because they receive thousands of faxes each day, and they use an image scanning technology to capture them all and place them in the appropriate file. In that system, a cover sheet that has your account number on it will get placed correctly, but the following sheets that lack your account number can be easily misplaced. The solution is to put your account number on every page of your paperwork, so they have a better chance of placing all your paperwork in your file.

• Complete the Paperwork – When your file gets assigned to a document manager, typically about 30 days after you first applied for the modification, the document manager’s job is to check to make sure all your required documents are ready to be submitted to the negotiator/specialist for review. If you have an incomplete file, even if you’re missing just one single required document, the document manager will note your account as having an incomplete file and move on to the next file to review. At this point, a generic letter is automatically mailed to your home requesting the additional information your file lacks. This letter can take up to two weeks to get to you, and then another two to four weeks before they look at your updated information. The key is to never send an incomplete package to your lender. It can lead to a delay or even a flat-out denial.

• Follow Up – Finally, follow up every week with your lender to make sure all the documents they have are up to date. Don’t worry about being a pest. After all, it’s your house on the line if things get stuck in neutral. If you do this consistently, you will avoid getting caught in the delay cycle.

“The process is like any other, and it can be rife with mistakes and bureaucratic snafus,” Nurse adds. “But if you take the steps to reduce the opportunities for error, your application can move through the process much faster and you’ll have a much better chance at being approved.”

For more information, visit www.consumereducationonline.com.

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Welcome Kimberly White to our Abercorn Office!

Kimberly White joins Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners as a Sales Associate for the Company's office located at 6349 Abercorn Street. Kimberly, who specializes in residential properties in Chatham County, joins Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners because, “… of the positive previous relationships with the agents and managers and because Coldwell Banker is the top REALTOR/Broker in the area!”
Kimberly’s ultimate goal is to, “… have my clients saying they were fortunate to work with someone who was honest, reliable and that diligently pursued their best interest.” Kimberly has several years of experience in customer service, sales, information technology and project management. She is a member of the Savannah Board of REALTORS and has held her real estate license for the past 5 years. Kimberly White may be reached at (912)352.1222 or emailed at kimberly.white1@coldwellbanker.com.

Facing Foreclosure? Know Your Options

SAVANNAH, GA, Sep 13, 2011—“A foreclosure is more than just a spot on your credit,” says Connie Ray, President/Owner of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners. “It is one of the most damaging things that can occur to your credit record.” If you and your family—like many homeowners in today’s market—are facing a foreclosure, knowing your options can buy you time and hopefully help save your home, or at least your credit history.

The first thing you should do when facing a foreclosure is talk with your lender. If you have recently had a large decrease in income, you may be able to arrange a repayment plan, suspension of your payment, or a temporary reduction of payment. “You can also talk over your debt refinancing options,” says Ray.

Additionally, look into talking to your mortgage insurance provider, if applicable. Sometimes insurers are willing to help homeowners by paying the mortgage with a temporary loan to be repaid later, notes Ray.

If refinancing or figuring out an alternate repayment plan is not possible, you may be able to make moves that will have less of a negative impact on your credit history than a forced foreclosure. According to Ray, a short sale, which occurs when the lender agrees to write off a portion of the loan that is higher than the value of the home, or a deed in lieu of foreclosure—where you voluntarily “give back” your property to the lender—is better for your credit, so look into those options.

“A foreclosure can be devastating for everyone involved,” says Ray. “Knowing your options can help you find an alternative route, if one is available.”

Real Estate Investment Guide

Right now is a great time to buy property for profit. Whether you plan on moving, reselling or renting, making a real estate investment can be a smart move. Here are a few general guidelines critical to making an intelligent real estate investment.

Financial Security
“While it may seem like a great idea to make a real estate investment during a buyer’s market, you need to make sure you are financially secure before diving in,” warns Connie Ray, President/Owner of Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners. Make sure you have enough cash for the down-payment—usually between 10 and 20 percent, and be sure you have enough money for upkeep and maintenance as well. “If this is going to be an investment property and not your year-round home, make sure you can afford to keep it in good shape while renting or leaving it vacant,” Ray says. “And don’t count on flipping a property right now, unless you are in a position to hang on to the home for five to 10 years before selling.”

Essential Ingredients
“Make sure the property you’re looking at has a few essential amenities that will make reselling smoother, or the possibility for adding them,” says Ray. These include central air, ranked highly as a must-have feature by a poll done by NAR; ample storage space; a good location and a few modern updates like energy efficient features and appliances.

Strong Market
“While most markets are suffering right now, there are a few pockets around the country that are not only remaining stable but appreciating. These are great places for a real estate investment that offer a real possibility of reselling in the near future,” says Ray. Make sure you are extremely familiar with the market you are purchasing in before making any investment decisions.

Tax Time
Investment properties are taxed differently and the longer you hold on to your property, the better you will make out with the IRS. “Any profit you make from an investment is considered capital gains, and so it will be taxed based on your income and the amount of time you've owned the property,” warns Ray. “It’s smartest to hold on to your property for more than a year so you will be charged a long-term capital gain, instead of an income tax rate. The difference here can be up to 20 percent more,” says Ray. However, if you make your investment property your primary home, then you can avoid a capital gains tax altogether. To meet this requirement, you must have spent a minimum of two of the last five years residing in the property. “The two years don’t even have to be sequential,” notes Ray. Other factors, like being married and filing joint taxes, can allow you to make even more on the investment without being taxed.

“If you are a frequent investor and are buying several properties in a year, be prepared for the IRS to land you with business taxes as well,” warns Ray.