Next you will be working on your Privacy Settings.  This is where you can choose the settings that will get the best exposure for your LinkedIn Account.  Be sure to let your network see the changes you make later in theses settings. You need to concern yourself with the Service Provider Directory.  In order to get listed in here you must have some recommendations and in order to get them it is necessary to give a few as it is appropriate. It takes a little thinking to get the job done right but in the end your LinkedIn platform will be very effective.

Do not skip over the USER AGREEMENT. Take the time to read through it so you will understand what LinkedIn expects from you.  You don’t want to have a well planned layout cancelled because of a misunderstanding

Check back each day and we will post more great tips to help you progress through the steps of setting up a successful LinkedIn Account

If you are going to sign up to use a networking site like LinkedIn you need to decide how you want to use the account.  This will set the tone for all of the responses you will give to the various questions you will be answering as you build your platform.  You will find that laying the proper foundation will help you to get the kind of results you are expecting.  If you think that LinkedIn is for you and can help you build your future then go to http://bit.ly/cTBa2t and start creating your account.  Be sure to bookmark this page and we will provide you with great tips on building your LinkedIn platform.

I have recently worked with several families from Edmonton Alberta who have learned about the substantial bargains that are available in Arizona.  They have purchased homes that were bank owned or that were available as short sales. In both of these instances the homes have been purchased at prices that were around 50% of what the prices had been just a couple of years ago.  One gentleman from Edmonton told me that if he bought the same home back where he was from in Canada it would have cost him three times as much.

 The west side of Phoenix grew rapidly in the last few years and the prices for single family homes rose very quickly.  Some of the owners refinanced their homes assuming that the continuing inflation would make the homes worth a lot more when they decided to sell in a couple of years and there would be plenty of money to pay of the new mortgages.  When the real estate market turned up side down most of these home owners found the value of their homes started to go down and soon many owners were stuck with mortgages that were way over what the homes would actually sell for.  Some of the financial situations of the owners changed and as they could not sell the homes for the money that was owed on them some of the homes were abandoned and subsequently foreclosed on.  These homes went back to lending institutions that were required by law not to have a large percentage of their assets in real estate and so they were forced to sell these homes as quickly as possible.  For people who had the time to look and the money to buy there were many great bargains beginning to show up in real estate.

Many owners of homes with mortgages that were way over the current value of the homes in question wanted to sell their homes but didn’t want to be involved in foreclosures and so they decided to try the short sale.  Their credit would not be so adversely affected and they would be able to purchase another home in a couple of years and once the short sale was complete the lending institution would not have the right to come after them for more money. 

When the short sales and the foreclosures were added to the list of homes that were being sold for greatly reduced prices in some areas on the west side of Phoenix there was a list of bargain properties that began to exist and soon there were people from all over the country beginning to look at the housing market in the Valley of the Sun.  Now there is a large group of people from Canada who are involved in purchasing a retirement home or a second home in the Phoenix area.  I have had the pleasure of helping several families find homes in the area that proved to be huge bargains for them. I can help with transportation in the area and names of realtors who can facilitate transactions that will save as much as 30% or 40% and even more on your next purchase. http://bit.ly/cLpRDKIn the past couple of years there have been a large number of people from Canada who have come to the US to buy homes. It’s because the real estate in some areas of the US is a lot cheaper than it is in Canada. In some areas houses can be purchased for about one third of what it would cost for a similar home in Canada.

I have recently worked with several families from Edmonton Alberta who have learned about the substantial bargains that are available in Arizona. They have purchased homes that were bank owned or that were available as short sales. In both of these instances the homes have been purchased at prices that were around 50% of what the prices had been just a couple of years ago. One gentleman from Edmonton told me that if he bought the same home back where he was from in Canada it would have cost him three times as much.

The west side of Phoenix grew rapidly in the last few years and the prices for single family homes rose very quickly. Some of the owners refinanced their homes assuming that the continuing inflation would make the homes worth a lot more when they decided to sell in a couple of years and there would be plenty of money to pay of the new mortgages. When the real estate market turned up side down most of these home owners found the value of their homes started to go down and soon many owners were stuck with mortgages that were way over what the homes would actually sell for. Some of the financial situations of the owners changed and as they could not sell the homes for the money that was owed on them some of the homes were abandoned and subsequently foreclosed on. These homes went back to lending institutions that were required by law not to have a large percentage of their assets in real estate and so they were forced to sell these homes as quickly as possible. For people who had the time to look and the money to buy there were many great bargains beginning to show up in real estate.

Many owners of homes with mortgages that were way over the current value of the homes in question wanted to sell their homes but didn’t want to be involved in foreclosures and so they decided to try the short sale. Their credit would not be so adversely affected and they would be able to purchase another home in a couple of years and once the short sale was complete the lending institution would not have the right to come after them for more money.

When the short sales and the foreclosures were added to the list of homes that were being sold for greatly reduced prices in some areas on the west side of Phoenix there was a list of bargain properties that began to exist and soon there were people from all over the country beginning to look at the housing market in the Valley of the Sun. Now there is a large group of people from Canada who are involved in purchasing a retirement home or a second home in the Phoenix area. I have had the pleasure of helping several families find homes in the area that proved to be huge bargains for them. I can help with transportation in the area and names of realtors who can facilitate transactions that will save as much as 30% or 40% and even more on your next purchase. http://bit.ly/cLpRDK

On Thursday, April 22 the Surprise Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a business education event.  The course that is being offered is entitled “Strategic Planning and Business Development” and it will be presented by Mike D’Hoostelaere of the Small Business Development Center. He will be discussing how to conduct effective drip marketing and staying in front of your customers and prospective customers.  This will be a free presentation presented to members of the Chamber and their guests and is part of the ongoing Business Development Series.  It will take place at the Ultra Star Cinemas of Surprise from 7:30am to 9:00am.  Food will be provided and this will be a great opportunity to network with other members of the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce contact me at jeremoline@gmail.com or go directly to the chamber at http://bit.ly/dAK1bE

1. The first thing I want to suggest is that you begin looking a little closer to home this year. It’s a lot of fun to take the family out to the coast or up to the mountains for a few days to a place that is entirely new to everyone but if you stop to think about it there could be such a place right in your own neighborhood. Many organizations sponsor camp outs for kids and families. I will never forget the camping trips I went on with the YMCA when I was a teenager. After I got a couple of years experience camping I was able to go to camps as an aid and I then camped for free as long as I was willing to be a counselor for younger campers.
2. If you are looking for a low cost family vacation then camping has to be one of the first things you consider. Whether you go camping in a pop up trailer or use a tent you’ll save a bunch of money on your sleeping arrangements every night. Each year you can add a few pieces of new equipment to your gear or you can shop the local yard sales and save a little extra on you purchases that way. The Goodwill store can be a great source of used equipment that can be in excellent  condition.
3. There are always lots of things to see and do in your own area. For great discoount family vacation ideas, start at the local office of tourism. They will have suggestions for many great places to visit and lots of places to go camping with your family. You will find that your local Chamber of Commerce will also be a very good source of information about places of interest and places to stay. 
4. Talk to family members and see if anyone has a time share that isn’t being used this year. It may be possible to vacation with another part of your family or you might be able to make use of an unused timeshare that might otherwise go to waste. However it won’t be a low cost family vacation if you decide to attend a presentation and end up buying your own timeshare plan. (Just say NO!)
5. Here is an idea that has become very popular recently and can save you a bundle.You can make arrangements to trade houses with someone who would  like to spend their vacation in your area. There are several large home exchange clubs that can easily be found on the web. There are rarely any problems with these arrangements and they can certainly lead to some interesting new acquaintances.

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