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From the desk of Edward E. Cambas - Technology and Design.

new federal program is offering aid with a sweet kicker: It doesn't need to be repaid.

For the roughly four million homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, the federal government is offering yet another remedy: free money to catch up on their loans.

The effort, called the Emergency Homeowners Loan Program, is the latest in the federal government's efforts to slow down the flood of foreclosures a necessary step to a meaningful recovery in the housing market, says a Department of Housing and Urban Development official. For people who have lost their jobs, the $1 billion program offers loans of up to $50,000 that don't actually need to be repaid, if applicants meet certain requirements.

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If you want to bokk this hotel go back to the first page tagged deals. Thank You from Edward E. Cambas - Miami Beach FL

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Aventura is a great place to live. Located in the north eastern portion of Miami-Dade County this upscale and luxury neighborhood has great shops, new neighborhoods, parks, golf courses, and tons of restaurants. Aventura is located around Biscayne Boulevard, including Miami Gardens Drive, Ives Dairy Road, and Country Club Drive Circle. This city is known as one of the best condominium rental locations in the area. In the heart of Aventura you'll find the Aventura Mall with Macy's, Bloomingdales, Nordstom and an abundance of stores. Excellent dinning is not exception in Aventura; restaurants like Morton's, The Cheescake Factory, PF Changs, Ivy's and many more are available to residents and visitors. There are also wonderful communities to live in Aventura: Turnberry Isle was one of the first developments and it is still a 5 star place to live: with it's private golf course, resort and spa. Other places to live in Aventura include 3030 Aventura, Alaqua, Artech, Atlantic One, Atrium Aventura, Aventura Marina, Bella Mare, EastSide, Hamptons South, Hidden Bay, La Vogue, Marina Grande, Mystic Point, Park Central Aventura, Peninsula, Peninsula Two, Porto Vita, Skylofts, Terzetto At Aventura, The Atrium, The Parc, The Point, The Venture, Turnberry On The Green, Turnberry Village, and Uptown Marina Loft.

From the desk of Edward E. Cambas, a Lic. Real Estate Broker 305-200-7455.

Do: Offer hospitality to buyers. If you want prospective buyers to attend and enjoy your Open House, it’s critical that you remove all the friction involved with attending it. It should be very clear and simple for visitors to discover that your home is being held open, then to navigate to, park at and access your home. If your home - or even your front door - is hard to find, make sure signs clearly point the way. If your neighbors park in front of your house or you normally park your cars in the driveway, ask them to move, and move your own cars, too.

Don’t: Overdo the hospitality. Unless the property is Candy’ Spellings $150 million listing (which sold at the low, low price of something like $85 million, according to reports) there’s really no reason to have an espresso bar with baristas, a catered lunch with waiters passing hors d'oeuvres, or chair massages - all of which I have actually seen at Open Houses. Here’s the problem, no one will complain. People will take the shrimp balls, order their dirty chai lattes and get their deep tissue neck rubs. What they won’t do is pay attention to your house! Have a plate of cookies and some cool bottles of water - that’s just nice manners, especially on a hot day. But when you overdo the perks, you distract the buyers from the real matter at hand. Even if they like your home, they’re much more likely to recall the cute waiter or the dim sum than your upgraded kitchen and the dining room.

Note: I’d say there’s an exception for brokers’ open houses - sometimes the excessive hospitality works just to get brokers to attend, which is huge; many a broker has had an a-ha/light bulb moment standing in a house they only went to for the champagne, when they realized which of their clients (or their colleagues’ clients) would love this place.

From the desk of Edward E. Cambas - Article by Trulia.

From the desk of Edward E. Cambas, Lic. Real Estate Broker. (An article offered by Realtors.org)

Washington, April 13, 2011

A new bill to improve the process for approving short sales may soon bring relief to distressed home owners who are unable to keep their homes and hope to avoid foreclosure. The bill, introduced in the U.S. House yesterday and strongly supported by the National Association of Realtors®, would impose a deadline of 45 days on lenders to respond to short sale requests.

The legislation, the “Prompt Decision for Qualification for Short Sale Act of 2011,” was offered in Congress by U.S. Reps. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Robert Andrews (D-N.J.).

“The current short sale process can be time-consuming and inefficient, and many would-be buyers end up walking away from a sale that could have saved a home owner from foreclosure,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I.

“Realtors® and consumers continue to raise issues about delays in the short sale process, because lenders are unable to decide whether to approve a short sale. After many months of delays, and with no response from lenders, potential buyers are losing patience and cancelling their contracts, often resulting in the property entering foreclosure. A short sale minimizes the negative impact on sellers and generally costs the lender less than a foreclosure,” said Phipps.

NAR has been actively pushing the lending industry to improve the process for approving short sales, which represent about 13 percent of recent home sales according to NAR data. Phipps praised Reps. Rooney and Andrews for their efforts on the bill and urged Congress to pass the bill quickly.

“As the leading advocate for home ownership and housing issues, Realtors® want to help more home owners avoid foreclosure by facilitating a short sale when a family is absolutely unable to keep their home; however, that can only happen if lenders and servicers approve short sale offers in a reasonable amount of time,” said Phipps. “Streamlining short sales transactions will reduce the amount of time it takes to sell the property, improve the likelihood that the transaction will close and reduce the overall number of foreclosures. This benefits sellers, lenders, buyers and the entire community.”

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

For more free info call Edward E. Cambas, a Lic. Real Estate Broker at 305-200-7455

From the desk of Edward E. Cambas, a Licensed Real Estate Broker.

Orlando, Florida remains one of the world’s hottest destinations. You can enjoy hot, sunny weather. You can explore the hottest theme parks and attractions. And now you can also experience the hottest musical acts, live in concert.

The Westgate Resorts 2011 Summer Concert Series is shaping up to be Orlando’s hottest event packages, offering four spectacular live concerts featuring Kings of Leon, Rascal Flatts, the American Idol Live Tour and Maroon 5 with Train.

The Summer Concert Series combines your choice of top concerts with Westgate’s spacious and luxurious 5-Star accommodations in Orlando, VIP treatment including a welcome party and personal concierge services, local transportation to and from the concert, as well as additional amenities and benefits. We’ll turn your concert experience into a once-in-a-lifetime Orlando vacation getaway complete with a three-night stay in a beautiful 2-bedroom Westgate Resorts villa.

from the desk of Edward E. Cambas, a Licensed Real Estate Broker.

call us at 305-200-7455.

Treating our Customers with Compassion.

Every one of my clients is unique, and that is exactly how I treat him or her. I'm proud to say that a high percentage of my business comes from past clients-from people who choose my services time and again. I don't measure my success by sales, but by the relationships I build along the way.

Free Consultation. If you are interested in buying or selling a condo, townhome, house, or acreage in Miami, Kendall, West Kendall, City of Doral, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, Coral Gables or Horse Country. I would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss your real estate needs. Call me today or send me an e-mail. I'm waiting to hear from you! 305-200-7455. or e-mail me at edwardcambas@hotmail.com

I am someone you can trust. The most important thing when choosing a real estate professional is to find someone you can trust. I have a history of success and integrity in real estate that you can depend on. I am an experienced negotiator with expert knowledge of the local market. You can count on me to always work with your interests in mind, and to represent you and your wishes to the best of my ability.

I will keep all of your info private. Your discretion is my largest concern.

From the desk of Edward E. Cambas, a Lic. Real Estate Broker since 1992.

Amid the splendor of the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg embodies the simple goodness of small town life. Gatlinburg is where we gather together and stand in awe of nature's glory. Here, we fill our spirits, seek inspiration, and continue the journey toward what we know is right. In Gatlinburg, Tennessee, we Reach Higher Ground.

Businesses in Gatlinburg understand the importance of providing the visitor with a green destination for eco-friendly vacations and get-a-ways. That extra effort is noted through business participation in the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Gatlinburg Goes Green initiative.

The adjacent Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has transformed Gatlinburg into a mountain resort destination, packed with every sort of lodging the Smoky Mountains have to offer, dozens of local to national restaurants, and attractions galore. Visitors from all over come to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to experience the cabins, golf, outdoor activities, and more!

This 57,000-square foot Los Angeles home, listed at $150 million, was sold to a 22-year-old U.K. heiress. Photo: Realtor.com

The long-running drama over the sale of the highest-priced home in the U.S. appears to be heading to its finale.

The 57,000-square foot Los Angeles mansion built by the late TV producer Aaron Spelling is slated for sale to a 22-year-old heiress to a Formula One racing fortune. The home on five acres of property in Holmby Hills has a bowling alley, beauty salon, several gift-wrapping rooms and parking for 100 cars.

"The Manor," as the property is known, had a list price of $150 million that didn't budge during the real-estate downturn that sent prices in Los Angeles down by more than a third. The sales price was not disclosed.

From Yahoo Real Estate through the desk of Edward E. Cambas, Lic. Real Estate Broker.

1. Evaluate your effectiveness.

Take one day and write down everything you do and how long it takes. Don’t skimp on the details – write down EVERYTHING. Now go back and categorize your task into the following areas: Business Development, Administrative, Health & Wellness, Family, Fun, Other. What percentage of your day is spent on business development? The results may be shocking to you.

TIP: Download the Boost Your Productivity Action Plan & Worksheet for step by step instructions to evaluate your effectiveness.

2. Calendar money producing tasks first.

Never have enough time for prospecting? Calendar it. Every day. Generating new business is one of the most important jobs for a real estate agent and yet it is often the first item that slips off the daily schedule. Sure, you have other ‘stuff’ that needs to get done but ignoring your money producing tasks will come back to bite you later. Set a regular working schedule and stick to it. Take a half hour to check your email and handle essential tasks when you first start your day, then get to prospecting. Earlier in the day is better before your day starts to run away with you.

TIP: Get started early. I like to get to the office early so I can knock out my most important tasks before other people arrive or the phone starts to ring with the inevitable fire drills of the day.

3. Outsource unproductive tasks.

Outsource unproductive tasks so you can focus on items that will make you money. Virtual assistants can be a cost effective solution for agents looking to outsource administrative tasks so you can focus on those money producing tasks. Listing management, transaction management and marketing are just a few of the tasks a skilled assistant can take off your plate to make you more productive. Need more ideas on what to delegate? Check out this article on how to ramp up productivity with a virtual assistant.

4. Delete unnecessary tasks.

Go ahead, delete them- I’m not kidding. There are some tasks that we should simply just delete – they have absolutely no value. If it can be deleted – do it. And don’t feel guilty. TIP: If you really can’t delete it or delegate, set a timer. Some tasks are simply time sucks. They can run away with your time before you know it so use a timer to keep you on track.

5. Manage your inbox.

Manage your inbox, don’t let your inbox manage you. Email is like a bottomless black hole. It’s important to be responsive to clients on your email, but most email is busy work. Use filters to help you focus on the important emails and delete/delegate the rest. Close your email when you doing your most important tasks to make sure you don’t get distracted.

6. Don’t multi-task.

We used to think mult-tasking was a productivity booster yet studies have shown that multi-tasking actually decreases concentration and productivity. Focus on your task at hand, finish it, then move on to the next item on the list.

TIP: Do your least desirable tasks first and get them off your plate. You’ll save time by not having to worry about them later.

7. Systematize.

Without systems, we spend time reinventing the wheel time and again. Repetitive tasks can be simplified to save you time. Create document templates for questions you frequently get asked. I save all of my frequently used phrases, pages, scripts and more in Evernote so I can easily pull them up later. Tools like text expander are helpful to eliminate repetitive typing of frequently asked questions, listing information and more. You save your frequently used text snippets and simply use a short code later to pull them up.

TIP: Shaqualyn Mitchell, a REALTOR from Brooklyn, New York uses the auto-text feature on her Blackberry to reduce repetitive typing and quickly respond with listing information requests on the go. People are impressed by both speed and quality of her response.

It’s easy to fill our time with busy work that doesn’t benefit our production or enhance our relationship with our clients. Understanding what your time sinks are and how to minimize them will help you work smarter and find more time to do the things that really matter.

What do you do to maximize your efficiency and get the most out of your day?

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About the author

Ginger Wilcox

Ginger Wilcox is Head of Training at Trulia. Ginger has sold real estate in California and Arizona. Follow Ginger on Twitter

The world maybe headed for another recession, but there seems to be no better time to be a millionaire or billionaire.

Global wealth hit a record $121.8 trillion high in 2010 or $20 trillion above pre-recession levels, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). And, the number of millionaire households jumped 12.2 percent to about 12.5 million.

The trend will continue up to about $162 trillion by 2015, "driven by the performance of the capital markets and the growth of GDP in countries around the world. Wealth will grow fastest in emerging markets," says the report.

There are a couple of bright spots for all of you out there that do not fall in to the uber-rich category.

The United States is by far home to the most millionaires, according to BCG. In 2010, 5.2 million households in the U.S. had more than a million in assets under management compared to 1.5 million in Japan and 1.1 million in China.

And here's the really good news. If you want to make your millions, there is no better time than now, says Steve Siebold, author of the new book How Rich People Think. In the next five years, he predicts the United States will see more self-made millionaires emerge than in any other time in history.

"This is the easiest time to become a millionaire in America than I have ever seen by far and I think the wealthy see that an that is why they are getting wealthier," he tells Aaron in the interview above. "But, on the other side, anyone has the chance to become a millionaire in America, more right now than ever before."

Why? Because this country has got lots of problems that are in dire need of solutions.

There are all these new ways to get rich, say Siebold. "There are so many new problems to solve. There are so many new opportunities that did not exist before the great recession"

Over the course of 27 years Siebold interviewed hundreds of millionaires and high net worth individuals. His book mixes the wisdom and advice of all these people who have created self-made fortunes.

Most people don't think like millionaires because we don't look at money in the right way, he says. We tend to learn about money at a very early age from people who don't have any. "We almost have no chance from the beginning because we are programmed by people that don't have any money and don't understand how to think about it," he says.

The Millionaire Mindset

There are key differences between the way rich people look at money and the way the rest of us do, according to Siebold:

• Wealthy people look at money in positive terms and as an opportunity, where as most of us live in fear of being laid off or not having enough money for retirement.
• Instead of worrying about running out of money, soon to be millionaires are thinking how to make more money. World-class performers are finding problems that are profitable to solve. They know that just because a solution hasn't been discovered yet doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
• Millionaires tend to move towards what they want, rather than move away from what they don't want, which is what the masses most often do.
• World-class thinkers have the guts to be optimistic right now in these shaky times and reject the middle-class cynicism that plagues the masses. It's not comfortable for a millionaire in the making to forge ahead when everyone around him or her is negative, cynical and unsupportive, yet the great ones push forward and are rewarded with riches for the rest of their lives.

Siebold's bottom line: "Take inventory of your consciousness and the way you think about money and ask yourself: Is this the way a rich person thinks or someone in the middle class thinks about money?"

1. Check Your Credit Report

Any time you're trying to improve your credit score, your first step should be to check your credit report. You can get one free report every 12 months from each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) by going to AnnualCreditReport.com. Look closely at each account on your report to make sure that there are no mistakes dragging down your score. Also, make sure that you recognize all of the accounts on your report. Unfamiliar accounts could be a sign of identity theft, though often they are just old accounts that you've forgotten about or accounts for which you are an authorized user but not the primary account holder. Don't panic until you research them further.

2. Assess Your Credit Card Debt

If you don't know the details of your debt, you probably don't have an effective plan for paying it off. Make a list of all the cards that you carry a balance on, how much you owe on each, and what the interest rate is. This way, you'll know which accounts are costing you the most and you can plan to pay them off first.

If you've living off your credit cards because you're unemployed or underemployed, assess your available balances. Also note which cards have lower interest rates and use those for your purchases if possible.

If you added to your debt last Christmas, start thinking now about how you will avoid doing the same thing this year. May isn't too early to plan for the holidays -- you still have time to gradually buy gifts over the course of the year, as you can afford them, or time to save up a holiday fund so you don't have to pay interest on 2011's gifts in 2012 and beyond. A Black Friday deal isn't a deal at 30% APR.

3. Improve Your Interest-Rate Situation

It may not be possible to qualify for a new card with a lower interest rate if you have poor credit, but it might be worth trying. If you do get approved, make sure you understand the balance transfer fees before moving your high-interest debt, and make sure you'll come out ahead even after the fees. Applying for new credit does temporarily ding your credit score, but the savings from lowering your interest rate can be substantial.

You can also try calling your creditors to negotiate a lower interest rate. If that doesn't work, see if you can at least get your card's annual fee waived (if it has one). Develop a strategy before you call because you'll need a way to convince your creditors that there's something in it for them if they give you a break.

4. Prioritize Your High-Interest Debt

Whichever card has the highest interest rate is the one you need to pay off first. Keep paying the minimum on your other cards (and pay on time), and put what you can afford toward your highest-interest balance. The sooner you knock out your high-interest debt, the more money you'll have to work with each month and the easier it will be to work your way through your remaining debts and contribute to your emergency fund.

5. Create a Bill Payment System

Thirty-five percent of your credit score is based on whether you pay your bills on time, so if you want to improve your credit score, getting on top of your due dates is a great place to start. Look at recent bills and add the due dates to your credit card list. Then, use an electronic calendar system like Outlook or an old-fashioned paper calendar to remind yourself of these due dates each and every month. A checking account with online bill pay can also help you get organized by allowing you to see and pay all of your bills in one place. Some online bill payment systems, like Ally Bank's, can be synched up with your other accounts to let you know how much you owe and when it's due.

In addition to hurting your credit score, late payments cost you money. If you avoided just one $30 late fee per month you would save $360 in a year. That's money you could put toward paying down your debt instead of adding to it.

6. Start Budgeting

If you know exactly how much money you have coming in and going out every month, not only are you likely to spend less because you will be holding yourself accountable for your spending, but you'll also know how much you can afford to put toward paying down your credit card debt each month.

The Bottom Line

In the process of improving your credit score, you'll also be improving your overall financial situation. So even if you don't plan to do anything that will require you have an attractive credit score (like open a new credit card account, take out an auto loan or apply for a mortgage), taking these actions will be worthwhile.