March 29, 2024

Selecting the Right Location for Your New Home (City/Suburb/Country)

Internal blog 2There are several factors to consider when looking for a new home, but the most important is location.

To determine location, first decide if the new home will be in the city, suburb, or country. Each has pros and cons, so it is a matter of personal wants and needs.

Suburbs or subdivisions are the most popular choices in all areas of the country with 56 percent of buyers preferring that lifestyle. It is the preferred location for people with children. The property is generally less expensive, usually newer and offers more house for the money. The downside is more commute time into the city. Plus, amenities and entertainment options offered by cities are not readily available to suburbanites.
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Nationwide Relocation Services Offers Information on Corporate Relocation

Nationwide Relocation ServicesAt Nationwide Relocation Services, corporate relocation is one of the many available features offered to clients. The staff at Nationwide Relocation Services works hard to ensure  companies will remain productive before and after a move. Below, Nationwide Relocation Services describes how their efforts will work to assuage the pain of moving for businesses and corporations.

Interviewing Experts: We appreciate you taking the time to chat with us.

Nationwide Relocation Services: Thanks for the invitation.

Interviewing Experts: Tell us specifically just what Nationwide Relocation Services can offer corporate clients.

Nationwide Relocation Services: Our team coordinates the shipment of the all goods with our team of agents to any location in the continental United States.
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Phillip Elden on the Breathtaking Views from the Cascade Range

Phillip EldenA longtime resident of Cottage Grove, Oregon, Phillip Elden is intimately familiar with the region. Elden regularly visits the Cascade Range and climb its famous peaks. Here, Phillip Elden explains why the volatile nature of the Cascade Range is so attractive and inspiring. [Read more…]

Dave Contarino on How to Ski the Powder of the Southern Rockies

Powder skiAccording to Dave Contarino, no two ski slopes are the same. As an avid skier, Dave Contarino has witnessed novices and experts all struggle to come to terms with the soft snow of the Southern Rockies. In this interview, Dave Contarino provides a few tips about how to tackle these challenging mountains. [Read more…]

How the Sun Rose on the East: Scott Sohr on East Nashville’s Vibrant Upcoming

Scott Sohr NashvilleFrom its humble beginnings, East Nashville has played a major role in Music City’s development, says Middle Tennessee real estate developer Scott Sohr. The area, which sits cradled in the Cumberland River, once housed Nashville’s affluent businesspeople. Scott Sohr reports that East Nashville fell almost completely into ruin in the 1970s and its prognosis was grim. [Read more…]

Green Water Technologies on How Pro Elite Systems Reduce Detergent Usage

Green-Water-Technologies-DetergentGreen Water Technologies is a nationally recognized company that offers GE Pro Elite Professional Series Water Treatment Systems to San Antonio and other parts of South Texas. Here, Green Water Technologies discusses how softened water helps customers reduce their carbon footprint by eliminating the need for excess detergent in their daily household chores.

Interviewing Experts: What’s the leading question that customers ask when inquiring about your services?

Green Water Technologies: Customers always want to know how to get dishes and clothes cleaner while using less detergent.

Interviewing Experts: How do customers make this happen in their homes?

Green Water Technologies: Two revolutionary independent studies demonstrated how this can be possible by introducing softened water.

Interviewing Experts: Who conducted these independents studies?

Green Water Technologies: The studies were performed in 2011 by Scientific Services S/D Inc., with funding provided by the Water Quality Research Foundation.

Interviewing Experts: What were the key results?

Green Water Technologies: In washing machines, the presence of softened water allows detergent usage to be drastically reduced.

Interviewing Experts: By how much?

Green Water Technologies: The average is 50 percent. Softened water also saves energy because users can wash their clothes and dishes at the cold-water setting as opposed to the hot-water setting.

Interviewing Experts: Are the clothes cleaner as a result?

Green Water Technologies: Yes, in fact, people actually see better stain removal, as well as whiter clothes, when compared with hard water.

Interviewing Experts: What about results for dishwashers?

Green Water Technologies: With areas experiencing hard water, softened water will potentially mean cutting detergent usage by up to 70 percent.

Interviewing Experts: That’s a remarkable decrease.

Green Water Technologies: Absolutely.

Interviewing Experts: Are these adjustments environmentally friendly?

Green Water Technologies: In most cases, softened water can decrease reliance on harmful polluting fuels as a result of energy savings. It also cuts back on the detergents that flow through water streams.

Interviewing Experts: Have these developments been studied?

Green Water Technologies: No research studies have quantified this development yet, but scientific experts continue to monitor the positive impact of softened water.

Interviewing Experts: What are other benefits of soft water?

Green Water Technologies: Soft water can help to extend the life of all major appliances by ensuring that equipment and pipes remain protected.

Interviewing Experts: Where can people learn more about water softening devices?

Green Water Technologies: The best way is to explore Water Quality Association–certified products online, and to contact one of our professionals who can guide customers through the process of eliminating hard water from their homes.

Green Water Technologies, based in San Antonio, Texas, is the city’s provider of the Pro Elite Professional Series Water Treatment System by GE. At Green Water Technologies, a team of experienced professionals helps customers address their specific water issues and concerns.

YOR Health Products Offer Quality Supplements

YOR Health ProductsYOR Health was founded in California in 2008 and is at the forefront of a revolution in how the world approaches nutrition and wellness. YOR Health products were developed based on scientific research that has proven that how nutrients are absorbed is just as important as what is actually consumed. Here the YOR Health products team discusses the different categories of products that YOR Health offers.

Interviewing Experts: How would you describe YOR Health products?

YOR Health Products Team: We create and market nutritional products designed to help people obtain optimal health and wellness.

Interviewing Experts: YOR Health products address different aspects of health maintenance, right?

YOR Health Products Team: That’s right. We have four basic categories: weight management, essentials, energy and fitness, and digestive health.

Interviewing Experts: Can you break those down a little for us?

YOR Health Products Team: Of course. Our weight management products help people tackle the health risks of being overweight. YOR MRP packs proteins, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants into a convenient, hunger-suppressing, calorie-controlled package. We also offer YOR CompleteBurn, which contains ingredients designed to increase the metabolic rate and encourage fat loss.

Interviewing Experts: Tell us about the YOR Health Essentials products.

YOR Health Products Team: YOR Essential Vitamin supports good health with a multitude of essential vitamins, minerals, herbal and botanical extracts and enzymes derived from the highest quality ingredients and formulated for maximum effectiveness. The other product in this line is YOR SuperGreens, which contains the equivalent antioxidant power of approximately 24 servings of fruits and vegetables in every serving.

Interviewing Experts: YOR Health products are known for their fitness benefits. Tell us about those?

YOR Health Products Team: Yes, exercise is important but so is replacing the nutrients that a fitness regimen uses up. By allowing the body to recover and rebuild, exercise becomes more efficient. YOR Berry Blast is an innovative blend of 19 all-natural fruits and berries, antioxidant power and a patented enzyme activation system that all work together to protect against energy drops during the day.

Interviewing Experts: Which among the YOR Health products focuses on the reparative element?

YOR Health Products Team: Actually, two products. YOR Repair and YOR Repair Ultra combine highly active enzymes, vitamins, minerals and herbs formulated to support muscle recovery and tissue repair. These revolutionary combinations of highly active enzymes and antioxidants work with the body’s own processes to help ease muscle soreness caused by exercise, physical strain or sports-related injuries.

Interviewing Experts: What’s the difference between the two?

YOR Health Products Team: Ultra just has about four times the enzyme activity of Repair for the serious athlete.

Interviewing Experts: Tell us more about the YOR Health products digestive line.

YOR Health Products Team: A properly functioning digestive system is critical to good health. YOR Health products include Fiber Plus for good regularity; Digest Ultra, a full spectrum digestive support containing plant enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics; and YOR 1-2-3-4, the first customized digestive support product designed to meet each person’s unique metabolic makeup.

Interviewing Experts: And I’m sure YOR Health products features probiotics as well, correct?

YOR Health Products Team: Of course. We offer YOR Probitocs and Probiotics Ultra, each containing billions of active microorganisms to promote optimal digestion and nutrition.

 

Kelley D. Hamilton of Bonaventure Senior Living Explains the Osteoporosis/Exercise Connection

Kelley D. Hamilton BonaventureKelley D. Hamilton is the CEO of Bonaventure Senior Living, a network of retirement and senior living communities throughout the Western United States. Today, we speak with Mr. Hamilton about the feasibility of exercise for seniors with osteoporosis. According to Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living residents are encouraged to exercise and stay fit. Here’s why.

Interviewing Experts: Thank you for joining us today.

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: I appreciate the opportunity to talk about this important topic.

Interviewing Experts: Why is exercise so important for seniors?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Regular physical activity markedly reduces age-related bone loss. This is important because osteoporosis is a major concern for seniors and is also a leading cause of fractures of the wrists, hip and spine.

Interviewing Experts: How should someone over the age of 50 begin a new exercise regimen?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: It’s always important to check with your health-care provider before starting any new exercise regimen, even those not suffering from osteoporosis.

Interviewing Experts: What types of activities are recommended?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Most should stay with low-impact exercises such as walking or swimming. A good combination of cardiovascular and strength training exercises can help ward off bone loss and stimulate bone growth.

Interviewing Experts: But don’t most exercises involve heavy twisting of the bones?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: People with osteoporosis should definitely modify exercises as needed to avoid over-rotating the spine since it is highly susceptible to damage.  Simple stretching, tai chi, and certain forms of yoga are great methods of low-impact exercise which can be done without excessive twisting.

Interviewing Experts: What about impact sports like senior baseball?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Those who’ve already been diagnosed with osteoporosis should probably avoid active sports such as baseball or even golf where significant strain is placed on the back and spine while swinging a bat or golf club.  Most cities have water aerobics, swimming classes, or even water polo which can be great alternatives.

Interviewing Experts:  Let’s go over the types of exercises seniors with osteoporosis should focus on.

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: There are four basic types of exercise: posture, hip and back, balance and functional.

Interviewing Experts: What is an easy exercise for posture?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: There’s one called the corner stretch that helps seniors keep their shoulders stretched and upper back flattened.

Interviewing Experts: And for the hips?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: The two that come to mind are hip abductors and prone leg lifts. Each works to strengthen a group of muscles that support the hip and improve flexibility.

Interviewing Experts: Why are balance exercises important for seniors at risk for osteoporosis?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Those with osteoporosis are at higher risk of breaking a bone when falling than those with healthy bones, so preventing falls is very important.

Interviewing Experts: What are some risk factors of osteoporosis?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Although anyone can get it, it is most typical in postmenopausal females over the age of 50 who are small in stature and have a family history of osteoporosis.

Interviewing Experts: So it’s more prevalent in women?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: It is, yes. In fact, a woman is equally likely to break a hip due to osteoporosis, as she is to develop female-specific cancers.

Interviewing Experts: And men?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: It’s much less common in men, but is actually more common than something like prostate cancer.

Interviewing Experts: What are some signs of osteoporosis?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Honestly, there may be no signs until someone gets a broken bone, but some people may noticeably lose height because of crushed vertebrae.

Interviewing Experts: That sounds very painful.

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Osteoporosis is considered a silent disease. Most people don’t even feel that their bones are crumbling inside of them.

Interviewing Experts: Is osteoporosis something that only senior citizens have to worry about?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: It is mostly found in mature adults, but children and teenagers can help build strong bones long before their retirement years. It is vital to get ample calcium and vitamin D to maintain healthy bones into adulthood.

Interviewing Experts: Is it really feasible to exercise after an osteoporosis diagnosis?

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Absolutely. Many of our residents at Bonaventure who have osteoporosis are also very active.  Our activity directors come up with all sorts of fun and engaging activities and projects which keep residents’ mobility and limitations in mind.

Interviewing Experts: We appreciate your time today. Thank you very much.

Kelley D. Hamilton, Bonaventure Senior Living: Thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important subject.

Derrick Strauss of All Western Mortgage Calls Hybrid ARMs a Smart Move

Derrick StraussThe adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is one of the most feared products in the financial industry, says Derrick Strauss. However, these oft-misunderstood mortgage options offer most homebuyers a favorable alternative to the perceived safety of the 30-year fixed-rate loan.

ARM: The strong arm of the recession?

Derrick Strauss points out that the adjustable-rate mortgage may have contributed in part to the economic downturn of 2007. This is, as Derrick Strauss explains, because people with very little experience managing their mortgage budgets were given loans they did not fully understand. In fact, says Derrick Strauss, the real estate bubble burst was more caused by irresponsible lending practices and overinflated prices than the loans themselves. Most of these high-risk mortgages have been pulled from market, reports Derrick Strauss.

The hybrid

According to Derrick Strauss, the adjustable-rate mortgage is actually an unfairly stereotyped product. Derrick Strauss points out that most modern ARMs have an expanded initial period at a fixed rate. Derrick Strauss explains that a typical ARM, now usually referred to as a hybrid loan, may start out anywhere from three to five years fixed before it hits the dreaded rates roller coaster. For homebuyers who plan to sell before this period is over, Derrick Strauss explains that an adjustable-rate mortgage makes sense. Over a seven-year period, Derrick Strauss explains that a typical 7/1 Hybrid ARM may save upwards of $12,000 on a moderately priced home.

Risk vs. reward

Derrick Strauss says that there are some risks involved with the adjustable-rate mortgage. Borrowers are only guaranteed a fixed rate for a specified time frame before they must either deal with fluctuating house payments, refinance, or close the loan completely by selling the property. This, explains Derrick Strauss, is where a little planning makes a big difference in the long run. For example, an older couple looking to retire within 10 years and downgrade to a condo may choose an adjustable-rate mortgage and save a considerable amount toward their retirement fund, says Derrick Strauss. An ARM may not be an ideal loan for a young couple who might need to live off of one income when it’s time to start a family.

Prepare for the worst

Derrick Strauss emphasizes that even buyers who are certain they can get out of an adjustable rate mortgage should take a bit of precaution and prepare for an enlarged house payment. Putting aside even a small portion of the initial mortgage savings each month can help offset higher costs later, says Derrick Strauss. This way, if acquiring a new mortgage is not an option, there will be a financial cushion to absorb any potential sticker shock.

Derrick Strauss explains that a worst-case scenario isn’t even as devastating as people have been led to believe by mass media. On a similar house payment as mentioned above, a 6.125 percent increase comes out to a little less than $300 per month. While Derrick Strauss understands that this is definitely not desirable, a bit of education in regards to what exactly an adjustable-rate mortgage is, coupled with proactive future planning, can help prevent financial crisis later.

Derrick Strauss is the marketing manager for All Western Mortgage, a Colorado-based real estate lending agency spanning 22 states.

Lindsay Rosenwald on the Progress in Prostate Cancer Research

Lindsay RosenwaldDoctor Lindsay Rosenwald has also proven to be an influential investor in the biotechnology industry. Lindsay Rosenwald continues to monitor the medical community and its efforts to cure major forms of cancer. Here, Lindsay Rosenwald answers questions about how prostate cancer research has progressed in the last decade.

Interviewing Experts: Thank you for taking time to talk with us.

Lindsay Rosenwald: I’m glad to be here.

Interviewing Experts: Is there any progress in the area of prostate cancer research?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: There has been a great deal of progress in prostate cancer therapy over the last several years, which suggests even more potential in the near future.

Interviewing Experts: What has helped this progress?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: Significant advances in chemotherapy, along with the use of robotic surgery are demonstrating a pronounced effect in cancer patient outcomes.

Interviewing Experts: What is targeted therapy?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: Targeted therapy is a more recent form of cancer treatment that utilizes drugs or other substances in order to identify and then attack cancer cells.
Interviewing Experts: How does this affect the body?
Lindsay Rosenwald:  Targeted therapy accomplishes this task while invoking little damage on the surrounding normal cells.
Interviewing Experts: Where does targeted therapy achieve its goal?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: These therapies will attack the programming of these cancer cells, setting them apart from healthy, normal cells that are performing all their functions properly.

Interviewing Experts: How does targeted therapy work?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: Each form of targeted therapy operates in a different manner, depending on its application and the particular patient.

Interviewing Experts: But all with the same goal?

Lindsay Rosenwald: Yes, all of them alter the way in which a cancer cell grows, repairs itself, divides or even interacts with other cells.

Interviewing Experts: What type of drugs is being developed?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: Cabozantinib is a new drug that specifically targets the MET protein.

Interviewing Experts: What does this mean?

Lindsay Rosenwald: The MET protein will trigger tumor growth and eventually lead to the formation of blood vessels that lend nutrients to the tumor. Cabozantinib also has an effect on angiogenesis by targeting the VEGFR protein.

Interviewing Experts: What is angiogenesis?

Lindsay Rosenwald: Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessels forming from the already existing vessels.

Interviewing Experts: How does Cabozantinib work?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: Cabozantinib has helped to prohibit tumor growth and alleviate pain in patients.
Interviewing Experts: Can Cabozantinib be used in all types of patients?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: In early studies, this drug was found to make bone tumors get smaller or even go away on imaging scans in many men whose prostate cancer was no longer responding to hormones.

Interviewing Experts: How long does the effect last?
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: In most cases, the effect lasted about 6 months.

Interviewing Experts: That’s an encouraging sign.
 
Lindsay Rosenwald: It is. However, it’s not clear now if the drug will actually help men to live longer.
 
Lindsay Rosenwald is a co-founder of the firm Investment Partnership. Through Investment Partnership, Lindsay Rosenwald and his business partner invest funds into the healthcare space for the benefit of a variety of medical research projects.