Trying to succeed in life is difficult.  There’s no sugar coating it.  And as if it isn’t hard enough, it always seems as if the whole world tries to convince you that you’re incapable. 

The human mind, as powerful of a machine as it is, is susceptible to negativity.  When you hear it enough, you’ll start to believe it yourself.  Though negative comments and lack of support from others may slow you down, no one will hold you back more than your own insecurities.

As the human mind is easily affected by negativity, it is also affected by positivity.  That’s why self-confidence is so important.  Believing in yourself will keep you going strong despite the negativity in your life.  Believe you can and you’re halfway there!

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Can you believe it’s that time again already?  In just one more week, we’ll be waking up our kids (or at least trying to) and getting them ready for their first day of school.  After serving them an obligatory back-to-school breakfast and making sure they’ve got all their supplies in their backpacks, we’ll position them in front of the fireplace or on the front lawn for the traditional first day photo shoot, much to their dislike.  As we drop them off at school or watch as the school bus door closes behind them, we may even shed a tear as we collectively whisper a resounding, “at last!”

Enjoy the last week of summer by spending quality time with your kids.  Go on a camping trip, have a family barbecue, take them to a museum, or take on some small creative projects in which every member of the family can partake.  Whatever you choose to do, have fun, and cherish these moments, for it’s only a matter of time before NEXT school year comes around!

Close out your week of family fun with a shopping spree.  This year’s annual Sales Tax Holiday is this weekend: Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8.  If you haven’t gotten the chance to buy all your kids’ school supplies for the year, this weekend is the perfect time to get it done!

If you still need to purchase school supplies, click here to visit the Lafayette Parish School Board website, where school supply lists for all Lafayette Parish schools are posted.

Click here to download the 2015-2016 academic calendar for Lafayette Parish to be informed of grading periods, holidays, testing days, in-services, and parent-teacher conference days.

Myself and the members of Elite Team hope you have a wonderful school year!

Home not selling? That could happen for a number of
reasons you can’t control, like a unique home layout or having one of the few homes in the neighborhood without a garage. There is one factor you can control: your home price.

These six signs may be telling you it’s time to lower your price.

 

1. You’re drawing few lookers.

You get the most interest in your home right after you put it on the market because buyers want to catch a great new home before anybody else takes it. If your real estate agent reports there have been fewer buyers calling about and asking to tour your home than there have been for other homes in your area, that may be a sign buyers think it’s overpriced and are waiting for the price to fall before viewing it.

2. You’re drawing lots of lookers but have no offers.

If you’ve had 30 sets of potential buyers come through your home and not a single one has made an offer, something is off. What are other agents telling your agent about your home? An overly high price may be discouraging buyers from making an offer.

3. Your home’s been on the market longer than similar homes.

Ask your real estate agent about the average number of days it takes to sell a home in your market. If the answer is 30 and you’re pushing 45, your price may be affecting buyer interest. When a home sits on the market, buyers can begin to wonder if there’s something wrong with it, which can delay a sale even further. At least consider lowering your asking price.

4. You have a deadline.

If you’ve got to sell soon because of a job transfer or you’ve already purchased another home, it may be necessary to generate buyer interest by dropping your price so your home is a little lower priced than comparable homes in your area. Remember: It’s not how much money you need that determines the sale price of your home, it’s how much money a buyer is willing to spend.

5. You can’t make upgrades.

Maybe you’re plum out of cash and don’t have the funds to put fresh paint on the walls, clean the carpets, and add curb appeal. But the feedback your agent is reporting from buyers is that your home isn’t as well-appointed as similarly priced homes. When your home has been on the market longer than comparable homes in better condition, it’s time to accept that buyers expect to pay less for a home that doesn’t show as well as others.

6. The competition has changed.

If weeks go by with no offers, continue to check out the competition. What have comparable homes sold for and what’s still on the market? What new listings have been added since you listed your home for sale? If comparable home sales or new listings show your price is too steep, consider a price reduction.

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Originally posted at: REALTOR® Content Resource

Visit our blog: Lafayette Real Estate News

Greatness is defined as the quality of being considerably above the normal or average.  The very definition of greatness tells us that, in order to achieve it, we must do great things—we must go above and beyond.  Great things never came from comfort zones.

Comfort zones are, well, comfortable to us.  They are familiar, safe, and reliant.  Stepping out of your comfort zone may be one of your most difficult feats, but once you get over the initial fear or discomfort, you’ll thank yourself, for it is known that one great thing always leads to another.

We all want to achieve greatness.  We all want to be remembered for doing great things for a great cause.  However, greatness requires positivity, dedication, and, most importantly, courage—the courage to break out of your comfort zone.

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Are you giving your laptop the proper care it deserves?  If you’re reliant on your laptop to safely store valuable information, you need to make sure your laptop is actually reliable.  These 7 helpful tips can increase the longevity of your laptop and keep it running smoothly!    

 1. Keep it Cool

The name “laptop” is deceiving. Your laptop should never actually be placed on your lap, or any soft or uneven surfaces, lest you want your laptop to overheat and risk computer failure.  Always allow airflow to the bottom of your laptop by placing it on a smooth, hard surface.

 2. Let it Sleep

Placing your laptop in a bag or backpack while it’s still on can be detrimental to the hard drive, which is more easily affected by bumps and movement when it’s on than when it’s off. When you need to transport your laptop, put it in sleep mode to prevent hard drive damage.

 3. Unplug it

Constantly keeping your laptop plugged in can slowly reduce its battery’s power. Conversely, never letting it charge sufficiently can also harm the battery.  If your laptop has enough power, unplug it and let the battery run down until you feel it needs to be charged again.  Don’t leave your laptop plugged in overnight.

 4. Give it a Wash

Laptops should be thoroughly cleaned about once a year. Cotton swabs and compressed air are perfect for cleaning around the keys and other small openings.  Additionally, the inside of the laptop should also be cleaned to remove dust buildup.  A common cause of overheating is excessive dust buildup inside the laptop, which can cause it to overheat by up to 30°F.

 5. Shut it Down

This one goes for all computers, not just laptops. The more time you spend on it, the more often you should shut it down.  This is because new data is constantly being saved to your computer as you use it.  Shutting down your computer will remove any short term memory your computer has collected.  Clearing your cache and browser history, as well as any other unused programs or files, will let your computer run more efficiently.

 6. Protect it

This step is crucial, especially if your laptop contains sensitive or confidential data. Encrypt your laptop in every way possible by using passwords.  Install a reliable antivirus software on your laptop to prevent it from getting infected.  Be wary when opening emails or downloading files or programs.  Never keep your laptop unattended in public.

 7. Back it Up

Backing up your laptop is such a simple way to protect your files, yet a surprising number of people don’t do it. An external hard drive is a small investment that just might save the day when the unthinkable happens.

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Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News