Feng Shui- What It Is and How to Use It

What is feng shui?

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese philosophy of finding harmony and balance between elements. Although feng shui is used in numerous aspects of life to promote positive energy flow (“chi”) and bring about  physical and mental health, success, and healthy relationships, it’s also very commonly used in interior design. 

The practice of feng shui in interior design is rooted in the idea that our homes and living spaces are mirrors of what is happening inside us. Those who want to implement feng shui into their homes to promote positive energy should be very intentional with what they bring into their homes and have in their living spaces. 

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Hosting a Housewarming Party

Buying a new home is an exciting time for anyone! Getting to show off your new pad to friends, family and neighbors…even more exciting. Here are some tips to get you ready to hold an easy and fun housewarming party.

Who to Invite?

Knowing who to invite to a housewarming party can be stressful. Do you want it more of a intimate gathering or open to many? It is ultimately up to you but typically family, close friends, new neighbors and even some of their friends should be included on the guest list. The point of welcoming people into your new home is to expand your circle and make friends in your new area. If you have young kids, this is also a great opportunity for them to meet kids their own age and schedule play dates. Meeting new friends, introducing your family to your new home…all this will help acclimate you to your new neighborhood.

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Realty Executives Earns Top Rankings in the Phoenix Business Journal Book of Lists

Realty Executives is pleased to announce that James Wexler has been named the #1 residential real estate agent by the Phoenix Business Journal Book of Lists. The prestigious ranking is based on total dollar volume for 2018 residential real estate sales in Maricopa County, which was $82.14 million for Wexler. Along with dollar volume for 2018, other information points for the rankings include number of transaction sides, most expensive home sold during the year, and agent email and website information.

In addition, Realty Executives Phoenix agent Scott Grigg was ranked #6 with $60.29 million total dollar volume and Rosie Derryberry was ranked #17 with $31.47 million total dollar volume. The publication also ranked real estate teams, Realty Executives of Phoenix teams recognized included: Williams Team of Realty Executives Phoenix, ranked #9 at $139.9 million, the Realty Network Group ranked #34 at $50.76 million and ONE Priority Team ranked #44 at $46.13 million. All rankings in these categories for the Book of Lists were based on total dollar volume for 2018 residential real estate sales in Maricopa County. The Book of Lists provides rankings of hundreds of the top local companies in their fields. It also provides the names of key decision makers, along with their titles and contact information. 

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How to Increase Your Home’s Resale Value

People are always asking how they can get more money for their house when they put it on the market. While some of the things that determine your home’s value are out of your hands (location, age, layout), many buyers are willing to fork over a little more when certain upgrades have been made. Below are some suggestions for projects and improvements that can increase your home’s resale value. 

Invest in Energy Efficiency

It’s the 21st century, and green is the name of the game! Not only do energy-efficient updates help protect the environment, they also save you more money by reducing utility bills. Now we’ve all heard of those little energy-saving hacks like unplugging your phone charger and washing your clothes in cold water — but those aren’t the kinds of things that are going to add value to your home. If you want a greater resale value, you have to think bigger. Consider one of these upgrades:

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Creating the “Spookiest” Haunted House

Halloween is right around the corner, but not everything has to be super scary in order to be fun! Here’s our guide to creating a spooky haunted house that is kid-approved and just the right amount of creepy for your kids to have fun this season.

Carve pumpkins

Whether you carve real pumpkins or you opt for fake pumpkins, you can’t go wrong with using jack-o-lanterns to set the mood. The more lanterns and candles (even battery-operated) you use, the more spooky lighting you can have to decorate your haunted house! We suggest purchasing plastic or foam jack-o-lanterns from your local craft store and getting the kids involved. You can find this for an affordable price and carve as many as you want to use them to decorate the whole house.

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Four Quick Tips to Improve Your Client Response Time

As any real estate agent and broker will attest, response time is key to earning you a spot at the top of the buyer and seller pyramid. In today’s world of instant gratification, brokers and agents have to be quick on the draw if they’re going to earn their clients’ business.

Our partners at dotloop understand the importance of being first and efficient. Here are four simple ways to help you take those hang-ups off hold and hit go.

1. Text Messenger

 Our latest mobile features help streamline transactions to improve client response times and help you get deals done faster when you’re at the office or on the move.

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Realty Executives Premier Raises $10,000 for the Marty Lyons Foundation

Realty Executives Premier based in Burtonsville, MD recently raised $10,000 for the Marty Lyons Foundation at its second annual Family Fun Night at the Ballpark. The Marty Lyons Foundation grants wishes to children who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life-threatening illness. The money raised by the Premier brokerage event will grant two wishes for children and their families.  

Over the past 37 years, the 501(c)3 organization, founded by former NFL and All-American athlete, Marty Lyons, has worked to keep hope alive in the hearts of thousands of children and has provided support for their families. The Marty Lyons Foundation, has grown to 10 chapters in 12 states and has granted over 7,600 wishes, brightening the lives of countless children.

“We were honored to hold this event, supporting a great cause,” said John Burgess, Broker at Realty Executives Premier. “This is the second annual Family Fun Night and I hope that we can continue this tradition and raise money for these brave children.”
The Realty Executives Premier office has served home buyers and sellers for over a decade. It is located at 3919 National Drive, Suite 310 in Burtonsville. The brokerage consists of more than 20 agents with three support staff and is licensed in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and Pennsylvania. In addition to supporting the Marty Lyons Foundation, Premier also contributes to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation and So Others Might Eat, a service organization which supports the homeless residents of Washington, DC. The team specializes in residential, commercial, new home representation, property management and investment real estate.

Realty Executives Premier based in Burtonsville, MD recently raised $10,000 for the Marty Lyons Foundation at its second annual Family Fun Night at the Ballpark. The Marty Lyons Foundation, grants wishes to children who have been diagnosed with a terminal or life-threatening illness. The money raised by the Premier brokerage event will grant two wishes for children and their families.  

Over the past 37 years, the 501(c)3 organization, founded by former NFL and All-American athlete, Marty Lyons, has worked to keep hope alive in the hearts of thousands of children and has provided support for their families. The Marty Lyons Foundation, has grown to 10 chapters in 12 states and has granted over 7,600 wishes, brightening the lives of countless children.

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Living in the City: What to Expect

City-living comes with its many benefits, and is growing exponentially in popularity. In 2016, it was revealed that over 23 percent of the world’s population lived in cities with over one million inhabitants, and that number is expected to grow to a large majority (in urban areas) by 2050.

 Living in an urban environment does, for many, come at somewhat of a cost, as you can be restricted in the amount of personal space city homes offer or loss of green space. But fear not, as there is plenty to do when within an arm’s reach of the bustling city center.

 For the urban socialite looking for things to do in the big city, here are six things usually within walking distance of the average city-center apartment.

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Pre-Assembled or Flat Pack Furniture: Which is Better?

There’s a lot of things to consider before purchasing furniture. Color, design, quality, and quantity are on top of the list. However, one point that you should keep in mind is how you want them to be delivered. 

When it comes to delivery, pre-assembled or flat pack furniture are two terms you should jot down when purchasing furniture for your new place. Which is better? Let’s found out.

Pre-assembled Furniture

If you don’t find yourself comfortable at assembling furniture, then you can rely on pre-assembled furniture. The term says it clearly. This kind of furniture is pre-made and is either handmade or done by machines. 

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Five Tips For Keeping Mobile Data Safe

1. Have a Security Plan And Follow It

All mobile phones and tablets used for business should be password-protected. Even better, use bio-metric authentication, such as a fingerprint or face scan, which cannot be replicated. Bio-metrics also make a strong password for apps.

Use a password manager to generate and store a different password for every account.

Know which data and apps are on a device and remove any apps that are not necessary for business. While the user may see a functioning app, like a flashlight or game, in the background, the program may be secretly sending information to a third party. Domingo Guerra, co-founder and president at mobile security firm Appthority, refers to these apps as “hospital gown” threats. The programs appear to be legitimate upfront and are even distributed in the major app stores, but they have a security gap in the back end. To be sure, only install apps from reputable developers and services, such as the Apple App Store and Google Play.

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