The future of the family road trip

For families, time on the road is a part of life, whether you're going for a family vacation or traveling to visit grandparents for the holidays. While time in the car together is nothing new, the way families are spending their time in the car and the tools that help get them safely to their destinations are rapidly evolving.

Nowadays, kids are less likely to pass the time playing 20 questions than they are to watch their favorite movie on an iPad. And while you might have once reached for the atlas to find your way, GPS systems or mobile phones have long since replaced your paper maps.

Each day new car and mobile technologies are improving the way families travel. New safety features, tools to help with directions, finding amenities, and increased entertainment options are available for passengers. But what if all of these helpful tools were integrated into one easy-to-use system within the family car?

Comprehensive in-vehicle systems designed to provide drivers with useful information may soon be the norm. Technology experts at Intel are currently working with automakers on in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems that have the potential to make the family road trip safer and more entertaining for everyone involved.

It is estimated that automobiles will be among the top three fastest growing Internet connected devices for Internet-based content by 2014, according to technology research form Gartner. This should come as no surprise given consumer demand for access to their digital lives anytime, anywhere, since the average American driver spends 18 hours a week behind the wheel. That's over two months every year spent in the car.

So how exactly could this type of technology help traveling families? Here are a few examples of the types of travel-friendly features that experts at Intel are exploring with leaders in the automotive industry:

* Cars could have a driver's side display that would be able to offer alerts about upcoming traffic signs and relay images about blind spots from cameras placed in a car. Alerts about upcoming stop signs or exits would be especially beneficial when driving in unfamiliar territory.

* What could be worse than a flat tire while on vacation? Emergency sensors connected to the car's infotainment system could alert you immediately when a tire loses pressure, giving you time to safely pull over or make it to the next exit for help. The intelligent infotainment system could also provide directions to the nearest repair shop.

* Like to travel with other families? New connected cars will offer you the ability to connect with other cars in your caravan through GPS tracking. No need to describe your location over the phone or two-way radio.

* Have you made a habit of streaming your children's favorite shows through a subscription service like Netflix? Soon, these types of entertainment options could be standard in the car's in-vehicle infotainment system, and music and video files could be kept in one place. You could even stream different movies on each of the backseat screens to accommodate everyone in the family.

To see more of what your family road trips might look like in the future, visit www.intel.com/automotive.

5 Things to Consider About a Neighborhood Before Buying

Buying a home is a long-term, important investment, so take the time to discover what makes your targeted neighborhoods tick. There are a number of ways to check the pulse of a community; talking to neighbors can give you a great snapshot of what it’s like to live there. Here are five other ways to determine whether a neighborhood is the right fit for you.

1. Is it an up-and-coming area or still in transition?
You might start by researching local home values and foreclosure rates. Consider such factors as crime rate, development plans and proposed or new businesses. You can even contact local officials, such as the county property appraiser or the HOA manager (if applicable) for better insights. Sometimes buying a home in a transitional area may prove to be a good investment, but you probably want to make sure you'll feel good about your home in the interim, too.

2. Do the schools make the grade?
Even if you don’t have school-age children, you should be interested in how the schools in your potential neighborhood perform. Homes near high-ranking schools tend to maintain higher resale values. Start your research by visiting GreatSchools.org  or using the SchoolFinder tool at education.com.

3. What’s nearby?
Consider what’s important to you in your future neighborhood, and then explore the surrounding areas near your targeted home. Among things to keep in mind are proximity to stores, schools and green spaces. Aside from being practical, these amenities make it easy to mingle with neighbors, set up kids’ play dates or just play fetch with your pup. WalkScore.com is a great place to search for nearby amenities – all you have to do is plug in an address and mode of transportation.

4. How far is it from work?
Try the new INRIX Drive Time tool on remax.com to determine how long it will take you to drive to work, school or area stores from your new home. You can also time a potential commute by doing a test drive during the time of day you’re most likely to go to and from work. Explore mass transit options. In addition to offering an alternative to driving, good public transportation near your home can have a positive effect on your property value.

5. How safe is it?
A neighborhood watch, well-lit streets, walkways, security systems and little to no signs of vandalism are signs of a safe neighborhood. You can see a picture of the types of crimes that occur in the neighborhood by researching on city-data.com or FBI.gov and the local police department’s website.

A RE/MAX agent is one of the best helpers you could have on your quest to find the right neighborhood – and the right home – for your needs.

For the information you’re looking for, give me a call at 832-570-5726 or visit me online at CallJared.com.

Crown molding - Adding a touch of glamor to your home decor

Crown molding is a great way to beautify an ordinary looking home into one that exudes class and style. Crown moldings are typically decorative strips made up of wood, plastic, or fiberboard. These are introduced to any room décor in an effort to camouflage the existing flaws and ugly blotches on the walls or ceilings. The crown molding is therefore similar to a wall decoration which adds a touch of elegance to a room, making it appear more grand and unique.

Crown molding ideas can be retraced to the Roman and Grecian culture where it became vastly popular. Wooden crown molding gained popularity later when craftsmen mastered the art of cutting, sanding, and carving wooden blocks to create masterpieces. Crown molding is affordable and can be implemented in almost any type of room. You can buy the raw materials yourself and get it made professionally by customizing it. What materials you choose for crown molding will largely determine how durable and beautiful it is going to be. Superior quality materials for home furnishing are likely to be far more expensive but are less likely to be damaged.

Home furnishing experts choose crown molding these days because it helps heighten a property's real estate standing. When a property appears visually stunning, chances are buyers will be willing to pay more for it. Simply demolishing walls to give your rooms a spacious look is not enough; instead, this is more expensive and impractical. An easier and economical alternative is using decorative columns and ceiling medallions for your home décor. These home décor ideas are easy to implement and will not cost you dearly.

Buying crown molding online can give you many advantages. This is because you can purchase your decorative columns or door casings or ceiling medallions directly from the maker without having to handle the wholesalers and retailers. They offer you the luxury of customizing your home furnishing ideas and guarantee you good quality materials. Unlike furniture, such decorative columns or ceiling medallions will not occupy unnecessary space, nor will they clutter the room. Besides, they are fire-resistant and help keep away harmful UV rays. Crown molding can be easily maintained and these products seldom rot. Installing them is never a problem and most of the products can be set up by following simple instructions, except ceiling medallions where professional assistance is recommended.

Crown molding can come in various designs like the traditionally classic designs which help add elegance and class to your home décor. Crown molding in the kitchen is similar to ceiling and wall decorations, but the installation process is different. Although challenging, using crown molding is a sure way of giving your rooms that much-needed makeover. It helps give every room a distinct flavor, an aesthetic appeal, a unique personality, and a sophisticated touch.

When choosing the crown molding for your rooms, make sure to choose the right molding depending on the room dimensions and ceiling height. Select the materials that are sturdy, dependable, and weather-proof. The world of home furnishing has undergone a revolutionary change with the advent of crown molding.

by: Walter Mitchell
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_7226.shtml

jaredanthonycox.com

Three steps to an organized garage sale

OK--you finally finished your spring cleaning. You spent days sorting and purging through your belongings. You threw a few things out. You even repaired that old clock you've had for years. But what will you do with everything else you uncovered and discovered? If you're willing to invest some time and energy, why not have a garage sale?

Garage sales are a great way to get rid of the things that you no longer want, need or cherish. But is it as easy as just dumping your stuff on the lawn and waiting for customers to drive by? Not if you want to make any money, it isn't. Besides having decent-quality merchandise, the key to a successful garage sale is being organized.

Here are 3 steps for making your garage sale organized for happy customers and optimal sales:

Step 1 - Pre-Sale Organizing

• Select a weekend for your sale and make no other commitments on those days. You WILL be exhausted. Ask friends and neighbors if they would like to join you. It is a perk to be able to split advertising costs and have someone watch over your area while you're grabbing a snack or running to the bathroom.

• Have you ever been to a garage sale where the items had no prices on them? One way of making 'Garage Sale Day' organized is to create a pricing system. This makes the selling easy for you and the buying easy for your customers. Purchase colored, circle-shaped labels from your neighborhood drug store or office supply store. Designate each color to be a different dollar amount, for example: Blue = $.25, Red = $.50, etc. Use white circle labels to write in prices higher than $1.00. Make signs that describe how much money each colored circle is worth. These should be posted around the area of your garage sale so you don't have a constant stream of people asking you about prices.

• For making your system even easier, you can purchase a package of yellow, circle-shaped labels that already have the amounts $.25, $.50, $.75, and $1.00 written on them.

• Select one area in your home to be the staging area for pricing items and one area (most often the garage or an underutilized room) for storage of the items before the garage sale. Price the items accordingly using the colored, circle-shaped labels. Then move the priced objects into the pre-garage sale storage area. This space will enable you to see exactly what you have and allow you to group like-items together such as books, kitchenware, toys, etc.

•Start saving grocery store bags as well as heavy-duty shopping bags. Your customers will appreciate your preparedness and it will be easier for them to carry their new-found treasures.

• Some of these new-found treasures will be breakable. Start saving newspaper, old wrapping paper and bubble wrap. These packing materials will help your customer get their breakable purchase home in one piece.

• Borrow and gather card tables, crates, workbenches, and other horizontal surfaces for displaying items.

• Make signs and put them up on nearby streets facing oncoming traffic.

• Check with your town regarding permits for having a garage sale.

Step 2 - During-the-Sale Organizing

• Post your pricing system signs around the area of your garage sale.

• Wear clothing with pockets. Pockets come in handy for holding some or your garage sale supplies such as pens, markers, and extra price stickers.

• Wear a fanny pack around your waist. Your money will be close to your body without spilling out of your pockets. The pack should have a minimum of two pouches. Dollar bills go in one compartment and loose change goes in the other.

• Know exactly how much money you started the day with so you'll be able to calculate exactly what you earned.

• Set up your belongings outside by category -all kid's stuff in one area, sports equipment in another area, etc. Group items with other like items to the best of your ability. If a customer is looking for toddler toys and they're all in one place, it's very likely that they'll buy more since everything they need will be right in front of them.

• Have at least one other person working with you. It is difficult to sell merchandise, wrap breakables and field questions by yourself. Take turns helping customers, straightening up the merchandise, and taking breaks.

Step 3 - Post-Sale Organizing

• Bring everything that was not sold into the room that was used as a staging area and make final decisions on whether or not to keep unsold items.

• Throw out anything that became damaged, dirty, or broken as a result of being at the garage sale.

• Donate the 'leftovers' to a charity such as The Salvation Army or the charity of your choice. The Vietnam Veteran's Association will often pick up donated goods at your home.

• Clean your lawn/driveway of any debris from the garage sale.

• Count your money and determine your profit.

• Place your fanny pack, the colored stickers, your pricing signs and other supplies from the garage sale in a container. Label it 'Garage Sale Supplies.' Now you're ready for your next garage sale. Job well done!

by: Stacey Agin Murray

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_5108.shtml

jaredanthonycox.com

Top wedding trends for brides on a budget

For brides-to-be, the big day seems like it comes with a big price tag - but it doesn't have to. The season's top wedding trends pair elegance and affordability with options to make an event that is uniquely "you."

To stay within your budget, follow these wedding trends.

* Outdoor weddings offer romance at a reasonable price

Perhaps no other setting is more romantic than the outdoors. Mother Nature provides the best backdrop for your special occasion. Outdoor weddings can be more affordable as parks or gardens typically offer rental areas at a reasonable rate. Know a relative with a beautiful yard? Ask them if you can host your wedding there. Then all you have to do is rent the supplies, such as chairs, tents and archways from your local American Rental Association rental store.

* Create a fun eating environment for less

The reception is often the largest cost of hosting a wedding. Budget-wise brides are choosing locations where you can provide your own food and drinks. Food stations, rather than a typical buffet, can be set up around the reception room offering different types of food, such as salad bar, pasta and desserts. You can rent everything you need to keep food fresh and serve it in style so you don't have to worry. Visit www.rentalhq.com to learn more, and find an ARA member rental store in your area.

* Add personal accessories for a lasting look

The gown is an important part of being a beaming bride, but it can be a large expense. Get a beautiful look with plenty of personality, without breaking the bank. Start with a simple gown and accessorize it to suit your tastes. Add a splash of color with a bright sash or flashy shoes. Hair accessories provide a fashionable option at little cost. Shorter veils are very popular and cost much less than longer options.

* Create homemade floral arrangements

Once you add up the bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres and more, your floral expense can be shocking. Brides are choosing to take a personal approach by gathering friends and family to create the flower pieces. Get together and create the masterpieces for the big day while enjoying food, drink and each other's company. It's a great way to bond and save money, while creating something beautiful and meaningful.

* Forgo the expensive wedding planner

Brides are choosing to rent versus buy supplies for food service, decor, entertainment and more to save money. Renting has never been more stylish, with a variety of options to make any bride's vision come true. Some ARA member rental businesses have Certified Event Rental Professionals (CERPs) on site. These professionals can share their knowledge and experience, from pre-wedding set-up all the way through the day of the event, helping to relieve the stress of planning a wedding. Look for the gold CERP icon when searching for your wedding needs.

Courtesy of BPT

jaredanthonycox.com