(ARA) – Home buyers and sellers – the relationship may seem like it should be more adversarial than ever, given the current market. Coming at the real estate equation from opposite sides, buyers and sellers may feel they have little in common. The truth is, however, that both groups share a common path to real estate success – the Internet.

The Internet has been revolutionizing real estate for years now; more than 80 percent of buyers look at homes on the Internet, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). “More homes than ever before are being marketed on the Internet,” says Kendra Todd, of HGTV’s “My House is Worth What?” and season three winner of “The Apprentice.” “Whether you’re buying or selling, it’s essential to work with a real estate expert who is on the cusp of the latest trends, especially the Internet.”

Even the most techno-savvy among us may feel overwhelmed by the volume of real estate information – and listings – available on the Internet. How do you sort through it if you’re a buyer? And how do you find the right agent who will know how to maximize Internet marketing value, if you’re a seller? Here are tips from real estate experts – Todd, Saul Klein, CEO of Point2 Technologies, the company behind a leading real estate Web site, Point2 Homes, and Brady Pevehouse of Lynk Mortgage and Perrone Realty in central Florida.

Tips for Sellers

* With home prices still falling in many areas of the country, it’s probably tempting to try to sell on your own and avoid paying a commission to an agent. “But homes represented by agents historically sell faster and for a better price than those sold by owners,” Klein points out. “It’s harder and riskier to try selling on your own.”

* Select an Internet-savvy real estate agent to represent you. Questions to ask any agent you’re considering include: Do you plan to use syndication to publish my listing widely? Do you cover Craigslist, Yahoo!, Google, etc.? How many sites will my home be on? What kind of traffic do those sites receive? Will you purchase ad space on the Internet?

* Use the Internet to find a tech-savvy agent. At Point2Homes.com, sellers can find local agents with sophisticated Internet marketing skills. These agents use Point2 Technologies’ Web marketing software, Point2 Agent to syndicate listings and to create and maintain user-friendly, informative Web sites designed to help their clients sell their homes.

Tips for Buyers

* Take full advantage of the Internet’s research power. “The Internet can give you more relevant real estate information than just listings,” Todd says. “You can use it to evaluate price trends in areas of interest, access city hall records on development plans for your area, check out crime statistics, school facilities and noise issues.”

* “Begin with a clear vision of why you’re buying and how long you intend to be in the house,” Pevehouse advises. “This will help you determine what kind of home you’re looking for and what mortgage product is right for you.”

* Working with an Internet-savvy agent is as important for buyers as it is for sellers, Todd says. “Does the realtor provide dynamic info? Is he or she comfortable communicating with e-mail, text messaging and other technology tools?”

* While you’re researching online, keep in mind the difference between blogs and information, Todd advises. “Blogs are just opinions.” Look for fact-based sites and be sure the information you find is not outdated.

* “Real estate is intensely regional,” Todd says. Be sure to learn about the market in your area, because it may not necessarily be following national-level trends.

* Don’t be afraid to negotiate terms with the seller. “With inventory levels high, sellers can be very accommodating,” Pevehouse says. “Many are willing to contribute towards closing costs as an incentive for buyers.”

* If you’re even thinking about buying, do it now. “Jump on it now,” Todd advises. “It’s a buyer’s market, perhaps the best in years,” Klein agrees.

Buyers and sellers will both find helpful information on agents, markets and more at www.Point2Homes.com. Brokers and agents who wish to be added to the directory can also do so at www.Point2Agent.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – Is your son or daughter one of the 18 million students heading for college this fall? If so, you’re probably still recovering from the shock of seeing the tuition bill.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, The College Board reports that the estimated average annual cost of attendance was $35,374 at a four-year private college, $17,336 at a four-year public college and $13,126 at a two-year college. Those figures are even higher for the 2008-2009 school year.

So how are you going to come up with the money? If you haven’t figured that out yet, here’s some important advice that will help:  

1. Apply for Scholarships
To find scholarship opportunities, start your search early — December or January for the next school year — and utilize the resources around you. Begin with your high school guidance counselor for a list of possible resources. Next, check with the college financial aid office. Most state and many colleges offer scholarships. Think small — competition can be tough for large awards. Smaller awards ($1,000 and less) typically have less competition and are easier to obtain. Finally, the Internet and organization Web sites are excellent places to search.  Remember, this information should always be free.

For example, at www.usbank.com/studentbanking, you can apply to be one of 30 high school seniors to receive a $1,000 U.S. Bank Internet Scholarship. Over the past 12 years, U.S. Bank has awarded more than $320,000 in scholarship funding for this program. Scholarship award recipients are selected through a random drawing process. To qualify, students must be planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college full time next fall. The U.S. Bank Web site also features a powerful scholarship search engine that contains 1.68 million scholarships and awards worth $7.69 billion.

2. Apply for Work Study
The Federal Work Study program gives students the opportunity to earn money for school and gain valuable work experience. It’s available to both undergraduate and graduate students with financial need. The amount you can earn depends on several factors: need, other aid received and availability of school funds.

3. Student Loans — Covering the Big Costs
Student loans are some of the most commonly used financial tools. Student loans are funds borrowed from a financial institution or federal or state government. Education loans must be repaid. There are at least three types of education loans:

* A Federal Perkins Loan is a federal loan program administered by colleges. It’s available to both undergraduate and graduate students and is based on need and the availability of government funds.

* Federal Stafford (student) Loans and Federal PLUS Loans (for graduate students and parents of undergraduate students) are available through financial institutions, such as U.S. Bank, that participate in the FFEL program or through the federal government in the direct loan program.

* Financial institution (or “supplemental”) loans are for students (or their parents) who attend participating colleges and graduate schools. They are not based on need. As you determine the best way to finance your education, remember to consider the full range of student financial aid options available to you. Supplemental loans are often used to supplement federal student loans when they are not sufficient to cover the full cost of education. U.S. Bank offers a number of supplemental loans where students can borrow up to the entire annual cost of attendance, minus other financial aid received.

Information on U.S. Bank student loans can be found on the Web at www.usbank.com/studentloans or by phone at (800) 242-1200. Even if you think you won’t qualify for college financial aid, try anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Courtesy of ARA Content

(ARA) – We all look forward to vacations — the precious time to recharge our batteries and spend care-free days and fun-filled nights with family and friends. But visions of vacations may change this year with a recession looming, rising gas prices and basics like food and housing at a premium. Many Americans are on tight budgets that are affecting their travel plans.

General vacation costs were up 3.7 percent in 2007 and those who have traveled in 2008 know it’s not getting better. Americans are being forced to look at ways to cut back on their travel expenses, while still planning something fun for everyone in their party.

These tough economic times mean travelers need to become creative and discover destinations closer to home where their dollar goes further. More Americans are turning to the Internet to plan affordable vacations and get new travel ideas. With access to dedicated travel recommendation sites that help you plan your perfect trip, online coupons, and booking sites that offer discounted packages for hotels and flights, the Web has opened up a whole new world for travelers to plan within their budgets.

Start your travel planning on a travel-specific search Web site that will help you narrow down your favorite activities, destinations and types of lodging accommodations. UpTake (www.uptake.com), a travel search and discovery engine, is a great place to start travel planning.  To help make affordable travel decisions, the site is currently offering access to information on the largest collection of affordable hotels and free or cheap activities from around the Web, including parks, museums, campgrounds and beaches. Frugal-minded travelers can plan their trip by simply going to the site and selecting an activity or lodging for the destination of their choice, and then click on the “Feelin’ Broke” button, to get a list of free, affordable and fun suggestions. Web sites like these take travelers’ preferences into consideration and help guide you to places and activities that interest you and are within your budget.

Once you have narrowed down your top choices of where you’d like to go and what you’d like to do, it’s time to look for coupons and discounts. For example, families can lower the expense of visiting a theme park in several ways — by purchasing discount tickets in advance on the Internet, by downloading coupons that can be redeemed at the gate or by using memberships in associations such as AAA or AARP to get discounts at the facility. If you’re planning on traveling further from home, you should comparison shop the many popular online travel booking sites that offer discounted packages for flights, hotel and car rentals.

But always remember that no matter where you decide to go, taking a fun vacation does not mean that you have to spend a lot of money. Exploring nearby museums and art galleries, camping and hiking in a local state park, and taking tours through landmark or historical districts can create relaxing, fun experiences for everyone in your party.

So, when planning your upcoming vacation start your search on Web sites like UpTake to arrange your perfect trip, then do some research for coupons and discount packages. You’ll be amazed at the affordable, memorable vacation you will be able to take.  

For more information about UpTake, please visit www.uptake.com.  

Courtesy of ARAcontent