Andre's Blog

Ingredients

1/4 cup light soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons peanut oil
2 eggs -- lightly beaten
1 carrot -- in 1/2" cubes
1 red bell pepper -- in 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup of steamed medium peeled shrimp
4 cups cold cooked rice


Directions:

Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Mix to blend well and set aside.

Place a small skillet over medium heat. When it begins to smoke, add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and the lightly beaten eggs. Stir until the eggs are firm but moist.

Transfer the eggs from the skillet to a small bowl and break them into small curds. Set aside.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the carrot and boil 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again and reserve.

Place a wok over medium-high heat. When it begins to smoke, add the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut oil and the garlic. Stir briefly.

Add the carrots, celery, red pepper, pea and shrimp. Stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in the rice and stir-fry 1 minute.

Pour in the sauce and cook until the rice is heated through, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve hot.


serves/makes 8

Faced with a massive glut of unsold homes, many would-be sellers are struggling to make their properties stand out in today's downtrodden real-estate market. But while the economic head winds are beyond property owners' control, home-marketing expert Barb Schwarz says they can dramatically improve their chances of making a sale by devoting attention to an often-overlooked aspect of real-estate selling: home staging.

Schwarz, the CEO of StagedHomes.com, was a pioneer in home staging back in the early 1970s and has used the techniques to sell properties ever since. "The goal [of home staging] is for the buyer to mentally move in," Schwarz says. "If they cannot mentally feel and see themselves living here, you've lost them." Schwarz offers six simple tips to help home sellers better position themselves in a sluggish market.

1. Get them inside. The first thing a prospective buyer notices about a home is not the living room but the front yard. "A lot of people think staging is the inside only," Schwarz says. "[But] we've got to stage the outside to get them inside." So cut the grass, trim the hedges, rake those leaves, sweep the sidewalks and power-wash the driveway. And make sure you don't have too many potted plants scattered around the property. "Nothing dead," Schwarz says. "You'd be amazed how many people have dead plants in their yards."

2. Pretend you're camping. Schwarz says a cluttered room will appear too small to buyers. "Clutter eats equity," she says. Schwarz tells homeowners to go through each room of the house and divide their belongings into two piles: "keep" and "give up." Items in the "keep" pile will be used to stage the room, while those in the "give up" pile should be stored elsewhere. "Pretend you are camping," she says. "When you go camping, you are not taking all those books, right?"

The de-cluttered rooms may appear bare to the seller, but the buyer won't think so. "We are not selling your things. We are selling the space," Schwarz says. "And buyers cannot visualize when there is too much [stuff] in the room." De-cluttering a home's outdoor spaces is important, too, she says.

3. Balance hard and soft surfaces. When staging a room, it's essential to have a good balance of hard surfaces, such as a coffee-table top, and soft surfaces, like a carpet, Schwarz says. For example, a room with a cushy, 7-foot-long sofa, a love seat and four La-Z-Boy recliners has too many soft surfaces and not enough hard surfaces. "The room is sinking," she says. "It's all too heavy." Instead, consider getting rid of the La-Z-Boys and the love seat, replacing them with two wingback chairs. "If you have hardwood floors but no rugs, it's too hard," Schwarz says, "so you want to add a rug."

4. Work in ones or threes. Schwarz recommends arranging items on top of hard surfaces in ones or threes.

You would place three items - say, a lamp, a plant and a book - on top of a larger hard surface, such as an end table. "You take away the plant and the book, it's too bare," she says. "[But if] you put 10 things on it, it's overdone." The three items should be closely grouped in a triangle. "I draw a triangle for my clients," Schwarz says. "I say, 'Here is the end table - let's superimpose a triangle on top of it.'" For hard surfaces with less area, however, a single item will do.

5. Decide from the doorway. Since would-be buyers will get their first impression of each room from the doorway, homeowners should use that perspective to judge their staging work. "Do your work, go back to the doorway. Do some more, go back to the doorway," Schwarz says. That way, you'll be better able to ensure that each room appeals to buyers.

6. Make your place "Q-Tip clean." A properly staged home should be immaculate - "Q-Tip clean," as Schwarz puts it. "I mean Q-Tips getting dead flies out of your windowsill [and] going around the bottom of your toilet on the floor," she says. The purpose of ensuring the house is spotless is more than simply making it presentable. If a home is unkempt, a buyer will wonder what other, less visible problems may come with the property, Schwarz says. "They'll say, 'Gosh, if they live like this, what don't they take care of that I can't see?'"

One of the perks of being a celebrity is that when you want to get away, you can simply jet to your second (or third) home to unwind. So where do your favorite stars call home when they are not on the set? If you want to rub elbows with celebrities, visit these famous vacation home destinations:

(SoBe) Miami, FL

Celebrity cats, pet lions, rappers at breakfast, Estefan for dinner: South Beach is that kind of place. It's the "new" American Riviera. It's like Cannes run by hipsters and everyone's invited, no jacket required. It's a place where yellow Porsches make complete sense. It's where you can become someone else.  The place buzzes with energy and excitement as artists, musicians and fashionistas dance the night away.

Santa Barbara, Calif.

Where does one of the richest women in the world go when she wants to relax? Oprah Winfrey heads for her 42-acre, $50 million ocean-front home in Montecito, Calif. Referred to as the "American Riviera", the Santa Barbara area is also frequented by such celebrities as Paul McCartney, Dennis Miller, and Michael Douglas. In fact, Michael Douglas donated funds to help save a coastal nature preserve from development, naming the public park the Douglas Family Preserve in honor of his father, Kirk.

The Hamptons, N.Y.

Such attractions as top-notch restaurants, world-class shopping and of course, the beach are why celebrities like Katie Couric, Gwyneth Paltrow and Renée Zellweger own property in the Hamptons. Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld even purchased a 12-acre estate from Billy Joel that features its own baseball diamond.

Taos, N.M.

If you really want to get away, follow the lead of Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, and Val Kilmer by heading to New Mexico. Patrick Swayze, who owns a 20,000-acre ranch, says "I fell in love with New Mexico when I was shooting Red Dawn." He adds, "it's my healing place."

Lake Como, Italy

Not all stars stay so close to home, however. For a more exotic destination, jet to the shores of George Clooney's second home in Lake Como, Italy. His 15-bedroom, 18th century estate, Villa Oleandra, is also frequented by his famous friends Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Michael Douglas. Like Douglas, Clooney has also worked to prevent the construction of parking lots and other development in the area.

Sure, housing's in a hole. But there's a potent case for buying now. There has rarely been a moment in history when you couldn't scare yourself into doing nothing. When prices are falling, few people have the discipline to buy stocks, a house, gold, art or any other asset. But those who do pull the trigger excel in the long run. As John D. Rockefeller famously said, "The way to make money is to buy when blood is running in the streets."

And the streets are stained crimson. Housing, certainly some skepticism is in order. Formerly sizzling markets in Florida, Nevada, Arizona and California probably haven't seen the worst headlines just yet, though they may well be close. And "jumbo" mortgages, those more then $417,000 are likely to remain artificially high for a few more months while banks work through their credit issues.

But let's say your're emotionally ready to be a homeowner. You have good credit, plan to stay put for five years and have been waiting for the perfect entry point. It's time to get serious- before an inevitable rise in interest rates wipes out your advantage. The thing that will make home prices stop falling is the very same thing that will push mortgage rates higher. So anything you gain by a further drop in prices might be offset by rising financing costs.

Consider a typical home that sells for $218,000. You put 20% down and get a 30 year fixed at a mortgage rate of 5.5%(yes they are still around: www.jshambley.apexlending.com). Monthly principal and interest come to $994.31. Let's say that same house goes for 10% less, or $197, 010. But by then the recession is history and the Fed is jacking up rates to stem inflation. If mortgage cost rise just half a point, to 6%, your monthly payment would be $994.94 and you'd have SAVED NOTHING! Meanwhile, home prices might steady and sellers might become less willing to negotiate. And you have spent a year living soemplace you'd rather not be.

It's more complicated if you must sell before you can buy. But that logjam won't persist forever- and if it appears you'll be trapped for a few years, try to refinance at today's lower rates. Risks always seem most acute when the headlines gives you ulcers. But that's exactly when you should think ong term adn get off your thumbs.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsps. fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp. coriander, ground
1 tsp. cumin, ground
1 cup dry white wine or ginger ale
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup whole blanched almonds
1 cup pitted green olives
Couscous, cooked to package directions

Arrange chicken in a small glass bowl. Add flour and toss chicken to coat. Heat olive oil in large soup pot over high heat. Place chicken in olive oil; brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté about 5 minutes. Stir in coriander and cumin; sauté until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add wine or ginger ale. Increase heat to high. Boil until liquid has reduced by half. Stir in chicken broth, apricots, almonds and olives. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve over couscous.

Makes 4 servings.

From earning your very first dollar at a neighborhood lemonade stand to investing in a retirement plan, there are a few steps along the road to wealth that many people share. How you choose to proceed from each of these landmarks, however, can determine how successful you will be in managing your money.

Not all financial decisions need to be complicated, but here are a few milestones that you will want to consider carefully:

Selecting a career - you likely didn't stay on the career path that you dreamed of as a child ... after all, few of us grow up to be pirates or fairy princesses, but choosing a career is a decision that can certainly affect your lifetime wealth.

Of course, potential earnings aren't the only thing to consider when choosing a career; you also want to think about education and training, job marketability and security, and what you enjoy doing.

Avoiding debt - you may have accumulated some debt in the form of student loans or credit cards as you were starting out on your own, but how you handle those expenses can set the course for your future wealth. Budget as much as you can toward such high-interest debt until these expenses are paid, then begin building your savings.

Buying a home - as one of the biggest purchases you're likely to make, buying your first home requires some planning. In order to avoid having the cost of private mortgage insurance (PMI) added to your monthly payments, you should plan to pay 20 percent of the purchase price as a down payment. You should also meet with a mortgage professional to discuss your income, monthly debts, credit history and assets which can help you determine how much you can afford and get prequalified for a loan.

Expanding your family - getting married and having children may not seem like a financial decision, but it certainly affects your money. Before taking the plunge, discuss your financial goals with your partner and make a plan of how the two of you can work together to achieve those goals.

Making investments - the key to investing wisely is to do your research. Weigh your potential for gain against the risk of loss before purchasing stocks or other investments

Buying a home can be a long, complicated and frightening process, and it is important to be prepared. Knowledge is power when it comes to negotiating the difficult world of home prices, interest rates and mortgage loans. For a first time home buyer, there are many factors to consider before you buy. The more information you can gather before you start shopping, the better off you will be.

Look Beyond the Price

 

When it comes to securing a quality mortgage loan, it is important to look beyond the interest rate to the true cost of the loan, both now and in the future. Read the paperwork, including the fine print, carefully, especially if the interest rate is below market rates. Upon closer inspection you may find that the interest rate is guaranteed for only a short period of time, or that it is subject to rise sharply in the future. Your mortgage loan may be the most important contract you will ever sign, and it is essential that you understand your rights and your responsibilities before signing on the dotted line.

In many cases it will make sense to hire a lawyer to review the mortgage paperwork for you. Many communities provide some sort of first time homebuyer program designed to help renters become homeowners, and these organizations may be able to provide the legal advice you need at a price you can afford.

Every Situation is Unique

 

Every homebuyer will have a different set of circumstances, and it is important for the lender to consider those factors. Some homeowners may plan to move in a year or two, and they may be able to benefit from a variable rate mortgage. Others will plan to remain in their home for decades, and those home buyers may benefit from the stability of a fixed rate mortgage and its predictable and stable monthly payment.

It is also important for those buying a first home to factor in the additional costs of the mortgage when deciding how much they can afford to pay. Things like closing costs and the high price of private mortgage insurance can drive up costs and eat into funds that would otherwise be available for home improvements, furnishings and other essentials. In some cases sellers may be willing to pay some of the closing costs, and some lenders will be able to negotiate those closing costs downward. The key is to ask those questions before the closing date arrives, and to be prepared to search for a better deal if necessary.

First time buyers should also be on the lookout for any hidden fees. These small nuisance fees can add up to hundreds of dollars on closing day, so be sure to scour your paperwork for any such fees. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of any charge be sure to ask for a valid explanation. Again, an experienced real estate attorney can provide valuable insight into which fees are reasonable and which are out of bounds.

And of course first time home buyers should not lose sight of the home itself in the quest for the perfect mortgage. Any defects should be pointed out to the seller well before the closing is to take place. The costs of every needed repair should be carefully negotiated prior to the purchase, and buyers should always follow up to make sure that all requested repairs have been made. A home is a major purchase, and it is important to make sure that everything has been taken care of before moving in.

Well I have finally created a myspace page or should I say caught up to the rest of the world.  After spending the weekend meeting myspace friends and navigating the site I asked myself why hadn't I done this sooner.  See, I'm not tech savvy at all and due to this underachievement it becomes challenging trying to increase your market share living in a metropolitan area, such as, Miami-Dade. 

 For those of you who have never been to South Florida Miami is not a friendly place. From the moment you walk out the door bullets of rejection...fingers of flesh...words of fury are constantly hurled at you.  Ahh, the beauty of being a realtor in this town.  But of course meet on myspace and it's an altogether different connection.

 Over the weekend I've had people give me their phone numbers...owners invite me to their restaurant...drinks and appetizers on them.  Even a few celebrities have responded to my messages or stopped by to say, "hi".  Now I'm not short of friends nor have a lonely heart.  But as Miami's Best Realtor I believe in prospecting 24/7.  So why wouldn't I be their for the needs of myspace friends?

After doing some careful research I found that 38 percent of homebuyers use social networking Web sites to search for a home and seek advice in a neutral setting where they can develop trust before selecting a professional.

Homebuyers nowadays have a wealth of data at their fingertips but don't understand how to process the information.  Everywhere they turn someone is talking real estate whether it's the non expert news reporter, the Realtor on the radio or the post card swearing the next "Best Deal".  But after all, wouldn' t you trust the advice of a friend ;-).  www.myspace.com/SouthFloridaOpenHouse

Andre Shambley

"Miami's Best Realtor...PERIOD"

...Florida. The Sunshine State. America's own tropical delight - beautiful people with even more beautiful homes.

So, you're thinking of moving to Florida? Well, you're not alone. Approximately 1400 people are moving to the state each and every day! Making Florida one of the fastest growing states in the US.

Most of these newcomers become permanent year round residents, while others become "snowbirds". (Those who only live in the state during the northern winter months and then return home to their primary residence state when summer comes.)

Three of the top reasons for moving to Florida are for the weather, recreation & Most Important....................NO STATE INCOME TAX!!!!

They are dirty words in Florida when you string them together: "income" and "tax."

It's another good reason why millions of Americans are moving to this first-class tax haven. Warm weather isn't the only reason Florida is now the third-most-populous state in the Union (behind California and Texas). Its own constitution prohibits an income tax. The sales tax is 6%.

Not having an income tax can be a very big saving. With its Homestead protections, Florida's full-time residents over 65 have the security that their property taxes will not go up more than the rate of inflation.

Welcome to Sunny Florida!