Advice for First Time Home Buyers – Viperboy333’s Experience

Originally Posted – Friday, November 25, 2011

This is a detailed and much appreciated article written by viperboy333 from Reddit. This user also goes by work_paper on Bog Spot. I’m re-posting the information here for my own access since his blog is not encrypted.

Citations:

Reddit Post 1: https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/mp9er/advice_for_firsttime_ca_home_buyers_my/

Reddit Post 2: https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/mqk6u/advice_for_firsttime_ca_home_buyers_my/

Reddit Post 3: https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/mqkje/advice_for_firsttime_ca_home_buyers_my/

Non-Encrypted Blog Page: http://workpaper.blogspot.com/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Having spent the last 12 months buying a home, a condo to be exact, I want to document and share my experiences so that others may learn from it.

Basics: Condo in Southern California
Previously sold in 2006 for ~$450K; Short-sale.

Buying a home can be a long and complex process. As a perfectionist, I wanted to understand everything. But even with a good head on my shoulder, I quickly found there is too much to read and understand. If you are juggling full-time work plus buying a house, likely, you won’t have time to read and understand everything.

Tip 1: Don’t try to understand and micro-manage everything. There is simply too much information. Instead, prioritize and get the most important pieces of information correct.

I started the home buying process by doing some general research (e.g., reading a whole lot of “first-time home buyers” type of info. Looking back, I it was an disorganized process and I probably read and re-read a bunch of information that I didn’t know exactly how to use.

Thus, to help you, first I’ll summarize the key people you’ll have to deal with throughout the process.

1. Buyer: YOU
2. Buyer’s Agent: The person showing you the homes, “helping” you through the process.
3. Mortgage Broker / Direct Lender: The person(s) giving you the loan to buy the property, unless you are paying all in cash.
4. Escrow Agent: The person helping with the closing process, making sure what the Buyer and Seller are doing is compliant with various instructions and regulations.
5. Title Agent: The person giving you title insurance for the property.
6. Homeowner Insurance Agent: The person giving you hazard insurance (fire, flood, earthquake).
7. Homeowner Association / Homeowner’s Association Mgmt Company: If you are purchasing a property in a planned community, the community association.
8. Seller’s Agent: The person helping the Seller sell the home.
9. Seller: The current person trying to sell the home.
10. Seller’s Lender: The lender(s) that own the loan on the property you want to buy, if there is a loan.
11. General Property Inspector / Pest Inspector / Appraiser / Others: Other folks you’ll have to talk to likely at some point in time during he process. More on some of these folks later.

As you can see, there are a lot of people involved in the process. I definitely didn’t recognize this until I reflected back on the process a few days before closing. Most likely, when you start shopping for a home with your Buyer’s Agent, he or she won’t tell you all of the above. He or she will just start asking you about what house you want to buy and show you around. Not the route I’d go, but let me tell you why I think most Buyer’s Agents don’t tell you the above:
1) tell you all this information takes a lot of time and you might be only a potential client. If I spend all the time educating the Buyer but the Buyer uses another Buyer’s Agent, I’d have wasted a lot of time for little gain
2) if most people knew how complex the home buying process is going to be, they’d walk out the door

Tip 2: Learn what role each of the person above will do for you. Research it online. Ask your Buyer Agent. (Some of the folks will be recommended by your Buyer’s Agent.) In any case, your Buyer’s Agent is there to “help” educate you, but recognize that he or she won’t help with everything.

For me, I began by interviewing a bunch of Buyer’s Agent (as recommended by several websites) before picking my agent. Good evidence in general, but pretty useless in hindsight. Why? Because even after spending time doing a bunch of interviews, in hindsight, my Buyer’s Agent didn’t live up to my expectations (perhaps my expectations are high).

Tip 3: Interview a few Buyer’s Agent and pay them some money to ask an experienced agent to go through the ENTIRE home buying process with you. For first-time home buyers, the more knowledgeable education you have ahead of time, the better the actual process. While most agents are going to say “I’ll be there to guide you when it’s time”, usually, guidance at that point in time is too little too late. Recognize that once an offer to buy an house is accepted, there is only typically 17 days to get everything done and you likely have a job to balance at the same time.

My first agent: I picked because he had 1) great credentials, 2) good recommendations from past customers that I personally called and 3) lots of experience (been an agent for 10+ yrs). But after I started working with him, he started handing me to his daughter (also an agent) to lead. I didn’t mind that at the beginning, but wasn’t the excited about the idea.

Perhaps I didn’t have the right working style and had asked more questions than typically, but ultimately our relationship didn’t work.

My second agent: I picked someone again with experience and specific knowledge of the condo area I was looking to purchase. She’s been extremely helpful to getting everything together and pushing me to make decisions. Again, an extremely nice person, but overall, I didn’t feel I got everything I had “expected” from my agent.

I think its partly because I couldn’t really trust my agent to act in my best interest knowing the incentive structure for an agent (more on this later) and partly because I wasn’t always the most communicative with her about all my intentions (again, back to the incentive structure).

Tip 4: Having a Buyer’s Agent who is willing to educate you and put you first is the most important. If you are smart and hardworking, you can probably pickup all the other pieces of information. But an experienced agent who can tell you about the pitfalls is key. The fundamental problem for first-time home buyers is that there will be questions you do not know you need to ask until too late. That’s where a good Buyer’s Agent comes into play.

But recognize most good/great agents probably don’t like first-time home buyers. Why? Several reason.

1. First-time home buyers are more needy and require more hand holding, as you can see from this post.
2. First-time home buyers typically buy smaller/cheaper homes => resulting in smaller commissions for the Buyer’s Agent.
3. First-time home buyers may talk to multiple agents before either picking an agent or not going through with the process => thus if the first Buyer’s Agent spends a lot of time educating the first-time home buyer, he/she would have wasted time with no gain.


Note: Incentive structure for Buyer’s Agent. Buyer’s Agents get paid by the Seller. It seems odd to me that they get paid by the Seller, because they technical have a duty to put the Buyer’s interest first. Inherently, the current incentive model creates a conflict of interest in my mind, but recognize there is probably little way out. While you might structure a different kind of incentive structure (e.g., Buyer pays Buyer’s Agent a fixed fee), most Seller’s property listing specifically states the commission percentage for the Buyer Agent when the property is sold. Thus, even if you pay your Buyer’s Agent and the Buyer’s Agent doesn’t pick up the typical commission, the Seller’s Agent just gets to keep more.

After touring a couple of different properties with my 2nd Buyer’s Agent, I quickly knew 1) what I liked and didn’t like and 2) the type of property I could afford given my budget. Hopefully, you’ve already created a budget way before even starting the entire house hunting process. With a set of fixed criterias (e.g., location, purchase price, must haves, nice to have, etc.), searching for the “right” property for you should be simplier. When you finally find that property you want to buy, then comes the offer stage. But one quick detour before I get into the details.

In the Southern California market as of 2011, you will find a large percentage of the listed properties to be either short-sales versus standard sales/REOs. (I am not covering foreclosure auctions, because that’s an entirely different ball game.) Let’s understand the difference between a short-sale and a standard sale/REO.

Short-Sale: Seller typically still lives in the proerty and holds title (i.e., “owns” the property). However, Seller is trying to sell the property before the bank forecloses on the property because the Seller can’t/doesn’t want to pay the mortgage. Furthermore, the Seller is trying to sell the property for less than that is owed on the mortgage to the lender and the lender must forgive/write-off the difference (i.e., accept the short-sale.

Standard sale/REO: Standard sales, as the name suggests, are normal transactions. REO (Real Estate Owned) are sales of the property directly by the lender. Typically, the lender has already foreclosed on the proerty and held a foreclosure auction, but no buyers were found. Thus, the lender took control of the property.

My experience is with short-sale properties given the market condition. Let me illustrate: The condo I purchased previously sold in 2006 for a little north of $450K to a Mr. K. Mr. K took out two loans, a 1st and 2nd (junior loan to the 1st) from New Century Financial Corp (look them up Wiki…interesting history) to buy the property, basically paying 0% down. At some point, Mr. K couldn’t pay the mortgage anymore. Mr. K was therefore in default and the lender started the foreclosure process on the property (i.e., to take the property from Mr. K.). Instead of going through the entire foreclosure process, Mr. K wanted to try to sell the property before the lender foreclosed (short-sale is better than foreclosure from a credit reporting POV). Mr. K put the condo on the market for around $290K. This is a short-sale because to get the sale completed, the lender must forgive/write-off $170K because as the Buyer, I would only pay $290K for the property.

Tip 5: Understand if you are buying a standard sale/REO or short-sale. Next, understand if it is an approved short-sale or not.

Because Mr. K wanted do a short-sale, he has to get the lender to approve this $170K write-off. An approved short-sale means the Seller has already gotten the lender to commit to XX dollar of forgiveness. So, if the Seller is listing an approved short-sale property at $290K, the lender would have already approved at least a $170K loan writeoff if the original loan was $450K.

Knowning whether the short-sale is approved is important for 2 reasons.
1) All Buyer’s Agents prefer approved short-sales because they are faster to close whereby the Buyer’s Agent can collect his/her commission faster
2) Getting approval for a short-sale can be a time consuming process (weeks if not months). This is also another moment to reiterate why you want an experienced Buyer’s Agent to guide you through the process.

Note: Put yourself in the shoes of the Buyer’s Agent. Because you get a commission from a sale, you want to generally guide people to standard sales, REOs, or approved short-sales before non-approved short-sales because the time to closing the home is faster. Who doesn’t want to earn money faster? You got kids to feed and stuff to buy too.

As the Buyer, you have little influence on the short-sale approval process. In this stage, the Seller, Seller’s Agent, and Lender must work out the details. A good Seller’s Agent can be very helpful to guiding the Seller to get all the paper work to the Lender so the Lender can approve/reject the short-sale. But again, as the Buyer, its all comes down to luck. Now, if the Seller’s Agent doesn’t know what to do, the Buyer’s Agent can help the Seller’s Agent through the short-sale approval process. (Another reason why a good Buyer’s Agent is important).

Once you know whether the property is a a short-sale or standard sale/REO and if its an approve short or not, now comes the offer. If it is not an approved short sale, recognize that you will be helping start the short-sale approval process (2 – 6 months) to get the lender to approve/negotiate/reject the short-sale. During that time, recognize that the Seller is in default on the mortgage (i.e., not paying the mortgage), thus the property can be foreclosed by the lender. Also recognize that even if you made an offer and the Seller has started the short-sale approval process, the property can still be foreclosed by the lender and go to foreclosure auction whereby it is either bought or not. Recognize that if it is not bought (i.e, becomes REO), the lender may not relist the property immediately.

I don’t know exactly why the short-sale approval process takes a very long time, but I suspect its because
1) Seller has to get all the paper work to lender and Seller is slow getting such paperwork
2) Given the current market, lenders probably have tons of short-sale approvals to review. Recognize that each time there is an approval, the lender is taking a guaranteed loss and people don’t like losses.
3. Multiple different lenders maybe involved the there are multiple loans for the property. These lenders have to work together, which isn’t easy.

Tip 6: Buying short-sale properties requires patience and options. If you are set on buying a particular short-sale property, recognize that you may not get it, because 1) lender(s) may not agree, 2) Seller’s Agent can’t get the Seller to complete the short-sale process, 3) Seller may not qualify for short-sale, 4) lender may decide foreclosure is better because foreclosure auction can fetch a better price. Therefore, have backup properties in mind and make offers to more than 1 non-approved short-sale property if you are comfortable living in another property.

Now, after that long detour, we finally get to the Offer or what will be call the Residential Purchase Agreement (RPA). This is basically a long document where you make an offer to the Seller for the property and it lists out a whole set of information.

Tip 7: Find a blank RPA and read it. The California Realtors Association should have a copy somewhere online.

The RPA has all kinds of information, but there are a couple that are key:
1. Offer price and earnest money deposit
2. Loan rate and type
3. Inspection period before you can cancel offer limited financial impact

Most of the other information on the RPA are disclosures and notices of one type or another. I’ll talk about one key disclosure in detail that applies specificallyl to short-sales: General Home Inspection.

Because a short-sale requires lender approval since the lender has to write-off some part of the original loan, lenders are very fixed on pricing. Once you make an offer for the purchase price of the property and it is approved, there is generally no room for further negotiations. Don’t imagine there are necessarily several rounds of back and forth. Nor do you really want several rounds of back and forth. While it will only take you may a few minutes to come up with an offer price, your offer goes into some pile at the lender for some person to review and get back to you. Likely, you aren’t the only offer because there are a lot of short-sales at the moment. Thus, you might wait weeks before the lender gives you an yes or no of an offer or re-offer.

So, let’s say you offer $200K for a property and the offer is accepted by the Seller. (By the way, while the Seller will probably accept just about anything offer, its the lender who has to agree to the terms). So, now the offer goes to the lender for approval. In that time, you hire an home inspector to look over the place and the inspector discovers that most of the appliances are bad and the water heater has to be replace at a total cost of $2K. At that point, if your original offer is accepted by the lender, it is very hard to even negotiate a $2K discount. Basically, you’d have to withdrawal your original offer and make a new one for $198K, starting the lender review/approval process of the short-sale all over again.

Tip 8: Find a good home inspector (certified, with years of experience) and hire him/her to inspect the home prior to making an offer.

A home inspection in Southern California runs anywhere between $250 – $350. It isn’t cheap, but you’ll need to have someone inspect the place anyways. Don’t be penny wise pound foolilsh here. Unless you are a general contractor or inspect, you’ll need someone.

Note: Most inspectors will give you a report and in it, it’ll list some mundane problems and some series problems that require repairs. A good inspector is someone who is willing to speak honestly to you and tell you which are series and which aren’t. Many inspectors will simply tell you that he/she thinks there is a problem, but you need someone more specalized to look into the issue. For the general public, that’s not very helpful information, but due to lawsuits, inspectors have gotten more and more “conversative” about the advice they’d give. Thus, find an inspector who is willing to do everything by the books, but also speak to you freely and offer advice on the property.

After you’ve inspected the property and you still likely it, you are ready to make the offer…but before you start, let’s take another detour to explore “how to get a loan.”

If you are like me, you probably require a loan to buy a house because you don’t have tons of cash lying around. Therefore, you will need to speak to a mortgage broker/direct lender to get a loan. Given there is too much information on mortgages, I’m only going to cover the most basic (for more, please google Mortgage Professor).

Mortgage Documentation:
You are going to have to get quite a bit of documentation ready to get a mortgage. Gone are the days of no-doc loans. I had to have at least the following (you may require more if you have credit issues, income issues, or anything else).

-Valid ID (i.e., driver licenses)
-w2 statement
-last two month paystubs
-last month bank statement (front and back)
-last three years federal tax return

With the most basic information, the lender is going to run a credit report on you to get your credit score. This score while influence the interest rate for your loan. Now, I went with the most simple of loans (conventional, 30yr fixed, no points, 20% down, no PMI). Again, because picking a loan type (e.g., fix, ARM, w/points, no points, downpayment %) is an entire topic on its own, I’d suggest you go to the Mortgage Professor website and read up all about it.

Tip 9: If you are doing all the homework regarding the type of loan you want, a direct lender is the best route to do. Generally, they are the cheapest route because a mortgage broker typically buys from a direct lender, who does the underwriting for the loan. However, recognize that as a first-time buyer, you won’t get a lot of hand holding from direct lenders. This isn’t to say all mortgage brokers are better, but generally, at least brokers can talk to you and educate you about the process.

Once you pick the lender, write down all his information (company, address, contact person, phone). You’ll need to provide this information later to Escrow. Now, onto the formal mortgage application process and opening of escrow, assuming your offer has been accepted by the lender.

Note: At this point, I’d like to talk a little bit about paperwork. All this process creates a lot of paperwork. The offer requires a RPA. If there is an counter or amendment to the RPA, there’s paperwork. The Buyer’s Agent will give you paper notices/disclosures about the Short-Sale process. At this point, most of the paper work, except the RPA, is just that, a notice. It seems all important, but a lot of is really “junk/educational” paper in my opinion.

Once the lender accepts the offer, you as the Buyer have a set number of days to open escrow and being the formal process of inspecting and completing or cancelling the transaction. At this point, things get real! Why? Because if you recall, you signed a RPA and made an offer. In that RPA doc, you stated that if the offer is accept, you (BUYER) will have certain obligations and you signed you stupid name on that piece of paper.

So, first obligation is to give the earnest money deposit to the Escrow Agent. Who is the Escrow Agent? Either you’ve already stipulated that or more likely, the Seller/Seller’s Agent/Lender has stipulated the Escrow Agent. In any case, it’s stated the RPA when you submitted it. Now you know why the RPA is important.

Tip 10: Have a personal check ready with the funds for the Escrow Agent written on, but not signed. This will move this process forward very quickly without you having to “wire” any funds to the Escrow Agent, as your Buyer’s Agent may suggest (to the detriment of your wallet).

Once you hand the Escrow Agent the earnest money deposit and escrow opens, the clock is now ticking. As stated in the RPA, you have a certain number of days where you can still pull out from the transaction (i.e., walk away). After that day, you may 1) not be able to walk away from completing the transaction or 2) be able to walk away, but forefit your earnest money deposit plus additional compensation. Again, this is why the RPA is important, even though many agents may ask you to just sign and state that it’s only an offer.

To open escrow, you will now meet your Escrow Agent and sign opening escrow papers. These documents are very important. Review the documents and compare them to the RPA. If it is a short-sale, in all likelihood, some of the things you listed out in the short-sale has/is not approved by the lender. In other words, that $500 dollars you wanted the Seller to give to you to help pay for repairments, the lender probably said no. Also, those 1 yr Home Warranty plans you wanted is also probably out the window. Why are these things gone?

1. The original lender is doing a large write-off. If the Seller is paying you anything out of pocket, the original lender is basically saying that “I [lender] should be getting that money or the Seller shouldn’t have any money because he/she can’t even pay the mortgage.”
2. If the Seller doesn’t have any money, then the Lender is technically paying these other expenses and the lender is basically saying no.

So, review the opening escrow docs carefully.

Note: The escrow doc will also list out certain obligations the Escrow Agent “must” perform. Once you sign the docs, the Escrow Agent will do what the doc says and use the earnest money deposit you in to pay for some of those activities. Example: Notify the HOA for and get HOA incorporation docs and various other information. Start the preliminary title insurance.

Next, you are now also going to formally start the mortgage application with your lender. But before I talk about that, let’s take detour number 3 and talk about closing costs briefly.

Note: Most important part of this application is to lock in the interest rate and get a formal Good Faith Estimate for the cost of the loan.

To buy a house, there are various expenses, which I’ll call closing costs for this article. I’ve group closing costs into three categories and provide you my experience.

Mortgage/Loan Costs:
1. Origination Fee – Technically, cost to “originate” start the loan.
2. Underwriting Fee – Technically, cost to research and underwrite this loan.
3. Processing Fee – Technically, cost to get the loan through the “proces.”
4. Lender Wire Fee – Technically, costs to wire funds between parties (my lender to original property lender)
5. Appraisal Fee – Technically, cost to hire someone to appraisal the price of the property as part of underwriting
6. Flood Cert – Technically, getting a certificate from a third-party regarding flood information for the property (underwriting related)
7. Tax Service – Technical, cost for tax related expenses, especially to manage an escrow account
8. Credit Report – That credit report you got earlier, you’re paying for it.
9. Interest for Partial Month – If you close your loan say on the 25th, this it he interest from the 25th to the end of the month.

With the exception of 9, all of the above can vary and technically, there is room to negotiate with your lender. Obviously, if you put your self on the lender side, you want to make as much money from the Buyer as possible, so you can create or pass through various costs. Another way to look at it, the lender could eat the cost in certain areas by “waiving” or discounting the costs.

For my loan of $200K, I basically paid $2.5K or 1.25%. I’m not sure if that’s great or terrible, but based on my research, loan costs should be between 0.5% to 2% of the loan amount.

Escrow Costs:
Courier Services – Technically, cost to send things overnight. A lot of the documents, especially the notarized docs need to be sent to the lenders overnight so you have to pay for this fee.
Notary Fees – Technically, the cost to notarize the various docs, but more likely, source to make some money because your Escrow Agent generally has the notary powers.
Admin Fees: – Got to have an official place for the Escrow Agent to make money somehow for his/her service.

I paid $1K.

Title Insurance Costs:
Owner’s Title Insurance – Price for insuring the Buyer
Lender’s Title Insurance – Price for insuring the Buyer’s Lender

I paid ~$1.5K

Note: Title insurance is ensure that other parties do not have some lien on the title, which will be passed from the Seller to Buyer (you). Lenders require, at a minimum, you buy Lender’s Title Insurance so that the loan amount is protected.

Hazard Insurance (Fire, Flood, Earthquake): Insurance you have to buy, various depending on what you buy, but your lender/loan type will tell you the minimum you have to buy to get the loan. This is where you talk to that Insurance Agent.

Government Costs: Various government taxes and administrative expenses. Not much you can do about them, but you should be able to get these figures early on in the process.
Grant & Deed
Property Tax
Summplemental Property Tax
Other

Most of these costs various significantly between state to state and even county to county. Also, property tax depends upon the size and state you live in.

HOA Costs/Community Association Costs: To be honest, this is all administrative fees to the HOA management company. I have no control over the fees, but basically, it is a way for the HOA to make money.
Upfront Demand Fee
Move in / Post Closing Fee
Transfer Fee

I paid close to $1K to my cringe.

Inspection Costs
1. Pest Report – Technically, a report to discover if you had some fungus problems or rodent eating through the drywall
2. Home Inspection Report – Cover prior
3. Others – You can get a ton of different type of inspections (Radon, Heating, Roof, etc.). The sky is the limit, but you have to ask yourself, what’s the risk/reward trade-off at some point.

I paid close to $400, to my delight.

Other Costs
HOA Dues – You pay dues for the following month to the HOA + any penalties that the Seller may have incurred if the Seller is late or owes money.”

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The Eh Bee Family: Oh How I Thought I Was Going to Despise Them

I first learned about the Eh Bee Family’s shenanigans through Fine Brothers Entertainment (FBE). The family really knows how to grab your attention: bratty children’s skits, pranks, annoying gestures, and shamelessly mocking urban culture. At first sight, I almost wrote the family off as being a devious group of two adults exploiting their children for profit. To my surprise, parents of FBE had a different reaction. I wondered why. My curiosity led me to their channel where I was also placed me under their spell. I now appreciate this family…especially the parents.

Once they turn off their acting button, it’s clear as day that the Eh Bee Family portrays the ideal family. They are a family who travels together, sings together, laughs together, but most importantly, they grow together.

The video above titled “Jamaican Christmas Trip” shows how their hard work leads them to this beautiful island paradise. You can witness how the family is relaxed while enjoying the various fun festivities in their new environment. The children are very talented and well spoken even when on vacation. This is the result of the diligent parenting of “Momma Bee” and “Papa Bee.”

In their questions and answers video, the parents said they do not want more children because they understand how much time and energy is demanded when raising healthy, happy children. They go more into depth about this truth when the question is asked: do the children fight? They highlight the good times of being in a family, but they also acknowledge its challenges. They offer a real and obtainable image of being successful parents.

My favorite video is called “Lunchables vs. Real Food.”  In this video “Mama Bee” talks about feeding her children healthy meals. She emphasizes how processed lunches are more expensive than preparing homemade lunches. This is so true. I was raised in a household where my mom relied on fast food for dinner during the busy weekdays, so let’s do some quick math:

cheeseburger = $1.00
fries= $1.39
small soft drink = $1.00
apple pie = $0.99

total = $4.38
5 days a week = $21.90
health meter: no nutritional value

10 tomatoes = $5.39
onion = $1.57
garlic = $0.96
pasta at Trader Joe’s = $1.99
olive oil at Trader Joe’s = $4.99

total = $14.90
5 days a week = $14.90
health meter: very high in nutrients

Watch “Mama Bee” do the math as she shows you how to prepare an affordable healthy meal.

She concludes that processed food is for lazy people, which is true. ‘

Long story short, I love this family. I want a family of my own like the Eh Bee Family. My hope is “Mama Bee” and “Papa Bee” create their own channel with more motivational content for the mature viewers.

 

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Adventurous Astrology: The Ambitious Aries

The most powerful people you’ll ever meet are people who know their worth. They realize their strengths and conquer their weaknesses. For the rest of us, we need a little help to understand our power, and what better place to start than our astrological birth signs? Let’s talk about the leaders of the chart, Aries.

Aries people are born between March 21^st and April 19^th. Welcomed to the world at the peak of Spring, they are naturally creative and naturally enthusiastic. They even possess the element of fire in their hearts, which grants them great courageous even in the most stressful of situations.

The prized trait of an Arian is their ability to pave their own path. They can build a world out of their own imagination and crown themselves rulers. It is absolutely no accident that many Arians dominate the art industry from film to music to fine art. Well known Arians include Selena Quintanilla, Al Green, Maya Angelou, and Leonardo da Vinci. These individuals know how to listen to their instincts and transform their thoughts into actions. Just to boost up their egos even more, Arians are extremely loyal but only to those deserving of their time, so don’t waste their time.

On the flip side, Arians are self centered. Their minds are constantly focused on operating their own ideas, which means that their perspective is heavily influenced by their position in a situation.  They are impulsive as well.  They can get themselves into situations that are easily avoidable. They end up dealing with many consequences, so they learn best through trial and error. Lastly, don’t even waste time trying to control an Aries person.

The reason why Arians gravitate towards the arts or leadership positions is because they demand independence. They have to manage their own ideas or manage the ideas of others. There is no in between. This can be difficult for Arians starting out in the career hustle. Agreeing to someone else’s orders can be disgustingly painful for them because  they know in their hearts that their are a much better leaders.  Luckily this will not be a problem for long. All Arians know exactly what to do to get what they want.

How do you feel about Aries’ characteristics? Well, it doesn’t matter one bit. They will continue to strive for their dreams. Instead of judging, take a moment and learn from this fiery sign of pure will.

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Continuing My Blogging Journey

 

Dear Blog,

I have not neglected you. I just took a short vacation and enjoyed the fruits of a community blog called My First Apartment. This is a site where you can gain very valuable advice on apartment and roommate hunting as well as great decorations ideas. Click here to view one of my articles.

Below is my sample article that won me the gig.

Getting to Know Your New Family:

Conversational Starters 101 Using Chinese Astrology

By Sabrina Pettis

After carrying heavy boxes to your new home and exchanging friendly introductions with your roomies, the four of you huddle around the television to enjoy an episode of Heroes! (Yes! You read that right.) That night’s episode was epic, and BOOM! You end with a cliffhanger, a cheesy commercial appears, and the awkward silence follows. Waiting, waiting. The four of you say this and that, but the awkwardness remains. Now is the perfect time to break out the Chinese Astrology book.

Astrological interpretations are always best for fascinating conversations. According to Chinese Astrology, I am a fabulous Rabbit and my roomies are the Dog, the Ox, and the Rat. Just to summarize, Rabbit people are very compassionate and idealistic. Dog people are very determined, Ox People are born leaders, and Rat People are strong problem solvers.  Each sign includes a compatibility scale from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), which determines who gets along and who needs to be separated.

Rabbits’ compatibility is 6 with Rats, 6 with Oxen, and 7 with Dogs. A roar of laughter erupted from all the things mentioned about our signs. Surprisingly, I shared a room with the Dog girl. We got along famously. The Rat and Ox girls became best friends. The Rat girl and I had serious tension. We even agreed; it was fate that we did NOT share a room. Maybe this is true, or maybe not. The point is, learning each person’s sign created a fun night of possibilities.

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Creativity is the Key to Your Destiny: Finding a Job in Today’s Digital World

I can relate to you. I have been searching for a job for six months and received wonderful news only recently. I am so relieved to be back in game, but I must admit. My long search is not due to the economy scare that most people use as an excuse. It took a long time to land a job because somewhere after college, I lost my creativity.

What does this mean?

Well, Jeff Altman – who is a successful Senior Staffing Recruiter, perfectly illustrates why Americans have a hard time penetrating through the job market in his book “Get Yourself Hired Now: The Big Game Hunter’s Guide to Head Hunting Your Next Job and Every Job After That!” Altman states that when he first searched for a job after college, he found himself looking through newspapers and applying to all positions that matched his qualifications. After submitting his resume, he will cross his fingers and hope for a call back. He did this back in the 70s! Today there has been an explosion of new technology and new jobs yet we still shop for jobs as if we are in the 70s. Are you seeing a connection?

I did participate in plenty of cattle-call interviews because I passively apply for jobs on Craigslist. Craigslist is a waste of time because most of the employers featured are greedy, but I continue applying to these ads because it seems like the fastest method. There was one interview at a chiropractor’s office in La Jolla, CA that held a HUGE group interview! I was grouped with a bunch of job seekers from all walks of life. The interview turned out to be a sales pitch because the doctor talked about himself the whole time. This was definitely depressing, but this is what “the fastest method” gets me. Therefore, Craigslist should not be your primary source for job hunting. However if you decide to stick with Craigslist, do your research on the company first. Oh and if and you see “Doctor’s Sidekick” or “Doctor’s Assistant” in the La Jolla area, and the ad states “no experience necessary,” do not waste your time. You are worth more than that.

The truth about Craigslist is that it attracts dishonorable companies. Advertising on Craigslist is free and most jobs posted receive at least 200 applicants. The hiring managers of these jobs usually contact most of the applicants because there is so much variety – they are DEFINITELY greedy. Not only greedy, there are shady companies on Craigslist as well. There are horror stories where people have been murdered or sex trafficked from a Craigslist ad. I am dead serious, folks! This is the reality. You must do your research. Check the company on Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Glassdoor, Rip Off Report, and review their Private Policy.

So what to do now?

There are many ways to promote yourself professionally while searching for a job that really goes along with your passion. This is the key to your job search, and the fact is, most people have lost touch with what they want in life.

Being in my first (and definitely my last) group interview, I realize that the job hunters of today are very lost. They have been applying for jobs the wrong way for so long and decided to take anything that comes their way as a result. This is a huge problem. If you don’t know what you want, then someone else will decide for you. There is no way you can be truly happy if someone else is deciding your life’s path.

At my last position, I knew I was not supposed to be there. I respect the company 100 percent, but I did not have a genuine interest in it. I just did my duties and collected my pay check. The money is what got me up every morning. With that said, there is nothing with starting your career path with a respectable job that is not in-line with your interest because you do learn about what it takes to be a part of a team and maintain business success. However, it is best to build a bridge. Use the position as a stepping stone that will lead you to what you really want. If you settle with the money, eventually you will suffer consequences.

Did you know feelings, work, and health are all related? If you are unhappy, eventually it is going cause some type of stress. I learned from the Director of San Diego Clinical Hypnotherapy that most health problems in America are stress related. So it is time to ask yourself, is money more important than your well being? Some people are proud to say yes, but I am sure that is the ego talking. Your well being dictates your money situation. If you are in good health, most likely you are in a good working predicament. If you are in a good working predicament, then you automatically make good money. The opposite goes to those who are in poor health.

Now let’s back track. How do you figure out what job is perfect for you?
Here’s the fun part everyone! Pull out a piece of paper and a group of different colored pens. Think about all the things you enjoy doing? Write them out randomly. Now remember those childhood dreams? Write those down in LARGE print because the child you is the idealist who believes anything is possible. You need the child you in order to enter the perfect career. Lastly, think about your personality and how it relates to the job environment. This is crucial as well.

In the insightful lecture “Piercing the Fog,” Doctor Yaffa Bey provides a short segment where she offers advice to young adults about their working situations. She mentions, if you are not a social person, why would you waste time applying for a customer focused jobs? Or if you enjoy meeting new people, why would you waste your time behind a secluded desk sorting paperwork? It’s common sense, right? But you would be so surprised how people ignore their own needs just for a dollar.

So what do you have on your list? You should have the whole page filled. If not, it’s time to experiment. Go out and try different things through volunteering and classes and meet up groups. There are so many opportunities in your area. You just need to open your eyes. Once you have that page filled, you will have a better time looking for the perfect job.

Through Altman’s book, I found Ezine Articles were everyday people like you and me can write out our thoughts freely. Actually I wrote this article for Ezine, but it was declined (probably because I revealed the curtains on Craigslist). Anyway, I did find another job recruiter’s blog on Ezine, http://www.jobseekeremploymentadvice.com. The author provides refreshing advice on how to find a job. The article that sticks with me is, “60% of Job Are NOT Advertised.”

This article gives job hunters a fresh perspective. Finding the right employee is a gruesome process for employers. This is why employers seek internal applicants first before going out to the public. Therefore, if you go to the employer before the job is advertised on general search sites like Monster and Indeed, you give yourself a creative edge. Go back to your list. Now do a Google search of all the businesses in your area that relates to your interest and start applying. Remember, applying for work is your current full time job, so treat it that way.

If you still need assistance, please visit my list of alternative job hunting methods, https://sapeni.wordpress.com/job-search-methods. There are TONS of jobs out there. You just have to take a moment and really look.

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Wake Up! – Epiphany On Health and Well Being

Two years ago (wow! time just flies by), I wrote a brief article on the dangerous side effects of my favorite college snack. Once again, after studying the videos below, I found myself rethinking my eating habits.  This article is a quick reflection of my health and well being.

 

 

When I visited Japan in 2010, I seriously was  a bundle of energy. I leaped out of bed every morning at 7am sharp, I was interacting with anyone and everyone around me, and I walked aimlessly for miles upon miles in an attempt to soak in all of Tokyo’s wonders. I was an energetic machine, and I loved it.

Some can argue that my stamina raised due to the fact that I was in a new environment. This is very much true. I always dreamed of visiting the land of the raising sun, and I turned that dream into a reality. I made sure I had the time of my life there. However, limiting my access to artificial and fatty foods definitely kept me in high spirits.

My daily meal in Tokyo consist of milk tea, bread, and/or fish and rice for breakfast. Lunch was always a free-for-all. I would enjoy many tasty snacks in the area. For example, I inhaled fresh, grilled eel at the Tsukiji Fish Market, I munched on seaweed flavored rice crackers from the Asakusa Shrine, and I ate a mango pudding made to perfection along with divine sea salt ice cream in Harajuku. Every snack was paired up with lots of water and bottled green tea due to the non-stop walking. For the finale, I always had a heavy dinner like spicy curry with streamed rice, thinly sliced beef with fluffy egg, or vegetarian ramen. My dinner always included tea, miso soup, and a small vegetable side dish like cucumber. All this delicious, low sugar, moderate in sodium, low calorie selections paired up with hot herbal tea and consistent exercising caused for golden results in my overall physical and spiritual health. As you already guessed, you don’t have to be in Japan to adapt a healthy routine.

 

 

Now I really put all the pieces together. One cold winter night, I was scarfing down large hand-fulls of chips before coming across the video above, and BOOM! It hit me like a large bag of crusty, old Halloween candy. I knew right then and there. I needed to change my eating habits. Right now! and that’s exactly what I did.

The key to good health is consciousness, plain and simple. I must think about what I am eating and why I am eating it as well as how the food effects my mood and energy levels. This is why I really paid attention to some very useful words of wisdom. I was told that eating addictive foods like Hamburgers and french fries can become even more hazardous when drinking cold liquids. Just think about it for a moment. When you add sugar to cold water, the sugar takes longer to dissolve in the solution. Most likely, the sugar will maintain its form and sink to the bottom of the cup.  However in hot water, the sugar dissolves instantly. The same effect occurs when fat enters your body. Therefore, drinking hot tea with your meal always aids the fat, or any food type, so it is easier to digest. Therefore, conscious decision number one is for me to drink natural, hot tea every day.

As you can tell from the time I wrote my first article on junk food, changing bad habits is a process. However, it becomes so much easier when you feel instant results. Seriously, I feel great. I have been taking mental notes of what I eat, and my energy levels went straight back to my time in Japan. Of course, I am not Mother Teresa (nor do I want to be). I still enjoy favorite snacks like chocolate and chips. I just don’t eat as much as I used to. Actually, I am honestly enjoying many of the dishes I added to my diet.

The dish that I am most proud of is as simple as you can get. I will have a mixed fruit bowl in the morning,  and this is not a bland, ordinary fruit bowl.  This is a powerful fruit bowl because it is made with delicious love, so let’s start from the beginning. I sliced a ripe banana and neatly laid it at the bottom of a small bowl. Then I diced up a sour, crunchy apple and place the pieces on top. Here comes the fun part! I tossed in some dried cranberry, a variety of nuts — pecan, almond, and pistachio — and top it off with salty sunflower seeds. Yum! I cannot forget the creamy taste that links the ingredients together though. In the end, I pour a smidgen of rich coconut milk that slowly spills onto the heavenly dish until it reaches the bananas. This is pure joy. One bit of the savory mix of nature’s candy keeps that wonderful smile on my face all morning.

So follow reader, you shall see more blogs about easy yet magical foods that I have happily fused into my diet.

~See you in the kitchen~

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Exploring Strong Bonds Between Best Friends

 

 

Tarra and Bella is an inspiring tale of a genuine friendship between a courageous Golden Retriever and a loyal Asian Elephant. The unusual pair met in an instant moment of shared acceptance. Basically, Tarra (Retriever) felt comfortable enough to sleep next to Bella (Elephant) one day. After Bella woke up perplex by the situation, she simply stood over Tara and began her day as normal.  Surprise! Tarra followed her every step of the way, and Bella welcomed her new companion’s company.

To no surprise, Bella actually had a hard time interacting with the other elephants in the reservation. She does have an unusual upbringing. This Elephant was brought up in the zany world of show biz where she worked hard as an animal actress. As she grew older, Bella’s caretakers at the time allowed the unique Elephant to retire in a simple life at a reservation in Tennessee. Due to Bella’s background, it is only expected for her to find a best friend in stray dog. (I am sure Tarra had many adventures of her own.)

Tarra and Bella may look different, but they share the same interesting spirits. (I will even say that they were connected in their “past lives,” but for the sake of this report, I will not deeply explore this possibility…at least for now). The friends cared for each other, even in the worst possible situation. Once Tarra sprained her leg, Bella waited patiently next to her mate until help arrived.

 

 

Sadly, Tarra experienced another unfortunate event. She was brutally attacked by coyotes, and Bella carried her bruised body back to their regular play location. Tarra eventually died, and Bella was present for her funeral to mourn for the lost of her dearest friend. The touching story of Tarra and Bella displays the simple fact that you can find companionship in others even if they do not look like you – just focus on the beauty of the spirit.

 

It is very difficult to locate pure a friendship because many people, including myself, tend to have a hazy fantasies of how life is supposed to be, how they are supposed to be, and how others are supposed to be. Through this fantasy, most find friends who maintain the perception of themselves. Just to put it simply, most use relationships for selfish purposes, which explains why it is hard to locate a genuine friendship.

 

 

Here’s a wonderful example. In the video above, Audrey O’day and Aundrea Fimbres met in a challenging competition to join a girl band called Danity Kane. O’day and Fimbres shared the same love and respect for each other as they strive for the same goal. Then a problem arrived. They both get accepted in the band by music producer Sean “Puffy” Combs, but sadly as the group becomes popular, the ego took over. The world of mainstream music is CUT THROAT.

At that time, both ladies have different perceptions of how to handle fame. Since neither is willing to conform to the other’s fantasy, the friendship is doomed. This is a common situation for many people; it happened to me as well. There is ALWAYS hope though. O’day and Fimbres learned from their faults and joined forces again to create a song that perfectly displays their downfall. So, I do appreciate their 360 turn-around.

 

 

From the wise words of this pop song, I will strive to tame the ego and achieve beautiful friendships like the bond between Tarra and Bella.

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You Are Me, and I Am You!

Good evening, readers!

I have been exploring ideas of destiny through Chinese astrology and now through past lives and multi-dimensions since I am trying to write a story based on these concepts. However, I consistently push the idea of one’s upbringing aside. Why? Well, the reasoning for this is simple. I have strong beliefs that an individual’s mind is extremely powerful and as a result shapes how you are. Then I used concepts of astrology and choices to shape this idea. But I began to realize, there is a puzzle piece missing. Just by living and breathing right now, I know for a fact that the human mind is capable of achieving epic success, yet obstacles do hinder the mind’s capabilities and these obstacles can force the mind to achieve nothing but epic failure. So, I began to expand my perspective. I now believe an individual’s mind is shape by their upbringing, and that upbringing will determine the person’s fate because after all, you will become the person who has raise you. In a way, it is inevitable.

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Chinese Astrology in a NutShell

By Sabrina Pettis
June 7th, 2011

 

We must admit. We all are drawn to a specific friend, a specific movie, a specific environment, a specific style, and a specific career. But why? It is common for us to stick to what we know, but how do we learn what we know? Of course, our personalities plays a dominate role in our daily decision-making. Where does personality come from? Some will answer that our personality is based on our upbringing. We are just exact replicas of our parents, but I strongly disagree. Do you find it interesting how to siblings, born in the same household, have completely different personalities? Well, may be this phenomenon is more mysterious then we give credit for. May be our very characteristics are based on the astrological alignments or time. Every culture, including ancient Chinese and ancient Egyptian, have pondered this possibility. And I wish to share with you the very basics of their research. In today’s article, I will start with Chinese astrology.

Chinese Astrology is no different from Egyptian astrology where they determine a child’s characteristics, motives, and demeanor through the annual rotation of the sun. It was even believed that astrological experts can determine your past, present, and future from the exact year, month, day, hour, minute, and second you were born. If that wasn’t specific enough, Chinese astrological experts associate the information of your birth to the five elements: earth, water, fire, wood, and metal to better determine your outcome. It is quite fascinating. The minuscule details play a huge role in making you who you are today.

With all that aside, Chinese Astrology also has a practical yet whimsical element. As I mentioned, a child’s characteristics are determined by the rotation of the sun, or simply put, by the year. Each year is represented by an animal, and these animals were chosen based on ancient Chinese farm life. For example, there is the Horse and the Pig on the astrological calendar (zodiac calendar). The only mythical creature on the calendar is the Dragon, which is based on involved folklore in the Chinese culture. Dragons are believed to be the guardians to the spiritual world, so they deserve a spot on the calendar.

There are twelve animals for the twelve zodiac signs. The Rat represents year one and the Pig represents year twelve. These animal years repeat themselves after year twelve, so year thirteen is the Rat again. Get it? If not, it’ll make more since after I break down the main traits of each animal. First let us read the wise old tale of the twelve zodiac signs.

 

[I am re-telling the classic folklore story from Sabrina Liao’s version.]

Once upon a time in a world just beginning, there was a heavenly Empress who wished to create a calendar for the humans to track time. The Empress told all the animals of the land that there will be a grand race and the first twelve animals to win will become the years and each human child born under their year will carry their characteristics. The animals where excited. Every single animal from the majestic dragon to the tiny tadpoles lined up to participate in the race.

The Empress said, “You must travel over the mountain and across the river to get to the finish line. There will be a party for the twelve fastest animals.” The Rat was worried.

The Rat took one looked at his little feet and knew he would have a problem climbing the huge mountain, and he expressed his concern with his best friend Cat. Cat also worried. The Ox over heard the Rat and expressed how he has bad eyes. Then, the Rat thought of a plan. He said, “Ox, let Cat and I ride your back. We will be your eyes and together we will cross the finish line.”

The race was about to start. The Empress held her hand in the air. “Ready, Get set, Go!” yelled the Empress while she dropped her hand. All the animals raced to the mountain, except the Dragon. The Dragon told the Empress that he had enough time to change the weather for the party since he can easily fly to the finish line.

Days passed and then months passed. The Rat and the Cat can see the finish line. “It is there. Go Straight, Ox!” said the Rat. Ox jumped in the river and the Rat and the Cat held on tight. While the Ox was swimming against the current, the Rat realized he wanted to be first. So in the moment, he pushed Cat into the river and the Cat screamed as he was carried downstream.

The Ox’s head was underwater and did not see what happened. When the Ox was just about to the cross the finish line, the Rat jumped off his back and claimed first place. The Ox didn’t mind and claimed second place.

Moments later, more animals trickled in. The Dragon came in fifth place after he made the weather sunny for the party, and the gleeful Pig came in last. The party finally began. After about an hour, the Cat appeared soaking wet. The Empress told him he was too late, and fury grew within the Cat. Even today, the Cat and the Rat are sworn enemies.

 

What’s your sign?

[Summarized from Sabrina Liao’s Chinese Astrology book]

1. Rat People – As you can tell from the story, Rat people are born survivors and a problem-solvers. They’re able to use their intellect for any situation and they usually end up at the top. Rat people can turn competitive and be calculating, but they are still very communal. Their family comes first.

2. Ox People – These are hard-working and reliable people. They are also equip to be born leaders. Ox people do have the tendency to be to be stubborn, but that’s because they know their way is the right way. Though their gentle nature makes for that. Ox people are the type of people you can trust.

3. Tiger People – Fear is not in the Tiger’s vocabulary. Confident and assertive are natural traits for them. This can cause Tiger people to be impatient, but their natural charm allows them to enjoy many rewards. They are very energetic, and fun. Tiger People definitely stand out within a crowd.

4. Rabbit People – One of the luckiest signs in the group and toppled with a compassionate nature. These peace-loving people are accommodating and trustworthy. They can be very passive in the heat of confrontation, but like the Rat, Rabbit People are communal. Also, they love to show off their successes and talents.

5. Dragon People – You know a Dragon Person when you see one. Being the only mythical creature, people born under this sign are blessed with natural appeal. Being the luckiest sign of them all and born perfectionists, Dragon people usually live an extravagant lifestyle to feed their unique style.

6. Snake People – Intelligence is the key attribute for Snake People. They are also deep thinkers and know their decisions are always right. They are also competitive and know how to show off in a way that’s subtle and appreciated.

7. Horse People – These People must live freely. They ride life’s spontaneous events and absorb all of those experiences with passion and charisma. Since they operate through feeling, they can be emotionally detached, but their independence and excitement still make them alluring.

8. Sheep People – Sheep People were born in a dream and will do everything in their power to make that dream come true. As a result, they are extremely creative but can be unreliable with tasks they feel are not of importance to them. Creativity, compassion, and style best sums up their characters.

9. Monkey People – The fun is here! Monkey People are fun loving and highly social. Monkeys are clever and mastered the art of conversation and will prove it to you will long conversations, which can be center around themselves. They are not that lucky, but their optimism and natural charm makes up for that.

10. Rooster People – Rooster People are little peacocks because they love to put on a show and are the most eccentric of all signs. They love to hold extravagant parties with many unique trinkets. Rooster can be frank about their feelings and live their lives in the fast lane. No sleeping for the Rooster.

11. Dog People – Being the most loyal sign in the group, Dog People very caring and helpful to whoever they call family or friends. Dogs are also frank and see the world in black and white. They are best motivated when there is a goal in mind. They will be the first to run and achieve the goal.

12. Pig People – The party has begun! The Pig sign is one of the most social signs in the group. They love people and still caring and considerate. Pig People do tend to indulged too much, but most would say they deserve it. They are honest People who will go out of their way to help you.

 

This is Chinese Astrology in a nutshell. However, if this philosophy doesn’t work for you, be patient. May be Egyptian philosophy is more fitting with your beliefs.

 

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It All Starts with Ambition: Stacie’s Gifts Road to Success

February 5, 2011

You know, a high-status business typhoon once told me, “young business owners are a myth.” Apparently this person fails to realize that all myths are based on reality.

Tina Harris is a young entrepreneur who created her own online empire called Stacie’s Gifts, and get this! She started only two years ago and is still standing strong as we continue into the New Year. Tina has huge plans for her stylish jewelry boutique, and today I am excited to hear her plans as I interview her on how she created her success story. (All you aspiring business owner; you should definitely take note.)  

Sabrina: What inspired you to be your own boss, and how did it impact your current lifestyle for the better?

Tina: First, I decided to create something for myself while still young.  I wanted to form my own source of income, which would ultimately give me an entrepreneur skill-set that I would be able to use when older.  Second, I had fun both being a local and online merchant. 

From [my experience], I learned there is no security in working for someone else. Going into business with almost no clue, I took a blind leap of faith and have not looked back since.  My security is based on my own efforts and merits, not based on someone else’s business decision.

 

Sabrina: Since you are a service company, what is your customer service motto and how do you initiate it?

Tina: Having worked in customer service for over 10 years, this was not too hard to figure out.  I always put the customers first and make it easy for them to do business.  Customers want reasonable prices, open communication, and a secure shopping experience.  My goal for this company is actually initiated prior to the customers placing their orders.  In addition to having free 24/7 access to the website, customers have the same access to our social media sites.  This provides direct access to communicate with [the staff of Stacie’s Gifts] as well as information that can be used to help them shop online and offline. 

Sabrina: What type of business owner are you, and how do you set yourself apart from other owners?

Tina: You can say I am a business owner that operates in two worlds.  There is the virtual online world consisting of our website and social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and there is the “real world” where we also service our local customers.  As most business owners choose between marketing online or locally, I have been able to strike a balance between both worlds. 

Our size gives us an advantage [statement referring to Tina and her staff members].  We have ample opportunity to meet our customers face-to-face, and/or simply form a connection online.

 

Sabrina: Every business starts with an idea, but what is the first step that you recommend for aspiring men and women to take when trying to manifest that idea into an actual business? 

Tina: Now is actually a good time to start a business.  In this recession, it appears that the business world is realigning itself all the way from the fortune 500 companies to the “mom and pop” establishments.  My recommendation is to always start with a written plan.  Test your plans, and adjust them accordingly.  Have your plan reviewed by professional consultants.  Know that there are no short-cuts.  There is no fast track or tricks of the trade.  If starting and growing an enterprise were easy, everyone would do it.  Mentally prepare yourself for an adventurous journey ahead.

Sabrina: What are the three most important aspects of a successful business?

Tina:  Simply put:

One – A written plan with attainable goals and objectives.  Write down what you want to accomplish and how you plan to accomplish your goals in detail.  Keep it simple.

Two –  Happy customers that keep coming back and can put out the good word about your business.  Learn how to provide good customer service.

Three – A high degree of self-discipline and superb organization skills.

Sabrina: Your website is very straightforward, yet very bright and welcoming. How important is design and marketing for a new business, and what is the best way to expose the business to the public on a tight budget?

Tina: First impressions are very important, but there is also a bigger picture.  The best way to expose your business online is getting found.  Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and even Ning sites are an excellent way to get your site found on an upstart budget.  Search engines like Google provide many free and low cost methods of getting your website out to the public.

Second, make sure your site is easy to navigate.

Last, make sure the site terms are straightforward enough for everyone to understand.

Sabrina: Loving what you sell is crucial for credibility and success. What are your favorite items in your inventory and why?

Tina: There are a few items that are near and dear to me.  The first is the beige Pashmina.  Of course, I own one of my own.  I can wear it with almost anything, and it is versatile enough to wear year round.  The Pashmina is a piece I personally wear on a regular basis.  The second is the Dragonfly necklace.  I love wearing the Dragonfly necklace as I can always expect a compliment, or it can spark up a conversation with someone I have never met before.  It also helps breaks the ice with prospective local customers who end up buying the very same necklace as a gift.

Sabrina: What is your ultimate goal with Stacie’s Gifts?

Tina: The ultimate goal of StaciesGifts.com is to create a secure future for myself and loved ones by becoming the premium one stop shop for gifts and women’s accessories online.  Our purpose is to provide gift items for any occasion such as weddings, anniversaries, holidays, and corporate events at the most affordable prices.

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