You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
Homebuyers Have until April 30 to Get a Home Under Contract
Who Qualifies?
A tax credit of up to $8,000 is available for first-time home buyers purchasing before April 30, 2010. In cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify.
A tax credit of up to $6,500 is available for repeat home buyers who have owned a home for five consecutive years out of the prior eight years. The repeat home buyer tax credit applies to houses sold before April 30, 2010. In cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify.
Income limits of $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for married couples filing jointly apply to all sales.
(This post originally appeared on my community blog http://PostcardsFromTheLake.com )
Close to Camdenton, Missouri and far beneath the ground lies the most beautiful, natural wonderland that any could imagine.Bridal Cave, located in the heart of Lake of the Ozarks has been rated one of the most scenic caves in America. Bridal Cave boasts more onyx formations than any other cave or cavern. Each day visitors are able to tour the pristine beauty of stalactites and stalagmites that are thousands of years old. The recently discovered underground waters of the crystal clear Mystery Lake is one of the highlights of the tour. One of the most interesting things about this underground treasure is how the cave got its name.
The Osage Nation, a tribe of Native Americans moved into the area that is now Lake of the Ozarks in the early 1600's. French explorers, Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, were among the first Europeans to encounter the Osage. American painter, George Catlin, claimed they were the tallest men he had seen and that many of them were well over 6 feet tall. The Osage Nation was divided into smaller tribes. One tribe lived in the area of what is now Ha Ha Tonka State Park. The Chief's son, Conwee, had fallen in love with Wasena, daughter of the Elkhorn Chief. He was determined to have her for his wife. One night Conwee and some of his braves slipped down the Osage River and kidnapped Wasena and her friend Irona. As morning began to break, Conwee was afraid of being caught so they took the women and hid them in a cave.
Wasena escaped and Conwee chased her. She ran to a cliff high above the Niangua River and threw herself off. Irona did not run because she was in love with Conwee's brother Prince Buffalo. The couple wed in the very same cave in an area known as Bridal Chapel. Since that day, more than 2,105 couples from all over the globe have been drawn to this romantic spot for their special day.
And the romance continues. Few places in the country are as stunningly beautiful as Lake of the Ozarks. Numerous people have come for a visit and returned to live. And why not? Property is half the price of Los Angeles and has none of the crime. Lake of the Ozarks has top notch schools and golfing galore. The low cost of living and the gorgeous homes around Lake of the Ozarks, Camdenton, Barnett, Macks Creek, Laurie and several other towns make this area a great place to retire or raise a family. Come take a look. You'll be glad you did.
Lake Real Estate Pros has over 20 years experience helping people find the home of their dreams. We have everything from condominiums to multi-million-dollar mansions. Lisa Elliott and the team at Lake Real Estate Pros are ready to help you find your dream house. Call us today at 573-365-7332 or visit our site and check out the current listings at www.lakeozarkluxuryhomes.com. Lake of the Ozarks is calling. Come join us!
Melody specializes in utilizing cutting-edge computer and communications technologies to more effectively assist her clients to buy and sell property at the Lake of the Ozarks.
What clients are saying....
"Melody is the Realtor we used to purchase our home. She is thoughtful, listened to our needs, and was able to help us understand what we really wanted in a vacation home. She is someone you can work with long distance, has knowledge of the area; and over time helped put us in the right home." - G.H., KS.
"I want to thank you for the great job you did with the Shortland Home at Hawk Island. Your marketing recommendations were right on and produced the traffic that eventually paid off. It was a pleasure working with you. . .it's tough to be a surrogate, I hope I didn't look over your shoulder too much. You're the best. " -Doug Aegerter, Keller Williams Realty St. Louis
"I want to thank you for all of your help during our home buying process. From the very beginning you were pro-active in your search for our home. You showed us any home we asked to see (most often the same day we called) - including the one we most wanted which our previous realtor wouldn't even show us . (He said it couldn't be negotiated down to our price range) You were a tough negotiator when we decided we wanted to buy that very house, and we are now settled into it and couldn't be happier." - Nancy Greer, Camdenton, MO.
"Because we could only spend a few days at the Lake to preview properties, Melody worked "long distance" to evaluate, eliminate, and organize our search before we arrived. With our "short list" in hand, we quickly previewed all the properties and ultimately bought the first property on the list. Melody will be our realtor of choice for all future real estate transactions at the Lake." - Sandra Lock-Ardin, Lake Elsinore, CA
"At 90 years of age, I've bought and sold a lot of property. Melody is my favorite salesperson. I can't believe she got the price she did for my place!" - James Owens, Sr., Eldorado Springs, Mo.
"With the tremendous help of Melody, we made a very hard move from Colorado. Melody helped us for over a year going over and above - and found us the most perfect home! We are living happily ever after. Thank you very much, Melody!" - Phil and Michelle Jackson, Linn Creek, Mo.
Staying Abreast of New Online Technologies to Help Clients Buy and Sell Homes at the Lake of the Ozarks.
Now more than ever before, an agent needs to know how to use online technology to best represent the interests of her clients. Online marketing, professional networking and other real estate trends change and adapt consistently - and so does Melody!
Sales of Single Family Residences Rise For 2nd Straight Month
Sales of Single Family Residences Rise For 2nd Straight Month A snapshot taken of the market activity for Camdenton home sales in recent months gives rise to optimism. The number of home sales in Sept and Oct show improvement over the extemely disappointing summer sales season. Many first-time homebuyers hoping to take advantage of the $8000 tax credit currently scheduled to expire in November likely account for much of the increase. We will all, no doubt, be watching closely to see where the real estate market goes from here as we enter what is traditionally the slowest home-buying season in Camdenton.
(This post originally appeared on Melody's blog "www.PostcardsFromTheLake.com)
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
