Some men voice complaints of shortened penis following prostate ...

? Prostate Cancer news ? Jan 02, 2013

A small percentage of men in a prostate cancer study complained that their penis seemed shorter following treatment, with some saying that it interfered with intimate relationships and caused them to regret the type of treatment they chose.

Complaints were more common in men treated with radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate) or male hormone-blocking drugs combined with radiation therapy, according to the study by researchers from Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women?s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC). No men reported a perceived shortening of their penis following radiation therapy alone.

The study?s findings, which are being published in the January issue of the journal Urology, are based on surveys completed by physicians of 948 men treated for prostate cancer and who had suffered a recurrence of the disease.

Twenty-five men (2.63 percent of the group) complained of smaller penises after treatment ? 3.73 percent for surgery, 2.67 percent for radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and 0% for radiotherapy alone. Radiotherapy included both radiation administered by an external x-ray machine, and brachytherapy ? the implantation of radioactive seeds directly into the prostate.

The scientific team, led by Paul Nguyen, MD, a radiation oncologist, and medical student Arti Parekh, said it is the first study to link men?s perceptions of a reduction in penis size to lowered life satisfaction, problems in emotional relationships, and misgivings about the specific form of prostate cancer treatment they chose.

Nguyen said that the potential side effect of a smaller penis is well-known among physicians and surgeons, said Nguyen, ?but it?s almost never discussed with patients, so it can be very upsetting to some men when it occurs. Patients can deal with almost any side effect if they have some inkling ahead of time that they may happen.?

The addition of short-term androgen-deprivation therapy to external-beam radiation therapy improved overall and disease-specific survival in men with nonbulky localized prostate cancer and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels up to 20 ng/mL, as reported recently in The New England Journal of Medicine. The benefit of the addition of short-term Christopher Jones, MDandrogen-deprivation therapy was seen mainly in men with intermediate-risk disease, not low-risk disease, in this large, randomized, phase III international trial.

A caveat about these findings is that the radiation techniques used in this study were those used in 1994, when the study was initiated. More sophisticated techniques now in use deliver higher doses than what was possible 17 years ago. The benefit of short-term androgen-deprivation therapy has not been proven with the newer techniques, said lead author Christopher Jones, MD, a radiation oncologist at Radiological Associates in Sacramento, California.

Current Practice

Currently, most patients receive intensity-modulated radiation therapy, and many opt for treatment with brachytherapy (delivered via seeds [low-dose] or catheter [high-dose]). These newer techniques are associated with improved efficacy, Dr. Jones noted, which raises the question of the value of short-term androgen-deprivation therapy when added to modern radiotherapy techniques in intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

?It is not correct to routinely give short-term androgen-deprivation therapy to all patients on high doses of radiation delivered by modern techniques,? Dr. Jones stated.

The ongoing Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0815 study is designed to answer the question of whether short-term androgen-deprivation therapy should be given with high-dose radiation, he explained. That study is currently accruing over 1,500 intermediate-risk patients who will be randomly assigned to high-dose radiation (physician?s choice of technique) with or without short-term androgen-deprivation therapy (6 months in the new study).

###

By Alice Goodman

The report?s authors said physicians should discuss the possibility with their patients so that they can make more-informed treatment choices.

There were no direct measurements of penis size either before or after treatment, said the researchers. Nor did the patients? physicians specifically ask about this side effect; the issue was brought up by patients in conversations with their doctors. For this and other reasons, the authors of the new study suggest that the problem is likely more common than reported in the survey.

?Prostate cancer is one of the few cancers where patients have a choice of therapies, and because of the range of possible side effects, it can be a tough choice,? said Nguyen. ?This study says that when penile shortening does occur, it really does affect patients and their quality of life. It?s something we should be discussing up front so that it will help reduce treatment regrets.?

The likelihood and magnitude of penis shortening as a consequence of treatment have not been well studied, said the researchers. However, Jim Hu, MD, a surgeon at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center and a co-author of the study, said ?Previous studies have concluded that there is shortened penis length following prostatectomy. This is most common with non-nerve sparing surgery, as this may result in fibrosis and atrophy of erectile tissue due to damage to nerve and vascular structures.? The present study did not find much difference on that score.

Androgen-deprivation Therapy plus Radiation Proven as Standard of Care for High-risk Prostate Cancer

A combined-modality approach of androgen-deprivation therapy plus radiation therapy achieves a substantial survival benefit over androgen-deprivation therapy alone in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer according to final analysis of an intergroup randomized phase III study conducted by the National Cancer Institute of Canada, Southwest Oncology Group, and UK Medical Research Council. At a median follow-up of 8 years, both overall survival and disease-specific survival were significantly improved by combined-modality therapy, and the combined therapy was well tolerated, as reported at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

Level 1 Evidence

?Combined-modality therapy with androgen deprivation plus radiation should be considered the standard of care for locally advanced prostate cancer. The benefits of this therapy should be discussed with all patients,? said presenting author Padraig Warde, MD, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Canada. He said that combined-modality therapy is the only guideline-recommended primary therapy with level 1 evidence, and that the optimal duration of androgen-deprivation therapy remains to be defined.

The study randomly assigned 1,205 men with a median age of 69.7 years in a 1:1 ratio to androgen-deprivation therapy alone or androgen deprivation plus radiation. About 90% had T3/T4 disease and about 10% had T2 or lower-stage disease. About 81% had Gleason score ? 7. Continuous androgen-deprivation therapy was either bilateral orchiectomy or a luteinizing hormone?releasing hormone agonist. Radiation was delivered to the prostate, plus or minus seminal vesicles with or without pelvic node irradiation. An antiandrogen was given for 2 weeks, with an option to continue; 72% in the combination therapy group had pelvic nodes irradiated.

Ten-year overall survival was significantly improved, from 49% in the androgen-deprivation therapy?alone group to 55% in the combined-modality group, representing a survival improvement that was statistically significant (P = .0003). Androgen-deprivation therapy plus radiotherapy significantly improved disease-specific survival as well, with 134 deaths due to prostate cancer and/or its treatment on androgen-deprivation therapy alone and 65 deaths on the combined-modality therapy arm, representing a 54% improvement with combined-modality therapy (P

Adding radiation to androgen-deprivation therapy resulted in a small detrimental effect on late gastrointestinal toxicity, specifically greater than grade 2 proctitis (0.3% on androgen-deprivation therapy alone vs 1% for combined-modality therapy), but the difference was not statistically significant.

The study?s subjects were men enrolled in a registry called COMPARE that collects data on patients whose prostate cancer shows signs of recurring after initial treatment. Of the 948 men in the study, 22 percent were younger than 60 and the majority were in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Just over half ? 54 percent ? had undergone surgery to remove their cancerous prostate, while 24 percent received radiation therapy combined with hormone-blocking treatment, and 22 percent had radiation therapy alone.

In an editorial comment accompanying the report, Luc Cormier, MD, PhD, of Dijon University Hospital in France said the study ?is really of interest because of the number of patients and that it included other treatment methods in addition to radical prostatectomy.?

The surveys of the men did not report on their sexual functioning. Cormier observed that ?sexual activity needs to be thoroughly measured owing to the obvious relationship with the patients? perception of penile length.?

###

Other authors are from Dana-Farber, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

The research was supported by an anonymous family foundation along with other foundation funding.

About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a principal teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and is among the leading cancer research and care centers in the United States. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute. It provides adult care with Brigham and Women?s Hospital as Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women?s Cancer Center, and it provides pediatric care with Boston Children?s Hospital as Dana-Farber/Children?s Hospital Cancer Center. Dana-Farber is the top-ranked cancer center in New England, according to U.S. News & World Report, and one of the largest recipients among independent hospitals of National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health grant funding.

About Brigham and Women?s Hospital:

Brigham and Women?s Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 3.5 million annual patient visits, is the largest birthing center in New England and employs more than 15,000 people. The Brigham?s medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, involving nearly 1,000 physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by $640 million in funding. BWH continually pushes the boundaries of medicine, including building on its legacy in organ transplantation by performing the first face transplants in the U.S. in 2011. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses? and Physicians? Health Studies, OurGenes and the Women?s Health Initiative.

###

Teresa Herbert
teresa_herbert@dfci.harvard.edu
617-632-4090
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Provided by ArmMed Media

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Source: http://www.health.am/cr/more/penis-following-prostate-cancer-treatment/

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Video: Tension within GOP rises over Sandy aid

Weight-loss wager: Lose 120 pounds, gain $6,000

When Rick and Kay Woollen of Tobaccoville, N.C., decided to lose weight last year, they didn?t rely on New Year?s resolutions to get them going. Instead, the couple turned to something stronger than willpower to help them pare the pounds: the promise of cold, hard cash.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/hardball/50357934/

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Facebook Engagement Announcements Galore: Why so many ...

retrieved via innov82day.blogspot.com

It seems as though at about this time every year, Facebook news feeds are flooded with women showing off their newly endowed engagement bling.? The sour singles muck, the on-the-verge taken men tug their collars, and hopeless romantics melt with exhilaration, nevertheless, everybody clicks ?Like? and wishes the newly engaged couple the best.

Every year the ?Engagement Season? seems to progressively ramp up beginning in the fall, gaining major marriage momentum in the winter, and finally culminating in the spring, but why does this sort of pattern of behavior exist?

Last March, Facebook reported on the romantic (or lack thereof) behavioral patterns of its users.? By looking at the changes in its users' relationship statuses, the study revealed that more people entered into relationships during the winter months while more people explored their single, independent lifestyles come April.

On the surface, it?s easy to point towards an individual?s immediate psychological motivation like the idea that the winter cold air leads to more staying in which yields a yearning for a cuddle buddy, but I believe it is more complex than that.

In the late 1950s, the United States saw unprecedented changes in romantic behavior.? Most notably, the average age of first marriage dropped to its lowest point in history.? Getting hitched at the age of 18, 19, or 20 was completely normal, and not only was it normal, it was sought after.? Consequently, these hasty marriages led to hasty divorces as well, but that?s beside the point.

The culmination of World War II was one social condition that led to this sprint to the chapel, but there was one other social condition that played a major role in this situation, peer approval.? ?Peer approval theory,? a term I?ve decided to coin myself, is one that states, you do as to what you see others are doing and perceive all others are doing.? Case in point: late 1950s 18-year-olds got married because they were seeing their peer equivalents getting married and thus, perceived that all of their peer equivalents were getting married.

This is an idea brought up in studies done by Paula England, Kathleen Bogle, and Beth Bailey, our perceptions of what others are doing are often excessive.? For example, when you see your friends posting on Facebook or tweeting about how ?everyone and their moms? are getting married or having babies, this perception is excessive.? Everybody is not getting married or having babies, for a matter of fact, a modestly small proportion of your cohort may be engaging in this behavior.

Now back to the Facebook engagement announcements.? According to Peer Approval theory, every time somebody reveals to the Facebook world of their engagement, the vast amount of ?Likes? and comments provides social acceptance of the act to all, social pressure to engage in the act for some, and an excessive perception in others that everyone is getting married.

This is why Engagement season exists and persists, it is why year after year Facebook engagement announcements appear at larger rate within your Facebook news feed.? This past year, we saw marriage rates reach historic lows where married individuals are soon to become the minority.? Roughly 50% of adults are married, but as the Facebook engagement announcement gains popularity full steam ahead, I?ll bet that the percentage may increase in the next couple of years.

The influence of social media and increased transparency of the behavior of others is going to be the fuel driving social trends in the near future.? Take it or leave it.

Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/male-perspective/2013/01/facebook-engagement-announcements-galore-why-so-many-people-post-their-proposals/

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?No Pasar?n!: The breakdown of the family drives government ...

Richard A. Viguerie's post came out at Yuletide, but it is timeless, and as the new year begins, along with the attendant resolutions, it bears reprinting:

? if Christmas is a celebration of the family, today, as First Lady of the conservative movement Phyllis Schlafly reminded us in her column, the American family is in serious trouble.

Last year, 41 percent of all babies born in the U.S. (including 53 percent of babies born to women under 30) were born outside of marriage. ?It is obvious,? said Schlafly, ?that when the mother of these children has no husband to support her and her babies, she calls on Big Brother Government.?

This is an important point to keep in mind as we take a holiday break from the battle over the fiscal cliff, taxes and spending.

America?s urban liberal elite, who are the arbiters of popular culture, constantly promote the idea that the family is irrelevant, motherhood is demeaning and stay-at-home mothers are a burden on the state.

After forty-five years of the sexual revolution, urban liberal feminists, the media and an amoral government-run education system have convinced less educated Americans that marriage and the ?role of father or husband or wife? are not only unnecessary to emotional fulfillment and economic advancement, getting married will get in the way of the activities celebrated in the popular media, such as partying and casual sex.

Establishment Republicans don?t want to talk about marriage and the family. It all sounds so judgmental around the bar at the country club.

However, as Phyllis Schlafly noted, the breakdown of the family drives government spending because you and I then pay the bills for welfare, after school programs, Head Start and a host of other expensive and largely unsuccessful federal efforts to replace the nuclear family.

This is very much what Rick Santorum was saying out on the campaign trail during the Republican primary elections, but it is a truth that disappeared from the political conversation as soon as Santorum suspended his campaign.

This Christmas, please join me in celebrating the family and, in the midst of our battle over federal spending, let?s re-dedicate ourselves to helping to solve our government?s fiscal crisis by solving our nation?s family crisis.

In this context, it is never a bad idea to bring up the writings of Stephen Baskerville?

Source: http://no-pasaran.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-breakdown-of-family-drives.html

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obama: fiscal cliff deal is - Business Insider

Appearing shortly after the House voted to pass a fiscal cliff deal Tuesday night, President Barack Obama called the bill a "first step" toward deficit reduction, but warned that he will not go through the same battle with Republicans over the debt ceiling.?

"Thanks to the votes of Democrats and Republicans in Congress I will sign a law that raises taxes on the wealthiest 2% of Americans," Obama said.?"Tonight?s agreement further reduces the deficit by raising $620 billion in revenue from the wealthiest households."?

But, he added, "the fact is, the deficit is still too high."?

"I believe there's further unnecessary spending in government that we can eliminate," he said.?"There will be more deficit reduction as Congress decides what to do about the automatic spending cuts in two months."

The statement caps off days of chaotic negotiations, which ended in a bill that will raise taxes on households earning $450,000, as well as increase taxes on estates over $5 million and extend unemployment benefits. The bill does little to address sequestration, however, but extends the deadline for the spending cuts by two months.?

That deal marks a significant political victory for Obama, fulfilling his central campaign promise to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans.?

Still, the agreement fell far short of the "grand bargain" that Obama had initially hoped for, putting off negotiations over spending cuts and the debt ceiling. Republicans have indicated that they plan to put up a tougher fight over these issues in the next Congress, guaranteeing a protracted battle that the White House had initially sought to avoid.?

In his remarks Tuesday, Obama issued a stern forewarning on the upcoming debates, and reiterated that he will not negotiate with Republicans over the debt ceiling.?

"As I've demonstrated throughout the past several weeks, I am very open to compromise," he said. "But we cannot simply cut our way to prosperity."?

"While I will negotiate over many things, I will not have another debate with this Congress over whether or not they should pay the bills they have already racked up," Obama said. "We can not not pay bills that we have already incurred."?

Immediately following the remarks, Obama left the White House to return to Hawaii, where his family is still on vacation.?

Read the full statement below:?

A central promise of my campaign for President was to change the tax code that was too skewed towards the wealthy at the expense of working middle-class Americans.? Tonight we've done that.? Thanks to the votes of Democrats and Republicans in Congress, I will sign a law that raises taxes on the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans while preventing a middle-class tax hike that could have sent the economy back into recession and obviously had a severe impact on families all across America.

I want to thank all the leaders of the House and Senate.? In particular, I want to thank the work that was done by my extraordinary Vice President Joe Biden, as well as Leader Harry Reid, Speaker Boehner, Nancy Pelosi, and Mitch McConnell.? Everybody worked very hard on this and I appreciate it.? And, Joe, once again, I want to thank you for your great work.

Under this law, more than 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses will not see their income taxes go up.? Millions of families will continue to receive tax credits to help raise their kids and send them to college.? Companies will continue to receive tax credits for the research that they do, the investments they make, and the clean energy jobs that they create.? And 2 million Americans who are out of work but out there looking, pounding the pavement every day, are going to continue to receive unemployment benefits as long as they?re actively looking for a job.

But I think we all recognize this law is just one step in the broader effort to strengthen our economy and broaden opportunity for everybody.? The fact is the deficit is still too high, and we're still investing too little in the things that we need for the economy to grow as fast as it should.?

And that's why Speaker Boehner and I originally tried to negotiate a larger agreement that would put this country on a path to paying down its debt while also putting Americans back to work rebuilding our roads and bridges, and providing investments in areas like education and job training.? Unfortunately, there just wasn?t enough support or time for that kind of large agreement in a lame duck session of Congress.? And that failure comes with a cost, as the messy nature of the process over the past several weeks has made business more uncertain and consumers less confident.?

But we are continuing to chip away at this problem, step by step.? Last year I signed into law $1.7 trillion in deficit reduction.? Tonight?s agreement further reduces the deficit by raising $620 billion in revenue from the wealthiest households in America.? And there will be more deficit reduction as Congress decides what to do about the automatic spending cuts that we have now delayed for two months.

I want to make this point:? As I've demonstrated throughout the past several weeks, I am very open to compromise.? I agree with Democrats and Republicans that the aging population and the rising cost of health care makes Medicare the biggest contributor to our deficit.? I believe we've got to find ways to reform that program without hurting seniors who count on it to survive.? And I believe that there?s further unnecessary spending in government that we can eliminate.?

But we can't simply cut our way to prosperity.? Cutting spending has to go hand-in-hand with further reforms to our tax code so that the wealthiest corporations and individuals can't take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren't available to most Americans.? And we can't keep cutting things like basic research and new technology and still expect to succeed in a 21st century economy.? So we're going to have to continue to move forward in deficit reduction, but we have to do it in a balanced way, making sure that we are growing even as we get a handle on our spending.?

Now, one last point I want to make -- while I will negotiate over many things, I will not have another debate with this Congress over whether or not they should pay the bills that they?ve already racked up through the laws that they passed.? Let me repeat:? We can't not pay bills that we've already incurred.? If Congress refuses to give the United States government the ability to pay these bills on time, the consequences for the entire global economy would be catastrophic -- far worse than the impact of a fiscal cliff.?

People will remember, back in 2011, the last time this course of action was threatened, our entire recovery was put at risk.? Consumer confidence plunged.? Business investment plunged. Growth dropped.? We can't go down that path again.

And today?s agreement enshrines, I think, a principle into law that will remain in place as long as I am President:? The deficit needs to be reduced in a way that's balanced.? Everyone pays their fair share.? Everyone does their part.? That's how our economy works best.? That's how we grow.?

The sum total of all the budget agreements we've reached so far proves that there is a path forward, that it is possible if we focus not on our politics but on what?s right for the country. And the one thing that I think, hopefully, in the New Year we'll focus on is seeing if we can put a package like this together with a little bit less drama, a little less brinksmanship, not scare the heck out of folks quite as much.

We can come together as Democrats and Republicans to cut spending and raise revenue in a way that reduces our deficit, protects our middle class, provides ladders into the middle class for everybody who?s willing to work hard.? We can find a way to afford the investments that we need to grow and compete.? We can settle this debate, or at the very least, not allow it to be so all-consuming all the time that it stops us from meeting a host of other challenges that we face -- creating jobs, boosting incomes, fixing our infrastructure, fixing our immigration system, protecting our planet from the harmful effects of climate change, boosting domestic energy production, protecting our kids from the horrors of gun violence.

It?s not just possible to do these things; it?s an obligation to ourselves and to future generations.? And I look forward to working with every single member of Congress to meet this obligation in the New Year.?

And I hope that everybody now gets at least a day off, I guess, or a few days off, so that people can refresh themselves, because we're going to have a lot of work to do in 2013.

???? Thanks, everybody.? Happy New Year.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-fiscal-cliff-deal-2013-1

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Eric Chua : Life, Business and Real Estate in Singapore ? Hiring An ...

You only need to know how to approach the market as a buyer, and that goes for investors or for would-be homeowners. This article is here to help you become an educated buyer.

If you are purchasing a home, employ your own professional services. Do not hire the appraiser or inspector chosen by the seller. Spending money when you don?t have to goes against most people?s nature. Even so, it is always best to hire people you personally can trust. Knowing that you are receiving realistic numbers and information from honest sources can save you money and help avoid unpleasant surprises in the future.

Banks aren?t required to do home inspections, but it should still be done. Having the house professionally inspected before your purchase is important because it will tell you the exact condition of the house. Many problems are hard to spot?for example, there might be a leak in the roof or a wiring problem that is undetectable to the average person. A home inspector can uncover these hidden problems for you.

TIP! Before you meet with a real estate agent, think about questions you want to ask them. The content of your questions should cover every aspect you can think of.

Real Estate

This is a great time to spend some money on real estate. Property values and interest rates are low in light of the recent housing market crash. When buying a house for your personal use, research the real estate market in your area and use a qualified local agent. The markets will go up again someday, so any investment you make will have returns.

If you plan to purchase a house that has a nice view, don?t base your purchase solely on that fact. Even though you value the view highly, when it comes time for you to resell the house, your buyer might not think so. There?s nothing wrong with purchasing a view that you love. Just be sure that you don?t overpay for that view.

TIP! Although they may look nice, fireplaces are not necessary in multiple rooms, so do not purchase a home with too many of them. A fireplace in multiple rooms becomes a real annoyance to maintain and you hardly use them anyway.

Determine your offer ahead of time. You already know what the asking price is, but having carefully considered your offer point will be beneficial. Getting help from your seller, you should come to terms on the final selling price that both of you are content with.

If you are new to real estate purchases, you may want to enlist the help of respectable professional real estate agents. They have resources that you don?t have at your disposal. The most important tools these professionals have are sorting programs that can do advanced searches on MLS. While you can search through MLS on your own, these tools can make the process much more efficient and will allow you to find great deals that you would have otherwise missed.

As a prospective home buyer, you should keep in mind that you aren?t buying a house for the decor. You need to buy a home for its shape and how it is built. By purchasing a home for the decor, you may prevent seeing a bad problem that could come back to haunt you.

TIP! You?ve finally decided to buy a house, but now you have to find a reputable real estate agent. Someone who is trustworthy is most preferable.

Sellers will certainly find you appealing when you arrive with a pre-approval letter. Waiting for approval will also cost you time during the process of buying, which might ultimately cost you dollars as well.

Actual Square Footage

If you are seriously considering buying a home, take the time to measure it. This is important because you cannot compare public records with the actual square footage unless you measure. You always want to be certain that the listed square footage is accurate. The actual square footage and the footage on public record should stay no more than 100 feet of one another. When the two measurements are more drastic than that, you might want to rethink your decision to buy. At the very least, you must figure out why the discrepancy exists.

TIP! Get a warranty for the house. When you buy a new home from a builder, or an established home from an owner, you should always request a warranty.

Before you purchase a property, ensure you do thorough research of the neighborhood. This is a long-term investment, so make sure that you feel comfortable with the area. Understanding the environment and its surroundings can help to reduce the chances of regret in the future.

Find out more about rental properties. If you?re thinking of buying a property, don?t buy one unless you?ve reviewed the old records. Make sure you are getting accurate information from the seller about how much money you could make with this property. Your lender will also want some sort of income verification prior to issuing you a loan.

Foreclosed Homes

TIP! Do not buy a home along a busy road if you can avoid it. Though these houses usually cost less when compared to homes in the middle, they are that way for a good reason.

Foreclosed homes are often available at below market prices, because the bank will not do any improvements for the buyer. Many times these houses have been vacant for a while before they are up for sale, and you should assume that any regular maintenance was not completed. Many foreclosed homes need a brand new HVAC system, and can have pests that need to be taken care of.

Stay in touch and communicate regularly with other investors in the real estate field. There will always be a plethora of properties available. It is important to make sure that the property and the investor are a good fit. This can lead you to the perfect place that you might not have found otherwise.

Get insurance before moving family and furniture into a new place. If you put off buying insurance, you?ll be sorry if there is an unpredictable act of nature that causes irreparable harm.

TIP! Make sure that you make your goals a priority when you are negotiating a deal in real estate. Take the time to assess the challenges and find good solutions.

If you want to buy a spot for a business, ensure that it is located in a good area with reasonable stability and opportunities for growth. If you open your business in a down trodden community, a large base of clientele is unlikely to happen. Seek the advice of a real estate professional regarding the best place to start your business.

For someone who is into buying real estate, you must know the proper approach on how to buy in the market, understanding this can be the difference between success and failure. An excellent method of establishing success is by having the proper amount of knowledge. This articles tells you how to put these facts to work for you. Now, it?s time for you to use what you know.

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www.facebook.com/maynaseric

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/hiring-an-experienced-real-estate-agent-is-essential-when-buying-a-home-3

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The Writing Life: Free Success Insights from A Bestselling Author

When he was first starting out, Jack Canfield and his credit cards were almost maxed out and 144 publishers had rejected his book Chicken Soup for the Soul.

But he never gave up his dream of being a bestselling author.

Today Jack is arguably the most successful, bestselling non-fiction author of all time.

He has over 500 million books in print and has launched 47 New York Times bestsellers (and even had 7 books simultaneously on the list at one point).

How did Jack get from where he was to where he really wanted to be - and more importantly, how can you use his strategies to make your own books a success?

Find out on a free telephone seminar on Thursday, January 3rd on which Jack will be interviewed by Steve Harrison, who has helped over 12,000 authors promote their books.

Whether your book right now is just a dream, a still-to-be-completed manuscript, or a published reality, this call is for you.

Go here now to register for Thursday's call.

Even if you've heard Jack before, you'll come away with strategies you can use right away. You'll discover: Jack's journey from inner city public school teacher to bestselling author and speaker

* Why becoming a bestseller is no longer about luck - it's about having a plan

* 5 ways writing a book will change your life

* What you should ideally be doing before you start writing your book and trying to get it published

* How Jack responded when his book was initially rejected by 144 publishers as well as his own literary agent, and how you too can find the inspiration to keep going

* Key insights into how the publishing and book marketing game really works

* A simple technique Jack used in writing his book, "The Success Principles," which allowed him to later sell thousands of copies to a single company. Plus, how Jack used the same method to land 50 speaking engagements -- all because of something he did while writing the book.

* A powerful way to overcome any initial discomfort you might feel about putting yourself out there as an author, speaker, book promoter or talk show guest

* How to structure your book so it's the best possible book it can be and people tell their friends about it

* Some of the pros and cons between traditional publishing and self publishing?

* How he sold his first 20,000 copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul BEFORE he even had a publisher
?
* The strategy Jack used to sell 6 million books to one company

* How to take a small part of your book and get a company or organization to pay you big bucks for it. On the call, he'll tell you how this one technique brought him $75,000

* Two keys to turning radio and TV interview into sales
and more!

Go here now to register for Thursday's call with Jack Canfield.

I know you'll learn a lot on the call with Steve and Jack. If you?ve heard his story before, it?s worth hearing again. I?m promoting the free call as a compensated affiliate because I constantly hear from authors. Many of these authors write their books with no guidance from anyone, and end up with thousands of dollars worth of books they can?t sell.?

You need to hear this call so sign up today.

Source: http://terrywhalin.blogspot.com/2013/01/free-success-insights-from-bestselling.html

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