The third annual Castille Neighborhood Garage Sale has been scheduled for Saturday March 10, 2012.  The event, sponsored by Greg and Nancy Semos, your Regency Real Estate Realtor®s will take place from 7 am until noon that day.  As usual, we expect lots of traffic through the area, as the event is widely advertised in local print media and on the Internet.

Signing up is easy, just let Greg and Nancy know you want to participate.  Call 949 632-4883 or email them at greg@gregandnancy4homes.com with your name and property address.  You'll be confirmed by email.

Last year over 50 households sold lots of treasures and had some fun doing it.  Its easy to be part of the fun.  You can expect people to start cruising the neighborhood early, so get your items marked and out as soon as you're ready.  Many people sold substantial amounts of merchandise even before the official 7 am start.

Once you sign up, expect to receive some tips on selling and a pricing kit.  It contains tags and stickers as well as any last minute hints.

Saturday morning, the signs go up, directing Åggarage sailorsÅh through out the community.  Greg and Nancy are out early, getting the signs up so no one gets missed.  They also make an early run to the Krispy Kreme for hot doughnuts.  Those get delivered to each sale location starting about 6:45 am.  

Remember, just call to sign up.  949 632-4883, or email greg@gregandnancy4homes.com.

Have you ever watched a science fiction movie, observed something really cool, and said, “I wish that were real”? You’d be surprised to know how many things that were made up on television have become realities. Here are some useful and some useless but cool ones.

Hydrogel Lenses

These contact lenses are not just cool because they change color, but for the reason why they do so. They contain tiny nanoparticles that react with human tears and change color based on a person’s glucose levels. This can alert diabetics to their blood sugar levels without drawing blood.

The Sleep Box

The sleep box is exactly what the name implies - a box for sleeping. It can be used at airports or other places where you may be stuck spending some time. It is large enough to hold a bed and an LCD television, and also provides luggage space. It has wireless access in case you want to work in private.

What is a mentor?

A mentor is essentially someone who has more experience in business than you. A mentor can help you navigate the difficult waters of starting a business, owning a business, business strategy, and everything in between. For an entrepreneur, a mentor can give advice, provide networking connections, or simply be a friend when things get rough. 

Why is it important to have a mentor?

For your own sanity and the health of your business, investing both your time and thoughts into a mentor relationship can be worthwhile. Remember, a mentor is someone who is essentially a soundboard; a person who you talk to about those important decisions before you make them; someone who wants you to succeed and does whatever they can to help you achieve your goals; and encourages you to pursue your goals while advising ways to avoid conflict or friction. The following are five easy steps to find the perfect mentor.

Step 1: Reach out to your family and friends for advice, or seek connections that could become possible mentors. Relatives and friends are your closest network, and you should certainly pick someone who you deeply trust and respect to guide you in your business. 

Even with the shortened season, fans will still have a chance to enjoy their favorite players in the NBA All-Star game.  It is set for February 26, 2012 in Orlando, Florida at the Amway Center.  The center is the home of the Orlando Magic and this is the second time the city gets to host the All-Star game.  The first was 20 years ago when Magic Johnson came back to play after being diagnosed with AIDS and won the MVP trophy for the game.

This year, starting players were picked by fan votes with them having the choice of two guards, two forwards, and one center.  Reserve players were then picked by head coaches in their own conferences.  However, a coach could not pick his own player.  The reserves have two guards, two forwards, and one center, with two extra players in any positions.

Notable Players of the Eastern Conference

Several names are in the running for the season’s MVP award as expected.  Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James are three of the top starters for the eastern conference.  They are joined by Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.  There are 3 first time selections on the reserves.

President Obama announced last week that he was asking the Justice Department to create a task force to investigate lenders who gave loans to new homeowners prior to the debt crisis. The task force is supposed to find out if there were abusive or illegal lending practices. Those found guilty would be required to compensate the victims by contributing to the housing relief program.

Those Who Agree

There are many who are in support of this task force. Predatory lending practices provided loans to people who could not afford them, and are seen as the primary cause for the housing crisis. The term “predatory lending” refers to the unscrupulous and illegal practices used by many lenders while creating a loan.  

There are many behaviors that are categorized as predatory, and resulting in borrowers signing a loan they cannot afford. Some of these include:

-Failing to tell the borrower that the price of the home is negotiable

-Failing to clearly disclose the terms of the loan