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Spring is here and it really is a great time to clean house. That way, later this spring and summer, you can enjoy your home and do home improvement projects in an uncluttered, clean environment. Spring cleaning tips can help you be better prepared and have it be a more enjoyable experience.

Before you start going through your belongings and cleaning things out, you need a plan of attack. Think about what are the top priorities and what needs need to be done first. Make a spring cleaning checklist of all the supplies you need and purchase them in advance. The last thing you want is to be in the midst of cleaning and then realize you are missing a needed product for a task.

Make a schedule and stick to it. But keep it reasonable and try to have some fun. Spring cleaning should not be something you dread. Pull out a favorite record, and clean to the beat. Also, incorporate your kids into the project where you can. It can be a great teaching tool and can give them a sense of contributing to the family’s effort. They will probably even love to help you. And if you are doing heavy cleaning, it is a great time to get them over to Grandma’s.

Have a methodical approach. Target one area at a time. If your attic needs attention but it is not your favorite place to be, tackle it first. That will make the remaining tasks simpler if you tackle the more difficult ones first. It also keeps you from being overwhelmed by taking on everything at once.

House cleaning is more than just dusting, mopping, and scrubbing. It is also a great time to donate unneeded items to charity and reclaim your living space, whether you are moving or not. Go through your closets, cupboards, and storage areas and evaluate whether the items are still needed. If you have not used the item in months or years, it is probably time to get ride of it! It will also save you time down the road as there will surely be more things to go through and the last thing you want is a bunch of stuff accumulating.

When you are cleaning or reorganizing, think about changing family needs. For example, if you have had a baby, start thinking about where chemical products are in your house and reposition them into safe areas. Spring cleaning can be a good time to baby proof your home after it is all spic and span.

Another house cleaning tip is to work from the top down. For example, start by cleaning the cobwebs in the ceiling and then work down from there. That way, the dust can settle and by the time you are ready to vacuum, you will have cleaned the entire room.

These spring cleaning tips can you help you have a more successful, enjoyable experience. While it may not be the most fun process, think of it is a head start on tasks to do during the warmer months allowing you more time in the summer to get out to the ballgame, barbecue, beach, or a chance to get out shopping and buy some new clothes for the old ones you cleaned out.

When a person or company is looking to start a new business, there are a variety of factors they take into account including population size, income, taxes, education levels, housing and lease costs, and climate. For these reasons and many others Austin is on many lists for best city to start a business. In fact, Kiplinger’s financial magazine named Austin the best city for the coming decade.

Austin is located near the center of Texas, at the base of Texas Hill Country. It enjoys usually mild winters with plenty of parks, lakes, a river, and a vibrant music scene. Summers, however, are high quite hot with high temperatures usually in the mid 90s. Austin’s population has been growing and according to the 2010 U.S. Census, the Austin metropolitan area (including Round Rock) has a population of 1,716,291.

Austin has three primary economic drivers: University of Texas (UT), government, and technology companies such as Dell Computers. The city is home to the UT’s main campus, which has more than 50,000 students and 16,500 faculty and staff. Austin is the state capital of Texas, housing the state legislature, governor, and main office for numerous state departments and agencies.

Austin is also known as a tech center. It is the headquarters for Dell Computer, a large AT&T office, and a major IBM research lab. Many technology companies are locating in Austin. The city is even called “Silicon Hills”, due to its terrain, in contract to Silicon Valley in California. Much of Austin’s entrepreneurial spirit comes from the educated workforce coming out of UT. Michael Dell started his computer company in his UT dorm room.

Austin was one of the few cities that actually saw employment growth between 2004 and 2009. It grew 16% during that period, while much of the rest of the country saw significant layoffs and high levels of unemployment.

Austin also benefits from Texas being one of seven states with no state income tax. It also has a much lower cost of living than many other technology centers such as San Francisco and Seattle. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median home price in Austin for an existing home at the end of 2010 was $190,300.

Austin is one of few cities in the U.S. where home prices have remained steady the past four years. All of these factors make Austin a best city to start a business and a great place to move.

Short sales in real estate are becoming increasingly common as more and more American are under water in their mortgages, face other debts, and are looking to get out. If you bought a new home with a loan in the past ten years, especially the past five years, it is highly likely that you owe more than your house is currently worth.

In many U.S. metropolitan areas, more than ¼ of all mortgage holders owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. States such as California, Arizona, Nevada, and Florida have higher rates. This presents big problems for people when they are looking to move out of their current homes.

What is a Short Sale?

Short sales in real estate are a special type of transaction. It occurs when the borrower cannot pay the amount they owe on their property and needs to move. A lender may enter into the agreement, as they would rather sell the home at a moderate loss than go through a foreclosure. Foreclosures take longer and are more costly to banks than short sales. Foreclosures involve attorney’s fees and other liabilities that could result in an even greater loss for the lender.

In order for a short sale to go through, the borrower and mortgage holder(s) have to agree to the terms of the sale. A listing involving a short sale must be clearly identified as such so that potential buyers of the property are aware of it.

More Paperwork

Short sales involve more paperwork as the mortgage holder will evaluate the borrower’s financial situation and determine whether or not they will approve the sale of the home for an amount lower than what the borrower owes. If the lender agrees that the borrower faces economic hardship, they may enter into the short sale agreement.

Borrower Benefit

Homeowner/borrowers can also benefit from short sales, as the damage to their credit is not nearly as bad as a foreclosure. They may also be able to better control their debt by selling their home. Some people’s credit rating goes down a little as 100 points after a short sale, although amounts vary. Another consequence of a short sale is that it is unlikely the borrower will be approved for a home loan for at least a three-year period after the sale.

Impact On Real Estate Market

The volume of short sales on the real estate market has a significant impact on prices. Short sales sell for less money than regular listings as the process takes longer and the potential homebuyer must await the outcome of a short sale agreement. The buyer must be patient and have flexibility if the deal does not go through. Often, short sale homes cost tens of thousands less than a comparable regularly listed home, which is the reason they attract buyers. However, short sale prices drag down the prices for all listings, as do foreclosures, playing a substantive role in the health of the housing market.

Borrowers who are looking at doing a short sale in real estate should consult with a realtor, attorney, or other professional specializing in this area of real estate to consider their options and learn more about the short sale process.