Articles by Ian Lurie on ArticleSnatch.com

How to Protect Yourself and Your Interests When Purchasing Property

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Experienced investors often evaluate multiple properties simultaneously and don't have time to carefully inspect each one. Novice investors don't always know what constitutes a good deal, and therefore need lots of time to think about it. How can both experienced and novice investors tie up what looks like a promising piece of real estate, yet not get burned if it turns out to be a marginal deal? The answer: Put the property under contract and make sure to use a contingency clause. But what exactly IS a contingency clause? It's simple: A contingency clause is language that let's you get out of a real estate contract-if you decide not to go through with the deal-without any financial risk to you. When writing offers to purchase real estate, contingencies will protect you and give you greater control. This is true whether you are dealing with: 1. For Sale by Owner (FSBO) deals, 2. Real estate marketed through the MLS, or 3. Properties that have been repossessed by banks. All You Need Is One There are literally hundreds of contingency clauses you can use as a buyer. The clauses you can use are limited only by your imagination. **End Summary** Topics: real estate]]> investors]]> contingencies]]> clause]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie and his team write articles for Trump University ( http://www.trumpuniversity.com ), where Donald Trump's Experts Teach Real Estate Investing, Entrepreneurship, Business Management and Wealth.

Collection Perfection: 5 Tips To Keeping Your Toy & Collectible Shelf Up To Date

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As collectors, we live for getting our sweaty hands on the First Ever or Last Ever of one item or another. The retailer, though, has the final say in whether you attain collection nirvana. Here are a few tips that will help you work with your friendly online retailer: 1) Pre-order and pre-order early. Many retailers base their purchase orders on their client orders. The sooner you order, the more likely you'll be to get in on that first purchase order placed with the manufacturer. You can also find online retailers who don't bill you for items until they have them in stock. You can order them, have them delivered once they arrive, save yourself the hassle of scouring retail stores and keep your money in your pocket until delivery. 2) Set up email reminders for the types of items you're most interested in. If you know you want to be kept up to date on every new available Star Trek or Star Wars item, set yourself up for retailer email reminders so you know when new collectibles become available. **End Summary** Topics: collectibles]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie and his team write articles for Entertainment Earth, a action figures, bobble heads and collectibles retailer online.

The Groom's Room: Creating Your Own Space In Your New Household

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In this day and age, although it is rare, it is quite possible that the first time that after the wedding will be the first time that the happy couple will be living together. Putting two people under one roof is a challenge to say the least. It means consolidating household goods, bank accounts and most of all, kissing privacy goodbye. While this may not bother some, for others it can be a hard pill to swallow. Reports suggest that those couples that have their own individual space are much happier than those that don't. It doesn't have to be a large space. Sometimes something as small as a half bath where you can keep your toothbrush and shaving cream can make a difference. Being close to your new wife is much better when you choose to do it, instead of being forced to do it by a lack of space. In order to keep from losing that loving feeling, it's important for grooms to set aside an area where they can get away from the Lifetime Movie Channel and HGTV. The benefits of having a groom's sanctuary can't be stressed enough. **End Summary** Topics: man cave]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie and his team write articles for Groom Stand ( http://www.groomstand.com ). He's successfully co-habitated with his wife for over 10 years.

The Gift Giving Basics

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As the old saying goes "It's the thought that counts", but in reality even the most well intentioned toaster isn't going to get the desired reaction. Why men continue to buy these types of gifts for their wives baffles most women. But men, if you think that you need to enlist the help of a personal shopper to find something nice for your wife, think again. You may never get a gold medal for gift giving, you can certainly improve the message you send to your wife. Budget: The budget is perhaps the most important aspect of any gift you are going to give your special lady. Economic times are tough, and people are cutting back everywhere they can, but that doesn't mean that you have to be cheap with the lady you love. So whatever you decide you are willing to spend, add 20%. You spared no expense when courting her, so now that you've married her, you need to show her that she is even more special. Selection: Many men consider this to be the hardest part, finding something that there wife or fiancee would like. This will really take some thought. **End Summary** Topics: gifts]]> wedding]]> marriage]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie and his team write articles for Groom Stand, a groomsmen gifts retailer online.

The Groom's Crash Course in Cigars

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As a groom, you will find that in the very near future you will have several opportunities to indulge in a good cigar. If you aren't already a cigar aficionado, we have some information here that will help you. So whether it's a cigar at the bachelor party, groomsman's gifts at the wedding or when celebrating the birth of the first baby shortly after, we have everything you need to know about cigars simplified in one place. Most guys' first experience with cigars is usually a nausea inducing puff with friends in high school, where they tried to not inhale or look like a dork. But cigars don't have to be stinky nausea inducing things. Read on and you'll find out what you've been missing and what you need to know. Cigars are defined by most as one of the "finer things in life". As such they make perfect gifts for the wedding party. For starters, cigars are interesting. They come in a wide variety of sizes, flavors and styles. They are usually a rich, oral indulgence, much like fine wine or chocolates. **End Summary** Topics: cigars]]> gifts]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie and his team write articles for Groom Stand, a groomsmen gifts retailer online. Groomstand sells all kinds of cigar accessories as gifts.

A Groom's Guide to Cost Cutting

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

It is often a sad fact that groom's believe that their requirements for a wedding end at buying the ring, popping the question and renting a tux. In days past it might have been true that the bride's family foot the bill for the wedding, but times they are a changin'. The days of dowries and arranged marriages are long past, and while in some cases the bride's family will still take care of most of the wedding arrangements, most of the time the responsibilities involved in wedding planning will fall to the bride and groom themselves, with occasional parental assistance. So guy's it's a far better idea to get involved in the wedding planning early on, or you might just be surprised by the damage a blushing bride can wreak on your bank account. Men are typically known as the cheaper or stingier of the sexes, but whether you are cheap or not, you can help keep wedding spending in check by creating a wedding budget and making sure that both you and your blushing bride adhere to it. Now if this sounds like a terribly daunting task, don't worry. **End Summary** Topics: groomsmen gifts]]> weddings]]> groom]]> recession]]> budget]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie writes articles for Groom Stand, a personalized groomsmen gifts retailer online.

The Groom Shower: Groomsmen Trends Are A-Changin'

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

More and more these days we are hearing about equality between the sexes, and that is never clearer than in the case of a wedding. What was once the domain of women only, with the men being required to do nothing more than put on a tux, show up and repeat the right words, has now become more of an equal opportunity event. The bride and groom will usually foot the bill equally for the wedding, instead of leaving the cost solely on the bride and her family. The guys are now out choosing linens and colors and flowers, right along with the ladies. This is great for the frazzled bride who doesn't really want to make all the decisions, or doesn't know what her groom would like, but it also allows the groom some of the perks as well. One of those perks is the groom's shower. It's only right that if they guys share in the work, that they should get to share in the fun too. For those of you who have never planned a groom's shower, fear not. It is basically the same as planning a bridal shower, only with a more masculine feel. **End Summary** Topics: groomsmen]]> groom]]> grooms shower]]> groom shower]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie is a writer for Groom Stand, an online personalized groomsmen gifts retailer. You can find Groom Stand at http://www.groomstand.com

Why I Hate the Phrase "Social Media"

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Stop saying it. "Social Media". What the heck does that mean? Has there ever been ANTI-social media? I don't think so. Here's my problem: Social media is not a new thing. Social media has been around since we were swinging from trees. When your ancestor of 200,000 years ago saw a predator, he or she hooted in alarm. A bunch of other semi-hairless apes then took up the call, warning everyone. Bam. Social media was born. Martin Luther was a master of social media: When he hung his document on the church door, he got the message out to a large crowd. Labor unions mastered social media in the 18th century (or earlier). The idea that blogs, sites like Facebook or other web stuff is an earth-shattering change in the way people communicate is ridiculous. I don't see people speaking any more intelligently. Folks who have stuff to sell are still trying to sell me. Friends are still writing me notes. 99% of the human race still can't spell or string together a complete sentence. Nothing's changed, except that we now have some great tools that make this kind of community-building and communication easier. **End Summary** Topics: social media]]> internet marketing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie runs the Seattle internet marketing company Portent Interactive . He's been an internet marketer for over 10 years, with clients including Advertising Age Magazine, Trump University and momAgenda.

11 Recession-Proof Internet Marketing Methods

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Yup, we're in a recession. A deep, deep, no-way-out, bottom-of-the-pit recession. If you run a web site, it's easy to sit back and shut your eyes as we start the long downward roller coaster ride. But there are some things you can do to recession-proof your internet marketing: 1. Make every customer happy. It's easier to keep a customer than it is to get a new one. If something goes wrong, or if someone's blasting you via e-mail, think before you respond. Of course, you should always do this, but maybe think a little harder this time. 2. Focus on content. Go back over your site. Is every single page a perfect sales letter? If not, go over it again. Edit and re-edit. Post your edits each time. This is an iterative proces. But constant improvement will mean better conversion and better search rankings. 3. Think search engine optimization. Pay attention to the basic principles of search engine optimization. Have great content. Make sure your site is easily 'crawled' by the search engines. Don't engage in any tricky stuff that might get you banned. 4. Measure everything. If you're spending money on advertising, measure every ad for effectiveness. **End Summary** Topics: internet marketing]]> recession]]> strategies]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie runs the internet marketing company Portent Interactive in Seattle, WA. He's been an internet marketer for over 10 years, with clients including Advertising Age Magazine, Trump University and momAgenda. If you're wondering: He's every bit as spooked as you are.

18 Reasons I Let My Kids Play Video Games

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

My name is Ian, and I let my kids play video games. There, I said it. I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s playing the first video games on the planet: Pong, Space Invaders and that silly 2-dimensional arial dogfight game on the Atari 2600. In the 1990s I spent spare time playing R-Type and Street Fighter as therapy during law school. I am, in short, a lifetime video games geek. I didn't just drag my kids in front of a console and leave them alone, though. I thought long and carefully before letting them try video games. Here's some of my thought process: 1. All of their friends play. When I was growing up, I wasn't allowed to watch some TV shows because my parents didn't want me exposed to violence. So I got exposed to violence on the playground, instead, when 30 playmates proceeded to pummel me because I was so lame. My kids will be able to beat all their loser friends at Viva Pinata, dammit. 2. It makes them smarter. Yes, you heard me. Don't blame video games if your kid turns out to be a moron. **End Summary** Topics: kids]]> video games]]> games]]> children]]> gaming]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ian Lurie is a writer and marketer in Seattle, WA. He currently represents ItzaBitza, whose drawing and learning video game helps teach kids to read, as well as Dreambox Learning, whose online math learning game teaches kids critical math skills. Ian's favorite games are WoW and StarCraft. He doesn't let his kids play either one. They'll forgive him someday.