Apparently, Brian France and his cohorts paid off the rain gods in order to soak the Daytona International Speedway, after all, they can control the weather. It rained for heavens sake. I would have loved to have seen the full 500 miles. Sure, I think they could have given it more time before calling off the end of the race. The track does have lights and they could have raced until 2 am if they needed to, but NASCAR officials felt the need to call off the race. Perhaps they had more information at the time regarding the forecast. These fans quickly forgot that just a week earlier, they witnessed an electrifying finish to the Bud Shootout. However, fans refused to focus on the fantastic finish of that race. Instead, they bemoan the fact that the race began at four o'clock in the afternoon instead of noon.
Of course, you had the conspiracy theories flying around after NASCAR did not penalize Dale Earnhardt Jr five laps after the notorious incident with Brian Vickers. Just a day earlier, NASCAR officials penalized Jason Leffler in the Nationwide Series for a similar incident. Basically, the fans claim that favors Earnhardt Jr because of who he is, and because of his last name. They quickly forgot about the previous two pit road penalties that NASCAR levied to Earnhardt Jr and the No. 88 team. They could have let one of them penalties slide if they were really as inconsistent and biased as everyone seems to claim.
How about the top 35 rule that everyone is up in arms about? You sure do hear a lot of complaining about the rule, but no reasonable suggestions are provided. The rule is in effect to protect the top 35 teams and sponsors. Sure, there is probably a better solution than the top 35 rule, but it is not ruining the sport, as some try to claim. With that said, I disagree with NASCAR allowing the points swapping between some of the teams. That must end in my opinion.
The champion's provisional receives plenty of criticism as well, but it really is a good way to pay homage to past champions, especially the ones in the latter part of their careers. They earned the right for a freebie. Heck, Tony Stewart may need to use the provisional before it is all said and done.
The television coverage receives a bulk of censure from fans that expect perfection from networks and broadcasters. They could not wait for ESPN to re-enter , but they have been horrible if you listen to most fans. They complain about FOX, and I have even read where the fictional cartoon character ?Digger? is played out. Fans, the guys at FOX are just trying to have some fun. They are just trying to add some extra entertainment to the broadcast. If you do not like it, well, that is fine, tune it out. Pretend it is your children making unnecessary noise. You learn to tune them out. There is room for improvement within the three television networks, but give them a break, and stop looking for stuff to complain about. It really gets old.
When it comes to looking for a house to buy, time really is money. That's because your decision on which house to spend your money on is one you're going to have to live with for a long, long time. So use your time efficiently, but don't be in a hurry to find a house unless you absolutely have no other choice.
Your home search should take more than a weekend or two. This is an incredibly large and important purchase. One you don't want to make in haste and regret at leisure! So it's definitely not a good idea to do this on a whim or off the cuff. Think months, not weeks in terms of your search. But first, before you start driving around looking at ?for sale? signs or reading the real estate classifieds in the newspaper, find a Realtor or Broker to represent you that understands what you're looking for. A good one will tell you the good and bad points of a home, and work to get you the best deal. Next, check to see if your finances and credit history are in order, then go shopping for a mortgage company. If all goes as planned, you will be pre-approved for a mortgage loan.
Now the ?fun? begins. Sit down and make a list. One column of your list should be entitled ?Wants.? And another column should be entitled ?Needs.? Never, ever confuse the two?because they're not always the same thing. For instance, you may want the kind of mansion that you've seen featured in design magazines and in articles on celebrity homes. But what you need is three bedrooms, at least two baths, and a neighborhood that's near good schools for your kids.
Other things you might want to consider adding to one column or the other on your list:
?A single level or multi-level home
?A homeowners association
?A home in a gated community
?A home in a master-planned community
?A deck
?A swimming pool
?Room for a home office
?A guest room
?A certain style of architecture
?A specific neighborhood
?A large kitchen
?A formal dining room
?A large backyard for a playground or garden
?A privacy fence
?Mature trees and/or nice landscaping
?A big garage
?Lots of closet and storage space
Once you've figured out what you do need or want, spend a little more time on the list'by creating a new column for things that you ?Don't Want.? Maybe that's a home that needs lots of fixing or remodeling. Or a location that's too near a busy street, highway, or landfill. Or a home with a floor plan that's nice, but makes absolutely no sense with the way you live.
Take your time making the lists. When you're absolutely sure that you've thought of everything, you're ready to start looking at houses. Take your lists with you, and give a copy to your Realtor or Broker, too. Refer to the lists frequently. It will keep you on track and in touch with reality. It will help you make logical decisions'as opposed to emotional ones. After all, you don't want to go falling in love with a house that you can't afford. Or one that gets sold while you're looking. Or one that doesn't have the things you truly need?but seems like a really good deal. By the way, while you're doing your advance homework, your Realtor or Broker will be using his or her time productively, too. Pulling together research on the kind of homes you're looking for?what they're selling for, what neighborhoods they're in?and so forth.
Of course, you can (and should) spend time doing your own research. Look through the real estate section of the newspaper. Check websites. Magazines like this one are chockfull of information, too. If you find something that sounds or looks interesting, have your Realtor or Broker check it out.
Most of all, be patient and persistent. Invest enough quality time in finding a home, and you'll end up with The One that's exactly right for you'in every possible way.
Both Richard Paul & The New Homes Guide are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.