How do you make a "to-do" list that keeps you on task? Are you still writing in an agenda book or day planner? Do you use a Blackberry or other smart phone to sync your Outlook tasks, so you can connect to them while mobile? Is it working?

I know how busy life can be. Managing a career, a family and a personal schedule can feel like building an intricate pyramid. Each layer of tasks is interdependent but independent. One slip in the carefully built layers of plans can have a domino effect on the rest of your tasks. 

It's like getting up and stubbing your toe in the morning. If you let it, the day will just continue to snowball from the get-go.

Take a normal, busy life and add the sale of your house to your schedule. Suddenly, your former busy life has never looked so good. How are you going to manage dance lessons for the kids, grocery shopping, dog walking, working, working, working and maybe even manage a few nights of sleep--all while making sure your house is in "builder showcase" shape?

Enter this fun web application, Remember The Milk. I just love it. I can create to-do lists, and I can organize the lists by using tags instead of lame, inefficient folders. For those who need a visual, the tasks can be mapped. I can take my lists with me. 

When friends asks me to remind them, Remember The Milk does it for me.

So, busy real estate buyer, seller, homeowner--get the application and give yourself a breather. CDNet loves it, Apple loves it, Google Gears gets it.

Download and use it. You'll dig it too.

If you enjoyed this post, you'll want to read:

• Marketing your house on the Internet is essential to attract buyers
• How do you communicate with your real estate agent?
• Transparency coming to a neighborhood near you

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Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson

Did you know that HUD, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is in the business of selling homes?  Well, that is not exactly the case but it is something that home investors should consider.  If you are considering an FHA loan, or you are looking for a combination of a low priced home with a low priced mortgage, then you definitely want to look at the opportunities that HUD offers.

At HomesSales.gov, you can find a listing of some of the most current homes for sale from the US Government.  Now, before you worry too much, consider what these homes are on the market for.  Many times, taxes go unpaid, seizes happen, or the properties are simply turned over to the government for other reasons.  Yes, in some cases, it has to do with criminal situations, but the government is selling these homes through a public auction, which means that you could get them for next to nothing.

Is The Price Right?

Some of the homes available are quite low in price simply because the government needs to sell them.  Just as if banks have homes that they have foreclosed on and are trying to sell as quickly as possible, the same is true for these US Government homes for sale.  When you visit their website, you can click on the state of your choice and see the properties in question.

For example, through a quick search, I found that a four-bedroom home for sale in Anaheim California is at under $370,000.  That is good for that area.  It tells me why the home is in the hands of the government (in this cases it was forfeited.) and it tells me many of the specs of the home.  As you can see, the process is simple to do, but you cannot make your purchase on that website (this is not eBay after all.)

Getting Into The Homes

Rather, you do have to work with a real estate agent that has approval to sell through HUD.  Many (if not most) are.  When you work with the agent, you will be able to get even more details and find out when the auctions are held.  In most situations, these government homes for sale auction through real estate agents, though some do allow the public to come and make their bidding happen.

Funding for such a purpose can be complete in a number of ways.  It is usually necessary to have a detailed document from your lender approving you for the loan in the amount of at least as much as the auction price.  Most auctions do require that you have preapproval for a loan or show that you have the necessary cash to pay for the property.

Should You Buy This Way?

Some people may believe that purchasing foreclosed or government seized property is in bad taste, but it is one of the best investments you can make.  Most of these properties are in decent shape, having working systems throughout them and are a good value.  If you couple this with an affordable loan (you may qualify for an FHA loan), you could be saving yourself a substantial amount of money in the process.

Before purchasing any home, you should have the opportunity to see it and inspect it.  Contingencies are allowable on most auctions.  While this sounds like a great opportunity for an investor, and it is, it can work well for any homebuyer looking for an affordable way to get into a home of their dreams.  There are no guarantees about the overall condition of any home, of course, as each is different.