Wow.
Opendoor is betting that there are hundreds of thousands of Americans who value the certainty of a sale over getting the highest price.
I’ve long thought that to be true (see my comment), and it’s one reason I believe something really big is going to happen with pocket / pre-market listings.
What do you think they’re going to do with their newfound war chest of capital?
The post OpenDoor Raises $210 Million appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.
Former GM Steve Phillips embraces the idea of starting every hitter with a 1-1 count to speed up the game. Well this is a frightening idea! If there’s something sacred and forever protected in the game, it should be three strikes and four balls. Why not just start eliminating outs from the 27, for shits sake. Imagine what this would do to the baseball record book!? [NY Daily News]
Here’s one that we don’t really want to see go down that is probably going down. The Pittsburgh Pirates are preparing to trade Andrew McCutchen.
The Pirates are actively shopping center fielder Andrew McCutchen, according to multiple sources, and the likelihood of a trade is increasing as the winter meetings approach. The front office has started pursuing specific teams in an effort to work out a trade for young talent.
McCutchen, 30, had the worst season of his career in 2016, posting a .766 OPS, and has displayed declining speed and defensive ability, according to advanced metrics. In the previous five years, McCutchen had a .905 OPS, a National League MVP, a Gold Glove and a .905 OPS.
This is proof that even the great ones get older quickly, and that the age of 30 just isn’t young in baseball anymore. By the time a player reaches 30, there’s still some magic left in the tank but the shine is off.
And the Pirates? Well kind of shame on them. If you can’t commit to trying to make a player like McCutchen a lifetime Pirate and building another strong nucleus around him, you’re never really going to fully commit long-term to anyone. I wouldn’t blame any Pirates fan right now for feeling a bit let down and somewhat turning their back on the team. In a lot of ways, what they’re doing here is worse than the Cincinnati Reds because McCutchen is still arguably a productive player in his prime years.
Sources confirm that the Pirates have approached the Washington Nationals, the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners with the hopes of getting prospects in return.
McCutchen has really been a good one – a fun player to watch and a model ambassador of the game in Pittsburgh. He’s been enjoyable to be a fan of these last five or six years.
It was a cool 68 degree April 4th day in 2005. I was a senior in college. I played hookie from baseball practice to go to this game, my first Cincinnati Opening Day ever was my favorite Opening Day ever.
Everyone remembers the Joe Randa walk-off job. But what was special to me was Adam Dunn tagging Pedro Martinez and Braden Looper twice, deep into the Cincinnati sky.
I attended every Opening Day until like; 2012. I think I hit seven in a row beginning with this game. I saw the Ramon Hernandez walk-off. I saw Jay Bruce hit a moonshot off the batter’s eye in center during the Cueto shutout in 2012 against the Marlins. Nothing topped this game and the explosion of crowd noise when Dunn connected on these and then Joe “baby” Randa (why did Chris Berman call him that?) finished the job in extras.
Long live Adam Dunn.
Joy to the world. Major League Baseball has come to an agreement, both the owners and the players union on a five-year pact.
A couple hours before the deadline expired and the threat of a lockout loomed, the sides reached an agreement. There will be the Winter Meetings, free agency, all the hot-stove events will be business as usual.
Most importantly, the sport is in really good shape right now and there is no speed bump or reason to be sad. Being my paranoid self and that baseball is a huge part of my everyday life, I couldn’t help but worry a little bit about the greed of the figureheads that control the game.
The details, and one will note that there are no huge structural changes to baseball:
Overall, a really great night in baseball history. I sure the Hell did not want to write about the strike.
Let baseball commence.
Rounding up the month in our usual fashion where taking a look back the best Photoshop and illustrator tutorials, which have been published through the month of November across the online web community. We have include too some really good web articles such as easy ways how to use vectors and top eCommerce web design trends.
The entire design is made from Illustrator’s basic tools and effects and some gradients.
In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a semi-realistic MacBook Pro illustration in Adobe Illustrator.
Add a touch of luxury to your designs with these shiny golden ribbon banner vectors. Easily create banner vector shapes with warped rectangles and apply a series of gradients to the shapes to get a gilded perfection.
Brighten up your day with this fantastic neon light vector text treatment! We’ll use custom brushes and the Appearance panel in order to turn any text into bright, neon light text!
In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I used to create this interesting photo manipulation using Ice Texture, Planet and Human Face in Photoshop. Plus we will be using a number fractal stock and apply some custom brush painting effect.
The video tutorial you’re going to combine the powers of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to create a diamond embellished text effect. Illustrator will be used to produce the initial layout, with the help of a couple of third party scripts, then we’ll transfer the artwork over to Photoshop to add some finishing touches and really bring the effect to life.
In the video tutorial It will take you through the process of creating a fun design that combines the wording “Just another day in New York City”. The words ‘Just another day in‘ are set in a cool mono weight script, which are overlaid against ‘New York City‘ in a tall bold sans serif. We’ll then use a Layer Mask to erase certain bits of the text to give the impression that the script weaves in and out of the other letters. To finish off the artwork, we’ll also use a similar technique to place the typography within a scene of New York City, masking out the text so it seems to sit behind the skyscrapers.
In this tutorial, Murilo reveals how he composes these pieces. You’ll learn not only how to mix watercolour with photos, and use blending modes effectively, but also how to marry them together, harmoniously.
Sucuri releases a website hacked trend report for each quarter. In their latest report, they have revealed that WordPress powered 78% of the sites hacked in the second quarter of 2016. WordPress hacked sites remain a real problem.
Yet from a front end developer’s perspective, we prefer SVG graphics, which have become widely supported on all modern browsers and are in vector graphics format, which make them easily scalable on different screen resolutions. Moreover, developers have the ability to change SVG graphic properties through code, because SVG is an image and a XML document. This creates myriad options on how to use them. Following are three different approaches.
Shopping was the last thing on your mind amid the US presidential election, which was keeping the world on its heels. But now the elections are over and we know IT’S A BOY. Moreover, Thanksgiving is around the corner with Black Friday in tow, so the shopping craze is about to start. This season, more people are planning to avoid the long queues at shopping malls and shop right from their cozy La-Z-Boy recliners.
Visual Studio Code is a free, open source, cross platform text editor made by Microsoft. They essentially took their online editor Visual Studio Online (codenamed “Monaco”) and used Electron by GitHub to deliver a cross platform editor. They have taken great strides to create a fast and highly efficient work environment for programmers.
I recently spoke with a back-end developer friend about how many hours I spend coding or learning about code outside of work. He showed me a passage from an Uncle Bob book, “Clean Code”, which compares the hours musicians spend with their instruments in preparation for a concert to developers rehearsing code to perform at work.
When Santa claimed his home on Zillow, updated the home's facts, and uploaded photos and a video walkthrough, we wanted to learn more about his house. We tracked down the people in charge of Santa's 2013 remodel - interior designer Mary N. Bright and general contractor Doug Fir - and asked them to spill the details.
Mary N. Bright (MNB): Santa is synonymous with the holiday season. He has inspired people around the world to change their home decor for at least one month out of the year. How could I say no to a challenge like that?
Doug Fir (DF): This is a man who appreciates fine craftsmanship and woodworking. One look at his gorgeous log home, and I knew I had to get my hands on it. This was my chance to impress the jolly old elf and get on the nice list for good.
DF: I didn't want to compete with the rustic vibe of the cabin that Santa himself built. So I found ways to enhance that atmosphere with outdoor elements. I brought grandeur to the mantle with floor-to-ceiling river rock, since the fireplace is such a large part of Santa's background.
More windows and skylights were incorporated into the new open concept design, making the home feel more spacious - especially for his many tiny guests.
MNB: I wanted to meld Santa's iconic festive style with his wintery wonderland surroundings. That's why you'll find so much fresh greenery, knotty pine furniture and cozy linens all throughout. I call the look Falalala Fabulous.
DF: Definitely the garage, which was converted from a rinky-dink one-sleigh space to a grease monkey's dream. Not only does Santa have dedicated parking for his all-weather sleigh, but he has room to work on it, too.
He was very specific about his needs for the area. I had to create space to accommodate a specialty lift, as well as 
MNB: For me, it was the living room. Doug created this masterful fireplace and I needed to match its stateliness with decor that could keep up - without overpowering the space.
That's why I mixed in just a few statement pieces around that mantle: 17th-century German nutcrackers, lanterns Santa used on a camping trip with Teddy Roosevelt, and a lovely painting by Mrs. Claus herself.
MNB: There were so many wonderful pieces around the home that Santa had picked up from his world travels. One item that served as my muse was an apron with a Scandinavian print that he got for Mrs. Claus in Sweden. That helped inspire some of the Nordic elements that you see in the kitchen.
DF: Before Santa hired me, the area above the dining and living rooms was closed off. Opening it up gave the house a whole new look, with more room to breathe. So I'd have to say the lofted ceilings is my favorite feature in the house.
MNB: Doug's addition of the lofted ceilings allowed me to suspend a custom-made light fixture over the dining room table. I adore that piece. I commissioned it to be modeled after the property's landscape.
Want the full tour? See more photos of Santa’s house.
See how you can get Santa's look with our five decor ideas for the holidays.
*Endorsement by the United States Department of Defense or NORAD is not intended nor implied.
Related:
I read Greg Fischer’s latest blog post here, and it ended with a video you should all watch. It’s Nate Bowling (2016 Washington Teacher of the Year) talking about law enforcement, education, real estate — the three most critical forces building/shaping communities.
Honestly, it’s long (40 minutes with Q&A) — but you really should watch, listen deeply, and think about what he’s saying.
A couple of my own thoughts…
Fact: there is a life lottery that exists in this world, and it’s as simple as where you’re born.
It’s not fair. You may not like it. But that’s the way the world is. If you don’t believe that statement, I’m sorry, but you simply don’t understand the reality of the world we live in.
Fact: a big downside of “community” is discrimination.
I previously alluded to that here. There are many, many positive aspects of community — all-inclusiveness doesn’t happen to be one of them. The more similarities between people, the more they have to talk about. The more they bond. The more activities they’ll do together. Sure, it’s a generalization and there are exceptions to the rule, but, by and large, people seek to spend time with people like them. That includes a desire to relocate/move to communities/neighborhoods which have a high concentration of people with shared characteristics. I have a hard time believing that fundamental human desire is going to change anytime soon.
Before you start thinking “why are you being such a downer?” (aka stop being so negative), know this: like Nate, I don’t think the segregation of communities is a good societal trend. Minimizing opportunity and income inequality is a major, major reason I am working on Horizon (see here). Where you are born — and live — shouldn’t dictate whether you live or die, nor the education, health care, and economic opportunity available to you. Making community more accessible to all is at the heart of the solution from my perspective. This is a topic I think about constantly. That said, I’m not naive about the world we live in. There are no easy answers. Changing behavior requires many, many people to be very intentional about their actions. Being intentional is not the easy path — hence, the reason most people don’t do it.
To wrap-up…
Communities are segregated. Access to education and health care is driven by where you live. Communities continue to get more, not less, segregated.
What is to be done? What can be done? Nate answered one of the final questions with the following quote:
How can you leverage the privilege and power you have for the better?
Discuss in the comments if you’d like…
The post Law Enforcement, Education, Real Estate — and Communities appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.
We will keep these going all offseason. No better way to start off the series than showing the footage of the entire at-bat of the Kirk Gibson-Dennis Eckersley tilt in the 1988 World Series called by the birthday boy himself.
According to a report from nasally Jon Paul Morosi of MLB Network, the St. Louis Cardinals have serious interest in free agent Justin Turner.
Obviously at this point, it’s just interest. You can’t do a huge post other than to report the interest of a significant National League team trying to take a marquee name from another significant National League team. There are some Cardinals backers at this point who are begging the Redbirds to say no to Turner.
The bottom line is production, and Turner has had that. Over the past three seasons spanning 386 games, he boasts a .856 OPS. There is little doubt that NL ROY Corey Seager benefitted from having bats like Turner and Adrian Gonzalez around him in the lineup. Turner should have that effect at least over the next several seasons.
There are a shortage of bats on the market like Turner – and that coupled with the Dodgers financial crisis makes it unlikely that he’s returning to Los Angeles.
Yoenis Cespedes will remain “the guy” in Queens, and Justin Turner just moved up to being the marquee free agent bat on the market this winter.
Cespedes signs a four year pact worth $110 million dollars to remain a Met after being whispered in several high-profile destinations.
The left fielder will earn $22.5 million in 2017, followed by $29 million in 2018-19 and $29.5 million in 2020. His average annual value (AAV) of $27.5 million per year is the highest ever for an outfielder, and will have the second-highest AAV for a current position player behind the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera ($31 million).
Cespedes’ three-year WAR figures have been 3.3, 6.7, 3.2. That makes him a Robinson Cano or Brandon Crawford value-wise to the saber crowd. After being regarded as a talented player that wasn’t reaching his potential in Oakland, he’s now seen as a star. He’s the guy in the Mets lineup that you hold off the Shake Shack concession stand order for a few more minutes.
The consensus is that the Mets are gearing up and going for it because they brought him back. However, I see a rotation that is somewhat a question mark now with the injuries to their arms and a lineup that is otherwise in some flux.
I was personally hoping Cespedes landed elsewhere.
Finding spacious two-bedrooms for a decent price seems like a thing of the past in popular metro areas. But have no fear, you can still have extra space and enjoy city life without having to skimp on amenities.
These two-bedroom rentals include fantastic views, generous perks, and plenty of space to live comfortably - all for less than $2,000 a month.
502 S Fremont Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
For rent: $1,875/month
This 2-bedroom nestled within a historic district features a private balcony, lush carpet and vinyl flooring. You can opt to rent a furnished unit, and enjoy outdoor amenities such as a garden and picnic area.
See more Tampa rentals.
11505 Windcrest Ln, San Diego, CA
For rent: $1,953/month
This modern space boasts plank flooring, a built-in microwave and all-white cabinets. A fireplace, stucco ceilings and large window are additional perks, along with a sliding glass door that leads to a private balcony.
View more San Diego rentals.
4330 Bull Creek Rd, Austin, TX
For rent: $1,825/month
Everything is bigger in Texas, and this apartment offers a spacious kitchen featuring an island, stainless steel appliances and plenty of cabinets. A work space with built-in desk, tile flooring, a carpeted living area and French doors leading to the balcony make this space a steal.
See more rental listings in Austin.
306 W Main St, Madison, WI
For rent: $1,925/month
Waterfront living awaits in this stylish home featuring a private balcony and two-tone paint schemes throughout. Plank flooring runs throughout the living areas, while carpet adds plush comfort to the bedrooms. The generous master bath boasts tile flooring along with double sinks.
See more Madison rental listings.
823 E Main St, Richmond, VA
For rent: $1,768/month
You’ll love living in this high-rise space featuring stainless steel appliances, an in-home washer and dryer, and room for dining, along with 2 bathrooms. Bedroom closets feature double French doors and chrome finishes.
View more Richmond rentals.
6950 E Chenango Ave, Denver, CO
For rent: $1,924/month
This home boasts a central living room, ensuring you won’t share a wall with your roommate. Each bedroom includes walk-in closets and carpet, while the living room features plank flooring and connects to the open kitchen.
View more rental listings in Denver.
425 E Menomonee St, Milwaukee, WI
For rent: $1,935/month
See more Milwaukee rentals.
915 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN
For rent: $1,950/month
This unit includes perks usually reserved for loft spaces, such as concrete flooring and exposed air ducts. A large living room connects to the open kitchen, where all-white cabinetry and stainless steel appliances offer a clean look. A private balcony provides sweeping views of the complex, and each room includes a bathroom and walk-in closet.
See more listings in Minneapolis.
600 Phipps Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA
For rent: $1,925/month
Floor-to-ceiling windows provide sweeping views of the surrounding city. Plank flooring throughout the living area seamlessly connects the room to the open kitchen, featuring an island equipped with a sink and dishwasher.
See more Atlanta rentals.
1512 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA
For rent: $1,886/month
Housed in a classic building but featuring modern flare, this large apartment includes several windows, a sprawling living area, and space to dine, along with classic fixtures and bathrooms with marble tiles.
See more Philadelphia rentals.
Related:
It’s the holiday season, very hard to believe. With Thanksgiving in the books there are Christmas lights up everywhere and the winter meetings on deck. Let’s get this labor deal done; owners and players, so we can get down to what’s really important: players signing poor contracts!
-The latest on the Dodgers debt situation [MLB Trade Rumors]
-The Marlins signed Edinson Volquez to a two-year deal. [Fish Stripes]
-The six ‘can’t touch’ players that would be keys to a Chris Sale trade. [Fox Sports – Ken Rosenthal]
-The Braves traded for former 2014 first-round pick Alex Jackson tonight. [Talking Chop]
-Chicago Cubs 2017 Zips projections are out. [Fangraphs]
-Chris Carter hit 41 bombs last year, did you know that? The Brewers non-tendered him today. [Hardball Talk]
-How about a little GnR? [YouTube]
Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com
Winter is on the horizon. If you haven’t prepared your bathrooms for cold weather, now is the time. Here are some tips to help you prepare your bathroom for the upcoming winter months, including: checking windows and pipes, adding some heating, setting the mood & winterizing your toilet.
Image Source: Flickr
Below are 4 tips to prepare your bathroom for the winter months:
Check Windows and Pipes
Bathrooms can be draughty places, so it’s a good idea to check your windows for cracks and reseal any worn silicone. It might also be a good idea to check your pipes for cracks and leaks, as well as ensuring all your pipework is properly insulated. By ensuring there are no problems in your bathroom to begin with, you can avoid small problems getting bigger down the track, which can often happen in winter with frozen pipes causing expensive issues. Source: BathroomCity
Add Some Heating
Is there anything more unpleasant than having to make a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night, only to discover that the entire room is freezing cold? You can avoid this unpleasant scenario – to a point, anyway – by adding a heating element to your bathroom during the winter months. If your bathroom doesn’t already have its own heat source, add a space heater or other portable heating device that can be switched on to heat up at least part of the room as quickly as possible. Source: AmericanBathInd
Set the mood
Speaking of simple swaps, trading out bathroom accessories to fit the season is a great way to change the look of the bath. Display cozy, plush robes to keep bathers warm when stepping out of the shower and make guests feel right at home. Consider installing robe hooks close to the shower door for easy access. For added flair, incorporate accessories such as towels in a festive pattern, splashes of gold in soap dishes, or hints of bronze in candle holders and picture frames. Source: WaynecoJournalBanner
Winterize Your Toilet
You may be unaware that you can winterize your toilet and prevent this fixture from freezing during cold weather. In fact winterizing the toilet is quite easy and does not take much time at all to complete. This process involves using plumber’s antifreeze, which you can buy at most home improvement or hardware stores.
Before you pour in the antifreeze, you should first empty the water out of the back tank. Once the water is drained, you can then pour in the antifreeze and then flush it into the bowl and drainage system. After you flush, you should then pour a half cup of plumber’s antifreeze into each sink, shower, and tub in your house. This step winterizes the entire drainage system in your bathroom. Source: KitchenCabinetKings
Contact:
Perfect Bath
Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641
Calgary, Alberta
Email: info@perfectbath.com
The post 4 Tips to Prepare Your Bathroom for Winter Months appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.
Is your home ready to weather the upcoming winter? Now is the ideal time for making some improvements around the house to make sure it’s ready to handle the cold weather, snowstorms, and other “unforeseen” surprises. Here are 4 inexpensive home improvements that you might want to consider, including: checking and tuning up your heating system, adding extra insulation, spicing up your kitchen and repainting.
Image Source: Flickr
Checking and Tuning up Your Heating System
Before the start of the cold season, it’s not a bad idea to tune up your furnace. 30% of an average home’s energy costs are related to heating, and this number can spike further if you have inefficiencies with your furnace or boiler system. The first place to start is by replacing the filter at the beginning of the season and every couple of months while you run the furnace. When purchasing a new filter, note that the cheap ones are made just to protect the furnace fan motor, so make sure to get a more efficient and healthy pleated filter for improved air quality. Source: Inhabitat
Adding Extra Insulation
Unless you live in an older home, chances are the walls in your house are fairly well insulated with fiberglass batt insulation. If not, you’ll want to look at insulating your home’s walls sufficiently.
Even brand new homes often lack sufficient insulation in the attic. Since heat travels up, this presents a huge problem in the winter. According to Energy Star, you don’t have enough attic insulation if you can easily see the floor joists in your attic. This do-it-yourself guide from Energy Star shows you how to better insulate your attic on your own. Source: Money.USNews
Spicing Up Your Kitchen
Full kitchen remodels can be incredibly expensive, and that’s especially true if you have to get plumbers or electricians involved. But a lot of kitchens don’t necessarily need a complete redo; they could be vastly improved with just a few inexpensive changes and upgrades.
If your cabinets need a facelift, consider sanding and staining them, or even repainting or glazing them to add an updated look. And if your appliances are still in good shape, give them a good cleaning inside and out to help them look their best.
Winter might drag on, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make these long, cold months productive. Instead of counting down until spring, create a list of easy, inexpensive improvements to help pass the time while you’re stuck indoors. Then get started – because spring will be here before you know it. Source: TheSimpleDollar
Repainting
You’ve been staring at your neutral colored walls every day for months. Want to brighten your mood? Try repainting! Go with a bright, cheery color to liven things up.
I always repaint in the winter because that’s when I need the most visual stimulation. A new coat of paint can dramatically lift your mood and the mood of the entire room.
Make sure you crack open the windows to let in fresh air while you’re painting. Or, consider going with an eco-friendly, low-VOC paint so you don’t have to worry about breathing in toxic fumes. Source: MoneyCrashers
Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114
That said, there are certainly risks — both to consumers and the industry — as Jon Sterling has outlined:
Risk to real estate agents
If homeowners can get some liquidity without refinancing or selling their home, they may not need to sell as often (or ever). That would affect real estate agents, who make their living from real estate transactions. If there are fewer transactions, there are fewer commission dollars available.
Risk to banks
Banks would also feel the pinch if this model gets some traction. If homeowners don’t need to refinance or get a home equity loan in order to get some money out of their property, they won’t be paying fees and/or interest to the banks.
Risk to homeowners
The upside potential for Point is capped at 20% (to keep the regulators happy), but giving up equity in your home could still end up being very expensive. The obvious risk is the ten-year term for the arrangement–either you have to sell by then OR you can buy-out the investor at the current market value of your home after ten years.
What happens if you aren’t in a cash position to buy-out the investor and the housing market has not worked in your favor at the ten year mark? Bad things, that’s what.
I’m anxious to watch this play out.
The post The Risks of Partial Equity Home Ownership appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.
Since tomorrow is Cyber Monday, and I didn’t make a Black Friday purchase of any type; here is my early wishlist if my wife stumbles upon this, baseball related only haul-type stuff.
Feel free if you have a baseball fan in your home to use this as a baseline.
(Disclaimer: I am also WAY too old to really want anything for Christmas. I only believe in giving for Christmas, not wanting. I just thought this would be a fun thing to do. Christmas is for KIDS!).
Ron Shandler’s Baseball Forecaster 2017, available on Amazon.
MLB The Show ’17 MVP Edition (Pre-order)
Vin Scully’s goodbye letter to fans (eBay type item)
When It Was a Game on Blu-ray
61* the Movie on DVD
