Word of the Month…

Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)…

bedlam (pronounced BED-lum) noun

Meaning: chaos, frantic confusion

Sample Sentence: Even though we were among the earliest arrivals at the store in the wee hours of Black Friday, it was still bedlam when it opened its doors.

Calling All History Buffs

The New York Times’ games section may already be a regular online destination for you, given the popularity of daily games like Wordle and Connections. Still, there's also a weekly history quiz called Flashback you might want to check out.

Each Sunday, you are presented with a series of historical events that you must arrange in the correct chronological order.

You’ll find Flashback in the NYT’s Upshot section: https://www.nytimes.com/section/upshot

Trivia With A Grain Of Salt

• The word “salt” comes from the Roman goddess of health, Salus.
• The most significant percentage of salt usage in the US is for de-icing roads.
• Fire doesn’t burn salt, so salt can effectively smother small grease fires in the kitchen.

Quotes To Live By…

“It’s late but everything comes next.”

– Naomi Shihab Nye, Poet and Songwriter

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

– Lao Tzu, Philosopher

“A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose.”

– Tom Wilson, Cartoonist

Letting Go Of Life Insurance You Don't Need Anymore

     The best way to get rid of a life insurance policy you no longer need depends significantly on your kind of policy. There's a "free look period" after purchasing life insurance, generally 10-30 days (depending on your state), during which you can cancel a policy and get a full refund on any premiums you've paid upfront. After that time, the cancellation process differs for whole-life and term-life policies. You can surrender a whole life or variable policy to regain some of its cash value. Cancel and surrender fees are involved, and the amount left over depends on how long you had the policy—older policies may have significant cash value.

     Surrendering isn't an option for term life insurance. However, cancellation can be as simple as stopping premium payments and allowing the policy to lapse (but it's still a good idea to find out if there are cancellation fees or forms to fill out). You may get some money back if you've paid months in advance. If you want a different life insurance policy, you can exchange your current policy for a new one. This is called a 1035 exchange, or a tax-free exchange, in which the value of the old policy is deposited directly into the new one with no income tax penalties.

Getting Into Airport Lounges

     Taking a break in a comfy airport lounge can make any long travel day more effortless—and you don’t have to fly first class to get in. Airport lounges are typically affiliated with airlines, airline alliances, or credit cards, but some lounges offer membership to anyone with an annual fee. Travelers with elite status can use that airline’s lounges. Elite status may also get you into that airline’s alliance partner lounges.

     Certain credit cards grant access to airport lounges, either because it’s an airline-affiliated credit card (like American’s AAdvantage Mastercard) or the card has its network of lounges (like American Express). Some lounges are based on membership that any traveler can purchase. PriorityPass.com, for instance, offers membership starting at $99 per year for a discount on unlimited lounge visits. For $429 per year, you get unlimited lounge visits for free. Some airlines also offer a lounge membership option, like Delta’s annual lounge membership starting at $695, and some offer day passes (depending on how complete the lounge is). Alaska’s day pass is $60, for example. LoungeReview.com features not only reviews on thousands of airport lounges, there’s also a “lounge access wizard” to help you figure out if you might have access already.

 www.rudyperkinsrealty.com

Here's A Free, Valuable Resource...

Now You Can Search The Home Market, Get Helpful Community Information, AND Receive Important Resources For Saving Time And Money When Buying Or Selling At www.rudyperkinsrealty.com 

Brain Teaser…

I am full of holes but I still hold water. What am I?

 (See page 4 for the answer.)

Real Estate Question?

Maybe you want to know how much your home is worth, or maybe you just need a recommendation for a handyman, carpet cleaner, or plumber…Either way, I love hearing from all of my good friends and clients. I’m happy to answer questions you might have about real estate or home ownership. If you have a question, tip, or idea, call me at (203) 243-3820. I’m here to help!

Dad Joke

If you see someone at the Apple store stealing a phone, does that make you an iWitness?

Fascinating Nature

Did you know that orca “whales” are part of the dolphin family? Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are cetaceans and are split into toothed (like dolphins) and baleen whales (baleen is the whale’s food filtration system comprised of sizeable tooth-like keratin plates). Orcas are the largest of the toothed cetaceans.

Humor Websites

Need a laugh? These sites offer many different ways to lighten the mood. As always, humor is very individual, so if a site doesn’t make you laugh, try a different one!

Cracked.com has videos, trivia and jokes, and interesting facts from history, and you can sign up for their newsletter, too.

TheOnion.com is a news website that is often confused for real news because of its deadpan satirical articles, which often take aim at current events.

TheOatmeal.com has been publishing comics since 2009 and now has games and animations.

How To Build Mental Strength

     Studies show that mental toughness, sometimes called “grit,” benefits psychological and physical health. It helps reduce levels of anxiety and depression, increase the chance of success in challenging situations, and improve coping mechanisms for stress, among other things. 

     Mental toughness has several components, many of which seem contradictory at first glance. For instance, to have the confidence in yourself that mental toughness requires, you must also be honest about your vulnerability. Perseverance is compromised if you cannot quickly move on from mistakes. Experts suggest working to develop the skills of mental toughness in tandem. Here are a few ways to improve your mental toughness.

• Do challenging things. You’ll never have a chance to develop resilience and confidence if you never step outside your comfort zone. This includes having hard conversations, applying for dream jobs, and learning languages.
• Set clear and achievable goals. Using the proverbial carrot as motivation encourages a positive mindset. Goal setting also helps build perseverance and focus if you get distracted easily.
• Establish and maintain community connections. Being around people who exhibit the mental toughness you aspire to can be motivating, and you can also learn from their experiences.
• Analyze mistakes with perspective. Mistakes aren’t inherently bad. They are invaluable learning opportunities. Examine missteps with perspective and use what you learn to improve.
• Give yourself grace. Learning new skills takes time and effort, so don’t be too hard on yourself.
• Work with a professional. If you struggle with self-reflection, consider working with a mental health professional.

     If you'd like to improve your coping mechanisms and the skills involved, you can search books.google.com for the phrase "mental toughness" to find more reading on this topic.

 www.rudyperkinsrealty.com

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

It’s my way of acknowledging good friends and saying “thanks” to those who support me and my business with referrals, word of mouth, and repeat business. 

Thanks For Thinking of Me!

Did you know I can help you or any of your friends or family save time and money when buying or selling a home? Thanks for keeping me in mind with your referrals…and spreading the word about my services.

Brain Teaser Answer: 

A sponge

A Lifetime Of Parks

US National Parks are the mainstays of road trips and family vacations, and well worth the entry fee every time.

If you’re 62 or older, though, you can get a Senior Lifetime Pass for $80, which grants you (and the other people in your car) access to all National Parks.

The pass also allows you to access recreation sites managed by other agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and US Fish and Wildlife.

Get a Senior Lifetime Pass (https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/senior-pass-changes.htm) and make travel plans.

THANK YOU for reading my

Newsletter. I wanted to produce a newsletter with great content that is fun and valuable to you. Your constructive feedback is always welcome.

AND…whether you’re thinking of buying, selling, or financing real estate, or want to stop by and say “Hi,” I’d love to hear from you…

Rudy Perkins

(203) 243-3820

[email protected]

_{Disclaimer: The information contained in this letter is intended for informational purposes. It should not substitute as legal, accounting, investment, medical or other professional services advice. Always seek a competent professional for answers to your specific questions. This letter is not intended to solicit real estate properties currently for sale.}

Real Estate Corner…

Q: Why do some homes sell in days when others take months or not?     

A: When sellers or their real estate agents overlook any essential ingredients of a successful sale, a home can linger on the market.  Here are three reasons why a home doesn’t sell quickly:

1. The asking price is too high. When a home first comes on the market, the list price must be at or near the market value so buyers see it as a good value and put in an offer.  If you want to know your home’s current value, I will gladly conduct a Maximum Home Value Audit.  I perform this in-depth analysis for no charge to identify your home’s highest possible value.

2. Poor marketing plan.  Most real estate agents will do nothing more than put the house in the MLS.  When I am hired to sell a home, I use a Home Marketing Plan to reach more potential buyers in the first few weeks after a home is listed for sale.

3. The home is not staged properly. Buyers want to buy a home they can imagine living in with their family. If the house is not staged or is staged incorrectly, buyers may lose interest and move on to other homes. 

     Request my Free Consumer Guide, “4-Steps To Stage Your Home For A Fast Sale, " to get the facts on staging your property. If you have questions or need capable and trustworthy representation, please email me at [email protected]. Perhaps I’ll feature it in my next issue!

 www.rudyperkinsrealty.com

"Who Wants To Win A $50.00 Gift Certificate?"

Then, be the first person to answer this month's trivia question correctly.

Last Month's Trivia Question.

What is the highest-grossing horror movie of all time, considering inflation (significant!)?

a) Friday the 13th b) Jaws c) It  d) The Exorcist

      The answer is b) Jaws. Stephen King's adaptation of It earned more than $701.8 million at the box office when it was released in 2017. Taking inflation into consideration, however, Jaws takes the horrific top honor, raking in $476.5 million in 1975, which equates to $1.154 billion today.

This Month's Trivia Question.

What fruit will not even begin to ripen until it is picked?

a) tomato   b) peach   c) avocado  d) pineapple

Email Me At [email protected], And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!