For real estate agents, there are countless programs and charities available nationwide for you to give back to your communities. If you’re looking for a more local program, Lead the Way Home Savings, founded by Jeff Parkerson, gives back to the people who serve their communities on a daily basis.

After settling down in Texas with his family, Parkerson began searching for ways to give back to his community. As a former Marine, police officer, and air marshal, among other positions, Parkerson decided this was something he needed to do.

“I looked at some other programs,” Parkerson said. “But I wanted to do something a little differently.”

So, in 2015, Parkerson started Lead the Way – Home Savings Program. His program offers qualified applicants 25 percent of the realtors’ commission on real estate sales. Those eligible are active military, veterans, law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, ministers, and all supporting personnel.

One important factor Parkerson noticed about other programs similar to Lead the Way was they did not include supporting personnel or ministry. For example, police dispatchers and admin personnel did not qualify. He wanted to be different. Lead the Ways Home Savings not only includes all folks who serve their communities with the above careers, but their entire supporting staff as well. 

“These people behind the scenes are very crucial,” Parkerson said. “Even though they don’t qualify for those other programs, I felt that they deserve it.”

He said the program has evolved a lot since its inception. At first, he was the sole realtor offering Lead the Way and it was a local program, serving the Dallas, Houston, and Austin areas. Now, he works with realtors nationwide that also have a passion for service. Additionally, many mortgage and title companies have joined the network of Lead the Way to offer even more benefits.

“We started working with agents outside of our area,” Parkerson said. “We’ve had great success but we’re still getting the word out.”

Any real estate agent from any brokerage is able to take part in Lead the Way. Parkerson’s goal for the program is to have agents, nationwide, that are ethical, and passionate about serving – no matter which brokerages they work for.

Parkerson also hosts a radio show called “Lead the Way Radio,” at KVGI Studios in Frisco, Texas. The show airs nationwide and is broadcasted live every other Thursday from 1-2pm CST and he said it’s not focused only on real estate, but that it’s just another way to focus on people giving back to their communities.

“It’s all about charities and nonprofits and great people doing great things for the community,” Parkerson said. “Our show demonstrates that the world is made up of good people, and we love being able to share those organizations and those people to the world.”

“We’re just passionate about giving back about those who protect us and add value to our community,” Parkerson said. “These are the types of people you want as neighbors.”

For more information about Lead the Way Home Savings Program, to join the program as a realtor, or to apply as a home buyer go to www.LEADTHEWAYhomes.com.

Questions? Comments? Reach out to your First International Title rep today!

Newlywed couples are wonderful. They’re full of life, energy, excitement, and passion. They’re quick to forgive and easy to please. However, it does come with new challenges as well. Moving into your first house together can be daunting. Whose stuff do you keep? Whose do you throw away? How do you decide which way the furniture should face?

Although every couple and every home is different, here are a few easy steps to get started in your new home together.

Plan Ahead
Don’t get stuck the week before the wedding to start packing and planning for your move. Give yourself plenty of time to pick your house and sign the documents well before the best day of your life. Weeks, or even months, in advance, start packing up boxes with items you don’t use every day.

If you’re able to start moving in boxes, a couple at a time every single day, at least two weeks in advance then by the time it comes to officially make the move, it won’t feel like so much work at once. Weddings can be stressful enough on their own. You may also consider hiring a moving company to do all the heavy lifting for you. Literally.

Also, make a list of important tasks, like changing your mailing address, to get done and cross them off as you go along. Make another list of things you’ll need to buy for the house that are non-negotiable. Don’t forget the little things like toilet paper, nails to hang up photos, and coffee for the first morning in your new home.

Maximize Your Space
Whether you buy a 4,000 square foot house or a 1,200 square foot house, a house that’s cluttered still looks small. Maximize your space by, first of all, getting rid of things you don’t use anymore. That stack of newspapers may be helpful to wrap fragile items while you move, but once you’re in, toss them out.

Look over your area and play with the furniture until it looks right. Every house is different and you may need to move the couch two, three, or four times until it fits just right without taking up too much space. Utilize the space in the corners with a tall DVD rack, side tables, or a dog bed. Not only do you save the precious space in the middle of each room, empty corners usually look odd anyways.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of shelves. You can add extra shelves in your living room, dining room, or office to store knick knacks, kitchen tools you don’t use often, decorations, and other random items.

Create an outdoor space for yourself on your patio or porch. If you have a covered area, consider placing padded chairs and a rug outside with a table and outdoor utensils. It serves as an extra place for you to go and relax.

Combine Your Things
It can be bittersweet getting rid of household items that you’ve used for a long time. However, there is really no point (and, most likely, no space) for you and your new spouse to have two blenders, two toasters, and two cheese graters. Get rid of the things you won’t need.

If you’re having difficulty choosing who should let theirs go, try to make the most logical decision by choosing the newer of the two and set feelings aside. Choose the toaster that will last longer and prolong you having to buy a new one.

On the other hand, if one spouse has an item, say a special recliner or area rug, which has been passed down in his or her family, it has a sentimental value that no amount of time can take away. Consider keeping these unique pieces. After all, you will want your house to feel personal.

Make Your House a Home
You and your partner are going to be spending a lot of time in this space. Create an area that is special, cozy, and a place that you want to spend time together. Candles, blankets, old family photos, reading books, and rugs are just a few of the many things that you can use to make your home feel comfortable.

Keep things out that are special to you, such as a candle that was used during your proposal or a framed letter that you sent to your partner while you were apart. It also reminds you of your unique relationship, especially when you have friends or family over and it creates a topic of discussion.

Although hotels are nice to stay in from time to time, you won’t want to feel as though you live in one. Proudly display the items that are special to you and make your relationship unique.

Questions? Comments? Reach out to your First International Title rep today!

Summer has officially begun! The Florida heat is starting to rise and that means the costs of using air conditioning will also increase. For some, using AC around the clock is the only way they can be comfortable in their homes. They may not care about paying almost double in electricity costs each month, or maybe they just feel that it’s worth the money. However, for others, paying double during the long summer is not an option at all. If that’s you, here are some simple ways to cool down your costs on AC over the next few months.

Keep Your HVAC System Maintained
Throughout the year, you should be keeping up with your HVAC system by changing the filters, cleaning around the area of the unit, checking the coils, making sure the unit is level, etc. Dirty filters and coils can actually block the airflow into your home, causing the unit to work harder to cool the house. Here is a great list on how to easily take care of your unit.

According to NEAMB.com “Cleaning and/or replacing filters once per month will lower an AC’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.”

Ensuring that your system is consistently maintained will save you money in the long run. Having to replace your unit because it was not properly maintained will cost far more than those high electricity bills over the summer.

Check for Drafts
Take a few minutes during the late afternoon, around 3-4pm, to check for drafts around the house. Run your hands along windows and doors that lead directly outside. Four o’clock in the afternoon is typically the hottest part of the day so it will be easy to feel if cool drafts are leaking out of your home.

No one wants to pay for cooling the neighborhood, so if you feel drafts coming from your house, you may want to look into replacing the insulation around those doors and windows. Don’t let that precious cool air escape, especially when the temperature starts rising to over 100 degrees!

Turn on your Ceiling Fans
Using fans throughout your home can make it feel between 6-10 degrees cooler in a given room. Fans use much, much less electricity – about one-tenth of what is used by AC. That’s a pretty inexpensive way to make your home feel cool.

Using your air conditioner and ceiling fans at the same time also helps to keep the air circulated without turning the AC down too low, thus saving you money once again.

Close the Blinds and Curtains
Everyone loves letting the natural sunlight illuminate their homes but during the hottest part of the summer, that beautiful sunlight just might not be worth it. By closing your blinds and curtains, you can “reduce heat gain by around 45%,” the article by HEAMB stated. Drawing your curtains also helps to insulate your home by blocking the hot air seeping through the windows.

If it still feels like heat is getting in despite your curtains and shades being drawn, you may want to try using heat-reflecting curtains or shades. You can find these at almost any home store, such as Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Walmart, or Target and they are typically not expensive.

Be Economically Smart
If you are keeping in line with the previous tips by closing your blinds and using fans, this will allow you to keep you from turning the AC unit down too low when you’re home. Try to set your air as high as comfortably possible and, NEAMB says, you could potentially save another 10%.

When you’re not home, turn the AC up very high or simply turn it off completely right before you leave the house. A common myth regarding air conditioning is that your AC unit will run more economically if you leave it on all the time and that is simply not the case. It runs best when at its highest capacity for a short amount of time.

If you have a programmable thermostat, you may want to take advantage of it by setting it at a higher temperature when you leave for work and program it to turn down a little while before you come home. If you’re without these luxuries, you may just have to brave the warmth inside your house for a short bit while your AC kicks in.

All of us here at First International Title wish you a fun-filled summer regardless of the heat! Please leave a comment below to let us know if this was helpful to you or a client.

Comments? Questions? Contact your local Title rep today!