Find and Evaluate the Property, Part 3, Bank Owned Home

Foreclosed Home (Bank Owned):

Property Type: Single Family Home

Address: Perry Henderson Drive, Framingham MA 01701

Price: $304,900 

Rooms: 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom - Year Built: 1985

Size: 1,700 sqft 

http://www.trulia.com/foreclosure/3084121584--Perry-Henderson-Dr-Framingham-MA-01701

http://www.trulia.com/foreclosure/schools/3084121584--Perry-Henderson-Dr-Framingham-MA-01701

http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0

http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Framingham-Massachusetts/community-info/

Are there any sexual Predators in the neighborhood? 30 Offenders, 8 Non-Mappable Offenders.

What is the violent crime rate? Please see the property and crime graphs posted below. This data is current from 2012.

What are the social demographics of your neighbors?

- 73.53% are White

- 6.46% are African American

- 7.42% are Asian

- .21% are Native American

- 12.40% Other

Is your property free of environmental hazards, noise pollution, and other issues? Yes.

How good are the schools? Framingham has a public school system with the following ratings. Elementary School .33 miles away with a 6/10 rating. Middle School .33 miles away with a 6/10 ratings. Lastly, High School 1.15 miles away with a 7/10 rating. 

Are there good hospitals nearby? Metro West Medical Center, located in Framingham, Ma.

How efficient and transparent is your local government? In my opinion, governments are never as “truthful and reliable” as they may seem.

How does this compare to other homes on the market?

This home is also much older than the original home mentioned. This home has unfortunately been foreclosed. This happens to families that cannot keep up with their mortgage payments and they are forced to have their home purchased by the bank.

Well or Septic? (Why is Massachusetts is this important?)

Having a well allows your water source to be close to home and less expensive than relying on a public system.

Septic Systems call for a decent amount of maintenance overtime however it is still less expensive than utilizing a public sewage system.

   

Find and Evaluate the Property, Part 2, Summer Home

Summer Home:

Property Type: Multi Family Home

Address: 58 Lexington Avenue, Gloucester MA 01930

Price: $875,000 - Estimated Payment: $4,260/Month - Price/sqft: $438

Rooms: 4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms - Year Built: 1957

Size: 2,000 sqft – Lot: .46 Acres

http://www.trulia.com/property/3084301098-58-Lexington-Ave-Gloucester-MA-01930

http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0

http://www.trulia.com/property/schools/3084301098-58-Lexington-Ave-Gloucester-MA-01930

http://www.bestplaces.net/people/zip-code/massachusetts/gloucester/01930

Are there any sexual Predators in the neighborhood? 12 Offenders, 3 Non-Mappable Offenders.

What is the violent crime rate? Please see the property and crime graphs posted below. This data is current from 2012.

What are the social demographics of your neighbors?

- 95.13% are White

- 1.12% are African American

- 1.12% are Asian

- .14% are Native American

- 2.48% Other

Is your property free of environmental hazards, noise pollution, and other issues? Yes.

How good are the schools? Schools are available but we would not need to utilize them since this would be our “summer” home when school is not in session. However, the public schools are rated 10/10 for Elementary School, 7/10 for Middle School, and 7/10 for High School.

Are there good hospitals nearby? Cape Ann Medical Center, located in Gloucester, Ma.

How efficient and transparent is your local government? In my opinion, governments are never as “truthful and reliable” as they may seem.

How does this compare to other homes on the market?

This home is much older than the first house that was presented. However, this home allows the residents to live right by the water all year round especially during the summers!

Well or Septic? (Why is Massachusetts is this important?)

Having a well allows your water source to be close to home and less expensive than relying on a public system.

Septic Systems call for a decent amount of maintenance overtime however it is still less expensive than utilizing a public sewage system.

   

Find and Evaluate the Property, Part 1, Permanent Home

Permanent Home:

Property Type: Single Family Home

Address: 10 Hartford Street, Bedford MA 01730

Price: $1,149,000 - Estimated Payment: $5,593/Month - Price/sqft: $267

Rooms: 5 Bedrooms, 4.5 Bathrooms - Year Built: 2012

Size: 4,300 sqft – Lot: 10,600 sqft

http://www.trulia.com/property/3010553676-10-Hartford-St-Bedford-MA-01730

http://www.bestplaces.net/people/zip-code/massachusetts/bedford/01730

http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/Bedford-Massachusetts/community-info/

http://www.trulia.com/property/schools/3010553676-10-Hartford-St-Bedford-MA-01730

http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0

Are there any sexual Predators in the neighborhood? 29 Offenders, 7 Non-Mappable Offenders

What is the violent crime rate? Please see the property and crime graphs posted below. This data is current from 2012.

What are the social demographics of your neighbors?

- 89.15% are White

- 1.33% are African American

- 7.49% are Asian

- .22% are Native American

- 1.81% Other

Is your property free of environmental hazards, noise pollution, and other issues? Yes.

How good are the schools? The following schools are public schools that are the closest to home. Elementary school is 1.91 miles away with a 9/10 rating. Middle School is .41 miles away with a 9/10 rating. Lastly, High School is .43 miles away with a 9/10 rating.

Are there good hospitals nearby? Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, located in Bedford, Ma. 

How efficient and transparent is your local government? In my opinion, governments are never as “truthful and reliable” as they may seem.

How does this compare to other homes on the market?

This particular home was recently built in 2012 and is quite expensive compared to many of the other lots available.

Well or Septic? (Why is Massachusetts is this important?)

Having a well allows your water source to be close to home and less expensive than relying on a public system.

Septic Systems call for a decent amount of maintenance overtime however it is still less expensive than utilizing a public sewage system. 

  

Blog 6: Geo-Spatial Web Applications

I had heard about Google earth prior to this class but never used the program until now. I never knew how easy it was to navigate all over the world and that you can even view locations in 3D.

With the assignment we did in class, we were able to create a map of at least 5 different locational areas that we wanted to point out. I chose to show a map of the campus at UML. I focused on important points that would be beneficial for all students to know. Such as, the campus recreation center, fox hall, suppa’s pizza and subs, Falmouth hall, and the new England consortium.

It only took a matter of minutes to create a map by plotting the necessary balloons to distinguish your travel points. I could then immediately save my map and upload onto my blog.

I think Google earth has a lot of potential and those who are unfamiliar with the program should take the time to understand how it works and how it can be beneficial for them. Even if you are not looking to make a map you can still look at all the different streets names and buildings just like using an online GPS for directions.

I also found it interesting to read about President Bush and his involvement with Google earth. He uses this program to check on his home in Texas rather than other means which shows how beneficial Google earth can have if you have the tools to utilize the program.

Here is an example of what Google earth looks like from a computer:

We also discussed in class how Google earth can affect how the world responds to natural disasters. The example from our course web page discussed the massive earth quake that affect japan in March of 2011. Google earth allowed its viewers to be able to research and track the events that happened by looking at the map of Japan through this program.

We also discussed that if a ship was to change course we would be able to be notified and see the change through Google earth. This would allow us to prevent potential dangers all over the world.

Lastly, we watched a video of a pilot controlling weaponry located in Afghanistan but he was actually sitting in the United States making his adjustments that appeared right on a large screen. Many videos have discussed how this technology can prevent threats on the U.S. boarders.

Some people may think they can log on to Google earth and search a location that they will see exactly what is going on in that moment in time. However, that is incorrect since it is not running on regular time. It use to take several years for the technology to update that would eventually be shown through these Google earth images. Now they are updated more often but not fast enough to be able to see what is going on while you are sitting in front of the computer.

For example, I searched fox hall on Google earth and I was able to see the parking lot next to the building and it did not have nearly as many vehicles are it did during the time I looked it up. Therefore, that image was taken from a previous date.

Overall, geo-spacial web applications are leading technological breakthroughs that can help keep our country safe but if it was to reach the hands of someone with the wrong intentions the outcome could be very dangerous and threaten people’s privacy.

 

Blog 5: Google Images

View UMass Lowell Campus in a larger map

Google Earth Image Below:

Blog 4: Google's Success

  

Google has become one of the most popular sites to search for answers right on the internet. We also know of other search engine sites such as Yahoo and Bing but currently it is safe to say that Google has done a great job differentiating itself in the market allowing itself to become a leading competitor. However, Bing and Yahoo have joined together and now have a advertising partnership. Google is now looking into other opportunities to stay competitive in the market.


Looking into the article that has been supplied to us from our course instructor, Google is planning to launch at first an "experimental" broadband among many different cities throughout the country. These cities will also be different in size anywhere from 50,000 to 500,000 people per city. They have been waiting for the right opportunity to advertise and announce their next step in the market. It is imperative that Google acts on this need since the future will be seeking a better broadband.  In other words Google would be supplying these cities with a broad range of access to the internet. This company understands the importance of innovation and want to make  a difference in this area. 


Their goal is to show customers that the promise of what high-speed internet has to offer. In the future they do not want to be providing internet for an extended period of time. However, if they can show their customers what it is like with successful internet access it will only be another benefit for the company. The outcome of this project could also be largely affected by the cities that Google chooses to serve, they need to do their research upon choosing. 

I wanted to discuss some reasons as to why Google has become so successful. As mentioned above it has been the leading search engine provider but it took time for them to start earning money. Google gets the majority of their sales from providing ads throughout peoples use of Google. These ads are tailored to the users interests, for example if someone has been researching nutrition and healthy foods to eat, Google can recognize this and provide ads on healthy lifestyles. This is how the users are more likely to click on the links provided by tailoring them to their needs and interests. 

One of the main attractions to Google is Google Plus. It is similar to having Google, Facebook, and Twitter all together. You can create circles of friends and family and submits posts for only certain viewers to see. Not to mention you can "hang out" with friends by using your laptop and a webcam. This is very convenient for many different age groups to take advantage of.

Something that I have been using quite often this semester is Google Docs, it is a great tool especially for business firms and students. You can upload a document right from your computer and others in your group of whom you choose to share it with can edit it right there and then through the internet. It also saves immediately so you never have to worry about losing your work. For example, a class I am taking this semester required us to adjust to Google Docs and I had never used it before. It is a great tool and I would recommend it to anyone.

Overall, Google is a leader in the market and supplies its users with one of the best search engines available with the quickest times and best results. They are planning to stay innovative and experiment with the idea of supplying broaband among several cities to have them experience the use of a promising internet connection. With this experiment it can only help Google in the long run as long as they do their research and choose cities that can provide them valuable information with their next big thing.

Blog 3: YouTube Video

Below you will find the video I have edited for my Exploring the Internet Class:

http://youtu.be/dsKCxdvQeZ4

I first uploaded this video from my ipod onto my computer. Then I was able to use movie maker to begin editing different clips. I have never used movie maker before, however I found it to be very useful and easy to use. The clips were broken down so I could easily select which parts I wanted to add an effect too. For example, turning the picture upside down for a short period of time. Also, movie maker allowed me to created additional pages such as the title page and credits. Lastly, I added a song to play during the video. This was very easy since it allowed me to choose a song that was already on my computer from itunes. Overall, I found movie maker to be a very useful tool for this assignment. 

Blog 2: The Dark Side of Social Networks

Facebook and Myspace are two of the most popular networking sites available to us on the internet. Myspace use to be all the rage a few years ago, however, Facebook is easily accepted as the major source for networking today. The goals for these sites are to help members stay connected with friends, meet new people, and provide media entertainment such as music and celebrities.

 

Since Facebook is one of the most popular websites used I am going to go into more detail as to how the site works. Someone can make an account in just a few moments by providing some personal information (name, birthdate, gender, e-mail address, etc.) and clicking “sign up”. To start, you can upload profile pictures so viewers know who you are when looking to connect and interact with you. Beyond uploading individual pictures you can also create albums from your own personal computer or camera as well as videos.

A main feature on Facebook is posting your own “status” which allows members to post their own thoughts and feelings about their day. Other can comment or “like” these posts and even post on each other’s profile walls to reach out and start a conversation. If you do not want others to see your conversations you can also message them privately.

Another great feature that is utilized on Facebook is the ability to create events. For example, if someone graduating from High School and wants to invite their friends through Facebook all they have to do is create an event and provide the necessary information (time, date, location, etc.) to allow their friends to attend. It is also a great tool because friends can RSVP so the creator knows who to expect to show up and who cannot attend. 

This all seems great right? Not necessarily. There is also a dark side when it comes to social media. We hear about it quite often on the news and over the internet. There are always risks to providing even the smallest amount of personal information online. Fox example, one of the most common and well known crimes committed through the internet is identity theft. Not only is your personal information provided but someone could easily create an account as someone else. The website listed below has a great article relating to this topic. A woman was notified by her neighbor that they had a discussion through Facebook chat and she had asked her for money. Immediately it set off an alarm since this individual had never created a Facebook account to begin with.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Facebook-Identity-theft-Scam-97974634.html

Facebook provides certain privacy settings within each account but sometimes it is just not enough. It is important to do your research, these networking sites may not be as safe as they may seem. Members should consider changing their passwords often, do not accept friend requests of those you do not know, and never go on any unsecure sites requesting personal information. Overall, Facebook and other networking sites offer valuable services to its members, but please keep in mind of the dangers you are getting yourself into when signing up for an account.  

Blog 1: Apple IPad 2

Over the past few years we have all noticed how much technology is affecting our lives. Especially for college students since we use it everyday whether it is for our classes or our own enjoyment. It is rare to see a student who does not own a iphone, ipod, laptop etc. Recently, the new electronic device of choice is the ipad 2. Since the holidays have recently passed I have noticed how many students received or purchased an ipad and use it during classes. I think that the ipad is very convenient if you know how to use it properly. For example, I would not suggest this product for my parents because they are not up to date and comfortable with using this type of technology. However, for college students it is easily mobile and has many apps and characteristics that are beneficial to use for both their personal and academic lifestyles. The ipad is a great tool to keep track of your schedule, type papers, listen to music, send e-mails, etc. I also believe that since technology is affecting our lives significalty that younger and younger crowds of people will begin to use these products. For example, you will see many middle school kids already owning an iphone with their parents help of course, but it shows how generations are changing and so is our technology.

I do not personally own a ipad 2 however I do have an ipod which in many ways it can be very similar. Of course it is much smaller, but I can still connect to the internet and use similar apps on my ipod.  I am still learning more about the product and I was able to watch this video from youtube to answer a few questions I had about it. Below you will be able to watch this video I have previously mentioned.

Looking into the history of the ipad it was first introduced 1983 and Apple has come a long way improving the product ever since. Below you will be able to see what the ipad originally looked like in 1983. Not only has Apple created many valued products but it is one of the most successful companies in the world. Apple has a very strong customer base with its products, for example, many customers will wait in line and/or pre-order the newest version of the iphone. With that said it is understandable as to why the ipad 2 has become such a successful and profitable product for Apple's customers.

Overall, I feel like the ipad 2 is a very appealing and successful product mainly for college students and individuals working full time. It is at an affordable price of roughly $500 which is significantly less than most laptops. It is light and easily portable with many different applications that suit your daily needs.  Many customers were very excited for the inroduction of the ipad 2 from the original ipad 1. The video I have posted below contains a lot of information on how the ipad and ipad 2 are different.