You've been shopping for months and now you've finally found the home that will make all your dreams come true. Today's housing market is a buyer's market. The number of sellers far exceeds qualified buyers. Entire neighborhoods are going up for sale. Foreclosures are rampant. So you figure you can slap down a ridiculously low offer and the seller will jump at it. Perhaps so, perhaps not.

When making an offer on a house in such a market, you don't want to have your offer rejected out of hand. If you're serious about buying this home, it's not going to benefit your negotiations when you're the one countering with a higher figure. The ultra low-ball tactic ultimately puts you at a disadvantage.

Once you find the home you want, before making an offer on a house, check the public records at your county to see what price was paid by the current owner, how long the property has been held, what the taxes are and what the values of comparable property in the same neighborhood are. This information should give you a ballpark figure from which to work.

When you're making an offer on a house, you must understand the market from the seller's point of view to really make an offer that will stick. If the homeowner has made improvements to the kitchen and bath, you must grant that such improvements are costly and add significant value to your prospective new home. Be prepared to adjust your offer accordingly.

Aside from the fact that it's now a buyer's market, analyze just what value such a home offers you and your family in the long term. Be willing to pay fair value. Making an offer on a house should not be skewed such that the seller loses his or her shirt just because you can dictate the terms. Let's say the kitchen is a gourmet's dream. Don't scotch the deal by insisting on making an offer on the house that completely disregards the improvements. Be willing to be fair.

On the other hand, perhaps this home has everything you could ever hope for in the way of amenities, but the neighborhood is plagued with foreclosed properties. This fact will drive property values down for some time to come. Making an offer on this house requires that you analyze the impact of this condition. Just as the seller should not lose his proverbial shirt, neither should you make an offer on a house that will take you years to break even.

In the end, when you're prepared to make an offer, you need to assess not only the dollar value of the particular property, but also its intrinsic value to you as your home. Neighborhood values matter too. Take all these factors into consideration and you'll probably be able to strike a deal.

The Popular Yorkshire Terrier

In the market for a used car? You need to be aware of the many potential pitfalls waiting out there. The used car sales market is an easy place to get burned. Here are a few tips that will ensure you get a fair deal on reliable transportation.

Unless you have a recommendation from a trusted source, your most wily adversary is the used car sales person. You are his target the minute you walk on the lot. Assume every vehicle is overpriced and the actual selling price is negotiable.

When you go car shopping, bring a friend along. You can play the eager buyer while your friend is the skeptic, ready with cold water to scotch the deal. This strategy can elicit some truths about both the car and the used car sales lot as the seller.

Most used car sales lots have a number of lemons as well as some reliable cars. When the used car sales person approaches you, all smiles as he straightens his tie, his primary task may be to steer you to a loser. Don't get me wrong, there are some trustworthy sales people in the car market. There are also many unscrupulous ones. Your best strategy is to let him know you're just looking around and will let him know when you need his assistance. Try to give the impression that you don't need to find a car today, even if you're desperate for transportation.

Don't linger too long by any one vehicle. Give the cars on the lot a casual once-over and then move on.

Do ask what the owner's policy is on guarantees. If every used car on the lot is sold on an as-is basis, this gives you negotiating power. If you do find a vehicle that suits your purpose, find out if he has any objection to your mechanic taking a look at the car before you buy. If your used car sales guy says, "No problem!" the deal is worth pursuing.

When you've zeroed in on a car you might like to buy, adopt a skeptical look as you thoroughly inspect the vehicle. The sales person will likely be talking a blue streak, extolling the many virtues of this particular car. Frown if you see a dent, a bad tire or a tear in the upholstery. Here's where you ask about the Blue Book(r) value. If he claims not to have the book for that year, call your bank. They'll know.

Following a visual inspection and a true ballpark value, you'll want to take a test drive. If all goes well, make your offer, contingent on your mechanic's inspection. Expect some wrangling and sob stories from the used car sales guy. If you're prepared to pay cash, know that this is a powerful negotiating point. Follow through on your mechanic's inspection before you part with your money. In the end, you may just get yourself a good deal, a rarity in used car sales!

They usually grow being small and light varieties. Hence, owners do not mind having their pets on their lap almost all day. Moreover, this usual bonding activity usually transforms this lap dog into a bright, playful, and loyal companion pet.

The following are some of the basic facts breeders would really love to know about Yorkies:

Category: Toy (Terrier)

Living Environment: indoors (highly recommended); outdoors (fenced yard)

Coat: silky, glossy, long and fine; no undercoat

Colors: black when young but they attain the colors tan and blue as they mature . Height: between 8 and 9 inches

Weight: between 3 and 7 pounds

Temperament:

Naturally,

. they are territorial and like their privacy to be respected . they are intelligent and fearless . they are assertive and independent

When properly trained,

. they develop close affinity with older children . they become really playful and lively . they become extremely affectionate . they do not mind having other pets at home . they focus much of their attention and affection toward their owner

Breeders should note of the following health issues:

. Alopecia, or losing hair . Cataract, or loss of transparency of one or both lenses of the eyes . Cryptorchidism, wherein testicles do not descend into the scrotum . Dwarfism . Entropion, a disorder with the eyelid; lashes on the eyelid that irritate the eyeballs could lead to other complications . Glaucoma, a condition that causes an increase pressure within the eye . Hydrocephalus . Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or the reduction of tear production . Low blood sugar . Patellar luxation, a disorder in the kneecap . Portosystemic shunt, or the accumulation of blood toxins in the liver . Urolithiasis, an infection of the urinary tract leading to the formation of bladder stones.

Care and Exercise: . They require daily grooming. . Ears and eyes must be cleaned and checked regularly. . Dental hygiene must be regularly maintained. . They are fit only for short strides. . They should have a regular play time while lying under the sunbeams, chasing shadows, and joining tug-of-war.

Origin/History:

In the 19th century, a number of weavers from Scotland migrated to England and brought with them different terriers that were bred to hunt rats. Through time, these terriers were crossed and terriers with "broken hairs" were produced.

In 1870, a "broken-haired Scotch terrier" was named as a Yorkshire terrier by a reporter. He argued that the breed should be called as such because his types were bred in a town called Yorkshire.

Though the Yorkies were originally bred as working dogs, they became fashionable pets is England in the latter part of the Victorian era. In 1972, Yorkies were brought to the United States and became the country's favorite pet.

You can say that the Yorkies developed into tough breeds because of their ancestors' reputation as rat-hunters. However, their size, and playful and bright character have actually captured the attention and affection of most pet owners. Most proud owners would boast that they have the great giants inside the bodies of these little dogs. If you want a small but terrible breed of dog, grab a Yorkie now! Just a friendly reminder, they would really need your attention and companionship than any other terriers.

However, Scotties' nature is not in coherence with their public image or trademark. In fact, Scotties are like the citizens of his native land who are independent, stoic, and fiercely loyal to their masters. They also adhere much to their own privacy.

Scotties, Westies, and Cairns are very similar regarding their appearance. The Westies and the Cairns are, in fact, closely-related. The Westie can be considered as the white variety of the Cairn who has a coat of any color but white. Westies are hybrids of white dogs crossed with Cairns of western Scotland. Scotties, however, have longer heads and bodies, have generally dark coats and are aloof than the other two.

The following are some of the basic facts breeders would really love to know about Scotties:

Category: Terrier

Living Environment: either outdoor or indoor (mostly preferred by breeders)

Coat: wiry, short (about 2 inches) and thick Colors: iron gray or steel, black, wheaten, or sandy; the coat may also be brindled or grizzled

Height: about 10 inches

Weight: between 18 and 20 pounds

Temperament: they need to be praised frequently and they adapt with the moods of the household

Breeders should note of the following health issues: . Von Willibrand's disease (VWD), an inherited disorder . Flea allergies and other skin problems . Epilepsy . Jawbone disorders . Scottie cramp, a minor condition that causes walking difficulties . Cerebellar abiotrophy, a slow-to-progress and rare neurological disease that causes loss of coordination

Care and Exercise: . Their coats need special care to maintain its appearance and texture. It is suggested that they should be subjected to professional grooming once or twice each year for their coats to stay wiry and firm. . The fur needs to be combed a couple of times in each week and even needs occasional trimming. . Scotties' dead hairs should be plucked out through stripping. Using electric clippers will only make their coats dull and soft. . Play with them. Hunting and squeaky balls and toys are their favorites. . They should be on leash while walking in public places.

Origin/History:

The origins of the breed are obscure. It was noted that forerunners of Scotties were sent to France's Royal Highness by King James I of England during the 16th century. Later on, three different terriers were revealed as Scotch Terriers, which included the Westies, the Cairns, and the Scotties. The Dandie Dinmont variety had also been noted as closely-related to the abovementioned terriers but its apparent physical differences categorized itself as a separate breed.

Terrier dogs that were bred in Britain were developed to hunt vermin that ate grains, and pestered eggs and poultry farms. Most breeds grew as scrappy and courageous dogs and were trained to follow badgers or foxes into their dens. Their wiry coats and soft undercoats protected them against rugged terrains and harsh climates.

If you want to have a Scottie in your life, you should not be impulsive about the matter for animosity and lack of proper training will only harm and traumatize the dog. If properly taken cared of, this breed can even appoint itself as a guardian of the family. It can also be fiercely loyal, that is it can protect you even if it means endangering its own life.

To this effect, I guess you must agree that a Scottie is a dog that is second to none.

If you have a large gathering on Christmas day, have fun with the hat game. When they arrive, give everyone a Santa hat. These are inexpensive and can be purchased for $1 at the dollar store, or even less in bulk, if you plan ahead. As everyone goes about their business of getting food, chatting with others and the like, the room will look very festive with everyone wearing their Santa hats.

However, the object of this game is to not have your hat on. As people forget about the hats, the object is to get rid of your hat and not be the last one wearing a Santa hat. Inevitably there will be one person so wrapped up in a conversation or the buffet table, they forget to take off their hat and will be left the game's loser. This is a game that can be played again and again as you head forward with the day's festivities.

One fun memory game that kids particularly like is to make everyone pay careful attention to all the gifts that are opened on Christmas day. After the gifts are removed from the room (or you remove yourselves from the gift room) have everyone try and remember every single gift everyone got. Include stockings and any food gifts. Tell people they only have to remember the items that were opened that day, not any gifts they received and opened prior to Christmas day. This can be a fun game that's particularly popular with kids because they love to relive the gift magic. In addition, if they were so immersed with their own gifts they didn't notice anyone else's this is a good chance for them to educate themselves about what everyone got that day.

If you need a game to keep everyone busy before dinner, try the "guess me" game. Buy some large heavy socks, not low-rise, but the type that are worn outdoors in the winter that are thick and come at least to the calf. Put several items in the socks. Make sure identical items are in each sock. These items should be related to Christmas in some way. You might include a small ornament, scotch tape, a pinecone, a Hershey's kiss, and the like. Have each person feel the socks (having two socks just makes the game go faster, but you can play with just one sock), and write down their guesses about what's in the socks. Be sure to tell everyone how many items are in each sock. The winner gets, you guessed it, one of the socks!

If you have a bunch of wanna-be performers in your group on Christmas day, how about playing a little game of "Christmas Idol"? Set up a small table for the "judges" and have teams of 2 people (or individuals, if they want) sing a Christmas carol. Tell them to have a lot of fun with the song, and even add a Santa hat or other dress-up items if they wish. The winners can take home a CD of Christmas music. This game is particularly fun if just the children want to perform and be judged by the adults, or if, conversely, the adults perform and are judged by the children.