Are you a real estate investor still trying to figure out the complex process of creating a renovation plan and estimating rehab costs for your projects? The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs is written by active real estate fix-and-flipper J Scott, author of the popular real estate website...  more

Are you a real estate investor still trying to figure out the complex process of creating a renovation plan and estimating rehab costs for your projects? The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs is written by active real estate fix-and-flipper J Scott, author of the popular real estate website 123Flip.com, and is published by BiggerPockets Publishing, the publishing arm of the premier real estate investing website BiggerPockets.com. This 200+ page book provides a step-by-step methodology for learning how to create a Scope of Work (SOW) and how to estimate rehab costs on your renovation projects. Whether you?re a rehabber, a wholesaler or a landlord, this book will teach you the process of evaluating the scope of a rehab project and estimating the cost of completing that renovation. This is the methodology that the author has used to over the years to complete hundreds of rehabs, both for himself and for other investors. From cosmetic renovations to mechanical installations and upgrades to complex renovation components such as mold, termites and foundation issues, you?ll learn how to break down your renovation into its major and minor components, learn the most common tasks associated with those renovation components, and learn how to accurately price each of the renovation tasks. Table of Contents (Chapter Level) How To Use This Book Factors That Impact Rehab Costs Methods of Estimation The 25 Renovation Components Format of Discussion A Word About Cost Estimates Component #1: Roof Component #2: Gutters/Soffit/Fascia Component #3: Siding Component #4: Exterior Painting Component #5: Decks/Porches Component #6: Concrete Component #7: Garage Component #8: Landscaping Component #9: Septic System Component #10: Foundation Component #11: Demo Component #12: Plumbing Component #13: Electrical Component #14: HVAC Component #15: Framing Component #16: Insulation Component #17: Sheetrock Component #18: Carpentry (Doors, Window, Trim) Component #19: Interior Painting Component #20: Cabinets/Countertops Component #21: Flooring Component #22: Permits Component #23: Mold Component #24: Termites Component #25: Miscellaneous

"A provocative title for a fascinating book."-Charlie Rose Asked to explain why a few people truly excel, most of us offer one of two answers. The first is hard work. Yet we all know plenty of hard workers who have been doing the same job for years or decades without becoming great. The other...  more

"A provocative title for a fascinating book."-Charlie Rose Asked to explain why a few people truly excel, most of us offer one of two answers. The first is hard work. Yet we all know plenty of hard workers who have been doing the same job for years or decades without becoming great. The other possibility is that the elite possess an innate talent for excelling in their field. We assume that Mozart was born with an astounding gift for music, and Warren Buffett carries a gene for brilliant investing. The trouble is, scientific evidence doesn't support the notion that specific natural talents make great performers. According to distinguished journalist Geoff Colvin, both the hard work and natural talent camps are wrong. What really makes all the difference is a highly specific kind of effort-"deliberate practice"- that few of us pursue when we're practicing golf or piano or stockpicking. Based on a wide array of scientific research, Talent Is Overrated shares the secrets of extraordinary performance and shows how to apply these principles. It features the stories of extraordinary people who never stopped challenging themselves and who achieved world- class greatness through deliberate practice- including Benjamin Franklin, comedian Chris Rock, football star Jerry Rice, and top CEOs Jeffrey Immelt and Steven Ballmer.

For more than twenty years Natalie Goldberg has been challenging and cheering on writers with her books and workshops. In her groundbreaking first book, she brings together Zen meditation and writing in a new way. Writing practice, as she calls it, is no different from other forms of Zen...  more

For more than twenty years Natalie Goldberg has been challenging and cheering on writers with her books and workshops. In her groundbreaking first book, she brings together Zen meditation and writing in a new way. Writing practice, as she calls it, is no different from other forms of Zen practice —"it is backed by two thousand years of studying the mind." This new edition, which marks almost twenty years since the original book's publication, includes a new preface in which Goldberg expresses her trademark enthusiasm for writing practice, as well as a depth of appreciation for the process that has come with time and experience. Also included is an interview with the author in which she reflects on the relationship between Zen sitting practice and writing, the importance of place, and the power of memory.

A groundbreaking and fascinating investigation into the transformative effects of exercise on the brain, from the bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD.Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than...  more

A groundbreaking and fascinating investigation into the transformative effects of exercise on the brain, from the bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD.Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance. In SPARK, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, which has put this school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), SPARK is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run---or, for that matter, simply the way you think

Discover the secrets of written persuasion! "The principles of hypnosis, when applied to copywriting, add a new spin to selling. Joe Vitale has taken hypnotic words to set the perfect sales environment and then shows us how to use those words to motivate a prospect to take the action you want....  more

Discover the secrets of written persuasion! "The principles of hypnosis, when applied to copywriting, add a new spin to selling. Joe Vitale has taken hypnotic words to set the perfect sales environment and then shows us how to use those words to motivate a prospect to take the action you want. This is truly a new and effective approach to copywriting, which I strongly recommend you learn. It's pure genius." —Joseph Sugarman, author of Triggers "I've read countless book on persuasion, but none come close to this one in showing you exactly how to put your readers into a buying trance that makes whatever you are offering them irresistible." —David Garfinkel, author of Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich "I am a huge fan of Vitale and his books, and Hypnotic Writing (first published more than twenty years ago), is my absolute favorite. Updated with additional text and fresh examples, especially from e-mail writing, Joe's specialty, Hypnotic Writing is the most important book on copywriting (yes, that's really what it is about) to be published in this century. Read it. It will make you a better copywriter, period." —Bob Bly, copywriter and author of The Copywriter's Handbook "I couldn't put this book down. It's eye opening and filled with genuinely new stuff about writing and persuading better. And it communicates it brilliantly and teaches it brilliantly—exemplifying the techniques by the writing of the book itself as you go along." —David Deutsch, author of Think Inside the Box, www.thinkinginside.com "Hypnotic Writing is packed with so much great information it's hard to know where to start. The insights, strategies, and tactics in the book are easy to apply yet deliver one heck of a punch. And in case there's any question how to apply them, the before-and-after case studies drive the points home like nothing else can. Hypnotic Writing is not just about hypnotic writing. It is hypnotic writing. On the count of three, you're going to love it. Just watch and see." —Blair Warren, author of The Forbidden Keys to Persuasion

The information age is upon us, baffling us with thousands of complicated state-of-the-art technologies. To help make sense of the computer age, David Macaulay brings us The New Way Things Work. This completely updated and expanded edition describes twelve new machines and includes more than...  more

The information age is upon us, baffling us with thousands of complicated state-of-the-art technologies. To help make sense of the computer age, David Macaulay brings us The New Way Things Work. This completely updated and expanded edition describes twelve new machines and includes more than seventy new pages detailing the latest innovations. With an entirely new section that guides us through the complicated world of digital machinery, where masses of electronic information can be squeezed onto a single tiny microchip, this revised edition embraces all of the newest developments, from cars to watches. Each scientific principle is brilliantly explained -- with the help of a charming, if rather slow-witted, woolly mammoth.

I say to you all, once again--in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. So...  more

I say to you all, once again--in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. So spoke Albus Dumbledore at the end of Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts. But as Harry enters his fifth year at wizard school, it seems those bonds have never been more sorely tested. Lord Voldemort's rise has opened a rift in the wizarding world between those who believe the truth about his return, and those who prefer to believe it's all madness and lies -- just more trouble from Harry Potter. Add to this a host of other worries for Harry... * A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey * A venomous, disgruntled house-elf * Ron as keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team * And of course, what every student dreads: end-of-term Ordinary Wizarding Level exams ... and you'd know what Harry faces during the day. But at night it's even worse, because then he dreams of a single door in a silent corridor. And this door is somehow more terrifying than every other nightmare combined. In the richest installment yet of J. K. Rowling's seven-part story, Harry Potter confronts the unreliability of the very government of the magical world, and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts. Despite this (or perhaps because of it) Harry finds depth and strength in his friends, beyond what even he knew; boundless loyalty and unbearable sacrifice. Though thick runs the plot (as well as the spine), readers will race through these pages, and leave Hogwarts, like Harry, wishing only for the next train back.

Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his fourth year of magical adventures in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This year brings with it many trials, dangers, and adventures in the unknown... including "girls". There is Dark Magic afoot, which brings danger as well as death.

The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Hemingway's frank portrayal of the love between Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Barkley, caught in...  more

The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver on the Italian front and his passion for a beautiful English nurse. Hemingway's frank portrayal of the love between Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Barkley, caught in the inexorable sweep of war, glows with an intensity unrivaled in modern literature, while his description of the German attack on Caporetto -- of lines of fired men marching in the rain, hungry, weary, and demoralized -- is one of the greatest moments in literary history. A story of love and pain, of loyalty and desertion, A Farewell to Arms, written when he was 30 years old, represents a new romanticism for Hemingway.

?Happiness is a spiritual path. The more you learn about true happiness, the more you discover the truth of who you are, what is important, and what your life is for.?   Be Happy! is the follow-up to Robert Holden?s best-selling Happiness NOW! In this book, Robert gives you a front-row seat on...  more

?Happiness is a spiritual path. The more you learn about true happiness, the more you discover the truth of who you are, what is important, and what your life is for.?   Be Happy! is the follow-up to Robert Holden?s best-selling Happiness NOW! In this book, Robert gives you a front-row seat on his 8-week happiness program?famously tested by independent scientists for the BBC-TV documentary called How to Be Happy. Step-by-step he introduces you to a set of proven techniques, principles, meditations, and insights that will help you be happy now!  Key lessons include: Follow Your Joy ? stop chasing happiness and start enjoying your life as it happens. The Happiness Contract ? undo mental and emotional blocks to happiness and success. The Receiving Meditation ? increase your natural capacity for happiness and abundance. The Forgiveness Practice ? give up all hopes for a better past and be happy now. The Gift of Happiness ? use the power of happiness to bless your life and benefit others.    ?This happiness training not only changes the way you feel; it actually changes the way your brain functions.? ? Professor Davidson, Wisconsin-Madison University BBC?s How to Be Happy TV documentary

You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling through Europe, including how to plan your itinerary and maximize your time, pack light (and right), find good-value hotels and restaurants, travel smoothly by train, bus, car, and plane, avoid crowds and...  more

You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling through Europe, including how to plan your itinerary and maximize your time, pack light (and right), find good-value hotels and restaurants, travel smoothly by train, bus, car, and plane, avoid crowds and tourist scams, hurdle the language barrier, understand cultural differences, connect with locals, and save money while enjoying the trip of a lifetime. Rick has been exploring Europe for 25 years, and he considers this travel skills handbook — in which he shares his favorite off-the-beaten-path towns, trails, and natural wonders — his life's work. With this guidebook, you'll experience the culture like a local, spend less money, and have more fun.

Happiness isn?t the too-brief rush that comes from getting something you?ve wanted?it?s the lasting great feeling that comes from becoming someone you want to be?..And someone others want to be with, too. No matter where you start, Happy can help you improve your life and permanently alter your...  more

Happiness isn?t the too-brief rush that comes from getting something you?ve wanted?it?s the lasting great feeling that comes from becoming someone you want to be?..And someone others want to be with, too. No matter where you start, Happy can help you improve your life and permanently alter your happiness set point.Dr. Ian has inspired millions to lose weight. In counseling dieters, Smith learned that while achieving hard-fought and worthy goals can help make a person happy, even these real accomplishments aren?t what make happiness stick. In Happy, Ian Smith presents a program that motivates readers to understand the behaviors and mind-sets that work and last, including:--How to be optimistic--Why optimism and realism are not opposites--How to get outside yourself--The importance of family and community--Why involvement leads to contentment--Shedding the treadmill mentality of getting and spending--Tapping the power of simple pleasures--Mastering modern life to live in the moment--What we can learn from the Danish people--How to be, not just to doHappy is a life-changing book from one of America?s most trusted voices.

Following the turn of the seasons, eleven year old Eldon traces the daily routines of his life on a farm and his relationship with his older brother Wayne. During the winter, with little work to be done on the farm, Eldon and Wayne spend the quiet hours with their family, listening to their...  more

Following the turn of the seasons, eleven year old Eldon traces the daily routines of his life on a farm and his relationship with his older brother Wayne. During the winter, with little work to be done on the farm, Eldon and Wayne spend the quiet hours with their family, listening to their Uncle David's stories. But Eldon soon learns that, although he has lived on the same farm, in the same house with his uncle for eleven springs, summers, and winters, he hardly knows him.

As seen in Self, Fitness, Real Simple, Health, Ladies' Home Journal, and Redbook, this much-praised celebration of women's friendships-now in paperback-explores the keys to forming emotionally supportive and sustaining connections at every stage in life.Embraced by some of the most popular...  more

As seen in Self, Fitness, Real Simple, Health, Ladies' Home Journal, and Redbook, this much-praised celebration of women's friendships-now in paperback-explores the keys to forming emotionally supportive and sustaining connections at every stage in life.Embraced by some of the most popular women's magazines, this book has struck a chord with women everywhere who know that finding close friends as an adult isn't easy. Most women rely heavily on their friendships with other women to share their joy and see them through the rough spots, but common life changes-having a baby, leaving a job, moving to a new town, starting an at-home business, becoming divorced or widowed-not only make it difficult to forge new ties but often fray the ones we already have. Marla Paul brings together the moving personal experiences of many different women with the keen insights of psychologists and other relationship experts in "her wise and helpful book on this much neglected subject," says Harriet Lerner, Ph.D.

Be creative … and save some cash. Building or renovating a home used to require an architect, but this guide teaches readers how to do most of an architect’s work themselves, from visualizing structure, shape, and proportion, to decorating. Material is covered step-by-step, complete with...  more

Be creative … and save some cash. Building or renovating a home used to require an architect, but this guide teaches readers how to do most of an architect’s work themselves, from visualizing structure, shape, and proportion, to decorating. Material is covered step-by-step, complete with inspirational ideas, and professional secrets—all explained in layman’s terms. --The perfect companion for the popular Complete Idiot’s Guide to Building Your Own Home

Even if you've just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it's likely that you've been living with it for a long time. You've probably already developed your own ways of coping with recurring depression, the consequences of manic episodes, and the constant, uncomfortable feeling that you're at...  more

Even if you've just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it's likely that you've been living with it for a long time. You've probably already developed your own ways of coping with recurring depression, the consequences of manic episodes, and the constant, uncomfortable feeling that you're at the mercy of your emotions. Some of these methods may work; others might do more harm than good. The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder will help you integrate your coping skills with a new and effective dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) plan for living well with bipolar disorder. The four DBT skills you'll learn in this workbook-mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness-will help you manage your emotional ups and downs and minimize the frequency and intensity of depressive and manic episodes. By using this book in conjunction with medication and professional care, you'll soon experience relief from your bipolar symptoms and come to enjoy the calm and confident feeling of being in control. Learn mindfulness and acceptance skills Cope with depressive and manic episodes in healthy ways Manage difficult emotions and impulsive urges Maintain relationships with friends and family members

A Clear and Effective Approach to Learning DBT Skills First developed for treating borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has proven effective as treatment for a range of other mental health problems, especially for those characterized by overwhelming emotions....  more

A Clear and Effective Approach to Learning DBT Skills First developed for treating borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has proven effective as treatment for a range of other mental health problems, especially for those characterized by overwhelming emotions. Research shows that DBT can improve your ability to handle distress without losing control and acting destructively. In order to make use of these techniques, you need to build skills in four key areas -- distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. This book, a collaborative effort from three esteemed authors, offers straightforward, step-by-step exercises for learning these concepts and putting them to work for real and lasting change. Start by working on the introductory exercises and, after making progress, move on to the advanced-skills chapters. Whether you are a professional or a general reader, whether you use this book to support work done in therapy or as the basis for self-help, you'll benefit from this clear and practical guide to better managing your emotions. The individual struggling with overwhelming emotions and DBT therapists will benefit significantly from this workbook. McKay, Wood and Brantley have expanded and translated DBT Skills, making Linehan's iconic work on emotional skill building even more accessible and easy to apply to everyday life.