Here is a tip for those of you that use WordPress for your blog.  When you post an article, you can let the software inform the search engines and update services that you have updated your content.  This will increase your backlinks and bring your site more traffic.

To set this up, log into your site’s administration area and go to the Settings section.  Under ‘Writing’, there is a section called ‘Update Services’.  Copy the following list into the text box in that section and save your changes.  That’s it.  Now, when you publish a new article, WordPress will ‘ping’ each of these update services and search engines for you automatically.

http://1470.net/api/ping
http://api.feedster.com/ping
http://api.moreover.com/ping
http://api.moreover.com/RPC2
http://api.my.yahoo.co.jp/RPC2
http://api.my.yahoo.com/RPC2
http://api.my.yahoo.com/rss/ping
http://audiorpc.weblogs.com/RPC2
http://bblog.com/ping.php
http://bitacoras.net/ping
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/XMLRPC
http://blogdb.jp/xmlrpc
http://blogmatcher.com/u.php
http://blogpeople.net/ping
http://blogsearch.google.ae/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.at/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.be/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.bg/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.ca/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.ch/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.cl/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.cr/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.hu/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.id/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.il/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.in/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.it/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.jp/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.ma/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.nz/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.th/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.uk/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.ve/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.co.za/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.ar/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.au/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.br/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.co/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.do/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.mx/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.my/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.pe/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.sa/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.sg/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.tr/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.tw/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.ua/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.uy/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com.vn/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.de/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.es/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.fi/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.fr/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.gr/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.hr/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.ie/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.in/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.it/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.jp/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.lt/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.nl/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.pl/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.pt/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.ro/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.ru/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.se/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.sk/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.tw/ping/RPC2
http://blogsearch.google.us/ping/RPC2
http://bulkfeeds.net/rpc
http://coreblog.org/ping/
http://feedsky.com/api/RPC2
http://hamo-search.com/ping.php
http://holycowdude.com/rpc/ping/
http://mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatt
http://ping.amagle.com/
http://ping.bitacoras.com
http://ping.blo.gs/
http://ping.bloggers.jp/rpc/
http://ping.blogmura.jp/rpc/
http://ping.blogoon.net/
http://ping.blogs.yandex.ru/RPC2
http://ping.cocolog-nifty.com/xmlrpc
http://ping.exblog.jp/xmlrpc
http://ping.fakapster.com/rpc
http://ping.fc2.com/
http://ping.feedburner.com
http://ping.kutsulog.net/
http://ping.myblog.jp
http://ping.namaan.net/rpc
http://ping.rootblog.com/rpc.php
http://ping.snap.com/ping/RPC2
http://ping.syndic8.com/xmlrpc.php
http://ping.weblogalot.com/rpc.php
http://ping.weblogs.se/
http://ping.wordblog.de/
http://pingoat.com/goat/RPC2
http://r.hatena.ne.jp/rpc
http://rcs.datashed.net/RPC2/
http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/RPC2
http://rpc.bloggerei.de/ping/
http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/
http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/
http://rpc.newsgator.com/
http://rpc.pingomatic.com
http://rpc.pingomatic.com/
http://rpc.reader.livedoor.com/ping
http://rpc.tailrank.com/feedburner/RPC2
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
http://rpc.technorati.jp/rpc/ping
http://rpc.twingly.com/
http://rpc.weblogs.com/RPC2
http://topicexchange.com/RPC2
http://trackback.bakeinu.jp/bakeping.php
http://wasalive.com/ping/
http://www.a2b.cc/setloc/bp.a2b
http://www.bitacoles.net/ping.php
http://www.blogdigger.com/RPC2
http://www.blogoole.com/ping/
http://www.blogoon.net/ping/
http://www.blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates
http://www.blogroots.com/tb_populi.blog?id=1
http://www.blogshares.com/rpc.php
http://www.blogsnow.com/ping
http://www.blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi
http://www.lasermemory.com/lsrpc/
http://www.mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatter/ping.php
http://www.newsisfree.com/RPCCloud
http://www.newsisfree.com/xmlrpctest.php
http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php
http://www.snipsnap.org/RPC2
http://www.weblogues.com/RPC/
http://xmlrpc.blogg.de
http://xping.pubsub.com/ping/
http://zhuaxia.com/rpc/server.php

If you discover a new search engine that should be added to this list, please let me know by adding a comment.

The hunt is on. You are in front a house that you may want to buy. Do you have everything you need?

Here is my recommended list for what you should have with you.

• Map or GPS Unit – to find the property
• Something to record notes. This can be a pad of paper and pencil, a voice recorder or anything else that works for you. I recommend a form on paper that lists common rooms and items within each room – this insures that you looked at each item for presence and condition. I also like to have this on a clipboard
• Camera – still or video. Taking a picture of the front of the house and some interiors now can save you from having to revisit the property later.
• Tape Measure – 100’ would be nice so that you can measure the outside dimensions of the house.
• Flashlight – especially required for a REO or other vacant, powered down house
• Marble – useful on hard surfaces to determine if the floor or countertop is level. Sloped floors can indicate settling or foundation issues which can cost you.
• Binoculars – useful to look at roof conditions. Sometimes the only way to see a roof from the ground is from a distance from the house. Also useful to look for house numbers when the house is away from the road.
• Plug Tester – used to determine if electrical outlets are wired correctly and provide adequate ground
• Awl or knife – useful for checking wood rot
• Your notes about this property. Did you already talk to the seller? What things did they mention that are issues you should inspect? If the property is listed, bring a copy of the listing information.
• Calculator – used to total the estimated repair items and calculate your offer price.
• Blank Offer form – don’t waste time. If you like the property, write the offer!

When I walk-through potential houses, I wear casual clothes since the place may be dirty or ‘interesting’. I do not crawl under the house or into the attic spaces, so I don’t need coveralls. My inspections generally take under a half hour.

Note that I always hire an inspector when my offers are accepted – even without an inspection contingency. As a worst case, I may need to walk away from the earnest money deposit – but that can be a WHOLE lot cheaper than buying a house with expensive issues that I missed on my initial walk-through.

Any suggestions for things to add to this list?

I just learned about a new tool from Microsoft – Live Mesh.  It looks like it is an extension of their ‘offline sync’ technology – which let you sync files from your laptop to your server.  This tool looks like it extends the sync’ing across the internet to any devices you want.  Check out the article here