Accredited Income Property Investment Specialist (AIPIS)

Lou Manfredini is Host of House Smarts TV and "Mr. Fix It." He shares some inexpensive ways to improve homes and explains how these can increase value: 

- adding a fresh coat of paint to appliances

- updating bathroom fixtures  

- installing new cabinet hardware

Manfredini also discusses how homeowners can fix up the outside of their home by selecting the right kind of mulch and staining the deck. Manfredini belives staging rooms attracts potential buyers.

From early on, houses and the art of building captivated Lou Manfredini. As a teen, the Chicago-area native went to work at a local hardware store to learn about housing structures, the tools of building and home improvement projects. Later, during high school, he decided to put what he had learned to practical use and began working as a carpenter’s apprentice. Then, in 1987, Manfredini struck out on his own and launched a construction company in Chicago. He not only built and renovated people’s homes; he gave people a better understanding of how their houses work.  

After 8 successful years in business, Manfredini had gained so much and such varied knowledge about homes; he began to consider ways to more broadly share this expertise with others. He believed that a house was more like a living entity than an inanimate collection of lumber, wiring and plumbing. By showing people how various systems and components in a house rely on each other and instilling a greater understanding of a house as a “whole,” Manfredini thought everyone could have greater success in their home improvement and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects.  

Armed with his expertise and enthusiasm, Manfredini began a media career when WGN-AM Radio 720 in Chicago launched his idea for a home improvement call-in radio show in 1995. The show quickly caught on, today, over fifteen years later, The Mr. Fix-It Show, is the number one Saturday morning radio program in Chicagoland.   Manfredini is also the host of Lou Manfredini’s House Smarts Minutes heard on over 175 radio stations across the United States.  

Not long thereafter, Manfredini branched into television and print media. Since 2000, he has been the official home improvement contributor for NBC-TV’s “Today Show” and NBC 5 in Chicago and a frequent guest on HGTV, CNN, Discovery and the History Channel. He has been featured and quoted in such periodicals as USA Weekend Magazine, People Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, Real Simple, Popular Mechanics, the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times.  Manfredini currently hosts his own nationally syndicated home improvement television and radio show called House Smarts, learn more about the show at www.housesmartstv.com.  

Reaching millions of DIYers every month with his friendly persona and down-to-earth project advice, Manfredini also has authored five successful books for DIYers:  Mr. Fix-It: 101 Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions xc  about Repairing Your Home, Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home, Bath Smarts, Kitchen Smarts and Room Smarts published by Ballantine Publishing.  These books have been featured in national magazines such as People and Newsweek, as well as newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.   

Manfredini is a nationally recognized do-it-yourself (DIY) expert, one who is sought after both for his expertise and his energetic, entertaining style. In an extension of his ongoing effort to help people maximize the value and enjoyment of their homes, he also is Ace Hardware’s “Home Expert” and editorial media spokesperson.   He also appears promotionally for Perma-seal Basement Systems, Chevy, Marvin Windows and Doors, Rug Doctor and 3M brands.  

In addition to his media engagements, Manfredini continues to run his own hardware store in Chicago, keeping him up-to-date on the homebuilding industry’s latest trends and technology. He lives in Chicago with his wife and four children.

Visit House Smarts TV at www.housesmartstv.com. Find out more about Lou Manfredini at www.homeimprovementminutes.com.

Direct download: aipis-36-LouManfredini.mp3
Category:Educational Podcast -- posted at: 12:14pm EDT

Tanya Marchiol is the Founder, President and CEO of TEAM Investments. She was the 2013 Arizona Business Magazine "Realtor Of The Year" and Author of "The Prosperity Principles."

Marchiol discusses whether the government will take away home owners mortgage deductions and if so, what effect it would have on the housing market. She also breaks down the so-called "housing recovery," and describes good debt and bad debt. 

Tanya also talks about personal finances... like how people can get tax deductions like businesses do, and how youngsters can generate an abundance of wealth by the time they hit 40 years of age. 

Find out more about TEAM Investments at www.teaminvestmentsinc.com. Visit Tanya Marchiol's official website at www.tanyamarchiol.com.

Direct download: aipis-35-TanyaMarchiol.mp3
Category:Educational Podcast -- posted at: 8:06pm EDT

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