Peter Bubel+ by | Mar 1, 2017 | Peter Bubel, Travel
Seeing the world is great; the cost of traveling to witness it all firsthand isn’t. I’ve heard that Virtual Reality goggles are supposed to be pretty realistic, but again this is a rather costly alternative. I prefer a different, free version of travel accessible right in the comfort of my very own home; Twitter. Twitter is a great place for people to connect and share their sights and experiences from all over the world. Take a look at some of the best travel twitter accounts and why you should follow them all today!
- Lonely Planet
- @LonelyPlanet is one of my all-time favorite twitter accounts to follow. They regularly tweet out images and stories from people and places across the globe that feature everything from unique recipes and food to cultural pasttimes. If you’re only in it for the pictures, their Instagram is also definitely worth following as well.
- Travel
- For an account whose bio boasts “it’s the journey that counts, not the destination,” @Travel makes us question that statement with all of the amazing photos of travel destinations that they share regularly. Sharing mostly original content, their feed is one that’s full of brand new places we’d love to visit.
- Travel+Leisure
- If you like their magazine, you’ll love the Travel + Leisure Twitter account. Great for gaining inside looks into some of the most beautiful places around the world, @TravelLeisure regularly retweets other travel fanatics’ tweets about travel news, destinations, deals, and more insider knowledge.
- Condé Nast Traveler
- The Condé Nast Traveler Twitter account regularly tweets out articles from their amazing travel-inspired website that features articles and stories on categories ranging from food & drinks to style & design to travel intel, city guides, and more! Follow them @CNTraveler.
- National Geographic Photography
- While their travel account, @NatGeoTravel is great and shares lots of food and culture from all over, the @NatGeoPhoto account is full of gorgeous National Geographic photos. They share a range of interesting things from around the world like storms, animals in the wild, natural phenomena, and more.
- Feet Do Travel
- This fun account is run by Angie and Simon, a couple who decided to quit their jobs and sell everything to make traveling their life full time. On @FeetDoTravel, they regularly share content and stories from less mainstream travel outlets that’s always worth reading. Oh, and they’re both avid scuba divers.
- Peter Bubel
- I’m usually not one for shameless self-promotion, but I’m quite proud of the Twitter presence I’ve established. Travel is a major interest of mine, and I love helping to share news and sights and places to visit with others. If you love a feed full of gorgeous places and people from around the world, consider following me @Peter_Bubel.
Peter Bubel+ by | Feb 21, 2017 | Blog, PA, Pennsylvania, Peter Bubel, Reading, Travel
Reading, PA is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, about 47 miles from Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania. The town acts as the county seat of Berks County and boasts of having a population approaching 99,000. The city was established in 1733 at the current intersection of the Schuylkill River and the East Penn Lebanon Valley. During the American Revolution, Reading was a leading producer of iron ore, which was used to make cannons, rifles and ammunition for the Washington troops. Agriculture, especially dairy and beef production are vital industries in the area.
Some of the best hidden secrets in Reading, PA include the Reading Public Museum, Santander Arena, Berks County Heritage Center, Berks Jazz Fest, Balloon Rides, Mid Atlantic Air Museum and the Reading Pagoda. The high standing Pagoda is located atop Mt. Penn and includes a café and a gift shop. The building has stood for over 100 years and remains the greatest attraction in the city. The Pagoda is preserved and managed by the Foundation for the Reading Pagoda and is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.
Berks Jazz Festival is an annual, 10 day jazz festival that takes place during spring throughout the Greater Reading area. The other attractions revolving around the festival include scheduled public events, dining and shopping. The Santander Arena and Santander Performing Arts Center is located at the city’s downtown. The venue offers state-of-the art entertainment throughout the year for people of all ages. The events that take place here include concerts, family shows, comedy and sporting events. Another captivating event in Reading is the daily balloon rides by the US Hot Air Balloon Team.
The exhilarating air rides take place over the beautiful Schuylkill River Valley. The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum that is located at 11 Museum Drive operates, preserves, restores historical aircrafts from various ages. The collection of includes bombers, transporters and military crafts. The Reading Public Museum is a major educational and artistic resource with numerous attractions for kids and adults. The attractions include natural science exhibition, art galleries, a planetarium and arboretum. The museum is located on the busy 500 Museum road in Reading.
The real estate market in Reading, PA is once again thriving after the shock of the 2008 economic crisis. According to Trulia.com, the median sales price for homes in Reading stood at $113,450 between November 2016 and February 2017. The market is replete with a wide range of housing units, including townhouses, detached houses, mobile homes, and in-unit structures. The Average price per sq ft was $75 during the same period. The number of residents who are homeowners stands at 66% while the median household income is $45,700.
Peter Bubel+ by | Feb 13, 2017 | Peter Bubel, Property, Property Management, Real Estate
Real estate is one of the safest of all investments. An investment in real estate is an investment in something that is likely to retain value and even grow in value. However, investing in real estate can be tough. Unlike some other forms of investing. investing in real estate means being active and hands-on. Many people who buy properties find that they may not have quite the knowledge they need to make sure their investments remain stable and in good shape. This is why so many investors find it helpful to turn to a property manager. Working with a property manager has many advantages.
Tremendous Expertise
Some people come to the field of real estate with many years of experience in the field. Others, however, do not have the same understanding. In that case, hiring a property manager can provide them with access to such expertise. A property manager typically knows exactly how to accomplish certain tasks such as investigating a tenant properly. The real estate novice may lack this same skill. Whey they may have a rudimentary idea of how to do the basics, they may not be sure what to do in the event of a tenant who isn’t quite up to the standards they’ve set for the property.
Working With Tenants
Another area where a property manager can really take the stress out of real estate investing is that managing the day-to-day activities of tenants. If something goes wrong late at night, the real estate manager can instantly confront the problem. A real estate investor may live far away from the property or even in another state. A real estate property manager will typically live onsite or at least a short distance away. This allows them to speak with tenants directly and find out the source of the problem immediately.
Local Court System
Evicting a tenant who is be behind on the rent can be tough. A real estate owner may not know where to start. A skilled real estate property manager will know exactly how to help. They know what the laws are in that state as well as the tenant’s rights. Many property managers also have access to real estate lawyers on hand. The real estate lawyer can offer the sort of expertise that can make the difference between a property that is turning a profit and one that is showing a loss.
Attention to Detail
A busy property investor may not have time to pay attention to all the details of their property such as landscaping or making minor repairs each season. The property manager can do this for them, allowing the investor to know their property is in good shape all year long.
Peter Bubel+ by | Feb 6, 2017 | Pennsylvania, Peter Bubel, Sports
After another dismal season, the Philadelphia Phillies are striving to achieve more in the upcoming year following four straight losing seasons. The team’s goals are modest, as they have improved over the years. In 2015, the Phillies recorded 63 wins, followed by a 71-win 2016 season. Manager Pete Mackanin says he aims to reach 81 this year.
The team has been in a rebuilding process since roughly 2012 after a string of immense success, including a World Series title in 2008, which has since come to a close after the departure of Ryan Howard. Mackanin believes he has found a number of players that can truly make a difference on this young Philadelphia roster, adding veteran outfielders Michael Saunders and Howie Kendrick, in addition to right-handed pitcher Clay Buchholz.
The newcomers join an already impressive group with center fielder Odubel Herrera, third baseman Maikel Franco, and shortstop Freddy Galvis, who are intended to be utilized by general manager Matt Klentak. The organization is looking to avoid long-term contracts to see which players fit best in their improving system, and with the best farm system in the MLB, several prospects may be able to fill those positions.
“We might not go from A to Z to the World Series, but I think we can go from A to F, or A to G. We have to start making our move,” stated Mackanin. The Phillies have more experience on the roster, as the younger players (Herrera and Franco) have now completed a full season, and with the veteran presence of Saunders and Kendrick, the team aims to take advantage of the added guidance.
As mentioned, the Phillies’ farm system houses some of the best prospects in baseball. Some of the more promising rookies to keep an eye on include pitchers Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin, and Alec Asher, all of whom are under the age of 25 and have some experience pitching in the major league. Shortstop J.P. Crawford is another player that has caught the attention of scouts around the country, as he is the #4 overall ranking shortstop this year. Though most are not expected to join the Phillies starting lineup this year, they will gain valuable experience in Triple-A, potentially increasing their stock and chances of being called up by the 2018 season.
Mackanin has stressed the importance of adding veteran leadership to the team, seeing as Ryan Howard’s departure has left a gaping hole in that area. However, Mackanin feels strongly that Saunders is a viable replacement. “It’s important to have at least one guy with a professional approach to show the younger guys how to approach situations in games,” Mackanin stated. “Maybe they can put something in somebody’s ear and have (the younger player) say ‘You know, I never thought about it that way.’”
The expectations for this up and coming Philadelphia team is much higher than the previous three seasons. Players who showcased their abilities last season will be looked upon to maintain their levels of success, as well as offer a heightened sense of teamwork. There’s no denying that fans will be expecting more as well, and with the recent addition of former Phillie John Kruk to the broadcasting team, morale may be significantly higher than it has been in the past few seasons.
Peter Bubel+ by | Jan 31, 2017 | Uncategorized
When you’re looking to expand your small business, one of the first steps in the right direction is hiring new employees to help you handle the extra work as your company grows. Expanding your business in many ways can feel like expanding your family, so you want to make sure that you hire the best people for the job. While it’s optimistic to always want to believe the best in people, you need to take care of your business and, in order to do so, you need to find people who are the right fit. The importance of hiring good employees who will take pride in your business and help you grow your brand cannot be overstated; here are just a few reasons why hiring good workers can make all the difference in the world.
- You’re putting your reputation in their hands.
Whenever you hire a new employee to your business, you’re hiring someone to represent you and represent your business to the public. Therefore, it’s crucial to hire someone who is going to do so in a way that is cohesive with your company’s message and mission. This is why, when you’re first beginning to expand, it’s important to have a hand in the hiring process and selection of employees.
- Bad employees waste your valuable time.
When you’re beginning to expand, the first batch of employees that you hire will undoubtedly have to acquire more knowledge of how your business operates than any employees that you hire down the road. That’s why it’s particularly important to make sure that the hires you make are good ones. Hiring a bad employee could eat up months of your time in training that results in a bad egg either quitting or being fired, and that’s precious time you can’t get back. While it’s difficult to guarantee extended tenure from new employees, you always want to do your best to find people who are going to stick it out and help you shape the business.
- In addition to wasting your time, they’ll cost you money.
Not only will you lose the hours you spent training a poor employee, you’re also putting yourself in a situation where you could lose a lot of money. Sure, you lost the money you spent training them, but you’ll also have to pay the price for any mistake that employee made while under your employment. If they caused an accident due to negligence or recklessness, the burden of taking responsibility for that action falls on your shoulders.
