My IDEA Online

2 key points to stay focused on, as you are settling your lawsuit; a quick and fair settlement and consideration for current and future needs. The process of settling a lawsuit can be a tedious and mysterious event. Relying on your busy attorney to keep you informed can be an exercise in frustration. The entire process can seem as slow as molasses. Compounding the pain could be the financial and emotional difficulties caused by the source of the lawsuit itself.On the other hand, legal representatives on both sides are contriving the fairest possible terms that both sides can find acceptable. Looking at the same problem from two different sides can generate two very difficult ideas of what is fair. Thus the negotiations can take more time than what would seem appropriate. But in most cases everyone is looking to complete the matter quickly and fairly. You will best serve your case by having reasonable expectations and demands, and being prepared to negotiate. I would recommend that you start high of course.Planning for future needs is an important part of the settlement process. In some cases a set lump sum amount is the simplest and most efficient means of awarding and closing the lawsuit. Often a consequence of the case is some injury or need that a structured payout can best address. Children losing a parent, a worker losing the means to produce are just two of many examples of situations where future periodic lumps could be most advantageous. Monthly payments to help with regular financial needs, and periodic lumps to meet major life needs like college, home buying, retirement, etc.There is also a belief that a lump sum up front gives the recipients the opportunity to invest on their own. This may or may not be the best option depending on the current and future needs of the plaintiff and the access to the best possible investment guidance to safeguard their financial investment. Either way, focusing on a quick and fair settlement, that has current and future monetary goals in mind, is in the best interests of all parties.Jason Riglertarget=”_new” href=”http://www.ppicash.com/” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Settlement Advocate and consultant for target=”_new” href=”http://www.prosperitypartners.com/” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Prosperity Partners Customer Service Department.

Where do I start if I want to be an online marketer? Tough question, huh? There are lots of ways to begin your way on the bumpy journey. Just make sure you are aware that it WILL be a bumpy ride.First things first: do a lot of research. Find out what kind of thingappeals to you most. It could be affilate programs, mlm`s or maybe youlike the idea of selling other peoples products for a commission etc.There are a ton of options, and 1000 times more hype. This is why it`s so important to do as much research as you can before starting out. Sure, you can go the long way round, which is how a lot of us start out, but that`s even more of a bumpy ride…heheheOk, so lets say you`ve decided on where you want to start. You don`t have a product of your own, so you decide to sell other peoples information products, just as an example. Don`t make the mistake that so many people do, by trying to sell something you haven`t personally tested.Put it this way: Who would YOU prefer to buy from? Someone who knows absolutely nothing about the product they`re selling? Or someone who has had firsthand experience with the product they`re selling? You know it`s person number 2, right?So test the product first. Learn everything there is to know about it. If people can trust you to give an honest opinion, they`ll be back for more. Great way of getting contacts AND repeat customers.Now you need a website. Sure, get a free site in the beginning. People might not take you real serious, but at least you get to test and play around with your site until you`re ready to pay for one. Owning your own domain name adds credibility to your site, and there are plenty cheap hosts out there, so do that as soon as you feel ready.Make a real fast-loading splash page from which to sell the product. You don`t have long to catch a potential customers interest, so make it fast and interesting.Don`t fill the page with a ton of waffle. Give the most important information. What can the person get from using the product? Why is the product exactly what the person needs? What is the price etc. Give people a way to pay immediately, in case they REALLY like what they see, there and then.If you have a LOT of information, give them a link to a “more info” page, maybe with pics and payment options. Get a small popup where people can sign up for your contact list for notices on future products. Give them a freebie in exchange for their name and email address.Oh look, you`ve suddenly built yourself a contact list! No “leads” to buy from uncertain sources, no “harvesting” email addresses, no bugging friends and family. You did it! Now you need to keep in touch with your contacts.Why not send them a mail asking for a little more info. Maybe…

Be careful when following the crazy yellow brick link trail.Links, what are they? When you go to a web site, links are the little bits of information that when clicked on will take you to another website of similar context. The thing is, with these strange and mysterious human minds of ours that we know so little about, these links if navigated subconsciously can take one to places of information you normally would never travel to. You could start out in the light and end up in a black hole. Let me give you an example of a trail I recently traveled without really thinking.The other day I decided to search for a web site about one of my all time favorite musicians, Arlo Guthrie. Arlo Guthrie is a folk musician, son of another famous musician Woody Guthrie. When I was a little kid, one of the coolest things to do was to listen to his story/song entitled ‘The Motorcycle Song’. So, I found his personal website through a Google search and it was pretty cool, and very positive. Guthrie runs a charity organization and a multi-religious church center where money is raised to help people with illnesses as well as giving less fortunate people a place to pray, meditate or just get off the streets. So, I’m reading all about Arlo in his biography and there’s a link to his court statement at the famous Chicago Seven court case. Well, as I’m a young guy I had never heard of this case, my curiosity was piqued and I clicked on the link. Next I was reading Arlo’s funny comments about the time he was arrested for disposing of garbage in an illegal area on Thanksgiving because the dump was closed. Of course if you know about Guthrie you’d know that his famous song ‘Alice’s Restaurant’ was based on this story. I get to the finish of the court transcript and there’s a link for the ‘Famous Trials’ web site that the Chicago Seven trial was a page of. Not thinking, I click on the site and start to absent-mindedly scan through all the famous court cases listed. Remember, I was originally looking up my old buddy Arlo, now I’m in a world of laws and crime. Well, I come across this crazy looking face: Charles Manson, and for some unknown unconscious reason I click on his court case. I didn’t know much about the guy, but maybe because both my parents are x-hippies and he was from their era…Now I’m spending an hour of my time (and nothing is more valuable than time, except love and peace) reading about the gruesome murders of Manson’s Family as his group of devoted followers was called. I didn’t consider myself interested in this sort of evil stuff, and still don’t, as my feeling after the experience was one of distaste, sadness and plain wonder as to how people can do these sorts of negative actions.In the end, following the absent-minded link trail…

Sometimes a wedding arch is a no-brainer way to spruce up your ceremony site. No-brainer, at least, until you actually have one in your hands and ready to decorate. Then it gets a little more complicated.Thinking back to prom, you might recall something vaguely gauzy, but that doesn’t give you much to go on when you have that bare-looking eight foot metal structure in your living room. Plus, maybe you want an arch that doesn’t look like prom at all — and personalization is what’s going to make your wedding tick. Here are some ways to give that arch a touch of your wedding’s unique flavor.The Balloon Arch: Don’t forget this dramatic, pearly alternative to the wood or metal arch. A determined bride (or family member) can definitely do this herself; helium isn’t even required if you use PVC or can suspend microfilament from the ceiling. Just keep in mind it’s best to build the arch the day of the wedding, and essential to build it within hours of the ceremony if you use helium-filled balloons.The Classic Arch: Soften the hard bones of your arch by draping it in gauzy base material (tulle, organza) and silk garlands of ivy (or real grape vines).Now accent with a large silk bow, a pomander ball or “kissing ball” — which you can make yourself if you’re willing to use silk roses — or a traditional grouping of flowers at the top. Or for a little more oomph, use the rule of three: one flower arrangement for the top, and at least one at each base. DIY-ers are probably best off sticking to silk, or at least using potted flowers at the base.The Gothic Arch: Use a simple black arch that rises to a dramatic point and leave the lines clean and unadorned — or attach dried curly willow for a downright spooky touch. Hang an enormous floral kissing ball from the apex.The All-Floral Arch: Dripping from top to toe in greenery and roses, the all-floral arch is the kind of formal living sculpture seen in cavernous churches. The greens and blooms in this arch seem to float on air, with the flowers appearing immensely heavy (they are) and the arch insubstantial. The all-floral arch is definitely a job for the pro — grand and expensive.The Woodsy Arch: Add some unexpected texture by strapping young apple or willow branches to the sides of your arch. Or instead of a fabric or ivy base, attach garlands of ferns.The Tropical Palm Arch: Dressed entirely in palm tree fronds, the tropical arch creates a sharp, dramatic and slightly masculine silhouette. This simple but striking approach is perfect for the handy DIYer.Blake Kritzberg is editor at “FavorIdeas.com.” Stop by for a huge selection of target=”_new” HREF=”http://www.favorideas.com/” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>wedding favors, Bridezilla’s weekly adventures, and free resources for brides: save-the-date eCards, screensaver, wallpaper and web site templates.For more ways to target=”_new” HREF=”http://www.favorideas.com/wedding-arches.htm” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>decorate your wedding arch, please see: target=”_new” HREF=”http://www.favorideas.com/wedding-arches.htm” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>http://www.favorideas.com/wedding-arches.htm

Thousands of years ago, the first inflatable boats, made from animal skins, were used for transportation. People used them to cross rivers, ferry goods to other locations, and move military troops. Over time, inflatable boats were adapted for recreational use as well, and for rescue operations. Today there are many types of inflatable boats and over a dozen ways they are used around the world.Different militaries across the globe helped bring inflatable boats to the public attention, and today the government still uses inflatable boats for troop transport, special military operations, and drug and other law enforcement activities. In addition, inflatable boats are also used in search and rescue operations, fisheries patrol and security patrol. They are also used as tenders on large yachts and ships.On the recreational side, inflatable boats can be used for diving, fishing, pleasure boating, river rafting, water skiing, and many other water activities that involve a boat. Consumers can also purchase inflatable kayaks, canoes, and sailboats.Because there are so many different types of inflatable boats and a variety of ways they can be used, it is important to be familiar with the specific operating instructions for your particular model and situation. However, there are a few general use guidelines that apply to most, if not all, inflatable boats.Inflating When inflating your raft or boat, many manufacturers recommend filling each air chamber in a clockwise pattern around the boat, just until the craft takes shape. Then work your way back around the boat filling the chambers to the pressure level indicated for that particular boat. If the floor of the boat is inflatable, add air until the pressure relief valve releases a small amount of air. Don’t overfill. A properly inflated boat should have just a bit of give. Be aware that air temperature causes changes in the air pressure in the inflatable chambers. Many boaters fill their inflatable boats in the morning when the air is cool. But as the temperature increases over the course of the day, the air in the tubes expands, increasing the pressure. If a tube or chamber becomes too pressurized, it can explode if struck by a sharp object. You may have to let some air out at different points throughout the day if you operate your inflatable boat or inflatable kayak in the hot sun. Most inflatable boats deflate simply by opening the air valves.Standard Precautions Because punctures are the main concern with inflatable boats, it is important to protect if from sharp objects. Use care when transporting diving knives, spears, fishing hooks, and other objects that could puncture the skin of the inflatable boat. Watch for barnacles and sharp metal or wood when tying your boat to the dock, and avoid dragging the boat over rocks and shells when landing on a beach. Even dull objects such as oars, ropes, or coolers can cause abrasion and deterioration of the coating material if allowed to rub for an extended period of time. It also is important to rinse out…

by Greg White1. Submit your blog to all of the directories listed on http://pingomatic.com/. Pingomatic will ping 15 services all at once.2. Ping your blog after every post at http://pingomatic.com/3. Here”s a real gem: Submit your blog to http://www.pingoat.com/ Pingoat will ping over fifty blog ping services all at once. So you don”t have to hunt for ping services and manually ping them. Pingoat pings over fifty blog ping servers (growing) with just one click.4. Ping your blog after every post at Pingoat at http://www.pingoat.com/5. Sign up for a free account at BlogExplosion.com and register your blog there: http://www.blogexplosion.com/6. Submit your blog to all of the directores listed at http://www.rss-feeds-directory.com/blog_lists.html7. Sign up for a “My Yahoo” at http://my.yahoo.com/ and attach your blog to your own “My Yahoo” account. This will get your blog included in Yahoo very quickly. This is worth the effort to stop what you”re doing right and do it, since Yahoo has a PR 9.8. Use this code: “http://add.my.yahoo.com/content?url= http://www.yourblog.com/urblog.xml” in your blog to allow others to put your feed on their own “My Yahoo” account.9. Sign up for a “My MSN” at http://www.my.msn.com/, and attach your blog to your own “My MSN” account. This will get your blog included in MSN very quickly. This is also invaluable because MSN has a PR 8.10. Use this code: “http://my.msn.com/addtomymsn.armx?id= rss&ut=http://www.urblogfeedaddress.com/urblog.xml” in your blog to allow others to put your feed on their own “My MSN” account.11. Place the link and description of your blog in your signature, so that any posts to Forums, Outgoing Emails, Autoresponder Courses, etc, will promote your blog.12. Post a link and description of your blog on each of your sites.13. Place your blog on all the major search engines. AddMe.com will submit your blog free to the top 14 Search engines here: http://www.addme.com/submission.htm SubmitExpress.com will submit your blog free to the top 20 Search engines here: http://www.submitexpress.com/14. Use Article Directories as a resource for articles to post on your blog. Here are a few: http://ezinearticles.com/ http://goarticles.com/ http://www.knowledge-finder.com/ http://www.informit.com/articles/15. Locate blogs with a lot of traffic and place useful comments in their comment box. Be sure the blog and your comments are relavent to both your blog and theirs. Senseless posts won”t help you, they”ll hurt you.16. Once you get around 5 to 10 posts on your blog, start a PR campaign and announce it to all relevant channels.17. Make a blog post as often as possible. More than once a day is not really necessary. Remember, if you can”t write that much, go to step # 14.

Self-destructing e-mail might sound bizarre, but it can have it”s uses.What about those dirty jokes, or “bitching about the boss” messages yousend to each other at work. They”ve been known to backfire on you, haven”tthey? And emails have turned up as evidence in lawsuits, just ask Bill Gates.But it wouldn”t have happened if self-destructing email had been invented.Email that becomes impossible to read after just a few seconds or minutes,using a self-destruct feature set by the sender.It”s been invented by a new high-tech firm called Disappearing Inc, who havedeveloped a means of embedding “time bombs” in e-mail messages, ensuringthey are readable only as long as the sender wants.The system, expected to be available early next year, encrypts eachmessage with an electronic key. The sender decides how long the key willwork – anywhere from a few seconds to years. After that, the key self-destructsand the message becomes unreadable.

Point One: Raising teen-agers can be very toughAt no other time since birth are there so many abrupt and huge changes going on with both the child and the family. Going through the passage of adolescence is one of the most difficult tasks a family will ever undertake.What may be difficult for one family may be clear sailing for the next. I’ve known families who have struggled with a kid keeping curfew, and others who struggled with a son stealing the car and going to California. It may seem as if the family with the stolen car had a more serious and painful situation.But consider this: If you have a broken thumb and I have a broken leg, my injury might be more serious, but your thumb still hurts. It’s much the same way with families: They can each have their own unique pain. It’s as Tolstoy wrote: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”Point Two: Families can get stuckFamilies can get stuck on virtually any issue, big or small.One family I know got stuck on the issue of “reminding.” The parents were spending a good deal of their family time “reminding” the children of what they were supposed to do next (take out the trash, feed the dog, get ready for school, etc.).They were stuck in a cycle of contant reminding that only frustrated the parents and angered the kids. It would take several reminders before the kids would take any action. The kids had learned that they didn’t have to take mom and dad seriously until after the second or third (or ninth) “reminder.”Does this scenario sound familiar?Remember: You are stuck when you keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results.Point Three: Families have strength for change and growthI’m constantly amazed at the imagination, strength and creativity of families when they decide to change something.One family I know had planned a three-day camping trip for the entire family. Unfortunately, a hurricane forced them to cancel. In the midst of their frustration and disappointment, they decided to camp out in their own home. They pitched their tents in the great room, lit their lanterns (since the electricity was out anyway) and cooked in the fireplace. They had a great time and created a great memory.Remember the “reminder” family? Here’s one thing that helped them get unstuck. They had been struggling with a “chore chart” as a way to remind the kids of what to do and when to do it. But I asked the parents: “Do you remember the TV show `Bonanza’? Do you think Ben Cartwright ever needed a chore chart?” That forced the parents to realize two things: They had been too easy on their children, and they should expect the kids to do chores without being reminded.Sometimes all it takes is a different way of looking at things. The last time I checked, the parents were holding firm, reminding much less and enjoying family life…

For a fast cash advance loan, no fax payday loans are now available online. By completing your application online, you don’t have to fax paycheck stubs or forms. Your application can be approved within minutes, and you can have your cash advance available in your checking account the next day. Online Payday Loan CompaniesThe internet has brought sped up the approval process for payday loans. Using technology, payday loan companies are able to process applications within minutes. You can also shop payday loan rates by reading their online information. Reputable companies will post their rates and fees.What You NeedBefore you start filling out your cash advance loan application, gather the necessary information first. You will need to provide contact information as well as your job history. Most payday loan companies require you to have worked at least 90 days at your current job or have at least $800 a month in income from social security. You will also need to provide your checking account information so your cash advance can be deposited electronically into your account. A blank check will provide the routing and account numbers that you will need to enter along with your bank’s information.Filling Out The ApplicationOnce you have the necessary information, you can fill your online payday loan application out at anytime. Payday loan companies are able to process your information over secure severs 24 hours a day. Waiting For ApprovalOnline payday loan applications are usually approved within a matter of minutes, but sometimes they can take up to an hour. Your loan amount will depend on your income level and your state’s laws. Usually loans will be approved for $500 although some states allow loans for up to $1000. Online PaymentsJust like your application, payments on your loan can be processed online. Most payday loan companies offer at least three payment options. You can choose to pay only the finance fees, part of the principal, or the whole loan amount on your loan’s due date. Payment options can also be changed if you find yourself short during a pay period. Just remember, the longer you take to pay back the loan, the more you will pay in finance charges.

We hear it all the time…lose weight for your health. Few people however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The researchers compared Body-Mass Index (BMI) to longevity and found a correlation between premature death and higher BMIs. For example, a 20-year-old white male, 5’10” weighing 288 pounds with a BMI of greater than 40 was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.Jamie McManus, M.D., F.A.A.F.P. and author of “Your Personal Guide to Wellness” notes that while this study referenced extreme levels of obesity, there are still millions of overweight people in developed countries with a life expectancy rate that is three to five years less than their healthy-weight counterparts. She also estimates that there are 600,000 obesity related deaths each year in America.Just how does obesity shorten our lifespan? The answer to this question is complex, yet there is a clear link between obesity and the development of cancer. An extensive study conducted by the American Cancer Institute involving 750,000 people showed that obesity significantly increased the risk of cancer developing in the following organs: breast, colon, ovaries, uterus, pancreas, kidneys and gallbladder.Michael Thun, MD, vice-president of epidemiology and surveillance research for the American Cancer Society (ACS) says one reason obesity may raise cancer risk is because fat cells produce a form of estrogen called estradiol that promotes rapid division of cells, increasing chances of a random genetic error while cells are replicating, which can lead to cancer. In addition, fat centered around the abdomen may increase insulin and insulin-like growth factors in the blood, which may increase cancer risk.”Women who are obese after menopause have a 50% higher relative risk of breast cancer,” notes Thun, “and obese men have a 40% higher relative risk of colon cancer…. Gallbladder and endometrial cancer risks are five times higher for obese individuals”.There is evidence that cancer rates in developed countries are increasing at 5 to 15 times faster than developing countries. A major contributor to this alarming reality has proven to be diet. In populations where the diet consists mostly of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains in contrast to the typical Western diet of fatty meats, refined flours, oils and sugars the risk of cancer is much lower.The interaction of diet and the development of cancer is an active field of research and Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of “What Color is Your Diet”, says “It appears that diet has its most significant effects after the cancer has already formed, acting to inhibit or stimulate the growth of that cancer”. At the risk of oversimplifying a complex set of interactions, the typical Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells.It is never too late to improve your health through…

Many banks actively encourage their clients with low balances to overdraw their accounts. That means, if the customer writes a check or uses her debit card and has insufficient funds in the account, the bank clears the check by granting a temporary overdraft (a short-term loan up to a specific limit. The customer is saved from the problems of bounced checks or interrupted shopping sprees. Sounds like a good deal for the customers, right? That”s what the banks say. They claim overdrafts are an added convenience to customers. The truth is, they”re often a very bad deal for the customers. Here”s why. When a bank grants a regular line of credit, the interest charged may be up to say, 20% or so. However, for overdrafts, banks don”t charge interest — they charge a flat fee on each transaction. A fee that does not depend on the value of the transaction. Let”s see how that works. Overdraft plans fees may be as high as $35 per check. We”ll assume a more conservative fee of $20 per check. If you have four checks totaling $200 that have insufficient funds against them and the bank automatically activates the overdraft and clears those checks, you will owe $80 in overdraft charges. Unlike revolving lines of credit which you can repay at your convenience, an overdraft has to be settled in just a few days. Let”s say the bank allows you to run the overdraft for 14 days. A loan of $200 for 14 days incurring charges of $80 translates into an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 1043%!A “convenience” for customers? Not at these rates. What does this remind you of? It reminds me of payday loans and cash advances. That’s the other kind of lending that costs you such sky-high APRs. In fact, if you choose to repay a cash advance on due date and not roll it over, you”ll likely be charged far less than what the banks charge you for an overdraft. It gets even worse. Banks have software that ensures that your largest value checks and debits get processed first. There may be some logic to that. However, this arrangement also means that when there are insufficient funds in your account, instead of paying one overdraft charge on one large check, you pay several charges on several smaller checks! Plus, most customers don”t even realize that they are overdrawn until the bank notifies them about it. Consumer advocates say that banks are perfectly aware that many people barely make it from payday to payday. These customers typically have very low balances. Rather than offer them a service that would be in their interests, banks extract high fees from them to cover bounced checks. If you are caught short between paychecks, consider arranging funds from other sources rather than turn to overdraft protection. The best solution to the problem is to systematically build up cash balances so that you don”t face such a situation in the first place.

In a recent article in the National Underwriter (April, 2005) a Senior Life Settlement is depicted as an ingenious financial planning option available to consumers by providing access to secondary life insurance market through life insurance valuation – a new trend, tool in the financial advisory services industry unlocking opportunity for many. Sound investment practices require diligence and regular appraisal and valuation of assets. To date insurance policies were excluded from said valuations, due to the perceived absence of market for them. However, the landscape, opportunity and choices open to seniors, retirees etc. faced with a life settlement issue has changed significantly and people are taking notice.The premise and principles seem to be simple and back to basics. Simply put, it means that life settlements offer qualifying life insurance policy owners the opportunity to sell policies that are no longer no longer adequately serving purpose or unnecessary, receiving significantly more than cash value for them in return. An interesting statistic from the context of senior life settlement (Conning & Company states that as much as twenty percent of all insured over the age of 65 own policies with a market value exceeding surrender value.A Senior Life Settlement may make sense for a variety of reasons:• Premiums may be too expensive• There been a sudden change in your health condition• Your life insurance policy about to lapse shortly• You have significantly more life insurance coverage than you need• You would like to receive substantially more than the policy surrender valueQualifying Policies Often Include:• Joint Survivorship• Whole Life• Universal Life• Variable Life• Group Life• Term LifeA Senior Life Settlement offers consumers the empowerment to make better financial planning decisions. A case example is quoted here to throw light on how senior life settlement could benefit a life insurance policy holder: Consider the case of a seventy-four year old female with a $10 million term policy. The annual premiums in excess of $300,000 no longer fit her financial plan so she planned to let the policy lapse. A financial advisor suggested an appraisal, which yielded two options: a $660,000 life settlement of a $3.5 million Settlement With A Paid-Up Policy (SWAPP). Instead of surrendering the policy for no value, the client chose the paid-up policy, eliminating her premium payments while addressing her estate planning needs.In a recently published (March 4, 2005 Bernstein Research Call, an industry-accepted market forecasting tool and indicator to professionals in the financial advisor sector, it is stated that the Senior Life Settlement business, an emerging secondary market for life insurance, will grow more than ten-fold to $160 billion over the next several years.http://www.life-settlementco.com

Below are 5 helpful tips for selling your home. If you visit our website listed in the resource box at the end of this article you will receive 55 helpful tips for selling your home, for Free!Tip #1 Shed A Little Light on the Subject Two major things that your potential buyers will be looking for in your home include light and space. Sure, it’s alright to have one room that is a bit on the darker side; however, if the entire home is dark, that should be considered to be a problem. When people will be viewing your home, open drapes and blinds, turn on all of the lights, and add lights to darker rooms. If Mother Nature doesn’t feel like being helpful on the day that people will be viewing your home, use flowers and other similar things that will suggest sunlight. Your goal is to make your space look crisp, sharp, and vibrant. Your home should be a happy space inside which the prospective buyer wants to spend more time.Tip #2 Look Down on Your Carpet. If you have carpet, it’s wise to have it shampooed to remove any stains or smells that may exist. If that doesn’t work, then you’ll likely have to get rid of it. If your carpet is dirty looking, soiled, or stained beyond rescue, then your only alternative is to get rid of it. Instead of replacing it with carpet, think about wood or laminates, since they’re better selling features. Wood and laminates make your home look more spacious, and people like to see woods and laminates more than carpeting when they’re looking at homes. As an added bonus, these types of flooring are much easier to keep clean than carpets are.Tip #3 Avoid Making a “Statement” If you have any kinds of “loud” decorating that makes a statement or that is controversial, you should take it down. Examples of controversial decorating are a deer head on the wall, or a bear skin rug. These items may be attractive or fun in your eyes, but there are many people who will find this a complete turnoff. This is the same for books and magazines that you might have lying around. If you’re not sure, the best thing is not to display them, in case something might be offensive or simply unattractive to prospective buyers.Tip #4 Be Realistic Remember that as much as you want to maximize your selling potential, you don’t want to be so extreme that you’ve not only wasted your time, but you’ve overwhelmed those who will be viewing the home. If you go too far, the house will look so staged that it will feel artificial. You want your buyers to feel that they could move into the place, not that they should stay behind the red velvet ropes.Tip #5 The Kitchen Sink There are lots of little things that you can do to the kitchen sink that are quite inexpensive and easy, and which will make an enormous…

If you”re involved as an affiliate for any product, you”ve probably wrestled with how you can sell the product on eBay.After all, eBay offers you a massive potential audience of 147 million members. And people who read about your product will likely have found it by searching thus saying they are interested in the product area in which your product resides.The bad news, however, is that there is no easy way to market affiliate products on eBay!First of all, if you haven”t heard of affiliate selling, here”s a very quick description of how it works. Fundamentally, selling an affiliate product requires that you get interested buyers to click on a special link. This link takes the person to the product owner”s sales page. More importantly, the link also contains your unique affiliate code – it is this code which ensures that sales made from your introductions are recorded in your affiliate account. Finally, if your prospect purchases the product, it is the owner who handles product delivery and who also you with your sales commission payment. On eBay, you could easily set up an auction saying how marvellous your affiliate product is. You will certainly attract a number of people who would be interested in buying. The problem is, you have no legitimate way of selling it to eBay members!It”s against eBay”s rules to have a link in your auction page which takes your readers away to another website to make a sale. Also, if you think about it, you don”t have the affiliate product to deliver. There”s no mechanism for you to make the sale on eBay, and deliver the product. If you recall, this is handled automatically by the product owner. So here are two ways in which you can tap into the eBay market with your affiliate products.1. The Simple SystemYou create an auction which explains the benefits of the affiliate product you”re promoting. What do you offer on your eBay auction for the affiliate product?You sell the information on where to get hold of this superb product. And you sell these details for just one penny.Whenever someone “buys” your information, you send them an email saying thank you for your purchase. You then explain they don”t really need to send you a penny, and here is the link to the fantastic product in which they”ve expressed an interest.Of course, the link is YOUR affiliate link.By the way, in your auction description page please think of a new angle for the product. You”ll find almost everybody who is an affiliate for any popular product will be using the suggested sales material supplied by the product owner.This means that you just appear to be one of many, and the standard sales pitch will be littering the internet. Your interested purchaser has probably seen some of these already. Why should they take notice of your one penny auction for the same product?Lace your auction description with personal and credible information about the product, and you will get some of…

We get a great many requests to view the potential of Loft conversions. This type of extension has remained fairly popular since I first started designing property & is perhaps even more in demand now than ever before – especially in dense urban areas where the alternative choices for that fourth bedroom are somewhat limited.Now, the popular press would have you believe that they do not add value or have limited appeal. However, that blanket broad brush, slightly disrespectful opinion does not ring true for most of our clients. So what is going on? As always, the devil is in the detail – the detail in this respect is mainly focussed on two primary areas:1. DESIGN and 2. DESIGN.It”s just like the location, location location slogan for house values & desirability. Fortunately, the planners have got to grips with a lot of loft conversions these days & they now have a great more control of schemes that a few years ago could have been built under Permitted Development. This means that they have encompassed “good design guides” in an attempt to stamp out the ugly full width box dormer that turned a beautiful victorian semi into a something that looks like a car sized packing crate trying to escape from a neighbours roof.Conversely, many people have argued that the “chocolate box” cottage type pointy roofed dormers (as suggested by the planners) are quite simply impractical & do not provide enough space for a fully functional room which in many cases is a very valid & true point. HOWEVER, life is all about compromises & choices have to be made. Fortunately, most members of the public are now becoming far more “design aware” than they ever used to be & slowly by slowly they are beginning to accept that the formation of more space must not be at the expense of a poor external visual impact that simply jars with the whole look of the locality. This type of poor dormer design can not only decrease the value of your own home but that of the neighbours as well.But yet again there are exceptions. Some suburbs of London for example have a plethora of these types of loft extensions & the ones that have not yet been converted look out of place. These types of areas pay more attention to the internal design of the living space than the grotty externals – goes with the environment I suppose. Also, some areas are 70″s & 80″s built estates where the whole so called “architect design” was for this style of flat roofed box dormer which is a commonly accepted fact for the area & enjoyed by many.So, back to my original question – Does a loft conversion or extension add value? In my opinion YES in practically all cases baring a few exceptions. Should it be my first choice of residential development if my site has surrounding ground that allows alternative solutions? Well no in my opinion unless your property is a…