Selling your own home pet issues

If you are selling you own home, you need to consider the effect of pets. People who are working with a real estate broker are sure to get coached about the potential negative effect of pets. If you aren’t working with a broker, this article discusses the pet issue.

When You Show Your Home

If you are selling you own home, you must realize a lovable pet might cause the following problems:

1. The potential buyer may be so nervous about dogs that she doesn’t picture herself living in the home,

2. The potential buyer doesn’t like pets and thus doesn’t see her furniture in the home in her mind’s eye,

3. She doesn’t picture the route she’d drive to and from work, and doesn’t imagine where she’d stop for errands or fun along the way home.

In short, the presence of pets makes it difficult for the potential buyer to see the house as their own. Is a potential buyer in that frame of mind likely to buy that home? No.

Defense Against Pet Damage

If you have pets and you’re selling your home as a FSBO, take heed. Board your pet or pets while your property is on the market. You can visit it, and take it for walks and to the park, but don’t take it home. Have carpets shampooed. If they’re really holding odors, you might even replace all or some of the carpet. Get any damage the pet has done repaired. Store or get rid of furniture you do not want to repair. Reseed the lawn and repair any damage to plantings. You’ll find this is money and labor well spent.

Pets are an integral part of many people’s lives and rightly so. While you may love your pet, keep in mind potential buyers may not.

Educational games for babies 6 to 12 months

By six months of age your baby may be sitting unassisted, her coordination skills are growing in leaps and bounds, and she will soon be crawling, standing, and then walking. Six to twelve months is a fun time for parents and babies. Play a variety of games with your little one and watch her quickly master new skills, like language skills and fine and gross motor development.

Between 6 and 9 months your baby will love to experiment with simple cause and effect relationships like pressing a button to play a song. Little ones also love to explore sounds by banging spoons and toys together or on the table at this age. Give your baby an assortment of pots, coffee cans, and containers along with wooden spoons and metal spoons. Encourage her to play the drums as you sing along. The Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Toy Bench is a great toy to satisfy those banging urges. It also offers a number of educational benefits, like color and letter recognition, and provides opportunities for your baby to explore cause and effect.

Games with balls are a lot of fun at this age. Use soft, squishy balls to roll back and forth across the floor with your baby. Try dropping beanbags into a wide, open container. Your little one will love taking them out just as much as watching you toss them in. Once your baby starts to crawl, set up an obstacle course for her to crawl over. Pillows, large stuffed animals, and piles of soft cloth scraps make perfect climbing obstacles to boost her crawling skills and strengthen the muscles she will soon use to walk.

Sometime between 9 months old and the first birthday, most babies will begin to walk, some earlier and some later. During this age, your baby will be developing a number of new large muscles as well as her fine motor skills. She will know how to hold her toys and can probably throw them. These soon-to-be toddlers also love to imitate and copy the things they see.

Play sound games with your baby. Make a sound or unusual noise and encourage your baby to copy it. Try this with funny faces and movements for even more fun. Stacking and arranging blocks, cups, or other toys is also a fun game to enhance fine motor development. Give your baby an assortment of toys and a big box and watch her meticulously put them in and then dump them again all over the floor.

Sing lots of silly songs with your child and read everyday. Language skills are becoming quite strong during this stage and her vocabulary of understood words is growing rapidly. Repetition of her favorite story books, nursery rhymes, and songs can give her an even better understanding of the common patterns of spoken language. Songs with movements, like the Itsy Bitsy Spider, are favorites at this age.

As your baby begins to cruise around the house, typically using furniture to aid her balance, play walking games. Hold her teddy bear or another cherished toy a few steps away and encourage your little one to walk to you to get it. Remember to praise her efforts and not to make too big of a deal when she stumbles or falls. Once your baby becomes a confident toddler, there are tons of new games to enjoy together!

Payday loans-worries flutter away instantly

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Introduction:
People susceptible to shortage of money at the end of the month, medical expenses, sudden recreation tour and other small but sudden emergencies can avail this loan for their own benefit. Availing this loan is very easy and simple. Since this loan involves fast cash it does not require faxing of documents which might be the case and a problem in other kinds of loans. These loans are generally unsecured, short term loans which are beneficial to you in your emergency situations.
How to avail payday loans:
Payday loans are simple to obtain in the way that it does not require any deposit and cash can be obtained quite easily. All one needs to have are the following requirements.
1. You must be 18 years of age.
2. You must be employed and be paid regularly.
3. You must have a bank account.
Criteria of payday loans:
payday loans can be obtained in 24 hours. The amount of money involved is usually smaller just for the case of emergencies. The money must be repaid with the next payday check.
These short term loans can be obtained quite efficiently in a fast manner. Since there is no background check on the credit history, approval is usually faster and the money gets transferred to your account within 24 hours.
Payday loans can be obtained from banks, private agencies and private lenders. But nowadays private lenders have gone online to ensure transaction in a smooth and efficient manner. This calls for less paper works and speedy transaction. This works well for both the lender and the borrower.
The only criteria that you have to look for are the interest rate that the lender charges you. It is usually high. But owing to the widespread availability of lenders, cruise through the internet to find the lender who suits your own choice and who offers the interest rate of your desire.

1031 exchange companies

The easiest method to begin a 1031 Exchange transaction is to contact a good Exchange Company. The information concerning the exchanger, time and place of the closings, and a copy of the contract to sell the relinquished property are the preliminary papers to start the process.

From this information, the company makes exchange documents and forwards them to the attorney or customer. The lowest fee charged on a standard deferred exchange is $600.

A 1031 Exchange, like any real estate transaction, involves balancing competing pressures in speed and quality. Therefore, companies in this line recognize pressures and design their service to satisfy both.

Good companies manage all aspects of the exchange. They provide service that is quick, easy to use and backed by experience. In good companies, experienced attorneys are the managers. The senior staff will be rich in experience with regard to investment property transactions. The specialized team of attorneys mainly deals with more complex reverse and build-to-suit exchanges.

The main parameters that distinguish a good and bad exchange company are speed, service and the security they offer the client. Speed lies in the pace at which the company prepares the document. The documents are then sent to the closing table, allowing the seller to close and proceed with the exchange. Service is the dexterity in preparing all documents required for the exchange, including reminders of 45 and 180-day time limits and extensive complimentary consultations.

Security comes in the form of an unconditional guarantee on exchange funds from Insurance Companies: high value fidelity bond coverage and Professional Liability insurance cover.

These days, banks are working with Exchange Service providers. The Cole Taylor Bank of Chicago is one of the largest independent banks in Chicago, and joined hands with Nationwide Exchange Services (NES) of Cupertino in California in a strategic alliance for handling Cole Taylor's tax-deferred 1031 Exchange business. This Chicago bank specializes in serving the business banking, real estate lending and wealth management of closely-held and family owned small and mid-sized businesses. Cole Taylor Bank is an Equal Housing Lender.

Nationwide Exchange Services is a leading Qualified Intermediary for Tax-Deferred 1031 Exchanges and has conducted thousands of successful 1031 Exchange transactions. It is applying advanced technologies and secure business processes to enhance standards of financial security, visibility and customer service to establish new standards for products and services in 1031 tax-deferred Exchanges.

The alliance enabled the Bank to become part of the NES team and benefited in becoming the primary financial custodian for NES in the Midwest Region. The alliance also helped the bank to offer their customers an expanded set of tax-deferred 1031 Exchange products, such as reverse and build-to-suit exchanges, at the most competitive cost structure.

The systems from NES combined with the bank Cole Taylor's financial security and brand recognition has spurred confidence in the customers. Collaboratively, they bring distinct advantages to all 1031 customer sets, right commercial developers and corporate entities to individual investors.

The quit smoking swear box

There are many people who are attempting to quit smoking. This article gives free tips on how you can kick the habit and to stop smoking those cancer sticks once and for all. I hope you enjoy the read.

When I was a teenager I clearly remember one of my teachers introducing a swear box at school. The concept, which I am sure you will be aware of, is quite simple. If you swear you have to put a certain amount of money in the box. At first people found it quite amusing and thought the idea was a bit of a joke. After having to put quite a lot of money into this box in the first few days of the project, I soon realised that it would be a lot cheaper if I could learn to control my tongue. Such a simple idea had a big impact on the school and at the same time taught me a huge lesson.

There are many reasons as to why people should stop smoking. Without doubt the most important is your health however a lot of people have a strange attitude to their own health despite hearing of many people dying from cancer related illnesses. They think that it will not happen to them or that by the time they get old, that a cure will have been found. They make comments such as, I could die in a car crash tomorrow anyway.

Over the last number of years we have seen regular government advertising campaigns to convince people to quit smoking. These are becoming more and more shocking and hard hitting, however people still do not listen.

What people do seem to care about, probably too much in my opinion, is money. Despite ever increasing tax raises on cigarettes people still continue to buy them. My idea is to keep a record of how many cigarettes you smoke per week and also how much it cost you to buy them. Then times the figure by fifty-two and that will be the amount you spend on cigarettes per year. How happy would you be if your boss offered you an increase to your wages of that amount? This is the reality as that is the increase in available money you would have per year. Just think about what you could spend that money on.

So we have now decided to quit smoking cigarettes once and for all. It is not going to be easy however. You will need to battle the demons in your head, who will be trying to convince you to have just one more. Going back to the swear box idea from before, it can be just as effective in any stop smoking program. It is likely that you will bow to temptation and every time you smoke one cigarette you put the equivalent cost of one whole packet in the swear box as way of punishment. The proceeds from the box could be given to a charity of your choice. This is you continue to let your demons win, will soon be hitting you hard in the pocket and hopefully will then convince you to stop.

I wish you every success in your quest to stop smoking.

Real estate appraisal - do it yourself

For single family homes, there are two basic methods used in real estate appraisal. They are replacement cost analysis, and using comparable sales. A third appraisal method, based on capitalization, is used for income properties, and is covered in another article.

In figuring replacement cost the question is: What would it cost to buy this land and put this house on it? If the land (improved) would cost $40,000, and the house could be built for $150,000, the value indicated would be around $190,000 - if the house is fairly new. If it has used up 10% of its useful life, you can deduct $15,000 for depreciation.

Replacement cost is not really a very useful measurement. It is difficult to say what the land is worth in a city center where none is left for sale, for example, and tough to gauge depreciation. It is used as a secondary method, and for unique homes that can't be compared easily with others. The primary method of real estate appraisal used for homes is a market analysis using comparable sales.

Real Estate Appraisal 101

To get a good idea of what a home should sell for, you need to compare it to homes that have sold. Find at least three similar homes in the same area that have sold within the last year, preferably within the last six months. This information is available in the county records, or from a real estate agent with access to the MLS (multiple listing service).

Now the confusing part. You start with the selling price of each of your comparables. If your subject home has a second bathroom, and the a comparable doesn't, you add the value of the bathroom to the sales price of the comparable. If a comparable home has a blacktop driveway, and the subject home doesn't, you take the value away.

You are rectifying differences, to see what comparable homes would have sold for if they were like yours. So if a comparable sold for $140,000, and a bathroom is worth $15,000 in your area (ask a real estate agent for help with these figures), you ADD $15,000 for the bathroom it doesn't have. Then you subtract, say $4,000, for the paved driveway it does have. This gives you a comparable sales price of $151,000.

You do this with all differences between the subject home and each comparable. When done, you average the three comparable prices. So if the three comparables have adjusted sales prices of $151,000, 162,000, and 149,000, you add the three figures and divide by three. The indicated value of the home is $154,000.

Of course all appraisal is an inexact science. If you can only find comparables sold over a year ago, you have to estimate appreciation in the area. If one sold with seller financing, you have to decide how this affected the price. For all of it's flaws, however, for single family homes, this is the most accurate method of real estate appraisal.

Online shopping in the uk

Computers have been in use in the United Kingdom for as long as they have been used in other parts of the world but online shopping is still not the phenomenon that it is in the United States, where more than half of the population has shopped online. This is not to say that Britons do not shop online, just that they don’t use online shopping quite as much. They still prefer to shop in shops on the high street and have some tea afterwards or go to outdoor markets for fish and produce. Still, the convenience of online shopping has its allure and there are a number of attractive purveyors of all sorts of goods who will deliver the goods, so to speak, for orders placed online.

However, there are several department stores online, they range form the elegant and traditional Marks and Spencer’s to Tesco - a budget priced merchandiser of most things, especially household goods and electronics. Marks and Spencer’s has a full line of Women’s, men’s and children’s clothes and traditional but quality designs. They offer free shipping on orders over 39 pounds. Marks and Spencer also has a grocery with fresh and hard to find produce and top quality poultry, meat and seafood. It offers a range of prepared foods marketed under their own Marks and Spencer’s brand. Remember Brigit Jones? Marks and Spencer’s gourmet line has a variety of upscale, utterly delectable, well prepared high quality take out items that are also available online. Just as with Brigit, Marks and Spencer’s addiction could be your friend in times of need and your ultimate downfall as the high caloric content and high prices take their toll.

Kelkoo is on online shopping super site that is popular not only in the United Kingdom but also throughout Europe. Our site offers everything from clothing and house wares, to travel and hotel reservations. Kelkoo UK offers a comparison shopping and a search engine to help the consumer find the right item at the best price. The Kelkoo offers a feature where users may list their own items for sale. There is a small consignment fee for this service that is levied upon each sale. Another must have feature on Kelkoo is that you can pre order Harry Potter books before they hit the market.

Here are enough online merchants in the UK to satisfy every shopper’s need. Electronics, computers, books, house and garden retailers are all to be found a click away. Apple not only has an online store in the UK, it features a source of refurbished machines that are certified and available at lower prices, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Toshiba and the usual cast of computer characters are all available online. Bay has, of course, colonised UK online shopping and it operates under the same terms as in the U>S>

The consumer has access to an unlimited number of online retailers in the UK and just has to enter the item in his browser to pull up all the retailers. Orders are placed and filled in much the same way as in the US but shipping tends to be higher. Visa MasterCard and Paypal are all accepted forms of payment.

Renu moistureloc contact lens solution linked to fungal keratitis symptoms

Bausch & Lomb’s Renu with MoistureLoc contact lens cleaning solution has been linked to a rare type of fungal eye infection called Fusarium Keratitis. Although investigations have not revealed a single, definitive causal agent at this time, the obvious correlation between product use and the Fusarium Keratitis infection has led Bausch & Lomb, the FDA and the CDC to take immediate action.

On May 15, 2006 the U. S. Food and Drug Administration issued a statement to the public alerting them to the fact that Bausch & Lomb had announced a global recall of its Renu with MoistureLoc contact lens cleaning solution. Just two days prior to this, on May 13, 2006, Bausch & Lomb suspended all United States sales of its MoistureLoc product. This was a direct response to the CDC’s announcement that it was investigating a “spike in infections in Americans using this solution.”

However, it is the Far East that first experienced fungal outbreaks in correlation with the Bausch & Lomb product. In February of 2006, sales of Renu with MoistureLoc were stopped in these countries. Infections have also occurred recently in Europe.

Ongoing federal inspections of Bausch & Lomb’s South Carolina factory in Greenville have not resulted in any evidence of sub-standard practices or contamination to date. Bausch & Lomb’s Chief Executive, Ron Zarrella, stated that “…some aspect of the MoistureLoc formula may be increasing the relative risk of Fusarium infection in unusual circumstances…”He also advised customers to stop using the product and emphasized that "Bausch & Lomb's top priority is the safety of our customers, and we want them to have complete confidence in our products."

What is Fusarium Keratitis?

Fusarium Keratitis is a severe, rare, painful fungal infection of the eye that can lead to blindness. Fusarium, a fungus that is found in the environment and on our skin, is generally found in plant materials in tropical and subtropical areas. Usually, Fusarium enters the eye when there is a trauma or injury to the cornea. It may also occur in individuals with compromised immune systems. It is not transmitted from person to person. It is a new phenomenon to see many otherwise healthy individuals, who have not experienced trauma to the eye, suffering from this infection. Keratitis translates to ‘inflammation of the cornea’.Diagnosis can be challenging, because the early clinical features generally present like other infections caused by viruses, bacteria and even protozoa. However, the recent surge in Fusarium Keratitis has created a heightened awareness and concern among eye doctors. The prompt recognition of an existing fungal infection is critical, as corneal scarring and permanent loss of vision can occur without immediate and appropriate treatment. Treatment consists of eye drops for a period of two to three months and sometimes an oral antifungal medication. Surgery is necessary in some cases.

Signs and Symptoms

The following is a brief list of symptoms which may be present with Fusarium Keratitis:

- Unusual redness in the eye

- Eye pain

- Blurred or hazy vision

- Excessive tearing

- Sensitivity to light

- Ocular pain

- Ocular discharge

There is a theory among some eye specialists that Renu with MoistureLoc’s properties, namely the combination of a new disinfectant called Alexidine along with newer moisturizing agents, may be contributing to the outbreak of infections. It is important to note, that although Alexidine has been determined to be safe and effective, specific conditions may change this. They are:

- Failure to routinely replace solution in lens case

- Failure to close bottle (of solution)

- Failure to effectively clean case.

Additionally, Daniel Schultz, Director of the FDA’s Center For Devices and Radiological Health said, “There does appear to be an association between the formulation itself as well as certain use patterns in creating this higher than normal incidence of these particular infections.”

On May 12, 2006, the CDC confirmed 122 cases of Fusarium Keratitis in the United States, and the majority of these cases reported using Bausch & Lomb Renu with MoistureLoc. At that time there were another 15 cases under the heading of “possible” and at least 60 more under investigation!

This troubling scenario, and the tragic damage suffered by its victims, has led many to question the efficiency and effectiveness of Bausch & Lomb’s response to the evidence as it was presented to them. Dr. Chu of NJ, a specialist in corneal diseases, phoned Bausch & Lomb back in March to alert them to the fact that three of his patients were suffering from a dangerous microbe and that all three were Bausch & Lomb customers. It has been reported that this was the first official U. S. involvement that Bausch & Lomb was aware of. Although Bausch & Lomb responded by confirmingthat there had been cases of Fusarium Keratitis in the Far East, it was Dr. Chu who first contacted the Federal Health Authorities.

There are victims in at least 32 states who are currently affected by the Fusarium Keratitis infection. Subsequently there are a growing number of lawsuits. Zoe Wade, a 69 year old woman in Florida, filed a lawsuit in Palm Beach County. She claims that she started using the Bausch & Lomb Renu with MoistureLoc solution last July. By October her infection was severe and she was in great pain. Just seven months after using the product, her doctor recommended that her left eye be removed in order to stop the infection from spreading to her brain.

Zoe Wade’s attorney also represents a 46-year old man, another Bausch & Lomb cleaning solution customer, afflicted with the fungal infection. He now has impaired vision and is suing the company. Records reveal that seven other individuals filed suits in April and seek class action status.

Barbara Cavallaro of Cranston, Rhode Island has filed a $5 million class action suit in addition to an individual suit. Her sight is permanently damaged and her eyes are now two different colors. She too, was a Renu with MoistrueLoc customer.

It is strongly urged that clinicians seeing patients with eye infections immediately refer these patients to doctors for definitive diagnoses. Clinical specimens are obtained through corneal cultures, corneal tissue biopsies or confocal microscopy. The infection may present as a gray or white lesion with a feathery border. All cases of Fusarium Keratitis should be reported to local health departments and / or the CDC.

It is extremely frightening to think that a contact lens product can lead to severe eye infection or blindness. Naturally, the rising occurrence of Fusarium Keratitis, and its association with the Bausch & Lomb cleaning solution, has many contact lens users concerned about their own safety. If you are using Bausch & Lomb Renu with MoistureLoc cleaning solution, you should discontinue immediately and throw it away. However, contact lens use is still considered a healthy choice when it is prescribed by your doctor. The American Optometric Association states that “contact lenses remain a safe and effective form of vision correction.” They do stress, however, that excellent hygiene is the key to safe contact lens use. They recommend the following guidelines to ensure safe and healthy contact lens use:

- Wash your hands with soap and water each time you handle your contact lenses.

- Clean lenses regularly.

- Lenses should be stored in a clean lens case.

- Replace your lens case every three months.

- Use the specific cleaning products recommended by your eye doctor.

- Discard old solution.

- Do not re-use old solution.

- Contact lenses need to be replaced as directed by your physician.

- If you experience symptoms such as redness, pain, tearing, or sensitivity to light, remove lenses immediately and call your doctor.

This article was originally published by LawsuitSearch. com on 5/21/2006 4:00 PM at lawsuitsearch. com/news/product-liability/renu_moistureloc_eye_infections_sy. aspx

The magic of blueberries sweet juicy and good for your health

Blueberry muffins, blueberry cream pies, blueberry cheesecake, blueberry pancake, fresh moist blueberries....just reading the words is enough to evoke that summer-sweet, luscious tang and get your mouth watering.

Everyone knows blueberries are delicious, but did you know they're good for your health too? In fact, blueberries have been touted as the cure for a host of serious medical problems including urinary infections, diabetes, high cholesterol levels to Alzheimer's and cancer.

First let's look at what exactly blueberries are. Blueberries are the fruit of flowering plants native to North America, now also grown in Australia, New Zealand and some South American countries such as Chile and Argentina. Blueberries are cultivated and picked wild.

The blueberry season in North America tends to run from mid-May to September, depending on the latitude. The fruit is best enjoyed in season when the taste is at its peak and the nutritional value at its highest. The dark blue berries can be enjoyed raw, or more commonly made into cookies, cakes, pies, scones, cereals, jellies and jams, and even pizzas.

So what's so special about blueberries?

It could be said that the blueberry is a nutritional powerhouse. Blueberries are are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, folate, iron, manganese and vitamin K. And 140 grams of fresh blueberries contain three grams of the dietary fiber that's so good for your digestive system. But the main benefits of blueberries come from the anti-oxidants they contain in the form of bioflavonoids.

Antioxidants are important for their ability to neutralize free radicals. When our body processes oxygen, free radicals are produced as by-products. These are highly-volatile substances that can damage our cells and are thought to be responsible for aging and a host of degenerative diseases. Fortunately, substances known as anti-oxidants found in fruits and vegetables work to neutralize free radicals and reduce their potency. Better known bioflavonoids include hesperidin and rutin and the anthocyanins.

Blueberries are especially rich in anthocyanins. They give blueberries their deep blue hue and offer a range of beneficial properties. For one thing, they're anti-inflammatory and protect large and small blood vessels from oxidative damage. This can protect blood vessels from damage caused by high blood-sugar levels in diabetics. This is especially important for the blood vessels in the eyes.

Researchers have shown that the anthocyanins in blueberries, along with other agents such as proanthocyanidins, flavonols and tannins, inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development in vitro. And one of the more exciting findings about blueberries is that they can help arrest the mental decline that occurs with Alzheimer's Disease.

So what's the best way to get your dose of blueberries? Eating them raw is best but this is not always convenient. Fortunately, there are many ways to prepare blueberries that helps bring out their delightful flavor to its best advantage. The most popular is you can also make the old fashioned Blueberry pie just like your grandma used to make. The herbs cinnamon and mace compliment the taste of the blueberries and the result is delightful. It's just one of many ways to incorporate blueberries into your diet.

So make blueberries a part of your diet. Not only will you have a delicious new taste in your life, but you'll also be doing your health a world of good. Search out some recipes online that show you new and exciting ways to incorporate the blueberry experience into you life.

The many uses of natural herbal remedies and oils

Now a days, there is a variety of essential oils, roots, and herbs available to support healthy living. These natural products can be used for treating ailments, flavoring your food, skin care, create perfumes, and manufacture environmentally safe cleaning products.

If you do not have room for a garden, a few herbs planted by a sunny window are enough to get you started. Subsequently, all you will need then are some essential oils and you are ready to embark on a wonderful journey to natural herbal remedies and medicine.

Essential oils versus blended oils.

The first to consider is the essential oils. Only the purest oils will do for therapeutic purposes. Do not be fooled into thinking that you are purchasing pure oil when in fact it is a blend of several oils. Blended oils are acceptable for fragrance such as perfuming a room, but pure oils are necessary for medicinal intent.

A general guide to the purity of oil is its price. Pure oils are normally more expensive. For instance, common oils such as lavender and geranium are less expensive than frankincense and carnation oil. Therefore, it is advisable to become familiar with essential oil prices and then rely on this knowledge when purchasing oils. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. In addition, a price list from a reputable dealer is a valuable resource when buying essentials oils.

Typically, pure oils cannot be applied directly to the skin and must be mixed with a base oil to lessen their strength. Base oils such as almond oil or wheat germ oil are generally used for this purpose. Base oils are generally derived from seeds, nuts, or vegetables.

Basic oils and natural remedies.

Lavender, without a doubt, is one of the most useful and desirable oils. It will work wonders on cuts, bruises and burns, and promotes sleep and relaxation.

The Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils are useful for treating a variety of respiratory ailments. These are excellent medication for colds and coughs. These oils can be massaged into the chest or burned in an oil burner to help clear the airways and prevent congestion. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic and can be dabbed on cuts, bites and stings. It is often used to treat spots and pimples and when diluted with water, acts as a mouth gargle (keep in-mind it should never be swallowed).

Geranium oil with its characteristic perfume and pain relieving properties is a basic antiseptic. This herbal remedy should be part of your essential oil and natural herbal remedies garden.

Peppermint oil treats digestive upsets and may be used for breath freshening.

Patchouli and Ylang-ylang oils in an oil burner can perfume a room and add a sense of ambience. Orange oil mixed with Cinnamon oil is a pleasant winter scent that brings to mind seasonal holiday smells. Besides their perfume qualities, all four of these oils have other properties. Patchouli treats eczema and dandruff. Ylang-ylang is reputed to relieve stress, palpitations, and high blood pressure. Orange is used in natural remedies for depression and nervous tension. Cinnamon is excellent for warts and viral infections.

Thyme and Rosemary are considered herbs and can be grown in pots and used when needed. Both of these herbs can be used to create oils or flavor food. Thyme and Rosemary are also antiseptics and can be used in skin care preparations.

Lemon oil and fresh lemons will purify water. When lemon is mixed with honey, it is an effective herbal remedies for colds and flu. Lemon and white vinegar are highly effective cleaning agents that can be used for domestic cleaning tasks without damaging the environment. White vinegar is a natural disinfectant or mix it with water to clean windows and wooden floors.

If you want to keep the insects away this summer, Citronella oil or Garlic will do. Add a capsule of garlic to your dog's food and your dog will not be bothered by fleas. You could also soak a soft dog collar in Citronella to keep fleas and mosquitoes at bay.

Garlic helps to promote a healthy immune system. When the weather turns cold and the viruses begin to circulate, adding garlic to your diet will leave you less susceptible. In fact, most of the oils and herbs listed above are effective in helping to prevent many common winter illnesses.

If you are looking for natural herbal remedies or nature friendly products, the oils and herbal remedies recommended above should help you get started.

Awesome-playing nfl rookies

Last year, there were some really profound new players drafted into the NFL. Three of those players are considered the best rookie group ever. This group of rookies includes Reggie Bush, Matt Liner, and Vince Young. All three of these rookies played in the National Championship last year. The one player who really stands out is Vince Young, who plays for The Tennessee Titans. In the beginning of the year, Vince Young’s team was not doing too well. Then, toward the middle of the season, things started to turn around for The Tennessee Titans. This was due to the fact that Vince Young played like a veteran.

One of the games was against The Indianapolis Colts. The Titans were behind in the game, and in the 4th quarter Indianapolis’s defense did their thing—nothing. As anyone NFL fan knows, the Indianapolis Colt’s defense doesn’t play well at all. Anyway, this lack of defense allowed the Titans to make a comeback and beat them in the fourth quarter. That was not the only team that allowed the Titans to comeback, either. The Giants had practically won, having beaten the Titans, and had the new quarterback sacked for a loss. The rusher let the quarterback go, and he ran it all the way in for a touchdown, and they beat the Giants, which was in the fourth quarter as well.

So, obviously, many of the new players who come straight out of college are really good players and have what it takes to play well in the NFL. There are lots of reasons why many rookies play so well when they first start out in the NFL. One major reason is because they are used to giving it all they had while playing for whatever school they went to. They had to strive to do the best that they absolutely could in order to be noticed, and have a chance to get drafted into the NFL. Another reason why they probably play so well is because they’re so young and full of energy. Furthermore, they are excited about actually playing professional football instead of college, and the difference in the salary is astronomical. That alone would be enough to motivate anyway to do the best that they could at whatever their talent was. Finally, what about plain, old talent? Of course these rookies are talented, or they wouldn’t have been drafted in the first place.

You can improve your relationship

It seems as if creating successful relationships with our significant others and parenting children are two of the most difficult jobs we face and yet we get no formal training in either. It’s as if people believe that we are born with an inherent ability to do these two things. Yet, look around us. In the US, the divorce rate is slightly over 50%! I don’t know anywhere but baseball where a 50% average is a good thing.

Couples go through life getting along when times are good; and fighting with, ignoring, or leaving each other when things get tough. Most people believe that to seek help with their relationships means to admit a certain kind of defeat that says something about who they are as a person. Or possibly, they believe that relationships are something we are just supposed to be able to manage on our own. Or, finally, some people believe that those out there helping couples can’t know any more than they do. After all, what’s to know about keeping relationships together?

Well, the truth is that there is a whole lot to learn when it comes to relationships. Unfortunately, the only training most of us ever receive is the passive learning we get through the modeling of the adults who live in our house with us and the media. Now, I don’t know about you, but my parents had only received the informal training they got from their parents, and they from my great grandparents and so on back through the generations. There is so much more to know about relationships than that!

Also, my parents have helped support that 50% statistic cited earlier in that they divorced sometime around their 25th wedding anniversary. What I learned about relationships from watching them is that couples never argue, especially in front of the children. On the surface, my parents had a very happy marriage but my father experienced a stereotypical mid-life crisis and suddenly questioned the meaning of “life” and decided marriage was holding him back somehow.

In some ways, this type of training may have been as bad as those who have parents who argue all the time. Disagreements are a natural by-product of relationships. It is virtually impossible for two people to come together and create a life without some of their ideals, values, opinions or day-to-day activities coming into conflict with each other. The question becomes how the couple manages this conflict.

There are many things to consider when speaking about couples and their challenges and areas for growth and development. The first is compatibility. I know there is an expression that says opposites attract and I believe there is some accuracy in that statement when you think of attraction as that chemical interaction that occurs when two people meet and are attracted. This chemical attraction doesn’t care what the other person’s values are, what is important to him or her, the personality characteristics involved, or what either of you likes to do in your spare time. Compatibility is a key for a successful, healthy relationship. Go to therelationshipcenter. biz and take the free Assessment to determine your compatibility with your partner.

A second consideration is simply that there are major differences in how men are in relationships compared to how women are. Women generally don’t understand men because the men don’t act like women and similarly, men don’t understand women because they don’t act like men. And since a woman has never been a man and a man has never been a woman, how does each learn about these important differences? John Gray researched and wrote about these issues in his book, Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus. But I would say that the majority of people in relationships don’t take the time to learn about these gender differences. It is easier to point a finger and blame the other person for his or her “irrational” behavior.

As mentioned earlier, a third area of growth is learning how to manage conflict. There are time proven methods for resolving conflict that we don’t learn in school or from a book. There are ways to actually hear each other in relationships. By placing the relationship FIRST in importance, these methods can be implemented by couples to greatly improve their satisfaction.

There is so much to learn about satisfying relationships that your parents never showed you. Please don’t become one of the statistics of divorce or perhaps worse, stay in a miserable relationship to honor your marriage vows while having so many regrets about your life as the time ticks away.

Take charge and take control of your life. Learn some new ways to improve the relationship you are already in or to prepare yourself for being a better, improved partner for the next person in your life. Contact Kim at 708-957-6047 or email at Kim@TheRelationshipCenter. biz about relationship coaching or take one the many Teleclasses scheduled on the Events Calendar at TheRelationshipCenter. biz. Don’t wait until it is too late.

The importance of booking your big island condo early

Have you recently made the decision to stay at a Big Island condo, while on a Hawaiian vacation? If so, have you made your reservations yet? If you have yet to make your Big Island condo reservations and your vacation is quickly approaching, you will want to make your reservations soon. In fact, when renting a Big Island vacation condo, there are a number of benefits to booking your vacation reservations in advance.

Perhaps, the greatest benefit of booking your Big Island vacation condo reservations in advance is that you will be able to get a reservation. While there are always enough Big Island vacation condos to go around, you will find that they are quite popular in Hawaii, namely on Big Island. For that reason, especially around the summer months, Big Island vacation condos tend to quickly fill up with reservations. Making your reservation ahead of time, at least three or four months in advance, will help to ensure that you are able to book a stay at a Big Island vacation condo.

In addition to booking a stay at any Big Island condo, booking your reservations in advance will help to ensure that you are getting the condo of your dreams or your first choice condo. As previously mentioned, Big Island condos are popular among tourists; therefore, they tend to fill up with reservations during popular vacation times. If you are looking for something in particular, such as an oceanfront condo or a condo that can house a large traveling party, it is advised that you make your reservations in advance. When looking for something particular, it is advised that you book your reservations around five or six months in advance. Doing so will help to ensure that you do not get stuck with any Big Island condo, but the condo of your dreams.

Another benefit to booking a stay at a Big Island condo early is the amount of money that you may be able to save. Although it is not always the case, there are a number of condo owners who have been known to increase their rental costs during popular vacation seasons, as well at the last minute. By booking your Big Island condo reservations early, you may be able to save yourself a decent amount of money. In fact, if you are looking to save yourself even more money, you may want to think about trying to find a vacation package that includes a stay at a Big Island condo.

As you can see, there are a number of benefits to booking your Big Island condo stay in advance. It was previously mentioned for traditional condos, you should make your reservations around three to four months early and if you are looking for something in particular, five or six months may be best. Of course, it is important to remember that different individuals interpret early in different ways. Despite the different interpretations of early, it is best that you use your best judgment, when booking a stay at a Big Island vacation condo. For instance, if you have your heart set on a particular oceanfront condo, you are advised to make your reservations as soon as you can. Not doing so may mean that someone else gets the condo of your choice. Although not having your first choice condo will not necessarily ruin your vacation, it could have an impact on the overall outcome of it.

When it comes time to make your Big Island condo reservations, you will find that you have a number of different options. Those options include travel agents, booking your reservations directly, and online travel websites. When it comes to Big Island condos, a large number of vacationers choose to make their reservations through an online travel website and you can too.

French country kitchen design

A kitchen can be more than just about its role in function, organization and efficiency. Kitchens need a personality and a look and feel that can liven up the senses in addition to being a functional place for the preparation of food. The French Country Kitchen design is one of many classic kitchen design themes that you could consider. It can provide your kitchen with a traditional look that has its roots in the hillsides of rural France. It is a style that can fit into both rural farmhouses and in the grandest chateau.

French country kitchen design conjures up images of the Provence and the French countryside with its pastoral settings, lavender fields and rustic French farmhouses. The French country kitchen represents country living that is uniquely French. In designing your French country kitchen design you discover that the French country look is always very rustic, old and warm.

There are many elements that go into the French country kitchen including the use of large pieces of furniture made mainly of light colored woods and can be decorated with ornate carving.

Color & French Country Kitchen Design

Color is an important place to start the design process. You can draw inspiration from some of the principle French impressionists like Monet and Renoir, Van Gogh. Colors that are used in the French country kitchen style can include sunny yellow or soft gold, bright red and rust, grass green, cobalt blue and soft ocean tones.

You can decorate in the style of the French country kitchen design by using vivid colors - poppy red, sunflower yellow, bright blue, meadow green, and sunset purple. Your walls and cabinets and large furniture can be painted in off white, ivory, light beige, and taupe. Cabinets can be painted a glossy white to brighten light-filled spaces in the kitchen or they can be left as natural wood. These colors can provide a light, airy feel so you do not want to use strong colors here. In fabrics such as curtains and seat cushions you might also add paisley, stripes and floral prints to your French Country Kitchen theme.

Natural Materials

Natural materials are an important element in walls, cabinetry and furniture that is used in the design of French country kitchens. The materials used in creating a rustic French country kitchen look include natural stone floors, granite counter tops and tumbled marble back splashes. These natural materials can be used on walls and beamed ceilings, and can be rough stained or painted plaster, or wood painted in natural colors. Floors can be made of stone or brick and covered with wool or cotton rugs, a fireplace made of stone with a heavy beam that can serve as a mantel, and wooden shutters as window coverings. Furniture and cabinets can have a rustic or even a distressed look. Countertops can be done in ceramic tile with tile back splashes.

Accent Pieces

In French country kitchen design you will find that tile, rustic urns, hand-painted European ceramics and pottery accents are used extensively. Ceramic tiles and terra cotta pottery pieces are used wherever possible. Add copper pots and a French country kitchen can can encompass many old world decorating colors.

A kitchen can be more than just about its role in function, organization and efficiency. Kitchens need a personality and a look and feel that can liven up the senses in addition to being a functional place for the preparation of food. The French Country Kitchen design is one of many classic kitchen design themes that you could consider. It can provide your kitchen with a traditional look that has its roots in the hillsides of rural France. It is a style that can fit into both rural farmhouses and grand chateaus.

The materials used in creating a rustic French country kitchen look include natural stone floors, granite counter tops and tumbled marble back splashes.

The world s largest valentine

The World’s Largest Valentine has nothing to do with chocolates, flowers or a romantic dinner. Although these are traditional elements of Cupid’s Day, this particular Valentine gets the prize reserved for The Top. Maybe, even, Over The Top.

Here are some clues:

1. It is 350 years old

2. It was built by a man for the woman he loved.

3. It took twenty two years and 20,000 men to complete.

4. It is twenty four stories high.

5. It sits on a marble platform larger than a football field’s length squared.

6. It is adorned with semiprecious jewels

7. It is located in Agra, India.

Yes, the Taj Mahal is the World’s Largest Valentine.

In the 1600’s, Shah Jahan lost Mumtaz Mahal during the birth of their fourteenth child and his grief for his beloved wife of nineteen years was deep and real. During the mourning period he forbade color, dancing and even perfume in his sophisticated and ostentatious court.

Shah Jahan could have kept his feelings for Mumtaz locked in his heart. He could have abdicated. He could have replaced her with another queen. He did none of these. Instead, he boldly designed and had erected a mausoleum in her honor. It became known as Mumtaz’s Palace which, in Hindi, is Mumtaz’s Mahal, easily shortened to Taj Mahal.

This “building by Tiffany’s” reflects the flow, the grace, and the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal. He used the very sky behind the mausoleum as an active and ever-changing backdrop for his masterpiece. Clouds, sunshine, and rain reflect varying light and color on the Taj Mahal’s white marble.

With deep feelings for Mumtaz, a well developed architectural ability, and his position as Emperor of a large and almost unimaginably wealthy empire, Shah Jahan was uniquely equipped with the essentials to create what has become his gift to the world. Never before had this particular combination been present.

It took wealth most of us cannot imagine to have created a 24-story building covered with thick marble slabs, inlaid with artistically shaped precious stones, and abundant with lush carvings of plants and growing flowers. The Taj Mahal is protected by four 145-foot minarets located at the corners of its marble platform which itself is set between two identical buildings of red sandstone. It boasts waterways which symmetrically dissect its lavish gardens and the entire complex is walled and finished with a massive gate and forecourt.

No wonder it took more than two decades to finish.

But it was finished and it stands today as a monument to the love between a man and a woman.

It is the World’s Largest Valentine.

It is the Taj Mahal.

How to classify your network marketing prospect list - part 1

Are you new to Network Marketing?

If you are, then one of the first things your sponsor or upline has probably already told you is that you will need to create a prospect list. I explain the reasons why you need to create a list of at least 100 names in another article I've written, called "Your #1 Secret Weapon".

Once you have written your prospect list, it's time to start approaching the people on your list with your business opportunity. Many people feel that you should just start calling the names on your list.

I have a different point of view. In my experience, I have found that once you have created your prospect list, it's time to do some "classifying."

It's important to understand that by classifying your prospect list, I am not talking about pre-judging, or pre-qualifying people for your business opportunity.

You should not prejudge people, as there is no way you can predict who is going to seize your network marketing business opportunity and use it to transform their lives for the better and who is going to do absolutely nothing with it, despite having shown all the signs of being a potential "hot" prospect.

Also, do not pre-qualify the people on your list. This happens AFTER you have presented them your business opportunity. People will then qualify themselves "in" or "out" of your business. Your job is simply to present them with information, then allow them to make an informed decision as to whether your business opportunity is right for them or not.

Classifying the people on your prospect list is different. You are looking for people that you believe are worth approaching first, because you instinctively feel that they make a great contribution to the growth of your network marketing team.

You will want to classify the people on your prospect list in terms of criteria such as:

Location - Can you drive out to meet them within, say, 45 mins to one hour? Or do they live interstate or overseas?

Character - Are they positive and open to new ideas? Are they coachable and can they follow a system? Are they people who take immediate action when they recognize an opportunity? Do they have a large circle of influence? Asking these questions will help you identify potentially good business partners.

Remember that, as the CEO of your own organization, you will want to recruit the very best team you possibly can find. Classifying your contact list will help you identify other individuals who share your values. I recommend building your "dream" network marketing team with people who have the qualities that you strive for and admire.

Other Criteria - Are there people in your prospect list who are currently involved in another Network Marketing company, or who have previous experience building a multi-level marketing business? This can either be a good thing, as they may already be open to the concept of Network Marketing, or not so good, if they received poor training and experienced lack of upline support in the past and now are carrying some negative feelings or misconceptions about the Network Marketing industry.

The same thing applies to approaching professional salespeople. Some sales-trained professionals may be open to the idea of Network Marketing once they realize that multi-level marketing organizations create their sales volume based on a lot of people using and recommending a little bit of product each, and some may not get the point of Network Marketing at all, preferring instead to continue earning sales commissions through the addition of their individual sales, instead of via the multiplication and leverage of a team of people working together!

To read the rest of this article and learn more ways to classify your prospect list, visit my business training website: networkmarketingpro. net/classifying_your_network_marketing_prospect_list. html

Gas rewards credit cards

Feeling down about your rising gas bills? Gas rewards credit cards can help! These cards offer you a chance to earn money back on your fuel purchases. There are plenty of reward plans to choose from. Before you apply, here’s what you need to know about gas rewards credit cards.

How Gas Rewards Credit Cards Work

Gas rewards credit cards are similar to cash back cards. Most operate on a percentage system. Every time you purchase fuel, a certain percentage of cash is returned to you. This usually ranges from 1 to 6%. So if you spend $200 on fuel each month and have a card that offers 5% cash back, you will receive a reward of $10 each month. How’s that for pumping fuel?

Some gas rewards credit cards operate on a point system. You earn points based on your fuel purchases. These points can then be redeemed for dollars. Your cash is returned to you either through a check in the mail or as a credit to your card statement.

Plenty of Options

Gas rewards credit cards come in many varieties. Some card companies offer gas cards that earn rewards only at certain gas stations. If you regularly fill up at one place, this may be a good choice for you. Other companies allow you to earn cash back at any gas station. If you tend to vary where you purchase gas, this type of card will work better for you.

Some gas rewards credit cards also allow you to earn points or cash back on purchases besides gas. These may include a 5% cash back offer on gas purchases and 1% cash back on others. Or they could include a higher percentage back on both gas and auto maintenance purchases. If you want to use your card at a variety of stores and gas stations, one of these plans may benefit you the most.

Most gas rewards credit cards offer an initial introductory period with extra benefits. This might include a 0% or low APR for the first few months. Also, your card may offer extra points or a higher percentage of cash back on purchases for the initial period. This gives you a way to earn extra cash right from the start. If you are traveling more than usual or are already putting in plenty of miles on the road, the gas reward credit card can give your wallet an added boost at the beginning.

What’s Right for you

Keep in mind that most gas rewards credit cards require you to have good or excellent credit. Also, many of them include a higher interest rate than other credit cards. So if you pay off your credit card bills each month, you can reap the rewards. However, if you usually carry a balance from month to month, a different credit card may work better for you.

Evaluate your spending habits and travel budget. If your fuel bill is usually high, gas rewards credit cards are an excellent option for you Look through the different gas rewards credit cards available and find one that will benefit you the most. Then apply online for a gas reward credit card. It is a great way to get some money back for a needed expense.

Teen chat 6 ways to never give up

Hi Teens:

Mike just got back his math test from the previous week. The mark he earned was a “C”. He can barely hold back his disappointment, because he studied for it for a long time. He can’t believe it. He feels it doesn’t seem to matter if he tries hard or not, he still doesn’t get good marks. What is the use of trying?

Granted, it feels very disappointing when things don’t work out the way you had planned, especially when you put in a good effort.

So how to you keep going when the going gets tough? Would you, too, call it quits if you were in Dan’s shoes, or would you continue to study for your tests despite the low mark received in this test?

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.”

- Tommy Lasorda

1. Keeping An Open Mind

In Mike’s case I hope that you would agree that it is too soon to throw in the towel. It’s important that you keep trying until you get the results you want. When you say, “I quit,” you turn off your inner dynamo and your determination leaves. Giving up is the easy (and tempting) thing to do, but don’t give up! Keep trying!

The one thing that you can do in pursuing your goal is to keep an open mind. You will be more aware of ideas and opportunities around you that could help you move closer to your goal. Once you say “I quit,” you close off your mind from any additional ways of getting closer to your goal and experiencing the necessary breakthroughs to help you get there.

For example, in the math test, if Dan keeps an open mind and chooses to keep studying for tests, he may find new ways of preparing that will help him retain the information. Not everybody learns in the same way. There are more ways than one to do everything!

2. Trial and Error

One thing for you to remember when you get discouraged is that you actually tried in the first place. You made an effort. If you got a result that you don’t like, you will need to adjust your actions until you get a better outcome. Especially at the onset, we may feel overwhelmed at times and think that we will never get there. Yes, you may have temporary setbacks, but if you learn from those and change your actions, you will get what you want.

Colonel Sanders was rejected over 1000 times before someone bought his famous chicken recipe.

The Wright brothers tried many times before taking flight.

Thomas Edison tried to invent the light bulb over 9999 times. He said that every attempt showed him just another way how not to invent the electric lamp. He didn’t look at them as mistakes, but as advancements towards his ultimate goal. What a powerful mindset to have!

The spirit of “stick-to-it-iveness” (in proper English the word is “tenacity”) is the one that wins! Each time you try again, you WIN!

3. Questions Are the Answer

When you run out of ideas, it’s time to start asking questions. Of whom do you ask the questions? Guess what? YOU! That’s right. Once you start asking yourself questions, you will come up with more answers. The trick is to ask yourself better questions so you will get better answers!

What do I mean by that?

Let’s use the scenario about Mike and his math test. He could ask himself, “How come I never get a good mark? How come I can’t do well in school?” The kicker is that when you ask those kinds of unhelpful questions, you are going to come up with answers that are just as unhelpful, such as, “Because I am stupid, because I’ll never learn it, because I am no good, etc.”

Now let me ask you some questions.

Are those answers going to help you? How are they going to make you feel? Are they going to make you take action and try again?

Here is a better way of asking yourself questions.

“What can I try differently next time to help me study?

Ask questions that are geared towards getting what you want, not what you don’t want. Keep the questions positive.

For extra effectiveness, try writing the question(s) down. If you ask yourself the questions before you go to sleep at night, often times the answers will come the next day. Your brain will have had the time to think about it while you were sleeping.

Sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? Keep asking better questions, and better answers will come.

4. Guidance

Here is another question. “Who can help you?”

Is there somebody who has already achieved the same goal? Find them and ask them what they did to get there. Asking doesn’t cost anything. If they won’t help you, find somebody else.

Chances are these people weren’t always doing great at first. The difference is that they kept going, no matter how small the action seemed at the time. Once you have the determination to persist until you get what you want, you will become more confident in yourself as well.

5. Excuse Me

A sure way to keep from starting or continuing towards your goal is to come up with an excuse. There is always an excuse ready for you to use if you want to find one. It’s easy to come up with excuses. If you find yourself making excuses, take a minute and you will see that you are really only cheating yourself.

6. Picture It

To make your goals a reality usually requires you to venture outside of your comfort zone. That can be scary, and it will not feel very uncomfortable at first. Keep focusing on the benefit of your goal to push yourself further along.

Take a minute whenever you feel overwhelmed and DREAM about your goal! See yourself already there. Get a clear picture of what you are going to look like, where you will be, and what you will be feeling. It’s fun to dream, and it will help make your dream come true.

You deserve the best in life. You deserve to get what you are dreaming about. You alone can make it happen. It’s your birthright to have it all. Nobody has the right to take that from you, no matter what you have been told.

The truth is that you can do anything you set your mind to do. You just don’t know your own power yet. If you truly desire to get something and you aren’t going to let anything get in your way, if you are creative and keep an open mind, it’s amazing what you can do.

Stay in the game. Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Don’t succumb to pressure. You may need to take a breather every once in while to help you get back your momentum, and that’s okay as long as you get back in the game again. Any dream worth having is worth persevering to reach. You have it inside of you to create your dreams and your future. Go for it and make it happen!

“If you can dream it, you can do it!”

-Walt Disney

“One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great Surprises, is to find he can do what he is afraid he couldn’t do.”

-Henry Ford

One last note about when it isn’t advisable to keep trying. That’s when you’re trying to change somebody other than yourself. It’s great to help out a friend and do things for them sometimes, but it’s their responsibility to take care of themselves and have their own goals. It’s not going to work in the long run if you do it for them.

This article is part of the Teenacity Teen Chat Guide “Get what you want and break free” – 6 ways to help you unleash your greatness no matter what your life is like now! Go to TEENACITY. COM – The # 1 Place for Teens – Where You Are Accepted For Who You Are – and get your copy now free of charge!

Writing your own powerful affirmations

A common question I see from people just beginning their personal development journey is, "How do I write effective affirmations?" Often they will go in search of existing affirmations that they can apply to their own situation, but they may or may not find something that works for them.

In my experience, it is much simpler to come up with our own personal affirmations because they'll get right to the heart of the matter like nothing else can!

First, let's explore the reasons for using affirmations so we can be clear about our objectives in writing them. An affirmation is most often used to help us think and feel more positive, empowered, and in control of a particular situation. On a deeper level, an affirmation is meant to ALTER OUR EXISTING BELIEFS.

Remember that our current circumstances are a direct result of our past thinking. In order to change our future experiences, we need to change our current thinking. You might find it helpful to first get clear about exactly what your current beliefs are. Think about the various aspects of your life, like your career, financial status, relationships, health, and so on. As you think about these situations, ask yourself what beliefs they reveal. If you have a lot of financial struggles, your existing belief might be, "I don't have enough money," or "I can't stop accumulating debt." Because you believe these things, your outer circumstances have come together in such a way that supports your beliefs.

Affirmations can help us change our beliefs, if they are worded correctly.

The first thing to understand is the importance of wording affirmations in present tense. Notice the difference in feelings you get from saying, "I will eat healthful, nutritious foods and exercise each day", or "I enjoy eating healthful, nutritious foods and exercising each day." The second statement makes the affirmation part of your experience NOW, while the first keeps the reality off in some uncertain future period of time.

Okay, so wording affirmations in the present tense is important, but how can we tell which words will give us the result we desire? The clues lie in our existing circumstances and beliefs.

If you are unhappy with the size or state of your body, you have been holding a belief that you are unhealthy, weak, unworthy, or lacking in beauty. In order to change your negative belief about your body, you must embrace a more positive belief. "I am healthy, strong, lean, and sexy" would be a good affirmation to begin changing this perception, but remember that it will first seem like you're lying to yourself. Even though you are saying the words, you are not feeling the truth of such a statement.

Consistent repetition over time will begin to change that, but it's important to keep up with the practice. There are two times when you should recite your affirmations:

1) Whenever you notice a conflicting belief. If you go shopping for clothes and you see an unpleasant image in the dressing room mirror and your mind begins its litany of negativity, "I'm so fat, oh my god, I can't believe they let a beast like me walk around in public, I'm never going to be beautiful, I should just wear a tent for god's sake!" -- stop yourself, close your eyes and call up an image of yourself looking radiant, healthy, beautiful, and fit. Recite your affirmation ("I am healthy, strong, lean, and sexy") with full faith that it is becoming your reality, moment by moment.

2) All the time. (Or as often as possible.) Don't just wait for negative beliefs to pop up so you can recite your affirmations, say them as often as you can remember! Write them down and stick them on your bathroom mirror, the dashboard of your car, the headboard on your bed, in your wallet, or any place where you are likely to see them frequently. The more repetition you can engage in, the more quickly you will begin to replace your old, limiting beliefs with empowering new ones.

Finally, the MOST important part of affirmations is the intensity of belief you hold while you are reciting them. If you just say the words mechanically and dispassionately, guess what happens? You won't be changing your existing beliefs because the whole time you're reciting affirmations (no matter how great they are!), you will also have an inner voice saying, "Give me a break, who do you think you're kidding?"

However, if you instead CHOOSE to believe your new affirmations with full faith and conviction, you will challenge the validity of your existing beliefs. Two opposing beliefs cannot co-exist in your mind at the same time. It HAS to be one or the other. This is a good thing because it means that the more you shift your confidence in your new beliefs, your old beliefs will fade away and eventually cease to exist. When that happens, your physical circumstances will shift and change in order to support your new beliefs.

Affiliate marketing 5 tips for success

How can you make affiliate marketing work for you? And is it possible to have a successful affiliate marketing strategy to make the effort worth your while? Here are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you on your way to achieving success in affiliate marketing.

1) Identify the Market Demand: Don’t choose affiliates based on trendy products, or ‘of the moment’ items. Do your research, identify areas of demand, and choose your affiliates in accordance with what people want, but also keep in mind your long-term strategy for business.

2) Offer Multiple Products/Services: When it comes to online affiliate marketing, it would be in your best interest to offer a range of products and/or services to clients. Most stores don’t get rich by only selling one thing to people, so why should it be any different in the online world?

3) Promote a 2-Tier Program: If possible, try to steer yourself toward developing a two-tier affiliate marketing program in your business. By using sub-affiliates, they can do the hard work for you – promoting the products – and you can sit back and wait for the commission from their sales to roll in. You’ll need to keep them motivated, of course, and be very attentive to managing your sub-affiliates. Done well, this can be a very rewarding strategy.

4) Deliver What You Offer: When it comes to sales, your products or services need to be delivered in a timely manner, meeting or exceeding the customers’ expectations. This is how you develop long-term relationships with buyers, and keep them coming back for your products time after time. Delivering exactly what you offer will also help when it comes to word-of-mouth advertising – something very valuable in the online world.

5) Be Honest: If you can, review what you’re selling! Obviously in affiliate marketing, this means that you’ll have to buy and try the product yourself, but an honest and unbiased review is always more appealing to a potential buyer than just making a cold purchase. People want to hear opinions from other real people before they buy something, especially if it’s a large or unusual purchase. Give the pros and the cons – just talking about good things will make you sound like a commercial. Be honest, be thorough, and watch your affiliate marketing program grow into the successful business you want!

Compare retirement planning software-how to spot the best software

So how can you compare retirement planning software to find out which one is the best for you? The great thing about today is that there are literally millions of websites on the Internet to help you achieve your retirement planning goals. Unfortunately, this vast amount of competition can make finding the right retirement planning software rather difficult, because there are so many to choose from.

So how can you cut through the clutter and find the best retirement plan software for you? Quite simply, this process is not as hard as it may seem. First of all, keep in mind that there are many paid retirement planning software programs on the Internet; while some of these may be worth it for you depending in your situation, most of them really are unnecessary.

In fact, a simple Word or Excel document will pay huge dividends in helping you to keep track of your income and expenses. Remember, the most important part of your retirement planning software is to help you track your income and expenses, and make sure you have enough money to retire.

It really doesn't require a lot of elaborate retirement planning software to do this process. Simply set up your income and expenses in the form of a balance your income statement, keep track of them each month, and you will have done more than most people will ever do in their lifetime.

You see, the simple practice of tracking income and expenses is a lost are in today's world. Also, having a plan for retirement planning is a huge step in this process. Without having the right plan, you'll never know how much money you will need for retirement, and therefore you will not be able to spot the right investment to get you there.

Would you ever get a car and start driving without knowing where you want to get too? Unfortunately, all too many people take this approach with their retirement planning, and are surprised when they don't have enough money upon retirement.

You see, most people are not financially educated in schools, and simply don't know how to manage their finances. By simply keeping track of your finances, you will have a huge jump on most people.

Remember, no matter which retirement planning software you opt to go with, remember that the absolute most important part of this process is to have a plan beforehand before you begin using it. it will do you absolutely no good to use software without even knowing where you want to be when you retire.

The only way this software will benefit you is if you know exactly what you want to achieve in your golden years, and have a plan in place to do that. Therefore, in order to compare retirement planning software, simply map out a plan that you want to achieve for your retirement, and find out which software will be best for you. Follow these tips, and you will be able to live the dream lifestyle you’ve always wanted in your golden years.

Gap year in italy the ideal program to study abroad in italy

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Once again, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, one of Italy's largest provider of in-country Italian courses in Italy, is announcing the new programs for the year 2006 presenting innovative plans to promote the learning of the Italian language. Now, universities, colleges, community colleges, high schools and students worldwide are invited to read about our wide choice of Italian language and cultural courses.

This year following the great success of the inaugural Academic School Year in 2005, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci will feature the Academy School Year course in Italy in all its school centers (Florence, Milan, Rome and Siena).

The "Academic Year" is a 32 week language and culture course for students who wish to experience living and studying in Italy. The course combines not only language courses with Italian culture classes at the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci but the syllabus also incorporates the fundamental elements of level C2 of the European Language Portfolio. "All in all, the course offers students the opportunity to see at first hand the various aspects of Italy’s rich history and culture", said Chiara Poggi, the Head of Studies of the Italian School in Florence.

Needless to say, lessons are taught only in Italian from the very start. "At the end of the course, the student is ready to write a final dissertation on a topic related to Italian culture (art, history and business Italian)", said Wolfango Poggi, director of the Italian language school Leonardo da Vinci in Milan.

Created to provide an opportunity for motivated and deserving students to experience the magic of study abroad one year, the Academic Year Program in Italy aims to:

• progress from the Beginner and/or the Elementary level to the Intermediate stages, working on the basics of Italian grammar (articles, prepositions, present and past tenses) to more complex subjects such as the subjunctive.
  
• develop speaking and listening skills through daily conversation classes.


• give an introduction to the everlasting beauty and charm of Italian art.


• take you through the world of business and current affairs and the world of fashion: a sector where Italian artists are at the leading edge, where we aim to reveal some of the secrets behind the “Made in Italy” label.


• allow you to understand the mixture of tradition and change which characterizes contemporary Italy.

When asked about her experience, Sanda S., who studied in Milan with Scuola Leonardo da Vinci last year, commented: "I was delighted at the chance to travel to Italy and attend Scuola Leonardo da Vinci for 32 weeks. I believe the programme helped me to improve my Italian in a friendly and supportive environment. I really enjoyed meeting people from around the world. Being able to study in Italy also helped me gain an understanding of the Italian culture. It was certainly an experience I will never forget and intend to repeat in the future."

Program details and supporting information, including students opinions and histories on the Academic Year Experince in Italy, may be found on the Scuola Leonardo da Vinci Web site at scuolaleonardo. com/gap-year-in-italy. php. Next Starting dates, as written on the Web Site, are 02 January, 08 May and 25 September 2006.

For 29 years, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, the market leader in in-country Italian language courses, has been exclusively dedicated to the teaching of Italian to foreigners. Each year the company welcomes students from 60 countries to its schools in Florence, Milan, Rome and Siena. The company’s Web site, scuolaleonardo. com, an Italian language portal offering informations and pages of Italian language courses, culture and resources on 12 languages, receives more than 3,000 visits daily.

For general business-related questions, contact the Marketing Office of Scuola Leonardo da Vinci.

Information and Registration Center (Florence, Italy)
Tel.: +39-055-29.03.05 - Fax: +39-055-290396
scuolaleonardo. com - scuolaleonardo@scuolaleonardo. com

Investors may not be as diversified as they think

When more than 1 million college graduates entered the work force last fall, they began the first of what could be seven job moves during a 40-year working career, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics1.

In fact, according to a recent study by Fidelity Investments, one-third of today's new work force could be compiling a series of stand-alone retirement savings accounts, which may not be as diversified as they think2.

With each job change, millions are faced with the increasingly challenging task of managing their workplace retirement savings accounts.

"As American workers continue to change jobs, our survey tells us that approximately 32 million have left behind retirement accounts with past employers," said Jeffrey R. Carney, president of Fidelity Personal Investments.

"Our research also shows that 41 percent of investors with multiple retirement accounts believe that maintaining separate accounts makes for a more diversified portfolio. While Americans are more savvy about investing, many have lost sight of what 'diversification' really means -; spreading out money over different types of investments such as stocks, bonds and cash to manage risk -; which can't be assured simply by having multiple accounts."

In reviewing the portfolios of nearly half a million investors over the past year, Fidelity found that many need to be reminded of three basic tenets for managing a diversified portfolio: Know what you own; know how much you're paying; and know when it's time to seek guidance.

Many investors who maintain multiple accounts don't realize the makeup of their overall investments and may be heavily overweighted or underweighted in a specific type of investment sector or security.

Keeping accounts scattered not only creates additional paperwork, it can cost more when maintenance fees are assessed by multiple providers.

"Many investors are surprised to find that they are holding a variety of mutual funds with above-average expenses or paying more in fees by maintaining several smaller balance accounts," Carney said.

Managing and monitoring multiple accounts through numerous statements and Web sites can add increased layers of complexity for investors. In fact, nearly a quarter of those with multiple accounts reported trouble keeping track of them.

Las vegas top three land casinos

Las Vegas is synonymous with casino playing and sports betting. While the desert blooms on its outskirts, the lights of this betting mecca signal all who enter that this is not any other vacationionl spot. Who does not recognize the big neon cowboy called Vegas Vic waving to all visitors: "Come In Come In" at the entrance to the Pioneer Club.

But, let us suppose you have decided to go to Vegas and have no idea which casinos to go to play. There are so many that you might just go to the nearest one and miss out on some real and true excitement. That is why you must read this article.

Why Do you Want to Go to a Casino?

Interested in the spectacular sights? These are the top three not to miss:

1) The Venetian

Why go to Venice if you can take a gondola ride through street just like you would in Venice? This is a definate MUST and especially so if you are going with a mate. For singles, this is still a great experience because the place is huge and the ride entertaining.

2) Paris

Similar in theme to the Venetian, this casino makes you feel like you have visited Paris in France with the imposing Eiffel Tower looming down on you from above, you can even take a fast-moving ride and wizz through and by the towers and other spectacular palaces and gardens.

3) The Bellagio

No waterfall or water fountain I have seen is as spectacular and coloruful like the one sported at the Bellagio. Starting with blue and then changing from an orange to a fiery crimson tinge, I felt that the water has caught fire and I was witnessing something I had only read about: instant combustion.

More interested in playing a casino game than in sightseeing? Pick one of these three:

1) Excalibur

This is one of the most busiest corners of the entire globe. Their casino is the largest you will ever see and it addition it is not just a casino. Its designed in a medieval manor or palace kind of theme that makes you feel as if you have been jutted back in time. The tables are also easy to get a seat and the dealers are fair. Yes. The Excalibur is a great place to play your favourite casino games.

2) The Luxor

Why not enter ancient Egypt and place your bet as the age-old pharaohs look on? The casino hall at the Luxor is designed as the interior of the Great Pyramid in Egypt (actually it’s a lot better than the orignial one) and the betting floor is vast and encompassing of all games such as poker, craps, roulette, baccarat, blackjack and a large number of electronic slot machines.

3) The Hilton Casino Lounge

Amazing but true. The Hilton casino lounge supplies the best odds for sports and casino bets. Maybe it’s the fact that this is not one of the better known casinos in Las Vegas, or maybe its because its name is not synonymous with gambling, but in any case, if you are interested in pure card or slot gaming, this is the casino to go to.

Conclusion:

Las Vegas is one of the best locations for entertainment in the world and you can find all kinds of shows and theme parks there so you will not get bored no matter what you like. Relax, or take an active part in your trip. Learn more about casinos at gambling-portal. com because you will definitely enjoy your stay at Las Vegas.

Top 7 powerful linking techniques that rocket your website to the top

Webmasters put in a tremendous amount of effort to increase the Link Popularity and Page Rank of their Websites. To succeed in your efforts you have to find ways and means of getting the links the Search Engines love and not links which can even be detrimental to your very efforts to increase link popularity. In fact obtaining links from certain sites can even get your website penalized.

Once you know the links the Search Engines love and appreciate you can concentrate all your efforts to obtain those links. Let us see what these links are.

1. If you have unique content and excellent resources in your website, other websites will link to your site, thereby giving you a one-way inbound link which is much appreciated by the search engines. Search Engines and visitors also like fresh content so updating it regularly enhances the popularity of your site even further.

Again if the site linking to your site is relevant to your site and is of high PR, then the search engines will give high weightage to that link. So it is quality and not quantity that matters.

2. The craze today to increase link popularity is to write articles and submit them to Article Directories, Article Distributors and Article Banks. This is a great way to obtain one-way inbound links through your embedded link in the Resource Box of your article. These articles are again published by webmasters who are in the look out for good content to enhance the quality of their websites thus creating a viral effect. This is a great way to increase link popularity.

Good quality articles displaying your expertise have every possibility of being published by authoritative sites thereby giving a quality link and good traffic as well. To obtain the maximum benefit from these inbound links, you should ensure that wherever possible your link is an Anchor text with one of your keywords in it.

3. It is often been said in recent times that Reciprocal Linking is dead. This is not quite true. It is known that Search Engines do not appreciate reciprocal links if your site depends solely on reciprocal links. This is because search engines have found out that there are dubious methods of obtaining links to increase link popularity. Search Engines do appreciate reciprocal links if you exchange links with relevant quality websites. Rather than linking with several high ranking irrelevant websites, it is better to obtain reciprocal links from a few relevant sites of quality, which will indeed be valuable back links.

4. Search Engines recognize and do appreciate links from good quality Directories. Hence to increase link popularity and page rank, you have to submit your site to these directories. There are both free and paid submission directories.

There are also good secondary Search Engine friendly directories where you can list your site for free, by paying a fee or by providing a reciprocal link.

5. Another method of obtaining a One-way Inbound link is to offer to write testimonials of products you have successfully tested or used and requesting the vendor to allow you to have a link back from the testimonial to your website.

6. Writing and releasing press releases on a regular basis whenever there are new promotions or major changes in your business can also be a source of good links and traffic too.

7. Participating in Discussion Forums especially in your area of expertise and including your link in the signature; posting useful and interesting comments in Blogs along with your URL, are ways of obtaining one-way links that will increase link popularity.

Successful implementation of these techniques will bring you the rewards you have been dreaming of, such as a high page rank, a surge in traffic and a tremendous increase in sales that will leave your competitors behind.

San antonio vacation packages - what do they have to offer

San Antonio vacation packages have a tremendous amount to offer these days, with activities for adults, as well as the kids. Whether you want to soak in city’s rich history, enjoy the great restaurants and nightlife on the River Walk, or explore the rides at Six Flags Fiesta theme park, you should be able to find a San Antonio vacation package to meet your needs.

The Alamo is where many of San Antonio’s best vacation packages start. At the Alamo, only 189 defenders held their own against the 4,000 Mexican troops who invaded this gorgeous city for almost two weeks. These days, you can take guided tours of the Alamo or just explore it on your own. Brass plates outside of the Alamo recount its history if you don’t have the time or patience to peruse the grounds.

San Antonio vacation packages aren’t just about the history of this city. San Antonio is one of Texas’ premier entertainment destinations. From the European style cafes, to jam-packed nightclubs, there is plenty to see and do in this “urban masterpiece,” as experts often call the city. Before hitting the clubs on your San Antonio vacation package, you can take a quiet stroll down the River Walk, which meanders on for almost three miles. If you’re too full or lazy to walk, you can even jump aboard an open-aired boat that will take you for a cruise down the river and show you all that the “Disneyland-esque” River Walk has to offer.

If your kids are along for the trip, most San Antonio vacation packages offer plenty to keep them entertained. From the famed children’s museum to the numerous parks, there is plenty of space to let them run around and burn off their endless energy. Looking down from the Tower of the Americas (just outside of downtown) you’ll all be able see the entire city from 750 feet above the ground, and when they you’re done you can go down and hit some of the main attractions at Six Flags and Sea World (directly below).

In planning your trip, look for San Antonio vacation packages that offer a combination of action and relaxation. With all the time you’ll be spending on your feet, you’ll thank yourself for finding a nice and relaxing place to restore your energy.

Private sale fsbo property pricing

The property price dilemma

As a homeowner selling your home you are faced with a dilemma when setting the asking price for your property. Ask too much and you risk your property sitting on the market for months without attracting any offers. Ask too little and you lose out financially. Faced with this choice many homeowners set their asking price too high believing that they can always lower the price if the property doesn’t sell. However this can have disastrous consequences for the value of your home.

Setting the correct price is the most important part of selling your home. Whether selling your home FSBO or through a real estate agent it is vital to get the asking price right first time. Your aim is to sell your property in a reasonable amount of time and to get on with living your life, in order to do this you must set a realistic price.

Buyers know the real estate market

Buyers are often well researched when it comes to the current real estate market. Therefore if a property is overpriced, it simply won’t sell. As a homeowner you may well feel that a prospective buyer can always make you an offer but in many cases buyers will simply walk away. It is said that a reasonably priced property will attract reasonable offers but an excessively over priced property will attract no offers.

If a property is over priced and doesn’t sell it will sit on the market and will quickly become stale. Buyers will recognize the property as having been on the market for some time and assume that there must be something wrong with it; the property will have gained the reputation of being a lemon. If you overprice the house to test the market and then reduce the price later, it signals to buyers that the property was and may still be overpriced. Homes that are listed through real estate agents are particularly vulnerable as many agents give homeowners inflated valuations on their property to try and secure the listing. The owner is later conditioned by the agent to accept a lower offer that is often less than the true value of the property.

Factors affecting the price of your property

The amount of time that you have to sell your home will affect its sale price. Any property will sell if the price is low enough. If the real estate market is slow and you need to sell quickly you may have to accept a lower price to sell you property. By offering a property for sale at a lower price the pool of potential buyers is expanded as the property becomes attractive to real estate investors who either want to rent the property to tenants or renovate and sell at a profit. If you are not in a hurry to sell your property you can concentrate on appealing to homeowners rather than investors. Homeowners are less likely to be concerned about rental yield and profit margins and will pay more for a home that they fall in love with.

Some factors other than time that affect the price of a property are:

Location: You can’t get away from this one; the clichй location, location, location is well known because it is true. If your property is located in a desirable area that is in demand, you will be able to get a higher price than you can for the same house in a less desirable area.

Condition: A house that has been well maintained and can be moved into without the new owners having to undertake any major renovations will always sell for more than one that has been neglected and needs work.

Desirable amenities: If your house has popular amenities such as parks, schools and shops close by, it will sell for a higher price.

FSBO and property prices

As a FSBO homeowner you are in a fantastic position in that you can under cut your competition (properties listed with real estate agents) and still keep more of the equity in your pocket as you have no real estate agent’s fees to pay. However a significant number of FSBO owners erode their competitive advantage by asking the same or more than properties listed through an agent.

Opinion is divided as to whether buyers would rather buy direct from the owner or through an agent. Some people feel that buyers prefer to negotiate through an agent, as they can be more honest in their feedback, therefore if these buyers are to be enticed to consider FSBO properties they need a reduced price to attract them. Others feel that buyers would rather deal direct with owner rather than have to put up with the deceit and games played by some agents. Having dealt with many agents and FSBO owners I would rather deal direct any day.

Whether the prospective buyer prefers to deal direct or would rather be negotiating through an agent one thing is for certain. The buyer knows that the homeowner is saving a considerable amount through not having to pay commission and will expect the homeowner to share some of this saving with them.

Any sensible FSBO vendor will share the saved commission with the buyer by accepting a slightly lower price. The homeowner is still ahead in terms of the equity they have in their pocket and can move on and get on with their life in their new home. It is important to focus on selling your home not how much you can save.

How to determine the price of your property

In order to determine the price of your property it is necessary to compare your property to other homes that have sold in your neighbourhood. There are three ways that this can be done:

1. Online valuation service

These services compile reports based on historic sales data for a particular suburb or street. They are a useful overview and provide information quickly and easily but provide fairly high level information e. g. you may be able to find out the average house price in a street but may not know how many bedrooms the average house has.

2. A professional valuer

A professional valuation is the most accurate way to find out how much your property is worth. A valuation from a professional valuer is not the same as a valuation that you might get from a real estate agent. A professional valuer has no financial interest in your property and is legally responsible for their valuation. Banks will require a valuation from a professional valuer in order to issue a mortgage. Banks will not accept a valuation from a real estate agent, as they know that these are not reliable.

In order to value your home the valuer will visit the property to make measurements and assess the condition. They will then consider how your property compares to other properties that have sold in the local area.

3. Comparative market analysis

It is possible to conduct your own market analysis by comparing your home to others that have sold in the area. The key here is to compare to the selling price of other properties and not the asking price.

Find 4-5 houses similar to yours that sold in your area over the last 6 months. Ask agents or owners or use property records to find out what the properties listed and sold for. Keep an eye on newspaper property pages for examples of recent sales.

As no two homes are exactly the same it will be necessary to make adjustments for differences between your home and those in the comparison e. g. if the home in the comparison has a renovated bathroom and your property does not you will need to reduce the comparison price.

Setting the asking price for your property

It is difficult trying to subjectively value your home because of the emotional attachment that you have. This can lead you to over emphasise the property’s good points and to overlook any shortcomings. In order to get the most accurate valuation we would recommend investing in a professional valuation.

When setting the asking price it is important to remember that the only thing that is relevant is how much a buyer is prepared to pay for your home today. It does not matter how much you paid for your home five years ago, nor does it matter how much your new home is costing or how much you still owe on your mortgage. It is only your property’s value as determined by the current real estate market that is relevant.

You may however wish to include a small buffer to allow for some negotiating room. 5% more on the asking price will give enough room to negotiate but will not overprice the property so much that buyers are scared away.

How to maximise your equity

In order to maximise the amount of money that you end up with in your pocket we recommend using a professional valuer to determine the property value.

Once you have decided how much to sell your property for listing with a good FSBO website (also known as private sale) means you avoid paying commission to a real estate agent and can maximise the amount of equity you are left with.