In the game of selling homes, one has to be prepared to spend a bit of money to make a lot of money. So often people overlook amazingly simple things that could exponentially increase the selling value of a home. It takes a critical eye to be able to look at your home and think: “ok, what needs to go, what needs to stay, and what needs to be changed?” If you aren’t able to accurately gauge this, try asking your realtor for ideas or perhaps your friends will have some good ideas.

Start with the main rooms in your home, the living room for instance. Do you have a fireplace? If so, what kind of shape is it in? How about the mantle? These are two things that are sure to be noticed by any buyer so why not replace them with new items? Nothing lights up a room like a new fireplace and this can be a great selling point. Now what other items have already seen their best days? A good place to check is the floors. This is an often overlooked area as it is usually covered by furniture and rugs. Have you strategically placed furniture to hide wear spots, stains or scratches? Replacing the floors doesn’t have to be the e huge project that many people think it is. Laminate is one of the easiest floors to install and can be done in a relatively short time. Pristine flooring is a huge selling feature and can increase a homes value by quite a bit.

Of course there are the typical things that one would consider in trying to raise the value of their home such as painting the interior and exterior, replacing old, outdated fixtures. It’s truly amazing the difference that something as simple as changing the faucets and a few lights can make in a home. As you survey your home, try to pick out areas and things that your viewers may take issue with and see to it that they are dealt with. If you take the time and care to ensure your house is clean and ready to show, the benefits will follow.

Arow Blackdragon is a representative of ChicagoHomeEstates.com, the foremost source for Chicago real estate. For all your Chicago property needs, Chicago Home Estates has you covered.

Thinking of remodeling your home? It is a big decision, and one that should be researched thoroughly. Whether you seek to update the look of your kitchen, refurbish a bathroom or add on a new room to your home, it is important to research all potential contractors who bid on the job. A room addition or renovation is something you only want done one time, and it is necessary to be prepared to ask any potential worker questions about the job and what is involved.

Here are a few examples of questions one should consider asking when interviewing a home remodeling company:

1) Does my house really need an addition or remodeling? On the outset, it may appear your current home is too small to suit your needs. However, adding a whole new room may not necessary. It may be possible to turn an outside patio or carport into an annex rather than pour a new pad for a floor. Most contractors offer free estimates, so take the time to inquire about what is feasible regarding your home project.

2) Do you contract workers or keep workers on staff? It may not make a difference to some homeowners, but it is always good to know how many workers are expected to handle your project, as well as their employment status.

3) What payment plans do you offer? While many home contractors offer free estimates, payment plans can vary. Some may offer a variety of financing programs, so be sure to ask. Also, if you need a handicap accessible project, there may be special provisions involved that can work to your benefit.

Armed with the knowledge you need about your home improvement project, you will be able to make a sound decision when you hire a contractor to work on your house.

Larry Marlin is co-owner of Chesapeake Remodel, specializing in Virginia Beach home renovation. Chesapeake Remodel offers quality bathroom and kitchen remodeling in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and all of Hampton Roads.

The current crisis in our pet food supply has many of us looking for homemade dog food recipes for our beloved pets. I have been cooking for our dog for many years and find that he likes mostly the same foods that we do. Each animal has his own preferences, just like we do. For instance, our Oscar will not eat tomatoes, but Bonnie loves them. Use these recipes as a starting place for homemade dog food recipes. Then, as you discover your pets preferences you can customize them more. One caution: you should not serve onion or chocolate to dogs as they contain substances that can be toxic to dogs.

Some veterinarians prefer raw meat for our pets. I prefer to cook the meat because of concerns over E Coli and other bacterial contamination. If you wish to use raw meat, do not use ground meat. The grinding process increases the possibility of contamination by providing more surface area for the bacteria to grow.

Canine Meat and Grain Menu

2 cups cooked brown rice
2/3 cup Lean beef
2 teaspoons lard — or veggie oil
1/2 cup vegetables — no onion*

Mix all together. You can serve the beef raw if you use chunks of beef. Do not serve ground beef raw, the grinding process increases the chances of bacterial contamination. Use any vegetables you like. You will find over time that your dog will leave any vegetables he does not like. Mix the above. Serve slightly warm, but not hot.

Chow Chow Chicken

You must remove the meat from the bones in this recipe. Chicken bones can easily splinter and cause choking problems in dogs.

2 chicken thighs — or white meat
1 stalk celery — sliced thick
3 carrot — peeled and halved
2 small potatoes — peeled and cubed
2 cups rice — uncooked

Place chicken pieces in large pot. Cover with cold water (5 -6 cups). Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to water. Add salt to taste if you want. Cover and simmer on low heat about 2 hours until the chicken becomes tender. Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove soup from heat. Pull the chicken meat off the bone ( it will practically fall off), discard bones. Return shredded pieces to pot. Stir well. Let cool. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

Meaty Dog Biscuits

Use beef, chicken or lamb strained baby food for these biscuits.

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 to 10 tablespoons water
2 jars baby food meat, strained

Mix all ingredients together and knead for 3 min. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a dog bone shaped cookie cutter, and place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 min.

Makes approximately 2 dozen doggie biscuits

Bacon Bites for Dogs

6 slices cooked bacon — crumbled
4 eggs — well beaten
1/8 cup bacon grease
1 cup water
1/2 cup powdered milk — non-fat
2 cup graham flour
2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup cornmeal

Mix ingredients with a strong spoon; drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cookies on baking sheet in the oven overnight to dry out.

Ace’s Favorite Cheesy Dog Biscuits

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 pound margarine — corn oil
1 clove garlic — crushed
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup Milk — or as needed

Grate the cheese into a bowl and let stand until it reaches room temperature. Cream the cheese with the softened margarine, garlic, salt and flour. Add enough milk to form into a ball.

Chill for 1/2 hour. Roll onto floured board. Cut into shapes and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until slightly brown, and firm.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen, depending on size.

I hope that these free dog food recipes will inspire you to cook safe and healthy food for your pet.

Do you need more free dog or cat food recipes? Download our free collection of dog and cat foods at Free Dog and Cat Food Recipes. and instantly download the ebooks.

Are you interested in traditional southern cooking? Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

Recently, I’ve had several calls to my office about Garnishment of Wages, so perhaps a short article is in order. Wage Garnishment is a legal procedure in which a person’s earnings are required by court order to be withheld by an employer for the payment of a debt. The key to the preceding statement is the term “court order”. A garnishment of wages cannot occur without a judge agreeing to the garnishment. This means that some type of court action must occur. The creditor cannot merely attach or garnish your account without due process of law.

In Pennsylvania, where I practice law, a Garnishment of Wages can occur only under limited circumstances. The most prevalent circumstance is for an obligation of child or spousal support. Garnishment is usually very easy to procure under those types of matters. Other circumstances where garnishment of wages can occur include repayment of PHEAA student loans, room and board for four weeks or less and obligations relating to a final divorce distribution. In PA, these are just about the only instances when your wages can be garnished while they are in the hands of your employer.

Many of the inquiries that I receive at my office are regarding credit card collections and garnishment of wages. Except under very limited or special circumstances, in Pennsylvania, an ordinary creditor cannot garnish your wages on a Pennsylvania case. This does not mean that the money that you earn cannot ever be garnished. There is a distinction here that must be made. Once the money is earned and deposited into your bank account, the monies are no longer wages. Those funds become part of the corpus of your bank account and are subject to garnishment. If a creditor is privy to your banking information AND if they have obtained a judgment against you, they will be able to garnish the funds in your bank account, even if those funds were at one time wages. This type of “regular” garnishment does not require a court order, but instead requires the creditor to obtain a judgment against you in a court of law. After a judgment is obtained, a creditor can commence garnishment proceedings by applying for a Writ of Execution. The Writ of Execution is delivered to your bank and your accounts are then frozen.

Greg Artim is an Attorney based in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. For more information on related legal issues, please visit his website at http://www.gregartim.com

As our planet continues to take more and more of a beating, there has been a real emergence of building environmentally conscious housing. In years past homes were constructed with materials that were not only damaging to the environment but as we eventually discovered, harmful to us as well. Prime examples of this were the use of things like lead based paint and piping and asbestos. These materials have caused an amazing amount of damage to the planet and to people’s health.

Today the concept of constructing homes that are considerate to the planet has become more than an idea, it has become an absolute necessity. The focus of this movement is the construction of homes using recycled and renewable resources. It also focuses on clean power sources. These power sources have little to no negative impact on the environment as they harness the power of sun (solar power) and aim to reduce the amount of electrical and gas power needed to keep the home comfortable. Another great idea that is helping the environment is designing homes with efficient drainage which assists in the replenishing of ground water resources.

Homes that are properly insulated require far less electricity to heat. The end result of this kind of building philosophy is that it will cost less for the owner to heat and maintain. However the most desirable result of these type of homes and policies is the reduced impact that construction is having on the environment and the planet. With the population on the rise and industry on the rise too, we as residents of this planet need to do everything in our power to ensure the safety and longevity of our habitat.

Arow Blackdragon is a representative of ChicagoHomeEstates.com, the foremost source for Chicago real estate. For all your Chicago property needs, Chicago Home Estates has you covered.

It is easy to become overwhelmed when planning the layout of a new restaurant. No two restaurants are the same. The type of clientele, the design of the building and the intended atmosphere can all influence the choice of layout. There are some basic fundamentals, however, which should be followed when planning a layout.

First, do not underestimate the importance of layout. Layout is one area which is frequently discussed in restaurant reviews. Not only is important to the diners at a restaurant, but it is important to the overall operations. If there is not adequate room for the servers to move in, the promptness of the meals can be impacted. On the other hand, there needs to be plenty of seating so that waits are minimized. A good layout can dramatically improve the revenue of an establishment, while a bad layout could have a strong negative impact.

Next, the restaurant should be set up to encourage people to visit the area in which the most money can be made. This will depend on the type of restaurant. Some restaurants gain a large amount of revenue from the bar. Others earn mostly from their seated food purchases. The goal is to move customers from the door to the areas which they will spend the most money. An effective layout allows this to happen without impacting service. There should never be a time where the aisles or walkways become crowded. A good way to handle congestion is to set up several areas in which customers can spend money. This allows you to maximize your space and earn the most revenue without compromising on atmosphere. Remember to allow diners approximately twelve square feet per person. Tables which are appropriate for large or small groups are preferred over rearranging and combining smaller tables.

Besides the main dining and bar areas, attention must be given to several other key areas. The customer service area in the front of the restaurant should be inviting. Simple is best in this area as you do not want it to detract from the flow of the rest of the restaurant. The waiting area should be comfortable and large enough to handle peak wait times. You do not want a large number of people gathered by the front door with nowhere to go. If possible, place the bar area near the front door so that it can also serve as a waiting area. In the kitchen, efficiency is key. An assembly line style layout often works the best. The less cluttered this area is the better. Make sure that your layout complies with all health department regulations.

If your budget can afford it, it is often best to hire an interior designer who has experience working with restaurants. They can often determine the best layout for the particular space. Do not be afraid to adjust your layout if you find that something is not working smoothly. Sometimes a small adjustment is all that is needed in order to increase efficiency and revenue.

From restaurant chairs, cafe chairs, to break room chairs…Mill Brook Industries has a variety of colours, styles and materials to choose from for all your seating needs!

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The Monterrey Consensus, in addition to framing commitments for increased ODA, “codified” the call for development effectiveness. This call was reinforced in July 2002, when donors to the Bank’s International Development Association (IDA)—the world’s primary source of concessional (near-zero-interest) finance for development in the low-income countries—made replenishment contingent on the establishment of a results-based measurement system for IDA programs. IDA provides assistance to the world’s 82 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. It is the single largest source of donor funds for basic social services in the poorest countries.

Donors agreed in March 2005 to a 14 th replenishment of IDA worth $33 million in new resources over three years. Now the 15 th replenishment of IDA is on the horizon, with donors expected to decide on contributions for the next three-year cycle by December 2007. IDA is at a watershed, in part because of debt relief contributions– IDA is providing $54 billion in debt reliefto poor countries: $18 billionunder the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and $36 billion under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI).This represents one third of IDA’s total resources and it lowers available credit reflows. Without additional resources, IDA would need to cut its financial support for poor countries currently benefiting from debt relief. For this reason, a generous replenishment of IDA is crucial.

Through its leadership on harmonization and alignment, IDA also leverages the assistance of other donors in support of country-owned programs and projects. These efforts are forging stronger partnerships between aid providers and recipient countries.

Given its unique capabilities and its track-record, IDA serves as a cornerstone of the international aid system in many poor countries. IDA’s platform ensures that aid is less fragmented, more predictable, and increasingly results-focused, which is fundamental to countries seeking to achieve the MDGs.

Harmonization, the Results Agenda and the Bank’s role

Central to the international community’s more unified approach is a concerted focus on development results.

The Third Roundtable on Managing for Development, held in Hanoi in February 2007 and involving the World Bank and a range of other donors, built on the findings of the 2004 Marrakech Second Roundtable on Better Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing for Development Results. The Hanoi meeting enabled delegations from selected developing countries to compare their experiences and to initiate a country action planning process, with targets for steps to be completed in advance of the Ghana High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held in September 2008. The Hanoi Roundtable provided compelling evidence that country partners are eager to improve the effectiveness of development assistance and domestic resources by strengthening systems to enable information on expected and actual results to be used in decision making.

The inter-agency Common Performance Assessment System, or COMPAS initiative is developing common systems that all multilateral development banks can use to monitor their results orientation. Its 2006 report found that: efforts to implement country strategies are still weak in some cases; that performance based grants are on the rise; that efforts to apply operational lessons of experience are not systematic enough and that multilateral development banks are starting to link salary increases of staff to the accomplishment of agreed objectives.

Emmanuel Ayomide Praise is a world leading internet entreprenuer and investor. Some of his areas of interest include sport management,merchandise,ownership,internet entreprenuership,investments, media and writing amongst others.
Business URL: http://www.emmapraise.blogspot.com,

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If you’re doing a great job acquiring and retaining customers—congratulations. It’s not easy and doesn’t always come cheap. On average, it costs four times as much to find a new customer as it does to keep an existing one.

But what kind of job are you doing attracting and retaining top-notch, experienced talent?

If estimates are correct and two-thirds of employee hiring decisions may be hiring mistakes, how much is it worth to you to hire the right person the first time? How much does it cost when you hire the wrong person?

“The most valuable assets of most high tech firms (i.e., people) go home at night—or perhaps early in the morning in the case of software developers. As the company grows you have to fight the decreasing quality problem—i.e., the Founders (all “10s”) hire the second wave of employees (who are mostly “9s”), who hire others (“8s” or below) until the company is full of mediocre people who drag the whole place down.” This observation by Joseph Hadzima, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Global MIT Enterprise Forum, and senior lecturer at its Entrepreneurship Center in an article in the Boston Business Journal.

So How Do You Find Great People?

A tight talent supply and strong demand is making it harder to find good people. And technology firms aren’t the only ones having trouble. If you’re a principal or an executive of a multichannel business, you probably know some quality people from other jobs and companies. Maybe you can get referrals—from your accountants, lawyers, or even by networking the industry. But this will only get you so far. Internet job and resume sites? According to recent surveys, they’re not delivering the goods either. Eventually you’ll need to make a classic “make or buy” decision—either you commit to an active internal recruiting program or you hire a pro.

Do It Yourself

The benefit: The benefit of the “do-it-yourself” option is that you may save short-term cash by not having to pay a professional.

The risk: The negatives are great: Will you devote the time to recruiting or will you put it off to deal with short-term problems and operating demands?

The unknown: Do you have the knowledge and contacts to do a really good job? Do you know how to effectively interview, evaluate and assess candidates? Thoroughly check references and background? Structure and properly present an offer? Handle a counter-offer? Deal with relocation issues and a reluctant spouse?

Hire A Pro

The “hire-the pro” option will cost you money in the short run, but it may pay off long term. By exposing you to a universe of candidates you may not likely see on your own and ultimately getting you the best talent, you’ll be able to focus on your core strengths. There are a number of types of professionals and the choice depends on your recruiting needs

Retained Search

Generally preferred—and sometimes more expensive—retained searches are used to hire CEOs, presidents, VPs, and other top-level senior executives where there are fewer qualified candidates. The critical nature of the position and confidentiality may also be key factors.

This kind of search firm is more consultative. They will probably spend a day at your facility, studying your operation, talking to your key people, and working closely with you to scope out what you really need by getting an understanding of your culture, business, plans, and strategy.

The retained firm will develop a search strategy in consultation with you, including a target list of organizations and people to review in advance, avoiding potential conflicts; and, they will create detailed job specifications and marketing materials.

The firm actively manages the process: talking to, meeting with, evaluating and assessing potential candidates—including psychometric testing—identifying candidate shortlist, arranging interviews, providing frequent status reports, in-depth reference and background checking, and assisting in negotiations, hiring, and ensuring follow through.

How to choose? As with any service provider, you need to ask people you trust who know the players. The knowledge and experience of the search firm in your business is important as well as the chemistry between you and the search consultant.

Contingency Search

Contingency recruiters are usually used for mid-level and multiple position searches and are more “transaction-oriented.” Unlike retained search firms, you pay only when the firm delivers someone you hire, but the fees are often no less than retained searches: 25% to 35% of the individual’s first year total cash compensation.

You generally won’t get as high a level of service from a contingency recruiter. Count on receiving a lot of resumes, often from individuals the firm has not met. Your competitors and other companies may also be getting the same resumes. And, you may have to do a lot of the work yourself, sorting through resumes to find the right person. Although some contingency firms will cold call to identify candidates, in many cases the resumes you receive will be for people who are looking to leave their jobs or who are out of work. This is not necessarily bad—you just have to factor it into your decision.

Assisted Do It Yourself

You may not have to make a total “make or buy” decision. Do some of it yourself and bring in expertise for particular areas. For example;

Contract Recruiters.
For about $65 to $100 per hour (or depending where you are), contract recruiters will assist you in running an in-house recruiting operation. They may come in one day a week and work with your staff in defining position specs and organizing the process. A typical engagement might include an immediate need for a large number of people.

Researchers.
For about $75 to $100 per hour (or depending where you are), a researcher will identify potential candidates at other companies and may do reference and background checks.

Advertising.
The traditional “help wanted” ad works for the right jobs. There are numerous general and business media, industry trade publications and websites you can consider. Expect to pay a few thousand dollars or more for job listings. (Recent surveys suggest that help wanted ads on the Internet have not been effective).

You may also want to consider using a recruitment ad agency that knows the media and specializes in creating effective classified ads. They will be seen, but only by some people, and only on the given day your ad is run.

Businesses large and small agree, the most available people answer help wanted ads, the best qualified have to be recruited.

Les Gore is founder and managing partner of Executive Search International, a Boston-based, nationally recognized search firm and a 24-year veteran of the “recruiting wars.” http://www.execsearchintl.com

Through my research and from my personal experience, I have learned that the first thing to be done in trying to sell anything is to sell you.

Your prospect has to buy you first in order to buy anything from you. This doesn’t mean that you need to become best friends with them before they purchase; it simply means that they need to respect and trust your judgment and guidance.

As you have heard before, first impressions are crucial when meeting people. After all, there is no 2nd chance to make a 1st impression. Therefore your initial greeting needs to be a good one.

Take notice when people pull up to your office. Prepare yourself in the few seconds you have from the time they get out of the car to open your sales office door. Successful sales people rise from the chair in their office and walk over to them and shake their prospects hand. Give them a firm handshake and say something like this, “Welcome to (name of your community), I’m (Your Name)”. Look them in the eyes when doing this. Do not do this in a creepy space invading way, but rather in a professional space respecting way. This means to stand upright at your arms length with a smile on your face.

Follow this up with a pleasant icebreaker question like, “How are you doing today”, “How is your home shopping going”, “Is this your first stop today”, or make a lighthearted comment about something to build rapport. You get the point. Focus on something rather then jumping right into your sales presentation. When you jump directly into your presentation, you are sending the message that you don’t care about them.

In the few seconds you have before they walk in the door and the few minutes your greeting takes, find some common ground. Perhaps it is a logo shirt they are wearing or their children. It doesn’t really matter what it is, but be observant and find something and comment on it. This will take you from being a “Cold Sales Person”, to a “Warm Caring Person”. Keep in mind that people love to talk about themselves and their children. These are two great areas to try and establish rapport with them.

After the greeting, and you are in the good graces of your prospect, you are essentially on easy street. At this point, become a conversational consultant rather then a feature pointing sales person. It is excellent to point out features and benefits of your homes, but when it has no bearing or it does not relate to what your prospect wants, it has no positive effect.

Curt Fletcher, is the author of several books about increasing your likability, selling homes, creating success, and improving your life. His goal is to help people gain confidence in their own abilities and maximize their full potential in creating success, wealth and happiness. To book Curt for a meeting, conference, or event, contact Curt Fletcher Success Strategies via email curt@thelikeabilityguy.com

http://www.thelikeabilityguy.com/

I am there for you after a long day at work. I am there for you on the weekends, when all you want to do is plop yourself down and let the television wash over you. I am there for you when you rent a DVD to help turn your living room into the most comfortable theater around. I am even there for husbands who are unexpectedly expelled from the comfort of their beds by an angry wife. I’m your sofa, and I’m always there for you. I’m probably the most underappreciated piece of furniture most of you own, yet also the most used. I am as reliable as a best friend and as consistent as the sunrise.

Choosing a new sofa can be as agonizing as choosing a new car. What kind of upholstery do I want? What color? Any special features? Am I going to like it a year from now, how about five years? Once I’m brought home and put in my assigned place, though, I’m all but forgotten. I become a fixture in your living room almost instantaneously, effortlessly blending in with my surroundings like a chameleon. I can eventually become an unofficial member of a family, a step below the dog and cat, but definitely above the goldfish.

I silently and steadfastly endure a ton of abuse. From spills to crumbs to pet hair, and anything else you can imagine, I sit there and take it. Scotch Guard or no, I do my best to repel every wine and soda spill and of course, every leaky diaper. I’m also often vilified for doing nothing more than keeping valuables safe and sound. You accuse me of “eating” items such as earrings, loose change, and, of course, remote controls. This is a definite misnomer as I get plenty of nourishment from the aforementioned food and drink spills. What’s happening here is I’m simply holding on to these items for you until you need them. Kind of like the safety deposit box you never knew about.

I require no thanks or fanfare for my loyalty and dependability. All I ask is that you try not to sit on my arms and that you please change any diapers on the carpet. You could probably mix in a salad and skip dessert every now and again too. That’s just me looking out for your health, though. Also, please don’t send me away to your teenager’s apartment when you’re done with me. I deserve a more dignified retirement than that; I’ll take my chances at the Goodwill.

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