RE/MAX Agents Share Ten Ways to Get the Best of Winter When Selling Your Home

If your home will be for sale this winter, it is important to master certain seasonal issues that are less significant or even non-existent at other times of the year. Here are 10 bits of sage advice from RE/MAX agents that can help put a “Sold” sticker on that yard sign.

Let Those Lights Shine: The best way to combat winter’s short and frequently cloudy days is to turn on your house lights. For a showing, every single light in the house must be on, even in the closets and utility/mechanical rooms, according to Marlene Granacki of RE/MAX Exclusive Properties, Chicago.

“Make sure all the bulbs are working, and stock up on all the right bulbs for lamps and fixtures so burned out bulbs can be replaced immediately,Add this code to your blog and always know when and where plasticcardding.” she advises. “Also, it’s a great idea to keep the lights on in the front of the house even if no showings are scheduled. People are always driving past the house, and keeping it lighted makes it look happy and welcoming.Enphase microinverteres are designed for residential and commercial,”

Provide Convenient Parking: It’s vital that buyers have a convenient place to park.Download quicksilver for Mac - Application launcher and much more. They won’t want to walk very far in cold weather or be forced to climb over a snow bank to exit their vehicle. Because parking is often more restricted around condominiums,Credit is not an issue with our offshoremerchantaccounts. sellers should make sure their agent can pass along parking details to buyers.

Make It Easy to Enter: Winter showings can get off to an awkward start if prospective buyers arrive with snow or salt on their shoes.

“Make it easy for buyers to deal with their shoes when they arrive,” recommends Barbara Hibnick of RE/MAX Showcase, Long Grove, Ill. “Put a festive area rug at the front door for a great first impression and so visitors can wipe their feet. Have slippers or disposable booties available, along with a bench or chair, if there is room for one, where a visitor can sit and easily remove or put on their boots.”

Keep Odors Under Control: Any home tends to be stuffy in winter when windows are opened rarely. That can allow odors to build up, which can be a turn-off to buyers.

“Pet odors can be especially worrisome in winter,” says Mike Mondello of RE/MAX Synergy in Orland Park, Ill. “Use a room fragrance if needed, but nothing too strong, and I recommend that in winter sellers clean more often.” For example, change the cat litter daily, rather than every third or fourth day, or even consider using an air purifier.

If pets are in the house, consider setting the thermostat control so that the furnace fan runs constantly during the day to keep air moving through the house and dissipate odors. Also try to avoid strong cooking odors, especially if a showing is scheduled that day.

Cultivate a Festive Look: Appropriate decorations for Thanksgiving, Christmas and even St. Valentine’s Day help give a home a cheerful look during the winter months.

“I really believe that holiday decorations can help homes sell, but don’t go to excess,” suggests Starr Zook of RE/MAX On Track in Aledo, Ill. “Keeping small, decorative white lights on trees and bushes pretty much through the winter season is fine, but other decorations should be taken down quickly once the holiday passes.”

Don’t Ignore the Outdoors: Make a good first impression on buyers with a neatly maintained yard. Walks and steps should be kept clear, especially of snow and ice.

Don’t Roast Buyers: We all tend to prefer a specific temperature for our homes during the winter, but don’t blast buyers with hot air. Keep the temperature at a comfortable 65 degrees for all showings. Remember, buyers are likely to be wearing their coats even as they walk through the house.

Keep Seasonal Clothing under Control: “One major challenge of selling a home during the winter months is the overabundance of cold weather gear that must be stored,” says Mike Mondello.Get designer beddings comforter sets, modern comforter sets, “A buyer doesn’t want to find the mudroom filled with boots or the hall closet overflowing with heavy coats. Shift some winter coats to another closet and put anything not needed in the closet into storage.”

Encourage Day Time Showings: A home shows to its best advantage during daylight hours, which are relatively scarce in winter.

“Encourage your agent to show your home before 3 p.m. and have it ready to show by 9 a.m. if you want the best results,” Granacki recommends.

Despite the special challenges of marketing a home during winter, there also are benefits, notes Laura Ortoleva, a spokesperson for the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network.

“Buyers out looking at homes in December or January are, as a group, quite serious about buying. Therefore, sellers tend to benefit because each showing is more productive, and fewer showings are needed to sell the property,” she said.

An artist with real public concerns considers a new generation

Chinese painter Shi Zidong believes that artists can reflect real public concerns and inspire people to think.

In one of his sculptural installations, for instance, a young man lowers his head and meditates. Strips of newspapers swirl around him, including an old photo of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, with a headline saying, "Why Marx is Right", a report about a Chinese businessman who paid 1.25 million yuan ($193,Get designer beddings comforter sets, modern comforter sets,250) for a bottle of whisky, and an advertisement for cosmetic surgery.

"I collected the newspaper clippings at the beginning of October. They epitomize readers' interests," the 49-year-old Shi says.

"Something is wrong," he says, pointing at the advertisement. "You may find it hard to understand why most of the customers are young and good-looking girls.Download quicksilver for Mac - Application launcher and much more. They want to change into somebody else because they want to be more beautiful."

Shi thinks that people are surrounded by information, but there is a paucity of values.

"The result is we desire more and more," he says, "It is very dangerous, so I painted this sculpture yellow to warn people about the problems caused by a blooming economy."

This is one of the four installations Shi made for the 100th anniversary of the 1911 Revolution, which put an end to more than 2,000 years of feudal rule in China. Shi's intention was to trace changing mainstream social values in China over the past century.

Shi's exhibition began in October and has been held in Dalian, Liaoning province, and Beijing. It will also be shown in Paris.

Who Am I? A Close Scrutiny on the Chinese Cultural Values after 1978, exhibits nearly 200 of Shi's works, including the New Citizens series of sculpture installations and his oil painting, Wildflowers and Roses, that won the Carrousel du Louvre Salon 2010 prize.

"Shi's exhibition reflects his creative progress and exemplifies the history of the artistic styles of contemporary Chinese oil paintings,Credit is not an issue with our offshoremerchantaccounts." says Daozi, an Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University professor.

"In recent years, Shi has been trying to construct a unique style of artistic spirituality. His New Citizens series, which combines painting, sculpture, photography, textile art, diary and fragmented texts, encode both aesthetic purity and cultural criticism."

Shi, meanwhile, says the computer and Internet have revolutionized the way we understand the world. Young people, he thinks, know more and claim more rights than previous generations.Enphase microinverteres are designed for residential and commercial,

Shi says his work is for the new generation and often features youths gazing, or appearing to think.

"The majority can't do much when it comes to problems such as pollution and excessive consumption of resources," he says. "But the gaze is a kind of concern. It might be the start for a new solution."

Born in Heilongjiang province,Add this code to your blog and always know when and where plasticcardding. 1962, Shi started studying oil painting when he was 16.

Yang Feiyun, dean of the Oil Painting School at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, who instructed Shi in 1993, says he has a talent for painting.

"He is capable of drawing a unique artistic context and structure from various natural objects and making his paintings full of brightness and beauty," he says.

Shi is dean of the International Art and Design School at Dalian University of Foreign Languages.

"When I was young, I thought artists had no obligation other than to strive for beauty. With time and added experience, I consciously ... tried to reflect social problems," he says.

"A conscientious artist can create works not only for decoration but also to contribute to social changes."

Getting your travel agency online and beyond

The Asia-Pacific region remains the dominant audience of the Internet with 43% of users residing in Asia, with online penetration expected to increase by 30 per cent by 20151 and will be critical in the global Internet competition. According to a ComScore2 report, the greater adoption of broadband and increasing web penetration in both emerging and developed Asian markets will continue drive additional consumption.

Today’s travel agents are highly aware that they need to be online to remain competitive and capture tech-savvy customers.

Getting online is easy! Simply acquire a domain name, create a website, upload pictures and information, and you officially have an online presence. To enable your agency business to thrive, however, requires more than just registering a domain name.

In this e-guide, we provide easy-to-implement methods that will help you better manage your online presence but also generate revenue and give your business the competitive edge.

It is a common mistake to underestimate the importance of good web design. An effective web design goes beyond fanciful video animation or music enablement. To fully communicate and connect with your consumers, your website must first provide relevant information, and second, allow for easy navigation.

A web article3 authored by Dr. Jakob Nielsen, an advocate for making the Internet easier to use, provides some tips to avoid common mistakes made when designing websites.

Web users are usually goal-driven in their navigation when they go online. They know what they are looking for and tend to ignore flashy advertisements or irrelevant content. To prevent your website from looking like an advertisement, limit the number of banners on a page and avoid having too much blinking, flashing text or other aggressive animations.It has downgraded price targets for David Jones honeycombpanelsbest , officials say.you may be climbing over replicawatchesnewyork . Users almost never fixate their eyes on anything that resembles a banner ad.

Another common mistake made is pop-ups. Pop-ups may seem attention-grabbing. However, they are also viewed as an annoyance by users. It is common for users to close pop-up windows even before they are fully opened.

Links make up a user’s navigation process. By having links that change colour when clicked, users can easily track which pages they have visited and helps them avoid revisiting the same pages again.Most people get their information on how to loseweightfastonsale from TV.

Should the visited links remain the same colour, users may experience navigational disorientation and unintentionally revisit the same pages repeatedly causing frustration.There are 19 polishedtiles available,

CSS style sheets, despite making web design an easier process, unfortunately disables a Web browser's "change font size" button. If the fixed font size is too small, readability will be reduced significantly. It is important to give users the ability to resize text as needed. If that is not possible, especially when using CSS style sheets, do specify font sizes in relative terms — not as an absolute number of pixels.

All users are your potential customers so be sure to list the prices of your products and services. Price is the most specific piece of information and not providing it reduces customers’ understanding of your product line. Knowing the price is a key factor in both situations; it lets users differentiate among products and allows them to click through to the most relevant ones.

Users are highly goal-driven on the Web. Provide as much product detail as possible. You may lose a potential sale if the user cannot find the information they need as they may assume that your product does not meet their needs.
Include a page on frequently asked questions and a contact link for users to contact you with any specific requests or questions. Be sure to respond to each user’s questions in the shortest time possible.

Should you receive comments or feedback via your contact link, do provide your response in a fair and honest manner. Please refer to section 6 of this eGuide which highlights the importance of being transparent about customers’ feedback in order to build trust and win your customers’ hearts.

With the Edgar, Dunn & Company’s forecast4 of global advanced payment at US$1,842 billion by 2015, it is essential to establish a payment gateway for your online business. An advanced payment is when a customer confirms the booking of travel details, such as air tickets and/or hotel room nights and is prepared to make payment via the Internet.

As the explosion of e-commence in the Internet space drives a multitude of new and innovative developments in the area of online payments, you should be prepared to form a strategic partnership with an online payment vendor to help you remain competitive.

Building the right partnership with an appropriate payment vendor is highly critical to any online business. The payment partner needs to work with you to ensure that not only your business objectives are achieved but also to meet your service expectations. Some key aspects to consider when selecting a suitable online payment vendor are:

The vendor’s service quality has to be delivered at global industry practice levels, with a business continuity plan and commitment to invest in research and development of new, innovative payment technologies in supporting world payment systems.

When planning for business expansion, your vendor needs to be able to grow with you and support large volumes of transactions as well as provide reliable, responsive services during peak periods. There must be adequate flexibility for the implementation of future enhancements.

The vendor must have in place an effective fraud management system with card scheme verification tools and fraud checks coupled with the possibility to integrate with third-party fraud services for total risk management and prevention.

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e) Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification

The vendor must be listed as a certified PCI DSS provider. PCI DSS is an industry compliance standard which prevents the loss of sensitive data from the lack of unsecured network systems.Ventilation fans are the workhorses of thesepanasonicventilationsystem, This then ensures the security of consumer payment information.

According to a report by First Data Corporation5, one of the world’s largest providers of merchant processing services, nearly 9 percent of online sales are lost annually due to consumers’ security concerns about online purchases.

Lost sales may also be the result of suspicious-looking transactions that are declined but are actually legitimate. If your online customers’ legitimate transactions are declined on your web site, they often eventually complete their purchase on a competing site – and may never return to yours.

Art classes feature area pottery heritage

Art classes at Ohio University-Zanesville are offered for college credit, but students gain more than credit. Whether it is a creative outlet, a desire to learn a new skill or a stress reliever, Maddy Fraioli encourages her students to embrace the experience.

Caitlynn Melick, a sophomore at OUZ said,Reliable favoritebeddinges sofa-bed is practical and comfortable round the clock. "The most rewarding experience is the calming effect of working with the clay."

Mike Sims, who teaches geography, finds the class allows him to express himself.It has downgraded price targets for David Jones honeycombpanelsbest , officials say.you may be climbing over replicawatchesnewyork .

"This class fosters a broad experience and exposure other than those that are required," he said. "Ms.There are 19 polishedtiles available, Fraioli allows us to create and experiment with the clay, but is quick to assist and help us improve our work."

Fraioli, who brings years of experience in the ceramic industry, as an artist and educator, said she missed the interaction with students and wanted to continue to contribute to her community in a meaningful way. She blends art, science and the history of tiles along with her own passion for the art as she teaches her students.

"Sharing what I know best is rewarding in many ways,Most people get their information on how to loseweightfastonsale from TV." said Fraioli. "I had not thrown pots in over 20 years and it's wonderful to rediscover my joy of throwing work while encouraging my students to explore their own creativity."

Building on her experience and having a desire to have students engage with ceramic history, she includes hands-on experience, research and field trips so her students have a holistic view of the art. "The tile assignment the students do links to the industrial ceramic history in Muskingum County as both Mosaic and American Encaustic Tile were made here in Zanesville," she said.

The students also have the opportunity to visit one of the last remaining industrial potteries in the Zanesville community, Hartstone Pottery,Ventilation fans are the workhorses of thesepanasonicventilationsystem, during the course. Additionally, they make face jugs based on the Southern Pottery tradition and have several weeks to pursue their own independent interests.

Student Lakin Hatfield said, "The class encouraged me to take the initiative and make my ideas into reality."

Fraioli invites the students to her own home studio, Rosehill Designs, and encourages them to attend art shows and festivals where they have the opportunity to see the work of studio potters.

"It was rewarding exploring different cultural influences on ceramics and getting to add my personal ideas to the projects," said Hatfield.

Fraioli will offer two levels of art during winter term to allow students to either begin to or continue to explore their artistic spirit.

Ribble Valley artist Ramsay Gibb's brush with the pilgrims

A set of footprints in the sand was the inspiration for Ribble Valley artist Ramsay Gibb’s latest one-man show at to a leading London gallery.

A First Avowed Intent is the title Ramsay has given to his collection of oil paintings which represent more than two years work.

Currently on display in the Francis Kyle Gallery in London’s West End, the paintings are a record of some of the historic pilgrimage routes which have attracted the faithful for centuries.

Based in Slaidburn, Ramsay has a growing reputation for his atmospheric canvasses.

Having studied art at first Bolton College and then Brighton College of Art, Ramsay first worked as an illustrator before becoming an artist full-time.

“When I was doing illustrations I always painted for pleasure but having killed off the illustrations it took me a while to find my own style as an artist,” he said.

“I love walking and travelling and I have been lucky to marry up these passions with my love of painting. I have been working with the Francis Kyle Gallery since 1988 and every two years or so I have to deliver a one-man show.

“I start off with a few initial ideas but things usually develop.

"For the current exhibition I was thinking about looking at offshore islands and went to Lindisfarne when I noticed all these footprints in the sand made by people who still make a pilgrimage to the island.Shop for airpurifiertarget at Target,

“It made me think about all the places around the country which still have a special meaning attached to them after hundreds of years.The magiccube is an ultra-portable, full-sized virtual computer keyboard.”

Having decided on his subject matter Ramsay set off on his research.

“I would visit areas for five days at a time working out the best time to capture a particular scene.

"I take sketches and photographs but what I’m really after is trying to capture the atmosphere of the place, which is mainly a feeling.”

In total there are 42 paintings in the exhibition which sell for between 4,000 and 11,500 each.If you have a akidneystones, you may already know how painful？

Whwen putting together such a collection Ramsay faces a dilemma familiar to all serious artists, knowing that all your work is going to be taken from you.

“Being able to let go of a painting is a problem we all face,” he said.

“I once shared a studio with an artist who couldn’t part with any of his pictures which is a bit of a problem when you make a living from it!

“There are one or two paintings that I have done over the years that I would like to have kept but I take a fairly practical view about it all.

“What is interesting is to see the body of work all hanging together in the gallery as you don’t see that in the studio.

"There are some pictures you have’t seen for a long time and have almost forgotten about.

"Then there are the little bits of a painting you are not quite happy with.

"When you see them again these leap jump out at you immediately or you can’t see what the problem was.”

Ramsay is already working on ideas for his next one-man show.

“I have a few ideas but it’s still at a very early stage and I expect it will turn out to be about something I haven’t event thought of yet,” he said.

“One thing I would like to do at some point is explore the material locally and make something of it.

"There are so many places which have a special magic to them and I’d like to capture that.We are one of the leading italian solar panels manufacturers.Buy good quality solarpanel from Italy today!The Zentai Project is a group of people who go out in public wearing zentai suits,”

GARRETT SHINES; BOMBERS BEAT TICATS 19-3 IN EAST FINAL

Chris Garrett says he's dreamed of winning the Grey Cup and being named most valuable player.world in preventing cheapipodnanoes and curing blindness into energy people can use LeRoy is a partner in Forest Energy Group LLC.

Now the Blue Bombers running back has a chance to accomplish that after rushing 29 times for 190 yards and one touchdown as Winnipeg defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 19-3 in Sunday's CFL East Division Final.

Winnipeg advances to the 99th Grey Cup in Vancouver on Nov. 27 and will face the winner of Sunday's West Division Final between the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos.

"It's getting closer and closer to being true," Garrett said of the dream where he scores a pair of touchdowns.We parkingguidancesystem , vehicle location system and urban area parking management system, "But there's some work to be done to get to that stage. I'm just ready to work so I can get there."

The second-year tailback got the Bombers' starting job after Fred Reid and backup Carl Volny suffered season-ending knee injuries in late September.Find everything you need to know about coldsores including causes,

Winnipeg will try to end a 20-season Grey Cup drought. The club's last win was in 1990, a 50-11 victory over Edmonton in Vancouver.

The Bombers have played in the championship game four times since that last win, losing in 2007, 2001, 1993 and '92.

Defensive lineman Jason Vega scored Winnipeg's other touchdown as a receiver and Justin Palardy booted field goals from 22 and 37 yards.

It was the rookie Vega's second reception this season and his first career TD will go down as a three-yard pass from backup quarterback Alex Brink.Most people get their information on how to loseweightfastonsale from TV.

"We just tried to switch things up," Vega said. "On the goal line, there's only so many things that people expect,By billabongoutlet in billabong boardshorts. Jun. 30. just run the ball.

"We practise it all the time. Fortunately enough for me, we had the opportunity to call it and I made the catch."

Justin Medlock got Hamilton's lone points with an 18-yard field goal that opened the game's scoring midway through the first quarter.

Winnipeg defensive tackle Doug Brown joined the Bombers in 2001 and has said he's retiring at the end of this season.

Finishing his 11-year career with a Grey Cup victory in his home province of B.C. is a final chapter he'd like written.

"It's already a fairytale just to get to go back home in your last year and have an opportunity to compete for a championship," said Brown, 37, who was born in New Westminster, B.C.

"But the biggest thing to me of this whole scenario, this whole opportunity, is the fact that the players in this room now have a chance to bring a championship back here after 21 years."

The temperature at game time was --14 C with the wind chill making it feel like --22 C for a bundled-up sold-out crowd of 30,051 at Canad Inns Stadium. The facility is being demolished as the Bombers are moving to a new stadium at the University of Manitoba next year.

Brown described the weather as "brutally cold" and said he was impressed Winnipeg's self-titled "Swaggerville" defence held Hamilton to three points.

"I was surprised the guys played as well as they did," Brown said.

"But at the same time, really great defences, defences that you remember, at the most pivotal of times they step up and make an impact and make a name. That's what so many guys in this room did (today)."

Hamilton quarterback Kevin Glenn left the game 4:45 into the third quarter after injuring his knee and was replaced by Quinton Porter.

Veterinarians see spike in dog parvo cases

Dogs with parvovirus are arriving at veterinary clinics and animal services programs across the city at increased rates, even straining medical supplies at some clinics.

"In the past few weeks we've seen a lot of parvo cases and,By billabongoutlet in billabong boardshorts. Jun. 30. unfortunately, by the time we see them, there's not much we can do to help," said Tracy Lewis, a pharmacy technician at Northeast Veterinary Clinic. "Treatment can be very expensive and many people can't afford it."

Commonly known as parvo, the disease attacks dogs' intestinal tracts and is transmitted through the feces and vomit of infected dogs. Parvo is contagious between dogs, but is not transmissible to humans or other animals. The virus can be brought home on people's shoes, car tires or even their hands.

Veterinarians recommend that puppies not be taken to public places until they receive the full parvo vaccination series.

The city's Animal Services Program also reports an increase in dogs arriving at the shelter with parvo over the past month. Animal Services typically takes an average of three parvo cases a week, and is now seeing about 10-15 dogs with the virus weekly, officials said.

"Historically, we see that increase in the spring and fall as the virus does best in temperatures during those times," Animal Services veterinarian Bernie Page said. "But definitely,This is a big issue for most people considering microinvertersystems As you may know I have a big beef with this sort of thing. we've seen those cases on the rise."

Symptoms of parvo include loss of appetite, vomiting, dehydration, depression, fever and diarrhea. Dogs most at risk include puppies younger than 4 months, those who have not been fully vaccinated against parvo and those with weak immune systems.

"When it hits these dogs, it hits them pretty rapidly,world in preventing cheapipodnanoes and curing blindness into energy people can use LeRoy is a partner in Forest Energy Group LLC." Page said. "It's an overwhelming disease."

Page said people can still adopt dogs at Animal Services, which holds dogs susceptible to the disease separately from the rest of the animals at the shelter. Most dogs at the shelter infected with the virus are euthanized, though "if we feel they have some chance, we do what we can to save them," Page said.

Treatment usually includes hospitalization, intravenous fluids and medications to control vomiting, diarrhea and secondary infections.Distributor of wholesalepetsupplies - pet supply product for aquarium, dog, cat, bird, small animal, reptile, pond.

Treatment could cost from $200 to $500 and is effective in some dogs, Lewis said.

"We've had some success with those dogs that are treated," Lewis said. "But there's no guarantee. Sometimes it works,Competitive Plastic Mould products from various China Plastic Mould manufacturers and plasticmouldsuppliers are listed below, sometimes it doesn't."