Business

While the homeowner is saving pennies for a new deck, properly cleaning the old deck will suffice.

admin

Last week’s cookout was a huge success. The grill was on, the food was fresh, and the company was nice. Even the weather was forgiving. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the deck. While a deck may be in good condition structurally, it often shows its age through severe discoloration and wear caused by the elements. There are only two options at this point. Redesign and build a new deck or clean and re-stain it.

While replacing an entire deck isn’t the most viable option for most homeowners, for those few planning to install a new deck, there couldn’t be a better time. Obviously, most people would opt to clean their existing deck and re-stain it, but this requires more than a hose, a can of dye, and a brush to revitalize a deck. Staining a platform correctly is still considered a DIY project, but it will take several days and a lot of effort.

The first step for any outdoor project is to prepare with safety in mind. Many homeowners already have a pair of gloves and safety glasses for working around the house or using power tools. If this basic safety equipment is missing, the cost of cleaning a deck will increase by a margin. Other equipment and materials needed to clean a deck include a pump sprayer, a bucket, a biodegradable, bored-out wood cleaner, a stiff-bristle deck brush, a drill with a paint mixing attachment, and a hose. As you can see, quite a bit of equipment is required to properly clean and prepare an existing wood deck for staining.

While most “pros” will only resort to using a pressure washer to remove dirt, most pressure washers are too powerful and will actually cause more damage to the deck. The reason pressure washers are a popular choice is because it’s so much easier than surface scrubbing and saves time in the short term. Pressure washers will actually create small tears and openings in the wood fibers of your deck boards, allowing more moisture to enter and degrade the wood at a faster rate. Where regions of the country receive a variety of different types of weather, from sun to icy cold, like North Carolina, it is especially important to maintain the integrity of the wood.

The key to any paint or stain job is to properly clean and prepare the surface. After hosing down the decking surface to remove any loose debris, fill the pump sprayer with a 1:1 ratio of wood cleaner and water. After spraying the deck boards and steps, begin vigorously scrubbing the surface with the deck brush. This will loosen and remove embedded dirt from the deck. After a 10-15 minute break, hose down the deck again. Rinse the pump sprayer as well. What remains will be a cover free of dirt.

The next step is to remove any algae that is a common problem on decks across the country. In a clean bucket, mix a 1:5 ratio of borada to water. Thorough mixing will be required with a mixing paddle and drill to prevent debris from clogging the spray pump. Fill the pump sprayer with the borate solution and spray the entire deck. Do not hose down the cover. Again, the purpose of the borada solution is to kill the algae. Now clean and let the borade solution soak into the deck and dry for two to three days.

Upon returning to the platform, inspect the platform for loose boards or railings. After making the necessary repairs, the next steps are to apply the stain. Before long, that old, worn deck will reflect newness that the homeowner can enjoy over multiple cookouts and for years to come.

Home Kitchen

Modular Kitchen: Revolutionize the Interior Design of your House!

admin

Many people consider the kitchen to be the heart of their home. They give it more importance than considering it a mother kitchen place. Consequently, they do their best to combine the functionality of the kitchen with the style and essential aesthetic elements, which is mainly called a modular kitchen. This includes both high-tech appliances with their pioneering custom-made accessories to create a sparkling kitchen. This turns your daily activities in the kitchen into a charming and eye-catching experience. True to its sentiments, a kitchen should be stylish, innovative, inventive and attractive. In fact, most people will judge your personality by the design of your kitchen. With this in mind, let’s take a look at why modular designs are being embraced all over the world. Today, these kitchen designs are considered to be the latest trend in home decor and design. Its tastemakers believed that the designs would make kitchen work momentarily easier as well as make it fun rather than boring. Essentially, most people who have incorporated these designs into their kitchen say they enjoy doing kitchen work rather than feeling compelled to do so.

The amazing components of modular kitchen designs

There are numerous modular kitchen design ideas designed in a plethora of colors, contours, and styles. However, they should all contain some repairable accessories. Most importantly, there must be a dishwasher. They are present in numerous sizes to meet the prerequisites of each individual. The size depends on the size of the family, rinse cycles, space to place the appliance and wash design. Also, due to the sophistication of modular design ideas, a fireplace is a judicious accessory. This is because it deflects smoke and thus protects kitchen décor from smoke-related damage. Also, considering the fact that the modular kitchen reflects the progression of technology, a microwave is a must-have appliance. It plays a vital role in massively decreasing the workload in the kitchen. The same case applies to other types of ovens, including slow cookers, crockery, and convection toaster ovens.

The cabinets in the modular kitchen help keep the kitchen tidy and resourceful. Thus, the entire design integrates an ingenious kitchen with several burners. This also clarifies why the roller shutters and pull-out drawers merge into the design. Shutters and pull-out modules are very convenient. People use them to place their tableware. The adjustable shelves are designed with handles to allow people to easily open and close them. In addition, these kitchens are easy to maintain as they are made of resistant materials. Sometimes modular kitchen designs add a refined touch to kitchen décor. Glass shutters are used to embellish kitchen cabinets, which are preferably placed in the corners. Additionally, most of the countertops are made of granite to revitalize its durability and style.

Auto

Car insurance, gas prices and the economy

admin

I don’t know about you, but every time I’ve paid another bill and the financial situation seems to soften a bit, there’s always another financial hurdle to get over again. Take the recent rise in gas prices. Although some claim that it is insignificant, this is definitely not the case. In addition to the usual homeowners and business maintenance and insurance costs, as well as car maintenance and coverage premiums that never pay up, the price jump hits us all hard.

While diesel truck drivers may rightly complain about ever-increasing costs, the average car, truck, motorcycle, ATV, RV, or ATV is now taking a painful slap in the face. the wallet. Economists, as well as major insurance companies, will tell you to fight back.

Struggle? How do you go to war with gasoline bombs?

That is how:

1. When you buy a new car, select one that has an excellent mileage record.

2. Research gas prices and patronize the pumps that offer the best rate per gallon.

3. Be consistent with car maintenance practices: change oil and filter as recommended and change air filter according to car manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Check your car’s fan belt. If it’s installed too tight, make sure it’s loose enough so your engine doesn’t work overtime and your gas level doesn’t either.

5. Monitor all four tires and tire pressure. If you’re low on air, your gasoline will unfortunately also go the extra mile.

6. When the summer heat is too much to bear, use your vehicle’s air conditioner. However, if you’re okay with the windows down, turn off the air conditioning. Note: This is only fiscally advantageous on city roads; Driving with the window open on the highway only increases the overall liability of the vehicle’s drag and engine strain, requiring an overdose of gasoline usage.

7. Avoid unnecessary loads on your car as extra weight makes your car run hard along with the need to use more fuel.

8. If you can avoid the rush of motorists on the road, by all means, do so. Driving during rush hour, with all the stops and starts, takes a toll on your gas levels.

9. Carpooling makes the most sense, especially when there is a group going to the same place of work or school every day. You will not only save on gasoline, but also on the wear and tear of daily car use and the risk of accidents or collisions.

10. Instead of driving everywhere, try incorporating healthy walking and biking. You’ll be doing your physical well-being a tremendous favor, as well as your gas tank!

Digital Marketing

Stay Away From My Stuff: Is There Privacy Within Relationships?

admin

Me: My first instinct is to say “stay out of my stuff,” but I’m conflicted about that because, as a person, I’m also naturally curious about my partner. However, time and experience have taught me to temper both sides of my emotions. Yes; stay out of my stuff, but feel free to ask me questions. I have decided that I am not going to search the belongings of my partners; I have chosen to ask questions instead. Give the other person a blank page: lie or tell the truth. You cannot prevent me from doing what I have set out to do, nor can I prevent you from doing the same. I think my only hope for creating a healthy and happy relationship is to invest some trust in it. The theme of trust, as a basic necessity for a happy relationship, is bigger than Michael Jackson’s Thriller album.

Trust materializes in the concept of Respect; respect for his privacy as an individual and the courtesy to reciprocate that same respect, no less. Disclaimers are not allowed. It is in our basic instinct to distrust the unknown and fueled by curiosity and natural curiosity, we are almost doomed to fail in abiding by this rule. The fact is, if you’re that curious, you and your partner may need to come up with a set of rules that suit both of you with custom parameters to suit your particular circumstances. Some people are harmlessly curious as opposed to irrepressible snoopers: they can’t stay out of anyone’s business. You can never surprise this one; he or she never gives you a chance.

Here’s the thing; without trust in a relationship you have nothing, without the right person to trust you have nothing. How many ways can I say it? Without trust you have nothing. If you can’t trust, you can’t have a successful relationship.

When you’re left alone in your partner’s private area with their personal effects, is your first instinct to search? observed? or take notes to ask questions about what you see or perceive? Or to hell with that: “I need to know”

In this age of smart devices and multiple passwords to crack, a true busybody is drawn to a cell phone like a mouse to cheese. Imagine the insurmountable urge to go in and discover all those juicy unspeakables?

Can your partner leave you alone in his car without you looking for clues in the glove box and center console? Keys to what? What are you looking for? I think there are people who deliberately seek PAIN and HARM. In other words, they won’t be satisfied until they find something that stabs their heart or crushes their fragile ego. This is the conspiracy theorist; there must be something to find; something to catapult them into the pain zone so they can burst and burst like a dam, overflowing their eager tear ducts and flooding the insecure heart with pain. Very sad.

I’m going to say it out loud; “I have a problem with people going through my things without my permission”
Raise your hand if you don’t.

Liar!

We all do.

We are designed to receive Love, Respect and affection, but the true test of who we are in our relationship is how much we can reciprocate the affections we need for ourselves. Putting another person’s needs for love and respect as high or above our own is a big challenge; people are not built like that. That skill set comes only with experience and maturity.

Maturity plays an important role in our ability to allow the other person the God-given divine uniqueness of their own mind. We were created with the ability to keep our thoughts private and the luxury of choosing to share them or not; That’s a fact. And until we are able to respect others’ God-given rights to this privacy, as much as we respect our own, we will always have a problem with our relationships, intimate or not.

Maturity comes through experience and/or exposure, unfortunately many of us have not been sufficiently exposed to environments that encourage the maturation of our strongest and most problematic emotions. I believe that only failure can adequately teach us the importance of observing certain basic laws of a happy and interdependent coexistence. So go ahead, follow your instincts; search, violate, fail; to learn.

In the end, it is still our responsibility to examine the importance of our own need for privacy and learn to allow the other person the same respect. Build trust, practice abstinence; live, trust and prosper.

However, I’m sure the meddlers won’t heed my advice, so happy hunting.
Health.

Relationship

Cardboard furniture is an economical and ecological solution

admin

Cardboard chairs and tables may be the answer for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money on traditional furniture, either because it moves a lot or because it will outgrow them in a few years. Although it may be gaining popularity with the recent push for more environmentally friendly living, the idea of ​​cardboard furniture has been around for several decades. Designers are now using it to stylistically accent homes and more people are learning about its many uses.

Architect Frank Gehry is believed to have been the first to use cardboard when creating a line of furniture in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is said that he wanted to take basic materials and use them to create items that were visually striking yet also functional.

While many environmental groups have been touting cardboard furniture for its benefits to the planet by using recycled materials, the advantages of using cardboard furniture go far beyond the “green” movement, especially when compared to regular furniture.

Traditional tables and chairs can be quite expensive, especially when transportation costs are considered. This high cost often means that once a furniture set is chosen, new homeowners are forced to keep it even if they have new ideas on how to decorate their home. A change of heart can be an expensive proposition. For those who move frequently, moving regular furniture may require hiring a moving company or at least renting a large truck. Even for those who do it themselves, bringing regular furniture often means finding several friends willing to help.

Cardboard furniture, however, overcomes many of these obstacles while still offering an attractive option for decorating a living space. It is often cheaper to buy it in advance because it is made from a relatively inexpensive and often recycled material. Shipping is often less expensive as well because it can be shipped flat and doesn’t weigh as much as traditional furniture.

Once in the home, cardboard furniture is easily assembled. Many pieces are designed to fold flat when not in use, making them easier to store in small places. Despite this portability, cardboard tables and chairs are made to support hundreds of pounds.

Cardboard furniture is ideal for a variety of groups of people compared to normal furniture. College students and their parents can take advantage of the low cost and ease of use of cardboard furniture. Students don’t want to invest in an expensive furniture set that they will only have for a couple of years. Cardboard furniture can solve this problem since it does not cost as much. Buying a couple of chairs and a table that can be recycled at the end of four years makes more sense than buying furniture that will have to be sold or stored after graduation.

Since many students live near their college for only the school year and then move home for the summer, moving regular furniture around can be a lot of work. Cardboard furniture, however, can be folded, laid flat, and then stored for the summer. It can be reassembled next year.

Standard furniture maintenance or repair can be expensive. The part may even have to be shipped somewhere for repair. Fixing up a cardboard chair or table can be cheaper because the material is readily available. Also, even replacing the drive entirely may be a better option due to the low cost. For a student who takes care of her money, this can be a considerable savings if something should happen to the furniture.

For many of the same reasons, members of the military may find cardboard furniture to be an advantage. With the possibility of being moved from base to base at any time, having traditional furniture can become almost a burden. Again, there are the high costs of transporting it from new home to new home. Also, a single active-duty member of the military who may be sent overseas on an extended tour of duty may not want to leave expensive furniture behind to sit unattended for several months in an empty house.

While many of the people in the above groups may move quite often or not have a lot of money to spend, cardboard furniture can also appeal to those who plan to live in the same place for the rest of their lives.

Families have long struggled with children outgrowing furniture, first cribs and then toddler beds. There are also high chairs that will only be used for about a year. Even if they cling to the expectation of another child, putting away a high chair or crib can be difficult. These items are also expensive.

Cardboard furniture intended for young children can solve these problems. Cribs are available for less than $100. As with cardboard tables and chairs, assembling cardboard children’s furniture is often a matter of fitting cardboard pieces into tight slots on other pieces. Also, disposing of a cardboard crib or child seat is as easy as recycling it.

The low cost also means that you can buy a set of children’s cardboard chairs without worrying about whether they will last for several years. In fact, cardboard furniture can serve two purposes for children: the usual role of tables and chairs, but children can also “decorate” the furniture on their own. Children love to draw and can be encouraged to use their own creativity to draw or color cardboard furniture without parents worrying that the pieces will lose their potential resale value.

Cardboard furniture can also be safer than traditional furniture. It is smoother and has no sharp edges. Because of their easy portability, cardboard tables are often in demand for green groups working at trade shows or other booths, or for community bake sales or other events where they will be set up and later removed. They are not heavy enough to move but will still hold materials for display.

When traditional furniture becomes obsolete or wears out, if it can’t be resold, it often has to be thrown into a landfill. However, cardboard furniture is more environmentally friendly because when it has served its purpose, it can be recycled along with normal boxes or containers.

For someone who lives on a tight budget or moves frequently, cardboard furniture may be the answer to outfitting a living space without breaking the bank or causing too much pain on moving day. It is less expensive than traditional furniture, can be easily assembled and disassembled for storage and transport, and is friendlier to the environment because it can be recycled when it is no longer needed.

With so many benefits over its traditional counterpart, cardboard furniture is worth at least a second look for someone who wants an affordable and eco-friendly solution to home design.

Health Fitness

Thinking Fat – How hard is that?

admin

We are a nation of fat people. Pick up any newspaper or other media outlet in the Western world and you’re sure to find an article about the concerns health authorities and experts have about the “Obesity Problem.” In fact, it has gotten so bad that experts predict obesity will become a bigger health problem than smoking. The worst thing is that, although you don’t see children under the age of ten suffering from emphysema, you do see many overweight children. So perhaps the expert’s concerns are valid: We’re all getting too fat.

Unlike other “trends,” however, obesity is not a problem that clothing manufacturers, automobile designers, furniture manufacturers, and other segments of the industrial and business world have embraced as a target niche market, which they would have capitalized on. virtually any other target. available market. Although there are some designer brands that cater to larger men and women, the clothing available in larger retail stores caters from the “skinny” to the “must watch our weight” range. For those of us who have given up watching our weight because we can’t lose it now, finding clothes that fit well, chairs that are comfortable, and cars that are easy to get into is becoming as rare as hen’s teeth.

For older women, the problem is even more apparent. Although aging Baby Boomers remain one of the largest target markets in the Western world, advertisers have decreed that even older men and women must be thin. While anyone with half a brain can understand that a lifetime spent eating fatty foods while sitting on a couch is unhealthy for a number of vital organs, there is little appreciation for what might be called “symbols of life.” Let me explain with an example.

Jackie is a middle-aged woman on the downhill slope at fifty years of age. She is also a “big” woman, now weighing what she used to be when she was nine months pregnant. Her weight gain is likely based on lifestyle with a hint of genetics (all of her maternal relatives were also large women). Contrary to what experts predict about her lifestyle, Jackie is a happy and, more importantly, healthy woman. She walks for thirty minutes every day; she eats and drinks in moderation, making sure she has enough fresh fruits and vegetables every day; she runs a small but busy business from her home and she can’t remember the last time she was away from work due to illness.

When Jackie was asked if she thought she was overweight, she replied quite honestly that if she had been left to her own devices, she would have thought her body image was okay. But what she did say is that because you can’t shop for clothes off department store shelves very often, and because you have to be careful where you sit because you’re likely to get stuck in those little plastic chairs that looked like Designed more for children than adults, she believes her environment makes her feel overweight. And perhaps most significantly, she is made to feel that something is wrong with her.

In our interview, Jackie said, “I know I’m not a petite woman, but I look at my body in private and think ‘what’s wrong with it?’ little weight with each. But I look at my body with pride because I had five children; it does what I want it to do, and while it may not fit social attitudes about what the ideal body weight should be, I know I’m healthy energetic and strong enough to do what I want and need to do in a day. So why should I change to fit society’s ideas?”

Jackie makes a valid point. Surely there should be a time when women who have paid their fair share; have given birth, raised their families and basically spent at least twenty years of their life caring for someone else (even if they don’t have children of their own) don’t they have to conform to a social image? That these women can feel comfortable in their own skin and not be dictated to by a (younger) generation of people who don’t appreciate the good things these women have done?

Society shows its lack of respect for older women through its constant comparison techniques between young and old (read skinny and fat) to create a community in the Western world where at least women of all ages should conform to one unrealistic body image. And it is because of this social pressure that companies do not realize that there are a number of older women who are at least secretly and passively rebelling. They don’t watch their weight; They don’t care about your body image. These women have many other exciting things going on in their lives. It is only as consumers that these women have to face society’s rejection of them and what they are.

Good health is important, and this writer is not for a moment suggesting that women, or men, should deliberately go out and engage in risky behaviors like binge eating fatty foods. Overweight kids should definitely be told to get off the couch and go play. But on the other side of the coin, this writer does believe that there should be a place in our society for women who are proud of who they are, proud of what they have achieved and who dress their bodies like an old coat, they feel immensely comfortable. in.

So if you’re looking for the next “best business idea” then maybe you should start looking at one of the biggest target markets out there in today’s society, and how you could make money by appreciating the value of older women, and get started. to think fat, instead of thin.

Legal Law

Texas Small Business Health Insurance Basics

admin

Finding the right group health plan for your business can be downright intimidating: sift through lists of insurance companies and plans; verify and re-verify dollars and totals for deductibles and copays; make sense of plan limitations and exclusions; deciphering the value of a dictionary of insurance jargon. It’s enough to make anyone feel like a high school freshman again.

Texas insurance law allows for a wide range of health care coverage plans and packages. All group health insurance has its limitations, and finding the right employee health plan at the right price can be challenging.

In Texas, the term “small employer” is a special insurance designation reserved for businesses with two to 50 eligible employees. The law provides some additional protections for these businesses, including a 15 percent annual cap on rate increases due to health factors, a state-mandated guarantee that providers cannot arbitrarily discontinue coverage, and a purchase provision. cooperative that allows small employers to pool their buying influence to negotiate lower rates.

For employees of small businesses in Dallas, Houston and throughout Texas, the law provides several ways to keep benefits after leaving a job and limits the waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered.

Beyond these requirements, small employer insurance companies can offer a wide variety of plans, with virtually any combination of features and benefits.

Small Business Coverage Eligibility

Texas businesses with between two and 50 eligible employees can get small employer coverage from a traditional insurance company or a health maintenance organization (HMO). Eligible employees are defined as those who normally work at least 30 hours per week; are not classified as temporary, part-time or seasonal; and are not already covered by another group health plan. The owners of a business count towards the total number of employees.

The number of eligible employees, not the total number of employees, determines whether a business is considered a small employer under Texas insurance law. For example, if your business has 60 total employees, you might still qualify if six of the workers are part-time and four have coverage through some other source, such as a spouse’s plan.

If you decide to offer a group health plan to your employees, you must make it available to all of your eligible employees and their dependents equally.

Coverage is available under a small employer health benefit plan if at least 75 percent of a small employer’s eligible employees choose to be covered. Carriers should always “round up” when calculating the percentage. For example, a five-person company with only three employees willing to participate satisfies a requirement of 75 percent rounded up.

However, in the case of a business with only two eligible employees, the law requires 100 percent participation. A husband and wife who work in a business should be counted as two separate employees. Neither employee is eligible for coverage as a dependent of the other.

If you provide a health plan, state regulations and a federal law called COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) allow employees to keep benefits for a period of time after job separation. It is your legal responsibility to inform employees of their rights to continue coverage. Former employees who choose to continue their coverage through COBRA or state continuation must pay the full cost of the plan. You are not required to contribute to your premiums, even if you previously paid a portion. Ask your insurance company for details about their liability to former employees.

Types of plans offered

Health plans are classified as “state-mandated plans” or “consumer choice plans.” A state-mandated plan provides certain features and minimum required coverages. A consumer choice plan is any plan developed by a provider that excludes some state-mandated benefits. Generally, consumer choice plans that don’t include all state-mandated coverage will save you money on your monthly premium.

Although consumer choice plans are sometimes called “standard plans,” be careful not to interpret the term to mean that the coverages provided are “standardized.” Each provider’s consumer choice plan may be different, and a provider may offer several different consumer choice plans.

Some state-mandated benefits are still required for consumer choice plans, including coverages for:

* Treatment of phenylketonuria, if prescription drugs are covered.

* Pregnancy complications.

* Minimum hospital stay after labor (mandated by federal mandate).

* Reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy (federally mandated).

Consumer Choice Plans may vary depending on the type of provider offering the plan. For example, consumer choice HMO plans must pay for 20 outpatient mental health visits per member per year, but that is not a requirement in indemnity plans. Also, unlike insurance companies, consumer choice HMO plans must include basic health care services, such as preventive, inpatient, and outpatient services. Providers may offer optional benefits that vary widely from plan to plan.

You don’t have time for all this research and number crunching. But can you really afford to leave it on your “maybe someday” list? As the cost of health care rises, the risks of not having health insurance are more apparent than ever. Today, a single injury or illness, if uninsured, can leave a family in financial ruin. In addition, health coverage is a key benefit of employment. You may not be able to hire and keep the best employees without offering it.

Another alternative to group health insurance plans, which can be unaffordable for many small businesses, is to offer individual health insurance options to their employees. By law, an employer cannot contribute to these plans, or it would be treated as group insurance under Texas state law. But you can still help your employees stay insured under a good plan and improve their health and wellness, and also improve employee retention in the process. If you are a small business owner and would like to offer affordable health insurance plans to your employees, but cannot afford group health insurance, you should consider offering your employees the revolutionary and comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Previous specifically for young people. , healthy individuals.

Anterior offers affordable individual health plans with catastrophic coverage, but without a high deductible, and we will offer these plans to your employees at a discount. For more information, visit us on our website, [http://www.precedent.com]. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans and an unprecedented “real-time” application and acceptance experience.

Lifestyle Fashion

Situations where you might need the assistance of a family law attorney

admin

Sometimes you may need legal advice when making decisions related to your family. The following are some situations in which you should consider speaking with an attorney before filing any documents on your own or making any final decisions.

Divorce

In the event that you decide to proceed with a divorce, a Chicago family law attorney can help you with some of the issues that may arise. These include requesting child support, arranging visitation schedules, deciding on custody arrangements, and dividing assets. Your attorney can also help you make an appointment for mediation if you do not want to go to court.

Adoption

If you want to adopt a child alone, with your spouse, or with your partner, then consider speaking with a Chicago family law attorney. There are usually a few requirements that must be met before you can adopt, which can be handled by an attorney rather than you trying to fill out all the paperwork, home visits, and other details on your own. An attorney can also work to ensure that the process is legal from start to finish so there are no surprises down the road.

Wills and Successions

You can talk to a family law attorney to help you draft your will and file it for court. The attorney can also offer assistance in filing documents related to your estate so that family members do not have to choose someone to handle the process.

bullying issues

Sometimes the other parent may try to intimidate you by saying that you will not be able to see your children again or that you will not be able to see them for a scheduled visit unless you pay a certain amount of money. This is a time when he wants to seek the help of an attorney so that he can see his children as ordered by the court.

judicial matters

After going to court for a divorce, child custody or support, or other family matters, concerns can arise. An attorney can review the court order to determine if anything can be done about the situation. If there is a violation of a court order, then the attorney can help you by filing the proper paperwork with the court to remedy the problem. An attorney can offer her the peace of mind she may need until the problem is resolved so she doesn’t worry about what will happen.

Finance

An attorney can help you protect your finances, whether you are getting divorced or have been ordered to pay child support. He will be able to discuss your income and assets and how to pay what is needed and required instead of paying too much simply because the other party wants more money.

Learn more about when you might need an attorney by contacting Gordon & Perlut, LLC.

Pets

Save your dog before he scratches himself to death!

admin

What causes dog scratching?

There are many reasons why your dog would scratch. Before you can stop that stubborn itch, you need to find out what’s causing the itch.

Neurogenic: This is caused by excessive licking and chewing. This usually occurs when your pet doesn’t get enough exercise or mental stimulation. This can also be due to separation anxiety.

Infections – This is one of the most common reasons dogs scratch and is usually caused by yeast, bacteria or fungus. What you should do is look for greasy sores, hairless patches, or red swelling.

Allergenic: There are many types of allergies that can cause your dog to scratch too much, such as food allergies, flea allergies, plant and dust allergies, and other types of allergies that can cause skin problems.

Nutritional: When your pet doesn’t have the proper nutrients in his body, he may have dry skin, develop eczema, sores, or may have dry fur that can lead to scratching.

Environmental: Did you know that too much water, such as swimming, digging or playing outside, can also cause scratches?

Parasites – Parasites can also cause itchiness and that includes ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and mites. However, there are medications that can stop the parasites.

As in the example given above, you must first determine why these dogs are scratching in the first place before you can get your dog to stop scratching.

Visit your vet
If you want to know where the scratching behavior is coming from, you should visit your vet and have your dog checked out. If so, you should treat it with antihistamines and change your dog’s diet. The parasite can be treated by giving your dog flea baths and medication.

How to deal with neurogenic scratching
When you are training your dog to stop scratching, it would be difficult to do so, especially if it is caused by neurogenics. The other problems that have been shown can be treated if you have changes in diet, medication or you can change your exercise routines. If your dog is scratching because of this, you need to know why your dog has the urge to continually scratch his skin.

The first thing you can do is make sure your dog gets enough exercise. Most of the time his pet is just bored and he has developed a neurotic tick to scratch himself. You can stop your dog’s boredom by noticing the behavior. What you can do is apply bitter apple spray or cayenne pepper spray to the spot where your dog loves to lick or scratch.

A cone is also helpful and you can get one from your vet. It won’t let your dog get to those itchy spots. When your dog stops trying to scratch and has a more active exercise routine, you can get him back to his activities and remove the cone.

You should visit the vet when your dog continues to scratch to make sure they can rule out any other physical ailments. He may not know it, but infections can grow and thrive in your dog.

Real Estate

How to choose a real estate agent: 7 questions to ask your real estate agent

admin

Buying or selling real estate is probably the most important transaction you will ever make. That is why it is important to choose the best real estate agent to help you achieve this goal. But before hiring the services of a real estate agent, there are important factors to consider.

Many people have the perception that all real estate agents are the same. Some sign with the first one who comes. Unfortunately, they later realize that they should have been more selective before signing a deal. To guide you in choosing the best real estate agent for your needs, here are seven questions to ask your potential real estate agent.

1) What is your experience in real estate?

The first thing to ask a real estate agent is how long they have been in the real estate business. It doesn’t mean that she can’t hire the services of newly licensed real estate agents. Just keep in mind that those who have years of experience under their belt are probably more knowledgeable about what to do, from listing to closing. In addition to the number of years in business, ask them what segment of real estate they focus on: residential, commercial, luxury, etc. Find out if he/she is primarily a listing agent or a buyer’s agent (or both). Familiarity with the market is also essential, so ask what geographic areas the agent typically covers. You can even dig deeper by asking if the agent has received any awards for her outstanding performance.

2) How many and what types of properties have you listed and sold in the last year?

It is one of the most important questions to ask a real estate agent. The number of properties he or she has listed and sold in the last year is a valuable indicator of how good a real estate professional is at getting the job done. Please note that this question has two parts: properties listed and properties sold. Agents can demonstrate their ability to list homes; however, the most important thing is the sales part: the ability to close deals. If they have many properties listed and sold in the last year, it shows that whatever strategy the agent is using is certainly working.

3) What was the average sale price of the properties you sold during the last year?

Asking this will give you an idea of ​​what type of market the broker specializes in. Find out if the real estate professional has experience selling properties in the price range he is listing. If most of the properties sold are in the low-end market segment, it may take longer for the agent to sell if yours is a high-end home. Although agents can sell any property regardless of price range, they are likely to be most successful in the market and price segments in which they are most experienced.

4) What is your average sale to list price ratio?

The sales price to list ratio (sometimes called the sales to list or list to sale ratio) is the final sales price divided by the list price, expressed as a percentage. If it is 100%, it means that the sale price was equal to the list price. You can view this relationship in two ways. A qualified listing agent can negotiate sales prices that are at or close to list price and sometimes even higher in a very competitive market. Therefore, ideally, listing agents should have a sale to list price ratio closer to 100%. On the other side of the coin, a good buying agent can often negotiate a lower selling price than the list price. Therefore, buyer’s agent ratings should ideally be less than 99%.

5) What marketing strategies will you use?

Deciding which strategies to use can mean the difference between success and failure. A bad marketing strategy will decrease the chances of success. Do your own due diligence by asking how the agent will sell your property. There are many options: staging, open houses, co-marketing, print advertising and, of course, online marketing. Whatever approaches are used, they should be designed to attract the largest possible number of qualified potential buyers. High-end properties can often benefit from professional staging as well. In either case, your agent should advise you on how to best prepare the property to make it as attractive as possible to potential buyers.

6) Can you give me some references?

Reputation is important in this line of business. Whether you are buying or selling a property, you should ask for references (previous clients). If possible, call a few and ask about their experiences with the agent. Were they satisfied with the service provided? Also ask if they are related in any way to the agent. A reference list made up of friends or relatives will generally not provide an objective assessment of the agent’s qualifications.

7) Do you offer any kind of guarantee and will you terminate my contract early if I am not satisfied with your service?

You can’t say for sure how things will go, even if you did your due diligence. For this reason, you must make sure that you are prepared for any eventuality. If you sign a contract and then find out that you are not satisfied with the service, will the agent allow you to cancel the agreement? If things don’t work out the way they should, you should be free to choose another agent who can deliver better results.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when choosing a real estate agent. Finding and interviewing real estate agents can be a time-consuming and laborious task. However, now armed with these seven questions, you are well on your way to choosing the best real estate agent for your needs.