Technology

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) vs. Laminate Flooring

Paving a new house or a renovation is not an easy task, and choosing the right type of floor is an important decision. While carpet can be replaced every few years, wood, tile, or laminate flooring will most likely stay in place for ten years or more.

Hardwood floors, engineered wood, tile, and even stone have their place, but they are expensive and present challenges in terms of durability, cost, and warmth; so they are not practical for many families.

Laminate has been a popular flooring choice for the past two decades, it’s generally inexpensive when you factor in lifespan, it looks good, and it can be installed by the do-it-yourselfer.

Another type of flooring that the two biggest brands of Amtico and Karndean are most familiar with is Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT). Luxury vinyl tile was traditionally a dry-back product, glued down with adhesive over high-quality plywood or smoothed concrete subfloors. Today LVT is available in click, with an installation similar to most laminates, making it easy to lay. Most flooring specialists would still recommend the glue down product as it is considered stronger and generally cheaper than its click counterpart.

Luxury vinyl tile is typically more expensive than laminate flooring, but while the two best-known brands are at the pricier end of the market, there are hundreds of other brands and manufacturers to choose from at all ends of the market. spectrum.

While laminate flooring can be cold underfoot, luxury vinyl tile is warmer, can provide great texture, and isn’t limited to wood planks, but can deliver long-lasting stone, marble, and mosaic effects. more practical. For many, the most important feature of LVT floors is that they are waterproof. While laminate is made up of layers of wood or particle board, LVT is made up of layers of PVC with a high-definition print. Because of this, it is structurally more stable and water ingress will not cause it to swell or warp, making it not only ideal for dealing with spills, but can also be used in bathrooms and kitchens, meaning it could be use one type of flooring throughout the house. . The technology in some of the most advanced luxury vinyl tile and planes allows them to be etched and textured to follow the natural grooves, waves and knots that would be found in real wood, stone or tile. Laminate boards, while thicker from top to bottom, generally have thinner wear layers, while LVT board and tile can carry not only household but also commercial warranties of 5 to 20 years.

While laminate and LVT installation can be done by a proficient DIYer, laminate is a bit more forgiving. Luxury vinyl requires a subfloor that is smooth and flat, any small bumps or blemishes that would be hidden by laminate, if large enough, will show up on a luxury vinyl floor, making subfloor preparation and the associated cost is higher.

In short, both laminate and LVT have advantages over hardwood, tile, and stone floors, as well as each other.

Laminate is:

  • Generally cheaper than other types of flooring

  • Relatively easy and inexpensive to install

  • stain resistant

  • relatively resistant

  • Easy to clean (although you have to be careful not to get it too wet)

However, it suffers from some drawbacks:

  • It can be cold underfoot

  • It does not handle water or humidity well.

  • It is limited to the wood effect.

  • Has a bottom wear layer

Luxury vinyl tile is:

  • hot underfoot

  • It provides an excellent and realistic texture.

  • It offers stone, tile and wood effects.

  • Can be customized to create borders and designs like herringbone, basket weave, chevron and more

  • Thicker wear layer making it more durable.

  • Easy to clean

  • Raincoat

But it does have some drawbacks, including:

  • More complicated or expensive installation costs

  • Generally more expensive than laminate (although cheaper ranges are available)

  • It does not deal as well with exposure to flame.

Business

How to Inventory and Assign Value to Estate Personal Property

There is an old saying that goes: What is the best way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

Personal property is elephant from a farm It is the responsibility that can take up the most time and provides the farm with the least amount of money for the effort involved. But dealing with personal property cannot be avoided. The property must be inventoried, appraised, distributed or sold. Let’s start our analysis by looking at what property we have (inventory); then we will determine what it is worth (valuation). In a future post we will determine what to do with it (distribution/sale).

When you go to court, the clerk will give you the form to complete for the inventory. The form will ask you to provide general categories and a value for each category you have listed. For example, you would include: furniture, $1,500; office equipment, $300, etc. You will not have to list items separately, such as sofa, $100; meat, $5; typewriter, $25. However, I suggest that you keep a list of the individual items. Although you won’t have to go into much detail for the court, you will probably want a more detailed inventory for yourself. You’ll want this for two reasons: to track the sale of real estate and to protect against claims from heirs and/or creditors.

You don’t have to get really fancy with inventory; pencil and paper will do. If you so desire, home inventory record books are available at office supply stores, or you can purchase software online. There are also companies that specialize in bringing inventories home.

You will need a helper. One person sorts and counts while the other writes. Start inside the house and work your way from the top of the house to the bottom. Go from room to room in a consistent pattern so you don’t miss a thing: always clockwise or counterclockwise around the room. Also write down what is on the walls, not just what is on the floor. For small items, write identifiable groups of items such as 200 hardbacks, 100 paperbacks, 42 knick-knacks, etc. On your list, put a star next to any item you think might be valuable. If the ornaments are porcelain and the books are first editions, they are valuable items. When you’re done, follow the same procedure for the outbuildings: the garage, the shed, the workshop, or whatever. If there is a rented self-storage unit, vacation home, RV, or boat, they will also need to be inventoried.

When you file the inventory with the court, you must indicate the value of the personal property. For run-of-the-mill household items, a good resource for determining value is the software program. is deductible that comes included with the Turbo Tax income tax program. is deductible it can also be purchased separately. The software lists the thrift store value for most household items and is easy to use.

For items you have identified as valuable, is deductible will not work. There are several ways to determine the value of individual items or collections. A good place to start is eBay (http://www.ebay.com). To use eBay to help set your values, you will need to be a registered user. Registering with eBay is free; just follow the instructions when you get to the website. Once registered, type the item you’re looking for and eBay will search for the item. When the search results appear, scroll down and look on the left side of the page where it says Search Options, click Full Listings, then scroll down and click Show Items. Search results displayed will be for completed auctions, not ongoing auctions. The prices that appear in green are items that were actually sold; prices in red are for items that were not sold. If you find your item listed and the price is green, it’s a good value. Compare the item details you found on eBay with the item details you own. Use the closest match as your value.

If you can’t find your item on eBay, it’s time to head to the library or bookstore. There you will find a variety of price guides for all types of antique gold collectibles. You will also find blue books for cars and equipment.

If you have a lot of items and no time to research, then it’s time to call an expert. In your local phone book you will find jewelers, antique dealers, auctioneers, appraisers and other professionals who will tell you the value of the property. What they will offer you is an opinion of value, not an appraisal. An appraisal is based on actual sales data, not opinion. I’ll cover appraisals below; for now, just keep in mind that there is a difference. For probate valuation purposes, the value placed must be the fair market value at the time of the decedent’s death. This is the value that you should ask your expert to provide you.

In my home state of Virginia, individual items or collections that are worth more than $500 must undergo an appraisal. Personal property appraisers are not licensed like real estate appraisers, but the content of their reports is regulated. In order for a personal property appraisal to be valid and accepted for tax purposes, it must be performed by a qualified expert and follow federal guidelines for the Uniform Professional Appraisal Practice Rules. Most real estate appraisers do not appraise personal property. You can find a personal property appraiser online by checking the websites of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America, the National Association of Auctioneers, or the American Society of Appraisers.

Estate executors will find the inventory and valuation of personal estate assets their most time consuming task, but there are resources available to help.

Home Kitchen

Lighting for your kitchen and cabinets

kitchen lighting

Kitchen lighting is a form of home lighting specifically for the functional purpose of a kitchen. In the kitchen, various requirements must be met and these must be helped by precise lighting. So kitchen lighting is mostly task lighting and mood lighting and less accent lighting. Good kitchen lighting, from an aesthetic and functional point of view, incorporates both ambient and task lighting.

From the perspective of a professional lighting designer, the kitchen is one of the most exciting and versatile projects one can tackle. Filled with numerous nooks and crannies, cabinets and appliances, shelves, and other specialized areas like islands, kitchens can present more lighting challenges than any other room in your home.

Start with the task areas. These are best lit in bright, shadow-free light. Fluorescent tubes are particularly suitable for this. You want to place the fixture close to the work area for maximum concentrated light in the area you want to work on. In kitchens, they would be countertops, sinks, and tables. Spotlights and directional lights also provide task lighting in kitchens. For pantries or other closets, small under cabinet lights provide good lighting. They can be mounted inside the cabinet above the door head to provide glare-free illumination of the cabinet’s contents.

Ambient light is general light that fills in shadows, reduces contrast, and brightens vertical surfaces to give a space a brighter feel. Fluorescent tubes are well suited for the job of providing ambient light. They provide ample and uniform lighting and their effectiveness allows the space to be filled with light without turning it into an oven. Incandescent recessed lights are more dramatic, giving off bright white light, but require multiple fixtures to avoid shadows in a kitchen.

Direct lighting is achieved through the use of conventional recessed lights, surface lights, or fixtures that are on a pendant or chain. These types of lights work well to provide bright lighting for work surfaces and general purpose lighting in the kitchen area. String lighting and small recessed lights are inexpensive.

Add a layer of accent lighting. You may be lighting artwork, architectural details, collectibles, or a food presentation area.

Kitchen occupancy sensors can be used in place of expensive and complicated 3-way switches in kitchens with multiple entrances. If the sensors can “see” all entrances from their mounting location, they will automatically turn the lights on whenever someone enters the room from any direction.

The importance of kitchen lighting is often overlooked. The traditional kitchen has been replaced by a modern one where people interact quietly over the counter. Therefore, kitchen lighting evolves with the needs of modern homes.

Cabinet Lighting – Make your cabinet more attractive than ever:

When it comes to interiors, cabinet decoration is a subject of great attention as beautiful cabinets make the place more attractive, especially the kitchen. The normal type of lighting has a problem of shadows and reflections and hinders the quality of light. There are luminaires for cabinets and cabinets that have different types of uses and specialties. Cabinet lighting has a variety of vintage and modern lights with a wide variety. Polished with brass and silver, the lights look more attractive and make the cabinets look brighter. These days there are many lights that have a great finishing touch with a variety of colors. There is excellent lighting including ambient lights and halogen lights used to enhance the quality of cabinet glow.

Cabinet Lighting Types:

The types of lights depend on brightness, voltage consumption, color and temperature. There are some adjustable lights that can be moved in a complete circular motion. Some people have problems with the heat of the lighting so for them the lights with a fluorescent effect can be very useful. Since halogens radiate heat and create a problem for people who can’t keep warm, these are a convenient option. There are some lights that have a brightness adjustment effect and are very useful at every time of the day. Another good point is the energy efficiency and flicker-free technology that can reduce maintenance costs. The life of the lamps is due more to the use of xenon and therefore they are worth their price.

Cabinet Lighting Usage:

Most of the cabinet lighting is used to display things or to provide a sufficient amount of light for normal work. Most of them are used in the office for desks, hospitals, study rooms or libraries, bathroom cabinets, bedroom shelves, nooks and corners along hallways and stairways, living rooms, family rooms, and anywhere else. where a little shine is required. For the installation of the kitchen, it must be taken into account that it must be in front of or near the furniture. It will be beneficial in providing the exact amount of light required with an added elegance of shine to the kitchen cabinet. Therefore, by using these tips, you can improve your cabinets.

Digital Marketing

Quilt T-shirt & Directions

A history of a t-shirt quilt and instructions for making your own quilt.

You have a dresser drawer or closet full of old t-shirts. It’s time to clean up and make room for shopping after the 4th of July sales. You might just find it’s time to clean up, but you really don’t want to get rid of those shirts after all these years. Like the images, the t-shirts hold memories of a time when…

So what do you do with the pile on the floor of the many colors and sizes of old jerseys from the days when your kids played soccer or the little leagues? What about your old college t-shirts or the ones you saved from high school activities? Those have to mean something or they still wouldn’t be on the back of their closest.

Instead of throwing away all these great memories, saved for so long, turn them into a t-shirt quilt.

I worked on a t-shirt quilt for a friend, whose son passed away a few years ago. T-shirts are no longer just souvenirs, they are now time-share gifts that can never be returned.

Your son was also a student in my classroom, many years ago. As I cut, iron, sew and quilt, memories of a young man wash over me and make me smile. As a quilter, I am pleased to be able to use my talents so that the family can snuggle under the quilt made from days of joy and peace with their child.

Old shirts turned into a t-shirt quilt can be lifelong memories.

Here are some tips to follow when making your t-shirt quilt:

Instructions are based on a finished 15″ square shirt block. The quilt will eventually have the same size quilt block with fabric sashes between the shirt/blocks and a fabric border.

First, check all of your t-shirts to make sure the designs will fit in a 15″ square. Sizes: All sizes include a 1 1/2″ frame and 2″ brim and are based on a finished 14 1 t-shirt. /2″. block shirt. If the shirts are smaller than the size listed above, sewing the shirts together can form a block.

12 shirts will make a quilt the size of a blanket, approx. 48″ x 64″ – 3 wide x 4 bottom.
20 shirts will make a double size quilt, approx. 64″ x 82″ – 4 wide x 5 bottom
30 shirts will make a full size quilt, approx. 82″ x 96″ – 5 wide x 6 deep.
36 shirts will make a queen quilt, approx. 96″ x 96″ – 6 wide x 6 deep.
42 shirts will make a king size quilt, approximately 110″ x 96″ – 7 wide x 6 bottom.

Step 1 – Select the Shirts – Make sure the shirts are clean and not stained.

Step 2: Fusible Interfacing – Each shirt should be backed with a non-woven fusible interfacing to prevent stretching. Purchase a Pellon Fusible Fusible Fusible Interface. Good quality allows the jerseys to stretch less. Purchase enough for 17″ per shirt. Iron first before cutting shirts to required square size.

Step 3 – Sashing/Bordering/Binding Fabric: Sashing strips form a decorative grid between each T-shirt block. Plan 2″ (1 1/2″ when finished) framing strips between the blocks, 2 1/2″ (2″ when finished) strips for the trim, and additional fabric for binding.

Step 4 – Shirt Cutting – Separate the front of the shirt from the back. Make sure the shirt is flat, iron if necessary. You want the side of your shirt to be larger than 15 square inches, ideally larger than 17 inches to fit the interface. After applying the interlining, you will cut the shirt square to the desired size. (Mentioned in Step 2)

Step 5 – Fusion – Cut the interface into a 17″ square. Do not cut the interface, it will show through. Place the interface resin side down on the wrong side of the shirt, trying to center the design as much as possible. as possible Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for fusing the back of each t-shirt together Use a press cloth so glue doesn’t stick to the iron Watch out for wrinkles – once they cool! they will not be removed!

Step 6 – Cut the Squares – Square each fused shirt to 15″. layout space.

Step 7 – Arrange – Place squares on the floor or bed and arrange. Toggle light/dark, busy/not so busy. Make sure that the blocks can be read from the desired direction and that they all go in the same direction. Pay close attention to repeating the pattern and the words so that they, and not just the colors, don’t end up in the same row or column.

Step 8 – Completing the Quilt Top – Add Sashes – Sashing strips are the horizontal and vertical strips between the blocks. Horizontal strips should measure 15″ long x 2″ wide. Cut enough sashes strips to add to all but the bottom row of shirts. Sew horizontal strips to the bottom of each block, except the blocks on the bottom row. Sew blocks together to form columns. To keep the quilt straight, use posts in the corners of the block and between the trim strips. The use of a contrasting color creates a “pop” in the design of this publication.

Step 9 – First sew trim strips onto each block. Make sure the first and last block in each row has a trim strip at each end. Now sew the strips between the rows of blocks by adding the posts between the strips. Include one strip for each block. There should be a stripe between each row of blocks, as well as above and below the blocks to form part of the border. The side border will be done automatically as you complete the rows.

Finish: Quilt top and layer backing wadding. Baste or safety pin together. You can hand or machine quilt the t-shirt quilt.

Health Fitness

Why don’t I see good results when I do 30 minutes of cardio at my gym?

Surely you have witnessed thousands of courses that promote cardiovascular training. Is it all hype? Or is it the real thing?

For starters, some of the good things you can gain through cardiovascular (cardio) training are lower bad cholesterol and higher levels of good cholesterol.

Cardiovascular (cardio) fitness will strengthen your heart and lungs and reduce your chances of having a stroke or other heart complications.

Cardio fitness is very popular in gyms these days. Some people prefer to exercise using their body weight, and other gym-goers prefer to use machines. Both methods will make you build cardiovascular endurance and decrease body fat.

So which plan is the best?

It’s not the focus that matters, it’s the intensity. And since machine training sessions are practiced so much more than bodyweight exercises, it’s easier to become complacent and make a few mistakes. By incorporating a few modifications in the way you use this equipment, we can skyrocket our cardiovascular levels.

If you’re working hard on the stair climber, you’re better off not resting your arms on the railings. This common mistake will surely support some of your body weight making this particular exercise inefficient and less intense. A better option is to keep your arms off the rail and make sure your legs are supporting most of your body weight.

The elliptical trainer is another machine we see in almost any gym, but some trainees who use this equipment tend to lower the resistance level and start moving faster, believing that moving faster will help them get ripped abs. . Basically what will help them lose a few inches off their waist is the intensity, by increasing the resistance of the training device, they will move a little slower, but the intensity of the exercise session will be enormous. That is what will help us lose the most fat.

A very common training device is the exercise bike. This piece of equipment can make or break you because the range of motion is so small, plus people set the resistance level too low and then start reading a book or start talking on their cell phone. The bottom line is this, if you can have a conversation on your phone or can talk to the person next to you while exercising at the same time, your workout won’t be intense.

And the most common, the Treadmill. If you are running on this machine, a good piece of advice I can give you is to fix your eyes on a point on the wall, if you see that point out of focus, you are certainly jumping more than you should. Maintain the same level of vision while jogging or walking, and of course, the way to increase the intensity on this exercise device is to increase your speed.

Make all your cardio training more intense. Make sure that by the time you finish your training sessions, you are covered in sweat. That’s the best sign that you trained hard and that’s the only way you can have a toned body, a healthier life and better cardiovascular fitness.

Whether you use your body weight or machines, never forget, it’s the intensity of the exercise that will give you that chiseled look.

Legal Law

Outsource Your Marketing – A Three Part Series – Part II – Getting Started

Every business needs marketing, therefore every business should have a marketing plan. In Part I: Need Marketing, We recognized that marketing is a significant expense for any business, and we emphasized that without a marketing plan, a business essentially leaves its ability to grow and prosper to chance. For companies that are unwilling or unable to commit resources to building an in-house marketing infrastructure, a viable alternative is to outsource their marketing. It’s not as scary, or expensive, as one might think. For starters, know what you’re dealing with.

Marketing is a process, not a result

Understanding that marketing is a process is critical to accepting that marketing is not simply an expense that affects the bottom line. It is necessary; It is NOT a necessary evil. As the director of marketing for a large consumer products company, he was responsible for, among other things, sales forecasting, pricing, trade promotions, trade shows, new product development, market research, advertising, catalogs, and other materials. sales, sample distribution/fulfillment, package design, and trade incentive/rebate programs. He was in charge of “The Brand” and managing how all the components of the brand worked together to enable the company to achieve the forecast: the sales revenue projection.

A small business may not have all of the aforementioned components in place, but should at least have an annual sales revenue goal. It is the marketing plan that determines how the various marketing components will be combined to enable the company to achieve the forecast. That requires research, modeling, estimation, and a bit of guesswork, and if done right, it’s not a job that can simply be relegated to someone who doesn’t have enough to do. Marketing professionals understand this. They understand that trying to go to market without a marketing plan is like trying to hit a piñata, or in other words, like trying to hit a moving target in the dark.

ask around

If you don’t know who to call, ask your peers and associates to recommend a marketing contractor, or contact your local chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA). Before contacting any referrals, visit their websites to get an idea of ​​what they do and how they do it, not to mention how they present themselves. Look for information that will give you an idea that the company will be a good fit for you and your team.

Interview potential contractors similar to how you would interview a potential employee. What is your process? What are your expectations? Why would your company benefit from working with them? Explain succinctly what their needs are and be prepared to tell them candidly what your budget is. If they are good, they will interview you for the same reasons. (I meet with potential clients sometimes up to three times before deciding if they are a good fit for us.)

When it comes to the cost of marketing, what many people don’t understand is that the revenue forecast determines the budget. Just pulling a number out of thin air because that’s what you’re willing to spend on marketing is crazy. Most marketers know, for example, that the smaller the business, the higher the percentage of revenue spent on marketing. A business that generates less than $5 million in annual revenue will typically spend 7-8% of revenue, while a business that exceeds $100 million will spend 1-3%. That varies by industry and, more importantly, what the goals of the company are. If a company seeks rapid and substantial growth, for example, the percentage could be as high as 20%. If your company has annual revenue of $5 million, are you spending between $350,000 and $400,000 on marketing? If you want to double your revenue in the next two years (over 40% annual growth), are you prepared to spend $1 million this year and $1.4 million next year on marketing?

So before you sit down with any potential marketing services contractor, consider a realistic amount you can spend, then let the contractor detail what they can do for you with that amount, as well as whether they think that amount is right to help you meet your revenue goals. It’s also important to determine if you want the contractor to simply develop a plan for you or to also be involved in executing the plan versus other services and deliverables.

Now that we’re at the point of contacting potential contractors, let’s consider some of the variables that will affect the cost of the services the contractor will provide. Part III: What do I need vs. What can I pay? It will help you build your wish list and give you an idea of ​​what to expect for what you can spend.

Lifestyle Fashion

Hair and makeup tips for a bikini model

Depending on the photo shoot, your hair and makeup can range from bare and flat to colorful and voluminous. You want to deliver the best results as a model, and that includes knowing what’s right and wrong for each type of photo shoot. As a model you should know the necessary tools and tips for your hairstyle and makeup. For a bikini model, the best way to do hair and makeup is to keep it clean, fresh and simple.

As a bikini model, you want to look sexy yet natural, so you should minimize your makeup. You should use just a little bit of foundation, think fresh and light. Remember, you could get wet as a bikini model, so don’t wear so much that your makeup runs. For your blush, you should choose a dark shade of pink, but not so dark that it looks unnatural. When you brush it on your cheeks, you’ll want to work from the cheekbones to the ears in an upward motion. This will enhance the contour of your face and highlight your cheekbones.

Since your eyes are considered “windows to your soul,” your eyes are an essential piece of the puzzle. For your eyeshadow, you should choose a light color that complements your eyes, moving towards browns and grays. Although the color is nice, it can be problematic during a bikini shoot. Usually the purpose of a bikini shoot is to sell the bikini. You want the consumer to see how great your body looks in a bikini and how great your overall look is. You don’t want them to focus only on your eyes; It takes attention away from your body and the swimsuit.

For your mascara, it should be light. You want to accentuate your lashes, but be careful not to turn them into “show-stopping” lashes. If you were at the beach you wouldn’t see a woman in a bikini with false eyelashes. So a simple mascara will work great, don’t use lash volumizers or volumizers. For your eyeliner, you should use your eyeshadow. Simply dip the brush into the eyeshadow, usually the darkest of the colors you’ve used, and sweep it along the lower lid and around the corner of the eye. This will enhance your eyes without making them too harsh, as eyeliner tends to do.

You want your lips to look full and beautifully shaped for your photo shoot. Choose a lip liner that closely matches your lip color. When applying the lip liner, work from the inside of the lips to the edges. Edging your lips is crucial to creating a plump lip. Now, for your lipstick, you need to choose a transparent color, within 2 shades of your lip color. Choose a lipstick that has a bit of moisture and shine. Before applying lipstick, you should put some ChapStick on your lips. This will hydrate your lips, helping them look healthy and hydrated. Apply your lipstick, working from the inside of your lips towards the edges. Don’t wear gloss for a bikini shoot, you want your lips to look hydrated and natural, not shiny and fake. After applying the lipstick, take the edge of your little finger and pull up the cupid’s bow. This will define your lips and create that voluptuous look.

When it comes to your hair, you want to have that slightly curly, messy “day after” look. To get the tousled look you want your waves to look silky, you can achieve this by applying a dime-sized amount of Smoothing Serum through your dry hair before styling. Use a 2″ curling iron and curl your hair loosely and lightly comb your hair at the roots. You just want to create a wispy vibe, not full of curls. For the messy next day look, there are two tips you can use to get the Results you need Take a shower right before bed and comb through your hair to detangle.

After doing this, you can part your hair in the center of your head, gather your hair into a low bun, and go to sleep. When you wake up and take your hair out, you’ll have relaxed, toned waves. Another way is to spray texturizer on dry hair. After applying the texturizer, scrunch the ends to help create messy volume. Once you’ve styled your hair, be sure to spray it with a flexible hairspray. You want to keep the look subdued without sacrificing its naturalness. If you’re having a hard time thinking about how to style your hair, just take a look at the Victoria’s Secret catalog to get a nudge in the right direction.

When you’re having trouble creating the perfect bikini model look, think about the beach. Close your eyes and imagine the beach, imagine that you are walking on the beach, feel the sand under your feet. Notice people as you walk past them. Do they wear bright lipstick colors? Do they have a crazy eyeshadow color? Just think about how you would go to the beach if you were with friends or alone. You want to create the feeling of being on the beach or by the pool.

You want the consumer to imagine that this is what it can look like in a bikini. If you have big curls in your hair and bright red lips, it will be more difficult for people to imagine themselves as you. The purpose of a bikini model, in addition to selling the swimsuit, is to make the consumer want to be you. They want to look as sexy as you on the beach or while lying by the pool. Remember you want to look sexy but RELATED! Do this and you will achieve that sexy beach look and have an amazing session.

Real Estate

Purchase of bank-owned REO properties using money from private investors

Many real estate buyers know that there are fantastic deals available on the real estate market. The sheer number of bank foreclosures has led to a tidal wave of bank-owned REO properties that has flooded the market with low-priced properties. Shrewd investors are taking advantage of this situation to grab houses at bargain prices.

If you are considering investing in bank-owned property, you will need to be a cash buyer. This means you must show “proof of funds,” which is usually a bank statement showing you have the cash available to purchase the home.

If you don’t have the cash available, you’ll need to borrow the money from someone who does. If you have a relative or friend with access to cash, they may be willing to lend you money to buy a property in exchange for a first mortgage on the property. They will effectively become the bank and you will be required to make a monthly payment to them.

There are professionals in the real estate business who make these types of loans to people who are not related. They are called hard money lenders. The only difference between a hard money lender and a private investor is the interest rate. Borrowing from Aunt Sallie could cost you 8% per year in interest. A typical hard money mortgage in today’s market would be 15% plus 3 points up front.

 

Why would someone borrow money at such a high interest rate? Let’s see an example. Suppose you could buy a bank-owned REO property for $40,000 when the home has an actual market value to a cashless buyer of $80,000. Paying 15% interest on a $40,000 loan equals a monthly payment of just $500.

 

Suppose you waited 90 days to obtain title and then sold the property to an FHA first-time homebuyer for $79,900. Suppose you paid a 6% commission to the real estate agent and another 6% to pay buyers’ closing costs. He would still net $70,000 from this transaction. After paying the hard money lender the $40,000 he borrowed, he would still have $30,000 in profit. Even if he held the house for six months before finding a buyer, he would only have spent $500 per month in interest for 6 months. The total interest cost on him alone would have been $3,000. This would leave you with a net profit of $27,000.

Or put another way, without using any seed money (borrowing all the money) you could make a profit of $27,000. How easy would it be to sell a home like this to a first time home buyer? The answer is that it would be extremely easy. Buyers are putting down just $3,000 (3 ½%) to buy a home with a monthly mortgage payment that is almost equal to their monthly rent. You are paying all of your closing costs. And the government will give them an $8,000 tax credit if they buy before the end of 2009. Everyone wins. The bank can quickly sell your property to a cash buyer. The cash buyer can trade in the property and make a quick profit and the ultimate FHA buyer can own a home for the same monthly payment as the rent.

The trick to the transaction above is to find an $80,000 property that you can buy for $40,000. This is the part that requires training, knowledge and experience. Finding deals like this is an art form and the people who find these deals are known as “bird dogs” or “property scouts.”

Many bird dogs sell their deals to cash investors for a small profit. This is known as wholesale. For example, a wholesaler might contract to purchase the old home for $40,000 and then sell it for $45,000 to another cash investor. In this way, the wholesaler does not need to borrow money from a hard money lender. The wholesaler simply finds a deal, signs a contract to buy it, and then turns the contract over to a cash investor for a profit. This is known as an “assignment of a contract” and the profit paid to the wholesaler is known as the “assignment fee”.

Banks don’t want wholesalers to change the contracts on bank properties. For this reason, banks do not allow assignable contracts. This means that a wholesaler cannot transfer a property from a bank to another cash investor. The reality is that there are still ways to assign a property. One way is to buy the property in a land trust and then assign the beneficial interest in the land trust. Another way is to buy the property in an LLC and then assign the membership interest in the LLC. However, the problem with these methods is that the ultimate buyer may not want to have a land trust or LLC.

 

For this reason, the best way to sell a property from a bank to another investor for cash is to have what is known as a double closing. This means that the wholesaler essentially buys the house from the bank and then simultaneously, on the same day, sells it to another investor for cash. The downside is that the wholesaler will pay double the closing costs.

 

If a wholesaler has a signed contract and wholesales the deal to an end buyer, then if the wholesaler is low on cash, they may need what is known as “transactional financing.” Transaction financing is perfect for bank properties and short sales that a wholesaler offers to an end buyer. Since banks do not allow assignable contracts, the wholesaler will need to schedule a double closing with the ultimate buyer. Double closings, also known as simultaneous closings, allow a wholesaler to schedule two consecutive closings for the same property on the same day. The wholesaler will need to have a source of funds to pay for the first transaction. This is where transactional funding (also known as same day funding) is needed.

 

Our company offers transactional financing to all of our private tutoring students. However, our students must schedule both closings with our title company in order for us to offer transactional financing. We will only offer transaction financing if both closings are with our title company (independence title and escrow).

 

If you are looking to trade in a property from a bank, you will have two contracts and two closings. The first contract is between the bank (seller) and you (buyer). The second contract is between you (seller) and your final purchaser (buyer). The ultimate buyer is the person who will ultimately be the long-term owner of the property.

 

Example:

 

A bank

b-you

C – Final buyer

 

Suppose you have a contract with the bank to buy a property from the bank for $40,000 (first contract). This is known as the AB transaction.

He markets this property to its cash buyers and finds a buyer at $45,000. You sign a contract with this buyer in which you are the seller and he is the buyer (second contract). This is known as the BC transaction.

The difference between the two contracts (after deducting closing costs) is your profit that you will walk away with at closing. As there are two contracts there are two closures. This means that you will pay double your closing costs.

The transactional financing fee we charge is 2% +$495 with a minimum fee of $1,250. For example, if you were to request $40,000, your fee would be $800 + $495 = $1,295. We will only provide transaction funds if you use our title company (independence title) for both closings.

 

For more information on transactional financing, visit http://lexlevinrad.com/transaction_funding.html

 

Copyright © 2009, Lex Levinrad

Sports

football history

As you probably know, soccer is the most played, watched, and televised sport in human history. According to FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) there are currently 270 million people who actively participate in football. (That’s about 4% of the world’s population) So why has this sport become such a big interest to me and people alike? What is the story behind this long-awaited event?

Referred to as “association football” on Wikipedia, soccer is a sport that has roots dating back to the 2nd and 3rd century. The oldest form is said to have originated in China; a game called “cuju”. FIFA, soccer’s governing body, officially declared China the birthplace of its game in 2004.

In recent decades, many other forms of the sport have been seen in other regions of the world, such as “Harpastum” (Roman), “Kemari” (Japan) and “Knattleikr”. (Iceland) Of course, these games were very different from what modern football is. It was not until the 19th century that various forms of football became an organized event played mainly by prestigious public schools in England. There were many improvements in the course of the sport when Thomas Arnold (head of the ‘Rugby School’) helped establish the first standardized rules of Rugby.

In rugby, they allowed players to kick opponents’ legs below the knees (which was banned in later years), ball handling was also allowed. After this development, football and rugby separated in December 1863. Modern football was born in England with the formation of the FA (Football Association), which is the governing body of football in England. Ebenezer Cobb Morley was a founding member of the Football Association in which he stressed the importance of a governing body for football. After the FA was established, he established the “Laws of Soccer” which implemented the rules of the game played today. On January 9, 1864, the first exhibition game of football was played at Battersea Park. In just eight years, the FA had 50 member clubs and grew rapidly, allowing a competition to emerge in 1972. The FA Cup is the first football competition and is considered the most prestigious in England. The ‘Wanderers’ were the first team to win the cup, defeating the ‘Royal Engineers’ 1-0.

Soccer slowly caught on in other countries with the help of British influence. It was not until 1889 that other countries (the Netherlands and Denmark) would embrace this wonderful game. Soccer began to grow rapidly with the following countries; New Zealand (1891), Argentina (1893), Chile, Switzerland, Belgium (1895), Italy (1898), Germany, Uruguay (1900) and Hungary (1901) adopted their own football associations.

In 1904, FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) was formed in Paris to regulate international matches and there were seven founding members (France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). The first international soccer competition was introduced at the 1908 London Summer Olympics with Great Britain winning gold, Denmark silver, and the Netherlands bronze. The rise of World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) halted the growth of the sport, and it resumed years after the war. By 1950, FIFA had 51 member countries. Before the creation of the World Cup (the most prestigious soccer competition), FIFA organized a soccer competition within the Summer Olympic Games. In 1930, FIFA would administer its own tournament in Uruguay; the host nation to be the first football team to win the cup which would be the most watched of any professional tournament today.

Soccer today is a growing sport with 208 national teams recognized by FIFA, plus there are thousands of club teams competing against each other in various leagues and cups for world dominance. The sport has become an addiction for many people around the world, helping nations and individuals come together as they cheer on their team in the hope that one day their team will bring home a trophy. The future of soccer always has room for improvement and hopefully interest will pick up in the US as elsewhere. “Fair play” is the name of the game.

Tours Travel

Diagnosing Adrenal Exhaustion Part One: The Challenge of Correctly Diagnosing Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal fatigue is becoming more and more common as people work overtime and there is no relief in sight. They are simply more and more exhausted, until they can barely get out of bed in the morning after staying up all night. Read on for the challenge of getting a decent diagnosis.

If you report symptoms of excessive fatigue in the presence of emotional trauma, your doctor may order blood tests to determine the levels of hormones such as hydrocortisone, aldosterone, epinephrine, and ACHT in your blood, urine, or plasma. That is if your doctor is any good.

There are also other tests for adrenal fatigue that involve injecting substances into the bloodstream that change the production of a specific hormone. For example, in the ACHT challenge test, in which the ACHT hormone is injected, there should be an increase in adrenal output; otherwise, adrenal fatigue is most likely present.

If your doctor suspects adrenal disease, he or she may also order imaging studies to rule out the presence of adrenal calcification, tumors, atrophy, or megalia of the gland. The most common imaging techniques include abdominal x-rays, MRI, CT scan, arteriography, radionuclide scanning, and an intravenous scan of the kidneys along with intravenous dye. Your doctor will use the results of your blood tests and any imaging scans done to reach a diagnosis of adrenal fatigue.

Unfortunately, most doctors don’t really diagnose adrenal fatigue unless the adrenals are completely depleted. Hopefully, you haven’t waited that long and it’s not too bad. Rather than take your chances with a regular doctor, you may want to go to an alternative health practitioner first, who might be able to help you restore proper functioning to your adrenal glands before they are completely depleted.