If you wish to sell your house quickly, you need to host an open house. It’s the opportunity for potential buyers to see the property, and decide if they want to buy it. They can look at the entire area, and even meet with you to ask some questions. Before you host the open house, these are a few things you need to remember. You want to ensure that one of the people who visits the property will eventually decide to buy it.

Be in a welcoming mood

Although open houses can be exciting, they can be exhausting if you’re the host. You will entertain tens or hundreds of guests in one day. You have to put yourself in a welcoming mood so that even if you have to meet with a lot of people, you will retain a positive attitude. You don’t want to get angry at anyone in the room, or else, it could impact your ability to close the deal.

Prepare your house 

The primary reason why people want to attend an open house is that they want to see the property. They want to know if it’s the right place for them to live. They also want to see if there are repair issues that they will have to deal with. Although you upload photos online, it still feels different when the buyers see the property in person. Therefore, it helps if you prepare the house before their arrival. Hire someone to clean the house and keep it in order. You can also repair some broken parts so that the potential buyers won’t complain at all.

Prepare some refreshments

Treat the potential house buyers as your guests. Therefore, prepare some refreshments. You wish for them to feel at home immediately. Even if they decide against buying your property, they could still spread positive word about you.

Prepare flyers and brochures

The open house might not give the potential buyers all the answers to their questions. If they want to know more about the property, they can visit your website or the other platforms where you provide the information. The flyers and brochures should be available during the open house so that anyone who wants to know more can pick the print materials up.

Ask your agent for help

If it’s your first time to host an open house, you need someone else to be of assistance. You want to partner with a real estate agent who knows the details about open houses. You can also prepare the property better if you get advice from these experts.

Even if the open house doesn’t yield fruitful results, you shouldn’t worry. You can always deal with a wholesale buyer who will purchase your property at a reasonable price. Type sell my house Boca Raton in your internet browser so that you can find the best wholesale buyer in your area. You won’t go through a lengthy process before you can close the deal. If there’s an easy way out, it’s the best choice for you.

 

Xiao Long Bao, more commonly referred to as XLB or soup dumplings, originated in the Chinese province of Shanghai and is now popular all over the world. Its origins date back to approximately 1875 when legend states that restaurant owner Huang Mingxian invented them to keep up with fierce competition from other food vendors. However, most people local to Shanghai believe there’s more to the story than that. The timing may be off by a few decades as well.

Another theory on the origins of XLB goes back even further. As the story goes, Emperor Qianlong is the person responsible for introducing soup dumplings to Shanghai. He lived from 1711 to 1789. In the mid-1700s, he was traveling through Jiangsu when he tasted this bite-sized deliciousness for the first time. Emperor Qianlong loved XLB so much that he told the whole province about it. If this version of the story is accurate, Chinese soup dumplings have been popular for nearly 275 years.

The Dumpling Controversy

People sometimes disagree that the Chinese soup dumpling should even go by the name dumpling at all. That is because cooks in Shanghai prepare XLB in a distinctively different manner than Westerners prepare them. In the United States and other Western countries, the term dumpling describes any boiled food containing dough. The problem some people have with using the term dumplings to describe XLB is that those calling it that don’t account for the method of cooking, wrapping style, or technical composition. Nevertheless, use of the term continues and likely will do so indefinitely.

What’s Inside of XLB?

The outside of a soup dumpling is, obviously, made from dough. Inside is either pork broth or chicken broth, sometimes both. It also contains stock made from pork skin or chicken feet with collagen that turns into a gel-like substance as it cooks. Cooks prepare the soup dumplings by placing the broth and meat stock inside and then pleating the edges. They finish the process by placing a wrapper around the XLB to ensure it’s not too hot for people to touch. This final step also helps the gelatin to melt and turn into a hot soup that diners expect when ordering XLB, whether in China or elsewhere.

How to Eat Soup Dumplings the Right Way

Picking up and eating XLB properly is essential to avoid burns and other mishaps. The best way to accomplish this is to lift a single soup dumpling out of the steam basket with a set of chopsticks. Next, make a small puncture near a top corner and suck out the hot broth after allowing a few minutes for the soup dumpling to cool down. The last step is to eat the remaining dough ball. Some people also enjoy dipping the dough in sauce for added flavor. So long as no one injures themselves on hot broth, the exact mechanisms of eating a soup dumpling are up to them.

A bar was something which I had wanted to own since I was a teenager and after 15 years of working in sales, I decided that it was time to step away and create that dream I had in my mind for such a long time. My bar is called Haidak and although we had a difficult couple of years in the beginning, we have slowly built the place up and recently it has been very successful. Before I invested in the bar I did a lot of research into what people want and what makes a great bar, and I visited some incredible places which have managed to get things just right. For me, there are certain aspects of what makes a great bar, and these are what I think people should focus on.

Theme

People need to know what they are going to get when you build a bar, and the theme which you choose is going to be vitally important in this. Picking a theme is also a way in which to understand what kind of clientele you are going to get coming through the doors. It doesn’t matter what the theme of your bar is, be it sports, music or something a little more niche. The key however is to pick a theme and ensure that each aspect of your bar fits in with it.

Tables and Chairs

Something which so many bars get wrong in my view is the way that they set up tables and chairs. If we think about why people come to a bar it is for two reasons, to socialize or to get away from everything and this is why it makes sense to cater for both of these in your seating arrangements. Putting lines of tables close together doesn’t give people that intimacy that they are looking for and the best option is to vary your seating from booths to big and small tables, not forgetting to have seating options at the bar for those flying solo.

Entertainment

You should decide early on if you are going to be a bar which offers entertainment, because half measures won’t cut it. If you are going to play sports then make sure you have a number of TVs placed throughout the bar, if you are going to offer games then set up an area with a pool table and some gambling machines. If however you don’t want anything, don’t slip a gambling machine in there to make some extra cash, as this is going to detract from the main feel and mood of the bar.

Service

Service is a huge aspect of having a bar and if you can’t offer people this then you aren’t giving them much incentive to come out. People want to get a drink when they need one, they want a little bit of conversation and they want to feel looked after. If you can’t offer this then they may as well stay at home and have a drink with some friends instead.

 

I was just about to fly down to Mexico with my colleague Bharat Bhise when the news was announced that Tottenham had fired manager Mauricio Pochettino and replaced him with Jose Mourinho. Bharat is a Spurs fan like myself and it is fair to say that we were both shocked, and pretty angry. Now that the dust has settled it seems that Daniel Levy probably did make the right choice when he got rid of Pochettino, but that is not to say for a second that the manager should be remembered as anything else but spectacular. Pochettino will now have ahis pick of clubs around the world, so where will he end up next?

Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich have been in terrible form in the Bundesliga this year and that resulted in the sacking last month of manager Niko Kovac. They have installed a caretake manager and have said that he will be there until the winter break. This could be the perfect fit for Pochettino, and the timing will work out very well indeed, giving him enough time for a break, and enough time to get to know the players. There are similarities between Munich and Spurs and they would certainly enjoy Pochettino’s approach to promoting youth, pressing tactics and his ability to manage and inspire big game players.

Real Madrid

Mauricio Pochettino has openly said that he would never manage Barcelona because of his history with Espanyol, leaving Real Madrid as the team in Spain which looks most likely as Poch’s next destination. Madrid have made no secret of their interest in the Argentine and whilst he was at Spurs they even approached Daniel Levy, but were rebuffed. If Pochettino had concerns about the money that Daniel Levy wouldn’t spend, he will not have those same issues again under Florentino Perez, and he could also help to bring through the academy players who are faltering. Zinedine ZIdane’s job looks to be on shaky ground and the moment that he is gone we can expect to go after the Argentinean coach with real fervor.

Manchester United

Whilst we do expect Poch to come back to the Premier League, it would be surprising if he decided to choose another Premier League team as his next club. With this being said, surprises happen all the time in football and anything could happen. If he does come straight back the Premier League then he may very well end up at Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer constantly looks to be on borrowed time at the Red Devils and chairman Ed Woodward has made no secret of his desire to bring Pochettino to the club. For Pochettino he could walk into a job with unlimited resources and a vert good group of senior and young players. This would be a long shot, but it certainly makes a great deal of sense for all involved.

Where do you think Maurcio Pochettino’s next club will be?

 

When you are moving to a new home, you are concerned about packing everything you need to take to your new place. Even if the idea of moving is exciting, it can be exhausting. Think about wrapping, protecting, and boxing everything!

If you haven’t cleared out the junk beforehand, the task is more daunting and time-consuming because you have to separate the trash from the items you are taking to your new home.

Nevertheless, here are practical and useful ways to go about it. Follow these suggestions and you will have fewer items to pack and unpack.

Sell the items you do not need

For sure, you will have several items you have forgotten that you own, stuff that you do not need or rarely use but is still functional, and things that will not fit in your new home. Moving house is costly, so why not earn some extra cash? You can organize a garage sale. You have to announce the sale at least one week in advance to notify people, while you sort the items and price them.

If you have more valuable items that you collected through the years, including family heirlooms that you do not want to take with you, it is better to contact an estate sale company. The company will organize the estate sale and charge you a commission. An estate sale is a good option because you can focus on other things that require your attention.

You can also try Craigslist and eBay to sell your items if you have ample time to do it before your moving date, as you need to handle the shipment. You want to do it in your old home instead of packing the sellable items and bringing them to your new home, which may end up cluttering your space yet again.

Donate

Get in touch with your local church and inquire if they accept donations of clothing or furniture. You can do the same with your community center. Some organizations, like the Salvation Army, will even pick up the items themselves. However, see to it that you get in touch with them well in advance. They are meticulous about what things they want to take, so it is better to have a backup plan.

Check with your family and friends since some of them may be need an item that you want to discard.

Junk or trash them

After you have sold or donated most of your stuff, there will be some junk left behind, which you can throw away as trash. If it is just a few items and your community allows it, you can leave the items in the garbage.

However, if the quantity is sizable, it would be more economical and safer to have a Miami junk removal company do it for you. They will send a truck and workers to get the items from your home. They are a professional junk removal company you can trust.

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When it comes to the ultimate in pampering your car, it’s hard to beat a great car cover. The best car covers are made of the finest materials and they fit over your car like a tailored suit. More than a good fit though, a car cover offers protection from rain, UV rays, dust and debris. Waterproof car covers keep moisture away from your vehicle’s critical components in even the harshest conditions. A Supremeweave cover provides weather protection come rain, shine, wind, heat and cold. It guards your car’s paint job against bird droppings and acid rain, and it keeps dust and tree sap out of sensitive areas. The fabric is coated with a “Hydromax” finish that is so water repellent that rain just runs off its surface. Other features include a durable, breathable fabric, a soft fleece under lining, lightweight design and easy storage capability.

Huge Inventory for Auto Enthusiasts

A massive choice of all weather car covers allows you to find just what you are looking for. Whether your pride and joy is stored outside in the cold and rain, or inside a heated building, the right cover protects your investment. Custom car covers come in over 100,000 patterns and fit your year/make/model. The right car cover provides the following benefits:

• Great pricing
• Superior fit
• Solid protection
• Easy maintenance
• Impressive durability
• Remarkable versatility

A big inventory means you can get the car cover of your dreams, and the right cover for your model. Dustop or Softweave covers are made specifically for canvas top or cloth top convertibles and won’t leave lint on the surface. For everything from trucks to hard top convertibles, Customweave covers are a great fit and provide solid protection. If your collection of toys includes boats, jet skis, ORVs and UTVs and trailers, you can find covers for these items as well.

Additional Products for Your Passion

Hundreds of quality products keep your vehicle looking its best, from cleaning products to car care kits. Tire covers are another smart way to add some protection while scoring a great deal. They extend the life of your wheels and tires by providing protection from everything from dust, chemicals and the droppings of feral and domestic animals. Sold in sets of four, they are an inexpensive extra layer of defense for custom wheels and they install easily. To get the correct size, simply measure from the top of your tire to the ground and then pick out the closest tire cover. A variety of sizes are available to match your car, truck or other prized possession.

With the right, premium products, there’s no end to ways to personalize your vehicle. Seat and dash covers and windshield sun shades perfect the interior, while waxes and polishes and car detailing tools customize and clean the exterior. To ramp up the fun factor, consider the best in outdoor living accessories such as folding tables, chairs, canopies and shelters and picnic items. While you’re at it look for deals on how to equip your garage with battery chargers, tool storage and dozens of other items that make your life better.

 

First American Home Warranty guide to: Natural disasters, accidents and other threats to homeowners

Accidents and defects to home systems and appliances are inevitable and unavoidable. Some homes are more susceptible to sustaining damage if for instance they have children, are clumsy or lives in areas prone to natural disasters. For instance, the state of California in America is famous for its susceptibility to disastrous occurrences like wildfires, earthquakes, landslides, floods, tsunamis and storms that leave death and destruction in their wake. Other kinds of damages to homes and appliances could be from home accidents or the inevitable wear and tear of appliances from use and gage. For situations like this that cannot be prevented or even controlled, homeowners must be proactive in protecting themselves by insuring their lives and property.

What is a home warranty and why is it important?

A warranty is a guarantee provided by a manufacturer or retailer to a buyer assuring that the product or purchased good is of high quality and in good condition and will be replaced or repaired if found to be faulty within a defined period of time and under certain conditions. Home warranty specifically speaks to insuring home appliances and systems from damage or destruction caused by normal wear and tear or factory faults. It is a contract between a homeowner and a home warranty company that covers the discounted cost of repairing major home appliances and systems that sustain damage in the course of usage, accidents or unforeseen events like natural disasters. It covers problems Such as plumbing, electrical systems, and other appliances like dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, stoves and the likes.

It protects homeowners against expensive repairs and replacement of damaged home appliances. Maintenance bills for systems and appliances in the home can run into thousands. While it is impossible to prevent them from developing faults whether from natural causes or prolonged use, the cost of repairs can be halved by partnering with a home warranty company like First American Home Warranty that will cover half the cost and ease the financial burdens incurred by unforeseen circumstances.

Benefits of home warranty to homeowners.

1. Home warranties also indemnify new homeowners, particularly first timers, who might be unfamiliar with how their new home’s system works. They may not know how it was designed and built and how it has been maintained. The warranty protects them from damages that will likely be incurred while they familiarize themselves with their new home.
2. It offers homeowners, especially those who just depleted their savings buying a new house, an opportunity to engage in good financial planning that will enable them to regain balance after sinking so much into their homes. Potential damages have already been anticipated and taken care of beforehand and knowing that the cost for any repairs is covered by the warranty puts their minds at rest so they can focus on other parts of their lives that need their financial attention.
3. Lastly, home warranties also provide the seller or previous homeowners a measure of protection against any complaint from their buyers about defects or damages that occur after sales closes. It ensures that the seller provides warranty for any and every defect that will be transferred to the buyer of the home and protects him from being made to pay for any other that didn’t exist before he sold it.

Points to note when considering getting a home warranty plan

It is important to note however that all home warranty services are different. There are different types of plans that cover different things and these plans are defined and enforced based on the terms that both parties agree on. Any defects or damages outsides the type of plan and the terms of the agreement signed by both parties will not be covered by the home warranty company. Therefore, it is imperative that expert counsel should be sought before signing up with any company. Proper research for reviews, comparison and customer service should also be taken into consideration to ensure contentment and satisfaction with the choice of Warranty Company that is finally settled for.

Conclusion

A home warranty is truly a wise investment for any homeowner. Whether it is caused by wear and tear, factory defects, accidents, children or even natural disasters, damage to home appliances is inevitable. Instead of walking the expensive road to single handedly repair and replace, partnering with a company that provides good home warranty like first American home warranty is the perfect way to ease home maintenance burdens.

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It is imperative that everyone does their bit to help those who are most in need, be it in your local community or in the wider world. The truth is that many of us have the intention of trying to help, but never get around to it. I was most certainly guilty of this in the past and so a couple of years ago I began to make a concerted effort to dedicate more of my time to volunteering and to helping those in need. If you can’t afford to give money to a cause then you can always give up some of your time, and here are some ways in which you can do just that.

Fundraising

Local and global charities rely on the donations of people to keep doing the good work which they do. In order to get this money they rely on fundraisers to meet people on the street, knock on doors and make pone calls to inspire people to donate. This was where I started, working with the American Fundraising Foundation to drum up support and donations. There are so many charities which you can do this for so pick which cause you wish to support and get started.

Charity Stores

Another way in which charities look to make money is through their retail stores, accepting products as donations which they can then sell on to make money for their cause. Naturally they rely on volunteers to run these stores which is where you come in. No matter how much time you have to spend, be it a few hours one afternoon or an entire day once a week, these stores will be grateful for what you can do for them, and you can help them to continue to make money for their helpful causes.

Local Projects

A friend of mine runs a boxing gym which works with the youngsters in our community to teach them how to channel the aggression which they may have, and to help instill discipline, respect and values. I do not have any skills when it comes to boxing but I do have a pair of hands and I wanted to help. I now clean up, make drinks, carry equipment and just about anything else that they need. If you know of a community-based project in your area then you can speak to those who operate it and offer your support. These men and women run these projects out of the goodness of their hearts and they will bite your hand off for any support which you are able to offer them.

One on One

If you can’t commit to supporting a project or a charity then you can always support the most vulnerable in the community. I have a friend who spends an afternoon every week with an elderly lady who has nobody else who visits her. Loneliness is hard on the elderly, and with a little bit of your time you can really put a smile on their face.

The key is to make the time and spend it doing something that helps.

 

When preparing a home to list, most homeowners are faced with the decision of whether to stage or sell it empty. There are benefits and drawbacks associated with each option. So, homeowners must always weigh the pros and cons before deciding how to sell their properties.

Dubai property market has been growing rapidly in the recent past. There has been new off-plan projects in Dubai coming up now and then even in prime locations such as the apartment for sale in Dubai Marina or Bluewaters Residences by Meraas. Most of these properties are sold at very affordable prices and friendly payment plans.

But before you embark on your property hunting journey, you would first need to sell your current property at a profitable price. Here are the pros and cons of staging a property or leaving it empty:

Pros of staging

One of the biggest benefits of staging a house is the ability to paint a picture for the potential buyers. This is a great way to help buyers envision themselves in the home. In most cases, homeowners use comfortable sofas, beautiful mirrors and pretty decorations to conjure the interest of the buyers.

Nowadays, the majority of buyers are beginning their search online. Staging makes listing pictures look more appealing than an empty house. Since these pictures are the first glimpse potential buyers will see, it is good to make sure they look as great as possible. Also, it is extremely important to ensure the pictures are of top quality.

Cons of staging

One of the biggest disadvantages of staging a house is the cost involved. Depending on the elements used to stage the house, the staging process can cost the homeowner several thousand dollars to make the décor appealing.

Pros of selling an empty house

Just like some buyers envision themselves in a staged house, others find it easier to visualize in an empty house. Some people are just turned off by a staged house, especially if it is not done right.

Another advantage of selling an empty house is that it shows the owner has completely moved out and the home is ready to be occupied. Some buyers might be in a hurry to move in and may not have time to wait for the homeowner to vacate.

Cons of selling an empty house

On the downside, an empty house may not feel warm and welcoming as compared to a staged house.

Another big issue of selling a vacant house is that defects tend to stand out more. Some little defects such as cracks in the wall or a stain on the carpet can be concealed or distracted by furniture or décor.

 

Anyone on the hunt for farm land for sale in United States has a lot of work cut out for them. Finding land for sale these days isn’t difficult, but finding land within your budget, in your ideal location, and that caters to your specific needs is another story altogether.

It is a normal occurence to jump into a sale without thinking it all the way through, just because you’re in a rush or haven’t considered all the facts. These sales sometimes turn out just fine, but sometimes they lead to a lifetime of regret. This regret could be easily avoided if you ask these questions before making the investment into a piece of farm land.

Where are the farms for sale near you?

The first step is deciding on your ideal location. Finding something near you could be difficult if you are currently living in a metropolitan area with no rural areas closeby. If this is the case, you’ll have to expand your search for farms and think out of the box. Anyone willing to purchase something far from their current residence should try to find areas that are known for the most affordable plots of land, like Iowa, Arkansas, Minnesota, or Kansas.

What acreage do you prefer?

The next step is determining your preferred farm size. The best way to determine this is to think about what the land will be used for. Is this solely a residential farm where you plan to raise the kids outside the madness that comes along with city life? Or do you have a specific purpose for this investment, like growing crops or raising livestock?

What is the condition of any standing structures on the land?

If the land you are considering has any existing structures like barns, stables, or a residence, look into the condition of these structures. You need to have a thorough inspection completed on each structure that remains on the land. This will prevent you from moving into the home on the farm, just to realize that it needs an absurd amount of work in order to be liveable.

When was the last survey of the property completed?

Before any land purchase, you’ll need to have a survey completed. Just as a house needs to be inspected before a sale can become final, a plot of land needs to be surveyed. A leading civil engineering firm called Godfrey-Hoffman and Hodge says that:

“Land surveys are crucial to the process of responsible land development. They are commonly used to determine the boundaries and features of properties, to determine easements and encroachments, to develop or build on land, and to satisfy local building codes and regulations.”

What is the history of ownership of the land?

It is important to look into the land’s history and research what it has been used for in the past – as well as the success of the endeavors that have taken place on this farm. This will give you better insight into whether or not your specific purposes for the land will be successful or not.