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Owing to different market conditions, more and more investors are embracing commercial real estate’s secondary markets.

But what are the existing market conditions? And how are they influencing today’s investors to make the shift to these markets for expanding their commercial real estate portfolio?

Understanding the present market conditions

Commercial real estate has secondary markets that are characterized by:

• The potential for having stable national economic trends
• The improved risk-taking ability of buyers
• A yawning difference in yields across secondary and primary marketplaces

These factors are driving investors to set their sights on secondary markets for improving their returns.

Decoding real estate secondary markets

As the name suggests, these markets acquire the second spot in the hierarchy of making commercial realty investments.

But secondary markets bring in unique opportunities and risks.

The assumptions supporting the commercial real estate investment strategy in the coasts may not hold water for lenders who are operating in the areas with lower liquidity. That means one thing: secondary marketplaces may not be the most ideal business when done on a smaller scale.

The thing is that the difference between secondary and primary markets extends way beyond a simple tally of every area’s commercial real estate. And if someone is foraying into the world of such markets for the first time, they will not be able to make sense of different market participants, different properties, and links to the real economy.

Speaking of their issues, these markets present unique roadblocks related to property acquisitions, investors‘ dispositions, and fund availability. (Generally, investors may face a tough time finding the right financing opportunities for initiating buying activities in secondary markets.)

Long-term prospects in secondary markets

Most investors are propelled toward these markets for commercial real estate.

Why?

Mostly, investors are motivated by a secondary market’s prospects for appreciation in the long run.

It is because some markets give high gains, provided that they meet some criteria.

For example, some markets may have a high concentration of skilled workers along with an exceptional track record of innovation. These markets rank at the top spot of the list of lucrative markets. Other than that, some supply-constrained markets can also provide high yields.

But just because a skilled workforce is driving long-term growth initiatives in any marketplace does not necessarily make it any less volatile. Ranging from the time of investment to asset selection, these marketplaces too have multiple factors that govern their liquidity models.

Like any other market, a secondary market will have its own unique risks as well. The investors who want to expand their portfolio by speculating in these markets have to factor in a variety of aspects.

First of all, they’ll have to consider the fact that the global economy is expanding and having an impact on the economies of different countries. Because of its synergic effects, the global economy is pushing itself away from financial crises at a steady pace.

On successfully analyzing these factors, investors must integrate their analyses into decoding how and when these external influencers will change a market’s performance patterns and risk-return tradeoffs.

Successfully analyzing the current economic landscape and its impact on secondary markets will drive policymakers, investors, and lenders in the right direction.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

I was hanging out with a few people at a wedding recently and the conversation turned to

today’s real estate market.

One of my friends, John, from a town near San Jose, CA told a fascinating, yet familiar,

story. I thought I would share it with all of you.

John and his wife, Liz, decided to sell their home. They bought the house in 2004, saw it

increase in value, and this summer decided to sell it. They interviewed four different

agents to sell their home and finally decided on the one who agreed to sell their home for

what they wanted to sell it for.

They believed the home was worth $625,000. The first three agents who came in to

interview for the listing told them the house would never sell at that price and that they

should consider listing it below $600,000. They all felt $589,000-$599,000 was the

„magic“ number.

John is a commercial real estate broker. He knew that his asking price was high but he

was in no hurry to sell. He also didn’t like the fact these three agents weren’t offering

any „solutions“ they were only discussing the „problems“ he would face at the higher

price.

These agents told John and Liz about the current market conditions for their area. If

their home sold, it would likely take up to 120 days. There was a 55% chance that the

home wouldn’t sell at all during these four months. Based on what they wanted for their

home, they needed to be prepared for this. The agents told them they needed to consider

lowering the price.

John and Liz talked very seriously about lowering their price. Then they met a fourth

agent named Lynette.

Lynette came in and presented her case. It really wasn’t much different than the rest.

She also told them about days on the market and the chances of selling their home. She

also suggested they may be priced a bit high but then she offered an option.

„Let’s stage your home using a professional home staging company,“ Lynette suggested.

„This is going to cost you about $4000. We will list the home at the $625,000 you want

but to offset some of this expense, when I sell your home, I will split this expense with

you.“

Whereas real estate professionals, like Lynette, are highly skilled in marketing, selling

and closing your home, home stagers are designers. They are artists who prepare your

home for resale.

Home stagers work with the „flow“ of your home. They will remove and re-arrange

furniture. They will eliminate clutter. They may even add pictures, bedspreads, paint,

art, rugs and other items to make it more appealing. They may even assist in enhancing

curb-appeal.

Their goal is to make an incredible first impression on potential homebuyers the moment

they pull in front of your home.

Lynette explained that although the décor of the house was very nice and contemporary,

the home was cluttered because of their three young boys and busy lifestyle. The home

didn’t feel as large as it was because it was packed with too many items to display it

properly. The home was „too personal,“ she told them. They had picture of the boys

all over the house from birth to last year’s soccer playoffs.

She told them that they needed to compete with new home builders who are offering

buyers the most incredible purchase incentives. She said that when you walk into the

model homes of the builder you are „blown away.“

„THAT is your competition,“ Lynette said. „You need to blow away the people who

walk into your home too.“ She also explained that the last few clients who hired her

home staging company sold their home in less than 60 days and didn’t discount their

asking price.

John and Liz were not crazy about spending $4000, and certainly not thrilled about taking

down pictures of their beloved family, but they were encouraged by Lynette’s creative

idea. At the end of the day, what they really cared about was selling this home, so they

did it.

John said the home staging company came in and made the house seem like a „hotel.“

„They took out way more things than they put in, but it did look better, like a nice bed

and breakfast hotel,“ he said. „It almost made me want to stay there,“ he joked.

It worked. Their house sold in three weeks….at the $625,000 list price. Lynette did an

amazing job from start to finish!!

Just this month, I sold my very own investment house that was staged in 11 days. There

were three like models listed in the subdivision at the same time. Mine was the highest

priced. My incredibly talented real estate agent did an amazing job too but I truly

believe staging was a real key as well. I did take a small loss on this home. However a

sale in 11 days is no small accomplishment in today’s market.

Experts say that if you are hiring a professional staging company, plan on spending

between $2000-$5000 based on the size and condition of the home. If you just want

consultation, plan on $100 or so per hour.

Experts, like StagedHomes.com, say that a staged home sells in half the time as a similar

home that is not staged and that a staged home sells for 7-10% higher.

Coldwell Banker tracked nearly 3,000 properties, ranging in price from $229,000 to $4.8

million, in eight major U.S. cities.

During this time, they determined the average home was on the market for nearly 31

days, the typical staged home sold in less than 14 days.

The average home sold for 1.6% over the seller’s asking price. The staged homes, in the

Coldwell Banker study, over the same time, went for a 6.3% more.

This means, if the average home price is $300,000, you can expect the average staged

home to sell for $318,000-$330,000. Obviously, this makes the $2000-$5000 investment

a no-brainer.

Inventory is at an all-time high in many areas. The National Association of Realtors

recently reported the biggest drop in home prices since the trade group began compiling

price data in 1968. Many experts are now saying housing prices will continue to decline

though 2007.

So do you take your home off the market until 2008, and hope it gets better, with the

possibility it gets even worse, or do you separate yourself from the competition and do

what it takes to give your home the very best chance it has to sell today?

We are in a slower real estate market, however the people who are most committed to selling their

home will likely still be successful. When you are selling real estate it’s no different

than selling any other product. You have to market to find a capable buyer and then you

have to impress him.

Your real estate professional will market the property to bring the buyers but the product

and how it’s displayed will determine if it sells and at what price. This is where the

professional home stager comes in.

OK, so you want to give Home Staging a try? Here’s how.

There are many websites out there. Just type „professional home staging“ into your

favorite search engine like Google, Yahoo!, or MSN and you can start looking for the one

that best fits you.

If you want to try doing it yourself, take these tips from professional home stagers like

StagedHomes.com and others:

HOW TO „STAGE“ YOUR HOME YOURSELF

MAKE AN AWESOME FIRST IMPRESSION

Look at your house like you will look at the homes you want to buy next.

Prospective buyers make up their minds about your house even before they get out

of the car.

This is your chance to WOW them. Clean up the yard; rake the leaves and sweep

driveways and porches.

Get out the rags and cleanser and spend 30 minutes scouring your front door,

porch, railings and steps.

Make sure all of all your trash cans, recycling cans, other bins, discarded wood

scraps, extra building materials, etc., are in the garage.

Check gutters for roof moss and dry rot. Make sure they are swept and cleaned.

Look at all plants. Prune your bushes and trees. Keep plants from blocking

windows.

Weed and then mulch all planting areas. Keep lawn freshly cut and fertilized.

Remove dead plants or shrubs.

Clear patios or decks of all small items such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal,

barbecues, and toys. Box them away and store them.

Check the paint condition of the house, especially the front door and trim.

UNCLUTTER YOUR HOUSE

Empty your closets to a minimum, clear out the cupboards, and get rid of the small

appliances. Take books off the shelves, get rid of all of the magazines, the CDs,

video games, and DVDs, and lose the kid’s toys. Minimize it all.

Rent a storage unit or box what you want to keep and toss the rest.

Now is the time to say goodbye to your house and your stuff and transition. Your

life may be a bit uncomfortable during this time but you are now in the business of

selling your home.

GET RID OF THAT FURNITURE

An easy way to „unclutter“ and create a much greater sense of space is to get rid of

some furniture.

Consider moving your sofa, extra chairs, and end tables into storage so you can

make the home feel like it is larger and has much more space.

If your furniture is old, you may want to pack it away and rent a few more

contemporary pieces.

The goal is to sell your home, not display your old furniture.

MAKE YOUR HOME „THEIR“ HOME

The goal here is to get the potential buyer to imagine that he is living in your house.

If he feels like an intruder during his tour, your chances of selling the house are less.

That means put away anything connected to your family or personal interests. Like

trophies, family vacation photos, and personal mementos. Box it all away!

Clear refrigerator fronts of all messages, magnets, pictures, reminders, etc.

Stagers say the bathroom is a crucial place to pay close attention too. Shampoo

bottles in the shower and toothbrushes near the sink make it very hard for the

buyer to picture himself there. Box it away during the day and bring it out at night

for your use.

Keep the towels to minimum as well. Think „neat hotel bathroom“ on the day you

checked in.

MAKE THAT HOUSE AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE

If your house is clean, the buyer tends to believe everything else is great with the

house as well. This means clean everything! The mirrors, walls, floors, carpets,

drapes, bathrooms, kitchen, and even door handles, light fixtures and pantry

cupboards.

If you hate cleaning, bring in a professional maid service regularly while your home

is listed and get someone in to do the windows, driveway and walkways. Remember,

it costs money to make money.

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL HANDYMAN

As I mentioned, I recently sold an investment property of mine that was staged in 11

days. I staged it myself by following all of the items listed here.

The day before my agent officially placed my home in MLS and started contacting

all of his previous clients, I called a handyman to come out and fix a few things.

I had a missing face plate for a light switch. I had some mold around one of the

toilets. One of the sinks had a broken drain valve. The door leading out to the

garage was dinged up a bit and needed a coat of paint. This was less than $100

worth of work. Many sellers would simply have ignored these items, offered the

buyer a blanket repair credit, and said „get it fixed yourself when you move in.“

Because of my research on this topic, I knew better and made an appointment to get

the handyman out to fix it. He was busy so he committed to come in a week.

However, my home went on the market the next day.

Two days later, five days before the handyman came; the eventual buyer of my

home toured my house. He came back a week later, after the handyman had been

there, and bought it. When I finally met the buyer at the final walk-through, I

asked him whey he didn’t make the offer the first time through.

He told me the missing face plate on the light switch and the dinged up garage door

really bugged him. When he came back and it was fixed, he was impressed and

knew I cared about the home.

A $3 item from Home Depot and a simple coat of cheap grade white paint almost

cost me the sale of my home.

Don’t wait! Fix those minor problems today!

COLOR UP THAT HOUSE WITH PAINT AND CARE

A fresh coat of paint in key areas of your home really makes a big difference. If

your home feels „special“ like you care, that will translate to buyers. Experts say

flowers in the entry or near the front door make your home feel more special, warm

and inviting.

FACE IT, YOUR HOUSE STINKS…MAKE IT SMELL BETTER

Stagers say that people don’t realize it but many of their homes simply stink. They

stink from pets or just everyday family use. The easiest way to overcome this is to

keep your windows open for 10 minutes a day.

This strategy works better than deodorizers, says Barb Schwarz, president of

StagedHomes.com, since a lot of people have allergies to artificial room fresheners.

The oldest trick of all? Leave chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. The smell

helps buyers bond with your home.

MAKE YOUR HOME BRIGHTER AND MORE ALIVE

When things are lighter they feel more vibrant and alive. Dark is depressing. You

don’t want the buyer feeling depressed walking through your home.

Staging experts say clean windows let in as much as 30% more light than dirty ones.

Get them cleaned.

Clean the shades on your light fixtures and add floor lamps if an area seems dim.

Get rid of those energy-saving 60-watt bulbs and go with higher wattage lights for

maximum illumination.

When it comes time to show your home, make sure all the lights are on.

GET HOMEY AND CREATIVE

Flowers, plants, candles, expressive art are all items that are not overly personal

that give a good vibe to the buyer walking through your home. Show these off or go

buy some to add that touch.

You want your home to feel like a model home you see at a new house tract or,

better yet, a comfortable hotel lobby.

For real estate agents, in my opinion, this is a great tool to separate yourself from your

competition in trying to get a listing and sell the home. I think it’s a good idea to take a

few home staging classes or have a professional home stager as part of your team as an

option to present sellers.

StagedHomes.com offers two-day home staging workshops for real estate agents.

For homeowners with a lot of equity, I think hiring a professional stager is a tremendous

idea as well.

If you don’t have as much room financially and the costs of hiring a professional stager

seem preventative, you may want to try the „do-it-yourself“ ideas listed above first.

If those still don’t work, but you notice the feedback is more positive, you may want to

then consider hiring a home staging professional.

From all indications, and I can tell you first-hand, the price of staging your home is small

compared to the benefits you can realize.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Finding the right apartment or home to rent can be difficult and stressful. You can be competing with many others for a quality unit in a prime location.

The secret, real estate brokers say, is to plan ahead. Often renters will wait until the last minute to look for another apartment. However, when renters are in a hurry they tend to take apartments they don’t really want.

Here are a few tips for finding the best rental homes and apartments in your area.

1. Start your search 60 days before your move

The best rentals, in terms of price, location and amenities, go earlier in the month, so don’t wait until midmonth to look for a new place to live, Macon says. It’s best to start searching 60 days before you need to move, especially if you are looking for a rental property where there isn’t as much available.

The second and third weekends of the month tend to be the busiest. If you start your search the first weekend of the month, there will be less competition and the best properties will still be available.

2. Search for rental listings online

About 90% of renters will start apartment hunting on the web. Looking online is a good way to start your search. You can get a sense of pricing and apartment amenities. However, if you’re moving to a new city, apartment rental sites won’t tell you enough about neighborhoods and the local amenities of each, such as public transportation or grocery stores.

3. Use a real estate broker

In most cases, real estate brokers are available to help renters find properties free of charge. The key is to find a broker who specializes in rental properties, not home sales.

If you’re looking in areas where there is generally tight competition for apartments, you’ll want to talk with a number of real estate agents before committing to one because different agents have different relationships with different buildings. Make sure you are talking with an agent who has access to the apartment buildings in neighborhoods where you want to rent.

4. Don’t be fooled by scams

Be aware of online scams, particularly ads on Craigslist that require you to provide your credit card to pay a deposit fee to be shown the apartment. No one should require a deposit to show you an apartment.

Also, be careful if you are renting an apartment directly from a private person because you will be giving a total stranger your Social Security number and your bank account information, and they will likely run a credit check on you. It’s safer to work with a licensed and bonded real estate broker.

5. Consider roommates

If you’re considering sharing an apartment, make sure you know who your roommates will be and consider asking the landlord for separate leases. If you have a joint lease and the rent is $2,000 a month, you are liable for the entire amount if your roommates don’t pay their share, Macon says. But if you have a separate lease, you’re liable only for your portion of the rent.

Don’t be afraid to ask for references if you don’t know your roommates. You can also use social media – LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook – to find out more about them.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

If you are starting a new venture, or you are expanding an existing one, then you might be going through a menacing time to set things up. It is a complex undertaking when you have to spend a lot of money for more equipment, or else the new business won’t run. Equipment procurement is an essential part of setting up a business and you don’t have much choice but to buy new gears and paraphernalia to get things started.

First, you have to plan for the equipment needed and it is important that you know how to select the products that would address your needs. After you have determined the equipment needed, you have to create a plan on how you should be paying for the equipment. If you don’t have money to spend for it, then you probably need a business equipment finance company.

What is this company that would supply financing for your equipment purchase? Basically, this is considered a smart thing to do when you are short of funds to buy equipment. Or even when you have money, you can use the equipment loans to pay for practically any kind of business equipment you require. The amount you can borrow would vary and it would depend on the equipment you are procuring, and the state of the equipment such as if it is new or a used equipment.

You would normally need financing if you need a car loan. If you have already tried a car loan, then you have probably known how the financing system works. The equipment will serve as your collateral to the company that gives business equipment finance. The interest rates are fixed which can be from 8% to 30%, depending on the term. These companies also offer a fixed length for terms, and this gives the borrower ease in repayment through having the same amount of amortization every month.

The length of the loan term would also vary, depending on the nature of the equipment and how long it is expected to be useful. There is varying depreciation of different equipment and this is to be considered before the terms can be determined. Some equipment types are given 36 months or 48 months terms. But some terms provide only 12 months for loan to be repaid.

What type of business equipment can qualify for equipment loans? All sorts of equipment would be viable for this such as: IT equipment and computers, heavy machinery, medical equipment, scientific equipment and commercial vehicles.

Thus, you can get a loan for trucks, prime-movers, tractors, tankers, laptops, desktops, servers, factory automation, robotic assembly devices and many more. The list is long and you have to talk with the company’s representative to determine if the equipment you need can be financed.

You may get advised on having a lease on your equipment and not a loan. However, with a lease, you are only renting the equipment and it won’t be yours after the lease term is done. With a loan, you own the equipment once fully paid.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

We are a full-service real estate company offering the most comprehensive real estate services available in the market, and we go the extra mile to assist our clients on a daily basis. We work tirelessly on your behalf to make your next buying or selling experience a pleasant and successful one.

Our services include working with both buyers and sellers in a wide array of markets including residential, commercial, land, and other related property types.

Our company is dedicated to serving your every real estate needs. We are committed to providing a superior level of service in order to ensure a smooth and beneficial outcome to each and every transaction.

Buying

Selling

Renting

Financing

Investing

Our team maintain exceptional knowledge of the local markets, outstanding negotiating skills, and the experience necessary to give you the service you deserve. Professionalism, dedication, and knowledge make us the perfect choice when selecting a realtor.

We provide outstanding exposure to your property through both traditional means of advertising while maintaining a comprehensive approach using today’s modern techniques including web advertising.

We will work with you to find your ideal home by using a wide array of resources and we will make sure all your buying needs are met.

we will utilise our outstanding negotiating skills in order for you to receive the best possible price for your new property. We look forward to serving all your buying needs.

Buying or selling your home will be an enjoyable and rewarding experience when you work with Kargil Properties and their innovative and effective methods for generating successful results quickly and efficiently.

A Commitment to Excellence

Our Firm’s philosophy is simple – we understand and care about people who ask for our real estate service. We make a commitment to your entire family. We find homes for families – homes and neighbourhoods that meet our clients‘ dreams and desires. We sell homes for families at the highest fair market value possible. That’s the reason our clients return again and again.

If you would like to consider us to fulfil your real estate needs, please fill out the following form below. This will help us to understand your specific real estate needs.

Office Address:

Kargil Properties

Lane Number 5, New Airport Rd,

Viman Darshan, Pune,

Maharashtra 411014

Open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Owner And Director Of Kargil Properties:Mr. Sanat Thakur is an Ex- Army person, Motivational Speaker, NLP certified Trainer& Life coach, Successful Entrepreneur.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

When you plan to buy a home in a down market condition, it is very essential that you know all the things that will help you earn great deals from it. When there is a sluggish real estate market, the prices of homes decline. This is the most appropriate time to purchase a property as you will be able to buy it at a cheap price.

It is absolutely essential that you do your homework before buying a property. Know an area well before making any move. Learn about the price range of properties in that area. It will help you in bargaining with the seller and you can get a house within your price range.

You should remember that you are not the only buyer hunting for a particular property. To be sure that you do not have a competitor, get your mortgage pre-approved so that the seller knows that you are financially sound. He will be more interested in selling his property to you.

You should always hire a professional real estate inspector to be sure that everything in the house is in a proper state. It may so happen that the roof or the doors and windows are cracked and that might cost you heavily in the long run. So check everything properly before purchasing a property.

Always take assistance from a professional real estate attorney who knows well the real property law associated with any real estate deal. He can do all the paperwork on your behalf for real estate laws are very difficult for a normal person to understand. It is also advisable to look out for motivated sellers.

A motivated seller will always be motivated to sell his home and that too at a lower price. The motivated sellers have some compelling reasons behind selling a home. It will be helpful for you in making a great negotiation with the seller. By purchasing the property from a motivated seller, you are also helping him at the same time.

While purchasing a property during a down real estate market condition, you need to take care of all these things to crack big deals. Real estate industry is a place where you can make really good investments provided you have ample knowledge and expertise.

You can also take advice from real estate experts as to how they were able to earn profits when the market conditions declined.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Whether you are buying or selling a property, choosing a real estate agent may be the most important decision you make. Good real estate agents can save you a substantial amount of time and money. They can also ensure that the buying or selling process is an enjoyable and memorable experience. Here are some tips for choosing a real estate agent:

1. Ask Friends/Family for Referrals

Ask family and friends for their advice on local agents. This way you will be sure to find an agent with a good reputation.

2. Consider More than One Agency

There is an array of agents that will kill for your business. That is why you should interview as many agents as you can. Compare agents with regard to their knowledge of the area, experience and qualifications. Also, ask for references from previous clients.

3. Choose an Agent that Knows the Importance of Customer Care

While interviewing different agents you will be able to establish their level of customer care or how far they will go to satisfy the customer. Look at things like their attitude towards returning phone calls and their willingness to meet with you.

4. Choose an Agent that Handles Homes in Your Price Range

When you opt for an agent that deals with homes in your price range, you will be sure to end up with an agent that will give his or her best effort. Some agents deal only with high-end properties and are used to high commissions. They are more likely to attend to these properties first.

5. Choose an Agent that Respects Your Time Schedule

If you will not be able to view properties during office hours, you need to find an agent that is willing to do business after hours or over weekends.

6. Look for an Agent that You Can Communicate With

Communication is vital when buying or selling real estate. Make sure that you choose an agent that understands your needs and that communicates them well. You will be best off if you choose and agent that registers a high level of comfort with you or with whom you are compatible with.

7. Choose an Agent that Provides Multiple Services

It will be a bonus if you can find an agent that can handle the buying/selling process as well as other additional services like arranging property inspections or who can refer you to a trustworthy real estate attorney.

8. Choose an Agent That Can Negotiate

Negotiating skills is an essential quality of a good real estate agent. Make sure you choose and agent with impeccable and proven negotiating skills.

9. Choose an Agent with Lots of Resources

Ask agents where your property will be advertised. Make sure that the agency uses print advertising (newspaper/magazines) as well as other promotional material such as brochures. Also check if the agency makes use of the Internet for advertising their listings.

10. Follow Your Instinct

Choose an agent that makes you feel comfortable and whom you trust. You level of comfort and satisfaction will let you know if you’ve met the right agent.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

It’s not just your house that you should be concerned enough to turning green. After exerting efforts to make your place as sustainable and as eco-friendly as possible, why don’t you do homework together with your neighbors and turn your neighborhood into one that is eco-friendly too. Here are some tips.

Sharing garden space. Why would I share my garden with my neighbors? There are various benefits you can get from this act. First, your unused garden can be a space that supports plant and flower life. It can be turned into one that yields fruits and vegetables. There are organizations that are willing to give seeds in return of the favor of using your garden for their activities.

Establishing neighborhood cooperatives. A lot of success stories have been told about the establishment of neighborhood cooperatives. These can range from types that support the collection of recyclable wastes from the neighborhood and turning them over to larger recycling facilities in exchange for cash. The recyclers can often drop by at your designated place in specific intervals to pick up what you have collected. This is an efficient way of teaching your neighbors the importance of solid waste reduction.

Neighborhood coops can also be the types that produce processed or bottled foods, baked goodies, and other small scale profitable ventures.

Encourage the holding of swap days. It takes a lot of energy to make new things. It will also involve raw materials which are mainly coming from nature to make some of the thing you usually like. Taking inspiration from the old barter system of our ancestors, why don’t you initiate the staging of swap days among your neighbors every weekend.

This is a great opportunity not only to score the stuff you like but to also make friends with your neighbors. It will strengthen cooperation among neighbors while allowing each and everyone in your community to partake in conservation efforts.

If you’re good at baking, why not bring in some of your goodies. Who knows you can exchange it for a vase that is very fit for your center table. There are a lot of possible trades that can happen. You can even make it a swap party anchored with a weekly theme so things for swaps will have some variety.

Making your neighborhood an eco-friendly one can also be a goal towards developing a place that is harmonious and where people are always willing to exert an extra dose of helpfulness.

For other real estate concerns, your local real estate agent is just a call away. He or she has expert advises that can be helpful in owning an eco-friendly house.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Yes, you read the title of this article right! Three overlooked causes of serious health problems are having a detrimental impact on the health of employees and customers. Fortunately, important research is bringing these vital business health concerns to light. According to a landmark 2018 report from the World Health Organization (WHO), leading Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in homes and businesses are:

* Environmental noise;

* Air quality; and

* Water quality.

Governmental health agencies worldwide are actively studying SDoH using advanced cloud-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. This article will discuss the importance of these findings on business owners. Other articles in this series will present inexpensive methods for improving health in polluted business environments.

Environmental Noise

Both indoor and outdoor factors contribute to the level of noise in homes and businesses. Indoor sources of noise include ventilation systems, white noise machines, and appliances and other machines. Outdoor sources of noise include cars, trucks, airplanes, playgrounds, schools, and construction and other urban activities.

According to the WHO report, the expansion of urban activities, highways, airports, and low-quality building construction increases the level of noise that people are exposed to in homes and businesses. All told, these factors are known as „environmental noise.“

In addition to hearing loss and lack of sleep, SDoH studies have revealed that excess noise has other detrimental effects on health. Guidelines based on AI analysis of SDoH found that the relative risk for death by heart attack or stroke increases 14% for every 10 dBA increase above the annual average of 45 dBA daytime and 35 dBA nighttime.

For example, a 50 dBA turbine installation that meets current US and EU standards, running all day, every day imposes a 7% increased risk of heart attack and stroke annually on people exposed to the turbine’s noise.

Since the typical business office „cruises along“ at 55 dBA, it’s easy to see the negative effects that noise is having on employees‘ health!

Consequently, WHO noise guidelines of 45 dBA day and night will soon be adopted in the US by the NIH, HUD, NIOSH, EPA, and HHS. This means it behooves businesses to proactively implement measures for reducing noise.

Air Quality

As opposed to noise, poor air and water quality are more „silent killers.“ In business, owners are responsible for providing a healthy workplace by ensuring proper building construction and maintenance. Management of moisture requires proper control of temperatures and ventilation to avoid excess humidity, condensation on surfaces and excess moisture in materials. Ventilation should be distributed effectively throughout spaces, and stagnant air zones avoided.

Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can also result from the presence of furnishings and building materials containing toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, radon, and others. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been linked to certain diseases like asthma. In addition, substances such as asbestos and radon do not cause immediate symptoms but can lead to cancer after many years of exposure. Poor outdoor air quality results from vehicle exhaust, industrial pollution, commercial manufacturers and construction sites.

Poor air quality is a major health concern. Like noise, AI analysis found increased risk of serious stroke and fatal heart attacks when poor air quality (indoor and outdoor) is present. AI analysis of SDoH found that the relative risk for death by heart attack or stroke increases 14% when you live and work breathing poor quality indoor and outdoor air.

Water Quality

Significant adverse health effects have been associated with inadequate plumbing systems in businesses and homes stemming from poor design, incorrect installation, alterations, and inadequate maintenance.

Numerous factors affect the quality of water within a building’s piped distribution system. Poorly designed plumbing systems, for instance, can cause stagnation of water and provide a suitable environment for the proliferation of Legionella.

Moreover, improper plumbing materials, pipes, fittings and coatings can result in elevated concentrations of lead in drinking-water, and inappropriate materials can be conducive to bacterial growth.

According to the EPA, there is evidence that several metals found in drinking water (such as lead and arsenic) may contribute to heart disease or aggravate its symptoms. In addition, Stroke reports that even low exposure to arsenic is associated with an increased risk of stroke. To the surprise of investigators, AI analysis of SDoH found that the relative risk for death by heart attack or stroke increases 14% when you live and work where you drink or breathe (yes breathe) poor quality water. Researchers discovered that toxins such as lead, arsenic and even radon can be found in municipal and well water in quantities 100 times or more than found in poor quality air. Of even greater concern is that even if you do not drink the water coming from the faucet at home and work, the water that is aerosolized while running that faucet to wash your hands and aerosolized when flushing the toilet can carry enough contaminants to increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Summary

In conclusion, excessive environmental noise, poor air quality, and poor water quality can all lead to serious health conditions, including heart disease and stroke. When these Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are present in your businesses, they can quite literally be killing your employees and customers. Now that the findings are in, the next step for business owners is action.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Animal Farm is one of the two greatest works of George Orwell, the other being 1984. Animal Farm makes satirical allegories of the totalitarian communism of Soviet Russia. The novel is regarded as one of the all-time bests ever written by any author.

Animal Farm is a novel of betrayed revolution. It presents the corruption that followed the revolution led by Lenin.

In Animal Farm, the characters are animals and human beings. Among the animals, many of them are pigs, who are more often than not rulers. Apart from pigs, we see three main horses, a donkey, a goat, some puppies, rats, the sheep (plural number), a raven, a cat and hens.

The animals are more allegorical than real. The interpretation of the meanings is often left to the reader, but generally the consensus is that they represent different classes. Again, the humans represent another class. Thus, the novel demonstrates multiple classes.

All animals are equal, but some are more equal than the others.

All animals are supposed to be of the same class, but in reality, some animals are of superior class.

Pigs: Old Major represents Lenin/Marx. He had introduced the animals to the song Beasts of England. Napoleon (allusion of Stalin), the villain, a Berkshire boar, gets more powerful gradually, with help of the puppies whom he uses as secret police. He drives out Snowball (allusion of Trotsky), from the farm and uses dogs to enforce his dictatorship. He changes the commandments to allow him have privileges such as eat on a table. He and the other pigs learn to walk upright and behave like those humans against whom they had revolted. Snowball, allusion of Trotsky, was working for the good of the farm and had won over most of the animals hearts, but was driven out by Napoleon and his dogs. Napoleon also had spread negative rumors on Snowball. Squealer (allusion of Molotov) is Napoleon’s minister of propaganda, and his main assistant for all practical purposes. He uses statistics to confuse the animals and show that they had improved quality of life, and the animals, with little memory of life before revolution, accept. Minimum is a poetic pig representing all the admirers of Stalin inside and outside Russia.

Humans: Mr. Jones, a heavy drinker, the disposed tsar. His attempt to recapture the farm is spoiled by the Battle of the Cowshed (Russian Civil War). Interestingly, Napoleon eventually becomes as much a drunkard as Jones. Mr. Frederick, the tough owner of Pinchfield, a neighboring farm, represents Hitler and his farm represents Nazi Party. Mr. Pilkington is apparently nice but is shrewd. He and Napoleon draw the Ace of Spades (the highest card in a card game) and begin a bad fight, symbolizing the tensions between US and Russia. Mr. Whymper (loosely alluring Western intellectuals) is hired by Napoleon to represent Animal Farm in the human society.

Horses: Boxer is the hardest-working entity in the animal farm. He is dedicated to the success of the farm. Boxer invests all his loyal, kind, dedicated self to the farm’s „good“ as portrayed to him by the farms leaders. His hoofs eventually splits and he is sent to death by Napoleon when he could not work any more (and Napoleon spread the rumor that he died peacefully in a hospital). „I will work harder“ was the motto of Boxer in any tough situation, and his brain-washed trust was shown by his maxim „Napoleon is always right“. Clover is Boxer’s companion. She works with Boxer and loves him and cares for him, and takes the blame on herself when Boxer splits his hoof. She is deeply respected by the three younger ones who eventually take Boxer’s role. Mollie is a third horse – a self-centered mare – who wears ribbons in her mane and eats sugar cubes (lives a life of luxury), and is pampered by humans. Later she leaves for another farm seeking better comfort.

Other animals: Benjamin, the wise donkey who could read also, represents the Jews and lives till the end of the novel. Muriel is a wise old friendly goat like Benjamin, but dies earlier in the novel from old age. The cat represents laziness, the rats represent some arbitrary people who roam around, the sheep represent the masses (and Napoleon manage the sheep such that he is supported and believed by them) and the hens represent the rich peasants. Moses is an old raven (bird) that sometimes visits the farm from Sugarcandy Mountain, a place where the hard-working animals go after death he claims. The puppies are the ones that Napoleon specially raises and makes a secret police out of them. They become one of the backbones of Napoleon’s power in the Animal Farm.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg