How you can make staying home just like going out

By (ARA)
(ARA) - When the weekend arrives, going out to a local establishment to meet up with your friends to relax and enjoy your time off is a time-honored tradition. But going out involves a lot of planning and coordination - not to mention the money you'll inevitably drop on food, bar tabs and transportation. The good news is with the right modifications to your home, you can make a night in seem just like a night on the town.

 Turning a room or part of your home into a bar or recreational area can make your abode a destination in itself, as you'll have the comforts of the pub within the privacy of home. When trying to make your home an entertaining destination, focus on the things that you and your friends enjoy about your favorite hangouts. Here are a few improvements to consider as you construct your space:
* Start with the bar. Your bar will provide both a place to distribute food and drinks to your guests, as well as a central place to gather for conversation. Depending on your taste, you could go with a classic horizontal bar, or an L-shaped bar that promotes more face time and conversation. Make a wish list: Is it to be a wet bar plumbed for a sink, and do you have ample power to supply the fridge, blender, stereo and other electronic equipment? Don't forget the ergonomic layout - is the barware within easy reach and the fridge easily accessible?
* Build to accommodate accessories. It goes without saying that a refrigerator is a must, but areas with limited space might not accommodate a full-size refrigerator. Compact under-counter models are perfect in this situation. Typically 24 inches wide and counter-high, these are available in a variety of styles, including wine fridges, beverage centers or kegerators. Determining how you entertain is key says Steve Atkinson, senior marketing manager for Danby Products. "Our Silhouette Select Party Center was designed with entertaining in mind. This unique space-saving fridge offers three separate temperature zones for wine, beverage and ice production in one sleek stainless steel-wrapped package. It's competitively priced, offering extremely good value for the money."
* Distinguish with bar decor. One of the more subtle ways to make your home bar feel more like the real thing is paying special attention to lighting and decor. Adding light fixtures above the bar will draw visitors in. Incorporating a mirror into the back bar will evoke the classic pub look, but the real reason you see mirrors behind bars is because they make the area feel larger than it actually is - a plus when you're working with limited space. Use vintage beer signs or sports memorabilia to inject your own personality into your entertaining area.
* Entertainment. If you have the space, installing a pool table, dart board or other favorite bar games can greatly add to the fun. If you install a TV, consider adding it in a place where it can be seen from almost anywhere in the room, yet doesn't dominate the space or get in the way of conversation and interaction. If you're pressed for space, place card games and board games nearby, as they can make for great ice-breakers.
* Set a vibe. The music selection is a key ingredient to the atmosphere in any bar, so you'll want to give some thought to the sound system you use. One option is to connect your system to your patio, so you can play tunes inside and out. Otherwise, nothing exudes a warm and inviting sound than a vintage turntable. If you and your friends are audiophiles, a record player is all you need for a night of conversation and audio delight.
Constructing a bar might require a little investment up front, but you'll quickly began to recoup your expenses as you spend more time at home instead of going out. And when you build your own space, you can combine all the elements of your favorite watering holes. By adding your own personality to your space, you can build something that's sure to become your friends' new favorite destination.

Home Energy Audits Offer More Than Just Potential Savings on Monthly Bills

Federal, State and Local Rebates, Tax Credits and Incentives Mean Big Savings For Homeowners 

HOUSTON, Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The vast majority of homes in the United States are not as energy efficient as they could be, translating into wasted energy and money every month. Most people want to make their home more efficient but have no idea where to start. Windows? Insulation? A new high efficiency heating and cooling system?

According to MXenergy, a Constellation Company and leading energy provider, a home energy audit is an excellent tool to help homeowners identify key problem areas in their homes and prioritize the most effective solutions. While home energy assessments can cost several hundred dollars, taking advantage of various government rebates and incentives can frequently more than cover the cost.

"There are tremendous savings available to homeowners on a city, state and federal level," says Marjorie Kass, MXenergy managing director of marketing. "We encourage all homeowners to search what is available in their city and state and from their local energy provider. Many times, consumers can not only receive enough money in rebates and incentives to cover the cost of the audit but also funds towards improvements as well."

Home energy audits generally take between two and three hours and can identify key areas of energy loss, evaluate the efficiency of a home's heating and cooling system and offer concrete solutions to seal and insulate the home to maximize efficiency, often resulting in savings of several hundred dollars a year or more.

BGE Home, a Constellation company in Baltimore, Md., offers home performance energy audits to their customers.

"We have had tremendous response to our home energy performance program," says Kevin Klages, president and CEO of BGE Home. "Most homeowners start the process looking simply for a way to save on their monthly bills. What they discover through our evaluation is not only will they save money but also improve their indoor air quality, humidity, ventilation and their family's comfort level as well."

Kass says, regardless of a homeowner's goal for the audit, if they want to maximize savings it is crucial to act now. "Each of the individual programs has its own expiration date and the federal incentives expire at the end of 2011. Now is the time to act if you want to reap the benefits of all of the available programs."

MXenergy, through their On Demand cable channel, MXenergyTV, provides viewers with an in-depth look at what the home energy audit process entails. "Home Energy Check-up" can be found in the MXTV archives at http://mxenergy.com/mxenergytv-video-archive.html and BGE Home offers extensive information about the home energy audit process at http://www.bgehome.com/esc_perfomance_audit.php #what. For a comprehensive list of energy saving programs by region, homeowners can visit www.energysavvy.com .

About MXenergy

MXenergy, a Constellation company, is one of the fastest growing retail natural gas and electricity suppliers in North America, serving approximately 500,000 customers in 41 utility territories in the United States and Canada. For over 11 years, the company has provided millions of customers with a choice in how they purchase energy to run their homes and businesses. Founded in 1999 to provide natural gas and electricity to consumers in deregulated energy markets, MXenergy helps residential customers and small business owners control their energy bills by providing both fixed and variable rate plans. MXenergy is committed to best practices in environmental conservation, supporting local communities through various outreach programs and is a member of the Chicago Climate Exchange. For more information about MXenergy please visit www.mxenergy.com .

About Constellation Energy

Constellation Energy is a leading competitive supplier of power, natural gas and energy products and services for homes and businesses across the continental United States. It owns a diversified fleet of generating units, totaling approximately 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity, and is a leading advocate for clean, environmentally sustainable energy sources, such as solar power and nuclear energy. The company delivers electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its regulated utility in Central Maryland. A FORTUNE 500 company headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy had revenues of $14.3 billion in 2010.

CONTACTS:
Marjorie Kass (713) 357-2095 Laurel O'Connor (209) 782-7212
Managing Director            NorthStar Media Management LLC
mkass@mxenergy.com           laurel@northstarmediamanagement.com

SOURCE  MXenergy 

Netanyahu's 'triumph' at the UN was followed by humiliation at home

By Yossi Verter
After feeling triumphant at the UN, Netanyahu could not manage this week to muster a majority of ministers to approve the Trajtenberg recommendations.
From his heights of happiness at the United Nations in New York, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed straight into humiliation at home. It was inflicted first by his coalition partners, with respect to approving the Trajtenberg committee's recommendations, and thereafter by the medical interns, who turned him down after he finally deigned to meet with them.
Upon his return two days before Rosh Hashanah, Netanyahu went to his office, received Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg's recommendations for social change and announced that he would have the cabinet approve them as soon as possible. Neither Netanyahu nor Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz had to reserve much of their holiday to acquaint themselves with the 267-page report's conclusions. They knew them in advance and wanted to finish with the report as quickly as possible: to submit it to the cabinet, get its recommendations approved and send it to the Knesset posthaste.

 A political source who knows Netanyahu says: "He does not really understand the protest. He is not capable of understanding it, because he has never seen an empty refrigerator. He is certain it's a scheme. That leftists are behind it ... He believes all that nonsense in the newspapers."
The ministers and coalition party leaders have their own agenda. They are appealing to an electorate with a new social consciousness. In this regard, Defense Minister and Atzmaut leader Ehud Barak emerged spotless. He has no voters. He has taken a substantive position, however, by insisting on expanding the budget and opposing any cuts in defense funding.
Meanwhile, the cabinet is supposed to debate the panel's report again Sunday, but Netanyahu's associates say it's not certain a vote would be taken then. They might be trying to lower expectations.
Since the initial meeting with the ministers, Netanyahu has been feeling victimized. He believes he alone behaved responsibly when he sought to get the recommendations approved. He wanted to live up to his commitment to the public. The politicians who torpedoed the move were motivated by foreign, cynical interests: They wanted to come off as more socially minded and thus win points within their party. That's how it is in politics.
Green light, red light
Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov, from Yisrael Beiteinu, is party chairman Avigdor Lieberman's man when it comes to economic affairs involving the Prime Minister's Office and the Finance Ministry. Last Wednesday, he spent long hours at the treasury talking with the new budget director, Gal Hershkovitz. On the agenda was the Trajtenberg report. Also on the agenda were Yisrael Beiteinu's requests: relaxing criteria for assisted living and affordable housing, and more benefits for parents with children up to age 3, and for demobilized soldiers.
While in Eilat on ministry business this week, Misezhnikov said in a phone conversation that it would cost about NIS 1 billion to fulfill these requests. "The treasury tells me that all our requests are justified; the question is if there is enough money," he added.
A few days before the traumatic cabinet meeting, Misezhnikov sent a message to Netanyahu in the name of Yisrael Beiteinu, asking that the ministers be given time to study the report. When the prime minister balked, Yisrael Beiteinu announced that its ministers would vote against it.
Stas Misezhnikov, after having studied the report, do you intend to vote for it Sunday?
"Our demands are not coalition-oriented. They are meant for everyone. They are intended to solve the social distress. Trajtenberg's blueprint is good but needs improvements. If we see that they are again trying to get the report approved no matter what, without taking senior coalition partner Yisrael Beiteinu into consideration, it won't work. We want them to show consideration for us. If so, not only will the recommendations be approved, they will also pass in the Knesset."
And if not, can they expect a red light?
"That is what you say."
Is the government at risk over the report?
"No. The government will not fall because of the Trajtenberg report."
Similar sentiments are expressed by the Shas party's "economic expert," Housing and Construction Minister Ariel Atias. The Trajtenberg panel's work is a financial matter, and governments do not fall over money, Atias says.
Some of the recommendations have upset the ultra-Orthodox - with respect to increasing employment, reducing the number of students in kollels (yeshivas for married men ) and the like. Atias, no fool, knows that in order to gain broad support and even bring Netanyahu to his knees, he needs to wave big social banners.
Ariel Atias, if, say, Netanyahu were to remove from the report elements Haredim oppose, would you forgo your demand for public housing legislation?
"You know what? Try me. It's true I am not pleased with what the professor wrote. The people on his committee know nothing about the Haredi street and they effectively formulated a new coalition agreement. But I promise there will be a public-housing law, whether as part of the report or as a private bill in the Knesset's winter session. We will see who objects to it."
How will Shas vote on Sunday?
"Against. Unless Netanyahu retracts his intention to approve the recommendations as a whole."
One way or another, the government will ultimately approve the report. Maybe even next week. To that end, Netanyahu will have to "pay off" one of the coalition partners. Later on, he will doubtless encounter additional obstacles and will have to pay another toll. And what will remain of the recommendations after all this? Only God knows - especially at this time of the year.
The search continues
Netanyahu has three spokesmen, none of whom is a professional; a bureau chief and a chief of staff who devote a lot of time to the first lady's business; a policy adviser; a National Security Council head; and a cabinet secretary. He has not had a political adviser since Shalom Shlomo left a year ago. For more than a month, since Eyal Gabbai's departure, he hasn't had a Prime Minister's Office director general, either.
The director general holds a key national position: He is the director general of all the ministry directors general, and heads the most important governmental committees.
Gabbai led 21 such committees, and announced his resignation more than three months ago. Sinc then, Netanyahu has been unable to find a replacement. It's not clear why. Either the good people don't want to work with him, or he cannot make a decision. At one point he wanted a "technocrat" director general and turned to Amit Lang, a former senior treasury official. Afterward he decided he needed a "political" director general and chose Nahum Langental, a former National Religious Party MK. As of Thursday morning, it was unclear whether Langental was still in the running. If Netanyahu had had a proficient director general and a serious political adviser by his side at the beginning of the week, the whole cabinet debacle might have been averted.
Welcome to politics
Misezhnikov frequently consults with National Students Union head Itzik Shmuli, one of the leaders of the social protest movement. If we were cynical, we would say that he values the students' votes. Shmuli has close ties with Histadrut labor federation chairman Ofer Eini, who has close ties with Labor Party leader MK Shelly Yachimovich, who has an unofficial alliance with Shas under Interior Minister Eli Yishai, who also talks with Shmuli.
The social protest spawned bizarre alliances, none of them good for Netanyahu. Even if the next election campaign is waged over security issues, the protest will still have an impact at the ballot box.
This week, Shmuli shed his idealist image. He set up a sort of war room and contacted party leaders and a few Likud ministers in an attempt to torpedo Netanyahu's plan to pass the Trajtenberg report. Before the cabinet convened, he knew that Yisrael Beiteinu, Shas, Atzmaut and the two anti-Netanyahu ministers in Likud - Silvan Shalom and Yossi Peled - would not vote in favor. He wasn't sure about Communications and Social Affairs Minister Moshe Kahlon.
Kahlon was against in the morning, but later was in favor. In the evening, when it turned out that there would not be a vote, he was once more against. The Prime Minister's Bureau is furious with him. He got a second portfolio from Netanyahu (social affairs ) in addition to communications, which he has held since the start of the term. One of Trajtenberg's recommendations is to transfer responsibility for early childhood education from the Social Affairs Ministry to the Education Ministry. Netanyahu is unlikely to keep urging his ministers "to be Kahlons." One was enough for him this week.
Shmuli and Eini spent a lot of time together in the past few weeks. Shmuli was not surprised when Eini suddenly whipped out the problem of employees of outside manpower companies as a reason to consider calling a general strike.
"In the weeks ahead we will try to connect the protest and the trade unions," he says. "That is a worldwide phenomenon, and it will happen here, too. I believe Ofer when he says he is going to wage a dramatic struggle over using contracted, outsourced workers, which will change the whole employment structure. He is telling me he will go all the way. If until now people said the big unions fight only for themselves, we will soon see that they will be fighting for the future of the weakest workers."
Shmuli emphasizes that he is not the Histadrut spokesman. He is still working for the good of Israeli society, he stresses and wants to improve the status of the outsourced workers; he also wants public housing for the disadvantaged. Those who will cooperate with him are welcome to do so. One way or the other, he is already in politics.

Actress created her Sanctuary right here at home

By Alex Strachan, Postmedia News
Star and executive producer Amanda Tapping says the sci-fi-series could only have been based in B.C
When: Season premieres tonight. 10 p.m.
Where: SPACE
Amanda Tapping is fighting the early signs of a cold on this early October morning, but she feels energized and reinvigorated just the same. Filming has concluded in Burnaby on the 13 episodes of Sanctuary's fourth season, and Tapping - an executive producer, as well as the show's lead actor - is immersed in post-production, putting the finishing touches on a season she says will take Sanctuary's followers on a darker, more cerebral turn.
The modest, home-grown science fiction-fantasy series has confounded the doubters who scoffed at the idea that a eight-webisode series, originally conceived for the web in 2007, would ever make it as a full-blown drama series on prime-time TV, let alone one that would survive four years. Sanctuary returns tonight on SPACE. It has become a mainstay for the U.S. Syfy cable channel, and shows little sign of going gently into that good night just yet.
Sanctuary has become a fulltime preoccupation for her, thanks to series creator Damian Kindler and a cast ensemble of fellow Canadians that includes Robin Dunne, JPod's Emilie Ullerup, Stargate Atlantis's Christopher Heyerdahl and Battlestar Galactica's Ryan Robbins. Tapping is perhaps best-known from her years playing galaxy-tripping adventurer Samantha Carter in the long-running sci-fi series, Stargate SG-1, but Sanctuary is a personal passion project.
"This season is a little darker than previous seasons, a little more action-packed," Tapping said. "We go back in time. It's all part of a master plan."
The new season will also feature the series' first all-music episode, Fugue, with music and lyrics by Kindler and Sanctuary's longtime background composer, Andrew Lockington.
"It's hugely gratifying to see how far it's come, and also a little surreal, because it did start so humbly," Tapping said. "I often have moments where I think, 'Man, we're getting to make it into a TV show. Nobody thought we could make it into a TV show.' There but for the grace of our finances we go, every year. We are a 100 per cent independent Canadian television series. I think that's an anomaly in this country, and probably around the world, in most countries. To have a television show that doesn't have the backing of a major studio or a major network is really unusual. We are supported by a couple of networks, but basically, it's up to us to make the show happen."
Tapping both acts in and executive-produces Sanctuary. Her supervisory duties include sitting in on story meetings, signing off on casting decisions, and overseeing the day-to-day running of a series that is both a labour of love and a considerable amount of labour.
"We'll be working in postproduction, probably up until a couple of weeks before the last episode airs," she said.
Sanctuary would not have been possible to make anywhere other than Burnaby and the Vancouver area, Tapping believes, not just for the expansive sound stages and experienced film crews - many who worked on Stargate - but for personal reasons, as well.

"Many of us have small children," she said. "We all have families. Doing it anywhere else would have been just awful. There's a real sense of ownership. I don't know that we could do this show anywhere else, not for the amount of money we do it for."
Sanctuary has gone the Comic-Con route; Tapping appeared on a panel at the annual pop-culture convention in San Diego, and was almost mobbed in the process. Genre fans have embraced Sanctuary with the kind of passion - some might say obsession - that sci-fi fans are known for.
Those fans are also socially aware, Tapping says.
"They might be the most socially aware fan base there is, certainly that I'm aware of. And unbelievably generous."
Tapping used that social awareness to help establish a small-scale, real-world charitable organization, Sanctuary for Kids, in 2009.
The charity, which supports children in crisis on both a local and global level, and has raised more than $250,000 in just two years, has been adopted by Sanctuary's other cast members and crew.
The idea, Tapping says, is that charitable aid can be just as effective on a modest, caseby-case basis - one school, and one child at a time - as it can on the large-scale NGO, nongovernmental organizational level.
Sanctuary has given Tapping the opportunity to pay something back for the good fortune she and others connected with Sanctuary have experienced in their lives, she says.
"To me, I'm living this great life; I thought there must be some way I can give back. Smaller charities can do a lot. There are places where a small amount of money can make a huge difference. The mandate is to help people who need help. It's a small drop in the bucket, but it's a drop. And it is making a difference."
Sanctuary's end days are a long way off, Tapping believes.
"I would like to see it continue for a while. We have a plan in place, and we've stayed with it so far. We always wanted it to go at least five seasons. From my perspective, I'm not ready to let it go yet. "

When Home Is Away From Home

By RICHARD LORD

Stuart Meaker is a surprise name in England's squad for the series of five one-day international matches and one Twenty20 international against India that begins in Hyderabad on Friday—but his place of birth makes him seem an almost natural choice.

Fast bowler Meaker, 22 years old, was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa—as was fellow squad member Kevin Pietersen. They're joined by Craig Kieswetter and Jade Dernbach of Johannesburg and Jonathan Trott of Cape Town. When England next play tests, against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in January, the squad will welcome Matt Prior and captain Andrew Strauss (both of Johannesburg). And currently missing through injury is Eoin Morgan, from Dublin.
The series begins Friday when England travels to Hyderabad, and while the tour is somewhat context-free, it will nonetheless send fans in both countries into a frenzy as they tussle to be cricket's top dogs.
As England have risen to the top of the world test rankings and claimed the World Twenty20 title from Pakistan, the number of overseas-born players in its various squads has been noticed by fans, particularly those of other countries. Not surprisingly, it's also been used to question the legitimacy of the England team and its current success. (A popular joke from last time England visited South Africa: Where will the England players be staying on the tour? With their parents.)
There are obvious reasons for it: there's more money in England's domestic cricket than in most other countries, so it's an attractive place to play. Numerous South Africans have British heritage that allows them also to represent the country internationally. England's historical position as the center of an empire, of which every test-playing team is located in territory that was part of the British empire at some time, means that all sorts of people have British ancestry or the right to British nationality, and there are British expats all over the world.
It might be happening more in this globalized era, but players have for a long time represented countries other than that of their birth, in particular England: numerous South Africans, from Basil D'Oliveira to Tony Greig to Allan Lamb, plus Nasser Hussain (India), Andrew Caddick (New Zealand), Adam and Ben Hollioake (Australia), Graeme Hick (Zimbabwe), Philippe Edmonds (Zambia), Ted Dexter (Italy) and Geraint Jones (Papau New Guinea). Some players have even represented two nations at different times, such as Kepler Wessels (Australia and South Africa) and the Nawab of Pataudi Senior (England and India), usually because their own country didn't play test cricket at the start of their career.
It raises some interesting questions about the nature of sporting nationalism. Certainly the reaction from England fans and media when the South African-accented Pietersen has a bad run is different from when the Home Counties-accented Strauss does. Pietersen moved to England aged 19, Meaker 12, Strauss 6. And at this point, the question becomes: if it doesn't matter for Strauss, why does it matter for Pietersen, Meaker or any of the others? Like many debates about race and national identity, it's based on largely artificial boundaries that blur to the point of meaninglessness when viewed close-up.
To qualify to play for a national team, a player must be a permanent resident of the new country and cannot have played for his country of birth in the past four years.
But what the talent drain from South Africa to England does show, yet again, is that players are following the money—in England, India and Australia. That doesn't just affect domestic teams: it also affects international teams in a very direct and obvious way. South Africa, currently rivalling England for the top spot in world cricket, isn't affected as much as nontest-playing Ireland, for example. If an Irish player wants to test himself at the highest level, he has to move to England and qualify to play there. So far batsmen Morgan and, less successfully, Ed Joyce have crossed the Irish Sea in this way; Morgan has had a tentatively encouraging start to his test career, and a barnstorming start to his limited-overs career.
But it's tough on a team like Ireland, the strongest candidate for a long time to become the next nation to break into cricket's highest echelon and gain test status. If any of their players actually are good enough to play at test level, they're likely to leave Ireland to do so and deprive the country of the very players it needs to make that leap. Exposure to English domestic cricket has helped Ireland's players, but it's also put them in the shop window as far as England are concerned.
You can't blame the players for wanting to play at the highest level, but it's another example of the way in which the divide between cricket's haves and have-nots is self-reinforcing.
People moving from one country to another is a fact of life in cricket just as it is elsewhere. But it's a cause for concern when the system encourages players to move from one country to another in a way that harms cricket's chances of expanding beyond its parochial borders.

Keep Your Home in Working Order This Winter and Festive Season

(MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- It is easy to forget how dependent we are on the plumbing systems in our homes, but you do need to spend some time preparing for the winter months to ensure your plumbing system is in top working order. This is especially important to consider if you are hosting family or friends during the Christmas season.

Your kitchen, toilers, showers and baths will work a lot harder during these times than any other throughout the year, so you have to be prepared, to avoid having to call a drain cleaning expert. In the kitchen you should avoid too many fats and oils down the drain as the cold let it set even faster and in winter a clog could be very inconvenient to deal with, even for the most experienced plumbers. To assist your drain cleaning and their operation, it is also advisable to run some cold water down the drain before and after using it to ensure any small particles stuck to the sides of the pipes are cleared. In order to avoid any uncomfortable moments, try to do the washing or the dishes when none of your guests are using the shower.

Showers should be spread out, 15 minutes apart, as opposed to being taken consecutively to maximise your boiler's efficiency. You can also turn the water temperature up to ensure everyone has a nice warm shower. Keep your drains clean and avoid having to call a drain cleaning expert to restore your system's working condition.

If you have a fireplace you should ensure the top of your chimney is capped or screened to keep animals out and it's also a good time to have your chimney cleaned if it's not been cleaned for a while. Store your firewood in a dry place away from the exterior of your home, this way you can look forward to many cosy fires this winter. A few quick checks could also help ensure your fireplace, as a means of heating, is performing as well as it can. Inspect the fireplace's damper and make sure it opens and closes correctly, and remember to check the mortar in your fireplace and to patch any cracks or gaps.

When the family is over safety comes first, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are an easy way to achieve some peace of mind, knowing that if something should go wrong, you will have time to react. Keep extra batteries for the devise and be sure to test them before mounting them, they do have to work after all.

You should also ensure that your pipes are properly prepared for the winter. Frozen pipes can burst and lead to severe damage. Always know where your water main is, so that you can turn it off in an emergency and always drain all of your garden hoses, and put lagging on all of the exposed pipes around your house. These simple steps can not only help make your home more energy efficient, which will save you some money in the process, but they will also help to prevent any major damage as a result of the winter. 

Contacts:
Dyno
Sutherland House, Maple Road, SURBITON
Surrey, KT6 4BJ
 020 8481 2200

020 8481 2288 (FAX)
www.dyno.com

 Source Dyno 

Proposals made to change tax code

By Jana Adkins 
To generate revenue and decrease deficit, some want to curtail or halt mortgage-interest deduction
As the federal government grapples with the budget deficit, proposals have been made to change the tax code as a solution to generating increased tax revenues.
Included in those proposals has been to curtail or eliminate the mortgage interest deduction. And Santa Clarita Realtors and home-mortgage experts say they’ve lined up in support of the efforts to stop any changes from occurring.
The National Association of Home Builders, or NAHB, testified during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on tax-reform options Thursday that any move to alter the tax deduction would have a disproportionate impact on younger, middle-class families, who would see their ability to become homeowners significantly diminished.
“How housing is treated in any future tax reform will shape the economy going forward,” said Robert Dietz, an economist and assistant vice president for NAHB.
“We believe that any policy change that makes it harder to buy a home or delays the purchase of the home until an older age will have a significant long-term impact on household wealth accumulation, and the make-up of the middle class as a whole,” Dietz said.
Tampering with the mortgage interest deduction would undermine an already fragile housing market and wreak havoc on the tenuous economic recovery by hurting housing demand, which would place downward pressure on home prices, the organization said. The move would leave more homeowners underwater and trigger even more foreclosures.
Housing and real estate industry professionals and organizations have spent the past year rallying against any changes.
Chances of passing
Asking local real estate and home-mortgage experts how likely it is that Congress will eliminate the home-mortgage deduction, all agreed the chances are slim to none.
“The mortgage-interest deduction is one of those ‘third rail’ items, like touching Social Security or Medicare,” said Jeffrey Milat, mortgage loan consultant with Augusta Financial of Newhall.
“I don’t think it’s likely that this will pass,” Milat said.
While admitting Congress does need to find revenue to make a dent in the budget deficit, Robert Mickalson with Realty Executives Valencia agrees.
“I’m skeptical that they will eliminate the mortgage interest deduction, either all together or partially, especially before a 2012 election year,” Mickalson said. “It would amount to a tax increase for many Americans.”
Realtors Connor MacIvor and Dwight Hawkins agreed, and took slightly stronger positions.
“I hope it is less than the chances of a snowball surviving in hell,” said MacIvor of RE/MAX Realtors of Santa Clarita.
Local agents have worked hard to write letters and send emails, he said. Realtors are passionate about any attempt to change to the mortgage deduction.
“I don’t think Congress will do away with the deduction, as it would cost them their jobs,” said Dwight Hawkins with Realty Executives in Valencia.
If the deduction were eliminated,  it would cause a tremendous dip in homeownership and prices, Hawkins said.
“I don’t see Congress eliminating the interest deduction,” said Mike Meena of Augusta Financial. “But, if they did, we would see a triple dip in real estate prices across the board in prices under $1.5 million.”
The mortgage-interest deduction helps clients qualify to buy homes, Milat said. Essentially, one-third of their payment is reimbursed by the lower taxes they end up paying.
What if?
But what if a mortgage-interest deduction were enacted? Local experts weighed in on what the impact to the market would be.
“If this legislation is passed, I would see a further deterioration in the condo market,” Milat said.
A lot of first-time buyers enter the housing market via condominiums, which have significant homeowner association fees, Milat said. Without the mortgage interest deduction to offset these, this segment of the market being negatively impacted.
As for the resale market, MacIvor estimates any change could affect as much as 50 percent of the market.
“In addition, I foresee rental and lease prices increasing due to the reduction of interested homebuyers,” MacIvor said.
Eliminating the mortgage interest deduction could significantly affect first-time homebuyers, who tend to have smaller down payments than seasoned homebuyers, Mickalson said.
In the early years of a loan, the majority of all amortized mortgage payments, goes to interest, he said.
“First-time homebuyers who are highly leveraged with a mortgage could be most impacted by the absence of a mortgage interest tax deduction, which works to reduce the effective mortgage payment,” Mickalson said.
If the mortgage interest-tax deduction is eliminated, however, Mickalson doesn’t believe it will deter most people from buying a home.
“I do believe, however, that it could lead homebuyers to consider purchasing less-expensive homes to offset the effective cost of owning a home, after tax benefits are considered,” he said.
Economic stimulus
Many people think government bailout money and loans when they hear the words “economic stimulus,” but when it comes to the new home and resale real estate market, jobs and money spent in local communities are at stake.
“Over 40 percent of my clients are investors who take into account the tax benefits of an investment,” said Sam Heller with Keller William VIP Properties in Santa Clarita.
And most residential clients ask their tax advisers about what the advantages of purchasing a home are before they even call a Realtor, he said.
Sales and property taxes help support local communities, paying amenities that improve the quality of life for Santa Clarita Valley residents.
New-home construction has been on life support for the past three years as scores of homes went into foreclosure or homeowners struggle to hang on to homes with underwater mortgages.
“I was in the advanced stages of building about 23 homes in Acton,” Heller said. “Last week, I canceled because it is obvious that the Congress lives in their own world.”
Canceling the project means no graders, surveyors, framers, roofers or plumbers, Heller said. Citing a domino effect, no new home also means fewer furniture manufacturers, delivery people, delivery trucks manufactured, salespeople and sales.

Yanks whiff at home, season ends with Game 5 loss

By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP
NEW YORK (AP) — There was Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit and Mariano Rivera's record-setting save. Another division title and the best record in the American League. A stirring regular season marked by milestones and celebrations.
In the end, however, the New York Yankees went down with a whimper.
Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano and almost all the big-money boppers had their chance to come through in the clutch Thursday night. They never delivered. Suddenly, it's over.
"Anything less than a championship is a lost year," Mark Teixeira said. "None of us were ready to go home."
No parade up Broadway, no sparkling World Series ring to go with the 27 others. No fairy-tale ending for Jorge Posada.
Just a long, cold winter to look back and wonder why one of baseball's best lineups whiffed when it mattered most.
Doug Fister and three relievers stopped the Yankees in their tracks, pitching their way out of several pressure-packed jams and sending the Detroit Tigers into the AL championship series with a 3-2 victory in Game 5.
"I thought we had it, man," Cano said.
New York manager Joe Girardi tried just about everything. He went to the bullpen early, pulling his ailing rookie starter, Ivan Nova, after two shaky innings. CC Sabathia came in for the first relief appearance of his professional career.
None of it was enough. The big bats let the Yankees down.
"Obviously this is a terrible day for us," Girardi said. "It's an empty feeling for everyone in that room, and it hurts. You've just got to remember this feeling and we'll be determined next year."
Jeter made a bid for a go-ahead homer in the eighth, but his drive to right was caught in front of the fence.
Quite literally, the Yankees came up just short.
They went 0 for 4 with the bases loaded and stranded 11. They finished 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position, and neither hit delivered a run. Cano cracked a solo homer that gave him nine RBIs in the series and Teixeira drew a bases-loaded walk.
That was it.
And when Rodriguez, in a most fitting finish, went down swinging against Jose Valverde, the Tigers rushed out of the dugout to rejoice on New York's home field. Rodriguez also whiffed to end last season, in the ALCS against Texas.
"This one especially stings. Obviously, Game 5 at home," Rodriguez said. "This is a game that we felt really good about. We should have won, and we had opportunities there late."
Batting cleanup and nagged by injuries in the second half, the three-time MVP struck out three times Thursday and went 2 for 18 (.111) in the series. Right behind him, Teixeira was 3 for 18 (.167) as New York was knocked out of the playoffs by Detroit in the first round for the second time in six seasons.
"It's not one guy," Teixeira said. "It's on the entire lineup."
In a quiet clubhouse, the 40-year-old Posada got choked up and cut off questions about his future.
"I gave it all on the field," said the longtime Yankees catcher, in the final year of his contract.
Twice, the Yankees loaded the bases with one out. They managed only one run. Russell Martin and Brett Gardner popped out to end the fourth. Nick Swisher went down swinging on a high pitch to end the seventh.
"The feeling I have in my stomach now, it's just a nasty feeling," he said.
Earlier in that inning, A-Rod was booed after fanning with the sacks full for the second out.
"That's a dream at-bat. Those are at-bats I relish, and I had a lot of confidence I would get something done there in a positive way," Rodriguez said. "He gave me one splitter that I laid off of, and I couldn't lay off the other."
Cano flied out with two on to finish the third.
Facing elimination in Detroit, the Yankees earned a reprieve Tuesday. Two spectacular catches by center fielder Curtis Granderson helped shaky starter A.J. Burnett save the season with a 10-1 victory in Game 4.
Back home in the Bronx, 50,960 fans turned out to see New York advance to its third straight AL championship series. Fister, Max Scherzer, Joaquin Benoit and Valverde spoiled the party.
"The level of disappointment is through the roof," Sabathia said.
Nova had 16 wins to lead major league rookies and never looked nervous in this one. He threw 14 of his first 15 pitches for strikes, but the Tigers came out swinging and took advantage.
Surprise playoff star Don Kelly, the second batter of the game, homered to right. Delmon Young hit the next pitch out to left, setting a Detroit record with three homers in a postseason series.
After a leadoff double by Magglio Ordonez in the second, Phil Hughes began warming up in the bullpen. Nova worked his way out of a jam, but Girardi went to Hughes to start the third.
Two innings later, the Yankees announced that Nova was removed with tightness in his right forearm. He was scheduled for an MRI on Friday.
Hughes and Boone Logan kept the score 2-0 until Sabathia entered in the fifth.
Working on two days' rest, he gave up a busted-bat double to speedy Austin Jackson. After two strikeouts and an intentional walk to AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez hit an RBI single to make it 3-0.
"It was weird," Sabathia said about pitching in relief. "Everything went really fast, from me warming up to getting in the game. I felt like I was ready.
"Just didn't make pitches, and that's pretty much my whole postseason this year."
Martinez had been 6 for 29 (.207) against Sabathia — the two were teammates for years in Cleveland.
"I didn't necessarily think it was a hard game to manage," Girardi said. "It's a hard game to swallow."
NOTES: Sabathia can opt out of the $161 million, seven-year contract he signed with the Yankees before the 2009 season. ... General manager Brian Cashman's deal is up and he reiterated that he wants to stay on. "I have a contract that runs to the end of the month. It's going to be a long month," he said. ... Moments after the final out, an image of head athletic trainer Gene Monahan was displayed on the giant scoreboard in center field with the message, "Thank You Geno!" Monahan is retiring after 49 seasons with the club.

Give Your Home a Flu Shot

By Regina van der Heyden

Home maintenance is a vaccination for your home. Spend a little money now to keep from spending a great deal later. 

 Just checked online ... for the winter of 2011–12, the Farmers’ Almanac is forecasting “clime and punishment,” a season of unusually cold and stormy weather. For some parts of the country, that means a frigid climate; while for others, it will mean lots of rain and snow ... and so here in New Canaan, as part of the colder Northeast, we need ...

A Checklist for Winter Weather Survival Tips
The best way to get through winter weather is to be prepared for it. In areas where long periods of cold weather are simply a part of life, having a winterized house is extremely important. As fuel and electricity costs continue to rise, knowing the best and most effective ways to keep your home warm without wasting money and energy is even more important. A winterized house is one that will not only withstand the bitter cold, but may even offer some relief from cooling costs during the summer, too! Here are some winter weather tips that will ensure you have all the necessities to keep you and your home safe during the worst of the weather, and may even improve its performance year round.
Insulation for Homes: Upgrading a Classic
Older structures are notorious for having insufficient insulation. When fuel costs were lower, people could afford to simply turn the heat up when the weather got colder. However, insulation for homes is now far more important as concerns over the environment, as well as concerns over our household budgets, are increasing every heating season. Blown-in insulation is an exceptional tool for increasing a home's winter efficiency, even in classic homes where the original construction might make rolled or sheet insulation difficult to install. Having a professional come in and inspect your home to see where insulation upgrades will make a difference is an idea that could end up paying for itself in the long run. Just make sure to call for inspection before cold weather hits.
While having adequate insulation for homes in cold climates is a good start, you also need to reduce the amount of heat transfer around windows, doors, and other openings that can greatly affect the efficiency of the structure. The amount and quality of insulation in new constructions is generally sufficient to weather even the coldest of winters produce without much trouble. In fact, newer homes are getting so airtight that additional ventilation is often necessary to keep indoor air quality desirable. When an older home becomes a winterized house, it can also be necessary to supplement its ventilation, as it will no longer have the gaps and drafts that allow it to "breathe". A truly winterized house is not just airtight, but upgraded with the equipment necessary to keep it comfortable, as well.
Winterized House Checklist
Creating a winterized house includes several smaller tasks that you can do yourself at the beginning of each heating season. Use our "winterized house checklist" to protect your investment and keep the cold outside where it belongs!
Fertilize and reseed lawn.
Prune shrubs and trim tree limbs.
Clean gutters and downspouts.
Winterize sprinkler system.
Winterize swimming pool.
Inspect hot tub/spa to ensure heater and pump are functioning properly.
Close shut-off valves to and open all exterior faucets. (For pipes prone to freezing, leave nearby faucet dripping on coldest nights.)
Bring in all outside hoses.
Clean & inspect chimney(s).
Make sure your chimney damper is closed when not in use.
Change your furnace filter(s) and/or have your furnace(s) serviced.
Be prepared with back-up heat sources such as firewood or space heaters.
Don't use kerosene heaters in an enclosed space.
Don't heat up the car in the garage with the garage door closed.
Check that all storm windows and windows are closed and latched.
Cover AC units for winter.
Check weatherstripping on doors and windows.
Exchange screens for storm windows.
Make sure that attic insulation does not cover eave or soffit vents.
Close curtains at night to help insulate windows.
Minimize use of kitchen and bath exhaust fans.
Interview and arrange for snow removal.
Make sure you have snowmelt and a snow shovel on hand.
In my mind's eye, last year was a beautiful winter, but then I also remember it to be way too cold for way too long — trudging through three feet of snow to show properties to adventurous clients — lol !  Let's hope for a milder, gentler season this year ...
Thank you for taking the time to read my column in Patch, new posts of the Real Estate Report publish Thursday (stats) and Friday (feature article) mornings. All information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.
My very best ... Regina van der Heyden, Sales Vice President and Exceptional Properties Specialist at William Raveis 203.644.5025
For additional real estate information and related articles, join my blog weekdays at brokerbeat ... bringing real estate to life.

About this column: A look at the real estate market in New Canaan, including market trends, property transfers and open houses. The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of Patch or its editors. Regina van der Heyden, WRRE Sales Vice President & Exceptional Properties Specialist, can be reached at regina.vanderheyden@raveis.com.

Consumer Confidential: An exhausting mortgage workout

By DAVID LAZARUS - Los Angeles Times

Jackie Durra and her husband, Pedro Balladares, have been riding out the economic downturn as best they can.
For a while they were both out of work, making it a challenge to pay the bills and feed their two kids. She eventually found a job, and then he did as well.
But over the course of what turned out to be a very difficult year, the couple fell behind on mortgage payments for their house in Downey, Calif. There were months when they simply had to choose between keeping the lights on and meeting their obligations to their lender, Wells Fargo.

"It was hard," Durra, 49, told me. "We had no money coming in."
Make no mistake: She and her husband are at fault here. They missed four mortgage payments between October 2010 and April of this year. They shouldn't have been surprised when Wells Fargo stopped taking their payments in June and served them with a notice of default in August.
But Durra and Balladares are also typical of many other homeowners who, because of circumstances beyond their control, found themselves barely able to keep their heads above water. They aren't deadbeats. They aren't trying to cheat the bank out of its money.
Given a chance, they're eager to make good. They want to keep their home. But getting their bank to work with them - that's another story.
"It's a national crisis," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based advocacy group. "Banks seem more interested in foreclosing on people than on keeping them in their homes."
Adding insult to injury, many of these banks (including Wells Fargo) received billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bailouts to keep them afloat when times were tough.
"If we gave the banks a second chance," Court said, "the least they can do is help people out who are trying to do the right thing."
Durra bought her three-bedroom house in 2001 for $280,000. After a second mortgage was taken out several years later, the total outstanding loan balance was about $375,000. The real-estate website Zillow estimates the current value of the property at $348,300.
Durra and Balladares received a loan modification from Wells in 2009 that lowered their monthly payments. But by summer 2010, the couple were facing new difficulties.
She had lost her job handling billing for a doctor's office, and his business exporting car parts to Nicaragua fell victim to harsh global economic conditions.
With other bills mounting, they were unable to make their October mortgage payment of $1,470. Then Durra landed a job that month handling billing for the University of Southern California's Department of Pathology. She immediately contacted Wells Fargo and explained their situation.
The bank, Durra said, seemed placated, especially when the November and December payments came in on time. But the family was still facing hardship.
"My husband wasn't working and we just didn't have enough income," Durra said. "We were living paycheck to paycheck."
In January of this year, they applied for another loan modification to work out more flexible terms. Durra said Wells Fargo turned them down because they weren't making enough money.
She and Balladares missed their January and February mortgage payments. They were able to send in a check for March. They missed April. They sent in a check for May.
Then, in June, Balladares finally landed a gig as an X-ray technician for a medical clinic. The couple applied once again for a loan modification. This time, Durra said, Wells Fargo turned them down because they were making too much money.
They sent in a check for their June mortgage payment. Wells Fargo sent it back and foreclosed on the property.
Durra said she tried to approach Wells Fargo to work something out, but each time was rebuffed - even though she and her husband were now setting aside thousands of dollars to cover their missed payments.
At the beginning of September, they tried to find out how much they owed, including late fees and legal charges. Wells Fargo said it would get back to the couple in about a week.
It never did. So Durra and Balladares came to me.
I went straight to Wells Fargo with a simple question: Would the bank really rather add to the glut of foreclosed homes than work with a committed homeowner who's eager to pay her bills?
I'm glad to report that Wells Fargo wasted no time in reaching out to Durra and trying to find some way to fix this mess.
"We're working with them to keep them in their home," said Jennifer Langan, a Wells Fargo spokeswoman.
She said it's likely that a repayment plan will be established, and once that happens, the foreclosure proceedings will end.
"At the end of the day, no bank wants a foreclosed property," Langan said. "It is not good for homeowners, neighborhoods or communities."
Which is why it's surprising that so few banks seem to step up, especially in times like these, to assist homeowners who are trying to act in good faith.
Consumer Watchdog's Court said many banks have one-size-fits-all policies that make it difficult to address individual problems. It can also be more labor-intensive (read: expensive) to work with homeowners on a case-by-case basis.
Langan said Wells Fargo would have probably done something for Durra and Balladares even if I hadn't taken an interest, and maybe that's true. But I hear a lot of hard-luck stories from people who say all they get from the bank is a door slammed in their face.
Not everyone deserves a second chance. But banks should know from personal bailout experience that there are many who do.
And helping them out can be good business over the long run.
ABOUT THE WRITER
David Lazarus writes about consumer issues for the Los Angeles Times. He can be reached at david.lazarus@latimes.com.

Make money your business: financial services

by Domini Stuart
“We do DiSC profiling on everyone who is considering a franchise to help both of us get an idea of their natural behavioural style,” says John Birse, CEO and national divisional franchisor of the Jim’s Bookkeeping division. “We find that many are in the C for conscientious range – analytical, reserved, precise and systematic but not naturally extroverted or outgoing.”So why are there so many successful franchisees in this area? Clive Barrett, managing director, First Class Accounts, believes it’s all a matter of coaching and support.
“It’s interesting how many potential franchisees start out by saying ‘I’m not a salesperson’,” he says. “We help them to see that you don’t need to be. Every time you talk to anyone, you’re selling yourself. And, while being part of networking groups might initially take you out of your comfort zone, once you’ve been taught the basic skills it soon becomes second nature.”
Barrett leads a group of investors who purchased First Class Accounts in January this year.
“One of the features that appealed to us is that there are around two million small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Australia and bookkeeping is a major issue for most of them,” he says. “My background is direct response television and I also saw an opportunity to use television to generate exposure for the First Class Accounts brand as well as to help generate leads. We think our new national TV campaign may be touching a raw nerve with the slogan “Give us your books and we’ll give you back your life” because many people who are already working incredibly hard feel overwhelmed by compliance issues like BAS and GST.”
Many financial services franchises are home-based, which brings the benefit of flexibility and a low cost of entry, generally around the $30,000 mark. For many people, this is a much more realistic goal than a franchise requiring an investment in retail premises or expensive equipment, which can range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. At the same time, home-based franchises don’t have to be limiting. An ambitious franchisee will have opportunities to expand; for instance, a number of First Class Accounts’ franchisees have gone on to open one or more offices.

 

“All of our new franchisees undertake a seven week training program which includes the fundamentals of running a business,” says Barrett. “This is followed by an ongoing program of mentoring support, regional training, a help desk, forums and one on one business development, including help with gaining a Certificate IV in Financial Bookkeeping Services. Franchisees also benefit from our close relationships with alliance and branding partners including leading software retailers, banks and accounting firms.”
Barrett’s investor group was also impressed by the camaraderie and spirit among the franchisees.

On-the-job qualifications

While many franchisees start out as bookkeepers or accountants, qualifications are not always a prerequisite. “Bookkeeping is one of the rare industries where you can come in with no formal qualifications but build up to Certificate 4 – the educational standard you need in order to become a BAS agent,” says Birse. “There are a lot of stay-at-home parents who would love to run their own Jim’s Bookkeeping business but think they’d have to go to university first. The reality is that, as long as you have the basics of bookkeeping up to trial balance, you can build up competence through practice and end up with both a qualification and your own business.”
Other would-be franchisees are qualified but fed up with working for someone else and spending hours travelling to and from work when they could be at home with their family.
“Again, they love the idea of running their own business but they don’t know how or where to start,” continues Birse. “Once they have the support of a franchise and all the help they need with networking skills, marketing and branding they are very motivated to succeed.”
Jim’s Bookkeeping franchisees also benefit from the relationship Birse has developed with major software companies such as MYOB, QuickBooks and Zero.
“These companies understand that, while anyone can buy and run their packages, businesses still need the support of a professional bookkeeper. That means they’re happy to work very closely with us,” he says.
Birse has a background in training; Jim’s Group was originally a client. “As a group, Jim’s has 32 different service areas and I saw a great opportunity to provide bookkeeping services to all of those divisions,” he says. “I was also very interested in the franchising concept. Jim’s is a very successful franchise model and I liked the fact that it is based on a very supportive relationship between franchisor and franchisee. For instance, while some groups charge a percentage of earnings, Jim’s has a fixed monthly fee, which I think is a much more effective way of rewarding enterprise.”
Another member of the group, Jim’s Finance Professionals, helps clients to source all kinds of finance from a wide range of lenders. “We work on a client referral model, with emphasis placed on outrageous customer service and forming life-time client relationships,” says  Mike Woodrow, divisional and regional Victoria franchisor. “Our training, both initial and ongoing, focuses on the actions, abilities and skill sets that create this type of customer relationship. We include a program called LAMP (Local Area Marketing Plan) in our training that covers a wide variety of marketing activities that are designed to generate market awareness and profile for the franchisee/broker. We also introduce them to a variety of people from within the Jim’s Group, allowing them to establish easy networking relationships.”
Woodrow recognises that it can take time for someone entering the industry to establish a client base or professional network. To get them started, Jim’s Finance Professionals contractually guarantee a minimum of 12 leads per month for the first year of operation.
“These leads come from a variety of sources, including our national call centre system, the Jim’s Group website, the Jim’s Finance Professionals website, internal referrals and leads from marketing activities such as Reach Local,” he says. “After the first 12 months our franchisees are generally well established, but they can continue to access leads from our website or the Jim’s Group free of charge. We can also supply externally-sourced leads for a cost which depends on the source.”

Easing business cash flow

The Interface Financial Group helps small businesses access the working capital they need to maintain cash flow. “When small businesses are doing business with larger businesses, it’s the larger business that dictates the payment terms,” explains David Hechter, master franchisee and chief operating officer. “It’s common for them to take 60 to 90 days to pay, so you end up with a perverse situation where a small business is effectively financing a large business.”
Rather than having to sit it out, a client can sell the invoice to the Interface Financial Group and immediately receive up to 90 percent of its value. When payment is eventually made, the Group deducts a fee calculated on the number of days it was outstanding and gives the difference to the client.
“There are other companies offering a similar service but they tend to lock in a business for 12 to 18 months whereas our clients can simply use us when they need us,” says Hechter. “We’re also prepared to buy relatively small invoices. The average transaction for us is from $35,000 to $50,000 and we have even gone as low as $10,000. Not a lot of finance companies want to play in that market.”
 When small business owners are facing a cash flow challenge they often turn for advice to people they trust such as their bank manager, an accountant or a lawyer. Hechter says that building strong relationships with these people is crucial; referral is by far the most successful way of marketing this kind of service.
“We give franchisees a lot of training and support in developing these relationships,” he says. “A local presence is vital, and that’s why the franchise model works so well.
“Our franchisees can make themselves available personally, get out and kick tyres, make sure they’re comfortable with the legitimacy of any business seeking help. They also become known as a supporter of small business in the area. That brings in more referrals, and it also brings the satisfaction of helping local businesses to grow. We’ve seen some really dynamic businesses flourish once we’ve helped them to solve the cash flow problem. Our franchise is about making money, but it’s also making a difference.”

Home Improvement Goes Before The Holiday

By Julian Stone
Many people are trying to save money but it seems keeping a holiday is top priority for most with eating out and home improvement losing out.

The 2011 ABTA Consumer Trends survey shows when it comes to cutting back, some 37% of people would be most unwilling to lose their holiday. They’d prefer to forego eating out during the year, going to the cinema, new electronic gadgets and home improvement.
A good percentage of people consider their holiday a necessity they couldn’t do without, whether it’s a foreign holiday for a longer time or short break in the UK.
Customers booking a holiday consider financial protection a top priority, closely followed by ATOL financial protection and ABTA membership, Getting the cheapest holiday price is of course important but it is further down the priority list.
Despite the need for security, around 20% of holidaymakers don’t buy travel insurance. Some who are travelling into Europe don’t even think they need to buy it as they wrongly believe they are covered by a European Health Insurance Card. That’s a travel insurance myth – the card actually only provides access to basic state medical care.
MoneyHighStreet comments: “Whilst a holiday is not surprisingly a top priority, you need to take your own individual financial situation into consideration to ensure you can actually afford it, there is no point risking falling into debt.
“Do carefully consider buying travel insurance. If you are travelling as a family you can get family travel insurance and it can save you money.
“Consider ways of saving money around your holiday too. For example compare the cost of hire or airport parking to ensure you get the best deal. Equally with your holiday travel money make sure you get the best deal, taking advantage of a foreign exchange broker if required.
“You can also make use of a prepaid currency card, they’re safer than cash and can help you stick to your budget.”

Weekly newspaper brings murderer home to face justice

by Paul Linford
A murderer who fled to Thailand after bludgeoning his landlord to death is starting a life sentence after a weekly newspaper helped bring him to justice.
Stuart Crawford was yesterday convicted of killing retired heating engineer Michael Ryan following a joint undercover operation between the Metropolitan Police’s murder squad and the Sutton Guardian.
He was tracked down after sending an email to the paper’s editor Matthew Knowles asking for £20,000 in return for information about the case.
Matthew then began a lengthy correspondence with the fugitive which led ultimately to an undercover manhunt halfway across the globe.

 Over a five-month period, they exchanged more than 60 emails which eventually formed a major part of the prosecution’s case against him.
He was finally caught after a police ambush at his home in Thailand after he revealed his address in one of the emails.
Said Matthew:  “As a reporter, I am used to receiving tip-offs on all manner of stories.
“However, I would never have suspected this email would lead to an undercover police operation which resulted in the arrest and conviction of a wanted killer.”
Here is Matthew’s full account of how the killer was ultimately trapped.
The email was short and to the point. “I have information about the brutal murder of Michael Ryan. I want to tell you my story.”
It was signed Stuart Crawford and arrived on my computer from a Yahoo account on Friday lunchtime in March last year.
As a reporter, I am used to receiving tip-offs on all manner of stories.
However, I would never have suspected this email would lead to an undercover police operation which resulted in the arrest and conviction of a wanted killer.
I recalled the murder of Michael Ryan, a genial grandfather who was found battered to death and rolled in a carpet in his flat in Devonshire Road, Sutton, in September 2008.
The man suspected of his killing was his lodger, who flew out of Britain shortly  afterwards.
Months went by and the case slowly became another unsolved statistic.
This could be the break the case was looking for. I did not want to scare him off with too many questions but I needed to see if he was genuine. I sent an innocuous email back asking for more details.
His reply came at 3.55am and was blunt and to the point.
“I will tell you my story then return to the UK to face the music. I will call you when the time is right.
“I want £20,000 for my full and accurate story, half now, half after. Non-negotiable.”
I convinced him to send over proof of his identity and he sent his driver’s licence along with the startling admission he was Mr Ryan’s lodger and would be confessing his crime.
He revealed he was staying in Bangkok, Thailand, and had fled the UK on September 5, two days after Mr Ryan’s killing.
He wrote: “I don’t want to keep running. I need to tell what happened and why. I can’t live with myself for keeping this information to myself. I will be confessing to what I did on the 3rd of Sept 2008.
“I’m not really a bad man but the last five or so years have been very difficult for me but nothing can condone what I did.”
Bizarrely, he also negotiated his fee down to £5,000 without prompting and demanded an instant payment of £1,000 to be transferred by Western Union. It was time to call the police.
Detective Inspector Bob Campany, a murder detective with 15 years experience of the darker side of south London, and his colleague Detective Sergeant Danny Gosling, had been chasing Crawford since his flight.
As part of a cunning plan it was agreed I would continue to contact Crawford to maintain continuity while they worked behind the scenes to secure an international arrest warrant.
Fittingly on April 1, 2010, I began an undercover police operation to fool Crawford into thinking the Sutton Guardian would pay him substantial sums of money in order to hear his side of events.
We had our fish on a hook but now had to reel him in – but there was a major problem.
The volatile political situation in Thailand – at the time it was undergoing violent revolution – combined with the already incredibly slow wheels of justice over there, would mean we had to keep him interested potentially for the next few weeks, if not months.
Crawford had already made it clear he was desperate to get hold of some money as he admitted his visa had expired and he faced jail in Thailand if he was caught overstaying.
A week after our email exchange began he was putting the pressure on.
“I really can’t believe it takes this long to sort things out. It’s very simple really. If you don’t send the money then you won’t get my story,” he wrote.
What he did not know is we had zero intention of paying him anything. Not only would it be deeply unethical to pay a wanted criminal for his story but there was no guarantee once he got hold of some cash he would not run away to another country.
We had to slow things down. We had an advantage with the six hour time delay between countries so he rarely could respond after I sent our message so I could not get into a dialogue with him.
We decided to only answer his responses before the weekend so he would have to stew before I could arrive at work to check his answers.
We also began the first part of the sting, which was to get Crawford to agree to a meeting with me in Bangkok.
It was crucial to our plan to know where Crawford would be so that police would have an opportunity to catch him.
Using the excuse of identity fraud and the possibility of losing the money in transit I asked for a face to face meeting in Bangkok to clinch the deal.
Crawford was not easily fooled and got angry, still demanding an immediate payment of £1,000.
He wrote: “I know who I am and what I have done. If I was an impostor I would never know anything about the case, dates, times, etc, plus I have many details about the case that no one else could possibly know.
“I need to clear everything before I come home. This is the only way it can be Matt, otherwise I will just walk away but I don’t really want to do that.”
Two days later he wrote again, this time a little more contrite.
“I do need some money now… you will pay me the remaining amount in cash, only cash, and please – no funny business.
“I really want to try to see my mum and my daughter when I get back but I know this will be difficult as I may be detained at the airport.
“After seeing my family I will give myself up to the police in Sutton.
“I do want to do the right thing but the first thing that I need to do is to clear my financial situation otherwise I won’t be able to leave Thailand.”
Crawford’s patience was evidently wearing thin and by April 20, with no money from us and very little developments, he wrote: “You asked me to be patient Matt and I think that I have, but this is taking the piss, you need to let me know what is happening.”
Sensing he would not buy any more excuses from me, we brought in the lawyers.
If anything was going to make lengthy delays believable to Crawford it was the involvement of solicitors.
I mocked up a fake newspaper contract for the money with the usual caveats of exclusivity and asked him to post a signed copy back to us in the hope of delaying things considerably.
Crawford smelled a rat again, however, writing: “I really feel that this is all bullshit and you are just stringing me along maybe because you are in contact with the police and they are telling you to do this, so I will make this very clear, do things to my requests, as I want them, or we really don’t have anything left to talk about.”
A day later he had had enough. He wrote: “I don’t know what your game is but I don’t want to play any more, I’m not wasting any more time waiting for you to reply to my emails so it ends now. I will approach other papers to see if they can help me but will have no more contact with you.”
It looked like it was game over, so I compiled a long response blaming the lawyers, telling him we were close to a deal and arguing that this situation could land us in a lot of trouble with both the police and the Press Complaints Commission.
I had no idea if it would work but it was all we could do. We were all frustrated with the length of time it was taking to get the arrest warrant but could do nothing until we had it.
It was eight tense days later that I received an email from Thailand.
“Just to let you know that I have signed the contract and sent it to you. You should receive it in about a week. Stuart.”
The fish had once again taken the bait. We had another stroke of luck during this time as over in Iceland an unpronounceable volcano erupted causing widespread chaos to airlines across the world and seriously disrupted air mail.
Crawford bought it and we delayed the situation for well over a month.
He eventually faxed the contract back on June 14, and had even unbelievably included his full home address in South Pattaya, 90 miles south-east of Bangkok, where he originally claimed to be living.
Crawford was understandably still very frustrated with the length of time everything was taking and was very suspicious.
He wrote: “I really hope that you are being straight with me Matt? I do realise that you could easily be sharing all this with the police, after all you now have a signed confession to his murder.”
We had managed to keep Crawford’s interest for more than three months, far longer than we imagined it would take to get the documentation the police needed to arrest him.
We realised Crawford was absolutely desperate to get his hands on some money and was genuinely scared of being apprehended by the authorities in Thailand.
We could use his fear and desperation to our advantage and decided to delay the process further by telling him I was on holiday until the end of July and our lawyers were still thrashing things out at head office.
Things were moving ahead at a pace with the police and we were just days away from getting the warrant, so it was time to step things up in the sting.
I told Crawford I was going to fly over to meet him very shortly and needed him to agree to a set of security arrangements, which included letting us pick the location we should meet.
We knew where he was living and had Interpol confirm it was legitimate.
It was originally planned to lure Crawford to a hotel so Royal Thai Police could ambush him there. But in the end, as he had so generously provided his address, it was decided to arrest him at his house.
He had no idea what was about to happen.
I received a text from Detective Inspector Campany on August 5 telling me officers from the Royal Thai Police had raided his home.
After more than two years on the run, the man who battered Michael Ryan to death had been caught.
We exchanged more than 60 emails over a five-month period and these emails formed a major part in unravelling Crawford’s lies in a week-long court case.
Prosecutor Philip Bennetts chose to use Crawford’s email to the Sutton Guardian to end the prosecution case.
The email, sent from Thailand, was read out in court.
It said: “Yes, I will be confessing to what I did Matt. I’m not really a bad man. I know I need to be punished. I will accept my fate.”
Mr Bennetts said: “Crawford will not accept his fate.  The truth could be too awful for him to accept – that he killed Michael Ryan purely for greed.”

TOP TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR SPANISH HOME

In this special feature that we serialised in The Leader newspaper, Shannon McCullough and Tina Coppen look at how simple tricks can increase the chances of selling your home, by making it more appealing to the buyer.
Home Staging
What is home staging? Principally Home staging is the act of preparing a property for sale, although the concept can be equally applied to the rental market. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers or renters, thereby selling/renting a property more swiftly and for more money. Home staging is about illusions, it’s about creating moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more inviting and, best of all, it makes people want to buy or rent it.
Home Staging for sellers
Home staging properties is not necessarily a new idea, but indeed is a good practice which is often over-looked and one that can dramatically increase your ability to attract buyers in a competitive market.
Today’s home selling market can be tough, but by no means impossible. Buyers are looking for their perfect property and sellers need to look for creative ways to attract those buyers. That means paying attention to detail and giving you the best chance of standing out from the crowd.
Being new to this area I was recently searching the web for properties and was baffled and disappointed with the poor quality photos that some people (and indeed some estate agents...shame on you!) use while trying to market their properties.  Unsightly dishes on worktops, messy lounges, pet dishes and beds, kids toys scattered around, overgrown gardens, unmade beds, broken furniture and unbearable amounts of clutter.
There are two stages (pardon the pun) to home staging. The first is the photos taken to display in your chosen media and the second is the way you present your home to viewers when they arrive. Obviously the photo stage is crucial, get that wrong and the viewing stage will never happen.
When staging your property, it is more about taking away household items than adding new ones. A room stuffed full of furniture and clutter will look smaller. Potential buyers want to imagine their personal household in the space so keep furniture to a minimum in order to highlight the size of each room. Put extra pieces in storage if necessary - remember, you're selling the property space, not the furniture. Rooms should be also be furnished and styled in accordance to their purpose. A common example would be the person selling a 3 bedroom house who use the third bedroom as a dining room. Get rid of the dining table and put beds in - if you are advertising a 3 bed house then let the viewer see a 3 bed house.
Minimizing the Clutter
Before taking photographs remove all your personal effects; stacks of paperwork, toiletries, kitchen utensils, electronic equipment, dog bowls, toys, and general clutter.  If you are still living in the property then everyday clutter is sometimes un-avoidable but pack away items that are not necessary for everyday life and before viewings hide evidence of pets, kids or smoking.
Depersonalize 
Remove personal items from view. While you love displaying your family’s photos and cherished mementos, they are a distraction for potential buyers. A buyer wants to be able to see themselves in the property.
Lighting
Lighting is a very important part of staging. Allow as much light as possible to enter the room. Put the shutters all the way up, allowing the maximum amount of sunlight to enter the room. Open up all curtains, blinds or other window coverings. Make sure windows are clean, this will create more light and will add an additional sparkle.
For nightime viewings all of your light fixtures should have bulbs that are in working order. Light bulbs of a lower wattage tend to create a comforting glow in the house. If there are not any over-head lights in a room, make sure there is a table or floor lamp.
Cleaning & Painting
Make sure walls and flooring are clean and maintained. Re-paint any bright coloured walls with neutral colours. A purple dining room or the pink walls in a teenage daughter’s bedroom could put potential buyer right off.
Get Rid of Odours
Pet or cigarette odors can make a buyer walk right back out the door without even looking at the house. If you smoke in the house, it best that you stop smoking indoors well before putting the house on the market. It can take weeks to get the smell out. Be careful with incense and air fresheners, some people are allergic, and some people might wonder what other smells you are trying to hide!
Each room should be very tidy and smell clean. However, avoid harsh chemical smells, such as bleach. If you can afford it, bring in a professional cleaning crew, it could make a huge impact to potential buyers. . Empty all rubbish bins before the viewing and hide litter boxes outside if possible. In most cases it is best to have no signs of pets
Kerb Appeal
Don't neglect the exterior, the entrance and garden at any time. Many potential buyers will do a drive-by before making an appointment to view. A good first impression makes them want to see more. Also they will often wait here for the estate agent while waiting for him/her to open the door. Make sure the front door and light fixtures are clean and in good condition. Trim any overgrown bushes that may be blocking windows or walkways and remove any weeds. Spend a few euros on some potted flowering plants. They are charming when positioned by a walkway, doorway or mailbox.
Simple Tricks when staging your home
Living Room
Remember to remove the clutter. If the furniture is in bad shape, consider replacing it with used furniture. There are a few good shops here in Torrevieja that have great looking used furniture at reasonable prices. For tighter budgets, throws are an inexpensive way to hide damaged furniture and a few cheap but well-placed home accessories will add to the warmth of the room. Do not be afraid to spend a few euros on these accessories, you can take them with you when you sell and enjoy them in your new home. Here at Ready-2-Rent we have a “kit” that contains flowers, plain vases, plastic fruit, wine and some candles. The whole lot probably cost under 20€ from Domti. And we use them over and again to create attractive photos for our landlords.
The Kitchen
After you have cleared unnecessary clutter from the kitchen counters, leave out a few cookbooks, a bowl of fruit or a simple bouquet of flowers to add warmth. Silk or fresh are fine.  Minimize or remove electrical goods on counter tops. Keep it simple, fresh and, most importantly, sparkling clean. It is well known that a kitchen can make or break a sale. Cupboards and refrigerators should be clean and organized, most people can´t resist a peek inside.
Bedrooms
Clean linens, a nice duvet and perfectly placed pillows will give a relaxing feel to the room. The bedding and curtains should match or complement the colours in your bedroom. Remove excess clothing and clutter in wardrobes and organise them to show off the amount of storage that is available. Optimize the bedroom and keep it free of unnecessary items.
The Bathroom
Remove everything from the bathroom countertops, shower, bathtub and sink area.  A few clean rolled towels in a basket will add a nice touch and scented soaps will give spa feeling. Never leave wet towels or bathmats on display. A small vase with fresh flowers is always attractive. Always put the toilet seat lid down when photographing or showing your home.
Photography Tips:
Use as much natural light as possible. Pull up all of the shutters to let in the light. Do not photograph rooms with the rolling shutters down. It makes the room look small and dark.
Photograph the entire room, not just a photo of a sofa or piece of furniture.
Do not photograph piles of clutter or dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. We see this all too many times.
Stand far back into the room when photographing to try and show the entire room. To get more distance you might try standing outside and photograph through an open window.
Take loads of photos; it cost nothing on a digital camera. You can then select the best pictures for your advertising. Check your photos before publishing them, and edit them as necessary to improve the look. It’s fairly simple to chop the bad bits off or change the lighting and colours using the image management tools which came with your camera software or, if you have MS Office, using MS Picture Manager. If you can´t do this yourself we can do it for you for a small fee. Believe me it can make a huge difference!
Home Staging is a simple, cheap and yet extremely effective way to attract prospective buyers. If done properly, buyers will appreciate the extra care and attention to detail. Staging will help your property to stand out from the crowd, increase viewings and thus your chances of selling. Simple!
Ready-2-Rent offer a personalised consulation service from their office in Villamartin. Check out the Vamp-it-Up section on their website www.premiercostablancarentals.com.
For 1000's of Spanish properties at GREAT prices, please visit www.theleader.info/spanish-property/ or call +34 96 897 1860 for sound investment advice from leading property experts.
Source www.theleader.info/