Getting Your Home Ready For The Real Estate Market

When you are considering selling your house, you need to get your house ready for potential buyers. There are hundreds of homes on the market at any given time; therefore, you need to do everything you can to make your home stand out against the competition. The following article offers many tips to help get your home in tip top shape for the real estate market.

Personal Effects:

Potential buyers want to see your home, not your personal momentoes. Therefore, it is important to remove all personal effects from your home. This includes all family photos, knick knacks and trophies. By removing your personal effects from the home, you allow potential home buyers an opportunity to imagine themselves calling your house their home.

Pets:

Your beloved family pet can cost you a sale. Many potential home buyers have allergies and do not want a home where a pet lives. To help you get the most offers on your house, remove all pet items from sight and take your pet with you while the house is being viewed.

 

Brighten Your Home:

Buyers want a home that is bright and cheery. Open your blinds and curtains to allow the natural sunlight to filter in through your windows. One easy way to increase the amount of light coming into your home is to remove your window screens. Window screens block a lot of light from coming into your home; so, removing them will increase the amount of light that enters your home.

Clean Your House:

A clean and tidy home is essential when it comes to selling your home. Buyers seem to think that a home that is clean and tidy is a home that has been taken care of. One of the best things you can do before putting your home on the market, hire a professional cleaning crew to come and clean your home from top to bottom. When talking with the cleaning crew, ask them if they will wash your walls, shampoo your carpets and clean your windows. All of this will help ensure that your home is ready for potential buyers.

Clean Your Closets:

Potential buyers want a home that has ample storage space. Most of the time, buyers will want to peek into your closets and attic to see the amount of storage your home offers. So, it is important to showcase your storage. One of the best ways to do this is to remove any excess items and clothing from your closet and store them off-site.

Declutter Your Rooms:

You need to show buyers how roomy your home is. One of the best ways to do this is to remove any unnecessary items from each room. Clean off your counters, clean off your tables and remove any excess furniture from your house. Decluttering is more than picking up clutter; it is removing any unnecessary items from your home.

As this article has shown, there is a lot involved when it comes to getting a home ready for the market. Use the information in this article to help get your home ready for the real estate market. Happy selling!

The five: robots helping to tackle coronavirus

Automatons have been chipping in with the effort to beat Covid, from disinfecting hospitals to delivering groceries.

Boston Dynamics

Singapore park-goers have been reminded of their social distancing obligations by Boston Dynamics’ yellow “dog”. The robot hound is equipped with numerous cameras and sensors, which it can use to detect transgressors and broadcast pre-recorded warnings. The authorities have reassured locals it is not a quadruped data-collection device.

Starship Technologies

In Milton Keynes a recently expanded fleet of six-wheeled robots has been delivering food and small supermarket shopping consignments to hungry residents. The town’s large network of cycle paths makes it ideally suited to the knee-high machines, which trundle along at a top speed of 4mph. The company has been waiving its delivery charge for NHS workers during the crisis.

UVD Robots

These Danish UV disinfection robots are being rolled out in Chinese hospitals. The machines deploy powerful UV lights, which destroy the DNA or RNA of any microorganisms in range. This effect of UV is well known but is dangerous to use if humans are nearby. However, the robots are able to learn the layout of hospitals and go about their work autonomously when medical staff aren’t present.

Zora Bots

The UN has equipped Rwanda with five anti-epidemic robots made by Belgian company Zora Bots to help against the country’s battle with coronavirus. The robots can screen a patient’s temperature, identify people not wearing masks and monitor abnormalities in how patients sound or look. They can also be used to deliver medicine and other essentials to the infected.

OhmniLabs

In Japan, OhmniLabs’ Newme robots have been used to replace quarantined students who were unavailable to attend their graduation ceremonies. The “telepresence” robots, which had a computer tablet for a head, were draped in an academic gown and each student made a Zoom call to “receive” their degree from a university official. A similar ceremony, using robots built by students, has been held in Nanjing, China.

Emma Watson joins board of Kering, the luxury fashion giant behind Gucci

Actor and eco-fashion advocate to take a seat on board of conglomerate that oversees Gucci, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen

Emma Watson, the actor and activist who made her name as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, has joined the board of the French fashion giant Kering, in a major coup for the world’s second-biggest luxury group.

The British star, who was born in Paris, is the face of the Good On You app, which rates fashion brands on their ethical and sustainability credentials. Watson is also known for her work with Eco Age’s Green Carpet Challenge. She wears sustainable red carpet looks, frequently custom-made by top-tier designers, for most public appearances.

Although Kering is seen to have the environmental edge on its rival LVMH, its top labels Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga are only rated “Not good enough” or “It’s a start” by Good On You.

Watson “is one of the world’s most popular actors and best-known activists”, Kering said in a statement after the appointment of the 30-year-old, who is also a high-profile women’s rights advocate and a UN goodwill ambassador.

She was nominated on to the board by shareholders at Kering’s AGM alongside the Ivory Coast-born former CEO of Credit Suisse Group Tidjane Thiam, as well as Jean Liu, the president of “the Chinese Uber” Didi Chuxing.

Having lost Stella McCartney – arguably the world’s most ethnical luxury label – to LVMH earlier this year, recruiting Watson is a coup for Kering, which is keen to win over millennials.

Kering chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault, who is married to Hollywood star and activist Salma Hayek, welcomed the appointments.

“Their respective knowledge and competences, and the multiplicity of their backgrounds and perspectives will be invaluable additions,” he said.

The Kering group employed more than 38,000 people worldwide at the end of 2019. Its turnover stood at €15.9bn ($17.9bn) last year, for a net profit of €2.3bn.

Black Lives Matter: 'We need level playing field for future generations,' says Terry Connor

The former Wolves boss and Ipswich Town assistant shares his personal experiences of suffering racist abuse during his playing and coaching career and discusses the lack of diversity in English football's management roles.

By Rob Dorsett, Sky Sports News reporter

Republic of Ireland assistant manager Terry Connor has spoken out for the first time in his 25-year coaching career about his struggles with racism in football.

The date is June 22, 2008. Paul Ince has just been named manager of Blackburn Rovers, becoming the first black manager in the Premier League.

Many thought and many more hoped that it was a turning point. But in the 28 years of the Premier League, only nine black men have managed in England's top division.

One of those is Connor. He had 13 games in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2012.

"Maybe Paul getting that job will still change things," he said.

"I worked with Paul for a few years at Wolves, and he deserved that job. It did feel like a big step forward, but it's a process, and it might take generations for us to get true equality."

As a teenager, Connor was on the books at his home town club, Leeds United, in the late 1970s.

He's told me - and his children - how he had to run away from white youths when he was a schoolboy player there, catching the bus to Elland Road from his home in the Chapeltown area.

Connor still remembers how he would always sit near to the driver on the bus, so that he didn't have to run the gauntlet of the young white men towards the back seats. They would bully and beat him. Because he was black.

He's experienced racism throughout his career, as a player and a coach.

The 57-year-old talks about the "overt" abuse he's suffered from the stands, and from others in football, but he has much greater concerns about the hidden racism, that he feels points to a much deeper problem.

And for this, you can't separate football from wider society.

He told Sky Sports News: "I remember when my wife went into labour unexpectedly, I rushed to the hospital in some scruffy clothes. The receptionist kept me waiting.

"I kept saying 'excuse me', but she kept on doing other things. Eventually, I said I was here to see my wife who was about to give birth, and she said: 'Oh! I'm sorry. I thought you were a taxi driver.'

"I don't think she had any idea about her prejudice."

Terry Connor's coaching career has largely run in parallel with Mick McCarthy's - whenever the Irishman got a job, he wanted Connor alongside him.

He's currently McCarthy's assistant for the Republic of Ireland national team until both their contracts expire next month.

It's a role he's performed at Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Swindon, Wolves and Ipswich. But only under McCarthy, who he calls "inspirational", has he been given the title of "assistant".

He is sure that his skin colour meant he has been undervalued at times in the past, and not given a proper title.

When he was Reserve Team manager for Wolves from 1999, he says it was so rare to see a black man in a position of authority, he often wasn't recognised.

"We used to go to away games and have a pre-match meal," he recalls, "the players would eat separately from the staff.

"As the hotel would want us to sign for the meal, of the six around the table I was the only black guy.

"And the hotel staff would present the bill to the goalkeeping coach, or the physio, or the kit man. And they'd present the cheque to everyone, bar me.

"All the staff would say, 'I'm not authorised to sign for that' and it would go around the table, until finally it got to me.

"It would be wrong to call it a standing joke, but it happened on so many occasions. It was clear they thought 'he must be the boss - it can't be him!'"

Easy Lentil and Vegetable Curry

Curries are a meatless-Monday staple. They’re quick to make and filling, plus it’s a great way to use up all those vegetables lying around your fridge — we like to call it the “clean out the fridge” curry ! It doesn’t sound too glamorous, but it’s definitely delicious. There really are no rules when it comes to what you can add to the pot, all we suggest is starting with some fragrant spices.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
2 cups brown & wild rice mix (or basmati rice)
3 ½ cups water
1 Tbsp vegan butter
3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp garam masala
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger
½ cup onion, finely chopped
6 cups chopped veggies of your choice (red pepper, carrot, cabbage, broccoli, etc.)
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 cup frozen shelled edamame or peas
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground pepper

Garnish (optional):
Coconut yogurt
Chives, finely chopped

Directions:
1. In a pot bring rice, water, and vegan butter to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile in a large, deep pan heated to medium, add 2 Tbsp of coconut oil and cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, chili flakes, and garam masala. Toast the spices for 6 minutes until fragrant.
3. Lower the heat so the spices don’t burn and add minced garlic, ginger and onions, and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently until the onions are translucent and soft.
4. Add another Tbsp of coconut oil and all your veggies and cook for 8-10 minutes until they just start to get soft, but are still bright in colour.
5. Add lentils and stir frequently for another 5-6 minutes, allowing the lentils to toast up and absorb some moisture.
6. Bring the heat back up to medium and gradually stir in vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid for 10 minutes.
7. Add coconut milk, lime juice, sea salt, ground pepper and any frozen vegetables you want to add. Stir well to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for another 20 minutes.
8. Serve over rice and garnish with a dollop of coconut yogurt and finely chopped chives.

Super Easy Ramen Noodle Bowl

If you’re looking for easy recipes, ramen noodles are probably the easiest thing to make ever! But we’ve made them fancier and you can certainly feel a little more proud than you did in college about eating this ramen noodle bowl. It’s filled with fresh veggies and fragrant miso broth that’ll warm you up any time of day.

Ingredients (1 large serving):
1 package of instant ramen noodles (we like Lotus Foods rice ramen)
2 cups water
2 Tbsp miso paste
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped kale
2/3 cup cubed medium firm tofu
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
1/4 cup dried seaweed
Sesame seeds (to taste)
Sriracha (to taste)

Directions:
1. Boil noodles in 2 cups of water as per instructions on the package. During the last minute of cooking add in broccoli and kale to cook in boiling water.
2. Take 2 Tbsp of the noodle water and mix it with 2 Tbsp miso paste until dissolved and well combined. Pour the water, noodles, broccoli and kale in your large serving bowl. Stir in the miso paste and water mixture to combine it into the soup. Add remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

Summer Dinner Idea: Asian Grilled Pork with Noodle Salad

Although it’s a little more intensive, this bright dish is a must-try if you’re looking for a filling, yet refreshing weeknight summer meal. You get a lot of great texture and bright, savoury flavours from the vegetables and sauce, finished with a bit of spice from the juicy pork. This recipe would also make a great side dish without the pork, served as a vermicelli noodle salad at your next backyard barbecue.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

150 g of vermicelli noodles
1 handful of peanuts (chopped)

Asian Brine:
4 pork loin chops
2 1/2 cups apple juice
2 1/2 tbsp salt
50 ml soy sauce
2 Tbsp ginger (minced)
1 tsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice

Mixed Vegetables:

Sauteed:
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots (thinly sliced)
2 Tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 a jalapeno (finely chopped)
2 green onions (chopped)
1/2 a handful of Enoki mushrooms
Fresh:
1/2 a handful of Enoki mushrooms
2 carrots (julienned)
4 pieces of broccoli (roughly chopped)
1/2 an Asian pear (julienned)
2 handfuls of cilantro (chopped)
1 handful of sprouts
1 handful of peas (chopped)

Sauce:
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice
½ cup Thai fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp warm water
½ cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sesame oil

Pork Glaze:
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp Sriracha
½ Tbsp sesame oil
Handful of sesame seeds
Splash hot water (until smooth)

Directions:

Asian Brine:
1. In a large container, mix ingredients together for the brine.
2. Place 4 pork chops in the brine, allow to brine in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Sauce:
1. In a bowl, mix together ingredients for the sauce, stirring to combine.

Vermicelli Noodles:
1. Place your vermicelli in a heat-proof bowl, add enough boiling water to just cover the noodles.
2. Leave the noodles for about 5 minutes, until they reach your desired tenderness.
3. Drain hot water from the noodles, and shock them with cold water to stop the cooking. Allow the water to drain from the noodles while preparing the rest of the meal.

Sauteed Vegetables:
1. Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a pan on medium heat,
2. Once oil has heated, add shallots, ginger, garlic and jalapeño to the pan, sauteing for about 5 minutes.
3. Once they begin to lightly brown, add green onions and half a handful of the Enoki mushrooms, sauteing for about 30 more seconds, before removing to a bowl.

Fresh Vegetables:
1. In a large bowl, combine the fresh portion of the vegetables together with the sauteed vegetables, mixing in 3/4 of the sauce into the vegetables (saving the rest for later).

Pork:
1. On a barbecue on medium-high heat, cook pork chops about 5 minutes on each side until cooked to 150°F, remove to plate and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. While pork is resting, combine hoisin, Sriracha, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a bowl, mixing ingredients together. Add about 1 tablespoon or so of hot water to the sauce, whisking until it becomes a smooth consistency.
3. Once pork has finished resting, slice it and toss in glaze.
4. In a bowl, place vermicelli, top with mixed vegetables and pork, garnishing with cilantro, chopped peanuts and a lime wedge.
5. Spoon some of the leftover fish sauce mixture over the finished noodle bowl.

How to Make Momos: South Asian Steamed Dumplings Filled with Chicken and Shrimp

We first fell in love with momos while travelling through Nepal. Momos are steamed dumplings traditionally from the Nepal and Tibetan regions. They’re warm, light, extremely flavourful and very filling (especially when you eat a ton of them, which you inevitably will). Here, we wanted to bring out the punchy Asian flavours that work on all the taste receptors: salty tamari, sweet sesame oil and honey, spicy ginger and sour rice wine vinegar. By combining shrimp and chicken as the filling, you achieve a lighter texture with a stronger depth of flavour.

Bunching up the momos into little packages is also half the fun. You can make your own dough, but for this recipe, we opted for pre-made wrappers from the grocery store. We find wrapping the dumplings to be a fun social experience if done with friends and family, or it can be quite meditative if you’re cooking alone. Achieving the perfect fold may take a few tries, but you’ll get there. For an easier alternative, make the classic crescent moon shape by folding the wrapper in half. Here, we went a little fancy and created a round version secured together with cinched pleats. Go ahead and try out these petite parcels of perfection for yourself!

Shrimp & Chicken Ginger Tamari Momo Dumplings

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Wrap Time: 1 hour
Steam Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 45 momos

Ingredients:

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
½ small red onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled
¼ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
½ cup shiitake mushrooms (about 6 mushrooms)
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (cooked or uncooked)
1/2 lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
45 momo/dumpling wrappers

Directions:

1. Turn on your food processor, and as it’s running, toss in the ginger, red onion and garlic through the feeding tube.

2. Once these aromatic ingredients have had a few spins, add in the cilantro and mushrooms. Pulse until well chopped, then add in the shrimp until it’s minced into pieces.

3. Take out the mixture and place it in a large bowl. Add in the ground chicken.

4. Whisk the egg on one side of the bowl, or whisk separately and pour into the food processor.

5. Then pour in the sesame oil, tamari, rice wine vinegar and honey. Now begin combining everything so the entire mixture is well seasoned.

6. Take out the momo wrappers and cover with a damp cloth to keep from drying out.

7. Hold one wrapper in the palm of your hand. Have a bowl of water nearby, and wet the perimeter of the wrapper with your finger.

8. Place one tablespoon of filling into its centre. Slowly pinch the dough together, moving around in a circular motion, until the wrapper is securely closed into a parcel shape. Dip your fingers back in the water and pinch the top together.

9. Repeat the above steps for each momo. The first few dumplings may look messy, but practice makes perfect! *If you prefer to prep ahead, freeze the momos at this step, prior to steaming.

10. To steam, you’ll require a steamer basket, steamer pot or bamboo steamer. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Brush the steamer with oil, or if you’re using a bamboo steamer, line it with parchment paper or cabbage leaves, and brush with oil.

11. Place the momos inside the steamer. Don’t overcrowd them or they’ll stick together. Place the steamer onto the pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes.

12. Take out the dumplings and repeat until all the momos are steamed. Enjoy with tamari or your favourite hot sauce.

Top 5 Food Countries in The World

The great and delicious meal is favorite among everybody; nobody on earth could deny the fact that she or he doesn’t like delicious and great cuisine. The world is packed with lots of food restaurants. You can get meal anyplace because lots of people on earth are associated with the food’s business. To eat the finest and the elegant food is the aspiration of any person. However, we feel trouble to find the one that has the best cuisine.

If you are away from your country, you’ll need a few hints to not get lost in the wide range of tastes and flavors. We’ll provide you with a list of the best destinations for food. Which countries have the best foods in the world? Let’s begin! Don’t get too much excited, though, this list is a collection of scrumptious spots! These countries are considered to have the best foods all over the world.

1.Italy

Italy is the number one country having the best food in the world. It’s difficult to talk about Italian food, it’s easier to enjoy it. The original shades of Italian cuisine – green, red and yellow always produce a wonderful blend of taste and flavor. Generally, all of the dishes derive from tomato, bread and also olive oil. The true secret of the cuisine isn’t in a refined preparation procedure, it’s more upon the quality of the products. Italian food consists of cheese, olive oil, and coffee. Italian taste coffee is recognized as espresso. Pizza is definitely the creation of Italian people. Italian chefs are extremely meticulous in the food preparation. They select the best quality ingredients in the preparation of Italian foods. Olive oil is normally used in the cooking.

2. France

French cuisine is quite innovative and contemporary. It comes with a long historical background and mainly taught in various cooking schools around the globe. Making French food is not the same as some other cuisines. French people are renowned for bringing out French Fries to everyone which are probably the most eaten food on earth. France has numerous dishes on their national cuisine such as terrine and Bisque etc. Cheese is likewise considered to be the invention of French people since they utilize cheese as being their staple food. Wine is likewise served with French foods.

3. Mexican

Mexican cuisine is actually a blend of various European countries food particularly Spanish food. Mexican food includes beans, corn as well as chili, and so on. And with this meat is another great element of Mexican food. The meat of chicken, beef, goat, pork, etc. is likewise eaten which is included by the Spanish cuisine on Mexican food. Using of Cheese as well as other dairy foods were also unfamiliar to the Mexicans, however, Spanish people brought in the use of Cheese in this place. African and Asian people also influenced the Mexican Cuisine. Mexican people associate food with the family and social bonding. Based on them, great food on several festivals will improve the love between families.

4. Spain

Every single food lover should be knowledgeable about the Spanish food. Spanish cuisine has tremendous variety simply because of various countries which conquered Spain at totally different periods. Spanish food is mainly utilizing the style of Roman Empire. Roman Empire integrated the various dishes of Mushrooms on Spanish cuisine. World’s nearly 90% olive oil is made in Spain thus, Spanish food is served by utilizing olive oil.

5. India

Indian fodder has the best variety based on the cultures and taste of their residents. Their people are greatly aware of producing meal choices. For India, meal mostly relies on religious groups. A few are vegans, and a few are non-vegetarians. And Muslim here only eats Halal meals. It has divided the Indian fodder into 2 main components. The Europeans and Mughals also had a great influence on Indian cuisine recipes. Indian foods also are very spicy. Potato is actually a stapled fodder for the Indians which was brought in by the Portuguese.

 

The importance of Digital Marketing today

For a company to gain visibility on the web, it is important to invest in Digital Marketing strategies, a more affordable method that allows to obtain the same results as a large advertising advertisement. With this tool, your website can become one of the first in Google's organic (or free) ranking can make more people come to know your company.

However, first of all it is necessary to segment your target audience. Defining the personas for your product or service makes the job much more assertive. Buyer personas, or just personas, are characters that are created by marketers to identify profiles of buyers that must be reached in digital marketing strategies. Definition of age group, gender, personal tastes, possible keywords, location and several other definitions can give more strength to each ad, article and publication that will be made. This evaluation, which involves a lot of research and capturing the briefing with the client, will certainly help a lot the activities that a marketing professional will perform for your company or project.

For one of the co-founders of the 380 Volts agency, Lucas Allex, "The digital world allows access to information quickly and objectively. Just search for" pain in the neck "on Google, for example, to find more than 3.7 million people. results in 0.57 seconds. With this huge flow of results, it is important for the patient to find relevant information and also find out where to find guidance and appropriate medical treatment. So, before you start planning a strategy to establish your work on the internet, it's important that you understand your audience. 380 Volts Agency researches, analyzes, evaluates and builds all of your planning based on the profile of your target audience. From the moment we understand who your audience is, we effectively build a organic access content (through a search engine,like Google) so that your future patient has access to information in an appropriate way and understands the importance of consulting with a specialist, "concludes".

According to data from McKinsey, which is the leader of the Center of Excellence in Digital Marketing in Latin America, Brazil still has 80% of the companies in the initial stage in Digital Marketing, 23% of which are beginners and 57% are emerging. Also according to the survey, Brazil is the country in Latin America with the largest investment in digital marketing (24.4% of the total media, against 43.5% of the global average).  

Digital Marketing seeks, in addition to attracting new customers, their loyalty. Therefore, if your desire is to make a good disclosure of your company and put yourself on the market, a Digital Marketing plan is a vital and extremely important starting point.