Confused? What Should you Choose After Your Graduation

 

A Guide for the Recent Accounting or Finance Graduate

If your dreams are big and want to achieve higher accounting credential globally then you should choose US CPA. And to do so, you must choose the best US CPA Courses.

 

Figuring Out the best US CPA Courses

If You Can, hire the courses that provide online class and study material

These days, many institutes offer CPA Course Fees In India, Bangalore, Chennai, and all across India, but finding the best-in-class CPA course is a hard task and this is why we are here, to help you get the most effective and smartest course that will help you pass the US CPA exam in one go.

Keep an Open Mind

Throughout your college days, it’s easy to presume you know who you are, but once you’re entered into a professional working environment and real-life, you will start to learn even more about yourself, your likes, and your dislikes.

Life is all about discovery

Well, life is all about discovery; if you don’t like your current job profile or want to branch out in the highest business credential world, remember, with a US CPA certification, you can take your career in a variety of different directions i.e. Finance, Accounting, Management, and Operations.

A higher accounting credential

US CPAs are also highly suited to start their firms or work with others to start institutions, whether in accounting, finance, or another field because they are very skilled and proficient at the numbers behind a business. So, it is advisable to keep an open mind after your college. What you’re doing after may be hugely different than you imagined or expected, and that’s okay. Find your dreams and chase them.

So, what are you waiting for? If you are a commerce student and looking for the best CPA Course Fees In India or across India, you are at the right place. We have got you all covered.

Maintain Health And Hygiene In Your Surroundings

 Understanding the fact that, Household Insecticide products are publicly gaining acceptance from individuals to keep homes, surfaces, workplaces, the marketplace, and gardens germs free, viruses free, bacteria free, and to ensure safe, secure, hygienic, and healthy living environments in India.

Some Household Insecticide products including Instant hand sanitizers, antibacterial hand rub gel, Germonil Mosquito repellent white phenyl, black phenyl, Ultrawash Multipurpose Liquid Detergent, Moth repellent naphthalene balls, air freshener, multipurpose surface disinfectant spray, disinfectant wipes, sodium hypochlorite solution, bloo toilet cleaner, sparkle glass cleaner, trizol surface disinfectant, and many more are the different types of household insecticide products that are available in the Indian market.

Home insecticide products

India is the fastest growing country for home insecticide products where household hygienic product innovation is a go-to-market approach adopted by companies to further increase market perception in rural areas and consumption growth in the urban areas.

Some make in India companies like Trishul Home Care, has come up with a range of hygienic products to tap the rural consumers.

It is one of the oldest brands providing hygienic products in the market and they are also heavily focusing on developing integrated purchasing communications to increase sales.

 

Clean, hygienic, healthy, and free of germs

Keeping your home clean, hygienic, healthy, and free of germs doesn’t have to be a hard task. Whether you’re washing your clothes, cleaning up your bedroom, or kitchen, there are always a handful of basic household cleaning products that can help you get your place back into shape.

To make your life just a little bit easier, safer, healthier, hygienic, bring home hygienic products to get your house spotless in no time.

So, what are you waiting for? Get all your queries quickly answered. Please feel free to connect with us.

We would be very happy to revert back to you.

The Most Common Kitchen Layouts

 

Searching for one of the best U Shaped Kitchen Manufacturers in the industry then you are at the right place.

A U-shaped kitchen layout is a highly coveted design for a house-hunter for ages. The U-shaped kitchen layout positions units around the chef on three sides with the top of the ‘U’ left free for a pathway or an open plan living or dining room.

The U-shaped kitchens can also be combined with dining areas together if the width of the room allows.

It often presents the possibility to make one arm of the ‘U’ into a peninsula that can be obtained from both sides, such as for breakfast use or a bar or as a dual-sided storage volume.

You can get all this and more in this inspirational gallery.

The U-shaped kitchen layout is one of the most common kitchen layouts that can be designed for small or large spaces and are great because they provide ample storage and encompass you with bench-tops on three sides – so there is lots of space to prepare and cook.

 

Advantage of U Shaped Kitchen

Efficient

They are specially designed for high-efficiency cooking and a perfect example of the ‘working triangle’ we listen so much about in Modular kitchen designs – you can quickly move between your sink, ovens, cooktop, and refrigerator. This design is often examined to be the most efficient and effective kitchen floor plan because of its close working triangle and the division of the work area from the rest of the family.

 

Can be Crowded

One of the major benefits of a U-shaped kitchen is that one or two or more chefs can work at the same time - it is great for when you’re considering or simply have a big family to feed. This layout lends its hand to less traffic flow which assists people out of your hair when you’re preparing.

What is Sodium Hypochlorite Solution?

 

Sodium Hypochlorite Solution is one of the chlorine compounds often used as a bleaching agent and disinfectant which is generally used to prevent the spread of germs, illness-causing bacteria, and viruses.

This solution is formed by mixing water with a chlorine-based compound. This compound or disinfectant is used for laundry purposes or all-purpose disinfectants with wide applications.

Sodium Hypochlorite Solution is also used before and after the operation to prevent surgical cut infections that kill most forms of bacteria and viruses.

How to use Sodium Hypochlorite Solution?

Pour, apply or spray onto the disinfectant area or surroundings. When used in infected surroundings, it can be poured onto the infected area as an irrigation or cleanser.

Sometimes, the body's wound-healing tissues, platelets, and fluids can reduce the antibacterial effect of the solution.

Consequently, this hypochlorite solution is often used only once for minor wounds as well and twice daily for heavily bleeding or poisoned wounds.

Use Sodium Hypochlorite Solution as directed by your doctor.

It's your job to protect your home, place, or surrounding with a best-in-class sodium hypochlorite solution.

Notify your colleagues, workers, employees, etc., if your surrounding condition does not improve or if it worsens. Discuss other treatments and what precautions to be taken further with your doctor. SHS is the WHO recommended product that is now used by everyone to prevent the spread of germs and viruses.

Household disinfection with a quality solution

Customers can use diluted hypochlorite solutions to help disinfect household surfaces (work or home) in bathrooms, floors, offices, apartments, and the kitchen. Using SHS to disinfect frequently touched surfaces also can help prevent the spread of diseases, flu, viruses, and other infectious illnesses.

 

Should you have any query, please feel free to connect with us.

We would be happy to revert to you back as soon as possible.

Find the Best Ideas for Modular Kitchen in Delhi

 

The home interior industry is always emerging to meet the interior design wants of the customers. Some surfaces are in response to the need for a stronger product while others adhere to the more aesthetic appeal of the home.

Plus, some coatings have come back with a new makeover.

Throughout this article, we will be discussing the new coatings and materials that have been making their mark in the home interior industry.

 

Modular Kitchen in Delhi

Like everything else in life, our modular kitchens need to be effective, efficient, and well-organized. In our previous articles, we have talked about how to optimize storage in modular kitchens.

Unluckily, with most of us having to make do with an outdated modular kitchen design, this isn’t always possible.

Some small modular kitchen layout ideas, that are mostly available to the majority of people today, aren’t conducive to making the most of the home space you have.

There is always help at hand though, with the gradually increasing availability of modular kitchen designs, India has begun to catch up with developed countries.

Today, many kitchen brands now offer quality solutions to turn your cooking space into a modular kitchen like ours. Wondering, what’s the best thing about this?

 

How do choose the best plan?

Depending on the design and space of your modular kitchen area and how would you like to use that space, you can choose them in different types of design and style; whether a single wall of cabinets or drawers, L-shaped design or parallel interior design, all are viable and famous options.

Some high brands or companies will usually have a modular kitchen designs for you to choose from the thousands, filled with cabinet and a slew of photos showing you the finished result. When it comes to the modular kitchen cabinet finishes or layout you would like, these quality may differ based on color, size, or materials used.

Disinfect Fruits and Vegetables with the Best Disinfectants

 Read the full information about washing and preparing fruit and vegetables to prevent food poisoning or any harmful disease.

It is necessary to wash all fruit and vegetables before you eat them to assure they are clean and safe to consume.

Most people are conscious of the importance of managing meat safely, but many examine the risk of diseases and food poisoning from vegetables to below.

Due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, it is very advisable to disinfect your grocery with the best Fruit and Vegetable Disinfectant in the market available.

 

 

How should fruit and vegetables be disinfected?

 

Disinfecting will help remove germs, viruses, and bacteria from the surface of fruit and vegetables.

Most of the bacteria and germs will be in the soil connected to the produce. Disinfecting to remove any soil is, therefore, particularly important.

 

When you wash fruits and vegetables, wash them under a running tap and rub them underwater as well, for example in a bowl of freshwater. Start with the shortest soiled things first and give each of them a final rinse.

 

Washing these groceries produce is particularly significant as it tends to have more soil attached to it than packaged fruit and vegetables.

It is always desirable to disinfect all fruit and vegetables before you eat them to assure they are clean and to help remove germs, viruses, and bacteria from the outside.

 

 

Why can there be difficulties with fruits and vegetables?

 

There have been numerous previous Coronavirus outbreaks linked to salad vegetables, fruits, and packaged food which are consumed raw.

 

Nevertheless, illness linked to rooted vegetables is much less common because most root vegetables and fruits are safely cooked before being eaten.

 

There is always a risk of harmful germs and bacteria on loose fruits and vegetables spreading to other food if the product is not stored, washed, and cooked properly.

Consumer pressure attracts customers to Gumtree

Intensifying pressures on the household budget coming from the mounting cost of living and stagnant wages growth are helping to drive turnover in the second-hand economy, now valued at $43.5 billion.

Fuelling this buy, swap and sell binge is also the proliferation of e-commerce sites, traditional players such as eBay and Amazon, as well as new platforms springing up on social media, with more than 100 million used goods changing hands over the past 12 months.

Data collected by leading online trading site Gumtree, which was acquired by eBay’s classified group in May 2005, reveals that every Australian household is sitting on just more than $5400 worth of unwanted items spread over, on average, 25 unwanted or unused items under their own roof.

The spread of smartphones, the popularity of online shopping and online connectivity is helping fuel the buying and selling spree, but the steady rise in the cost of living for the average Australian household in an era of stagnant wages is also nudging shoppers into the second-hand economy.

In its latest report on the sector, Gumtree says Australians are recognising that buying second-hand items for the home can potentially free up money for use in other areas, including extra cash to combat increasing living costs, to service debt, to pay rent, to go towards a deposit for a house or to go on a holiday.

This is helping to normalise the idea of buying second-hand goods, rather than always reaching for the brand new item. Gumtree reports that 86 per cent of Australians say they prefer buying second-hand over brand new, with the main reasons being that they can save cash and reduce waste by recycling useful items.

“I think Australians are very good at being resourceful and are looking for the best value, and I think that we are seeing that there is a little bit of uncertainty going forward economically and thinking about how you can be more resourceful and that $5400 worth of items that you could potentially sell that are in your household sitting there collecting dust,’’ said Gumtree Australia local manager Martin Herbst. “Why not collect some dollars?’’

It’s something the highly resourceful Kerrigan family, in the hit Australian movie The Castle, knew very well. But while their second-hand bible, The Trading Post, stopped publishing its highly popular weekly newspaper in 2009 to move exclusively online, consumers are now flooded with online trading platforms.

“The second-hand economy is something that has been around for a long time and what has driven a lot of that is technology, that essentially enables accessibility, and then it’s a virtuous cycle that enables easy buying and selling between neighbours, and among communities,’’ said Mr Herbst.

“When you are getting cash in your pocket and you have the experience of actually being quite positive, you are going to tell more people about it and so that’s what we have been seeing over the past few years.’’

The average buyer estimates they’ve saved about $2000 by buying second hand, representing a saving of about $26.6 billion across Australia in the past 12 months.

According to the Gumtree report the most popular items sold online are housewares and furniture (24 per cent), clothing, shoes and accessories (20 per cent), electronic goods (18 per cent) and games and toys (16 per cent).

It’s Generation Y — those aged in their late-20s — who are most engaged in buying and selling online, with 69 per cent of Gen Y reporting they sold something online in the past year. More than three-quarters of new parents bought second-hand when having a baby.

Resource :http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/consumer-pressure-attracts-customers-to-gumtree/news-story/e8469ed7799f4b345d978af61c764481

Buying a Home? The Real Cost of Homeownership

We talk a lot about the advantages of home ownership. You get to have your own space in the world. As opposed to paying a landlord, your mortgage payment is an investment in yourself because you’re gaining equity in the home with each mortgage payment.

That being said, what’s the real cost of owning your own home? Sure, there’s the mortgage and the down payment, but there’s a lot more involved. Let’s go over some of the math involved to see if you’re really ready to buy your own place.
Housing Costs

One big factor to consider when it comes to whether you should get a mortgage is the cost compared to renting. Cost of living definitely varies depending on where you live, but in most places, you will find it makes more sense to buy.

According to the latest data from Zillow, the average cost of a two-bedroom home across all major areas in the United States was $157,400. Although costs vary depending on what state you’re in, that equates to a mortgage payment of about $774.31 if we assume a 4.25% interest rate.

You can check out our amortization calculator to plug in your own numbers based on your situation.

By comparison, the average monthly rental cost for a two-bedroom home is $1,575. By renting you just about double your housing cost.

As a percentage of income, Americans spend about 15.9% of their income on monthly mortgage payments as compared to 29.1% of income spent on rent. Rent also tends to go up every year. On the other hand, even if you have a mortgage with an adjustable rate, the mortgage payment will only change after an initial fixed period of between five and 10 years.

Couple this with minimum down payments that are anywhere from 1%*– 3.5% and buying a home can be a very good deal. However, there’s more than just the mortgage. Let’s talk about some of the other stuff.
Costs Beyond the Mortgage

After the mortgage and down payment, there are other costs associated with becoming a homeowner. We’ll go over what these costs are as well as the factors that might help offset some of them.
Property Taxes

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing your home is that you will have to pay property taxes. Tax rates and any exemptions you qualify for vary across the country, so it’s a good idea to take local taxes into consideration when selecting a location for your home.

It’s especially important to be aware of property taxes now. The key reason for this is that property values are rising in most areas of the country at the moment. This can be a double-edged sword.

On one hand, you’re gaining equity faster, meaning you can convert more of it into cash for renovations, investments or even a new car you need. You’ll also get more out of the property in a sale.

On the flip side of the coin, when your property value rises, your taxes tend to go up along with it. If you have an increase in any kind of valuable assets, the government is going to want its cut.

When you’re shopping for a home, be aware of your effective property tax rate after any exemptions you would get. It can definitely make a difference in the cost of housing in the area.

While you will get taxed on the value of your property, there are also a number of tax deductions you can take that are associated with both your mortgage and the property itself.
Homeowners Insurance

Another key consideration is the cost of homeowners insurance. This helps protect your possessions in your home as well as paying for any damage to the home caused by a number of different events.

All of the major mortgage investors – including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the FHA and VA – will require that you have homeowners insurance in order to protect their investment in your loan. This is a cost you have to consider.

Your premiums may also be different depending on where you live. One thing homeowners insurance doesn’t cover is flooding caused by a natural event. If you live in a flood zone or in states that may be regularly impacted by hurricanes, you may be required to buy additional flood coverage. If you live near a forest area, you might need additional hazard insurance to deal with the impact of potential wildfires.

With all of this said, you can think of homeowners insurance as an analog for renters insurance. It’s not really an additional cost compared to rental. It’s just a different one.
Homeowners Association Fees

Depending on where you live, you may end up as part of a homeowners association. Sometimes you have the option of whether to join. Often, you don’t.

Living in a homeowners association can have its advantages. Snow removal and yard maintenance are two things that are commonly taken care of by associations. They may also do things like host neighborhood events.

If you do look at a house that’s part of an association, be sure to get a full breakdown of what the association fees cover. Once you buy the house, the fees aren’t optional and the association can often put a lien on your house for unpaid dues. Make sure the services provided are worth it to you.
Appliances and Furniture

Another thing you’ll want to take into account are any appliances and furniture you need. You’ll definitely want an oven with a stove, a refrigerator-freezer and a microwave, at minimum. Having a dishwasher isn’t necessary, but it’s nice.

A washer and dryer is a must if you want to avoid trudging to the laundromat.

New homes may or may not include appliances. If you’re purchasing an existing home, you can take a look at possibly buying from these goods from the seller if they don’t want to move certain appliances.

The nice thing is that appliances tend to last a while and you can even move them between houses if you want. Incidentally, moving is one of those tax-deductible, so long as your relocation is work-related (moving for a new employer or being transferred by your current one).

With furniture, if you’ve ever lived in your own place, odds are you already have some of your own pieces and design aesthetic you can bring to your new space. You can supplement that with a couple of new items if you want.
Repair and Maintenance

When you do you have your own house, you definitely have to deal with your own maintenance and repair. Some of this is basic stuff that you do regularly, like replacing furnace filters, cleaning the gutters and mowing the lawn. On the other hand, you only have big expenses like replacing the furnace and getting new siding every decade or so.

The only thing to be aware of is that everything doesn’t fail at once. Once a year, it helps to redo the floors. Two years down the line, it might be time to get new windows. You should always be putting something aside for maintenance.
Taking Care of Outside Maintenance

There’s lawn care, as well as driveway and sidewalk maintenance issues, to think about. You’ll need a lawn mower or a lawn service. If you’re not into landscaping and planting, there are companies you can hire that do that as well.

If you’re living in a snowy climate, you need to clear the driveway and sidewalk to make sure everyone stays safe. You can shovel and salt. You can also hire someone to do that.

If you don’t want to put a lot of effort into your lawn, it helps to budget to bring someone in to do it for you.

In some areas, you may be susceptible to certain pests. It’s important to be prepared for bug mitigation if you live in an area where there are commonly termites, cockroaches or other creepy crawlers.
Utilities and Services

Depending on what’s included in your monthly rent, it may be the first time you pay for utilities like electricity, water and gas when you get your house. It’s important to take these things into consideration in your monthly budget.

You should also look at internet and cable services. What service you can get is sometimes tied to where you live. Garbage pickup is sometimes included in your city taxes and sometimes it isn’t.
The Bottom Line

Even when taking into consideration all of the factors mentioned above, if you can afford it, in the majority of cases, it makes more sense to buy your home. You can spend so much more money on rent and it goes up every year. Buying a home also gives you the ability to make it yours.

Are you looking to buy a home soon? You can get a safe, secure, online preapproval through Rocket Mortgage® by Quicken Loans®. If you’d rather get started over the phone, one of our Home Loan Experts will be happy to speak with you at (888) 980-6716. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments.

For example, the payment on a $200,000 30-year fixed-rate loan at 4.625% (5.012% APR) with an LTV of 97% is $1,028.28, which includes a mortgage insurance payment of $61.67. Taxes and homeowners insurance are not included. Rates shown valid as of 09/21/2017. Restrictions may apply.

Resource :https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/buying-home-real-cost-homeownership

There’s a gaping hole and I could see my furniture sliding in'; Sinkhole swallows Nova Scotia family's 'dream home'

FALMOUTH, N.S. — The ground fell out from under Heather Strickey’s feet this weekend when her family’s “dream home” in a well-kept Nova Scotia neighbourhood started being swallowed by a sinkhole.

Municipal authorities in Falmouth, about 70 kilometres from Halifax, said the family of four will not be able to retrieve their remaining possessions before the two-storey house is demolished, taking 10 years of memories with it.

Strickey, who works at a local private school, and her 16-year-old daughter were inside the house early Sunday morning when they awoke to the sounds of what they believed to be an intruder. Here is her account of the incident, as told to reporter Adina Bresge of The Canadian Press.

Note: This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

---

The sounds were like someone pulling something along the floor, or maybe taking things off the walls.

(Before) I called 911, I paused for a few moments or minutes to see if I could possibly be wrong. But it was too loud.

I was speaking very quietly, because if it was an intruder, I didn’t want to alert them that we were here. My daughter, Julia, came into the room and said, “Mom, I think there’s someone downstairs.”

The power goes off very quickly, followed by the crashing and some breaking of glass. Julia and I grab the best weapons we can come up with and go into the (bathroom) closet and shut the door.

I had a nail file, which I was going to use to pluck eyes if I had to. Julia actually did a little more thinking and grabbed a very heavy magnifying mirror, so I think she was going to wield that.

We basically went shoulder-to-shoulder and we waited. I looked down at my phone and it’s about 17 minutes in. (The emergency dispatcher) tells me it should be about five more minutes. These are the longest minutes of your life.

As soon as I heard footsteps, I was going to shove Julia into the attic and try to hold off until the RCMP got there.

(The dispatcher) says there’s an officer on scene, and almost immediately, she says, “Not an invasion.”

Our house wasn’t being broken into. It was being broken down into a hole.

The idea that humans could be trying to hurt us was so much more scary than something that happened by nature, or whatever this is. It’s still relief that I don’t have to worry about someone jumping at me with a knife or a gun.

What I didn’t realize is that (three or four metres) from where we’re going down the staircase, there’s no floor anymore. There’s a gaping hole and I could see my furniture sliding in.

It’s definitely a Hollywood experience. You have the Titanic going over on its side.

(The dispatcher) tells us, “You need to get out of your house now, and grab some stuff.”

My beloved 16-year-old loves basketball, so she grabbed her basketball speakers and her McDonald’s uniform, thinking that perhaps she could still work her shift at 8 a.m.

I didn’t grab passports, or money, or my wedding rings — nothing.

I was going to work out, so no word of a lie, I grabbed my workout bag.

The rest of our family was (away) in the city because they were greeting the new students coming to our school.

(My husband) had a hard time trying to understand what had happened. Julia and I had lived it, so we got it, but he had to see it.

It looks like someone pressed down with a very mighty hand into the middle of your house and pushed it into the ground.

If you look closer, you can see there’s a giant hole. You can see my rose garden holding on saying, “No, we don’t want to go!”

(The firefighters) went in an grabbed our passports, our jewellery. He’s literally coming out with things like photo albums and pictures from the wall that were irreplaceable. I wasn’t thinking that way, but he was.

At no point did I think we’ll never get in the house again.

(Municipal officials) want the structure — they would call it a structure, we refer to it as our home — torn down, so that the possibility of someone being harmed by it coming down (on its own) disappears.

They’re being respectful, but we don’t want anything to happen until we hear from the insurance. Our ideal scenario is that we’d be able to salvage some things from the house.

The security officer said that the traffic (near the property) is similar to what he sees when the exhibition is in town. People are getting out of their cars and taking pictures.

I understand people’s interest, but I don’t think they get that it’s a complete tragedy for our family. I can’t complain, we’re all safe, but we’ve literally lost pretty well everything.

My (13-year-old) is super-duper sad. Basically, every memory that she has is based on our lives in that home.

It truly was our dream home. There wasn’t anything I wanted to change about this house. I loved it just the way it was.

We are blessed. We’ve had at least 30 people offer us a place to live.

I may as well work today and get things some things done. I can’t get the keys to my Volkswagen because they’re at a bottom of a sink hole. So I have a car, but I can’t drive it.

I don’t have a house to clean. I don’t have laundry to do. So, let’s press on.

Our (family’s) mantra is, “It was things, not people.” We’ll have things again.

Resource : http://www.torontosun.com/2017/09/04/theres-a-gaping-hole-and-i-could-see-my-furniture-sliding-in-sinkhole-swallows-nova-scotia-familys-dream-home

Pain of Nairobi residents living in apartments that have no lifts

Three years ago, the county government revealed an elaborate plan to find out if the city's high-rise buildings adhered to the Building Code. Key among the goals was to establish whether buildings adhered to the requirement that those with more than four floors should have lifts.

The county's planning chief Tom Odongo had promised to give developers timelines to adhere to the building code by demolishing extra floors or installing lifts. Janet Were, who lives in a building that has eight floors in Pipeline Estate, has never heard of such a requirement. "I have lived on the top floor of the apartment.

The landlord has never mentioned anything to do with elevators. We find our way up the stairs even with heavy luggage," said Janet. Ascending to her house is like climbing a mountain. She plunges into her sofa to catch her breath for at least 15 minutes before stretching for the remote control to switch on the television.


The story is the same for many other residents. To entice tenants to the upper floors, landlords charge less than the rates for houses on the lower floors. Challenges galore This is how Janet and thousand many other tenants ended up living on the top floors despite the challenges of getting into their houses. Philip Karani, a caretaker and agent of one of the houses, says it is hard to convince people to live on the top floors.


"The landlords had to get creative to get tenants for top floors of their buildings. The rent charged is usually lower," reiterates Karani. Going up the stairs is hectic. Most tenants find it hard to carry heavy luggage to their houses. Many are forced to pay handymen to do the job. Hanging washed clothes is another problem as the space is limited and in case some clothes fall off the line, one has a hectic time going all the way to the ground to pick them up.


"My clothes fell down the line a week ago. I cannot explain the trouble I underwent going downstairs and washing them again considering I am a bachelor," said Dennis Kiptoo, a tenant.



Emma Miloyo, president of the Architectural Association of Kenya, supported the building code, adding that it is a requirement that must be adhered to by all buildings. "Only about 20 per cent to 30 per cent of houses in the city are compliant with the law. Some of the houses with poor lighting and no lifts lack legal approval.


 A report was issued and those buildings will be reviewed for proper rehabilitation," said Miloyo. Gad Opiyo, the chairman of the Architecture Association of Kenya, said there is no shortage of laws to regulate building and construction. Mr Opiyo cites the building act. Despite the existence, he says, enforcement has taken a little too long. Opiyo said all buildings are approved after it is established that they meet all the requirements of the code.

Resource :https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2001246815/pain-of-nairobi-residents-living-in-apartments-that-have-no-lifts

Christie antiques show returns this weekend

The Christie Antique and Vintage Show is back this weekend, with a treasure trove of furniture, jewelry, clothing, art, memorabilia and more. 

The spring show, on Saturday, May 27 at Christie Lake Conservation Area (100 Hwy. 5 W., Dundas), will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. 

Parking is free, but visitors are asked to leave their pets at home. There will be free shuttle buses from the parking lots to the gates, and food court and picnic areas on site plus a beer and wine tent.

The show also offers free pick-up service from booth to vehicle, and Carter Lease and Rentals will be onsite with rental vans available if you need to transport large items off site.

For advance tickets, go to 

Resource :http://www.thespec.com/living-story/7332653-christie-antiques-show-returns-this-weekend/

‘Entourage’ Star Jeremy Piven’s Malibu Beach House Is for Rent and for Sale (EXCLUSIVE)

SELLER: Jeremy Piven
LOCATION: Malibu, CA
PRICE: $10,495,000
SIZE: 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms

YOUR MAMA’S NOTES: With rumors rampant he’s in the process of acquiring a home high in the Hollywood Hills — a bit more on that in a minute — Jeremy Piven hoisted his longtime residence in Malibu up for sale at $10.495 million. The “Entourage” star, who more recently portrayed the titular character on the now cancelled British-American period TV series “Mr Selfridge,” purchased the beachfront house in July 2004 for $3.5 million. Since 2014 the property has been available several times as a short-term luxury lease with asking prices between $35,000 and $50,000 per month and it’s currently listed as a furnished summer rental at $40,000 per month.

A gated and trellis-shaded courtyard entry laden with potted plants leads to the front door of the vine-encrusted residence that’s decorated — or at least furnished if not exactly decorated — with a hodgepodge of carved Balinese-style furniture and a remarkable number of Buddhist figurines. A slender entrance hall leads to a spacious open-plan living/dining area with two sets of glass sliders that open to a slender, oceanfront deck with free-standing spa tub. Open to the dining area over a long peninsula countertop with raised snack bar, the kitchen won’t win any style awards with its practical if pedestrian white, raised panel cabinets and mud-colored granite countertops but it does offer a costly array of premium quality appliances. There are two guest bedrooms on the main floor, per listing details, plus a mirror-walled yoga studio/fitness room.

A media lounge with state-of-the-art projection equipment on the uppermost floor is joined by a guest bedroom and bathroom plus a master suite with roomy bedroom, ocean-view bathroom, walk-in closet and private deck with sweeping views up and down the coastline. A sprawling entertainment room on the lowest level, where listing photos show a full drum set and extensive lounge seating, includes a walk-in wet bar, a dry sauna and a beach-side deck that runs the full width of the house with built-in bench seating and steps down to the beach that, according to listings, remains desirably dry even at higher tides.

So the celebrity real estate rumor mill goes via the property gossips at The Real Deal, Mister Piven, set to star with Eva Longoria and Jamie Foxx in the comedy “All Star Weekend,” plans to purchase a new home in the Mount Olympus neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills. The 2,851-square-foot, two-story residence, need of a spiffing up and described in marketing materials as a “French style house,” has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double-height atrium entry, swimming pool and extensive decks with panoramic mountain views over Laurel Canyon.

Since June 2011 Mister Piven has maintained a 3,012-square-foot duplex penthouse with almost 1,000-square-feet of private terraces in a snazzy boutique building in Manhattan’s TriBeCa neighborhood that he bought in June 2011 for $4,582,125 from former professional baseball player Mike Piazza.

listing photos: Pinnacle Estate Properties

Resource : http://variety.com/2017/dirt/real-estalker/eremy-piven-malibu-beach-house-1202443275/

Philly tops list of 10 most affordable retail locations

 Retailers who want a prime location but also one that’s affordable should check out Philadelphia, Chicago and Seattle.

That’s according to JLL’s inaugural City Retail report, which reveals the 10 most affordable and desirable prime urban retail corridors in the United States based on average asking rent per square foot. The districts have growing populations of working millennials, rising foodie scenes, and trendy mixes of up-and-coming retailers and well-known brands. These factors combine to create affordability and stability—the ideal scenario for retailers and investors that want to expand, according to JLL.

"In retail, store location is everything – pick the wrong corner and your brilliant concept can fail," said Naveen Jaggi, president of retail brokerage and capital markets, JLL. "We know that sometimes retailers want that prime main-and-main location, but just don't have the budget. So, we looked at core U.S. cities to find more affordable areas for retail expansion.”

According to JLL, prime rents in the following 10 prime urban retail corridors are the most affordable on a per-square-foot basis:
Market East, Philadelphia: Once home to vacant lots and failed fortress malls, Market East now attracts large-format retailers looking to tap into the swelling millennial and empty-nester population. Market East's average asking prime retail rent is $50 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 25%.

Wicker Park, Chicago: This edgy, off-the-beaten path foodie destination is seeing an uptick in residential development, piquing international investor and retailer interest. Wicker Park's average asking prime retail rent is $55 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 4.5%.

Pike Street, Seattle: Filled with a stable collection of apparel and restaurants, Pike Street serves Seattle's CBD and is expanding east toward Capitol Hill with new restaurants. Pike Street's average asking prime retail rent is $65 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 18.2%.

Fulton Market, Chicago: Once a hub for industrial and meat distribution, Fulton Market in the West Loop submarket is known for its killer restaurant scene, but is now garnering attention from apparel retailers and investors as it becomes a growth market for corporate headquarters. Average asking prime retail rent is $75 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 8.9%.

The Marina, San Francisco: This corridor has seen a spike of athleisure and boutique fitness studios, adding to its long-standing assortment of neighborhood retail and restaurants. The average asking prime retail rent is $85 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 7.7%.

University Avenue, Silicon Valley: Palo Alto's tech boom is creating a retail sea change with more non-chain boutiques and home goods stores moving in to University Avenue. The average asking prime retail rent is $90 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 7.9%.

Hayes Valley, San Francisco: Opportunities for investment and new storefronts in Hayes Valley is shrinking as housing values increase and entertainment venues play host to tourists. The average prime asking retail rent is $90 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 4.7%.

Design District, Miami: Textile and furniture factories once lined the Design District, which is now a curated assortment of luxury retailers, art galleries and restaurants. Phase II of development will add 60 new tenants to the market. The average prime asking retail rent is $95 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 2.2%.

Metro Center, Washington, DC: Well positioned between the White House and Chinatown, Metro Center is where people go to shop at well-known brands and discount retailers. The average asking prime retail rent is $100 p.s.f., with annual rent growth remaining flat.

Fillmore, San Francisco: It's been eight years since the transformation of the Fillmore corridor started, and today luxury lite retailers are dominating the retail scene. The average asking prime retail rent is $115 p.s.f., with annual rent growth of 13.6%. Prime Urban Retail Corridors are the New High Streets

"We expect the value of real estate in these select corridors to rise over the long-term, and retailers to remain vigilant in their expansions. But, as competition rises and consumer buying habits shift, retailers will search for opportunities to get more bang for their buck," concluded James Cook, director of retail research, JLL, which is the largest third party retail property manager in the United States with more than 1,000 centers, totaling 125 million square feet under management, lease and sale.

 Resource :http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/philly-tops-list-10-most-affordable-retail-locations

Staged to sell: New business rents furniture and accessories to home builders, homeowners and realtors

WEST FARGO—Home builders, real estate agents and homeowners have a new tool at their disposal in the quest for higher home sale prices.

The Private Collection, a business that rents furniture and decor to be used for home staging, opened here last fall. Clients have the option of renting furniture piece-by-piece or asking its owners, Trever Hill and Susan Hozak-Cardinal, to professionally stage the home for them.

Home staging is the art of furnishing and decorating a house to sell quickly and for more money. The National Association of Realtors reports that for every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400.

There are many reasons selling an empty house can be a challenge. For one, Hill said buyers often misjudge empty rooms as being too big or small.

"They'll walk in and think 'Wow, it's kind of a small dining room,' but it's really not," he said. "If you get furniture in there, you realize it's a really spacious room."

The Private Collection carries furniture that will work in almost any size and layout, he said.

Hill and Hozak-Cardinal hand picked each item from high end and local vendors such as Room & Board, New Pacific Direct, McNeal & Friends, Scheels Home & Hardware and HomeGoods. Styles range from modern and contemporary to traditional and farmhouse.

A 'Gateway' to a new business

Hill has been interested in decorating and design for as long as he can remember. He got his start decorating the homes of friends and family while he was still in high school in his hometown of Spearfish, S.D.

In 2009, he established his own interior design firm, Home Suite Couture, here in Fargo. At the time, he was also working full time as the internet manager for Gateway Chevrolet Cadillac Hyundai Nissan in Fargo. In 2014, he left Gateway to become the specialty shop manager for Scheels Home and Hardware.

Within months of accepting that role, Hill was named a Top 5 Decorator/Designer by Design & Living Magazine. After that, Hill said "everything just exploded."

He renamed his company Trever Hill Design and began working on his own full time. Hill said realtors often asked him if there was anywhere they could rent furniture for a home on the market.

When he realized there were few options, he turned Hozak-Cardinal, the wife of a former Gateway co-worker. The two got to know each other well when Hill worked on their home back in 2014. She agreed there was a real opportunity for them to fill a market niche.




They started buying furniture last May and staged their first home last fall.

Hozak-Cardinal, who also works as the director of marketing for Friendly Smiles in Fargo, mainly takes care of the business operations, but she also has a hand in staging homes. She recently staged a home built by Titan Homes featured in this spring's Parade of Homes. That's where they held a ribbon cutting with the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber last month.

"That was good for us," Hozak-Cardinal said. "A lot of people hadn't heard about us. That really helped get the word out."

BUSINESS PROFILE

What: The Private Collection

Contact: (701) 715-3077 or info@privatecollectionfargo.com.

Online: www.privatecollectionfargo.com

Resource : http://www.inforum.com/business/4271223-staged-sell-new-business-rents-furniture-and-accessories-home-builders-homeowners

Welcome to Everyday Life of a Muslim in Times of Lynch Mob

A couple of months back we were looking to change our rented apartment. As our kid grew, we felt our need for space grow and so we started doing the weekend exercise of searching for a bigger house. We all know it is difficult for a Muslim to get a house and we had a matter-of-fact approach to this problem. We told our broker upfront that we were Muslims and to kindly refrain from hiding our identity. We asked him to ensure the landlord was absolutely okay with renting out to Muslims and only then shall we step into the premises to have a look at the house.

The broker was a young man and was effaced by our bluntness, he smiled apologetically. While this did narrow down our options, but also saved us a lot of time and energy. After about two months of actively seeking a new place, we finally liked, let me rephrase, loved an apartment. It was open, airy, suitably located, in budget and did not compromise on the quality of lifestyle that we wanted for ourselves. The landlord was an affable sweet man and we instantly knew we had finally found a new home.


As we settled in, we got the various daily needs streamlined. The vegetable vendor, the florist, the milkman and the local meat shop — all home delivered. Our building guards always call on the intercom to check before allowing entry to a visitor. Once in a while, when my meat seller delivers the orders, be it fish, chicken our mutton, we get a call saying ‘mutton aaya hai’. And we freak out every time this happens.


At first, we scolded the delivery boy to say it’s just a ‘food’ item. But he would forget and on every delivery, we heard on the intercom, ‘mutton aaya hai’. The words just sounded ominous. Looking at our exasperation, the delivery boy finally asked, but why do you ask me not to say ‘mutton’? I replied, “Kya pata tumhara mutton kab beef ban jaaye?”




Any meat cooked in a Muslim house today is after all considered beef. My Muslim maid tells me of the many times she has been asked by other maids if we cook beef at home. We don’t. But we still live in paranoia. Just look at news around you, there is no time for clarifications, mere suspicion is enough to humiliate, or worse, to kill a Muslim.

If ever there is confusion over the kind of meat being delivered at our place, however unwittingly, we will be just another number to be held against the community. For there is no fringe lynch mob, it’s all around us.

I remember, when finalizing this house, we had walked around the neighbourhood checking the clubhouse, swimming pool and other sports facilities available. We were a happy twosome, already making plans for our new home. We decided to ring the bell of one of the houses in our building and ask about the pros and cons of the apartment. The door was opened by a cheerful couple with big warm smiles, the kinds one instantly likes. We told them we were planning to shift and they seemed happy to talk to us. After a few pleasantries, they invited us for tea. As we settled down in their sofa set, tea arrived.

As an afterthought, they asked us, ‘oh, and what is your name?’ We realized that in the excitement of meeting new people, none of us had bothered to introduce ourselves. So we offered our names. Suddenly, as we picked up the tea cups in our hands, we were aware of a hesitant and momentary silence. As the noiseless exchange of glances happened, I remembered hearing a story of people who destroy the tea cups used by Muslims. Suddenly, I felt very sad for the fine china cup in my hand. What a waste of such a beauty! It’s only fault being its fate to be in my hands.

I also realized that these were no longer the times when you can enter any house without double checking if your religion is welcome or not. But knowing and experiencing are not the same things. While we were aware of landlords not giving houses to Muslim tenants, we were not prepared for the hesitancy from educated and equally privileged neighbours. Yes, accepting bigotry in its all-pervasive nature is a slow process. But being a Muslim today means living unfazed by these everyday instances. We slowly learn to smile at visitors, who refused to even drink a glass of water at our homes.

On the other hand, we have the few landlords who do give us nice houses on rent. We slowly learn to get used to losing friends and being at the ends of unfounded hate. At the same time, we don’t lose hope as we make new friends who stand up against injustices regardless of religion or political leanings. We are also used to hearing about lynching and vigilante ‘justice’, which just happens to be directed at one community. And if many ‘right’ commentators are to be believed, it’s not a communal occurrence but only a serendipity. This makes us worried, very worried.

Most of us, the Muslims of India, are aware that we are seen as a homogeneous group — an ummah that is undivided in practices and beliefs. We have grown up hearing comments like ‘oh you don’t look like a Muslim’ or ‘aapke yahaan toh honge chaaku-churri chalaane waley’. We are aggressively stereotyped and fused in class, region or aspirational distinctions. And the knowledge of this is inherent to being a Muslim today. It’s not a mundane newspaper article. It’s a reality we live with.

That is why perhaps the news of a Muslim being lynched is so close to home for us and is a distant fringe for our neighbours. For me, it’s another day survived, another day lived, knowing very well I could be the next victim. The stunning brutality and regularity of it all has probably distanced my neighbour and colleagues from the reality that India has become today.

It’s convenient to ‘fringicize’ it in the heads. This is partly to exonerate oneself from the onus of the majority Hindu middle and upper class from speaking against such violence. How many social media timelines I see talking of every issue in the world, but this? There is a total silence on this in all 'mann ki baats'. Probably, a picture of a blood soaked man with folded hands pleading for a fair chance in the face of camera phones doesn’t touch hearts anymore. It’s a sign of how developed we are, see even the so-called fringe has a smartphone! Probably, we must not be affected by the gory details but look for positives and buy into the various theories that make us feel good about such ‘stray’ incidences. Let’s continue to unsee, unhear, and unfeel the fear next door in the life of your Muslim neighbour or colleague.

(Nazia Erum is a TEDx speaker and author of forthcoming book, 'Mothering a Muslim' by Juggernaut Books. Her views are personal and not that of News18.com. She can be reached on twitter at @nazia_e)

Resource :http://www.news18.com/news/india/welcome-to-everyday-life-of-a-muslim-in-times-of-lynch-mob-1408879.html