Commercial Real Estate - The Next Implosion Coming

Analysts are bracing themselves for a stream of highly negative news in the Commercial loans department very soon. Failing businesses who have pre-existing loans agreements and are not meeting their rent payments are causing development companies and other banks a lot of drama.

The Federal Reserve and other officials have done their best to try and cool down the problems but as the economy tumbles so to to peoples job and incomes. This is only going to make the situation worse. Like a domino effect almost all industry sectors will be affected, both commercial and industrial.

Some of the lenders are totaling up their losses but these have not been reported in the mainstream media just yet. As residential foreclosures mount up what no one realizes is that at the same time businesses have been suffering just as bad and there was a big surge in commercial property carrying organized mortgages that were sold as bonds on wall st many years ago. Before the market crashed at the end of 2008 there was allegedly $700 billion dollars in these mortgage securities and now some of them have lost as much as 40% of their value.

Officials are still tallying up all the numbers and analysts say that when these figures come out in the media it won't be pretty. It could even be the next catalyst for a downturn / sell off on the equities market again.

Those with bigger loans in the commercial industry realize that if the economy takes anther bigger hit at the end of this year (as feared), they are at a bigger risk of not only losing their business but their livelihoods as well. Time will tell.

Learn How to how to profit from future trends, and what to do to avoid pitfalls. We provide insights, strategies and opportunities to help you navigate these treacherous, unprecedented times. Join Us At http://www.forecastfortomorrow.com/newsletter.

Residential Property in Punjab

India has many alternatives for healthy investing in a real estate property. Here the buyer can make a choice for both residential property and commercial property at an affordable cost. Cities like Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad are the well developed cities of India. Many big and popular residential projects are moving towards the other cities of India like Punjab. This is the one of the beautiful city which is full of greenery. The Punjab is consisting of many small towns. Let's take a look on some major cities of Punjab; there is rapid growth in real estate sector includes Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala.

Residential Property in Ludhiana

Ludhiana is the industrial town of Punjab. It is popular for Hosiery Goods, Bicycle & Bicycle Components Industries, Sewing machine and parts & Machine Tools. This is the pollution free city with the green surroundings, which is hard to find in the metro cities. Many big companies like IT, BPOs and more are planning to hit this city. In commercial point of view it is highly developing city. Many shopping complexes and Malls are being rapidly constructed on different areas of Ludhiana.

There is also high demand of residential property in Ludhiana. As we all known that the Ludhiana is the hub of educational institutes. Many students are coming from different states of India. So to meet the demand of accommodation for students needs, more residential properties require to be developed. The rental values in Ludhiana starts between Rs 4,200 and Rs 7,800 depending up on the location of the city. The newly-constructed apartment costs in between Rs 1,400 and Rs 2,000 per square feet. For real estate buyers and developers Ludhiana is the best investment option for them. It is the fastest growing city in Punjab.

Residential Property in Amritsar

Real estate market in Amritsar is on growing while many big builders are rapidly investing in this city. Amritsar is also known as Sikh Holy City in Punjab. It is a well structured city and also tourist attraction destination because famous Golden Temple. The property market in Amritsar is developing rapidly weather it is residential property or commercial property. From the past few year the rates of residential properties are almost doubled it's around Rs. 10,000 sq ft to Rs. 18,000 per sq ft. Number of builders are willing to establish the commercial buildings in the city. For more details log on to various free online classified websites.

Author is giving address of free property classified from where you can search ads for Residential property in Punjab.

5 Ways the Current Market is Affecting Commercial Financing

These are unprecedented times. No one has ever seen anything like this in the real estate world. It is now safe to say the residential bubble has not only burst, but has burst atomic style.

The residential real estate market has been hit the hardest with homes in certain areas selling below 50% of their appraised value only a year ago. The swing in home values have sent banks, non-bank lenders, insurance companies, and investors running frantically desperately searching for any last ditch effort to avoid shutting their doors.

commercial financing has historically been approved based off of the cash flow of the property or operating company located at the property, but many of the consequences of the residential market are seeping quickly into the commercial market.

While it would be absurd to say that these are the only 5 things that are affecting commercial financing, they are 5 of the most significant consequences of the real estate market meltdown:

1. Stricter underwriting guidelines imposed by banks and non-bank lenders

2. No concrete financing programs

3. Rising interest rates

4. Business deposit relationships being required

5. Longer approval process and loan closing time frames

These 5 areas of change will affect the way borrowers, sellers, brokers, and lenders should look at obtaining commercial financing. To disregard any of these things would be poor judgment on the end of any of these parties and inevitably cause further problems.

No one knows how long this crisis will last, and it is expected to be awhile before lenders are comfortable with stable real estate values and financially stable borrowers, so it would be wise to take these 5 changes into consideration when seeking commercial financing.

Posted by Chad Pitt, Sr. VP of Commercial Alternative

(714) 594-3426

cpitt@commalt.com

http://www.commalt.com

Commercial Real Estate, The Financial Crisis, and The Media

"Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest." -- Mark Twain

I like the media. I watch enough news to keep up to date with what is happening and spend most of my time reading trade journals. But did you know something...

In many areas of the country commercial real estate sales have hit records in recent years? Don't get me wrong - it is not ALL completely rosy, but it is not completely horrid either. When the media does seem to present good news, they seem to put some spin on it like the following:

"Commercial Real Estate Sales Explode But Trouble Looms!"

OR

"Commercial Real Estate Sales Take Off in 2010 But Will Take A Nose Dive In 2011!"

Etc.

Do yourself a favor and always have your media filter on.

I was brought thinking that the media was about explaining the facts to us NOT about explaining someone's agenda or what will sell more periodicals...

Am I saying put your head in the sand? No. I am saying always use your media filter OK? Make sure you keep in mind of the FACTS and not the agenda of the publications you are reading.

Anyway, my two rules going forward for the rest of this year is:

1. Use Your Media Filter. What is REALLY Going On Here?
2. Have Your Antenna Up ALL the Time for Opportunity. It will be there for you...

By the way, this ALL spells good news for commercial real estate investors. The panic will have many people thinking they need to get out and many will -- prematurely. That spells opportunity.

Do you want to learn more about investing in commercial properties? Click the link below for my FREE 7-Part Investment e-Course. I'll also send you my FREE special report and teleseminar access "How to Buy Apartments and Commercial Real Estate With No Or Low Money Down."

Download it free here: Commercial Real Estate.

How to Design Great Marketing Adverts When Selling Commercial Property

Marketing commercial real estate for sale of lease is not just an exercise in spending money in the media. If you want to be successful in the industry you should devote time in designing each and every marketing campaign to match the target market that the property needs to reach.

Some key goals must be reached in each marketing campaign:

1. Advertising is to be timely to the market
2. Advertising is to use the most effective 'channels'
3. Advertising is to be cost effective
4. Advertising is to be to a budget (usually 1% of the sale price)
5. Advertising should be vendor paid (in advance)
6. Advertising should be monitored so that you know what works and what doesn't
7. Advertising should focus on the initial 4 to 6 weeks of the campaign, after which the property becomes 'stale' if unsold or unlet
8. Advertising results should be reported in writing to the vendor at least weekly
9. Advertising should be adjusted as the campaign proceeds and results are tracked

What types of buyers will be the most interested in your property? It is a prime question and needs review so that your campaign to sell the property is as effective as possible. In the first instance you need to know if the property is attractive to all or any of these:

o Investors
o Developers
o Businesses in the area
o Occupants of the building
o Neighbouring property owners

At least one of these will be your target market to get the best price for the property.

Highest and Best Use

As part of the advertising considerations you also need to know if the property has a highest and best use that stands out above everything else that the property could be used for. Whatever that best 'use' is, will likely be the core element of your target market and the advertising campaign. From that you should select the most relevant 'channels' of advertising that will reach your market.

The most common channels of advertising available to you include:

o Internet websites (this of high value to most campaigns)
o Newspapers
o Radio
o TV
o Brochures
o Direct mail
o Telemarketing (this of high value to most campaigns)
o Signboard (this of high value to most campaigns)
o Email marketing (this of high value to most campaigns)

The use of the property is always analysed prior to the advertising campaign being designed and implemented. To handle this matter, ask yourself this question;
'What 'needs' can the property best satisfy in its current or future condition?'

AIDA

So property advertising is designed to match the target market. In some agencies it is common for the advertising to be written by a specialist advertising consultant that is contracted to the business for that purpose. This practice all depends on the authorised budget that you are to work to.
Many adverts when designed by expert consultants are constructed to a principle of advertising called 'AIDA'. It stands for:
o Attention
o Interest
o Desire
o Action

The advert you are designing is simply built around the four main points above and in that order. Consider this in more detail:
o The top lines or headers of the advert are to create or attract the 'attention' of the reader
o The following area below the 'header' is to encourage interest through providing more and yet simple information
o The following area is to create desire from the reader so that they are really interested
o The base of the advert is to encourage people to take action and call you now

Property adverts today are less 'wordy' and utilise carefully selected 'dot points' that are simply read and attract interest. Lengthy sentences should be avoided where possible as people generally do not read them. The 'white space' principle of advertising is used extensively today so that more white space appearing on the advert both simplifies the layout and also allows the key focus points to be seen.

Channels & Search Engine Optimisation

So what is the most common 'channel' of property advertising? Internet based property promotions from websites and direct email marketing is by far the most effective methods of promoting properties today. That will get even stronger as time passes. The internet is also the most cost effective for reaching most markets.
To use this channel of advertising most effectively, you will need a well constructed and maintained website that is 'search engine optimised' on an ongoing basis. This is a specialised field of business communication that many agents are yet to fully appreciate and undertake. You can seek specialists in the field to advise you and help you should you wish to 'optimise' your website and attract higher levels of enquiry or market presence.

Advertising Processes

The decision you make in the selection of marketing alternatives should be the result of the following process of review with the seller of the property:
1. Define seller objectives
2. Define target market
3. Examine outside influences
4. Business environment
5. Interest rates
6. Supply and demand
7. Construction costs
8. Financial constraints
9. Change opportunities
10. Buyer sentiment
11. Seller budgetary constraints
12. Timing influences
13. Select best marketing tools for your target market
14. Establish a 'point of difference' or 'competitive edge' strategy that applies to your property
15. Design the Marketing Plan
16. Discuss Marketing Plan with Seller and seek written approval
17. Implement the Marketing Plan
18. Evaluate the plan progress weekly
19. Adjust plan strategy if and when necessary
20. Review and evaluate all results at campaign end

REMEMBER - A good marketing process always involves asking your buyers or prospects the source from which they found out about the sale or lease of the subject property. This allows you to appreciate real value from the campaign while also allowing you to make adjustment when necessary.

John Highman is a prominent commercial real estate speaker and trainer. His other articles for commercial real estate agents and brokers can be accessed at http://www.commercial-realestate-training.com

Sandwich Shop Insurance

If you have an outlet or shop of any kind, then thinking about insurance may be a smart move. It may be particularly important for shops dealing in food preparation and sales where sandwich shop insurance may help protect you from financial disaster.

These disasters can be thought of as falling broadly into two categories;

· problems that hit you but typically without a legal implication - examples may include things such as fires, floods, personal accidents, the loss of stock and so on;

· problems that involve someone suing you for compensation - examples here may include members of the public injured on your premises, employees or helpers injured while working on your behalf or customers suing you for damages arising from the consumption of your products.

In the first category, you are either hit by such misfortune or you are not. In the second, even if you win the case you may still find yourself burdened with very large legal fees and out-of-pocket expenses.

These two categories are similar in one important respect - if you encounter such troubles and do not have the protection of sandwich shop insurance behind you then you could potentially find yourself paying out some extraordinary large sums of money.

That's where business insurance can make all the difference. It is typically possible to take out a policy that provides you with cover against the above generic types of risk plus others. These forms of cover are often described as:

• equipment and stock insurance;


• personal accident insurance;


• product liability insurance;


• public liability insurance;


• employers' liability insurance.

These forms of cover, plus others, may provide you with the protection necessary for peace of mind, often encompassed within one business insurance policy. If you own the building where your sandwich shop is, insurance for this can often be bought separately as commercial buildings insurance.

As with many forms of insurance, business insurance can be a little complicated and understanding what level of cover you require whilst at the same time avoiding paying for insurance that you don't need, isn't always easy. Even so, by researching the subject further and ensuring that you understand the nature of your business and its needs, you should typically be able to find a package of cover will be available to meet your requirements and at a price that's affordable.

Sandwich shop insurance may be something that could make the difference between your business continuing after a problem or being forced to close for financial reasons. Spending a little time researching insurance for a sandwich shop a bit further might be a sensible investment of a few minutes.

Trevor J Roberts is the editor of Quote4shops, a new site aimed at providing access to some of the UK's best commercial shop insurance. If you are looking for sandwich shop insurance then apply online or complete an enquiry form.

Cleaning Business Pricing Guide - Estimating and Quoting For Success

When it comes to pricing a residential or commercial cleaning job it is important to hit the mark accurately with a fair price. In this article we will look at a method for accurately estimating prices for cleaning jobs and offer some tips for quoting prices to customers.

Quoting a price too low means leaving money on the table and wasting an opportunity to profit. By offering to clean at a price level that is barely profitable you will be damaging the cleaning industry overall in your area and you will find it difficult to raise prices to a profitable level in the future. Trying to win customers by pricing low is clearly a bad strategy for getting started in the cleaning business.

Quoting too high means that you will often be declined by customers and may miss out on jobs unless your customers perceive that they will be getting above average quality services from you. Having an established brand that your prospects are familiar with is one way to be able to price higher than the market average. The other way is by offering truly unique services or having a highly effective sales strategy.

The best way to estimate a price is to firstly come up with an approximation of how long it will take to complete the job. Make a thorough inspection of the building in question, break the job down into the various tasks and then calculate the total time that it will take you or one of your workers to complete.

The next step is to take your time estimation and multiply it by a fair hourly rate to calculate the total labor cost for the job. Don't forget to include traveling time.

A small allowance can then be added on for job related expenses such as cleaning products, transport costs and equipment expenses.

You should then add on another small allowance that can be put towards your monthly fixed costs such as rent, insurance and marketing costs. You can come up with a suitable figure by taking your total monthly overheads and dividing this by the average number of cleaning jobs that you do and month.

You will then have arrived at a figure that represents your total costs for the job. Finally, you can add on a suitable amount of profit and then you will have the total quote amount that you can put forward to the client.

When you are starting out you can compare your quotes to what your competitors would charge for a similar job to make sure that you are reasonably close to fair value for your services.

Don't forget that the first time you do a cleaning job you will probably spend a lot longer then you will on subsequent visits. After you have cleaned the property once you will then have it in reasonable condition and you will be familiar with it. Many cleaning business operators charge an additional fee for the first visit and you can consider doing so on a case-by-case basis, depending on the state of the property in question.

If you are pricing by the hour you should never let your customer know this. If you have quoted them for a three-hour job and they catch you leaving after two hours, then they may feel cheated. Quote a price for completing the job rather than an hourly rate if you can get away with it.

Price estimation in the cleaning business, or any service business for that matter takes time and skill to get right. Successful cleaning business operators start off with a good pricing system and then try to constantly perfect this system over time.

For more information on how to start a cleaning business visit -

http://www.cleaningforprofit.com

How is Commercial Fitness Equipment better than General Fitness Equipment?

Commercial gym equipment is used in "commercial gyms" and training centers. Commercial gym equipment is 'heavy duty' and can take a lot more weight and usage compared to general gym equipment used in private homes.

Commercial gym equipment is quite a bit more expensive as well due to the 'heavy duty' aspect of the materials used. In some parts of the world, it's actually illegal to use general home-style gym equipment in commercial businesses set up such as gyms, and personal training studios.

Some examples of commercial gym equipment found in gyms and personal training centers are equipment like Smith Squat machines, leg presses, bench press machines, chin-up machines, leg-extension machines.... just to mention a couple!!

Some commercial gym equipment may have many more features than the general home gym equipment; it's longer lasting, and can take a lot more weight loaded onto it. It's definitely more expensive...but at the end of the day you only get what you pay for.

If you're thinking of getting commercial gym equipment for your home gym, make sure you think you are going to get the use from it. On the whole, commercial gym equipment is still the best value for money and you will less likely have problems with it.

Used fitness equipment is a great option if you can find it! If you're either setting up a home gym or even a commercial gym, whether the equipment is new or used is of small relevance if the used fitness equipment is in a good, safe working order.

Used Fitness Equipment is also much cheaper than brand new. You can paint it and bring it up to scratch looking almost brand new! If you are using the used fitness equipment for commercial use, its a must that you have it serviced by a professional and make sure it is in perfect working order before you let anyone use it!

All in all, used fitness equipment is definitely the way to go if you want to save money, and still have the best equipment on the market!

We successfully ran a personal training studio for years, helping thousands of people like you get the goals they wanted in a safe, results driven environment. To get more of your questions answered check out... http://www.freeinformationonline.com/Index2/index2.htm

Let's Play Monopoly

Last year's acquisition by the Blackstone Group of Equity Office Property Trust for USD 36 billion was the largest buy-out ever of an owner of office buildings. More importantly, it signaled that the commercial property market is healthy, now more than ever, and that is not afflicted by the same ailments so characteristic of the residential markets, much less by bubbles of any color, shape or form.

Albeit the biggest deal ever, Blackstone's move was one of the many transactions leading to the privatization of the commercial property markets, a trend that since then has seen some USD 100 billion change hands and disappear from public ownership both in the United States and Canada. Today's property barons can borrow against the value of the assets and use the cash-flow from rental income to meet the interest payments. With property values rising fast, they can afford to strike any deal they want.

This Monopoly-like craze is not confined to America. Just as bonds, stocks and shares are freely traded across borders, so is ownership of commercial property assets. Monopoly goes global!

The Bank of Canada reports, for example, that cross-border commercial and office property investment worldwide hit USD 290 billion in the first half of 2006 - a 30 percent increase over the same period in 2005. In the process, once obscure markets have been swept into the mainstream. Take the Euro Zone, for instance. Practically all new entrants into the European Union have benefited from the convergence of Western investors looking to snatch up buildings at rock-bottom prices. Bulgaria is the latest example of this trend.

Commercial real estate is all part of the same 'search for yield' trend that has seen investors hunting around the globe for other high-income assets. It is all part of globalization and governments - especially Western governments - see it in a positive light. Because of this the gap between yields on the highest-quality properties and the second-tier sites, especially those located in what used to be second-tier nations, has narrowed everywhere.

Commercial property is a hybrid asset. It offers high yield, giving it bond-like characteristics. And moreover like shares and unlike bonds, investors can expect that yield to grow, at least in line with inflation. Enthusiasm for the sector waned in the 1980's and 1990's because of fat Stock Market returns. In this day and age, however, pension funds are desperate to diversify from shares and bonds, and commercial property is benefiting from capital being diverted by investors from the Stock Exchange.

Not everything is rosy, though. The catch is the lack of liquidity. It takes time and know-how to buy and sell a building, especially in farfetched places, and recruiting and managing tenants as well as maintaining and up-keeping those buildings involves an organization all by itself. So as the market develops, investing becomes more and more sophisticated.

The key to the growth of the commercial property markets and their widespread globalization has been the ever-increasing development of REIT's or Real Estate Investment Trusts. These are companies quoted in the Stock Market that bundle together portfolios of buildings, allowing investors to buy and sell whenever and wherever they wish.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle where you can find the full collection of his articles on Real Estate Economics and Finance. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Rocky Horror Fancy Dress Costumes - 4 Great Outfit Ideas From the Hit Show

Rocky Horror fancy dress costumes seem to be an ever present fixture at Halloween and other costume parties throughout the year. Richard O'Brien's hit musical followed by the film adaptation, directed by Jim Sharman, have achieved a huge cult following over the years, so it really should be no surprise at all why the Rocky Horror fancy dress costumes have become so popular.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the story of a newly engaged couple who find themselves with a flat tyre on a cold and rainy night. They go to a nearby castle, in the hope that they can use the phone to call for help, and discover a group of strange and outrageous people who are holding an Annual Transylvanian Convention.

Of course, the original outrageous outfits played an important part in both the stage production and the film and so it is easy to see why they would be so successful in making the transition to fancy dress. Those hardcore Rocky Horror fans that regularly go to the shows, often go dressed up as one of the main characters. However, with so many intriguing characters to choose from, it can certainly be difficult to decide just who to go as.

Below are four great Rocky Horror fancy dress costumes from the hit show to help you make up your mind.

Frank N Furter Costume

Frank N Furter costumes are usually based around a glittery, sleeveless bodice with a lace-up section at the front, made from a sparkly black lurex material. The Frank N Furter outfits also come with a pair of elasticated panties, with inbuilt suspenders and a pair of fishnet stockings.

Magenta Costume

Magenta outfits are usually based around a black velvet-feel dress with an attached pinafore and collar. The dress is hem finished and includes an elasticated waistband for a comfortable fitting. The Magenta outfits also come with a white headpiece, which is attached to the head with an elastic strap.

Columbia Outfit

Columbia costumes are usually based around a gold sequin tailcoat, a multi-coloured sequin boob-tube and a pair of multi-coloured striped shorts. The Columbia outfits also come with a matching soft fabric gold sequin top hat and a red sequin bow tie.

Riff Raff Costume

Riff Raff costumes are usually based around a one-piece tailcoat, with an attached white waistcoat, that has padded shoulders and a sponge hump. The Riff Raff outfits also come complete with white spats and a pair of leather-look fingerless gloves.

So where should you go for these Rocky Horror outfits?

The Rocky Horror Fancy Dress Costumes section of Fancy Dress UK reviews a range of Rocky Horror costumes, including those mentioned in this article.

A Word Or Two About The Author

Dan Fresh is a lifelong fancy dress aficionado who regularly writes for the popular Fancy Dress UK website.

Custom Made Jingles, Commercials and Music for Television and Radio

Looking for the right sound and company to produce that sound can be somewhat tricky, especially if this is your first run with TV or radio. While there are a number of things to look out for in terms of getting the best price with a great sounding commercial, don't let the cheap price or the "We can just put in some "free" industrial music in the background," take the lead.

The fact is, that great sounding commercials and effective commercials that really do in fact raise the bar with increased sales, are no stranger to great production work with seasoned and experienced writers. Our number one goal is to make great sounding commercials and jingles even if it costs us more in the end than originally anticipated. You don't build business on half baked productions and you won't build your business with cheaply made or in-house radio and cable made commercials. Saving a dollar almost always costs you the same dollars if not more without the increased traffic to your store front.

The number one rule when looking at broadcast media is credibility. Without the credibility you might as well throw in the towel. People like to shop and buy from companies with good reputations and they buy from who they've gotten to know first. Over 90% of consumers buy from who comes to their mind first. The next rule to follow is, consumers buy from who they've heard of first, but also with who they trust - In other words, who has driven home the credibility attribute.

Does your commercial drive home credibility? You can create credibility with credible sounding commercials. Image is everything they say and hopefully the way you do business will accommodate that image. Great sounding music with professional voice overs make the difference so much of the time that I wonder why companies will advertise on radio and TV when they throw together a cheaply made and viewed to be as cheap commercial.

Great sounding jingles and productions don't have to cost an arm and a leg. If you remember nothing else from reading this article, remember that if you want increased sales with an image that looks like number one and with a rememberable jingle that will truly put your company first in the minds of your listeners, then get your commercial done right. Get great music with great voice over and music beds and you'll be well on your way.

Mr Gauger is an accomplished TV and radio writer with too many credits to list here. You may contact the author at tgauger@reelmusicianpro.com or 615-300-5030. You may visit the author's website at http://www.reelmusicianpro.com This author works with small business to national brand names.

Commercial Real Estate Market Showing Signs of Bottoming Out

According to many experts, the commercial real estate market appears to have finally bottomed out. This is certainly good news for those in the commercial sector, as previous predictions did not expect the market to bottom out for several more months.

One of the main reasons experts believe the commercial market has bottomed is because the Commercial Property Price Index (CPPI), which is produced by Moody's and REAL Indexes and utilizes the data that is collected by Real Capital Analytics on transactions that are $5 million or more, went up by 1% in November and by 4.1% in December of last year. This past January, the index saw another 1% increase.

The Commercial Property Price Index isn't the only measurement that saw this type of activity. In fact, the Transaction Based Index (TBI), which is maintained by MIT and is based on property sales within the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries Property Index saw a 4% increase in the third quarter of 2009. During the fourth quarter, however, it fell by 4.9%, which gave the impression that the bottoming process had begun.

According to Reis Inc, which is a New York research firm, commercial rents appear to support the bottoming theory. The firm says the average net rents within the office sector fell by 0.8% throughout the country during the first quarter of 2010. When comparing year-over-year data, they were down by 7.4%. Reis also found that 23 of the 79 markets being tracked were either stable or showed rising rents. This is far better than the fourth quarter of 2009, at which time 70 out of the 79 markets were experiencing falling rents.

In terms of the residential sector, Reis found that rents increased in 60 out of the 79 markets it tracks during the first quarter of 2010. Furthermore, the vacancy rate remained steady at 8% when compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. On the downside, this figure is the highest Reis has seen since the company started collecting the data in 1980.

With rents moving upward, it is a good sign that the commercial market has already hit bottom and is ready to start moving up as well. It is also a positive sign that the economy is back on track and that it is not doomed to fall backward once the homeowner's tax credit dries up. Although there are no guarantees on what the economy will do from here on out or how the housing and commercial real estate markets will fare, things are certainly looking much brighter in most markets throughout the country.

Jim Olenbush is the owner of an Austin real estate brokerage. He manages a team of experienced Austin Texas Realtors and they specialize in luxury real estate.

Katherine Heigl Scrubs Are the Star Hit

Actress Katherine Heigl, who played the role of intern Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, has made Katherine Heigl scrubs a star hit! Born on November 24, 1978 to a privileged family, she was raised in Connecticut. At the age of nine she began fashion modeling for Lord and Taylor and Sears catalogs, and she soon received offers to model on television commercials. Her first acting job was in 1992's That Night, followed by King of the Hill. Her first leading role was in the comedy My Father the Hero in 1994. During this period she attended public high school, but dropped out in 10th grade to pursue her acting and modeling careers. She played in Under Siege 2: Dark Territory in 1995 and in Wish Upon a Star, a Disney film made for television in 1996. That same year her parents divorced, and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

She graduated high school in 1997 and moved to Malibu, California. In 1998 she played in an updated version of Shakespeare's The Tempest set in the American Civil War, in which she co-starred with Peter Fonda. That same year she starred in Bride of Chucky, a horror film. In 1999 she turned from movies to television by taking the role of Isabel Evans in Roswell, the science fiction television drama, which lasted three seasons. Her popularity at this time led to articles about her in TV Guide, Teen, and Life. She also appeared in the Girls of Maxim Gallery and was named the 12th sexiest woman in the world. She appeared in the FHM calendars and was voted 19th on FHM's "One hundred Sexiest Women in the World" poll.

In 2005, after a series of movie and television roles, she was cast as Dr. Isobel Stevens on Grey's Anatomy, a role which would become her trademark and be her biggest success, and the starting point of Katherine Heigel scrubs. The end of 2006 she was nominated for a Golden Globe "Best Supporting Actress" award; and on September 16, 2007 she won an Emmy for her Izzie Stevens role as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In 2008 she starred in the movie 27 Dresses, showing free or cheap scrubs for nurses; and later that year AskMen.com named her the Most Desirable Woman of 2008. She has also had considerable publicity for her outspoken political views. In a highly publicized interview in Vanity Fair, she criticized her directors in the film Knocked Up (and the film itself) as being sexist. Her comments created a widespread reaction in the press, which primarily attacked her as being a hypocrite and an ungrateful traitor, and suggested she never work again.

Her personal life and relationships and Katherine Heigl scrubs were also exposed and criticized in the media. In a rebuttal given to People magazine she defended her opinion and Katherine Heigel scrubs, and expressed surprise that it should become such a major issue. Subsequent publicity has vindicated her, free or cheap scrubs for nurses. Her career - particularly since her latest film The Ugly Truth - has taken an upward trajectory.

Commercial Coffee Brewer

Are you a coffee lover? Consider getting a commercial coffee brewer to provide you with coffee shop quality coffee.

It's an understatement to say that most people own a java maker. But coffee-making machines suffer from a lot of limitations. If you just have a regular machine, your java can often come out pretty inconsistent. One day it's great, the next day it's bad. It's also a hassle to change the filters and add in coffee.

So what's the solution, other than having to pay a lot money hitting coffee houses. The solution is a commercial coffee brewer. These coffee makers deliver professional coffee at the hit of a button.

Now there are many models and types of java brewers. The first thing you should know is that these coffee makers are hundreds of dollars. But they deliver premium java. There are many features offered by these machines that regular java makers don't, but the main advantages can be summed up by this: convenience and better taste.

Commercial coffee brewers can brew coffee faster and hotter than regular machines. Most models have a boiler tank that maintain the temperature of the coffee at the ideal temperature. This ensures that java is so much better tasting.

Now, without a doubt you are going to pay more money for a commercial coffee machine. That means if you want one, you should spend the necessary time trying to get the best price online - you can literally save hundreds of dollars like this.

Look online to get the a deal on a commerical coffee brewer. If you like the convenience of a coffee maker, consider looking at the Breville panini press to make the best sandwiches ever.

Electricity Price Increases Hit Businesses in Australia

The cost of electricity is a major issue across Australia. As prices in electricity increase, Australian businesses struggle to pay their bills which for some enterprises are thousands of dollars a year more.

Electricity being an expense that neither businesses nor consumers can get around, Australia citizens are alarmed by the current electricity market and are seeking ways to minimize their expenditures so their capacity to be profitable, as opposed to bogged down by monthly debt for electricity bills, can prevail.

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, follow National Electricity Market (NEM) regulations when buying electricity. A wholesale distributor, the NEM was created to offer Australians options when purchasing electricity, so both Australian consumers and commercial buyers of power would not be committed to a relationship with a single vendor.

With prices forecasted to rise so dramatically across the country, however, some wonder if whom they do business with, will make any difference in a market where the prices are high overall.

The fact remains that being educated as to what one's alternatives are, in this changing market, can be useful. Business owners in Australia who are not researching the most recent policies and solutions being provided to them, will not fare as well as those who do. Competition will not guarantee affordability in the Australian energy market, unfortunately. The reforms that businesses would benefit from not yet in place, the most obvious effect of higher operating costs for them, are higher prices for the goods and services they sell to consumers.

As a result of the national outcry regarding doubling and tripling energy expenditures, the present Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who recently replaced Kevin Rudd, is at the center of a heated debate. Australians expect innovative solutions, not the usual promises of future technological advances that will be rolled out gradually in future decades. The Prime Minister's response to the subject of these exorbitant costs, is that it's the result of poor past policy.

There is no one definitive reason for the cause of this problem, though some seem to believe the price of coal is where to look for an explanation of skyrocketing costs. Since coal production is the basis for the production of energy, objections to coal playing such an important role in the energy infrastructure of the country, will grow louder from businesses in Australia, at the same time that a call for more affordable renewable energy sources, solar and wind, just to name two, will continue.

Traditional sources of power are deep rooted in the cultural and commercial landscape of Australia and those hoping to see relief from higher costs, don't want to rely on major transformations in the broader energy sector which may not happen fast enough to save their businesses from going under. There's a domino effect apparently that the government's creation of a privatized energy market, was supposed to have prevented that is not working. The debate is shrill. The information available on immediate fixes to curb costs is not known by as many business owners as one would hope.

Another electricity price increase hit businesses in Australia this year, to get the best value business electricity, go to energy watch for a better deal.

Using Truck Tarps

In many states, a tarp or some type of covering is needed if you're transporting materials by truck. This includes for both commercial and individual uses. In both instances, materials both large and small can fly out of the back of the truck and hit motorists behind, as well as cause litter on the sides of roads. Whether you're transporting trash or gravel in the back of a truck, a tarp is often needed to cover the load. One can simply be secured around a load in a pickup truck, but for larger trucks, such as dump and flatbed ones, securing the tarp around the load to prevent wind whip takes skill.

Dump trucks typically are required to have a tarp, especially if the load is fewer than twelve inches from the edge of the truck. As tarps in this location can experience wind whip, which leads to tearing later on, they need to be applied correctly, which means that the material should be tight. Loose material covering the truck bed can balloon from the air and, with the air passing through, can lead to wind whip. In many cases, dump trucks have an automatic mechanism for adding a tarp, in which the tarp simply needs to be attached and the truck's function applies it. That's not always the case, however, and workers may be needed to attach the tarp to the truck bed.

Flatbed trucks don't always need a tarp, but, for protecting such materials transported on one, covering material is recommended. Flatbed truck tarps are designed often with dimensions for the load and include flaps on both sides of the tarp. After the tarp has been secured around the load and the two flaps are remaining on either side, secure those with bungee cords at the end. Only after the tarp has been secured around the load should the load be secured to the bed of the truck.

All types of tarps are common for trucks. If a load shouldn't be exposed to water or moisture, a polyethylene or vinyl tarp is often used. If the load can be exposed to water, such as a truck bed full of gravel, a canvas or polypropylene mesh tarp is enough protection for the load.

Tips On How To Run A Restaurant Kitchen

Ever wondered what makes a restaurant a rollicking hit with customers? Is it about the gastronomical delights on that spicy menu created with passion and served with tremendous verve? Or does the secret lie in the ambience of the place? What about that tantalizing signature dish? Actually, the ingredients that ensure the roaring success of this sumptuous enterprise lie elsewhere - in the kitchen. Needless to add, it's the heart and soul of the restaurant.

Espirit De Corps At Its Best

It doesn't take too long for a long cherished dream of dishing out delectable delights to turn into a nightmare of sorts. If you're in a soup, and wondering how to run a restaurant kitchen, remember that the success of this venture depends solely on the staff- on their expertise, discipline, motivation, and above all, leadership. It might sound like we're operating a military camp here, but the kitchen too must have an atmosphere that galvanizes each member of the team to give his best while creating an incredible menu.

Advice From The Experts

Here's the perfect recipe for a successful restaurant kitchen:

• Dishwasher: It's hard to relish a simply heavenly gourmet meal in an invidiously stained platter or worse, with dirty forks and spoons. The purely physical job of washing dishes is really thankless, but it's also the most important one in the kitchen. Motivation is the key while dealing with the staff involved in this clearly unattractive task. Most chefs have, in fact, made it big from the washing area. Speedy promotions can make all the difference in the employer's attitude.
  
  


• Preparation cooks: The foundation of the kitchen is based on the manner in which the food is prepared. So the people that are involved in this spade work require more than a standing ovation. From chopping cabbage to making soups and kneading dough, they are always in the thick of things. Make sure they have thorough knowledge of everything, from the store to the operation of the grill and fryer.
  
  


• Line cooks: They get into the act at different cooking stations that use a plethora of cooking techniques. Line cooks are jacks of all trades, and must master all of them quickly. Training them on all sections is essential. Also, all line cooks must work in tandem in a pre-ordained manner.
  
  


• Sous chef: He calls the shots when the head chef is not around. Despite being a chef under the wings of the boss, he can still train the rookies. Apart from getting his creative juices flowing, he must plunge headlong into functional aspects like ordering and costing of food, management of stocks etc.
  
  


• Head chef: He should inspire a great deal of confidence in the other members of the team. With his boundless energy, even a lackluster menu can come alive.
  
  


• Kitchen manager: Responsible for the efficient functioning of the kitchen, he's more concerned with managing the staff rather than the menu. Make sure he remains focused on promoting productivity and efficiency.
  

With such remarkable ingredients in place in the kitchen, it's only a matter of time before your restaurant scales dizzying heights.

Ever wondered why use Online Kitchen Design Software? Does Mexican Kitchen Decoration appeal to you? More interesting articles at http://www.SpicyKitchens.com

Yo Gabba Gabba Toys and Gifts Will Be a Hit This Year!

Have you ever seen a monster dance or play music? How about this - have you ever seen a robot take a bath? If you've seen Yo Gabba Gabba toys, you've probably seen this and more! If you haven't you'll love what you find when you explore the world of this fun group for toddlers and small kids!

These toys are going to be big this year, and do you want to know why? It's because they are different and fun, with a decidedly "monstrous" flair. The characters are friendly monsters, robots and odd creatures that don't scare, they smile! Famous for the Yo Gabba Gabba children's TV show on Nick, Jr. these crazy characters are favorites of kids everywhere, and they're on every child's wish list.

Check out the Yo Gabba Gabba Dancing Brobee. He's a friendly monster who dances and sings just like on the TV show. Press his foot and he begins to groove to funky and fun music. At a little over one foot tall, he's perfect for cuddling with he's not grooving!

If you have a child on your gift giving list that is absolutely in love with the crew, give him or her a set of Yo Gabba Gabba Plush Pals - you'll find the whole gang together - Plex, Toodee, Muno, Brobee, and Foofa! They're cute and cuddly and the perfect size for taking with on a car ride, to Grandma's or for a stroller ride.

Bath time just became much more fun with the Yo Gabba Gabba Bath Buddies. These nifty toys stick to the bathtub. Kids can make up character scenes, while they're getting clean! There are so many Yo Gabba Gabba toys - for the bath, for reading, for watching or for imaginative play!

Let's all get into the groove with a Musical Boombox. It comes with preloaded Yo Gabba Gabba songs and is very easy for a child to use. It's a durable and fun piece of musical equipment for your young music lover and fan.

Another cool musical Yo Gabba Gabba gift is the Boogie Down Dance Mat. With this mat, your child uses his feet to play musical keys. He can choose different characters to play different instruments, or just make up his dance moves up and fun music. This is a great way for your little one to get some exercise and learn about creating his own movin', groovin' music!

And for some great indoor camping and hideout fun, give a Yo Gabba Gabba Brobee tent. This is a super cool gift for kids to play pretend with. At 34" x 36", it's just the right size for playing hide and seek, or for creating a fun fort. With easy set-up and clean up, flap front door and an included music DVD, your kids will have hours of fun with this tent.

The kid's show is so popular now, and for good reason - it's an entertaining learning program with a bit of an edge. Today's kids love the music, the guests, the dance lessons, the puzzles to be solved - all of it! That's why kids everywhere want Yo Gabba Gabba gifts. The show is a big hit, and the toys are also making a splash this year!

If you want more ideas for top toddler toys your child may love, visit http://www.squidoo.com/toptoddlertoys today!

Consumers in Control

In my previous newsletter, I shared with you a little about what marketing experts call interruption marketing in Malaysia and gave you some examples. In this newsletter, we'll delve a little into how consumers, in general, react to interruption marketing.

Before the emergence of the internet, when we talk about mass production and mass marketing, companies talk and consumers listen. Consumers, back in those days, don't have much of a choice.

Let's think about it - Malaysian consumers can't hit a button and skip TV commercials. Malaysian consumers can't help but notice those magazine and newspaper advertisements. Malaysian consumers can't skip radio commercials, don't have much information to rely on when they have to make decisions, don't have the options that we have now and possess very few tools that can delete or skip all forms of advertisements that are thrust into their faces.

Everything has changed now, with the internet. Malaysian consumers now HAVE the power to choose and they KNOW that they are in control.

Bar a few Malaysians who continue to bear with commercials because they rely on TV1, TV2, TV3, NTV7 and other free television channels. However, there are many others who pay to skip the commercials like on Astro on Demand. And besides, they don't have to watch their favorite movies on TV anymore. Prefer a more controlled experience? Watch it online - any time they want, wherever they want!

While impossible to skip commercials OFFLINE via magazines or newspapers, we can skip them online. And besides, a large percentage of the Malaysian population rely on their news online. If there was an ad, one click on the 'close' button is that it takes. And when it is still impossible to skip radio ads, we can opt to listen to our favorite free music on YouTube or iTunes which streams 24/7...completely free of ads.

Malaysians who didn't use to have information when they head out to a shopping mall now can hit the internet, search a company, product or reviews on Google and read on it before buying anything. So, in short, Malaysian consumers are smarter now than ever before.

With such information, Malaysians are found comparing prices and quality between competitors and suppliers. Consumers who used to endure mass marketing tactics before the internet can now delete an advertisement whenever they appear in an email. They can even get the company banned...or in a lot of trouble with search engines.

Pop-up windows are closed with a single click, banners can be deleted or stopped from appearing. In fact, if a company's website had a lot of ads or information in them, more often than not, impatient Malaysians tend to wave goodbye to it by dismissing the website altogether.

Malaysians have trained and developed their minds to the extent that it has become a habit to control, ignore and delete your advertisements. And since it has become a habit for them to do it online, one fine day, that habit will become their offline habit as well.

There are 16,902,600 internet users in Malaysia with a 65.7% penetration rate and it is growing incessantly even as you are reading this. Suffice to say that since the online population is increasing, getting in on the online marketing train is inevitable. But remember, these are intelligent consumers now...no longer the hand-to-mouth ones two decades or so back.

The informed consumers no longer pay attention to the rose-tinted marketing styles that we used to employ. The smarter they are, the more ways they will find to ignore you or delete your advertisements.

This is a whole new ball game - if we continue to market to these newer, smarter Malaysian consumers the way we used to market to them and not engaging them, we will lose out on our market share.

Malaysians now want you to listen to them, understand them, talk to them and then provide them with what they want with the quality that they know that they deserve.

We will show you example marketing strategies that you can use to engage the customers who are potentially interested in your services, product or brand in the future newsletters.

Kent Ong from Human Website invites you to read our Monthly Newsletters at http://humanwebsite.com.my.

(c) Copyright - Human Website. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Source: http://humanwebsite.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=149

Insurance For Staffing Companies

When starting a staffing company, it is important to note that before you send out your first temporary employee, you must have adequate business insurance in order to conduct business. At a bare minimum, you will have to purchase Worker's Compensation and General Liability Insurance. On top of those insurances, it would be a good idea to consider buying a G/L policy that will also include Professional Liability Coverage, as well as Errors & Omissions (E&O) coverages. The biggest challenge a staffing agency owner may face could be identifying an insurance company that truly understands the staffing industry.

Unless you are working with someone who understands your business, you will spin your wheels in trying to secure proper insurances. The challenge with underwriting an insurance policy for a staffing company is the fact that you are or will be sending out temps or contract employees to remote, 3rd party client sites, which can cause you to lose direct control over those employees. If those employees worked on-site every day at your office location, the risk would be easier to assess. However, in the staffing world, your direct employees work at client locations, which adds risk from an insurance company's perspective. Insurance companies have a larger underwriting task when taking into effect that your employees may be asked to perform certain tasks at a client location that you may not otherwise ask them to perform if they were on-site at your office.

I would imagine researching insurance companies, finding the right company and insurance policies to purchase, then actually purchasing the policy would be about as much fun as making a trip to the dentist. Both are quite necessary, but not much fun. However, if you don't have insurance for your staffing business, you will not be able to operate your company.

How do you know just how much insurance to purchase, and what types are right for your firm? You don't want to be over-insured, but you certainly don't want to be under-insured either. Once you find the right insurance partner that understands YOUR staffing business, ask them to recommend coverage amounts and types of policies. If you already have staffing clients in place, or if you have potential clients you will be doing business with, ask them to send you their standard staffing contract. More than likely, your client will have a section in their contract that will cover insurances, and how much and what types you need to have in order to do business with them.

Keep in mind, your clients want to deflect as much insurance risk on to you as possible. They would prefer to have zero risk in having your employees work on-site at their location. If a potential client is asking for more insurance coverage than you will be able to pay premiums for, you may consider trying to renegotiate their contract, or consider foregoing that business. It may not be worth the extra premium dollars you will pay in order to pick up the staffing business. However, if the margins are large enough, and you feel certain the client will utilize your services for a long-term period, you should consider upping the insurances to grow your business.

As a start-up staffing company, you may have no choice but to purchase your Worker's Compensation insurance from a State Fund, rather than from a private insurance company. The laws are different in each state, but when you speak to your insurance agent, find out if private insurance is available for Workers Comp, due to the fact that it may be less expensive to purchase than from the State.

Also, you will either have to estimate your payroll or sales/revenue in order to get a quote on your insurances. I would be prepared to have a projected figure in mind. Don't over-estimate payroll or sales because you may end up paying more each month in premiums during the first year, which could eat up profits from the business. Also, don't under-estimate because you may be hit with a major one-time premium at the end of the year due to withholding less during the year. It's a tricky calculation, but hopefully your agent can assist you in your calculations.

If you would like to discuss your situation, please contact Dale Busbee, Vice President of Business Development, Prosperity Funding at dale@prosperityfunding.com or by phone at (985) 641-8817

When Do Hard Money Commercial Mortgage Loans Make Sense

Privately funded, often called "hard money" commercial mortgage loans typically carry annual interest rates of more than 10% and charge origination points of 2%-4%. These kinds of rates and terms may seem restrictive, but when the situation calls for it, taking advantage of private lending is a smart business move.

When Time is of the Essence

In the commercial real estate game time truly is money. Experienced property owners, investors and developers will tell you that often speed of execution can trump interest rates and points. When facing a looming purchase option expatriation date, a pending balloon payment that's coming due fast, an unexpected cost overrun or, worse, a foreclosure scenario business people don't have time to wait the 60-90 days it can take to close a conventional bank loan. Unfortunately, there are times when your property or you project are on the line and nothing short of quick cash can solve your problem. Hard money lenders can make on-the-spot decisions and can close fast. One week funding is very possible and any legitimate private lender can close almost any deal in less than 3 weeks. Hard money is relatively expensive but it's a heck-of-a-lot less expensive than losing your deal.

When You Have Credit or Documentation Issues

Conventional lenders will insist on large amounts of documentation and that the borrower(s) have decent credit. To start with, real estate investors must produce 3 years tax records, profit and loss statements, copies of leases, bank statements, building maintenance records and much more. Details will be verified and a deal can be killed because of an "I" that was not dotted or a "T" that was not crossed. Private loans, on-the-other-hand, are usually equity based and not driven by the strength of the borrower. Your credit may not matter at all. Hard money lenders do not have the bureaucracy and the regulations that banks, Wall Street and the insurance companies do. They routinely do deals with minimal documentation, sometimes without even a property appraisal. If your record keeping is in disarray, if you are missing required documents, if you have poor credit or you simply don't wish to share so much personal financial information, then hard money may be your best (and only) option.

When You Need a Bridge

Private lenders are among the most efficient and professional bridge lenders in the financial services industry. When a commercial property owner or developer finds themselves in need of a bridge loan (short term, interim financing) they are well served turning to private funding sources. Very often bridge loans are used to "bridge" the time gap that can exist between their permanent financing coming on line and their immediate need for cash, such as when they have a closing in days but their bank can't close their loan for weeks. Bridge loans are also an important method of dealing with construction cost overruns, when a few million dollars can get the project finished and ready for sell-out quickly. There are many situations that call for bridge financing and many private lenders exist for the sole purpose of providing it quickly.

When You Need To Make an Attractive Offer

Cash is still king and having a reliable hard money lender on your team is like money in the bank. If you tell a seller you can close on a prize piece of property in 10 days with all cash, you will get that sellers attention. Your competition is likely asking for a 30 day due diligence period and as-much-as 60 days to close. If you can establish credibility with a dependable private lender and you know what their loan criterion is, you can bid with confidence and the cash to back it up.

There is no denying that private loans are more expensive than conventional loans but consider that they are usually short term and can often make the difference between a deal closing and a deal falling through. A successful commercial development project or a profitable income producing building can make an investor millions over its life cycle. When all factors are considered, and your deal is on the line, hard money can be down-right cheap.

Privately Funded Commercial Mortgage Loans. Answers Quickly. Closings in Days. Online at: http://www.masterplancapital.com

Mr. Fydenkevez spent more than 20 years on Wall Street, the last 14 as an officer with one of the world's largest investment banks. His firm, MasterPlan Capital, arranges financing for the purchase, refinanced and development of commercial real estate. He can be contacted via e-mail at: glenn.fydenkevez@masterplancapital.com

Commercial Auto Insurance Quotes - Compare and Save

Do you own or drive a vehicle that you use for commercial purposes? Are you a business owner or a company's sales rep that does supplies, pickup and delivery etc, using many commercial automobiles? If yes, you need to get the right commercial auto insurance for you vehicle(s).

The question now is, how do you get the right insurance coverage for these vehicles? Getting the right coverage simply means that your vehicles are adequately insured and you are not over paying for insurance. Here are some steps that will help you get the right coverage at the most affordable price.

Start your research by using car insurance quote comparison websites. You are advised to know your coverage needs before using any quotes comparison tool. This is a very important step if you must get the best insurance deal at the right price for your commercial automobile(s).

These comparison websites are equipped with quote calculator tools. These tools connect you with different insurance companies in its network. When you use this tool, the quotes you get are those from trusted insurance companies providing quality insurance coverage in your area.

When getting quotes, it is necessary you indicate the model, capacity, make and year of your commercial vehicle. Having good information of your vehicle will help by making the quote sourcing process less stressful.

It is easy to save by getting and comparing commercial auto insurance quotes correctly. Your premium must not hit the sky simply because you own, use or drive a commercial automobile.

Start correctly, get your commercial auto insurance quotes and save!

Where To Start?

Here Are My Favorites: AFFORDABLE AUTO INSURANCE / CHEAP CAR INSURANCE

FREE QUOTES FROM LEADING AUTO INSURANCE COMPANIES. SERVICE AVAILABLE IN ALL STATES IN THE UNITED STATES! QUALITY SERVICE PROVIDERS. INSURANCE. FREE QUOTES. FINANCE.

How To Analyze Currency Movement - A Simple But Powerful Method

When many traders talk about analyzing currency movement, they tend to focus on two separate methods - fundamental and technical - but these do NOT give you the market psychology.

Here we outline two powerful tools, that can be used to analyze currency movement, and work with either the fundamental, or technical method - and help you to spot the really bid trend changes.

When analyzing currency movements the following equation applies:

Supply & Demand Fundamentals + Investor psychology = Price action

Fundamental analysis does not make any effort to study investor psychology - whereas technical analysis does so - in terms of repetitive price patterns. However, technical analysis still does not predict when a price pattern is at an extreme - it simply follows market action.

Spotting Market Tops and Bottoms in Advance

What if you knew in advance:

1. What investors were thinking

2. What investors were doing

In addition, you could spot if they have pushed a trend too far with the emotions of greed and fear.

How useful would that information be? - You could spot big potential market tops, or bottoms in advance, and make huge profits!

That's, exactly what the two tools can do for you - and they're free!

The Importance of Market Psychology

In any investment market, we know that investor psychology is vitally important when analyzing currency movements - as investors push prices too far in either direction, as the emotions of greed and fear come into play.

Investors push prices away from fair value - and then prices recoil in the other direction.

Ever wondered why big price moves take place when the market is at its most bullish, or bearish? - This is investor psychology at work.

So, How can we Measure Investor Psychology?

There are two powerful tools you can use - and they can help you spot every major top and bottom - yet few traders use them!

Here are the two tools:

1. The Commitment of Traders Report

This is published bi weekly by the US government and breaks down the open interest of the US futures markets, (which include currencies) into three separate groups:

Commercial hedgers - These are savvy traders who are hedging, not speculating - and they are unaffected by the emotions of greed and fear.

Large speculators - These are mostly funds, who are trend following - and always get caught at turning points.

Small speculators - This represents small individual traders - and they are the worst traders of all, as they are mainly motivated by the emotions of greed and fear

Profiting from Tracking the Pros

So, what use are these positions? - Commercials are hedging, and if prices spike too far from fair value, the commercials will move aggressively the other way - starting a buying frenzy - and the buying price collapses when they have gone too far.

The Commercials are hedging - so no greed or fear comes into play - they are just looking at the facts. When you have an aggressive price move, and commercials trade in the opposite way to the trend, and the positions of large and small speculators - then a trend change is imminent.

A Word of Caution

When analysing currency movements with net traders positions, it is important to only trade extremes. If you watch for these extremes, and trade with the commercials you can catch the big turning points.

2. Percent Bullish

This is a good backup tool to the Commitment of Traders Report, and is a poll of investors; brokers, fund managers, etc. - Percent bullish expresses their bullishness as a percentage.

Traders in currencies should look for a figure below 20%, to indicate a market that's too bearish - and above 80%, for a market that's to bullish. When these numbers are hit - look closely at commercial selling and buying - if they line up, get ready for a turning point.

New! A valuable FREE Currency Trader CD containing 9 critical trading reports, tips, strategies and currency movement info. Visit our web site now and grab your CD http://www.tradercurrencies.com

Samsung C8700 46 Review

Some people are in the lucky position to receive high-end stuff from high-end companies for review. I'm not one of them. But a family member felt it was time for 3D and bought the new Samsung C8700. And I managed to get a good look at it.

It was a Thursday morning when the mailman rang the door and entered with a big package labeled Samsung. The feeling of excitement was hard to suppress. I opened the box and saw the TV its stand and a lot of cables. The instruction manual was huge and contained instructions in a lot of languages, I only used it for installing the stand though. Real men don't need user manuals! Read: geeks like me.

Design

I had a good look at it after installing the stand and carefully placing it on the furniture. The first thing I noticed was the silver metal border around the screen, a risky move considering the all-black trend of the last couple of years. But I really like it. It makes the television look more premium and makes it stand out from the pack. The very edge of the television isn't silver but see through plastic. From the side it's very thin. Under an inch thick, that's about as thin as it gets for sure.

The screen is held by a 4-legged stand, which looks great. At first I wasn't sure but it grew on me. And the obvious benefits of the stands are the great stability of the TV and the unique design. The all silver looks will disappoint some users though; I've heard stories of people going for the C7700 just for the black borders around the screen.

Overall the Samsung C8700 is one of the prettiest TVs on the market. Its all silver design and 4-legged stand will make it stand out wherever it stands. The backlit Samsung logo is also a very nice touch. Less successful is the branding on the lower left corner. And it should be noted that the design isn't for everyone.

Connectivity & specs

The high-end Samsung C8700 allows you to connect virtually any device, like you'd expect from a TV in this price class. It has 4 HDMI 1.4 ports, the new standard which allows maximum 3D visuals. Further more in comes with: PC audio in, RF in, Cl+ slot, 2x USB, 2x scart, optical audio, Ethernet, headphone and 2 components. That's really nice connectivity right there.

All the connections are angled, so you can put the Samsung on the wall without worrying about cables sticking out. I should also mention that most of the connections require a special 'extension' cable, which is provided in the box.

It also packs some serious specs. It has 200hz, a new hyper 3D engine, Internet, DLNA, PVR and a marketed contrast radio no television will ever accomplish. Further more it's a LCD edge-lit LED, which means that the light comes from the side. It has local dimming in 12 zones, meaning that the TV can control the light at 12 parts of the screen to achieve better blacks. All these specs will come back further in the review; so don't worry if you don't know what any of them mean. For your convenience, here's the full spec list provided by Samsung.

Remote

The Samsung C8700, C7700 and C9000 televisions are the first to carry a special new remote. It's thinner silver remote with backlit keys. The traditional rubber keys have been replaced for flat keys, which give you no point of reference for blind use. Also new are a few buttons, most noticeably the 3D button.

I really like the new remote. It looks amazing. The silver fits the TV well and I found the key allocation logically.

Features

I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to these things. I always try to use every feature that a gadget has in store for me. Samsung has included a lot in the new C8700, including Internet apps and media play.

They have also provided a new menu graphic for the different features. It displays an icon of the feature on the edge of a wheel which you can turn using your remote. Television keeps playing even after activating the menu, a nice touch.

The new Samsung application store allows you to download apps for the television. Offering differs per country but it should include the likes of Twitter, Facebook and weather. Downloading went with ease and using the apps was a mixed experience. The limited processing capabilities of the TV should be mentioned; don't expect iPad like experiences. Navigation wasn't always smooth and some of the apps were completely useless. Still it's a nice upgrade from last year's leds. But the slightly improved sluggish feel still makes me want to avoid all of it.

Media play means that you can insert an USB device and play its content. This may not sound like a big deal but it is. Samsung claims to support virtually every format, and in a way they're right. The feature has improved this year. The user interface first lets you choose between Movies, Music or Photos. Browsing the USB disk follows after your selection; luckily this is easy and fast. Sub maps are handled perfectly and I was able to navigate with serious speed.

So does it really play every format out there? Yes and no. I threw a lot at it, including media that the PS3 can't play. AVI, MPEG, MP4 were all played with ease. MKVs weren't a problem either, even the big 15+ gig ones. I had one instance where it declined to play my audio format because it was not supported - DTS I think. I was in cloud 9 until I came across a little problem. Do you know those small HD cameras? They sometimes record in a file called.MTS, also known as AVCHD. The Samsung C8700 didn't want in and couldn't even see the files appear in the browsing window. A small hiccup in an otherwise perfect playback score, guess I've to use the PS3 for AVCHD files.

Calibrating

Everyone who's serious about televisions can tell you that proper calibration is critical. To accomplish this I calibrated the television for a few different scenarios and ultimately chose a compromise. Because I don't want to switch settings each time I change to gaming, SD or HD movies. The menu is very easy to use. I pressed display options and found myself confronted by a few sliders controlling: sharpness, contrast, backlight, colors etc. I could also change the local dimming settings (smart LED) and the way the television tries to remove grain.

After about 2 hours, I found a good compromise in settings, displaying both SD and HD very well. I had turned the sharpness down a notch to remove unwanted artifacts around objects, most noticeably in SD signals. Contrast was upped a bit but not too much otherwise it removes shadow details. Colors were set up high and backlight was set to maximum with the eco sensor enabled.

The new eco sensor is Samsung's response to Sony's system. Basically it reads the environment and changes settings accordingly. It can lower brightness based on ambient light, turn the TV off when there's no signal and a few other less interesting things.

The sound settings give basic control, not nearly as extensive as the image setting capabilities. It allowed me to change the sound to the optimal settings for: movies, music and speech. And of course it has the surround mock-up setting, which I like. Last but not least the C8700 can normalize volume differences between channels. This can work but I kept it off because I never experience this problem much.

Normally you'd be done now but there's one more setting to worry about: 3D. Samsung has provided a wide array of tools to make the experience, especially the conversion system, as comfortable as possible. Settings include: generated depth, brightness and the way the system generates the 3D effect. I noticed that bigger depth in the settings can be really nice or really annoying. It all depended on how well the conversion worked in the first place.

So with my TV calibrated it was time for some real world tests. So I did what each family does... connect a 2TB HDD with 1080p content and hundreds of movies and TV series that I legally own. But before that I watched some regular television.

Testing

Now bear in mind that I don't have the equipment to do a scientific test. I just looked at real world material and calibrated the television using a method that every normal person uses.

First some general remarks about the testing process and findings. I watched content in three categories: SD, HD and gaming. I took my time and got a good look at different aspects of the image quality, especially motion, colors, black levels and general sharpness.

First my finding that applies to everything I watched. The viewing angles on this TV are disappointing. A small angle already resulted in a considerable loss of colors. Everything became tinted quite quickly. There's also some lightning uniformity. It's a problem that troubles every edge lit LEDs, basically the edges are more bright because the background light comes from the edges only. I didn't notice much during my tests, but it's there. Okay now for some real world testing starting with SD.

SD

First I connected a digital television receiver box onto the Samsung C8700. The signal was SD (720x480) and 50hz. The quality was okay from a distance. For the 46" model a distance of at least 7 feet (2,1 meters) is recommended. From up close the lack of pixels became painfully obvious. I also noticed that the television was unable to remove all graining without losing detail. Motion was handled well by the 200HZ engine, which means that the television makes motion smoother by placing more frames in between.

I searched for more SD materials and found an episode of Glee. Episode 21. It stumbled upon the same problem. The image wasn't very sharp and looked washed out. The missing pixels become a big pain. Again the same advice applies. Only try watching this from a distance! Students don't buy a 46" television for a one-room house, which some call home for lack of better.

Overall I was disappointed by the SD picture quality but it wasn't the Samsung C8700's fault. It's just very hard to display DVDs crisp on a panel of this size. It's watchable from a distance but don't get too close.

My second test was one for the future. Every thing we watch is converted to HD. This new higher standard equals more pixels and thus a better video quality. In fact we have so much faith in this technology that we're even converting old classics like Star Wars episode 4-6 and the Shining to the new platform. Remember though that a camera with ¼ the amount of pixels shot those movies. Which means that the extra dots need to appear from thin air - not possible. So I only tested HD movies filmed after 2007, modern movies.

HD

I started with Leap year. This new 2010 romantic comedy was the perfect candidate because of the beautiful scenery of Ireland. And boy was it beautiful. The Samsung C8700's local dimming system does a great job in generating impressive black levels. Black is really black on this television! Motion was also good as the scenery flashed by. It was really smooth. Some don't like this but I do. Leap year ended in a completely dark room. During the movie I couldn't notice that the television was adjusting its brightness dynamically and to be honest during the end I found the screen sometimes too bright. Not sure if the eco system really adjusted the LEDs accordingly.

Secondly I watched Avatar. This fast pace movie was perfect because it can really stress the Samsung and show any imperfections. Let me be honest there weren't many for me but could be for some. It all rests on the motion. It's buttery smooth and almost looks unreal because of it. Some will not like this but no matter the setting I used I couldn't get rid of it completely. I also noticed artifacts around some of the objects, but it wasn't a big deal as it only happened once. And I wouldn't have seen it if I was paying attention to the movie.

Color reproductions and black levels were again spot-on. Although I think that most full LED local dimming sets could do better, but that's only noticeable in a direct comparison environment. And it's not like your neighbor will buy one and install it right next to yours for showing. If someone experienced this please contact me and I'll remove that statement.

Blu-rays or legally owned 1080p content are amazing on this set and the real reason why someone would own a television of this caliber in the first place. Color reproduction is excellent and black-levels are spot on. Motion isn't always handled perfectly. I saw some artifacts and some people will find it unnatural no matter the settings. If you're one of those people than this can be your deal breaker!

Gaming

Gaming. We all do it, some admit it but few feel proud of it. I connected my PS3 to the Samsung C8700 to test gaming. Again I don't have the high-end stuff to measure input lag, this review represents what the naked eye sees.

First up was Need for Speed Shift. This new EA title was released in 2009 and marked a change for the series. Moving more towards the semi-simulation racer with great graphics and spectacular crashes. The Samsung C8700 held itself well during the tests. The color reproduction was good and the image remained crystal sharp despite only showing 1280x720 pixels. I did notice some input lag compared to my reference display, a 2ms TNT panel. But for me as a casual gamer I don't see this as a big issue.

LittleBigPlanet was tested next and the Samsung C8700 nailed it. Input lag was even less of an issue thanks to the slower paced game. The game showed better depth thanks to the sharpness and the size of the display. Further more I saw nothing unusual.

Last but not least was the game Resistance 2. This popular shooter sits high with the likes of Call of Duty and Battlefield Bad Company 2. My first impression wasn't too great with this title. I found the color tending a bit too much towards the yellows. And I found halos around some of the objects during heavy motion. I got rid of it after some tweaking, but it wasn't ideal.

Gaming was nice on the Samsung C8700 television. The big size really makes the experience more immersive. I did notice some input lag but it's not that big of a deal.

Glasses

Samsung doesn't provide glasses with the television. Costs are 70 - 130 $ depending on the model you choose. Your options are limited between Samsung rechargeable or non-rechargeable, the latter working on special batteries. Glasses from other manufacturers don't work.

For this test I used a set of non-rechargeable glasses. I found them to be average in both looks and comfort. They don't look as good as the more expensive rechargeable glasses. And I felt a pinch at the touching point near my ears. Moving the glasses as bit relieved the pain.

Samsung claims that the glasses can work over 100 hours with a single battery and those numbers are impressive. But despite that I have to advise everyone to go for rechargeable ones - at least for yourself. They're better looking, more comfortable and nobody wants to buy batteries these days. My family member decided to purchase 2 rechargeable for regular use and 3 non-rechargeable ones for guests.

Conversion

Samsung's biggest change for 2010 is 3D. It's not a surprising move; competitors like Sony have pushed it and everybody knew it was coming this year. But I still don't have any comparison because Samsung is the only one out there with a fully available 3D set. I've seen Sony's 3D engine a while back at a demonstration, but can't use it to compare because they were running special demos. For this part of the review I tried the special 2D to 3D conversion on a wide range of media. I couldn't test the native 3D engine because I don't own a 3D Blu-Ray player. Sony update the PS3 already!

The 2D to 3D conversion is very easy to use. There's a button on the remote saying 3D, press it and the real time converting begins. Further tweaks are possible in the menu, controlling things like depth simulation, color correction and so forth. For this test I kept everything at default because the depth simulation at maximum emphasized mistakes too much, and a lower value made the whole 3D experience an average experience. I started with SD.

Glee was a good test case. The busy hallways of overly stereotyped teens gave me the perfect opportunity to see if the Samsung C8700 is capable of aligning objects properly. And it was. People in the front 'popped out' a bit, while background students really remained in the back. Even with movement everything stayed fine. I can truly say that an episode of Glee is worth watching in 3D, despite a small loss of colors.

Next was a motion test. I played back a F1 race that I had recorded. F1 is like NASCAR but with corners and modern technology. It was raining and I was interested to see how timing graphics and cars would show. After ten minutes of viewing I was disappointed and forced to take off the glasses. All of this was because my glass of water was empty and I had to refill. After refilling the glasses stayed off because the fast moving cars were a pain to watch. Cars going from the right side of the screen towards the left weren't sharp and 'shook' heavily on the screen surface. The system clearly couldn't keep up with the fast pace. On a positive note: graphics were rightfully showed in front of the action, and the extra depth was exciting to watch at times. Just not when there were any fast moving cars around - Red Bull cars and such.

Commercials are never fun to watch, except when they're about a product you want to purchase. This has nothing to do with my third 3D test though, which was regular television. I'm sad to say that the C8700 made mistakes regularly when the commercials hit in. I found slogan text (buy cheese now) to pop out while the price remained in the background. On top of that some of the graphics weren't sharp. Overall the loss of brightness and the discomfort from the glasses made regular television not recommended for 3D conversion. Of course your mileage may vary, some shows lend themselves more to the system than others.

I popped Avatar in my PS3 and hit 3D on the remote. Mind you I haven't seen this movie in 3D in the cinemas so no reference there. Avatar looked amazing in 3D. The opening scene when the main character floats looks fantastic. Objects looked sharp, and the television made to mistakes in depth calculations. The only downside isn't really Samsung's fault but a compromise in the active shutter glasses technique. These darkened glasses work like sunglasses and remove some brightness when viewing 3D. This occurred in all the footage I saw.

Last but not least: gaming. I turned on my PS3 and started the titles I discussed earlier. I was again torn between good and bad experiences. LittleBigPlanet made no difference at all. But it does work in racing titles. Overall I felt the games were built up in 4 layers of depth, with nothing really coming out of the TV or sitting completely in the background. I found a lot of instances of crosstalk and that wasn't the only problem. Some of objects showed 'halos' around them, some weren't sharp and other weren't as far on the background as they needed to be. It made the experience very tiring and therefore I won't use it much. Native 3D games can change my mind but for now gaming in 3D is a no go, with the Samsung C8700 at least.

So here's what I think about the conversion system by Samsung. It works but your mileage may vary. Some of the television shows/movies don't work too great, especially with a lot of moving objects. I also found SD 3D way more frustrating than HD 3D, with the latter displaying very sharp textures and objects. Gaming for now is a no go with conversion, a nice gimmick that will not last. Also a no go is watching 3D in a resting position. You can't watch 3D with the glasses in a 90-degree angle. Doing so will result in a black screen. I'd like to stress that I wasn't able to test native 3D, so for now my opinion about 3D is subject to change.

Conclusions

Samsung did a terrific job with the C8700 LED television. Its design is beautiful and will please most buyers - but not all. Watching SD is a bit of a pain on the large screen so a few feet of viewing distance is advised. HD content looks excellent though, with great black levels and amazing color reproduction. But the overly smooth motion can annoy some and please others.

The 3D conversion system is very easy to use and can work great. Especially HD movies are converted well. Fast paced SD or gaming should stay into the 2D realm for now.

You can't really go wrong with the Samsung C8700. It's an excellent television but be prepared to overlook some minor flaws for this expensive silver piece of engineering brilliance.

I'm Robin Chung, author of the dutch book Tegenlicht. I have a website that brings interesting reading material from all kind of subjects like health and gaming. The website also includes a forum, so you can discuss the articles, and you can order my book from there.

http://www.robinchung.com

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