Real Estate

New Jersey Penalties and Consequences for Failure to Comply with Apartment Registration Requirements

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In today’s article, we will discuss the importance of two separate documents required for residential real estate owners.

habitability certificates

The first document is the Certificate of Habitability. The vast majority of municipalities in the state of New Jersey require the owner to obtain a new Certificate of Occupancy each time a new tenant moves in. The inspections that accompany the application for a certificate of habitability vary according to the municipality. All municipalities will check smoke detectors, and if there is gas heating, the carbon monoxide detector will also be checked. Some cities will also carry out much more extensive examinations in an attempt to increase the quality of housing throughout the city. It should be noted that it is no longer permissible for a municipality to require a new occupancy inspection certificate when a family expands by natural means (for example, the birth of a new child).

While most property owners are vaguely familiar with the fines that the municipality can impose on them for failing to obtain a certificate of occupancy, few are familiar with the much more serious consequences that can result from such a failure. When certificates of habitability are required, a rented home without a certificate of habitability constitutes an illegal contract. Therefore, in the matter of Khoudary v. Salem Board of Social Services, 260 NJS 79 (App. Div. 1992), the Court found that a landlord who rents without a certificate of occupancy does not have authority to file a rental suit.

In essence, what the Khoudary Court said was that it would not help the landlord enforce an illegal contract. In the event that the tenant vacates the property owing rents, either from previous months or from months past due according to the current lease contract, the landlord may not file an action to collect the rents, and moreover, he may not apply any of the guarantees of the lessee. deposit for these rentals. The landlord can still bring an action or retain security for damages, such as destruction of the apartment. It remains uncertain whether a court should allow a tenant to bring an action for the return of all rent previously paid under the illegal lease; however, most courts will decide that the tenant must pay for the quantum merit benefit of the use of the apartment.

For nearly a decade, the courts interpreted the ruling in Khoudary to mean that failure to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy barred eviction. However, this issue has since been cleared up. In the matter of McQueen v. Brown and Cook, 342 NJS 120 (App. Div. 2001), the court ruled that while failure to obtain a certificate of occupancy made the lease illegal, the landlord still retained the right to evict the tenant. Essentially, the Court’s decision holds that a tenant should not be able to benefit from the illegal contract and, furthermore, it is clear that leaving the tenant in the illegal tenancy would be contrary to public order.

Owner’s Registration Statement

While failure to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy is not a bar to eviction, failure to obtain a Landlord’s Statement of Registration (also known as a Landlord’s Statement of Identity) will prevent eviction. All non-owner-occupied residential dwellings in the state of New Jersey must be registered as rentals. Unlike Certificates of Occupancy, the registration statement does not require an inspection and does not need to be repeated upon the arrival of new tenants. In most cases, a single registration statement will be effective in perpetuity.

In the event that the rental is a dwelling for one or two families, the registration can be presented to the secretary of the municipality. In some cases, the municipality will charge a nominal fee for property registration and an additional fee for renewals. In the event that the property consists of three or more residential units, the property must be registered with the New Jersey Division of Community Affairs. The Owner’s Registration Statement must state the names of the owners and their emergency contact numbers.

Failure to comply with the registration requirement can have serious consequences for owners. In particular, NJSA 46:8-33 states that “no judgment for possession may be entered until there has been compliance [with the Act]…”While the Statute goes on to state that the Court can proceed with the case (up to 90 days) until the breach is corrected, some property owners may be caught off guard. Some New Jersey counties even require the property owner to provide proof of record at the time of the tenancy hearing.

Another consequence of failure to obtain a registration statement is the imposition of fines. This firm has been retained to represent several owners who have been unable to obtain registration statements. As with failure to obtain a certificate of occupancy, the penalties for failing to register can be quite steep, and cities generally impose a separate penalty for each individual dwelling within the building.

In conclusion, it’s best to make sure you get a Certificate of Occupancy and Owner’s Statement of Registration before you rent your property. If you fail to present one of these two documents, you may be subject to substantial penalties both from the municipality and in a civil action with your tenants.

Shopping Product Reviews

Maintain healthy eating habits for children 5 to 10 years old

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Maintaining healthy eating habits for children ages 5 to 10 is a major challenge for parents today. Recently, obesity has taken over the US education system, with two-thirds of adults in the US being overweight and at least one-third considering themselves obese. These are alarming numbers for future children as obesity increases. That’s why it’s so important that young children, especially from the earliest ages of 5 to 10, learn and maintain healthy eating habits into their teens.

Unhealthy foods from a young age give young children a bad habit of eating unhealthy foods that they carry into their teens and early twenties. This is the main problem of the Americans. Bad eating habits and the rise of fast food, etc. that adapt to those unhealthy habits. The implementation of healthy eating habits should start with young children. Parents who regularly expose their children to fast foods, processed frozen foods, or malnourished diets should quickly change their children’s diet.

It is important that children between the ages of 5 and 10 receive enough vitamins and nutrition for their bodies and brains to develop within that time frame. A good base is a variety of fruits and vegetables, vitamin tablets, fewer fatty foods, lots of calcium for bone growth, cereals, dairy products, whole wheat bread, no soft drinks but 100% juices, lean meats, and fish. But most importantly, children need to learn to enjoy healthy choices so that, as adults, they can maintain a healthy lifestyle. Some tips to maintain healthy eating habits are:

-Have a specific time and place in the house for family dinner. Watching TV while you feed your kids is not something you want them to do when they grow up. Make sure dinner time is family time and no TV is allowed.

-Encourage your children to eat slowly. This lets them know when they’re legitimately full, and not just partially full with one very quick bite.

-Lunch pack. School cafeterias are notorious for offering unhealthy lunch plans. French fries, hamburgers, fried chicken, and pizza are staples at many schools. Instead, pack the traditional sandwich, baked potato chips, 100% juice, and an apple. It saves you money in the long run and ensures that your children receive a healthy diet.

-Make them drink water! Unless it’s 100% juice, most other sweetened beverages are loaded with sugar, and sodas especially, are a leading cause of obesity.

-If they don’t like vegetables, give them more! People today seem not to care if their children are eating enough vegetables because they can just give them vitamins to cover it up. But vegetables are full of nature’s healthy remedies. Vegetables (and fruits) are known to be cancer-fighting foods, can prevent vision loss (especially common in young children who watch too much TV), give your child’s heart some much-needed protection from future attacks heart attacks or strokes, lowers blood pressure, and is a healthy source of fiber.

-Also, make sure your kids brush AND floss every day. No need to explain here, but it does protect your kids from cavities, bad breath, and gum disease.

-If you fear that your child is overweight, do not panic. Young children need to eat a lot to ensure their development, and their bodies still have years to grow. Going on diets so early in your life is unnecessary. Just make sure they’re eating right and their eating habits are healthy enough to see them into their teens and early twenties.

Giving your children the right nutritional plan is an essential job for all parents. Ages 5-10 are an excellent time for children to learn the right way to eat, and hopefully over the years of continued healthy habits, they will carry these healthy habits through high school, college, and beyond. they will pass them on to their own children.

Sports

Make her beg for sex – Warning! These Bedroom Sex Tricks Will Make Her Cry For You Tonight

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Who else wants to learn how to make their girlfriend, wife, or lover beg for sex? If you’ve never had the experience of having a beautiful woman literally begging you for sex… you’re certainly missing out on a lot, right? It’s true…and as many of our regular readers attest, once this happens for the first time, your sexual self-confidence can literally never be destroyed again!

So what are the best tips and techniques that will leave her not only wanting more and more from you…but will literally leave her begging, pleading, and desperately wanting you more than ever before?

In fact, we’ve identified about 7 or 8 stunning sexual bedroom secrets that most women will readily admit, yet so few men ask that they’ll never know. Let’s take a look at some of them below:

– The devil is in the dialogue

Do you really want to push her over the erotic edge? You have to learn how to take your creative conversational skills to the next delicious level. Fact: Women admit to feeling erotically energized by a man who talks dirty in bed…and I don’t care how prim and proper that may seem, almost all of us love a man who talks dirty when the lights go out.: -)

– Anticipation is an aphrodisiac

Yeah, the key to getting him to really beg is to make him WAIT. There is no bigger erotic amplifier than erotic anticipation, and the best way to make that happen is to tease her to the point that she just can’t take it anymore. A slow hand is important here, as is a lot of fun foreplay, and patience is truly alluring when it comes to pushing it to the limit with this technique.

– Super size is super sexy!

Yes, we’ve talked about this before, and yes, it’s still true. A bigger and better endowed man is always a great turn on (no pun intended… 🙂 and if you can keep her in awe of your anatomy he will never tire of sex. (and all he needs is exercises and natural movements to make it happen)

Technology

Search for people by social security number

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There are a whole host of different contact details that can be used to track someone down. Telephone numbers, addresses, profession, etc. However, the most popular and preferred search is the social security number search, learn more in the following article.

Searching for people by Social Security Number (SSN) is one of the preferred methods of searching for people. Having searched for people using the various methods that exist; one can easily understand why this search is considered by some to be the best way to locate someone. Unlike other search methods where you typically return multiple results for a search, the SSN does not return multiple results.

They are all assigned a unique number and can never be duplicated. The only anomaly that can arise with SSNs is that it is possible for a person to acquire more than one SSN, but no two people can ever share the same number. That’s why searching for people by social security number is so popular. These numbers were made available online as part of the public records.

When government records were declared open to the public, some containing SSNs were also part of these records. So, to search for people based on this number, you need to search from a place that has this group of records as part of its people search resources. There are plenty of places that can access them and you shouldn’t have a problem finding a reliable one.

Searching for people by social security number is pretty simple. Of course, you’ll find a number of options when using some of these services, but just search for the SSN lookup, enter your number, and wait for the results. That’s all you have to do.

Business

Dynamic performance plans, not static job descriptions

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“Evaluations Give Workers Little Information, Survey Finds,” says the headline (1) in a report on a survey of 1,190 US workers conducted by Watson Wyatt, a human resources consulting firm. “Only 30 percent of workers say their company’s appraisal process helps them improve their performance, and less than 40 percent say the process provides clear objectives or feedback… It’s an exercise that can have a Negative effect on company bottom line In a previous study, Watson Wyatt found that companies that clearly establish worker responsibilities and their connection to broader company goals…perform better overall. .. ‘four times the total shareholder return'”.

This study confirms what great managers know: people need clear direction linked to organizational goals to perform well. Too often, companies, driven by legal imperatives, resort to putting everything in a “job description” that becomes outdated by the time it hits paper. Many assessment systems try to quantify non-quantifiable ‘attitudes’ or create hopelessly confusing descriptions of ‘competencies’.

The solution starts with a solid strategic plan for the business, government, or non-profit organization. The plan should be based on the long-term vision AND the most immediate mission of the company. The strategic plan links each employee to that mission:

* The company sets its high-level goals and concrete objectives.

* Objectives describe the results that advance the mission.

* Departments create aligned plans to achieve a part of the overall plan.

* Cascading, this process continues until it reaches the individual employee.

Each manager and work group creates a very practical plan linked directly to the objectives. Each manager discusses with each team member how their specific job and assignments help accomplish the mission. When the process is complete, each individual has explicit knowledge of how their work contributes to the success of the organization. The manager and employee develop a Individual Performance Plan with measurable results in two areas, continued accountability and growth. The manager and employee then discuss progress against this plan (at appropriate regular intervals) so that feedback is rapid enough to reinforce desired behavior and take action on unwanted performance.

In his groundbreaking study, First break all the rules, (2) Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman found that great managers do a formal performance review on a quarterly basis. In effect, the “annual” review becomes just another quarterly review. This approach provides:

* continuous feedback

* concrete performance and improvement

* results integrated with the needs of the company

* Individual awareness of what must be done at all times to accomplish the mission.

When examiners for the US Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award interview companies, they ask almost everyone, “What is your company’s mission and what is your role in achieving it?” World-class companies invariably have a workforce that can answer this question specifically. People know what the company is trying to achieve and what it contributes.

The link between individual performance and mission is NOT just a ‘nice to have.’ The Gallup Organization published its latest study in 2006 based on survey responses from millions of employees and analysis of business results observed in hundreds of companies around the world. When they asked people to rate how much they identified with the statement, ‘My company’s mission makes me feel important,’ they found that “the top quartile…average 5 to 15 percent higher profitability than the top quartiles.” Bottom quartile units. Mission worker-driven workgroups suffer 30 to 50 percent fewer accidents and have 15 to 30 percent lower staff turnover.” They concluded that it was “as if the employee couldn’t energize himself to do as much as he could without knowing how his job fits into the grand scheme of things… For reasons that go beyond the physical needs met in earning a living, [the employee] seek their contribution to a higher purpose.”(3)

Leaders who want their organizations to succeed are turning static job descriptions and worthless annual performance reviews into dynamic Individual Performance Plans and continuous review and improvement. Everyone is tied to the mission and is clear about what they need to do to achieve the ultimate goals. Not surprisingly, the data shows a quadruple return for shareholders and improved morale and productivity among mission-focused workers. (1) Any company can achieve these results by starting with a strong, mission-driven strategic plan and passing it on to everyone to execute. The plan is only as good as its execution, and execution occurs at the individual level where people are fully committed to the mission.

(1) the miami heraldBusiness Monday, page 16, Workplace column, Andrea Coombes, May 10, 2004

(2) Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, Break All the Rules First: What the World’s Best Managers Do DifferentlySimon and Schuster, 1999

(3) 12: The Elements of Great ManagementRodd Wagner and James Harter, Gallup Press, 2006

Home Kitchen

Countertop Remodeling: Emergency Solution For Outdated Countertops Without Replacing Them

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When it comes to kitchen countertops, are you a laminate girl in a granite world? Well, join the rest of us who, at one point or another, have had to choose between having the hottest new kitchen on HGTV or living in the real world where the baby needs new shoes and the mortgage needs to be paid off.

I came up with a workable solution a few years ago when we wanted to update our kitchen countertop, but we were a little short of cash with a new baby in the house and really didn’t want to tear out the countertop and sink. far. I figured if we were eventually going to change the countertop anyway, I had nothing to lose if my experiment did NOT work…but to my delight it worked beautifully and so well that I ended up not changing the countertop but changing the color a few years later when I changed the color of my kitchen again when I got ready to sell the house.

I started with the old Formica countertop, you know, the white one with gold threads that you used to sit on and eat countless fudgesicles as a kid. I bought enough textured spray paint to cover the surface I needed to cover; This is called fleckstone, granite, and other such names and is also approved for outdoor use. Then I bought the cheapest spray paint I could find in a matching color (I paid $1 a can). After cleaning and drying the countertop, I applied the cheap spray paint as a primer. It would probably be a good idea to lightly sand first. I didn’t, but I probably should have. You can decide whether to skip this step or not. Also, be sure to cover your cabinets, floors, sinks, and appliances with plastic to protect them from overspray. Make sure the room is well ventilated and turn off all pilot lights and open flames and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on painting.

After the primer coat dried, I applied the textured paint. Be sure to shake well and shake frequently while applying. You can’t mess this up. If you miss a point, check it again! You can give it an additional layer or layers as needed.

Once the textured paint has dried well, finish with 2-3 coats of clear spray polyurethane. This will protect the surface from normal wear and tear and water. Polyurethane will take a little longer to dry between coats than paint. You still have to be a little careful scratching things along the surface than with laminate or granite countertops, but I’ve had pretty good luck overall with countertops. And you can always easily touch them up!

The first time I used a gray and black fleck with white cabinets with red doors over a black and white checkered tile floor for a 1950s diner style kitchen. Then I repainted the countertops a sand color, repainted the cabinets off-white and repainted the floors with a rich walnut laminate. Impressive results both times.

Note: All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if the advice is safe and appropriate for their own situation. The advice is based solely on the author’s experience and the author does not assume any responsibility for people who imitate the actions described by the author.

Digital Marketing

YouTube Marketing Strategies – Use These Strategies To Dominate The Competition

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If you have a home-based business, such as YourNetBiz, Primo Vacations, or Carbon Copy Pro or any other similar opportunity, YouTube will benefit you and your business greatly if you use it proactively.

Potential people/clients usually join programs with a sponsor they know, like and trust, and other than meeting someone face to face, there is no better way to let someone into your world and see what you are like. than the power of video.

To really successful lead generation and traffic through YouTube, there is more to just sticking a video on there and hoping people find it. So below are my free personal tips that all network marketers should use.

Delighted.

Make sure the videos are useful and informative, you need to give your viewer a reason to keep watching so that they benefit from the full message you are trying to convey. I also tend to suggest that you try not to exceed 5 minutes, people tend to have short attention spans for longer and can tune out of course if your video content is very high quality information where people they will be very interested. Of course you can go over that, but don’t forget you can do a lot more videos, maybe you could split your video into part one and part two. Make sure before you shoot your video that you know exactly what message you are trying to convey to people, if you are clumsy and forget what you are talking about then people will lose faith in what you are saying.

Title, description and tags.

This may sound very obvious, but even some of the best marketers don’t pay attention to it, you really want to give a keyword-rich title so it picks up well in searches (don’t forget that YouTube videos get featured in search results too). organics from Google) usually if you mention money, success, work from home or a home business you are probably a winner, but on the other end of the spectrum, don’t overcharge it just for the sake of it, as it will probably look stupid.

In your description, it’s vital that the first thing you enter in that box is the address of your website that you want people to go to for more information about your product, this is something many people forget to do. When you watch a video the description is always at the top right of your page, as you’ll notice the description is usually minimized so all you can read is the first line that’s why it’s vital that your site address web is the first thing that any viewer can see. Note: Don’t forget to make it a clickable link, ie http:// so they can click on it directly, instead of having to copy and paste it. Now the rest of the description is where you can really play around, it obviously gives a bit of information about the subject of the video, but after that you can put in as many keywords as you want that have slight relevance to your video. For example, if your video was about the MLM industry, you could literally add every major MLM company name in your description, regardless of whether you specifically mentioned them in the video, so even if you were talking about Amway in your video, people searching for Kleeneze would also find your video in the search, because you mention it in the description. The tags are also more or less the same, however, only put the most relevant keywords in that section.

video quality

This may sound simple too, but it’s really important that you do everything you can to make sure the quality of your video recording is good, if there’s poor quality sound or the camera shakes all over the place, people will be turned off. Believe me; I’ve watched enough videos to tell you that one of the most annoying things that makes me go offline is poor quality video. Not only is it annoying, but it comes across as too unprofessional, which is obviously not the message you’re trying to get across to people.

captivate the audience

If you really want to stand out from the crowd, try to make your video different from others, use your imagination here. Whether it’s through humor or telling someone something they don’t know yet or surprise them, try to think outside the box as it will really grab their attention and you can stay on their mind. I’ve seen some great videos during my time on YouTube and there are 3 or 4 that really come to mind because they were really different and imaginative and that’s what you’re after.

I really hope I managed to share with you something you didn’t know yet, I think 1000+ words is too much to take in so check back soon for more YouTube marketing tips which I will be writing about soon.

Relationship

Child Life Insurance – 3 Things to Consider When Choosing Whole Life Insurance for Your Child

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While it may not seem as exciting as buying an Xbox or other device, investing in life insurance for your child can open up new possibilities for your children as they grow. Whether they want to travel the world or make a down payment on a house, they will have the option if they decide they don’t need the insurance and collect on the plan.

But to receive these benefits, you’ll need to make sure you make the right choice. Here are three things to consider:

1. Will your child receive special benefits when they turn 18?

Some programs that offer deals on children’s life insurance will include special offers, such as doubling the size of the coverage once your child turns 18. This can happen without increasing the premium you would have been paying.

2. Does the insurance create cash value?

Choosing whole life insurance over term life insurance generally has the advantage of building cash value. The same should apply to any insurance you purchase for your child. Again, this is a great gift to give your child because eventually the insurance can reach full maturity. With a small investment over a few years, you’ll help your child pay for her first home or really follow her dreams by opening her own business.

3. Will your child’s insurability as an adult be guaranteed?

One option to think about is whether or not your child can get more coverage as an adult. Some programs will allow your child to purchase life insurance even if she does not qualify under any other program. An option like this helps you take care of not only your children but also your future grandchildren.

Legal Law

starting a business selling tutus

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Let’s face it, the economy doesn’t seem to be improving, and sometimes stay-at-home moms’ options are very limited when it comes to trying to generate a second income. More and more women are turning to home-based businesses to help ease some of the burden on their spouses.

Testing your creativity and selling your creations can be a successful money maker.

I started selling tutus on Craigslist, eBay, and by word of mouth. The response was amazing and I was making about $500 a month when I started. It may not sound like much, but for a stay-at-home mom, that extra money got us through tough times. My husband was self-employed and worked from home, so the income he was generating at the time was not constant. That extra couple hundred dollars would cover the purchases.

So whether you just want a little extra cash or want to turn it into a full-time business, making tutus for sale may just be that home business you’re looking for.

Keep in mind that everyone and their moms are making tutus, however there is still a market even when you are just starting out. Over time, you can create your own tutu designs that will set you apart from the competition. Viewers spot the lack of quality immediately. Put a lot of effort into perfecting your technique, and be sure to pay attention to detail when making your tutus.

The great thing about learning how to make tutus is that even if you are not as successful in selling them, you can still make the best gifts and save money since tutus materials are relatively inexpensive.

These are some of the materials you will need to make a tutu.

Tulle Rolls: 6″ by 25 yd rolls are best

Optional: Cutting Mat, Rotary Cutter, and Lip Edger Quilters: Rotary cutter and mat make clean, even cuts. You can use fabric scissors if you can’t find the rotary cutter, mat, and ruler. However, it will take much longer to cut it.

1/2″ wide roll of elastic. You can use a headband elastic for the waist if you want a 100% seamless tutu. No roll elastic is best. I would not go any wider than 3/4″ wide elastic.

Needle and thread – Sew the ends of the elastic together or use an elastic headband for a seamless waist band

Elastic waist construction:

1: measure and cut elastic 2-3″ smaller than the measurement so the waistband will fit snugly around the child’s waist. Overlap the ends of the elastic at least 1/2-1″ and sew both ends of the elastic together. This is the only time you will sew. If you can’t sew, use an elastic headband.

2: You will need between 1-3 rolls for a baby/toddler tutu. Starting at age 4, start with 3-4 rolls. This estimate is for tutus slightly above the knee. Adjust the number of rolls accordingly.

To cut the length of the strips, you can place at least two rolls on top of each other evenly on the cutting mat and unroll the tulle. Align the tulle edge at the 0″ mark on the cutting mat and cut the tulle to the desired length with a rotary cutter. Place a quilting lip edge ruler where you want to make the cut and roll the rotary cutter around the edge of the ruler as a guide can help prevent accidents.

The length of the tutu can be calculated by multiplying the desired length of the tutu by 2 and then adding an additional 2″ to account for the knot you will be tying. Example: length of the tutu (12″) x 2 = 24 + 2 = 26. Cut each strip to 26″ long. Your measurement may be different.

3: Fold the strip of tulle in half so it looks like an inverted “U.” Tuck the folded end behind the elastic waistband. This will create a loop behind and over the top edge of the elastic.

4: From the folded strip, you will notice two “tails” dangling. Take both tail ends of the tulle strip through the loop you have created and pull down to tighten. Make sure not to pull it too tight, as this can overstretch the elastic. It takes some practice to get it right.

5: Tying double knots is another way to secure the tulle to the waistband. Continue tying your knots until you reach the other side. You can tie additional knots to fill in uncovered areas. Try to tie at least 4-5 knots per inch of your original waist measurement. So if you have a 20″ waistband, you should be able to fit 80-100 strips.

If the waistband stretches too far, cut the elastic and re-sew to the original waist measurement.

Embellish your tutu once you have completed the steps above.

Once you’ve perfected your technique, you can start thinking about selling your tutus. Look online and compile a list of tutu vendors and see what they charge. This will help you determine a fair price.

Start by selling online or post photos of your tutus to your Facebook account. You will surely receive word of mouth publicity there. Advertising at local ballet schools could be one route to go. Just make sure it’s not just a basic tutu. Take beautiful photos, because no matter how beautiful a tutu is, no one will see it against a poorly lit and messy background. Find what catches your eye and improve it.

My new favorite website for ideas is Pinterest. Use it and when you build your website, you can start using Pinterest as a marketing tool.

One more important thing about selling… Make sure materials and tutus are labeled in accordance with the new CPSIA labeling laws for children’s products. As of February 2009, all children’s products sold must comply with all aspects of the law and safety regulations, including new limits for lead and phthalates. This is governed by the CPSIA.

Most tulle manufacturers are required to indicate on their website whether their tulle meets CPSIA standards.

Lifestyle Fashion

Residential Asbestos Removal

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More than 25 million homeowners may eventually have to go through the ordeal of residential asbestos removal. Despite knowing the harmful effects of six cancer-causing asbestos minerals, manufacturers and governments decided that the benefits outweighed the possible harmful effects. Consequently, the use of asbestos became widespread after World War II, especially in building materials. Now homeowners face serious health risks, financial burdens, and possible lawsuits due to cancer-causing asbestos.

Health risks

Although asbestos is not dangerous when it is in good condition, it is very dangerous when the fibers have deteriorated or become airborne. The small, almost invisible fibers can be easily inhaled or embedded in body tissues when carried through the air or disturbed by vibration. Exposure to large amounts of asbestos over long periods of time can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. All of these are incurable, mostly fatal diseases that may not develop symptoms until 15 to 40 years after exposure occurred. Recent research has suggested that asbestos may also cause or aggravate breast, ovarian, prostate, and laryngeal cancers and pleural plaques.

Financial and legal concerns

Having asbestos in the home can also create numerous financial and legal concerns for homeowners. By law, the landlord may be liable for any damage due to negligence that happens to someone who enters the house. Failure to take appropriate steps to warn people of possible asbestos exposure or to prevent people from being exposed can be considered negligence. Even if there were no lawsuits, the owner would have to pay very expensive medical expenses and, mostly, funeral expenses if a family member falls ill due to asbestos exposure.

Having asbestos in the home also makes it more difficult for the homeowner to obtain insurance and loans or to sell the home. Many lenders, insurers, and real estate agents charge higher fees for their services when working on older homes and new homes known to contain asbestos. Others simply refuse to work with old houses due to the asbestos factor.

DIY vs. professional services

If asbestos is being removed, repaired or removed, then the work should be done by a professional contractor. Any amateur attempt can create a greater danger to the health of the entire family and community. The job requires numerous costly safety measures, including inspections, containment of the work area, and special equipment and clothing. The attempt to save money could eventually cost someone their life.

cost

It is expensive for the contractor to install and clean, even for minor tasks, so they usually charge homeowners a minimal fee. It can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 for even a minor downsizing project on a home. In addition to setup and cleanup fees, there is the cost of pre-inspection, sample testing, labor, materials, and re-inspection. It is even more expensive if asbestos removal is required.

reduction vs. elimination

Homeowners usually have the option of leaving the asbestos alone, taking abatement measures, or removing it. It is highly recommended to leave asbestos only if it is in good condition. However, the location and amount of asbestos damage will be the main deciding factors between abatement and removal.

Mitigation measures are generally less expensive and can reduce the health hazards created by working with asbestos. Abatement measures can be encapsulation (sealing or bonding the fibers with a sealant) or enclosing (covering or surrounding the asbestos to prevent the release of the fibers). Either method can be used for major or minor repairs. The disadvantages of abatement measures are that the asbestos remains in place and may need repair or removal at a later time. The abatement measure taken may make removal and subsequent repairs more difficult and expensive.

The advantages of removal are that once the asbestos has been properly removed, there are not as many asbestos-related legal, financial, or health concerns to face. The disadvantages of removal are that there is a higher risk of exposure during the actual removal process and the process is very expensive. It is also important to remember that any asbestos that has been used for fire protection must be replaced with another type of fire protection material.

Hire a professional asbestos contractor

It doesn’t do much good to hire a professional contractor to do the repairs or removal if the person doesn’t do the job properly. It is also not beneficial to be overcharged or unnecessary work completed. Here are some tips to follow if you think you may have asbestos in your home:

  • Have a licensed professional who has been trained by the state or the EPA inspect your home for asbestos. Be especially sure that any damaged asbestos or any asbestos found in an area that could be disturbed if you are going to do remodeling, repairs, or renovations are sampled.

  • Have the samples analyzed by a certified asbestos testing laboratory that works independently of the contractor who took the samples.

  • If repairs or removal are needed, do some comparison shopping between licensed asbestos contractors who are qualified for that specific type of asbestos and product. Make sure that: 1) quotes include the cost of installation, cleanup, asbestos removal, labor, and replacement materials, 2) all federal, state, and local safety, removal, notification, and health regulations are met, 3 ) all special permits are obtained before work begins, 4) containment is not removed from the work area before the area has been re-inspected and the written air sample report has been received, and the area has been re-inspected. cleaned if necessary, and 5) no one enters the unnecessarily contained work area, especially children and pets, until it has been re-inspected and cleaned of all health hazards.

  • Have a re-inspection done by a different contractor than the one performing the abatement, repair, or removal work once the work is complete. Make sure the re-inspection includes a review of the work done and an electronic whole house air test.

  • Check the background and reputation of professional contractors before hiring them. Ask for references from previous clients, check with the Better Business Bureau and any local environmental or workplace safety agencies to determine if there have been any complaints or regulatory violations.

  • Make sure the contractor is insured. Check contractors’ insurance policies to make sure there are no exclusions for asbestos-related claims and that the policy adequately covers any issues that may arise during the job and after the job is complete.

  • Make sure the written contract includes all the agreed details and that everything has been clearly explained. The written contract must include:
    1) a firm cost figure for all work,
    2) a description of exactly what will be done, when it will be done, and where it will be done,
    3) a description of the abatement/repair/removal methods and containment methods to be used for the work area,
    4) a guarantee that the work area will be left clean and fit for re-occupancy,
    5) a guarantee that copies of all laboratory reports, landfill receipts, and
    6) an assurance that the contractor will assume all responsibility, including legal liability, for the proper disposal of the materials in an approved landfill.

Homeowners can locate qualified professional contractors through Internet research. Some local environmental safety agencies and local health departments also maintain a list of licensed asbestos contractors. Contractors can also be found in the local yellow pages, listed under asbestos. Just make sure the contractor you choose is trained in residential asbestos removal.