Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lifestyle. Show all posts

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Show Off Your Green House Features

Green houses are selling these days, unlike most traditional homes that are spending far too long on the market. Buyers who are after a green house will come and take a look, but you must be clear in your house description that your house is, indeed, a green one.

The terms low VOC’s, passive heat gain, FSC certification, solar powered, etc. are what green oriented buyers are looking for when they peruse the online house sale listings. Most of the online real estate sites, in fact, now have the boxes you can check for green features to narrow your search. You will want to have your house included in those searches.

There are many areas of the country where this is particularly true. New York City, Colorado, and California, for example, have many eco-conscious citizens who are either in energy inefficient houses now and want to buy newer and better green systems, or they are already living green and want to continue when they move. Many other states have pockets of interest in ecologically sound living and more of those areas are popping up every day.

Don’t let this selling point slip by you. If you have a solar panel to heat your swimming pool or spa, advertise it. If you have put in south facing windows or a garden room off the kitchen to catch the heat of the sun in winter, advertise that, too. Can you boast of a micro garden in your patio area? Do so.

If you don’t have much in the way of green energy in your house and you want to put some in, there are a number of things you can add or do when you replace another appliance. Use only Energy Star rated appliances when you replace the old ones. Try installing a tankless hot water heater when you must replace the old one that’s just about worn out. These appliances are just slightly more expensive than buying traditional appliances without good energy ratings.

Look for sales on appliances to get the green versions as opposed to paying full price for the older types. Don’t replace the heat pump on the pool without checking on the possibility of a solar heating panel. You might be surprised at the cost if you look for bargains and it will be worth your while. You will be able to advertise your house’s green features when you put it on the market for sale.

We buy houses in the Washington, DC area. We buy houses in all price ranges, both ugly and pretty, in all areas. We can pay cash and make decisions quickly and we have attractive options to those looking to sell a property quickly, without doing any repairs. http://www.we-buy-houses-washingtondc.com

We buy houses fast and easy, often in as little as 7 days. We can close quickly and most importantly, relieve your stress and help you regain peace of mind. http://www.we-buy-houses-washingtondc.com

Friday, January 28, 2011

Malibu Chamber Board Installation & Business Leadership Award Luncheon

The Malibu Chamber Business Leadership Award is given annually to a business person who exemplifies values through significant achievement in the field of business. The Award recognizes business savvy, respect for free enterprise and fair play, leadership prowess, and a well-developed sense of appreciation for the employees whose caliber and labors have contributed to the Award recipient's success.

Recipients of this award have demonstrated by their personal lifestyle and professional accomplishments that it is possible to become very successful in business while maintaining the highest ethical standards of honesty, integrity, and compassion. They are models of creative ambition, exemplary character, competence, and an outstanding work ethic.

Malibu Chamber Business Leadership Award recipients are leaders not only in the marketplace but in society. They are as much an example of how one should live
successfully as they are how to achieve success. We are proud to present the 2011 Business Leadership Awards to:

Scott Wagenseller, Malibu Patrol-‘Chamber Past Chairman of the Board’
Ron Semler, Malibu Wines-’Small Business of the Year’
Earl Baer, ThisweekinMalibu.com-’Malibu Community Ambassador’
David Reznick, Malibu Bay Company-’Excellence in Leadership’
Mayor Jefferson Wagner, City of Malibu,-’Outstanding Partner of the Year’
Carol & Dan Stark –‘Chamber Volunteers of the Year’

Please join us as we honor the outgoing 2010 Board of Directors and the incoming
2011 Officers and recognize the Members of significance for the
Malibu Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center at the 64th Annual Board Installation & Business Leadership Awards Luncheon on Thursday, February 24, 2011 from 11:30 am — 2:00 pm at Taverna Tony Restaurant, 23410 Civic Center Way, Malibu Country Mart.  

For more information call:  Malibu Chamber of Commerce 310-456-9025, ext. 0

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

First Fortune Teller Credentialed by Washington State as a Certified Counselor

Alexandra Chauran, sole-proprietor of EarthShod.com in King County, is the first professional fortune teller who is also a Washington Department of Health Certified Counselor.  According to the state, counselors "assist or attempt to assist a person or persons to improve their mental, emotional, or behavioral problems" or use "techniques to achieve understanding and awareness of self and others and the growth of human potential” (RCW 18.19.020).  By law, those "practicing counseling for a fee must be credentialed" (WAC 246-810-031).  A Certified Counselor’s scope of practice is to "counsel and guide the client in adjusting to life situations, developing new skills, and making desired changes" (WAC 246-810-0201), a service that Chauran, and others like her, offer.  Chauran challenges: "I encourage all who do what I do, under any label, to get a state credential; not just because it may be a legal responsibility, but to foster regulation of our often-maligned industry, and to take on  mandatory reporting duties for situations of abuse and suicide-risk, of which we are often the first to be told."  

A new Washington state law created eight new counseling credentials on July 1st of 2009 and will abolish the previous Registered Counselor credential on July 1st of 2010, requiring counselors who have not received a new credential to stop practicing.  Though many professional psychics and intuitive readers operated under the old title alongside other professionals who counseled in other contexts, as of April 12th, 2010, the DOH Assistant Secretary Karen Jensen reported having received a total of only "5,321 out of a possible 12,000 applications" for all eight counseling professions, including:  Agency Affiliated Counselor, Certified Advisor, Certified Counselor, Chemical Dependency Professional Trainee, Marriage & Family Therapist - Associate, Mental Health Counselor - Associate, Social Worker Associate Advanced and Social Worker Associate Independent Clinical.  

Alexandra Chauran, who has been a Registered Counselor (RC00048344) in Washington state since October 28th of 2003 in good standing, met all application requirements for the Certified Counselor (CL60153740) credential.  This included completing coursework in risk assessment, ethics, appropriate screening and referral, Washington State Law and AIDS education, as well as having a consultant agreement with a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and passing a Certified Counselor Exam.  Chauran holds a Master's degree in teaching from Seattle University and is a member of the Renton Chamber of Commerce and the Washington State Holistic Chamber of Commerce.  She does not plan to practice counseling outside the context of her fortune telling business, but maintains her credential to demonstrate a commitment to health and safety excellence for her clients.