Small but Mighty Condo in the Heart of the Hospital District!

What are you doing this weekend?

 What are you doing this weekend?

http://www.bloomsdayrun.org/race-information/general-information

The Lilac Bloomsday Association presents the 39th running of the Lilac Bloomsday Run.

• Sunday, May 3, 2015
• 12 Kilometers (7.46 miles)
• Spokane, Washington

General Information

2015 Lilac Bloomsday Run

Where:	Spokane, Washington, USA
When:	Sunday, May 3, 2015
Distance:	12 kilometers (7.46 miles)
Entry Fee:	$18.00 (includes any applicable state sales tax)
Entry Deadline:	April 14, 2015 for mailed entries
Late Entry Fee:	$35.00 (includes any applicable state sales tax)
Eligibility:	Open to all runners, walkers, wheelchairs, assisted wheelchairs and strollers.
Race Start:	9:00 a.m.
Course Closes:	1:30 p.m.

Stay informed with the latest news and registration announcements for Bloomsday! Use the button below to subscribe to our mailing list:

---

Bloomsday is a registered trademark of the Lilac Bloomsday Association Copyright © 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Earth Day!

CMO NETWORK 4/22/2015 @ 6:34AM 10,830 views

Top-50 Green Brands--Chosen By Their Customers

Comment Now 

Follow Comments 

Today is the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. Its celebration comes with the hopes of tens of millions of people that this is the moment in history where equilibrium between sustainability and economic growth is realized. According to the experts, to do that, everyone – including brands – have to commit to a low carbon future.

For brands, simply playing the environmental awareness card as part of a CSR or PR campaign isn’t an actual option anymore. Brands have to do it in ways that meaningfully support a sustainable future that is palpable to the consumer. And as the number of companies trying to co-opt environmental issues for their brands has grown, so too have the number of skeptical consumers. Most consumers have heard such promises before and – in the face of increased expectations – have begun to demand authenticity. They understand that the technology exists, and more and more consumers feel that all brands need is the will to make it so. To borrow a phrase from the Wizard of Oz, consumers want brands to be “morally, ethically, spiritually, physically, positively, absolutely, undeniably and reliably” green.

While many corporations seem to be  looking to find ways to do business in a sustainable way, of the 550 brands included in this year’s Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, a survey of 36,000 men and women, 18-65 years of age, from the 9 U.S. Census Regions, here are the top-50 brands deemed authentically and resolutely “green” by their own customers. They are presented alphabetically since environmental demands and consumer expectations are category-specific.

1. Acer
2. Adidas
3. Air Canada
4. Amazon.com
5. Apple
6. AT&T
7. Aveda
8. Avis
9. Brother
10. Budget
11. Burt’s Bees
12. Canon
13. Chic-fil-A
14. Chipotle
15. Coke
16. Dell
17. Discover Card
18. Dunkin’
19. Epson
20. Ford
21. Hilton Hotels
22. Home Depot HD -0.16%
23. Honda
24. HP
25. Hyundai
26. IBM IBM +0.67%
27. InterContinental Hotels
28. JetBlue
29. Kohl’s
30. Konica-Minolta
31. Le Pain Quotidian
32. Macy’s
33. McDonald’s
34. New Balance
35. Nike
36. Panera
37. Peet’s
38. Pepsi
39. REI
40. Samsung
41. Starbucks
42. Subway
43. Tom’s of Maine
44. Toyota
45. Under Armour
46. United
47. Walmart
48. Whole Foods
49. Wyndham Hotels
50. Zappos

This year could be the year in which world leaders finally pass a binding climate change treaty and citizens and corporations divest from fossil fuels and both politicians and consumers put sustainability and renewable energy solutions where their mouths are. It turns out that consumers are fiercely loyal to brands that do that.

If you want to put your own principles and environmental standards to the test, Earth Day Network has a Personal Footprint Calculator, so you can see the impact you’re having on our planet. Just click here and take the test:http://www.earthday.org/footprint-calculator

For what it’s worth, when it comes down to the bottom bottom-line, unlike many things in our lives, it’s exactly what environmentalist Wendell Berry said, “The earth is what we all have in common.”

---

Robert PassikoffContributor

Robert is author of “Predicting Market Success.” Connect with Robert on LinkedIn.

Just Listed - Contemporary Home In Desirable Comstock Area!

http://www.tourfactory.com/1330833

New Listing on 5 Mile Prairie!

http://www.tourfactory.com/1321421

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Staging Your Home!

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Staging a Home

What to do and what not to do when setting the stage for selling your home.
The following is a guest post from Patti Stern of PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

The first step to getting a home sold quickly and for top dollar is choosing a real estate professional whose expertise can help to successfully market a home. One of the most important things a trusted real estate agent will recommend is the service of a professional home stager to bring out the best in a home. However, many sellers are still hesitant and need to be convinced why staging is a worthwhile investment. The following are some key points to consider when deciding whether to stage a home before listing.

1. Higher Sale Price vs. Possible Price Reduction.
   Staging will boost a home’s perceived value. According to The International Association of Home Staging Professionals, 95% of staged homes sell on average in 11 days or less and for 17% above the asking price compared to those not staged, in a similar market. Since a move-in ready home that a buyer can visualize living in will most likely sell for top dollar, the money spent upfront to hire a staging professional is a fraction of the cost of just one price reduction.
2. Fast Selling Time vs. Stress From Not Selling.The longer a property remains on the market, the lower the offers will become and the more stress it will bring. Staging will set a home apart from the competition and attracts buyers who are ready to move quickly on a sale. In addition, top-notch photos taken after a home is staged to market a listing on the internet will spark the interest of those buyers initially shopping online.
3. Third Party Objectivity vs. Emotional Burden.
   When depersonalizing a space, a professional stager will use their expertise to take the burden off of both the real estate agent who is uncomfortable with possibly offending their client as well as the seller who may have a hard time detaching from their home. A stager will manage all aspects of the recommended improvements from de-cluttering to removing sentimental photos so the seller doesn’t feel overwhelmed emotionally.
4. Knowledge and Efficiency vs. Wasted Low Return on Effort and Investment.
   The benefits of staging go beyond just making a space attractive. If a seller with a good sense of style decides to tackle certain aspects of staging themselves, they may not understand what is priority in terms of the features that will be marketable to the largest possible audience. A professional will have a better understanding of what will inspire an offer and can therefore make suggestions for alternative furniture placement or paint colors that will enhance a room’s original architectural features and charm.
5. One-Stop Shopping vs. Hiring Multiple Workers.
   Hiring a full-service stager who has a team of professionals on standby to manage the entire process and deliver the home ready for market is key. The staging team can coordinate a comprehensive and detailed plan to de-clutter, paint, repair, update and ultimately sell the property. This convenience gives the seller less details to worry about.

For more examples of interior decorating and home staging, visit pjstagingdecorating.com.
Header image is a dining room staged by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating


http://blog.coldwellbanker.com/understanding-pros-cons-staging-home/

New Listing - North side triplex with excellent cash flow!