Ford Is Developing A Crazy New Cyclist Safety Technology

Cyclists are at high risk on the road and need to have their wits about them. Just like motorcyclists, they’re particularly prone to collisions, with little or no mitigation. 

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Now American car manufacturer Ford is developing a solution. It proposes to add an early warning system to cars that will tell drivers when a cyclist is approaching in their blind spot. Using some twenty or so cameras around the vehicle, the vehicle will be able to see where cyclists are at all times and then issue an alert. Ford’s idea at the moment is to make the wing mirrors and edges of their vehicles with strips of LEDs that will flash red when they detect an oncoming cyclist. Under the current plans, both the driver and the cyclist will be able to see the lights and hear an alarm sound. 

Ford’s new concept also deals with another common problem – opening car doors in the path of oncoming cyclists. Sensors on the vehicle will detect a cyclist approaching and prevent the person inside the car from opening the door until they pass. The hope is that the system will prevent people from inadvertently opening their doors in the path of a cyclist. 

More Respect On The Road

Ford’s plans, however, are about more than just reducing the number of accidents. They are also geared towards generating more respect on the road. The automaker hopes that the technology will help drivers and cyclists understand each other’s needs better. 

Currently, the company says, there’s a lack of understanding between the two groups. Drivers don’t want cyclists on the road and vice versa. Ford hopes that the new technology will help people to share the streets so that everyone can benefit. 

Ford Is Not The First To Have This Idea

Ford isn’t the first company in the world to trial this kind of technology. People have fitted some vehicles in the US with this technology already, especially on public transport where blind spots can be quite large. 

As technology changes, so too will the role of the car accident lawyer. As batteries become more versatile, we’re likely to see an explosion of transport options. Ebikes, for instance, will become much more common on the roads because of their low running costs and high performance. Legal professionals will need to take these new types of cases into account. 

Automakers such as Ford also need to respond by designing cars for this new environment. As the above example makes clear, driver error isn’t the only issue. Passenger oversight could also play a significant role too. Insurance companies need to factor this into their calculations in the future. 

When Is The New Tech Coming?

Ford hasn’t set a date for the release of the new technology yet. We’re still very much in the testing phase. The company, however, says that it will continue to develop the concept over the coming months and hopes to create a viable product. 

How exactly the vehicle will light up remains a matter for debate. Some designers imagine an emoji-style system where faces light upon the wing mirrors and doors to warn both drivers, passengers and cyclists of the danger. 

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4 Ideas To Improve The Quality Of Your Products & Services

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You might have a great product or service, yet that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement. Consumer demands and product best practices are changeable, so it’s vital to keep on top of your quality control. During the initial stages, market research key, and it can also be helpful later down the line if you are seeking to redesign your products. To help your company make improvements, try working these four pointers into your quality strategy.

1 . Obtain regular feedback

Improving quality is all about gaining feedback from existing customers, clients, and stakeholders. Feedback allows you to celebrate your successes and brainstorm strategies to fix your weak points. To obtain customer feedback, it can be a good idea to use an NPS, meaning a ‘Net Promoter Score Survey.’ This is a type of survey that contains only one question, usually something like ‘how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?’ The question is answered using a 0-10 scale, and it’s a highly effective way of obtaining an overall customer satisfaction score. With your B2B customers, you might prefer to ask for a more detailed feedback session if they are willing to provide this.

2. Improve customer experience

Customer experience encompasses your consumer’s journey as a whole. From interactions with you on social media; to receiving birthday discounts; or accessing new features on your app. Beyond the basics of the product or service, customers appreciate an experience that’s personalized, unique, and relevant to their values. To improve your customer experience, you could try offering engaging webinars, or a fun podcast to discuss industry-related topics? You could try incorporating QR codes into your stores to offer exciting video content or quick-check out options? Another option is to use virtual reality to deliver an unforgettable marketing campaign.

3. Consider your shipping methods

To keep your products and services high quality, it’s also important to consider your shipping methods. First off, Shipping Services need to ensure that the products always retain their quality in transit. Secondly, customers often want to be able to track their products throughout the journey. Another thing to consider is offering fast services such as next-day or same-day delivery. The modern consumer doesn’t want to wait around to receive their goods, and you won’t want them to choose a different brand!

4. Quality management system

A quality management system involves a set of guidelines which determine how a company will design and deliver their services or products. With a robust QMS, you can audit your processes or be part of a certification body. A Quality Management system is generally based on seven principles, to provide the best results for your products. Businesses who seek to comply with such standards will increase both satisfaction and credibility.

It can also be useful to ask your team for feedback concerning quality. Different departments will have different perspectives, and it can be revealing to gauge various viewpoints. When you consistently prioritize quality, you’ll ensure that your business continues to thrive.

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Steampunk Books To Add To Your Reading List

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If you are looking for a new set of books to add to your reading list this year, we want to share a genre with you that you may not have thought about before. Today, we are going to share with you some of the top steampunk books you should read this year to take you away to another world and show you some incredible adventures. 

But, what is steampunk? Well, steampunk is a literary genre that is similar to sci-fi in tone. It is a genre that brings together science fiction alongside 19th century industrial themes. If you have ever seen any steampunk artwork you will notice an emphasis on cogs and machinery, and this is where the industrial inspiration can really be seen. But today we are sharing with you some of the steampunk books you should definitely read. 

Boneshaker –  Cherie Priest 

If you love the zombie genre and you are looking for a new take on it, this is the right book for you. It combines what we know about zombies and pulls it into an alternate version of Seattle. During the Civil War, there are rumours of gold in the frozen Klondike that attracts many towards it. Russians endevour to create a large drill to drill through the ice and find this treasure, anf the titular Boneshaker drill is born. However when using this drill for the first time, gold is not discovered, and instead a torrent of gas is released that turns the population into zombies. 

Against the Day – Thomas Pynchon 

For an introduction to the steampunk genre there is nothing better than Against the Day. This is a book filled with complex themes and beautiful literature that gives you a wonderful entry into this world. It is set at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and follows a team of balloonists who go on all manner of adventures. It is a unique read and one you should consider this year. 

Frankenstein – Mary Shelley

What? You may be wondering. Although the steampunk genre didn’t exist back in the early 1800s, this is a great example of an early work in this world. As we all know, Dr Frankenstein tried to build life from deceased body parts and machinery, and what comes of this is the iconic character we know today. 

Agatha H and the Airship City –  Phil & Kaja Foglio

This couple have created a story that is filled with wonder and awe, and it has a very cyberpunk inspiration throughout. During the industrial revolution there is a lot of conflict, and this story follows 18 years after a group of adventurers called the Heterodyne Boys went missing. We follow a young student called Agatha as she struggles to build anything that works. Over time she adapts and we follow her adventures through a world overrun with mad scientists. 

Lady of Devices – Shelley Adina

Our main character Claire finds herself out on the streets of London after her father gambles his entire estate and loses. Claire however is a nifty woman and soon she uses her knowledge of machbinery and devices to succeed in this underworld life. A new leader emerges known as the Lady of Devices, and soon she realises her talents could be put to amazing use for the greater good… if only she lives that long.

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6 Ways To Improve Your Mental Health

We read a lot of articles about how to take care of our bodies. We listen when the hairdresser begs us to stop bleaching our hair, and we go to the dentist with relative regularity to keep our teeth in good shape. The one area of our health that we all seem to struggle with listening about is our mental health. People don’t tend to listen when they’re told to slow down and take their time with life, and that’s because there is a lot of pressure. We have work pressures, family pressure, social pressure – it’s a lot.

You should be able to feel healthy on the inside, mind, and body, and that starts with taking care of your mental health and realizing when things get too much for you to handle. You have to consider how you take care of your physical health to know how to take care of your mental health, too. So, if you go to the doctors with pain or aches, you should do the same when your brain needs help. If you choose to spend money on Invisalign to improve your teeth and make your confidence soar, then you should also go to a therapist and talk it out when life is getting a little too hard. When you feel low, you need to start taking care of your mind and unpack the things that are impacting your mental health. So, let’s check out six things that you can do for yourself to improve your mental health.

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Calorie Deficit & Get Your Steps In

Sometimes, eating well and moving as much as you can is enough. When you eat well, your energy levels shoot up, and you start to feel fantastic on the inside. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables is a diet that will have a long-lasting effect on your mental health. Getting your steps up? Well, we all know the benefits of a pleasant walk. Being in the fresh air and in nature can make a massive difference to your mental health. Not only will you be able to feel healthier and more energetic, but you’ll also be pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and out of your house at the same time.

Maintain Relationships

Connections matter and there are plenty of studies to show how isolated people can feel when their mental health is working against them. The best thing that you can do to improve your mental health is to connect with others. The people in your life that want to see you happy and strong are going to be around you to try to enrich your life. Let them do it. On the days you don’t want to see people, try to push yourself to see them and avoid the isolation that mental health issues promise you.

Laughter: The Language Of The Soul

It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, find something to laugh at. You can set aside time every single day to feel good, and it starts with the hobbies and activities that you set for yourself. Let yourself embrace the joy in the small things and smile. Sometimes, it takes smiling and laughing to be able to feel that same joy you’re trying to find.

Don’t Hide Your Feelings

We mentioned a therapist earlier on for a reason. Whether you choose to talk to a therapist or to your family, you need to keep your feelings on the table. People need to know that you are struggling, and the only way to show them that you are in pain is to stop hiding the way that you feel and be open. It isn’t easy to talk, but it’s good to do it. If your friends and family know you are struggling, they’ll be able to support you better and make you feel safe.

Meet A Goal

The sense of achievement that you can get from hitting a goal can be everything that you didn’t know you needed. It doesn’t matter what the goal is or how big it is; it’s going to be a momentous occasion if you stick to it.

Sleep

A good night of proper sleep is going to do you and your mind a world of good. Sometimes, just the act of getting to bed on time each night (we mean 10pm, not 3am) is a big deal. Take baby steps and start by setting up your sleep environment. Once you’ve got those layers of bedsheets and pillows ready, set yourself an alarm a little earlier each night to get to bed on time. Eventually, you’ll be getting the sleep that you need.

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How To Do Damage Control For Your Business

When things go wrong in business, it can be a make or break for a company in how they take control. There are some businesses that have come back from big failures that they hadn’t anticipated would happen. Here are some tips on how to do damage control for your business.

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Be Open From The Beginning

Whenever something goes wrong in business, regardless of whether it’s internal or in the public eye, it’s alway best to be honest. Being open from the beginning means that whatever comes out, you’ve been honest from the beginning. People will end up being respectful of that more but not so when you’ve been lying to them. Lying and hiding things will only make it worse and the truth will come about eventually in some way, shape or form. Try to have an openness, even if it’s hard to do that. It’s going to help give your company the best shot at coming back from this difficult time and hopefully getting it back on track.

Have A Business Communication Plan

When it comes to disaster recovery solutions, it’s effective when you have a business communication plan in place. This is something that helps everyone in the business know what they have to do and how they respond when it comes to a certain type of damage. Whether it’s a PR stunt that’s gone wrong or a breach of confidential data, your business should have a plan that outlines how to go about the first few steps to help control the damage. That means that anyone in your company and of a seniority level when needed, can step up and take control if you’re not there.

Give Your Customers What They Want

Your business would amount to nothing without your customers. It’s vital that you look after them and continue to strengthen your loyal customer base. One of the biggest wants of any customer is convenience. Make sure all questions are answered and all problems have a solution. The next biggest want is sustainability. More and more people are aware of their carbon footprint when it comes to shopping so you should aim to be a leading business in sustainability. Selwyn Duijvestijn is a great example of leading in eco-friendly practices so it can help to take a look and keep up to date.

Reduce Your Outgoings If Needed

Your outgoings are something worth paying attention to if what’s happened has caused a huge financial loss for your company. A big portion of where businesses fail is because they’ve gone bankrupt or simply ran out of money. It’s important to try and reduce your outgoings immediately, whether that’s making big budget cuts to your departments or having to let people go. It’s all about making sure that your business can survive for another day, week or month and so it’s important to do those harsh cuts where you can in order to save the business.

Use Social Media

Social media can be both a blessing and a curse at the same time. With businesses having such a prominence on social media now and the average person living their lives on social media, you want to use it carefully. However, for any business with a strong following it’s important to speak out to your customers and to the public through your own channels so that you can at least regain some control. When there’s talk in the media, it’s important to be vocal and not silent.

Doing damage control for your business is essential if you want it to survive. Use these tips to help your business and hopefully it’ll go from strength to strength.

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Industrial Shredder Basics

Industrial shredders are state-of-the-art devices that are used to efficiently shred every material, including tissues, plastics, boxes, and even rubber. Industrial shredders make for quick and efficient compaction and destruction of large volumes of waste material. Industrial shredders can also come with automatic feed systems that cut the cost of operations and maximize productivity. The best shredders will integrate cutting-edge technology to make for easy operations, with minimal human intervention. 

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Industrial Shredders In Recycling and Waste Management
Shredding systems are usually used for reducing the size of waste material using shredder blades. A shredder is usually thought of as a way to shred documents, but there are actually lots of kinds of shredder available to handle different kinds of material. 

Shredders are designed to reduce material in a wide range of recycling applications. Industrial shredders work well for aiding in the recycling of plastic, e-waste, scrap, tires, and wood. The raw material that is produced from the shredding process can be reused in a few different manufacturing processes, or for producing finished materials like mulch for landscaping. Industrial shredders are also sometimes known as granulators, grinders, hammer mills, and chippers. Whatever they’re called, the main purpose is the same – to reduce the size of different materials. 

In the waste management industry, industrials shredders are used for large-scale disposal systems used by municipal facilities and recycling units. These shredders can compact large amounts of waste like asphalt, rubber, plastics, and wood, to a much smaller size very quickly, often in minutes. Some shredders are used in landfills, where they are able to significantly reduce the volume of the waste, and help to accelerate the decomposition of biodegradable waste. 

More and more businesses today are now aiming to be more eco-conscious. An industrial shredder is a good option for a business to cut costs. Using an industrial shredder in the process of recycling is good way to reduce material volume, which then also reduces the cost of transporting and storage waste materials while you’re waiting to deal with it.

High torque, low-speed machines are able to minimize issues like the embedding of metal parts into plastic materials during the process of shredding. 

There are several types of shredder available on the market, depending on your needs. You can buy options for shredding paper, to plastic waste, to tires. Whichever type you need, the main benefit is regulatory compliance for the responsible disposal of sensitive business information and eco-friendly waste disposal. 

Most businesses can make use of a paper shredder. These are designed to safely shred and dispose of commercial and industrial paper waste. A strip-cut shredder has a single set of blades for cutting documents into strips. An industrial paper shredder is designed for a higher volume of shredding, in order to handle a large amount of paper waste or to dispose of sensitive documents in a safe way. A cross-cut shredder has two sets of blades for cutting documents into very small strips. This a very secure option for sensitive documents.

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What Are The Different Types Of CCTV Cameras?

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When it comes to selecting the correct CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) camera for you, there are a lot of different factors that need to be considered. This includes everything from technical requirements to the physical constraints that the site imposes. Because of this, a large number of CCTV cameras have been created to cater to the differing needs that people have. 

In this post, we are going to reveal more about the different types of CCTV cameras that you can choose from today.

CCTV basics

People use CCTV mainly for surveillance reasons, including security monitoring, spying, and safety monitoring. Home security companies will use these solutions in most home and commercial security projects today.

The different types of CCTV cameras available

There are a number of different features that can be used to categorize a CCTV camera, including the following:

  • The sort of images they capture
  • The number of frames that can be taken per minute
  • The type of connection to the monitor
  • The type of video recording device they offer
  • If they can be moved
  • If they have any special functions

There have been a lot of developments in CCTV cameras over the years. However, one feature a lot of the cameras come with today is night vision. This has now become a standard. It means the cameras have special technology so that low light images can be viewed and recorded.

Frames per second

When searching for the best CCTV camera system, this is a feature most people are interested in. The main chunk of solutions on the market today are going to be able to capture 30 frames or more per second, and do so with ease. Nevertheless, huge quantities of digital storage would be needed if every moment of every day was to be recorded. Needless to say, your reason for needing CCTV will dictate this. Six frames per second tend to be substantial if CCTV is being installed for monitoring reasons. 

Cameras with special accessories

As discussed, another aspect to consider when choosing a CCTV camera is the special security functions that come with the camera, as well as the tech behind them. If you need a CCTV camera for specialist use, for instance, if you need a CCTV system to spy on someone because you think you have a criminal in your business, there are smaller surveillance cameras on the market that have been designed with this specific use in mind. 

Do you need to move the camera?

Last but not least, you need to think about whether the camera needs to be moved remotely or not. These are known as Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) cameras. The camera can be moved by the person who controls the area’s surveillance, wither through an RF or a wired controller. As the name dictates, you can tilt the camera up and down, as well as moving it from left to right and right to left. Zooming in and out is also possible.

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Situations in Life Where Hiring a Lawyer Is a Good Idea

A lot of people find that hiring a lawyer can be expensive, time-consuming and ultimately only suitable for some very specific situations. As a result, they might cross off the opportunity of hiring a lawyer because it’s expensive and usually only reserved for specific situations. However, you might find that hiring a lawyer can be an incredibly common strategy to help deal with troubling circumstances in life.

In this post, we’re going to cover a few of those situations where hiring a lawyer not only makes sense but is arguably the best way to help you through tough and challenging circumstances.

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If you’ve suddenly lost your job

Employers should be fair and lawful when it comes to your employment status. They shouldn’t kick you out of your job without a good reason and if you feel that you’ve been discriminated against at work, then you have the right to hire a lawyer and fight back against your employer. Losing your job can be devastating since it completely cuts your income, and it’s even worse when the decision is made so suddenly that you have no time to prepare. If you want to dispute this and potentially seek compensation, then you need to hire a lawyer. Articles such as the one at https://www.careertoolbelt.com/top-20-things-to-do-if-you-lose-your-job/ are also a good resource for those who have suddenly lost their job.

Business-related problems

Business legal issues, such as a company copying your property, should be dealt with by legal professionals and not yourself. These are incredibly sensitive situations where one small mistake could have disastrous consequences. As such, make sure you’re always receiving guidance from a legal professional if there are business-related problems that require the help of a lawyer.

Family disputes

Whether it’s splitting from your partner, disputes regarding a deceased relative’s will or even custody of your children, any family dispute should be overseen by a legal professional. We suggest taking a look at websites such as https://www.browndahan.com/what-we-do/divorce/ for more information on how these lawyers work, what type of disputes they deal with and also what you should be doing if you find yourself in a complex family dispute. Without legal help, you’ll find it incredibly difficult to argue your side of the story.

Criminal charges

While the term “criminal charges” can sound worrying, there are actually many situations where you could argue that you don’t deserve to be labelled a criminal. One glaring example of this is when you’re charged with driving under the influence. DUI charges are incredibly serious but a lot of people are adamant that they don’t deserve that label. With legal help, you can reduce the severity of your punishment and potentially wipe away your criminal record if you had good reason to do what you were doing.

Hopefully, this article has shown you a couple of good examples of when you should really be hiring a lawyer. Without a lawyer in these circumstances, you’ll have almost no chance of standing up for yourself.

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A Passive Effort: Ways To Make Extra Money Without Trying

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It seems that everybody is looking for work nowadays and while people could always do with a bit of extra cash it seems that we really have to work hard to get something sorted on the side. People inevitably set up things like side hustles but making money on the side is usually something that requires a lot of effort. And as nice as it is to think that we could make money without even trying there are a few things that we can take advantage of. What are these?

Promotions

If you have a significant following online you may very well be aware of influencer marketing where companies send you items to review. After a while, whether you’ve got an online following on social media or a blog, companies can approach you to put links into your posts that go to their products, also known as affiliate marketing. But there are other things that you can do in the real world. A very good example would be to use your car as promotional material. There are vehicle wraps that go around the vehicle for specific products meaning that all you need to do is drive around and you will get paid for it.

Signing Up For Focus Groups

If you set up a profile with a marketing company they can contact you with specific focus group offers that suit your interests. Focus groups are all about sitting in a room and talking about things that you like or don’t like. But sometimes you can do it from the comfort of your own home! Focus groups tend to pay in cash and right away so you don’t have to wait for your bonus!

Sell Your Stuff

Yes, it’s obvious but have you had a look at the junk you have accumulated over the years recently? If you are considering a minimalist lifestyle or there’s a lot of clothes that you don’t use anymore put them online and make a decent chunk of money. It’s one of the last options for most people, especially when they are desperate, but if you’ve got things like old smartphones hanging around and clothes that you haven’t worn for the last 12 months it’s time to take the plunge and get rid of them.

Can You Get Paid To Work Out?

There are apps like Gympact that give you money when you hit your workout goals. You may wonder how this is actually subsidized, but it’s paid for by the people that are unable to stick to their own goals! It’s a perfect way to keep you motivated and if you can get paid to get fit, why don’t you take advantage of this?

While making money without trying can seem like an over-exaggeration, there are things that you can do to earn money while living your life. Because if you are someone who likes to shop or idly scrolls through social media, there are credit card offers that give you cash back, as well as survey websites. Everybody needs to make extra money now so why don’t we find the options where we don’t need to try?

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Choosing the Right Property Investment: Is a Condo the Right Choice?

If you are interested in a home that is close to facilities, shops, stores, and other amenities, there are areas in Ortigas with condominiums that might suit your taste. Many often consider pre-selling condominiums since they are affordable and lower in price. But aside from that, what are the advantages of buying a pre-sold condo in the city?

Developers tend to pre-sell condos at discounted prices. This is an introductory price that is meant to provide the developers with a ready market for their residential properties. It guarantees them that they will not struggle to market their properties. For that reason, many developers are willing to offer prices and rates that many find affordable.

The median price per square feet for a condominium can be quite expensive.But when you buy a pre-selling condo, you could buy it a lower rate, which could mean big savings for you and your family.

Pre-selling condos are a good financial investment

Since these condos are sold at below-the-market prices, they immediately increase in value once completed. That means you gain a significant amount of equity in a short time. And due to the discount that you get when buying the condo, you can sell it immediately and make a profit. That is what makes this kind of real estate a good investment.

Better condo options

When it comes to pre-sold condominiums, it is first come first served. If you choose a home in a new development, you get your first pick of what’s available. So you may be able to book the condo with the best views or one that is located in an ideal location for your needs.

Customized features

An added advantage of buying a pre-selling condo is that you can check out the home after every building phase. You will, therefore, be in a better position to determine what is faulty and needs fixing. Also, you can request changes if you don’t like some of what you see. That will enable you to enjoy design fixes that turn the condo into something more suited to your needs. Your condo will, therefore, be more comfortable for your daily residential needs when it is complete.

Flexible payment options

Opting for pre-selling condos is an act of faith on your part. But it benefits most buyers because of the low rates; it benefits the developer because it provides a ready market for the condos on sale. For that reason, you are in a better position to get alternative financing in case the bank declines your request for a loan.

Many developers are willing to consider your unique financial situation. They may offer you a discount on the deposit required for the home. Additionally, they may work with you to create a flexible payment schedule that would enable you to pay at a more comfortable pace.

When pre-selling condos are on offer, do consider them. The discounted purchase prices, flexible payment options, availability of customized features, and the equity you gain at completion, makes these condos in Capitol Commons an excellent investment.

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