What is New

The global financial crisis has not treated the normally expensive island nation favorably, to say the least. However, there are opportunities in the current situation and the considerable devaluation of the local currency has created rates that are extremely favorable for tourists and serious investors.

Many contractors and property- and automobile owners have been forced to raise cash fast as a result of the crisis and this has created some fantastic opportunities for buyers who can raise a deposit from their own funds. For those who want to travel to Iceland to enjoy the unique nature and explore investment opportunities at the same time one option is to take advantage of the over-abundance of cottages in Iceland that are for sale and rent at very reasonable prices. A new website for english speaking audiences, IcelandForSale.com, has been opened to help facilitate the buying and selling of properties, automobiles, heavy equipment and other assets at exceptional discounts.

The current exchange rate means that your purchasing power is over 70% better than it was 1 year ago. Foreign investors are buying cars and real estate left and right. Auto loan companies are reclaiming cars and heavy equipment and shipping them to other countries for sale. Foreign currency loans for properties in Iceland have more than doubled while property values have plummeted by as much as 30 percent forcing some desperate homeowners to pay black-hat dealers up to USD 25.000 to relieve them of their loans and mortgages so they can make a fresh start. They use disposable LLCs to buy the houses, pocket the money and allow the companies to go bankrupt.

Ten days after the króna plummeted, Iceland’s tourist board, airlines and tour operators launched a coordinated campaign of low fares and airfare-hotel packages to lure Americans. Signs in the airport welcomed arrivals to Half-priceland.

Before buying a wooden porch swing, it’s important to make sure that the swing you are buying meets a number of important criteria. Here is a list of what you should look for in a swing, along with some reasons why it’s important.

Hand Made – A hand made swing is certainly a must when buying a porch swing. This is because each piece is individually crafted, ensuring better cuts and a smoother finish.

Cypress – Cypress has been called the “eternal wood” because of its ability to stand up to the elements. A cypress swing is as durable as teak, while being as little as one-tenth the price! Don’t buy a swing made from exotic woods only to watch it rot on your porch.

Size – Be sure that the porch swing you choose is the correct size to fit on your porch, and to fit the number of people you expect to be swinging on it.

Accessories – Would you like your swing to have a cup holder? An interesting question, perhaps, but certainly something to think about. What will you want with you while on your porch swing? Keep that in mind when looking at what’s available.

The Porch Swings I Love Most

Of course, I have a very strong preference in porch swings. There is one particular artisan who builds beautiful, durable porch swings from Cypress. His name is Ted Leger (pronounced Lay-shay), and he’s based in Louisiana (where a lot of cypress trees grow). All of his swings are hand made, and he can ship anywhere in the USA.

Visit our blog for more information on porch swings.

You might say I learned how to market a product by a process of trial and error, error. I do not feel like I am bragging too much when I say I have been called a visionary more than once. A lot of people see me as a pioneering and innovative designer. No one sees me as particularly practical, however, and practicality is a big part of what product marketing is all about. I never really bothered to think about product launches or publicity. I would send out a few press releases, market my product through word of mouth, and assume that it would sink or swim on its own merits.

Fortunately, small business owner was not my only title. I was marketing my own inventions as a comfortable little sideline in the hopes of one day striking it rich. I took flop after flop in stride, figuring that the time just wasn’t right. It probably could’ve gone on like this forever with none of my new and innovative designs making any money in I had not met a marketing expert.

She actually took me on as sort of a pity case. She was one of the premier regional experts in product marketing and didn’t really need to work with me. Nonetheless, we bonded pretty quickly and I think she saw something innovative and promising in some of my design work. She did something almost unheard of in the industry, she agreed to do all the marketing work on spec for a cut of the profits. I guess like me, she did not really need the money. She made me her project.