It is now two years since the OGC launched ITIL (R) version 3; its best practice guidance for IT Service Management. Since the launch, the administrators of the examination scheme (APMG) have been busy getting the new qualifications scheme, leading to the ITIL Expert qualification, into shape.

But the whole thing could be dead in the water before it has even got going properly according to the most recently published figures for ITIL training. It seems that whilst the foundation course is popular for version 3, the more advanced training courses have been rather slow to take-off.

The large number of courses now required to be completed and corresponding examinations to be passed in order to obtain the expert qualification may, to a large extent, be responsible for the low demand at the intermediate level. The older V2 Service Sanager certificate could be completed, start to finish, in only 13 days whereas the new ITIL Expert qualification would now take up to 27 days to finish.

The new qualification schema is a three-level affair with a fourth level also scheduled. Of course, this new range of courses may be good for training providers, but the key question is: is it right for the market? The absence of a significant number of bums-on-seats seems to me to suggest that it absolutely is not.

In addition, whilst the V2 Service Manager certificate is live, it remains a much more attractive route to the new top-level V3 qualification for many people since it only requires eighteen days to complete from scratch; and just fifteen if you already hold a V2 Foundation certificate. This boils down to less days out of the office, lower cost and fewer exams to pass.

It is, in my opinion, time for APMG to be decisive and act immediately to support the V3 qualifications scheme. It is finally time to axe the old V2 qualifications and really get behind the new scheme.

Selling your own home is never easy, and the difficulties are more than just missing an agent. There are those memories and sense of belonging to get over, for one. You want to make sure the house you’ve lived in moves to the best buyer possible – and you want to make sure they’re willing to pay what its worth. Do you really think you can do this? A lot of people manage to sell their own home quickly. Here are some tips that might help:

Ensure that all legal issues are covered before you even think about handing your house over. Does your state law require you to give property disclosures to potential buyers? It may be a good idea to invest in a good lawyer to help you.

A lawyer is also useful for helping draw up the contract. To sell your own home you’ll need a contract that will protect both you and the buyer – think about the buyer’s deposit and the local estate laws.

A useful but underrated tip in selling your own home is make sure you pick out the best picture to put in the advertisements. Like humans, not all houses are photogenic, so choose the best angle that still represents what your house has to offer.

An agent is likely to be more experienced than you, especially in observing buyers. The large amount of potential buyers coming to your house should not convince you that everyone can finance for a house. If you’re selling a house on your own, more buyers will come in hope of a more flexible negotiation – check them all. Ask if they’re able to buy your house immediately, or do they need to sell their own house first.

Cleaning and preparing your house for home showings is only a part of your effort. Some potential buyers love to do drive-bys, and rely on that first impression. Make sure your lawn and the front part of your house is well maintained. If your curb appeal is low, clients may simply drive on.

These steps on selling your own home came from people who managed to sell their house successfully. There’s a lot to consider before you take every next step, so take your time. And remember, it’s useless to do the selling on your own if the revenue taken from not hiring an agent is spent heavily on fixing your own mistakes! Good luck in selling your home!