Allied Van Lines Announces 'Curb Appeal Quick Fix' Contest Winners

Allied Van Lines Announces 'Curb Appeal Quick Fix' Contest Winners

HGTV Design Expert Weeds Through Thousands of Home Spruce-Up Tips

CHICAGO, July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Good first impressions can help sell a home quickly; they also can help score a $5,000 grand prize. That was the case for Denise Cosgrove of Snohomish, Wash., whose curb appeal tips were selected by landscape design expert Daniel C. Owens as the winning entry from almost 1,000 entries in Allied Van Lines' "Curb Appeal Quick Fix" contest.

Owens, who is featured on Home & Garden Television's (HGTV) "Curb Appeal" show, said Cosgrove's entry stood out for many reasons. "Denise's ideas were very imaginative and I really liked the way she described creating curb appeal as a 'work of heart,'" Owens said.

Cosgrove, who received a $5,000 Lowe's(R) Gift Card for her winning entry, recommends using foliage, in color combinations of burgundy, gold and chartreuse, to make plantings "pop." She also suggests changing potted plantings with the seasons to add interest. Finally, Cosgrove proposes creating whimsical topiary by using chicken wire with moss and sedum plants.

"The creativity shown by contestants was inspiring," Owens said. "When we reach out to neighbors to share ideas on making our homes more appealing, we are doing our part to create a true community and the enthusiasm becomes contagious."

Cosgrove's submission was one of almost 1,000 entries submitted to Allied Van Lines between April 18 and May 31. Contestants were asked to submit their top five ideas to create curb appeal for about $500 and a weekend's worth of time.

"I am delighted my entry won, and I'm grateful to Allied for running such a terrific contest," Cosgrove said. "It's been such a joy for me turning my home and yard into something that not only my family enjoys, but something my neighbors get a kick out of too. It's really about creating heart and making people feel welcome."

Second-prize winner Melisa Shreve of Lone Oak, Texas, suggests first buying a good pair of gloves to keep hands protected during yard cleanup. With five kids of her own, she recommends getting the family involved. Shreve suggests adding decorative wooden trim around windows and doors and giving it a good coat of paint. Finally, she brings nature to her front doorstep by hanging bird feeders decorated by her kids. Shreve can buy all the gloves she wants with the $1,000 Lowe's(R) Gift Card she received.

Third-prize winner Carole Robinson of Wytheville, Va., has remodeled four homes in the last decade, so she speaks from experience. Robinson proposes giving all interior window coverings a uniform appearance to welcome guests and potential buyers. She also suggests adding fun, colorful accents, such as the playful goat ceramic planter with bright flowers she has outside her adobe-style home. Robinson received a $500 Lowe's(R) Gift Card for her contest submission.

"I have used most of these ideas myself to create a very special home that stands out on my block," Owens said. "The best aspect of these entries is that they are cost- and time-effective. With only a small financial commitment and a weekend of work, we can breathe new life into the exteriors of our homes."

With much of the summer season left, home sellers or those just looking to spruce up their homes have plenty of time to take the advice offered by Allied's contest winners.

According to Allied Van Lines, selling a home is often the first, and most stressful, step of the moving process. The company's "Curb Appeal" tips provide sellers a way to give their homes an instant facelift and demonstrate Allied's commitment to making the relocation process as painless as possible for the millions of Americans moving this season.

To view photos of the grand-prize winner's ideas for creating "Curb Appeal," go to http://www.allied.com/CurbAppeal/CurbAppealPics.aspx . For more designer tips and to receive a FREE Creating Curb Appeal brochure, visit http://www.allied.com/ .

NOTE: LOWE'S(R) and the GABLE MANSARD DESIGN are registered trademarks and service marks of LF, LLC. Lowe's is not affiliated with Allied Van Lines.

About Allied Van Lines

Established in 1928, Allied Van Lines, with more than 500 agent locations in North America, is an experienced leader in household goods moving and specialized transportation services. Allied is one of the established global brands of SIRVA, Inc., (NYSE:SIR), a leader in providing relocation services to corporations, consumers and governments around the world. For more information about Allied Van Lines, visit http://www.allied.com/ .

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not historical, but are made based on management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon SIRVA, Inc. and its subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those anticipated by management. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, including without limitation those described under the caption "Business-Investment Considerations" and other risks described in our 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other reports we submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. We do not intend, and are under no obligation, to update any particular forward-looking statement included in this release.

Source: Allied Van Lines

CONTACT: Judy Wohlt, Director, Corporate Communications, office +1-630-468-4886, or cell +1-630-802-1299, or Alana Hartman, Associate, Corporate Communications, +1-630-468-4776, both for Allied Van Lines

Web site: http://www.allied.com/ http://www.allied.com/CurbAppeal/CurbAppealPics.aspx

------- Profile: Ent