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When it comes to investing and building wealth, there are so many options for you to choose from, and the best investments for you depend on your personal choices, your risk tolerance, and how much you have available to invest. Everyone is different. What is right for one person isn't suitable for someone else. Getting the right financial advice and ensuring you're making sound financial decisions can help you avoid the common pitfalls of investing, watch your money grow, and not dwindle away over the years. With that in mind, this post looks at some of the most popular investment options in the US right now. Property There are approximately 22 million landlords in America right now, and most of them are mom-and-pop investors with around 1 or 2 properties each that they rent out. But if becoming a landlord isn't for you can invest in real estate in different ways. You can choose REITs, which are real estate investment trusts, which are groups that own income-generating properties and sell dividends to investors. You can choose to invest in commercial or residential properties in this way, from malls, hotels, and offices to Multifamily property investments, which are your apartment complexes. If you want a more passive method of generating an income and building wealth via real estate options, this could be the right choice for you. Alternative Investments If you want to diversify your portfolio or look for something away from the standard investment options, investing in things like gold, art, cryptocurrency, jewelry, or hedge funds, for example, can be an excellent way to generate an income or invest your money. If this piques your interest, working with brokers or private wealth management firms can help you make the right investments and avoid the common pitfalls of investing in options like this. Stocks The most common and well-known type of investment is investing in stocks. You can invest in individual stocks or dividend stocks, and what is best for you depends on a few different factors. Individual stocks are an ownership in a company. While these can offer higher returns than, say, government bonds, they also come with higher volatility. They are typically more suited for experienced investors with a higher risk tolerance and a well-diversified portfolio. Dividend stocks are regular cash payments that companies pay to shareholders. Dividend stocks are usually associated with more stable, secure, and profitable companies as opposed to your fast-growing enterprises. And while returns might not grow as fast as companies in the growth stage, the dividends are attractive for many investors and can provide a regular income. Before you make any type of investment, you need to do your research and be sure you know what the risks and returns are and you are confident in what you are investing in. There are many scams associated with investing; however, for those who want to grow their finances or generate more passive type of income, investing needs to be something you are actively doing, not just thinking about.
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Your home is a private sanctuary and it's a place where you should feel secure and not violated. When you go into your house at the end of the day and you shut the door behind you and lock it, you should feel as safe as you can be and feel confident about that. Home invasions have decreased over the last year for most people, but they are still very prevalent and they are still very much a worry. You might not think about what a home invasion could do to your home on the inside or the outside, and you might not think about the personal impact it can have on you. However with the right security screens, the right locking system and even cameras installed, you could ensure that your home feels as secure as you want it to feel. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the ways that you can make your home more secure. Image source: Pexels
You deserve to feel safe and secure within your home and these are the tips that are going to help you to do just that. Pexels
There may be a point and time in your life when you find yourself living alone. It may be by choice or maybe it’s not your first choice and it’s just something you have to deal with. In either case, it’s important that you make the most out of your situation. It’s not so bad and you may even end up liking living by yourself once you get more comfortable with the reality of it. Here you can review four tips for when you live alone so it can be a positive experience.
When you are preparing to build a new home, the likelihood is that you have hired a contractor or professional builder to do the job for you. Not everyone has the requisite skill set to complete such a large task safely and successfully, so you rely on the experts. That being said, you still need to do your due diligence and understand the basics of building to have the best outcomes and your expectations are met accordingly. Keep reading to learn more about how to be an informed consumer and partner in the building process. Image Credit Understand How Things Work You may assume that things are going to function the way you assume they will simply because an architect or builder says they are great ideas for your new home. Of course, they are experts in their respective fields, and your background may not be in the arena of building, so you rely on them. Unfortunately, that can be a grievous mistake you may regret later on. It is always good practice to conduct research yourself so you understand exactly how your choices will affect you later on when you are living in the new home. For example, if you have your heart set on a flat roof to create the perfect exterior aesthetic and clean architectural lines, you need to inform yourself about flat roof construction mistakes before signing off on the decision. A flat roof is a unique and creative choice in home building, but you need to know what you are getting into and ensure that best practices in building are followed throughout construction. Speak Up It may seem like common sense, but sometimes the whole building process can be utterly overwhelming, and you defer to the builder or foreperson. Do your best to stay informed and keep your voice throughout the build from start to finish. If there is an explanation given that seems “off” or confuses you, always ask for clarification. Bolster yourself by remembering it is your hard-earned money footing the bill for the home. They are working for you. Not the other way around. Watch this video for helpful tips on how to work with a contractor and gain a better understanding of what they do. Organize Documents and Communications There are so many moving parts, deadlines, and timeframes involved in new home construction. Unfortunately, it is easy for everyone, even the builder, to forget or overlook things from time to time. That is why keeping detailed notes of conversations and communications is essential. This way, all parties are held accountable, and there are digital and paper trails to refer back to if needed. Some vital things to track include the following:
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Take this information and make it part of your building checklist. Educate yourself on the processes, take notes, and document every step of the way. This helps to ensure you get the results you are looking for and move into your home without delay. Photo by Scott Webb: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-gray-bullet-security-cameras-430208/
Anyone who owns a home needs to know that a simple home improvement that makes a big difference is updated security. Security updates can be easy and affordable to install. With maximum security in place, you can rest assured that your home is protected and safe. Using these tips, you can find the best ways to improve your home’s security. New gates Homeowners will be surprised to know that a gate can improve home security within minutes. Installing a gate does not take a long time or cost a lot of money. Yet, it requires professional work if you want it to be durable and long-lasting. Investing in a company like Tulsa Home Guard will allow you to install professional gates so you can maximize the security of your property. Adding new gates to the front and back will offer more protection and guarantee to deter any intruders. Make your alarms visible Making the security alarms visible in your home will ensure that they can be seen by potential intruders. An intruder would be silly to attempt to enter a property when the police can be alerted in seconds. Therefore, make your alarms as visible as you can to deter intruders. Install CCTV cameras outside CCTV cameras will also work to deter intruders. When someone sees that your home is secured with surveillance cameras and you can watch them, it will make them lose interest. Although some intruders can be clever enough to cover the cameras, they will still be seen when doing so. Plus, with the other security measures in place, they can still be caught. Store spare keys in a locked, safe place Another tip to keep your home secure is to store any spare keys away in a locked, safe place. You will want them to be out of sight and difficult to find. If you leave them at a door or under a mat, they will easily be found. Locking them in a hidden box is the best bet. Lock your car away Although your car is separate from your home, you will want to keep it secure and safe at all times. Therefore, it is good to lock your car away and out of sight so that it can remain safe. It is good to lock the car in a garage, if you have one. Or, use an external unit where you can maximize its security. Doing so will guarantee that you can remain calm regarding the protection of your car. Double locks on the windows and doors Installing double locks on your windows and doors is an excellent technique if you want to make them difficult to break into. Double locks will require a special key and reduce the likelihood of someone easily entering. In conclusion, it really is simple to secure your home. Installing alarms and cameras, along with adding new gates, can be all it takes to make your home less vulnerable and more secure. If you’re looking to sell your home, then the aim is likely to get the best possible sell in the lowest amount of time. You don’t want to be waiting for the market to take notice, you want to get interest fast. To that end, you want to make sure that you’re ready to get the ball rolling. Finding the right help can make that a lot easier. Here, we’re going to look at some of the professionals that you may want to look into working with. Source - CC0 License Realtors The very first step you should take in selling your home is to find the right realtor, or real estate agent. This is the person who knows the area and recent sales, as well as bringing a decent selling record themselves. They can help you get the ball rolling in terms of getting your home valuated, putting a sale listing up online, and managing any buyers that come your way. The best realtors are active in lining up your property with the potential buyers that are most likely to show an interest in your property. Just do bear in mind that it’s usually the seller who has to pay the commission for not just your own real estate agent, but the agent helping the buyer with the purchase, too. Inspectors Your realtor might be able to hook you up with a home inspector if you ask them but, otherwise, you should take the time to find them, yourself, as well. Aside from the basic valuation you need to do of your property, you might want to take the time to hire independent home inspectors who can take a look through the property to present a report on its condition. Not only can this help highlight any issues that you might want to take the time to fix before any buyers start taking a closer look, but this level of transparency and openness can help buyers get the idea that you’re worth trusting. Some buyers will have their own property inspectors or insist that you use one, so this can help to head off those concerns, as well. Lawyers Buying or selling a house is, at its basic form, a legally binding transactional contract. You might think that sounds relatively simple and, indeed, in the best cases, it goes smoothly, without issue. However, that’s not to say that property is a legally simple matter, by any means. It’s certainly not. The process of selling itself can experience a host of legal issues, property disputes can arise, and you might be looking for legal advice on how to handle remaining property tax. Whatever the case, it’s a good idea to have some real estate legal assistance on standby. They can also offer you help during the buying process, as well, which may go hand in hand with selling your home. Source - CC0 License Storage facilities Aside from facilitating all of the necessities of selling a home, you should be thinking about how to best get it ready for the buyers, as well. One of the first steps that you want to take is to get rid of the clutter in the household. If you don’t already have a property to move your belongings to, then you might want to look at hiring a self-storage facility that can serve as the temporary accommodation of the items that might be making your property look a little too lived in. When they’re looking around, most buyers want to be able to envision their life there, and that can be difficult if there’s a little too much of you and your family still in there. Home stagers That said, you don’t want to leave a home entirely bare. There is a happy middle ground between showing off your home with all of your clutter in there and having a completely empty property. With the help of home staging services, you can rent and display furniture and decor pieces that help you show off the kind of potential life that can be shown in your home. Home staging design tends to opt towards more neutral looks, appealing ot as wide a base of buyers as possible, but chooses furniture and decor pieces that are designed to best fit and suit the space, to give the best possible image of what living there might look like. Photographers In a lot of cases, your realtor is going to take care of this part for you but, if you want to make sure the very best chances of selling your home, then you want to ensure that there are good photographs to post in your listings. A property photographer is important for making sure that you are able to accurately capture the dimensions and space available in each room, but can also play a role in showing off the curb appeal of the property and framing it against the landscape in a way that is as flattering as possible. You want to strike a balance between clear and informative portrayal of the property, but also making it look just that touch more attractive. Source - CC0 License
Repairmen One of the single best tips to help you sell your home is to make sure that it doesn’t have any lingering issues that a potential buyer is going to immediately spot. Some buyers might simply point them out with the expectation that you fix them, but some might be put off the sale by the fact that they can spot blatant issues in the first place. Find your local tradespeople to help you take care of the necessary fixes in the home, or take the time and effort to make those fixes yourself. Similarly, you may want to consider hiring a local gardener or tree service provider to help improve your curb appeal, too. Depending on the particulars of your situation ,you might not need every one of the professional services above. However, if you’re beginning the home selling process and you’re wondering what you might be missing, this is a good list to start with. Image Credit.
The real estate market is a lot of things. For starters, it’s a fantastic way to make money. Property is one of the most stable investments that you can get involved in. You’re left with a physical asset that can appreciate in value, while earning you a consistent and steady income through tenants. But real estate is also a good way to work your way to your dream home. If you want to sell your current home and make as much money as possible from it, you need to make sure that it’s attractive to potential buyers. Now, if you’ve ever bought a property before, you know what buyers are looking for. But selling a home is a different ballgame entirely. So, here are a few tips that should help you get the most value out of your home.
However, some improvements are inexpensive and can add some value. The first step is to work out what needs fixing. Even if you don’t repair these issues yourself, it’s helpful to have a list ready. If the windows, door, or roof are damaged, you should repair them. Broken windows are especially noticeable and can be an immediate red flag to a potential buyer. If there are quick fixes that you can make, such as replacing broken door handles and patching holes or cracks in the walls, these are a must. Other small repairs like broken appliances and leaky faucets will also make your home look more palatable, without breaking the bank. If a buyer notices issues that haven’t been addressed, they may wonder what else you aren’t telling them.
Ideally, you want your interior decorating to impress, without overwhelming a buyer. Many buyers just want to move in quickly, or if they do want to decorate their home, they want to put their stamp on it. A blank slate with a fresh coat of paint is often the best option. Furniture can make your home look more appealing as well, so if you haven’t moved, don’t worry about getting rid of your stuff.
While your interior might be what sells the property, as well as other features that might appeal to your buyers, you should consider a buyer’s first impression. When you walk up to your home, what’s the first thing you notice? Do you see cracked or peeling exterior walls? Do you see dirty windows? Do you see an untidy yard or driveway? Do you feel proud of your home, or do you just see chores you haven’t done yet? This is what your buyer will be thinking as well. You don’t have to go all out on your exterior, but if you make it look neat and pleasant, it immediately puts people in a more receptive position when considering buying your home.
For example, a luxury home deserves luxury estate agents. If you can find real estate agents that you can trust, they will help appropriate buyers to find your home. An estate agent should help you photograph your home to attract more people, as well as recommend it to prospective buyers who are looking for certain properties. This way, you can get in touch with more buyers who are actually relevant for your property, rather than wasting time on buyers who won’t be interested. An estate agent will also help you to show people your home, or show it themselves, and ideally guide them towards making an offer so everyone is happy. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a defined style when it comes to their home interior - for some, it is something that comes with time. But if you think your time is now, here are some tips to help you find your interior style! Photo by R ARCHITECTURE on Unsplash
Needs What you and your family need right now might not be the same in a few year's time. Something that makes a big difference is creating something that takes everyone into consideration now and in the future. Perhaps you have a toddler now, but in a few short years, they will have grown up a little. Or you have older teenagers or children in their twenties, and they are heading toward independence. Consider things like wipeable walls or reducing the amount of storage you need; you might even look into changing the purpose of some rooms - you’re best talking to a remodeling company to check the full scope of possibilities. Slow Usually, taste and style are developed over time, and that tends to mean you should take something slow. Taking it slowly and selecting individual pieces, colors, and more will slowly create your look. You might not ever realize that your style is a work in progress and coming together as you do this. Don’t try to do all of the rooms at once because you might become overwhelmed and get tunnel vision in a style that you don’t love when it is everywhere. Inspiration Not Copying It is one thing to take inspiration from magazines and Pinterest - but another thing to take everything you see and place it exactly like that in your home. As tempting as it might be to buy everything in one go - that isn’t really your style and preference. Some people do find it helpful to look at the barebone larger furniture items and add them, then finish by adding a lot of their own creative touches. It is important to keep in mind that what is presented in magazines is made to appeal to the masses and doesn’t leave a lot of room for personalization. Real You Yourhome should be where you are free to be your authentic self. If you love rainbows mixed with animal print, with velvets and gold, then do it. It can be the case that when people are worried about what others might think or don’t want to fully commit to their vision, they stick with whites, blacks, and a few splashes of color. To really find your interior design style - don’t be afraid to be who you really are to the absolute fullest. Small to Large Sometimes, all it takes is one smaller item to inspire an entire room - and this can be the same way. Spend some time looking for an item - and it could be anything - that looks how you want the room to feel. Or an item that gives you ideas and inspiration. From there, start to build up a collection of items. And one thing to remember is the details matter: Unconventional Home Improvements for a Stylish, Eco-Friendly, and Efficient Living Space. Are you on the fence about renting an apartment while you search for your dream home? Let’s be realistic. Finding your dream home can take a long time, and more often than not, you’ll be looking at several years of researching and waiting for a property to become available. So, why should you purchase a home you have no intention of keeping in the meantime? While buying or renting is a common dilemma, there are some compelling reasons to consider this option. Here are some of the best reasons why people choose to rent rather than buy and why it works for them. Unsplash - CC0 License
A stress-free move-out So, you’ve finally found your dream home and are ready to move in? Congratulations! But if you already are a homeowner, you know that you’ll have to sell to afford to buy, and this can be extremely stressful. We’ve all heard the horror stories of the chaos that can ensue when you decide to leave your own property. There is so much to do when you need to sell your home, pack your belongings, and make sure you can do everything on time. This is a daunting task filled with uncertainty. Needless to say, this can feel like a rollercoaster ride, from setting the right price to packing boxes , the process can take a toll on your nerves. However, when you live in a rented apartment, there are a lot of things you don’t need to worry about. When the time comes to move out, all you need to do is give your landlord notice and pack your bags. Typically, you won’t have to worry about packing many belongings, as renters tend to own less than homeowners. Partially furnished comfort One of the perks of renting is that many apartments come partially furnished with high-quality appliances. While, as a tenant, you are likely to need to buy furniture, there is no denying that buying a bed and a table will always be cheaper than kitchen appliances. As you don;’t need to invest in or move your own appliances, the transition is a lot smoother. You can enjoy the convenience of a fully equipped kitchen, ready-to-use washer and dryer, and even stylish bathroom without having to spend a cent. This presents many advantages from the perspective of a prospective buyer. First of all, you don’t need to purchase temporary appliances that you are unlikely to take in your dream home once you buy. Secondly, this alleviates the stress of moving in and out of a rental. Hassle-free maintenance Every homeowner knows about the cost and hassle of taking care of all the repairs and maintenance needs. But, as a tenant, you only need to pick up the phone and call your landlord to let them know that something went wrong. Whether it is a leaky faucet, a malfunctioning HVAC unit, or even a broken window, the responsibility typically falls on the landlord to fix these issues. As a tenant, this leaves you with considerably less stress, as you don’t need to worry about keeping the property in tip-top condition. In conclusion, if you are looking for a specific property that is unlikely to appear on the real estate market any time soon, you may want to move into a rented property while you wait. This will not only save you a lot of costs and hassles, but it can definitely make the transition a lot smoother when you move out. Image Credit: Jason Dent from Unsplash.
Real estate is almost always a recommended industry to get into. There are multiple ways you can get into this, ranging from investing to becoming a real estate agent. These all boast a great income, and they’ll all be interesting jobs. No matter which one you go for, you’ll want to succeed in real estate. That’s often easier said than done. With the various moving parts and multiple other factors, it can often be complicated. It could be worth using a few real estate tips to help you with this. By using them and being practical, you shouldn’t have a problem seeing success. It’s worth diving into five of the most notable of these. Succeed In Real Estate: 5 Practical Tips 1. Create A Plan For Success Nobody ever sees success without some kind of plan. You’ll need to develop this as early as possible, as well as to actually stick to it. The more comprehensive you are with your plan, the better you’ll end up. You’ll need to include quite a few things in this plan, many of which will already be obvious. Your real estate goals, strategies to make money, your unique selling proposition, and similar areas should all be covered in this. Be as detailed as possible when you’re putting this together. While not everything will go to plan, it’s still worth having this in place and trying to stick to it. 2. Network The value of networking can’t be understated in real estate. By networking, you can get to know other professionals in the industry, and many of these could help you succeed in real estate. It’s worth putting a bit of time and effort into it, and you might be surprised by the possibilities it opens up. Some people could actively help you with your career, while others could put you in touch with people who can help. Though these mightn’t pay off straight away, they could help you more and more in time. Your real estate career could end up skyrocketing because of it. You’ve no reason not to network. 3. Know Your Terminology No matter what kind of real estate you focus on, it’ll come with quite a bit of terminology. A lot of this can be confusing if you don’t know anything about it. While some terms could be obvious, others will be far from it. Make sure you know about them from the start of your real estate career. If you’re focusing on funding, for example, you’ll need to know about a side letter agreement in private equity. Spend some time researching all of the terminology you need to know, as well as what they actually refer to. 4. Find Out What People Want If you’re focusing on the customer side of real estate, you’ll need to consider what people want in their properties. Even if you plan on investing, you’ll have to keep on top of various trends. A lot of this focuses on what people want. You’ll need to deliver this if you want to succeed in real estate. The better you can deliver this, the more likely it is you’ll see success long-term. While that could mean making some adjustments every once in a while, it’ll be more than worth it. You should see more and more success in the future. 5. Have Some Savings Even when you’re on the road to success in real estate, there’ll be a few tough times. You mightn’t generate as much revenue as you would’ve thought. Your income could be relatively tight. It’s worth being prepared for these times, as they can be too difficult to get through if you’re not. Having some savings to rely on during these times is recommended. Hopefully, the lean times shouldn’t last too long, and you wouldn’t need to rely on your savings too much. Make sure you have enough to last you a few months, and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Succeed In Real Estate: Wrapping UpIf you want to succeed in real estate, you’ll need to be prepared to put the work in. That’s the case no matter what kind of career you’re planning on having in the industry. Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be as overwhelming as you’d think. All you could need are a few real estate tips. Focusing on these and being practical should be more than enough to help you see success. With some time and effort, you’ll end up seeing more success than you would’ve thought. |
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