Three Ways to Increase Property Values

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Real estate investors live and die by their ability to add value. With no added value, there are no profits. This is true with any business, but what makes real estate such a great business and a great investment, is the number of ways you can add value and cash in on big profits. Here are three ways you can add value to your properties.

Upgrades and Repairs: OK, this is the obvious one and is the reason fix and flippers can make money. Some repairs add a lot more value than it costs to do. The more creative you are with the improvements, the more value you can add. For example, I have a client that adds square footage to every house he buys. He really likes the inner city properties because they are the hardest to add square footage. You either need to finish an unfinished basement, or add a second story. There is not typically enough land on the lot to add an addition by increasing the foot print of the property. This client does a lot of basement finishes and “pop tops,” but where he has made the most money is the basement that is only 5 or 6 feet deep. He will go in and dig out the basement to a full 8 or 9 foot height and then finish it. Something most investors would not think of, so he is able to get the deal most other investors pass on. I have also seen some investors find houses that don’t really fit into a neighborhood and they make them fit. This could be limited bedrooms or bathrooms or funky floor plans. All of that can be changed. Obviously many cosmetic fixes like kitchens and bathrooms add a lot of value too. There is a lot more to it than this, but the idea is to buy a property at its true ‘as is’ value, (don’t over pay), and then add value with the repairs and upgrades.

Owner Finance: I love this one because it is so easy to add value with very little to no work. You will need to wait to cash in on your profits, but it is a way to increase a sell price significantly. You can also use this strategy to defer tax gains over a few years, instead of taking a big hit all in one year. When you have a property for sale there are a limited number of buyers for the house, although right now that pool of buyers seems pretty big. If you can increase the pool of buyers, the demand for that one house increases, which forces the price to go up. Someone that cannot qualify for an ordinary loan, limiting the supply of houses to choose from for that buyer, will likely buy your property. That also increases the price. You are adding value by giving them the chance to own a home that they normally would not be able to own. For this value, you should be compensated with a higher price and a decent interest rate on the profits, while you wait for the buyer to refinance and pay you off in full.

Shared Units: This is one area of real estate that I have not dabbled in, but it is extremely inviting. The idea here is to sell your property to multiple buyers. You are seeing this a lot in resort towns. It is always a vacation or second home. Have you ever been to a time share presentation? They are pretty enticing aren’t they? About 13 years ago my ex wife and I were in Florida and got sucked into a time share sales pitch. We decided to go because they offered us free tickets to Disney. We sat there for about an hour and a half and then the hard sale came. They were very good at selling the “idea” of the time share and had my ex wife sold. She asked me to move forward with the deal, but I could not bring myself to do it. I told her that I was not comfortable with an emotional purchase and that we needed time to think it through. “Can I please have our Disney tickets?” was my response. As we rode back to the hotel that afternoon, I started thinking about the math. Each unit can be sold to 52 different people because your purchase only gets you 1 week a year. Add that to the annual maintenance fees and the numbers are staggering. I know people who have flipped time shares successfully, because you can get them for free or near free on Craigslist, but it is not an investment I was interested in. With that said, I have considered doing a half or quarter share on a house in a ski town in Colorado. In this scenario, you are sharing a house with 1 to 3 other people so there is a ton more flexibility. You can use or rent out your weeks and you can be guaranteed valuable high demand weeks every year. It is a way to get a second home without the full expense. From the seller’s point of view, it is a way to get more for the house. ½ a share of a house is going to cost the buyer more than ½ of the fair market value. I have seen business plans from investors that would buy a house and quarter share it out. The idea was that after they improved the property and sold ¾ of the house to 3 different buyers, they would own the last ¼ free and clear. Obviously this strategy will work best in areas where people want second homes. The downside is if there are any improvements or major issues. I can see there being disagreements, so this is something you would want, as a buyer, to work out with all the other owners in writing before you buy.

Maintaining Healthy Relationship With Office Colleagues

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As an employee, you will be spending maximum hours of a day at the workplace. In a professional world, as contacts expand, it is equally important to build a good relationships with co-workers. Since company environment will always be a mix of people from various backgrounds, getting along with all of them can seem a herculean task. Employers today want individuals who are good at building relationships, communicating efficiently and gel well with the team. Here are ways using which you can build healthy relationships with colleagues and develop better association with them.

Learn more about your colleagues

Get to know more about your colleagues by asking them about their dreams and values. You can have open conversations with them during coffee breaks and learn about their background, knowledge or skills they own. Observe what type of conversations they prefer and encourage sharing of new ideas in the group. Invite them for a team lunch or an outing to build the right camaraderie and foster relationships.

Have mutual respect

When you are working in a team, allow every member to share his/her thoughts on a particular topic. It shows that their opinions are given the same value as much as of others. This facilitates creativity among the members and helps to build strong relations right from the root as a courtesy is expected to be followed.

Communicate effectively

Be professionally honest and positive when you talk to others. Even if you are pressing a point during discussion, be ready to listen to what others want to say as they might bring out a different perspective on the topic. Never have a ‘know it all’ attitude or be arrogant in front of co-workers. Also, if you have initiated a discussion, encourage others to participate in it.

Be a helper

It might happen that a colleague is staying beyond the work hours or showing up early to complete a project. You can try to help him/her in ways that are possible without jeopardizing your own assigned task. If you are a giver, then there will be greater chances of receiving help when faced with a problem. This is one of the most appreciated qualities in an employee and goes a long way in building successful relations.

Avoid being part of a group

One should try to mingle with all employees at the workplace rather than sticking to only people who fall in your age group. Do not be consistently with people who are in your vicinity or have similar interests. Try to branch out to various employees and get on a comfort level with them. In this way, you can learn more from experiences and avoid being biased. As a result, you will not feel alienated in unexpected situations.

Become trustworthy

When you start working in an organization, you are expected to deliver projects on time and even meet critical deadlines. At such times, how you manage responsibilities and handle targets would be important. You can try collaborating with other colleagues who have expertise on that subject for help. However, if due to certain circumstances you are unable to meet the target, or will be missing the completion date, communicate the same to the concerned person along with a valid reason.

Show appreciation

If you have received help from other to accomplish a task, do not forget to thank that person and give him/her due credits. Praising your colleague and speaking positive things about him/her can go a long way in building healthy relationship with fellow workers.

Connecting with your co-workers and building healthy relationships with them bring out the best in you and also give job satisfaction. Maintain a polite and cheerful attitude at the workplace. If you are on friendly terms with your colleagues in the office, then it acts as a support system, which can help in boosting your performance.

All You Need To Know About Personal Loans

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Loans are of several types. It can be classified according to the needs of the person. Suppose, if one wants a loan for his/her home, he/she should take a home loan. If the person needs money to fulfill the educational needs he/she shall be allowed the educational loan. Other types of loans are personal loan, payday loan, etc. However, when one is considering to take a loan he /she should keep in mind that the interest rates for all the types of loans do differ. In this article we shall be dealing with the personal loan and will try to find out how one can get a loan.

A personal loan is something that you might need at any moment for buying anything of your choice. This can be a television, a fridge or even a designer dress that you have come across in the shop. This can be the medical expenses that crops up immediately without any notice. Anything and everything can fit into the personal loan bill.

To apply for a loan one needs to have a good credit. This will make the loan approval process quicker. If one is having a bad credit score then the chances of getting a loan are much less. So, when you apply for a loan make sure you have a clean credit report.

A bank would take time to approve for a loan as they check all details before finally saying you “Yes”. If you want a loan fast you can apply to those financing institutions that offer loans quickly. The crucial point of choosing these organizations over the banks is that they might charge high interest rates, although all the some are an exception in this case. And of course it is better as the process is fast and hassle free when you are really in need of money.

If you are applying for the loans please be sure to go through the terms and conditions of the loans. This will make sure that you are aware of what you are agreeing to pay.

What are the things you need to be careful about?

Be careful about the repayment terms. We advise you not to go for long term loans. There are certain companies which charge hidden amounts and you will never know what you are paying for. So, make sure that you do not fall into their trap. Always take a bill when you pay them so that you have a proof of the money you have paid.

How You Should Process Your Short Term Loans

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Borrowing money makes a decisive difference, especially when you are struggling through the times of financial emergencies. Small time loans like the Short Term Loans are one of the quick and convenient cash credit alternatives that you can and should consider to ameliorate your ongoing emergency financial crisis. These loans improve your credit score too, but again; you need to be a bit judgmental of other prerequisites and options.

Short Term Loans and the Credit Score – Understanding the Basic Scenario

Short term small loan applications usually show up in your credit report. If you had applied for these loans few months back, then your credit score reflects this option. Furthermore, all the repayments made towards the loan will highlight in your credit profile. Making the repayments on short term loans will show you in positive light before the lender. He will have trust, and you will enjoy peace of mind.

Short Term Loans Improve the Credit Score

Short term loans help to improve the credit rating. However, availing the loans is still a risky process, and you need to have an Argus-eye over it.

In general cases, the interest rates charged on these loans are considerably high. If you are confident of making the payments within lender’s designated time period, it will not cause any hindrance. But the longer you delay in paying-off the loans, the costlier these loans turn out. There comes a time when you might even repent your decision of having applied for cash advance for the sake of improving the credit score.

Instead of going for a short term loan to boost your credit rating, there are better ways to move the credit worthiness. What you have to do is to look for alternatives, rather than making a rash decision in an instant. Taking out a credit for the sake of credit is something that needs proper research and analysis too.

Having a good credit score is necessary, since it reflects your credibility as a borrower. A not so good credit score on the other has a negative impact, as it severely affects the flow of credit in the future.

Improving Your Credit Score: Placing the Sound Methodologies

Just because you are having a bad credit, it does not entirely mean the end of the road. You can still improve the credit score. Here are two legitimate points to look into:

  • Clearing outstanding debt by paying on time – Clearing your dues on time will maintain your credit score over a long period of time. If you are having outstanding debts, make sure to minimize them. This certainly helps to improve the rating.
  • Building a solid credit history – For first time borrowers, with no credit history, it is essential to build a good credit history. To increase the credibility, it becomes necessary to limit the expenses, and if you had availed loans and there are arrears, you must ensure to clear them. Paying off the debts within stipulated time frame is way to success.

Credit rating helps the borrowers to gain advantage and secure loans and debts. Good credit ratings help borrowers to borrow money. The methodologies you apply to improve your credit ratings will make huge difference in score records.

Jean Grey Costumes

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Marvel and comic books like DC comic have given rise to superheroes and superheroines. X-Men series, for example, has seen many superheroes and superheroines, and one such character is Jean Grey. The outstanding feature with these superheroes is that they each have a signature dress code or outfit that is specific to them and their style. This, therefore, helps fans associate and even takes part in dressing like their favorite superhero for various reasons, like superhero costume play parties and such.

Jean Grey different Cosplay costumes.

The character has gone through some changes throughout the X men series regarding both the supernatural capabilities and dressing style. As discussed above, the type of costume worn is a representation of their psychic powers. For example, during the split of the X men team to gold and blue side, Jean made a remarkable change, donning in a gold team outfit that is still one of the most popular of her costumes.

The other famous costume is the one she used in the original X men movies where she had a yellow mask, red wig, yellow boots and gloves, a belt with an X buckle and a spandex body suit that was either blue or black; it often would change colors. This is one of the costumes that is up to date loved by many costume players worldwide.

Then came the more feminine costume that is also loved by many, the costume was changed to a cute green dress that man made her look sassy. Most of the other outfits like the yellow mask, gloves, and belt remained.

The Phoenix series Jean’s outfit comes up as a significant part this costumes art, there are Phoenix and dark phoenix outfits that differ in color and phoenix sizes. There is green outfit and a small golden bird at the top in Phoenix, while in Dark Phoenix, the costume is red, and the bird covers the upper chest. These dresses have long gold gloves and boots that are thigh high.

There are other costumes like the X factor costumes where she wore a green body suit that has an X across the upper side of the body, running from shoulder to shoulder.The yellow gloves and boots still are still on.

Conclusion

These are some of the many character costumes of Jean Grey who has gone through tremendous changes all through. Make a decisive choice on what to purchase for your costume play, by researching all the available Jean’s character outfits in the stores.

The Mercedes Tuning – What Are The Reasons To Tune Your Vehicle?

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We are very well aware of the shooting fuel prices in the market. Hence, it is crucial to tune your Mercedes, so that it delivers great mpg. There are many reasons of the Mercedes tuning like better acceleration, enhanced torque, great economy, more power, healthier engine etc.

We have seen rapid growth in the technology in the field of automobiles. The super chip tuning technology is developed especially for the premium cars like Mercedes. The tuning is efficient for both the petrol and diesel version of car. It will ensure that your car gives best performance without any hassle.

Importance of tuning

Once the vehicle is tuned, it will reduce the emission and improve the performance by 15%. It is quite obvious that tuning will help your vehicle in multiple ways. However, you must tune the vehicle timely to avoid any inconvenience. The experts recommend visiting to the mechanic once in three months. The professionals will make sure that none of the part needs repairing.

As the fuel prices have increased, so does the dependency on vehicles. It is crucial to keep your car in good shape. If you maintain the car properly, then the car will run efficiently for long years without any hassle. Else, it would require regular repairing that will ultimately lead to lower mpg and reduce the performance.

What to consider while tuning the exhaust system?

The exhaust system of the Mercedes includes a front pipe, exhaust manifold, catalyst converter, silencer, exhaust tip and tail pipe. While tuning the system, muffler is the easiest to deal. The professionals will replace the stock muffler with high performance muffler.

As a result, you will get a free flow exhaust system. You must keep in mind that the inlet and outlet pipe of the muffler is of the same size as front and tail pipe. Check out the diameter of tail and front pipe. They must have same dimensions for better performance. Other terms of the exhaust system is a little complicated to understand. You must have knowledge of the engine’s power band, exhaust back pressure and usable RPM.

If excessive pressure is produced by the system, then it will have a negative impact on the performance of the engine. This will restrict the flow of exhaust gases. As a result, the engine will be inefficient to expel exhaust gases. Ultimately, it would lead to much reduced engine power.

Dos and the don’ts

Make sure that you never attach pea-shooter instead of the exhaust system to the engine. You must also not install a 10 inch wastewater pipe. In case the exhaust pipe is big enough, then it will lead to much reduced flow velocity of the gases. You have to keep in mind to get the exhaust back pressure perfect.

While tuning the exhaust system, the professionals aim to increase the power of the engine by the right exhaust tuning.

Best Styling Tips For Newly Wedded Brides Who Want To Resume Work

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Some of the common questions which pop up in the newly wedded bride’s mind are:

Should I change my dressing style completely?

Should I accessorize differently?

What jewellery should I wear to work?

If you are also facing such problems, then here is a detailed guide for you that will help you understand that how newly wedded brides can style themselves while going to office after the wedding.

Try Skirts or Tunics

If you did not use to wear skirts to the office before, you can give a try to them now after the wedding. Wearing a long skirt with a tank top, or a long fitted tunic can give you a new look. You can pair your skirt with a stylish yet light dupatta or scarf.

Also, you can try more professional look by pairing the pencil and formal skirt with a shirt or top. Here the key to look good is to festoon or enhance your dress with an apt selection of jewellery or accessories.

Look Out For Formal Yet Classy Dresses

These days, you can get a variety of formal outfits which can be worn in the office. You can try some outfits in the pastels because such dresses get enhanced with the accessories and look outstanding. By pairing them with the right set of bright accessories, you can attain a perfect contrasting look.

Wear Ethnic Dresses

One of the range of apparels in which you can get unlimited variety and styles is the ethnic one. You can find an array of kurtas, tunics, kurtis etc., which can be paired with pallazos, leggings as well as denims.

By accessorizing well, you can flaunt your ethnic style in a completely new way. If you don’t want to invest in precious jewellery, you can try fusion jewellery or some funky & colourful pieces of jewellery.

Experiment With The Jewellery

One of the pieces of jewellery that newly wed’s are accustomed to wear is the mangalsutra. But, nowadays, instead of wearing it as a neck piece, the girls prefer stylish and classy mangalsutra worn like a bracelet on the wrist.

Precious Diamond Jewellery

You can choose contemporary, sleek and stylish jewellery pieces made with diamonds like sleek necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets to enhance your look. Diamond looks good with every dress and gives you a very sophisticated look.

Invest In A Stylish Watch

One of the best ways to enhance your looks and attain a contemporary style is by investing in a stylish watch. A watch is one of the best accessories that can be flaunted with any dress and jewellery, and it will enhance your look dramatically.

With these styling tips, you can completely change your style and look trendy after marriage.

Tips to Planning Your Honeymoon on a Budget

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A wedding is not a cheap exercise. You may have been saving for months or more to get the wedding of your dreams, but what about your honeymoon. When planning a wedding, you always want to leave some of your budget for your honeymoon but when you look at the cost of booking a venue, caterers, flowers, entertainers and even a wedding gown, you will soon find that your honeymoon budget has reduced.

Not everyone has the benefit of being able to go on honeymoon without a budget, which is why you need to have some idea on what you can afford before you start shopping sound. The first step to planning a honeymoon on a budget is to know what your budget is. Your budget should include travel, accommodation, food, drink and experiences to ensure you have a memorable time and the perfect start as your new life together.

That being said, it is always advisable to start saving as soon as possible to push your budget up slightly, though all-inclusive deals may be the best option for you to help your money go further and gel you save on your budget, so that everything is included and all you have to worry about is food, drink and entertainment, or in some cases just your drink and entertainment. It’s something to think about. There is nothing that says you have to go straight from your wedding reception to your honeymoon, you can wait a couple of weeks or months and then go on your honeymoon to ensure you have a big enough budget to relax and enjoy yourself.

The next tip is to look at the honeymoon travel deals and offers that are currently available. It is at this point you may want to look at online travel companies that work with resorts throughout the world and can offer you a type of holiday experience that you will both enjoy. Ideally the company should provide city, sea and snow breaks, so you can choose the one you feel is the best match for you. Have a good look through the honeymoon travel deals that they provide, identifying their costs and see if anything appeals to you that you feel is the romantic getaway that you deserve.

It is always advisable when planning your honeymoon on a tight budget to look at out of season times. Even if you are getting married in the heat of summer and you want to go to a seaside resort, consider midweek or out of school holidays, where resorts and hotels are more likely to drop their prices to fill rooms. Here you can find value for money deals that has you staying in top quality resorts at prices you can afford.

If you are planning your honeymoon on a budget, then the shorter your honeymoon the better. Yes, it’s fantastic to imagine a few weeks or a month away together to spend your first few weeks as a married couple, but you have to be realistic in terms of your budget. You an easily enjoy yourself for a full week, enjoy a spectacular location and five star hotel within your budget. Who says you can’t have more than one honeymoon and if you had your heart set on a longer honeymoon, split it up into budgeted experiences over a period of time.

Another tip when planning your honeymoon on a budget is to not travel too far. If you live in the United Kingdom then travel within your own country or head over to Spain or France, which are easily accessible and affordable for travel so that you can make your budget go a little bit further.

What to Look for When Buying Pearls – Top Tips

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Here are some top tips for things to look for when you’re buying pearls.

Please note, there is no discussion here relating to increasing in value over time – i.e. an investment. Generally speaking, it is unwise to consider the purchase of any type of jewellery from an investment viewpoint because values can rise or fall over time.

Check to see if the pearl has been artificially colored

This isn’t, in itself, necessarily a problem. Typically though, purists will look for naturally colored pearls and they might well command higher prices.

Things that might indicate the pearl has been artificially colored include:

  • color seemingly “wearing off” the outer shell;
  • a very dark core (indication of possible irradiation to change colours);
  • a very visible stratification of colour change on the inside of the pearl.

The final two above assume your pearl has a drill hole that you can look into with magnification.

Examine the regularity and symmetry of shape
Tiny irregularities of shape can be seen or felt – and that’s typically a good sign.If your pearl is perfectly round and perfectly smooth over its surface, then you’re probably looking at an artificial not natural (whether wild or cultured) pearl made from synthetic materials.

However, even if you have a real pearl, remember that significant deformations and irregularities may (or should) reduce the value if they’re particularly evident or severe.

Look at the lustre

Peals may vary in both body colour (their background colour) and their overtones (a surface shimmer of colour). Some may not have an overtone and that is not a problem. A lot will depend upon your own colour preferences.

However, this is very difficult to describe but look for pearls that gently shine. If they’re a dull matt finish it might indicate that there has been some damage (e.g. poor cleaning techniques with acid) that has taken the lustre off.

That can hugely reduce both value and appearance.

Read the advertisement’s wording carefully

Terms used in some pearl advertisements which may mislead (intentionally or otherwise):

“Pearls from Japan“. That phrase would be true for pearls farmed in say China, shipped to Japan and then sold-on from there. Look for “farmed in Japan” to be sure – if that’s what you’re looking for;

“Certified“. By whom? To what recognized standards? Remember, a label attached to your pearls means nothing if it’s just the seller’s.

“Real pearls“. That should exclude synthetics but it’s ambiguous in terms of whether your pearls are natural (i.e. found in the wild – which is VERY rare today and they’re very expensive too) or cultured.

“AAAA Grade“. Gradings are not standard across the globe or universally recognized. Trust some of the other tips on this page and your own common sense.

Price

Typically, if all other things are roughly equal, from most to least expensive pearls run:

  • natural/wild (sea);
  • cultured (sea);
  • freshwater;
  • synthetics.

If you see cultured pearls advertised at a price close to a set of essentially plastic ones, then something’s gone wrong and you should be sceptical.

Summary
  • If you have any doubts, you should contact an expert retailer for advice and guidance.
  • It might save you money and disappointment downstream.

5 Situations When Personal Loans Can Save the Day

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With a rock solid credit history, you can successfully apply for personal loans and expect a swift processing of the same for meeting temporary financial glitch in life. Personal loans are all-purpose loans that can be availed as secured or unsecured loans. These can be used for multiple reasons and the purpose need not be disclosed ever to the lender.

The interest rate of loan depends on the tenure and credit score of the borrower. These can be drawn for a few months to several years as per your requirement.

5 situations when you can use personal loans as a smart financial move:

  1. When you have immediate cash needs: It is practical to use short-term personal loans to bridge the shortage of funds in your life. You can use the funds to support any of the sudden cash emergencies like medical expenses, home repair or funding a foreign trip. The purpose of loan doesn’t affect its interest rate, however your income and duration of loan does. All you need here in a planning stage is to have a strong back up plan for repaying the loan. The repayment will improve your credit score and add to your future worth at the same time.
  2. To avoid bad credit situation: In case you have lost a job or face a sudden spurt of personal expenses such as a wedding or some other expense in your life, you can take recourse on personal loans. Bad credit is a situation you should always avoid. If you have shortage of funds, rather than missing a loan repayment you can borrow some funds. The idea is to not let the score fall for temporary financial challenges.
  3. Consolidate multiple payments: When you have multiple payments to be made every month, it is better to simplify the process by consolidating the loan into one personal loan. By consolidating loans, you just have to pay a single repayment and that will pay for other loans. Availing short-term loans for bad credit is a practical means to mend mounting debts and save a financial mess.
  4. Additional funding for students: Being a student it is not always easy to keep a track on your expenses. Sometimes you need funds for reasons that your education loan misses to pay for. Herein you can apply for short-term loans for students as these are readily available. The short-term loan can also be used as a right way for building a good history.
  5. Business funding: Every new start-up or a business entity needs positive inflows. You need to maintain adequate supply of funds for maintaining sound terms with your suppliers and business associates. The short-term personal loans can be used as business loans to keep the flexibility of operations in your business.

In all of the above cases, personal loans can be used to better manage your finances. However it is prudent that you carefully read terms and conditions of a loan agreement and do not sign a very expensive loan. In case you find yourself unable to make a mind on the loan terms, you should contact a loan broker for a financial advice. He would guide you on the ways to manage your funds and keep your credit score healthy.