Florida Estates and the Big wigs who live in them
December 31st, 2009 by msj484Florida is home to US main land’s most spectacular beaches. For some bit of history, the state is the 27th admitted to the United States and is known to be the “Sunshine State” for it’s generally warm climate. Because of the tropical climate and the scenic beaches, the state of Florida is also a favorite of a lot of big celebrities. Others who can’t forget the charms of this state, eventually decides to purchase a piece of property on this state alien to snow.
Below are just some famous personalities who live in their posh Florida homes and estates.
John Travolta – Living in Jumbolair, next to Ocala Florida
Tennis legend Maria Sharapova lives in Bradenton, Florida
P Diddy lives in Miami Beach, Florida
Horror fiction writer, Stephen King, lives in Sarasota, Florida.
There are of course so many other celebrities who live in the Sunshine State. And obviously, they all know that purchasing a property and building their estates in Florida is a valuable investment, regardless of the hurricanes.
Read that fine print!
December 30th, 2009 by msj484
In almost every undertaking that we do concerning transactions involving money, we find ourselves having to sign a piece of paper for documentation. Regardless if you are just signing up with a new cable tv provider, purchasing home appliances, getting confined at a hospital or purchasing insurance policies – these transactions, in order to be legally binding and recognizable needs to be documented. However, most the agents of these companies who so smoothly talked us into these deals are sadly, almost always, are just willing to tell us all about the good stuff. These good stuff, though, are mostly too good to be true. But they were trained to sell to us using the things that appeals to us most and the lines we so want to hear, like “No annual fee”, “Fixed APR” to name just a few.
After the very enticing sales pitch, they then hand us over a bunch of papers that requires our signature. With too many things written, too little time and sometimes even if we do have time, there’s too many technical terms in there; very few are reading the fine print prior to affixing their signatures on these documents.
The only reason that we have to read the fine print is for us to be very certain of what we are getting ourselves into. Vehicle insurance companies insisting on full coverage, comprehensive insurance seldom cover natural disasters also termed as Acts of God. While card companies stating fixed rate actually meant that it will be fixed as long as you comply with your contract requirements. If you missed on even just a single monthly payment, according to the fine print, you have to say goodbye to your fixed APR as it then becomes variable.
Finally the real selfish thing that is written in the fine print that we all unwittingly agree to all the time is the line that says: “Terms of the contract are subject to change without prior notice.”
So next time you find yourself faced in the same situation, read every thing and consult someone who is well versed in that arena. List down your questions and discuss each with your agent before affixing your signature on that piece of paper.
Sell your house at the best price possible
December 29th, 2009 by msj484
We are all more that aware of the effects of the global financial crisis. But regardless if there is a crisis or not, buyers of house and lot properties will always ask for a lower price. So how do you sell your house for the most money? Below are my two cents.
- Repairs – this is a major killer when it comes to bargaining for the best price. Once buyers see something that is not working well or that needs to be replaced or well, repaired; they will definitely tell you and that translates to them asking you to bring down your asking price again. So before you let them come over, make sure that your house is at its best condition, remember, if you were on the buyers’ shoes, you will most likely behave the same way.
- Benefits – During the tour, mention all the great features of the property that would be beneficial for your buyers. You can certainly mention the list of good schools around the area if they have kids, or the proximity of the property to the hospital, the mall or the groceries, and the fire and police station. Make sure you do your homework of course, so draft down a list of benefits for a better pitch.
I’m sure there are more ways to get an amount at least close to your asking price. If you have broker friends, they would surely be a great help. But for now, those are just the 2 tips I have for you.
To build or to buy?
December 28th, 2009 by msj484
Nowadays, regardless of whether there is a financial crisis or not, when we are talking about our hard earned money and how to use it, we have to always be certain. If we cannot be hundred percent sure, we need to make sure that we are taking calculated risks.
One big decision you will be making at some point in your life is the choice of building or buying a house to call your home. While buying a house may seem more convenient as opposed to building it from scratch, there are still other things you need to consider before you can concretely decide on whether to really just buy or build the house.
First thing you have to consider is your budget and the design and actual specifications you want to go with the house. While others may be lucky to find a ready built house that fits their budget and suits their liking, what we are certain of is that that situation is more of an exemption rather than the rule. Going back to your budget, if you are buying, remember that aside from the actual cost of the house, you of course will still have to allot money for the taxes as well as other incremental charges that goes with the transfer of title. Sometimes you may still have to pay the brokers, although, of course, it is the seller who is responsible for paying the broker. Other things you may find yourself shelling out cash for would be things in the house that may already require some minor, or worse, major repairs.
Second thing you need to consider is your ability to do the work yourself, in case you gravitate more towards building the house. If you are able to the general contracting, planning or if you have someone in your family or circle of friends who can actually help you out from drafting the plan to the execution, that would sure knock off a big chunk of expenditures that would otherwise be spent on contractors and engineers.
There are so many other things that you need to consider but those are just the most important from my point of view.
VoIP Benefits
December 27th, 2009 by msj484The advent of Internet technology has become a major breakthrough not only in terms of sourcing information, but also in terms of communication. VoIP, short for Voice over IP (Internet Protocol) has enabled a lot of companies, particularly BPOs (Business Process Outsourcing) to create and maintain contact centers with minimal costs, thereby increasing revenue and benefits to employees.
Essentially, VoIP enables the calls to be made over the internet by converting the voice to digital signal and the other way around. It may seem and look like an ordinary phone but the handset is linked to the sound card of a computer.
Aside from slashing your overseas call bills, the VoIP system has many add-ons, such as:
- call forwarding – never miss a call again with call forwarding. Whether you are at home or somewhere else, you’re important calls can sure reach you.
- call waiting – same with any home phone features.
- call blocking - you can now get rid of pesky telemarketers by activating this feature.
- local number portability – travel outside of the country and still get the calls you’re supposed to receive.
- fax
- conference calling – no need to call relatives one after the other, you can make an update one time big time.
- last number re-dial
Those are the features of having VoIP with the corresponding benefits to you.
How to bring up your credit score
December 26th, 2009 by msj484
Having a poor credit score can have a lot of negative effects, one of which of course, is that you won’t be qualified to take out loans. But don’t fret, there are some ways you can redeem yourself and bring up your scores. Here are a few things you can do to remedy the situation.
- Due date adjustment – Check out all the things you have to pay for and see if there is a way you could consolidate these debts. Sometimes you can work it out with the companies you owe money to, since others are able to meet you half way to adjust your due date. Having a lot of bills that are due on different dates makes it easy to forget these payments. Remember, missing payments translates to penalties or late charges.
- Debt consolidation – Look for banks that would be willing to consolidate these debts. They normally employ financial advisers that could help you out on the payment terms and give you counselling on debt management. Just make sure that you clearly lay down all your cards. These financial institutions conduct strict credit investigations, so be certain to let them know everything.
- Get a credit card – This is not advisable if you are the highly impulsive type. If you can lock up your card somewhere then that’s fine. Some banks are willing to issue credit cards to people who are trying to re-build their credit. The trade off is of course a higher APR and most of the time a meager credit line.
There are certainly other ways you can rebuild your credit and up your credit score. But nothing beats, simple living. Do not put yourself into more debt.
Documents you need when getting a Home loan
December 25th, 2009 by msj484
While some people are lucky to be pre-approved for loans, a large majority have to go through a rather extensive and sometimes even rigourous process when applying for a loan. With the recent global financial meltdown, financial institutions have become more strict when it comes to granting a loan. To avoid additional stress and hassle on your part, make sure you secure all the necessary documents that they will be looking for. Here are just some of the basic documents you need to present.
- If you have your own business or self employed, you need your most recent 2 years income tax returns statements.
- For employed individuals or couples, a pay stub that shows your year-to-date income is going to be required. Note that you have to provide the most recent paystub that you have.
- Bank statements for 2 months for all your savings and checking account, stocks, bonds, money markets. Again it has to be the most recent statement. These are required by the banks so they can assess your capacity to pay.
- You may also be asked to provide divorce decree papers if applicable.
While there may be other documents that may be required of you by the financial instution of your choice, but at least you have an idea of the basic requirements.
Top Three States with Low Property Tax
December 24th, 2009 by msj484When people are about to reach retirement, a lot of concerns are bound to come to mind. One very important consideration retirees make nowadays is the choice of staying in the current state where they are living or relocating to another state that offers low income and property tax.
It would be wise to think about these things early on, considering that entering the retirement age not only means fixed income but it also translates to having more health concerns considering the ages of the retirees. Although this may not be the case all the time, it is still wise to hold on to your retirement money and save it for future use, when your health starts to fail.
If you are seriously considering moving to another state with lower income tax and property tax, these are the top three states you may want to consider, according to the Office of the CFO in Washington, D.C.
- Alabama
- Wyoming
- Arizona
Remember, the more extensive your research, the better for you.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad
December 23rd, 2009 by msj484Have you read the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad? If not, well, I have a spoiler for you, but I promise it’s a good one. Read on.
Among the myriad of things that Mr. Kiyosaki did on how to grow his money, one the best things he did was to invest in real estate. He bought properties during the time the economy is on a slump. Despite people saying that during the financial crisis you have to hold on to your money, Mr. Kiyosaki took calculated risks in purchasing properties believed to be a waste of money back then. While majority of the people see those properties as crap, he saw a goldmine. And yes, he was not disappointed later on.
If you want to know exactly how he did it, you can grab a copy of his book and read for yourself. Take note that real estate is the real and perfect investment.