What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Four Ways to Prepare Your Home for a Newborn
“A new baby is like the beginning of all things—wonder, hope and a dream of possibilities.”-Eda J. LeShan
Welcoming your newborn back to your home is an exciting and thrilling prospect.
However, it would also entail a myriad of responsibilities. For one, you need to ensure that your home is safe enough to accommodate little feet roaming around about it as your newborn progressively grows. In this regard, you need to ensure that every nook and cranny in your home is fit for a growing child to freely roam in. Sure, while you are pregnant, this might seem like a thing you are not likely to look into as it can be a tad overwhelming at times. While that is understandable, it is recommended that you start right away and do not procrastinate. Take note: The bigger your stomach grows, the faster that delivery date is to come. Start slowly but surely and never delay these tasks. The sooner you start on them, the earlier you will finish.
So, whether you live in a single story flat or in an empire east condo, it is recommended that you prime your homes for your newest family member’s arrival. Here are the ways to do it:
Survey your home and give it a safety exam
As an adult, you might overlook some safety hazards in your home. However, when you are expecting, this can all change. Sure, having a baby that can crawl into the kitchen and access toxic chemicals might seem ages away but sooner or later, your baby will inevitably start crawling. Prepare now while you are still able and rational enough to do so than doing it when the newborn arrives(and you are too sleep-deprived to think straight). Make sure that medications are stored somewhere out of reach or better yet in cabinets that require a key. Similarly, you might want to stow away toxic chemicals such as detergents out of the reach of small children.
Prepare for visitors
More often than not, your relatives and friends would want to send their heartfelt felicitations personally when you have just delivered a baby. Some of them who have not been able to do so while you are in the hospital might want to do so once you are home. With this in mind, it is best to prepare your homes to accommodate them—especially if they intend to stay the night. After all, you would be grateful that you took care of this right away than waiting at the last minute to scramble for bed sheets, towels and the like.
Zero in on the dirtiest places
Before welcoming a newborn into your home, it is recommended that you do your routine cleaning. However, for optimal results and for a better environment for your kid to potentially crawl around in, go beyond your regular cleaning routine and have a professional do a deep cleanse. The dirtiest areas in your homes are not your doorknobs and light switches but it is actually the things that you will find in your kitchen. This would include things like your stove knobs, dish rags, kitchen sinks, cutting boards and the like. Be sure to bring your baby home to an immaculate place that does not have places harboring any germs. In the same vein, you might want to keep sanitizing wipes near these five salient places to wipe them on a regular basis.
Have room in your fridge
While you think you have an infinite food resource in the form of breast milk, your baby would still need formulas to drink. As the months go by, you would also need to dedicate some space in your fridge for baby food. All that in addition to all the food you already have plus the food your well-wishers and visitors would be bringing when they pay your kid a visit would take up serious space in your fridge. Prepare for it beforehand by emptying it out of spoiled and unnecessary food and then do a good cleaning. Discard anything that might be expired or food you no longer recognize then wipe it with a warm sponge. In any case, keep your fridges clean and ensure it has more than enough space to accommodate extra food.
Beautiful Rentals: Five Home Features that get Your Property Rented Right Away!
“Bad tenants will rent bad-looking apartments, but good tenants will want decent apartments.” -Jeff Murray
Being a landlord is no easy feat.
On the outset, it looks like a fairly easy job. After all, once you have selected an appropriate property for tenancy and have your prospective tenants screened and occupy it, you can virtually watch your property pay for itself, right? Well, yes and no. While in the long run this is definitely that kind of goal you would want to aim for, it is not as easy as it looks. For starters, a business in tenancy means getting in the crosshairs of a stiff competition. Indeed, competition is rife when it comes to leasing properties insomuch that just owning rental property would not make the cut nowadays. In this regard, you need to ensure that your properties would not only be situated in premier and idyllic locations in proximity to most points of interest. You need to consider what your prospective tenants would want and take a gander at your competition. As real estate property is a significant investment, you would wish for it to give you optimal payoffs. However, to do this, you would need to maximize your profits by keeping good tenants and stay competitive. In this regard, your tenants needs would come first as if your property would fall short of what they want (and which they can incidentally find elsewhere), your returns will decline and inevitably suffer.
So, to ensure that your apartment for rent in Pasig or elsewhere is primed for occupancy, here are some of the most in-demand and coveted features in rental homes and units:
1.) Low maintenance landscaping
On the off chance that you would score a tenant who does not mind having a lawn in their lease property’s yard, they would wish for it to be small and easy enough to maintain. Let us face it: Your tenants would wish to do as minimal work as possible and if your rental property comes with a big yard, tenants would not be as receptive to renting from you than they will be to properties that do not come with it. Generally, tenants would want their stay to be as convenient and comfortable as possible. So, if they need to block out certain weekends of the month to dedicate to pruning and weeding their rental property, the chances are they might look elsewhere.
2.) Parking
Unless your tenant is only looking for a bedspace or a room for rent, they would likely look for a property that has a garage–or at least sufficient space for their cars. On the average, prospective tenants would have two cars for their household–particularly if it is a family. However, do note that this number can relatively increase or decrease depending on the kind of property you are leasing out and how many prospective tenants you are looking to house. Regardless, it is still worthy to note the to significance of having enough parking space for all of your lessees. Seeing as adequate parking space is one of the most in-demand features a rental property can have, it should be no wonder that properties with these feature would become more and more valuable–regardless of how many bedrooms a property might have. Take note: A property that does not have a garage can easily turn away a potential tenant. Not only would it be impossible to house their cars, but they would not wish to clog streets should friends and family come over to visit.
3.) Two or more bathrooms
Ideally, a rental property that has two or more bedrooms should at least have two or more bathrooms as well. Tenants comprised of family members are likely to expect this to expedite their morning rituals and ensure that everyone gets to their destination on time. Sure, they can make do with just one bathroom but they would expect you to reach a compromise on a lower rent.
4.) Updated colors and fixtures
A rental property that is visually appealing and with eye-popping colors would instantly be more attractive to a client than a dull and boring one. While most landlords would overlook the aesthetic features of their home, it has been shown that prospective clients are more likely to rent attractive properties regardless of the rental price. Furthermore, having a rental property with updated colors and fixtures would allow you to leverage your asking price better.
5.) Safety
When it comes to looking for potential properties for rent, safety would be a paramount concern to most, if not, all tenants. In fact, dilapidated properties that look rather run down with overgrown shrubbery and plants tend to get overlooked and disregarded. With this in mind, capitalize on your rental property’s security by improving it. Address potential safety hazards before hand and remedy any places that might not be well-lit and wherein anyone can hide and be concealed. Furthermore, make sure that the property is well-illuminated and enhance your curb appeal.
Aesthetic Homes: Four Common Kitchen Renovation Mistakes You Might be Making
“Kitchens should be designed around what is truly important—fun, food and life.”-Daniel Boulud
Kitchen (kich-uhn) – noun: a gathering place for friends and family and a place where memories are homemade and seasoned with love
The kitchen has always been thought to be the heart of the home. It is that one definitive place that brings families together in the form of sharing a meal.
In this regard, many might consider the kitchen as solely the most important place in the home. However, as the kitchen sees more activity than the rest of the areas in your home (and consequently more foot traffic as well), its wear and tear would be rapid. Similarly, it would also more susceptible to disrepair than any of the other parts of your home—especially if it sees regular heavy usage. In this regard, many homeowners would be constrained to renovating their kitchens for either of these reasons: To accommodate more appliances, have it function optimally through various kitchen repairs or to address a space and storage issue.
If you are anything like most homeowners, the prospect of a kitchen renovation would often bring a myriad of kitchen upgrade ideas and scenarios to your head. Unfortunately, while all of these are great, albeit a little farfetched at times, some of them can be impractical and can fall beyond your budget—particularly the ones that were inspired by Pinterest. In conceptualizing a kitchen renovation, know that a realistic approach works best for this endeavor. Not only would this mitigate the likelihood of frustrations stemmed from unmet expectations, but it would also reduce the possibility of you straying away from your projected budget. As a homeowner with dreams of a kitchen renovation in the horizon, whether that may be a unit condominium in Pasig or elsewhere, it is best to be aware of the common mistakes are in order to avoid them.
Below is a list of what these kitchen upgrade mistakes are to better aid you in your efforts of creating a better and more functional scullery:
1.) Designing without considering your work style
The only way you can optimally function in the kitchen is if it is designed around your work style. You can do as many upgrades and renovations as you wish and it would all be for naught if it takes too much effort to use or would not meet your functional needs. In this regard, your kitchen sections must be divided according to the way you use it. Keep in mind that the three areas that see the most work are the stove, fridge, and sink which means they should be near to each other without being too close that they would result in overcrowding when all three are being used.
2.) Not considering appliance sizes first
Before you get carried away with your fantasies of having a granite countertop style, make sure that it would fit the kind of appliances you need first. Before you plan on a kitchen overhaul, it is best to start selecting the appropriate appliances that would fall within your budget first. From there, you can now incorporate your dream countertops and cupboards to accommodate them rather than doing it the other way around.
3.) Downsizing everything—including storage!
Sure, you might want a smaller and more efficient kitchen instead of having a spacious one that would require too much cleaning, but that does not mean that you should cut down on storage space as well! Remember, you can opt for a smaller kitchen but never make the oversight of cutting down on storage as well. You might overlook the extra space now and think that you do not need it, but eventually and inevitably you will. You are going to accumulate stuff, and you would definitely need the extra space these storage spaces would provide. Keep in mind that there are always clever solutions that would allow you to have a diminutive kitchen without compromising storage space. Be on the lookout for them instead of ruling out the need for storage space completely.
4.) Forgetting countertops
Some homeowners make the mistake of overlooking countertop space in favor of maximizing space. In this regard, they would fill it with all sorts of appliances and kitchen essentials possible. However, for optimal functioning, it is best to leave some surfaces idle. Sure, it might seem counterintuitive to you, but this is not the case in kitchens. In fact, your kitchen would need as many unused spaces as possible and believe us when we say that you will thank yourself for it later. Remember, cooking requires a lot of countertop space, and you are going to be grateful that you left some of yours open instead of having them all occupied.
Better Home Sales: Four Pitfalls that Cost You a Home Sale
“For the seller, they are giving up their home, where they have all these attachments. And for the buyer, it is about painting a picture of their new lives and then carrying them through the whole process to a positive result.” –Sarry Forster Jones
There is no doubt that one of the most difficult endeavors one can ever come across is to try and sell real estate.
Although real estate is one commodity that is certainly most in demand and remains to be so until today, it is not exactly easy to sell it—particularly since the market is constantly experiencing sporadic highs and lows. Resultantly, prices will fluctuate leaving buyers and sellers alike with unpredictable real estate market trends and variable housing prices. Much like any industry, there is, selling a home comes with its own fair share of challenges.
Just ask any real estate investor and they would tell you just how difficult it is to sell a home in this time and age. It could be that your prospective buyers already found a better deal elsewhere or were offered a competitive price that was just too hard to resist. Oftentimes, it could be that your competing property has a slightly better living quarters or maybe values have started to drop a bit. Or maybe, just maybe, the reason why the condominium for sale in Quezon City is not getting any offers or any leads might not be any of these things but is actually because of your own doing.
Sometimes, in our fervent desire to sell our properties quickly, we often tend to overlook the things we are doing wrong—which is a major oversight as it could potentially cost us a sale. In any case, some of the things you do or do not do would contribute to the success or failure of a prospective property sale. To be sure that you are always on the safe side, never do any of the things listed below:
Do not take your own photos
When it comes to real estate listings whether online or not, taking photos is paramount. More often than not, a buyer would not even give a property a second glass if the listing does not contain any photos of the property. Unfortunately, simply peppering your ad with photos just would not cut it with today’s very discriminating market. Today, poorly taken photos would not fare well and would not do your homes any justice at the same time. With this in mind, ensure that the photos you do use for your online ads are ones with aesthetic appeal insomuch that it beckons a prospective homebuyer to take a closer look. In this regard, it might be best if you availed of the services of a professional photographer.
Partner up with an agent or a realtor
Unless you already have prior experience to selling a home, you should never try to sell your home by yourself. Even then, you would still fare better if you availed of the professional services of a real estate agent. Not only would your home sell faster, but there is a likely chance you would be able to sell it at a competitive price. Remember, most homes sold with a realtor can get a higher sales price and would typically sell faster than those sold solely by their owners.
Do not argue with your agent about the price
Inevitably, you and your real estate agent will have a very different idea of how much your home should sell for. However, take into account that your agent can probably give you a better and more accurate pricing for your home as their evaluation would not be clouded or influenced by sentiment or anything else. They are unbiased in their findings and would give you a competitive price based on facts alone and not on sentiment or what you currently owe in home mortgage. After all, it is their job to research the area thoroughly and study the market. In this regard, they can come up with the best price possible and get your properties sold.
Do not shadow your prospective buyers when they are checking out your property
Buyers do not like home sellers who hover over them. They are best left to their own devices and should not be bothered. They want to be free to make their own judgments and findings without your watchful eye on them at all times. Shadowing them while they are touring their home would make them feel ill at ease, uncomfortable and would hardly translate into a sale. Just keep still, and wait for them to approach you if they have questions instead of the other way around.
Aesthetic Homes: The Anatomy of a Perfect House
“Successful homeownership is not just putting people into homes; it is also making sure people keep their homes.” –Michelle Collins
Home (noun): a place where one lives; an environment affording security and happiness; a valued place considered a refuge or place of origin.
What is your idea of a perfect home?
To some, it might mean tall ceilings and ornate interiors. For others, it connotes a sprawling modern mansion by the countryside with its heated pool and to a few; it is a place of refuge which they can call as their own. From all these, we can only make one assumption: the concept of a perfect home remains largely subjective. What an ideal home looks to you may not exactly suit the preferences and tastes of another and vice versa. However, while the perfect home remains as an idiosyncratic notion, certain home design elements are universally considered ideal insomuch that when combined, it would culminate in the creation of the perfect house.
The perfect home answers all of your needs, wants and more. It is functional, practical and aesthetically created to suit your taste. Furthermore, it provides you ease of convenience, and it pretty much operates like a dream. With all that considered, you might assume that a dream home would cost you an arm and a leg, but this is an erroneous association. Dream homes do not always equal hefty price tags. However, dream homes do require a degree of practicality and common sense to build accordingly. After all, the perfect house is not one that uses the most expensive materials, but instead, it is one that is made up with common sense features that would satisfy your needs regardless of wherever you live or what your home’s size may be. The perfect house can be anywhere and anything from a contemporary residential home to a Makati apartment for rent.
Furthermore, they add value to your home. Here are just some of the elements that when unified, would create the perfect home:
1.) Single Level
Single level homes are practical and convenient. Today, they have seen resurging popularity in the real estate market, and the demand for them is rather high. To what can we attribute this phenomenon? Well, single-level homes can be easily maintained insomuch that you do not have to devote entire weekends to clean and spruce it up. Everything is just within reach regardless of whether it is for painting, repairs or cleaning. Moreover, temperatures are easy to regulate owing to the lack of stairs which means temperature differences would be mitigated. Lastly, it is ideal for aging as the risk of falling down the stairs is essentially nonexistent.
2.) Nine-Foot Ceilings
You will be surprised how cramped spaces can look a lot bigger just by having tall ceilings. Nine-foot-tall ceilings, in particular, would make your interiors look so much more spacious than it really is without compelling you to increase square footage. Moreover, it gives your rooms that aesthetic feel which most standard 7 to 8-foot ceilings generally lack. Incidentally, 9-foot ceilings are in high demand which when added to your home, would then make it more marketable (and consequently, easier to sell). In this regard, while taller ceilings are generally considered a pricey remodel, it will be worth the investment as you can probably recoup more than what you spent when you sell your home in the future.
3.) Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor living spaces have seen a rise in popularity over the years as not only would it be an excellent avenue for relaxation, it is also healthy. Moreover, having an outdoor living space means you have an alternative to the otherwise stifling feel of your indoors. In this regard, small houses would very much benefit from outdoor living spaces as they would not be constrained to staying indoors should they be entertaining visitors and guests. Adding a patio or a deck to your home would also add to its desirability and marketability. So, if you wish to increase its potential resale value, you might want to look into installing an outdoor living space.
4.) Separate Master’s Bedroom
You can advocate the idea of being a happy-family in a shared space, but at the end of the day, you would surely want your private quarters to relax on your own. Having your place preserves your sanity and a few separate rooms in the home would afford everyone some peace and quiet.
5.) Great storage
Perfect homes are never wanting of storage space, and it seems like it has more than enough of it. Storage should be a priority when it comes to looking for an ideal place to live in, and your homes should allow you to maximize that capacity as well. However, this does not mean that you should go ahead and arbitrarily add storage space as after all; you might have tons of hidden storage space just lurking right underneath your nose. Utilize them well.
8 Tips For Condo Living With Children
Living with children is fun. Their noise can bring life to a new yet empty condo in the city. However, they like running around and touching different stuff in the room. Most of all, they end up making a mess of things even if they did not mean to do it.
Thus, you must know how to live with your children in a condo. If you plan to get two bedroom condominium at Ayala Vertis North, it is not enough to know how to decorate your home. You must know how to make a childproof area. Below are ten tips you can follow for a harmonious condo living with children.
1. Use a dark upholstered couch.
Small spaces constantly use their furniture. Thus, you must use a dark colored sofa to fill your living room. The living room is a busy area as your friends occasionally drop by, children eat and spill drinks, and you and your partner eat dinner and catch up.
With all these activities, the couch can easily get worn. Buy a sofa made of durable material. Canvas, leather, and velvet are some decorative textiles that can take the pressure of daily use. These textiles in dark color are perfect for concealing stains and making the sofa stand out in a small space.
2. Be smart about room assignment.
The largest room at home must be assigned to the kids especially if they have a lot of stuff. Your kids can share the master bedroom while you and your partner can stay in another room. Your children will have more space to play in if they have a room with a wide floor area. Their toys do not have to occupy the place once they realize they have the space they need.
When your stuff and the children’s stuff are in one space, clean up is easier and faster than before. You to switch or transfer from room to room so you can gather all the stuff and place them in their proper storages.
3. Declutter ruthlessly.
A small space can easily get cluttered if you do not purge once in a while. To keep your home in order, you must throw things away. Try not to keep all your children’s artwork. It is not a great idea to store too much paper and other materials in your attic.
If you find it challenging to declutter ruthlessly, you can create a few rules for yourself. You can keep a thing or two per month. Stash only your most special pieces. If you have a keepsake box, go through it every year and reevaluate which are important to you and your family.
4. Lend and donate.
If you do not want to throw away your stuff, you can loan it to a friend or donate it to charity and other organizations that accept donations in kind. Give away the books, clothing, and toys your children outgrew. They no longer need these things.
It is also time to give the infant car seat if your baby is now a full-grown child. Even if you plan to have another baby, it is not a reason for you to stuff your things in the attic. Lend it to a friend with a baby or a neighbor who needs more than you need it.
5. Consider your limitations.
If your space is limited, do not waste it by acquiring the things the things that are not necessary. Do not purchase furniture and fixtures especially if they are not a need. Do not hoard several pairs of shoes if you have a small storage space.
Take note of you and your home’s limitations. If you cannot afford a lot of stuff, then do not purchase the items you will only use once. Spend more time and resources on investment pieces. That way, you maximize your home’s size and space.
6. Opt for chill birthday parties.
Do not buy several items for your child’s celebration. They do not mind the decorations. Instead of spending time and effort on filling your home, use them to focus on the small things such as gifts and food.
Small spaces like condos also are not noise resistant. Avoid ruckus and sounds reaching next-door neighbors by inviting few people as possible. It will minimize the noise from your home as well as the number of guests who will contribute to the chatter.
7. Ensure each item has a storage space.
An organized home has a place and storage for everything. It does not matter how large or small your home is. It stays organized as long as each item has part of a storage solution.
Your things must be in a basket, container, or shelf that serves as its home. It makes clean up much easier during moments of decluttering. It also avoids stacking up or misplacing items during moments of laziness. If there is no room for containers, then you need to get rid of something.
8. Use the outdoor space.
If there’s no space indoors, you can use your balcony. You can use it to store outdoor gear and boots to keep them from clogging your limited indoor space. Utilizing every nook and cranny of your home keeps clutter out of sight.
Life in a condo with children is exciting. Condo living can be stressful at times due to clutter and noise, but you begin to enjoy your home life once you learn to deal with both. Since a condo has limited space, it is best for you to learn how to deal with living in a small area. That way, you can enjoy your life with your children at Vertis North.
Rental Properties: Five Steps to Prepare Your Property for Rental
“Every person who invests in well-selected real estate in a growing section of a prosperous community adopts the surest and safest method of becoming independent, for real estate is the basis of wealth.”- Theodore Roosevelt
No doubt, there is quite a lot of money to be made out of property management. People would always be in need of a place to stay and if you have a property situated in a premier location such as one near offices, schools and places of entertainment, then you would do well to exploit it. You might not know it, but the prospective property you are looking at today might potentially be the lucrative venture most real estate investors are looking for—the definitive cash cow if you may. So, you have decided to dabble in a bit of property management in order to have a better leverage on your finances—what should then be your first order of business? Well, there is quite a myriad of factors that would contribute to boosting a property’s potential for attracting tenants and those steps would be laid out in this article.
However, before we get into that, know that you need to be a little discerning when it comes to approving tenants. Always favor quality above quantity. Pursuing a lucrative endeavor such as property management may be admirable but you should not let your enthusiasm cloud your better judgment. In any case, there are ways of increasing the chances of attracting a quality tenant. Those that pay their rental dues on time and would also take care of the property leased to them. One of those ways is to boost your property’s appeal. So, instead of simply considering whether a property is marketable, you should also take into account its overall aesthetics and functionality—so much so that it would encourage quality tenants to stay.
Before preparing your marketing campaign or running the numbers for your apartments for rent in Pasig or elsewhere, ensure that your investment has a competitive edge against the rest of the properties in your area. Here are ways to do exactly just that:
1.) Cover the basics
One of the ways to guarantee that your property attracts quality clients is to ensure that your rental property covers the basics. Of course, before you move onto the aesthetics, you need to make certain that your homes provide optimal comfort to your prospective clients– insomuch that they would no longer need to look for these necessities themselves. Ideally, your property should have good security, a heating and cooling system, stable internet connection, privacy, smoke detectors and good water pressure. These are all things that would contribute to a tenant’s comfortable stay and would likely motivate them to extend their lease with you. Moreover, these are the necessities that would also justify your higher than average rental price, so you might want to consider adding them.
2.) Make sure it is spotless
Ensuring that your rental property is immaculate is an excellent way to attract quality clients. In this regard, be sure to put away unnecessary clutter, organize the things inside and spruce up. A messy and chaotic place can be rather off-putting to a new tenant and no matter how tempting your rental price might be, an untidy place would always give them second thoughts about renting from you. After all, the state of cleanliness in the interiors would already speak volumes about the kind of landlord you are. With that in mind, are you really quite certain that a disorganized landlord is the kind of impression you wish to leave your prospective tenants?
3.) Fix anything that is broken
Do not turn off a prospective client by showing him or her a home that has stuff that is either in need of repair or totally unusable. Sort these items first and ensure that everything is in mint condition. More often than not, if the rental property has been inhabited by a previous tenant or even by us, things would get broken. Unfortunately, we tend to neglect these things or even grow used to living with them that we would altogether forget that they were broken in the first place. Avoid such scenario by inspecting every fixture in your home that would be included in the rental. Replace those that are broken beyond repair and fix what is broken.
4.) Tidy up your outdoors
If your rental property has a lawn or garden, be sure to tidy it up and make it look presentable. After all, this is the initial thing your prospective renters would notice, so you should take the necessary steps into ensuring it is in pristine condition. If the garden is overgrown and if the garden is overrun by weeds, you might want to seek professional help from a gardener.
5.) Introduce improvements
Giving your interiors even the smallest update can already do wonders in elevating its overall appeal and mood to tenants. They do not have to be expensive either! Updates can be in the form of a fresh paint, new light fixtures and even new carpeting. All of these would not set you back by a lot and it would already be an excellent way to transform your space and make it seem like it is new.
Easy and Effective Ways to Save For Your Downpayment
Purchasing a property is one of the largest single purchases one will make in life. And when it comes to real estate investment, saving for your first down payment and building home equity can be a way to build wealth for your future. That only means, saving money for a down payment should not be taken lightly. However, If you think saving is as easy as you think it is, wait until you get started.
It’s not to scare you, but to give you a heads up on what’s typically going to happen especially when saving for a down payment. Regardless of the property, you want to invest; be it Solstice or any real estate property, there are certain things to consider when saving.
Find affordable alternatives
The moment you decide to invest in a real estate, compromising is one common thing you need to consider. For instance, you can drop your gym membership for exercising at home. Or perhaps, lose the cable subscription and sign up for Netflix. Having these as your alternative, you can save as much as you can. One thing is for sure; you can still continue to live your life without spending too much on the things you do not need. Moreover, think twice before you buy something – you may not need that particular thing.
Reward yourself
Yes, saving may be hard, but that does not mean you should hate it. That means you can break you savings goal down into manageable chunks, and think of a low-cost reward for yourself. After saving a lot of money in week or month, you can treat yourself to a dinner, or something that you want to have. However, you should also be mindful of the price. Just because it is your reward, you should also spend a lot of money on it. Of course, that should also not be the case. Since you are still saving for the down payment, you should also be mindful of the things you are want to buy.
Turn your savings into more savings
Did you know that it is possible for you to turn your savings into more savings? Perhaps, you can consider high-yield saving accounts, certificates of deposit, peer-to-peer lending and mutual funds. Moreover, you have to make sure to get solid advice about whether your timeline is appropriate for various investment options. But if you are not sure about these alternatives, you can go for high-yield accounts. This is one of the most conservative choices you can make since they are insured by the federal government.
Turn your hobbies into side gigs
Whether you realize it or not, you can turn your hobbies into money. How? There are people out there who can appreciate an individual skill where they are willing to pay for your ability. Let’s take painting, for example; some people would buy your artworks. Or perhaps, if you are good at playing piano, guitar, drums or any instruments, you can offer some lessons. With this, you are not enjoying doing your hobbies, but you also earn extra income out from it.
Although saving money can be challenging and daunting, that should not be that hard as you think it is. You can make it fun while you are saving money for the down payment. Moreover, this is one way you can achieve your dream home.
“It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.” – Robert Kiyosaki
Ways to Avoid Roommates with Horrible Attitude
“Man’s nature is not essentially evil. Brute nature has been known to yield to the influence of love. You must never despair of human nature.” – Mahatma Gandhi
By nature, we are all friendly. We tend to smile and make friends with strangers. To some, they even welcome them as their roommates. Whether you invest in a Makati condo for rent or real estate property, there are a lot of advantages when we have someone to share our home with. There will be fun and excitement every day. They can also be your life savior when in times you need them.
However, there are just some roommates that are a total opposite of what you have expected them to be. They might be rude, no manners, horrible, discourteous, inconsiderate, insulting or even worse. Well, for some reasons, you will eventually learn their right color on the later part of their stay. For some, having a roommate is a blessing. While for others, they considered it as a nightmare! To avoid ruining your day, here are some ways on how you can prevent such.
Communication is the key
Communication is one of the crucial factors that you should not miss to do. When communicating, it is a two-way process. For instance, you’re going to talk about a particular issue with your roommate, and he listens. Vice versa. Talking about the problem is one of the standard solutions whenever a problem arises. Yes, you might feel awkward about it, but who cares? You both need to solve the problem immediately to avoid making it worse.
If you think that your roommate doesn’t have any plans to talk about the problem with you at all, then you might want to try initiating it first. You might not know, they are just shy to talk to your first. When you both communicate, you will understand what the problem is and why it is a problem. Of course, if you both understand each other, there will be a harmony between the both of you.
Off-the-record roommates
There are just times that we sense something that is so off when it comes to our roommate. Later did we know that they are an off-the-record tenant (e.g.,. an inhabitant who has not signed a lease of agreement). With this matter, communication might be useful, but make sure that you include the landlord when you talk about the issue. This matter already involves the landlord, since he/she is the one who will decide who gets in and goes out. Of course, you have the right to know how come they are living with you when he/she is not a legal tenant of the house. You are just concern with your safety.
When this happen, and you want to get rid of your roommate, you have to make sure that there will be a written statement declaring that the roommate arrangement has ended should suffice. If not, then at least, provide your roommate with a deadline for leaving, at least 15-3o days from the date of the notice. Just make sure that the roommate receives the document and understands what he/she is reading.
Settle the problem in court
When talks are already not useful, then seeing them in court might help. Usually, courts are the least one wants to do since it is already a hassle on the part of the complainant, and of course, for your roommate. But if there is a need to settle things once and for all, the court is what you need. You just want to hope that your roommate will take the hint and gracefully exit to avoid inconvenience on both parties.
Usually, the court staff will give you a date and time for an eviction hearing, and you must be prepared for the legal documents that you need to present to them. With that, the court will likely grant the petition, and your roommate will have no choice but to leave.
Top Four Reasons Why Millenials Should Live in A Condo
“I think millennials are a generation, unlike anything we have ever seen on this planet.” –Chelsea Krost
Without a doubt, the rise of the millennials has contributed to the upsurge of real estate developments devoted to solitary living. Although Filipinos still staunchly stand by the ingrained tradition of having children live at home until their married, many of the Millennials today are doing otherwise. This is because millennials, much unlike their preceding generations, have elected to live an entirely independent lifestyle that the demand for affordable and adequate living spaces has seen a rise in the last decade.
It is precisely this phenomenon that we can attribute the recent proliferation of many real estate developments to. In fact, most developers have been erecting condominium towers in almost every nook and cranny in major cities. But, what sets apart a condominium unit from an array of residential living selections? What makes it so appropriate for millennial living and millennials themselves? Well, if you are looking for a good place of your own, you might want to take a gander at the reasons for buying your condo below. This especially rings true for individuals who are in their twenties or thirties.
1.) Meeting new people
The majority of millennials are incredibly social creatures and living in a condo would appeal to them as it gives them an avenue to meet new people. In most cases, condo living means that only a wall would be separating you from your neighbor and unlike most home residential developments, you would be living in proximity to them. Additionally, when all of the units are sold, you will have a lot of new neighbors and a lot of new people to meet. Apart from that, condominium towers are built near business districts and entertainment hubs that it would be easy to find individuals milling about that it would be easy to find individuals who share the same interests as you. Condominiums are also known to have social gatherings for special occasions such as Halloween, Christmas and New Year as a way for residents to gather and mingle.
2.) Enjoy a great lifestyle
Living in a condo practically means you do not need extraneous memberships to a pool club or the gym. Book buffs and skin care enthusiasts are not left out either as many condominiums nowadays come with library and spa facilities. Each condominium development would have something unique to offer each, and it is only a matter of selecting which one is most appropriate for you.
3.) Save more money
Contrary to popular belief, owning your condo unit is not more expensive than renting. It may be not readily apparent at first glance, but if you think of the long-time returns, you will eventually realize that investing in your own space is more cost-efficient than paying rent. Your monthly rental could actually serve as monthly mortgage payments for a condominium unit you would eventually own. Today, there are a lot of condominium developers offering flexible payment schemes that are friendly to your budget.
4.) Have security
Your safety and security are of paramount concern to the condominium developers which is precisely why you do not have to worry much when you have to leave your home. Condominiums have a stringent security policy and would have roving guards patrolling from time to time. Apart from that, most condominiums would even require visitors to leave an ID when visiting. All these so that you can rest easy knowing you are in safe and secure hands while you are at home or not.
So, if you are looking for your own condo space, take a look at some of the units offered in the high street south block, and you might just find a condominium that suits your lifestyle perfectly.
Properties and Condo Tips 
Recent Comments