The Best and Worst Ways to Use Home Equity

What is home equity? This is simply the difference between your property and the current value of that particular property. To many homeowners, home equity has been one of the most important financial tools. There is a right way and the wrong way before you start funneling funds out of your home. Here are the best and worst ways that you can use to leverage home equity.

There have emerged numerous ways that homeowners can use to get into their home equity. A home equity loan is arguably one of the most reliable ways. People often confuse this loan with a traditional mortgage. Actually, that is the main reason why this type of loan is referred to as the second mortgage. Usually, they are installment loans. What does this mean? Funds are disbursed in one lump sum and later paid back in equal payments. Also, they can be backed by your home equity.

In most cases, home equity has a fixed rate. The rate is a bit higher than the initial mortgage. Line of credit is another popular way that has been used over the years. What is the main difference between a line of credit and equity loan? With a line of credit, you have the full freedom to borrow money any time of the year.

Away from that, you are allowed to pay off your balance the same way as a credit card. Although it is not often, you will be required to disburse a certain amount of money. The best thing about the home equity line of credit is that you are not required to pay extra money. In addition, they provide debit cards to their dedicated customers.

You might have come across cash-out refinance in the past. Cash-out refinance is very different from the secondary line of credit. What does cash-out refinance involves? It is all about refinancing the mortgage for a higher amount of money. You don’t have to take any additional loan with this method. Your overall debt load will increase over time.

You might be aware that home equity is arguably one of the most common uses to invest in home renovations and upgrades. The home value will increase after you improve the facilities. You can easily leverage your home equity if you are an experienced real estate investor. Have you ever took a debt and later exchanged the debt for another asset? Many people make such decisions with the sole aim of producing extra income. There is no doubt that real estate is a risky business. With that in mind, you should consult financial experts before making a decision to invest in this sector. You should keep in mind that it is not always smart to purchase a property simply because you can afford it. It is advisable you partner with an experienced investor.

Making Home Features Safe for Seniors

Seniors are increasingly choosing to remain in their current houses, long after their kids have grown up and moved out.  While this growing trend indicates positive things about modern health and longevity, as well as access to senior services, it does pose several challenges that need to be prepared for.  Obviously, as we age, our needs change and the house that served us well at age 35 isn’t a house that would also meet our needs at 65.  Being aware of this fact, should motivate us to plan ahead and begin modifying our homes for our future requirements.

While everyone is different and no home is the same, there are some universally useful suggestions for making a house senior-friendly.  So, here is how to age proof your home:

Find local experts with specialized certifications related to senior needs and work with them to plan your age-related remodeling.  Try to find Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS) and Occupational Therapists with the Executive Certificate in Home Modifications (ECHM) or the Specialty Certification in Environmental Modifications (SCEM).  These are professionals that will know how a house might need to be altered to accommodate older people.  Select the experts you prefer via telephone and plan with them.

When you are redoing the interior of your house, think about what problems you might reasonably develop as you age.  Does your family have a genetic predisposition for diabetes or strokes?  Have any of your family members ended up as invalids later in life?  If so, you should seriously consider widening your entryways and hallways and adding safety bars to your bathrooms.  These modifications will help if you ever require the use of a wheelchair.  You should plan for other potential problems in a similar way.

If you don’t live in a single-floor house, try to move your everyday living spaces downstairs.  Locate your bedroom and bathroom on the first floor.  This helps greatly because older people can develop more severe arthritis and/or become much less coordinated.

Create wide pathways between furniture and to areas you often need to go.  Reduce the number of items you have around the house to reduce congestion.  Make certain that all areas are well-lit, that all stairways have guide rails and slick flooring has traction.  Also, get rid of smaller rugs and carpeting that you could trip on.

Bathrooms are often among the most dangerous places for seniors.  It’s a good idea to “senior-proof” them by:  replacing bathtubs with shower stalls that are completely flush with the floor; installing flooring traction; and by replacing standard toilets with raised ones.

Preventing accidental falls is one of the most important safety considerations for seniors.  Considering this, you should improve nighttime visibility with motion-activated lighting and repair any damaged walkways that might cause you to trip and fall.

Redefining The Designs of Your Bedroom

Refining your bedroom could likely prove to be a highly rewarding endeavor, considering that many of us spend ten or more hours a day there. Enhancing an environment you spend much of your time in, as well as most of your regenerative moments, certainly will improve your mood and quality of life. As you continue reading, you will learn more about the steps of the somewhat lengthy process of upgrading your bedroom.

First, you need to have a vision of what you want to do. You can acquire this from interior design magazines, HGTV shows or by discussing ideas with an ASID-certified interior designer. Remember to take notes, so you don’t forget your vision. Now, with your room-improvement concept in hand, start the refining process by painting and/or wallpapering the room. Next, determine what items in your room you want to replace or upgrade. Then, make a shopping list of all the things you need.

However, before going shopping, measure the dimensions of your room to ensure all your desired items will comfortably fit within it. There’s nothing worse than buying a lot of expensive furniture, transporting it home and then not being able to use it. Speaking of furniture, your bed is the most prominent item in your bedroom; the surface area of its covers is likely greater than most other objects Marina Gardens Condo in the room. It is for this reason you should be mindful of how your bedding fits into your bedroom’s color scheme. When selecting a dresser or chest of drawers, you want one that matches the style of your bed and isn’t too much taller than it.

Lighting is another aspect of your room that can make or break it. Remember to use enough light to make your feel cozy, without making it feel overly radiant. The goal is to have lighting that relaxes you, that can also be adjusted to put you in the mood to sleep. You can accomplish this with good table lamps that are effectively placed.

A refined bedroom should have a lounging area, where you can unwind prior to sleep. In other words, a place where you can read, watch tv, listen to music or simply consume an evening snack. This part of your bedroom should have a sofa or comfortable chair and a table for snacks/drinks. The capstone of a fine bedroom is the right art hanging on the wall. This picture or painting should reflect your personality and complement your bedroom’s other décor.

With all this said, the perfect bedroom is one you feel most comfortable in. It’s one that both matches your personality and facilitates the important function of sleep. Once you are able to fully refine your bedroom to your liking, you are closer to improving your overall health. We sincerely hope that all of the advice we have imparted to you (about how to give your bedroom a polished look) helps create your ideal sleeping area.

How to Recession Proof Your Income in this Simple Steps

Experts feel that a recession is coming. There is some way to recession-proof your finances so you can survive the next recession.

A recession is a period when the economy does not grow and this lasts longer than two consecutive quarters. No one is protecting from the recession. A person should have a strong retirement plan with goals to help save their finances. A 25-year-old with an investment plan can survive the recession while a 60-year-old may try to avoid loss.

You should know how much money you are taking in compared to the amount of money you are spending. If you lose your job you need to know how long you can survive on your savings. Some free tools can help you with this information and track your expenses. You can see what you are spending your money on and how to cut in a time of need.

During a recession, you can use your emergency fund instead of high-interest credit cards. You should have three to six months of expenses in savings and you should not use it for anything besides an emergency. If you are laid off you can still pay your bills while you look for work.

After you have an emergency fund set up you should work on paying down your debt. In a time when money is tight, you do not want to pay back high-interest bills. It is recommended that you pay off credit card debt first then private student loans.

You should make sure that you have diverse investments at the risk you are willing to tolerate. If you are older you will have a harder time making up lost money than if you are in your 20s or 30s.

Even the best and most dedicated employees can be laid off during a recession. In 2008, over 2.6 million people lost their jobs. Young college graduates are at the highest risk for layoffs. You should keep your resume updated just in case you lose your job. You will be ready to go and can show your skills to a new employer.

Recessions do happen even in developed countries. The best thing you can do is prepare. Even if the market hits a low spot the worst thing you can do is panic. If you sell your investments you will miss out on the profits when the market comes back up. Recessions can be bad but eventually, things will recover. Not all recessions will be the same but in recent times the recessions have lasted for a shorter period than in the past. If you have a plan before the recession hits you will be able to survive it and things will get back on the right path.

These are some ways that you have recession-proof your finances. Even during tough times, you will be able to make it through with the proper planning.

Kerry Properties And Allgreen Properties Tie-Up Awarded Pasir Ris White Site

The Housing & Development Board has awarded Phoenix Commercial Pte Ltd and Phoenix Residential Pte Ltd a site next to the famous Pasir Ris MRT Station. The recipient companies are jointly owned by Kerry Properties and Allgreen Properties, which form a significant part of the Kuok Group of Companies that are run by Robert Kuok, a renowned Malaysian tycoon.

The winning bid is about $700 million. This translates to $684.48 for every square foot per plot ratio because the floor area is 1.02 million square feet. The tender and the dual envelop concept for the 99-year long leasehold plot of land attracted three serious bids that closed on 14th December 2018.

Allgreen Properties Pasir Ris White Site

The Far East Commercial Trustee and Laguna Garden, the other shortlisted tenderers, are units from Far East Organization. Their bid was $677.78 million, which leads to $662.75 psf ppr.
The third bidder interested in the deal was not shortlisted. It was a strong tie-up between Kajima Development and Singapore Press Holdings.

On Friday 22nd March, HDB’s release revealed that the proposed development that comprised of residential, commercial construction, a bus interchange, a town plaza, and a polyclinic, will provide improved access to amenities and public transport system for residents. The incredible development will also offer an excellent focal point for the community.

Allgreen Properties Pasir Ris Central New Development

HDB introduced the concept of price revenue tender approach in line with the vision to identify innovative development ideas with flawless integration of unique public spaces and amenities. In the first step of the tender evaluation procedure, the Concept Evaluation Committee shortlisted the proposals that met the evaluation criteria before proceeding to the second evaluation phase. In the second phase, the committee members opened the price proposals submitted by the shortlisted tenderers. The committee awards the site to the bidder among the applicants with the desired concept proposals.

Concept and Tender Plan for Pasir Ris White Site

Launched on 27th August 2018, the tender for the white site was closed on 14th December. Each of the three innovative tenderers submitted a concept proposal. Marina Gardens Condo They also had an opportunity to present the ideas in their proposals to the concept evaluation committee. After objective evaluation of each proposal, the CEC determined that two of the project proposals that had met the evaluation criteria. The proposals by Far East Organization and the tie-up between Kerry Properties and Allgreen Properties proceeded to the second tender evaluation phase. The CEC opened the price envelopes submitted by the shortlisted tenderers and awarded the site to the Allgreen-Kerry team, which has a higher bid among the shortlisted tenderers.