Modern Living

Property Development Loans

By nature, successful property developers are almost always good planners and this skill is one that should be put to use when securing the best property development finance.

Before the type of property loan is decided, the development itself needs to be considered. The question you need to task yourself is: How big is the property development project?

How extensive is the property development project?

The size of the project can often be categorised as either refurbishment or development. Refurbishments usually just deal with the aesthetics of a property rather than any structural work.

Development projects on the other hand can involve moving walls or installing plumbing or electrics. Development can also include partial demolition or rebuilding parts of the property; including extensions, external wall or complete redevelopment of a single home to a HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) suitable for renting.

The size of the project will give you a good indication of the price and duration of the work. You should take into account both the best and worst case scenarios before deciding the best route to acquire the appropriate finance option.

Development loans

Since the European debt crisis of 2012, high street lenders are less likely to lend and when they do, it can take weeks for the loan to be underwritten. The ability to obtain a loan will largely depend upon your financial status and the ability to provide a 25% deposit.

As a result of these market changes, developers may have to find alternative funding options that have been developed for purpose:

• First charge bridging loans are short-term loans that can be arranged extremely quickly. Usually funding can be sourced within just a few days, making this an ideal solution for those purchasing properties at auction. Bridging finance can be underwritten against the property and other collateral; or for experienced developers, against other properties that they own.
• Second charge bridging loans can be used to increase the developer’s cash flow. This enables developers to buy a second property before they’ve sold the first or complete a stalled project.
• Joint venture investors are available when other financing options are unavailable. Property training experts like Glenn Armstrong (http://askglennarmstrong.co.uk) can introduce you to like-minded developers with capital to invest. The great thing about JV investors is that many of them can act as mentors for new developers.

When borrowing, you should be aware that property development finance will have higher interest rates in comparison to standard mortgages. However, standard mortgages have early exit penalties which often make bridging loans and joint ventures preferred options for developers.

Some basic ways to get it right with real estate marketing in Nigeria

Marketing real estate in Nigeria is a very difficult because Nigeria is a very difficult market for agents.

There are a of factors limiting agents effectiveness in generating leads and closing deals which are lack of trust and lack of access to mortgage facility.

Despite the hurdles involved in generating leads in Nigeri, a few agents are killing it and making killer sales on a monthly basis.

Having worked as a real estate agent in Nigeria and helped create the biggest real estate online brokerage in Nigeria, here are 5 marketing strategies to implement in your marketing in Nigeria to make it effective.

1. Never ignore word of mouth

Word of mouth is still the most effective way to market real estate properties in Nigeria. Let whoever you meet know what you are doing.

Don’t be shy in blowing up your trumpet to whoever that cares to know.

2. Strive to become a listing agent.

Listing agents has far better advantage over buyer agents

3. Put 80% of efforts in marketing low cost properties

Marketing high end real estate properties in Nigeria is one of the greatest set back most new agents face in Nigeria.

Though when they finally learn their mistakes, it is usually too late to make amends because lots of money have been invested in prsuing a deal that has 1% chance of closing.

For new agents that are just coming in, most of your efforts should be put into marketing low end landed properties.

4. Make good use of the internet

Listing your properties for sale or rent on major real estate marketing websites like Nigeriapropertycentre, privateproperty and lamudi is a great way to expose your properties to tens of thousands of potential prospects who uses that website on a daily basis to search for properties for sale or rent.

Rapping it up

Nigeria real estate is like no other real estate market in the world. In fact, it is one of the most difficult real estate markets in the world.

Making it in Nigeria real estate market requires you implement with vigor, the above mentioned tactics.

What is your hoddles and difficulties in marketing properties in Nigeria. I would like to hear from you.

Leave your comments on the comment box and don’t forget to share the love by sharing this post on your favorite social media channels.

Cheap Rugs Vs Expensive Rugs

There are plenty of great choices out there for people who are on a minimal budget. A huge part of placing an area rug is to know what you are doing. Even a twenty-thousand-dollar rug will look bad in the wrong setting. To find out how to maximize your decor budget, here is a tip for placing an area rug:

Define the Areas of your Home. Using an area rug is a wonderful way to bring together groups of furniture and other household items in a room. Suppose that you have a living area with a sofa, and a small desk and chair in the corner, where your son or daughter likes to study. These two areas can easily be defined with the use a two area rugs. Make sure that you carefully consider how the two areas look together, and with the rest of the room. You should also position every item of furniture carefully, before you purchase the area rugs. To learn more visit Vancouver Area Rugs.

Smartwatches Can Make All The Difference

I have always been interested in smartwatches. I am an active person, so keeping track of time is absolutely mandatory in my case. I always need to be informed what time it is, what day it is, how I am doing etc.

I have been wearing a smartwatch for as long as I can remember. This type of watch is extremely useful to me as I spend a lot of time outdoors in cold and rainy weather and a waterproof watch is exactly what I need. I wouldn’t want to worry whether my watch can withstand the temperature and rain as I don’t want to be bothered by such things.

As a person who treats fashion seriously, I also want my smartwatch to look good because when I go to work I am required to dress in an elegant way. This is why my smartwatch needs to match the rest of my outfit.

As you can see, I am rather demanding when it comes to my watch. I wouldn’t wear just anything just for the sake of wearing a smartwatch. To me, what I have on me matters more than many other things out there.

It seems that ORSTO has what it takes in order to deliver some of the best smartwatches that the British soil can deliver. Great Britain has had a long history of making quality watches that dates back to as far as 1800’s. Keeping track of time has always been one of the most important things to many English gentlemen who strongly believed that a true man needs to wear a watch that stands out. ORSTO has now all the resources needed in order to manufacture affordable watches that everybody can wear getting the best value for their money. Only a few companies of this type on the market can brag about the achievement such as this one.

Better Pest Control

You will eventually experience some type of pest problem if you live in a home for a long enough period of time. When this happens, you will need to figure out how it will be handled. Some smaller problems can be solved by purchasing some basic pesticides at your local retail store. Unfortunately, not all pest problems are this easy to solve. There will be times when the infestation will be too much for you to handle on your own. In these cases, it will be necessary for you to call a professional exterminator to handle the job for you. Do not make the mistake of thinking that all exterminators are the same. Some do a much better job than others. Here are some of the best ways you can go about choosing a pest control company.

1. What do they specialize in?

Not all pest control companies handle the same types of problems. For example, you will find some exterminators who primarily deal with animals like rats, mice and raccoons. This type of pest control company would not be any help to you if your problem involves insects. Likewise, you do not want to call an insect exterminator if you have larger animals in your home that need to be removed. Make sure that the company you call has a large amount of experience handing infestations exactly like the one you have. This will help to ensure that you are getting the best quality service.

2. When can they start the job?

You obviously want these pests out of your home as soon as possible. However, not all pest control Maryland companies will be able to come out to your home and solve your problem immediately. You may find yourself waiting several days to get relief from the pests that are ruining your life. This is why you should not simply accept it when an exterminator tells you he can’t come to your home for a few days. Call other companies to see if you can find one who can come sooner.

3. Background check

You need to find out who you are dealing with before you allow a pest control company into your home. You would be wise to take a look online and dig up as much info about the company as you can. The Better Business Bureau site would be a great place to start your search.

4 Things to Remember When Buying a Townhouse

If you are considering moving from a single-family home in a rural area of Illinois to more of a townhouse in the big city of Chicago, here are 4 quick things you will want to keep in mind before actually commiting to a purchase.

1 – Location Is Everything

Depending on where you want to live in Chicago, you will find there are a number of housing options. When you are specifically looking for a townhouse as your next real estate purchase, there are a few neighborhoods to consider. First, looking to the North Side of Chicago, you’ll find a bunch of townhouse listings that are at once cozy and comfortable. On the more luxury end of the spectrum, you’ll want to check out townhouses available in the Gold Coast.

Use locally focused Chicago real estate sites to find the neighborhood that is best for you. Sites like Trulia can become overbearing and not personal to your tastes. Remember to keep in mind the things you love in your neighborhood including gyms, restaurants, proximity to the work place and public transit (if you plan to commute by the L train).

2 – City Living Can Be More Expensive

If you are moving from a rural area, you must prepare yourself for an increase in the cost of living that will come with moving to Chicago. Similar to other large cities like New York or San Francisco, Chicago is a city that requires a full wallet and you should fully expect an increase in gas prices, groceries, your utilities and more. This is common nature with big cities and a move to Chicago will be no different.

3 – Money Down Means A Better Payment

During the financing process of buying a townhouse, the one thing that will help keep your monthly mortgage payment to a minimum is putting down a larger sum of money up-front. This indicates to mortgage lenders that you understand this is a serious investment and you want to have the best terms available. If you need more tips to get the biggest bang for your buck when buying a new home, take a look at this helpful post from HGTV.

4 – Work With A Townhouse Expert

Last, but certainly not least, if you are new to the Chicago real estate market, your number one priority should be finding an experience real estate agent who has a tenured career in this specific market. The more your agent knows about Chicago neighborhoods, townhouses and general best practices when it comes to real estate, the better hands you will be in to make a significant purchase.

Follow these 4 tips if you are planning to purchase a townhouse in Chicago and start your search today to find your family’s next home.

Ideas For Leftover Christmas Ornaments

While decorating for Christmas is usually fun to do, you don’t have to let the festivities stop once the holiday is over. There are several ideas for decorating the home with large Christmas ornaments, garland and lights that can bring a brilliant look to any room.

Gather a few ornaments together that are the same color or that compliment each other when they are beside each other, and place them in a large bowl. A wooden bowl usually looks best, especially if you want a natural theme in the room. However, glass will also work so that lights in the room can pick up on the shine from the ornaments. Place the bowl on a kitchen table, end table or coffee table, changing the colors and adding strings of garland at different times of the year. You can change the colors to match the holiday, such as green for St. Patrick’s or red and blue for the Fourth of July.

Create a beautiful wreath with some of the larger ornaments that you have and leftover tinsel. This is another project that you can change the colors on according to the time of the year. Place the finished wreath above a fireplace, on the front door or on a wall that doesn’t seem to have many other decorations so that it can be the center of attention. Ribbon can be tied on the spokes of a chandelier with colored balls hanging from each ribbon. This would work best in a dining room if you are hosting a party so that there is a little more color. You can also use the same idea on a ceiling fan pull. Mix balls of different sizes together, gluing them so that they form a large display. Add silver garland in the middle of the balls before attaching the decoration to the light or fan pull.

Another idea is to create a colorful display inside an old window frame. Hang the frame on a wall or on the front door with a few extra decorations along the edges. Metallic balls and a little ribbon also make an adorable gift wrap accessory.

Speakers for Homes

I am not sure if I have been to any home lately that did not have some quality speakers. Every home needs to have something quality in order to listen to music and watch movies. A good example of quality speakers are carvin speakers. Such speakers are good enough to make even the most demanding people happy with the choice that they made.

Good Entry Doors

Are you going to be putting your home on the market in the near future? If so, you need to make sure it looks as good as the day it was built. This is the only way to ensure that you will get the highest possible offers for your home. There are many ways you can go about improving your home in preparation for selling it. The things that you decide to improve will really depend on what needs to be fixed. Here are some useful tips about how to improve your home before selling it.

1. Inspect your home

You will need to perform a thorough inspection of your home. This will allow you to determine what needs to be fixed. Make a list of problem areas during your inspection. You can then determine which of these areas needs to be improved before you can begin to show your home to potential buyers. Arrange the list of problems in order of importance. A problem that is in your utility room and out of public view will obviously not be as important to fix as a large crack in the middle of your living room wall.

2. Carefully consider the exterior

Do not make the mistake of spending so much time fixing up the interior of your home that you neglect the exterior. Always remember that the exterior of your home will make an extremely important first impression on all potential buyers. This means that the appearance of the exterior will play a very crucial role when it comes to getting the price you are looking for. Pay special attention to all of the entry doors. Have they seen better days? Do they have unattractive scratches and cracks in them? ETO Doors is an example of a company that has a large selection of replacement doors to choose from.

3. Invest in landscaping

It would be a wise decision to have your lawn taken care of by professionals on a regular basis while you are actively trying to sell your home. Overgrown trees, bushes and grass will definitely not impress the people who come to take a look at it. Professional landscapers will cost you some money. However, it will be money well spent and the investment will pay for itself with the higher offers you receive. Hiring a landscaper is especially important if you are physically unable to take care of your yard regularly.

5 tips for moving house like a pro!

Buying, selling and moving home is expensive and time consuming. After countless missed calls and voicemails left with the agent and being squeezed for every last pound, the sale happened and your new life awaits! It was stressful for sure, so instead of early grey hairs here is 5 tips to get you moved with your sanity intact and a lot of extra pennies in the bank!

Do the move yourself

Sure contracting a removals firm is an easy solution but it’s also darn pricey! If you prepare correctly and pull in some favours (make sure to do some nice things for people in advance) you will get it done with ease and your wallet will be all the happier for it. Prices for rentals on vans are cheaper at weekends and this is a time friends and family are usually available too. Always get the biggest van available as one big trip is a lot easier than many small trips.

Plan (way) in advance

Although throughout my life Parkinson’s Law has been a mainstay, it has absolutely no place when achieving tight planning for moving day. I highly recommend mapping out everything needed for the move and using a productivity app like Todoist and Trello.

Declutter and minimalise

There will never be a better time to get rid of the excess clutter in your life. On my last move I donated 320 books to charity. Why had I kept them at all, to show how intelligent I am to guests or to feel accomplishment?. Collecting stuff and materialism can take a strange hold but now is the time to say “no more”, so get rid of that nokia 3310 charger, the left over screws from your IKEA wardrobe and the insurance document from a car you had 10 years ago. Seeing how your boxing things up anyway all those DVD’s and CD’s could probably cover the cost of the van on Music Magpie. For more ideas on having more from less in your life I highly recommend checking out Marie Kondo or The Minimalists.

Packing

For peace of mind and completing the move like a pro you need to arm yourself with sturdy house moving boxes, different colour marker pens, heavy duty tape, bubble wrap, notepads, and a lot of caffeine! Remember that first on is last off, heavy items need to be packed down low and anything important i.e. ID, insurance documents and medication need to packed separately and to hand. Put the kettle on last and on the trip to the new place pick up some fresh supplies for the next tip.

Unpacking

First things first, get a good brew on and survey the lie of the land, then start unloading boxes into their designated rooms. So what next? I always find it helps to do the kitchen first to act as my HQ and after that it’s my bed and bedding so I can hit the hay when I want too. Now here is another great opportunity if you didn’t declutter, why not leave any non essential unpacking and find out what you really do and don’t need over the next few months.

I hope your manage to get the move done with as little stress as possible and the money saved can help with your future plans, remember change is meant to be a positive experience. Enjoy the new home!