Archive for November, 2006

When you are in the market for a new credit card, the features you have to choose from may draw you to the card.  Low interest rates and the types of rewards you can get, are what draw many to reward credit cards.  Those of you who have good credit, will more than likely be able to get reward cards that boast 0% APR.  This does have an introductory period, normally 1 year, that goes along with your new reward card.

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I was reading a residex report the other day. (Residex is a company that compares purchase price to rental income).  The report showed something very clearly - if you want to buy a rental, but one near the ocean!  These places go up in value faster than inland property, and while that is happening they command a much better rental return.

Prices near the ocean do not have to be expensive.  For instance, The residences at Bay Point has an entry point of under $300k - for one block back from the ocean. 

The Beacon Hall Garden Apartment complex on Route 35 in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, near Bay Head, NJ has begun the process of converting from rental units to one and two bedroom condominium units. This exciting project features 48 units that are being offered for sale to the public.

This is an interesting development - the asking price is not the top of the market because these units are not “brand-new” however they have considerable advantage over a new unit because of the entry price, yet still maintain a comparable return because they are completely refurbished!The other advantage over an older property is indeed that refurbishment, which you should get maximum tax depreciation on.

These units represent the best of both worlds in property, and I always advise people to look for refurbished apartments in a great rental return area as a great investment.  The Residences at BayPoint certainly fit the bill.

If you are anxious to get your investments started, you can get started right away without having a lot of knowledge about the stock market. Start by being a conservative investor with a low risk tolerance. This will give you a way to making your money grow while you learn more about investing.

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The invention of the Internet has brought about many changes in the way that we conduct our lives and our personal business. We can pay our bills online, shop online, bank online, and even date online!

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It would really be remiss of me to mention all these important aspects of investing, without giving you advice to protect your assets!  I’m talking about insurance.. hopefully you will never need it, but it really is a must have for your financial future and peace of mind.

Insurance isn’t a luxury you should put off putting into place until you can afford it, you will never know when life is about to take a wrong turn, and you really can’t afford not to look into it now.

For quick and easy quotes (so you can see just how affordable it can be) go and visit http://www.insurancequote4you.com/  where you can quickly and easily get a range of insurance quotes to suit your needs and budget.  It will only take you a few minutes to obtain a quote.

The first type of insurance you should consider is health insurance.  As someone wise once said - if you don’t have your health - you don’t have anything.  Get a quick and easy health insurance quote.

The next two types of insurance you should consider involve your personal possessions - car and home insurance.  Whilst not having these won’t always send you broke, accidents can have an enormous impact on your financial life and its really not worth the risk not having these basics covered. 

The final two types of insurance include life insurance and long term care insurance.   Life insurance should be considered at any time in your life where your death would have a hugely detrimental impact on those around you, such as your spouse or children.  Long term care insurance is usually considered by the older among us, however, if you have any health concerns that may require long term care in the future you might like to think about planning for it now.

You can obtain quotes for all of these types on insurance at www.insurancequote4you.com and the great thing about the site is that you don’t have to fill in multiple forms to get multiple quotes, the system remembers your answers to save you time!

 

When it comes to investing, many first time investors want to jump right in with both feet. Unfortunately, very few of those investors are successful. Investing in anything requires some degree of skill. It is important to remember that few investments are a sure thing – there is the risk of losing your money!

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Unfinished homes present a great way to save a lot of money and get yourself a new home in the process.  If you buy an unfinished home, you can keep your monthly mortgage payment low and also lower your initial investment.  You may also be able to buy a larger foundation size as well, which you can easily add on to and save money in the process.

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A lot of value is added to a house by revamping the bathroom, as bathroom renovations are often perceived as difficult and expensive, but in actual fact it doesn’t take much to update most bathrooms easily and on a tight budget. 

If you are renovating a house for resale (or even to live in yourself) a quick and easy way to add value is to update the tapware.  New tapware and some bright new accessories can make a ”dated” bathroom look “retro”.

For UK renovators, www.taps4less.com have a fantastic site that is well laid out.  It’s very easy to find exactly what you are after and their range is extensive and their prices are great. (Shipping is INCLUDED in the price so there are no nasty surprises when you are checking out from their online shop!)  They have some innovative ideas as well, beautiful things that I haven’t seen before, like a teak sink!

An easy way to purchase is to but a bathroom suite.  This covers all that you will need in one package deal.  Taps4Less.com have an extensive range so you are sure to find something that suits your home or renovation project.  Changing the bathroom suite is another low cost way of adding value and updating a bathroom.  (Just make sure to get a licensed plumber to do the work.)  One of my favorite suites at Taps4Less.com is the Thames Suite for only £159.99.

The one think you want to avoid in a bathroom renovation is moving things around.  Moving the placment of items within the bathroom can add huge amounts to the cost, so you want to avoid it if at all possible.  If you keep the same layout, and simply update the tapware and bathroom suite, such as those available through Taps4Less.com, you can have a “new” bathroom for a small investment.

If you really hate the tiles, they can be refreshed by using tile paint, an enamel paint that covers up unpopular colours, but if you must re-tile, use plain white square tiles (the cheapest you can get) and then add interest with a border of feature tiles around the edges.  The bathroom will look fresh and new and nobody will be aware of the low cost!

Investing has become increasingly important over the years, as the future of social security benefits becomes unknown.

People want to insure their futures, and they know that if they are depending on Social Security benefits, and in some cases retirement plans, that they may be in for a rude awakening when they no longer have the ability to earn a steady income. Investing is the answer to the unknowns of the future.

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Pre foreclosures are known as properties that have reached the final stages before they get repossessed or taken back by the lender or bank.  The owner is still in complete control of the property or home, although the bank or lender will repossess the home if the owner doesn’t attempt to rectify the situation.  Normally, if the owner makes things right with payment, the pre foreclosure will settle and things will go back to normal.

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