Many Would Be Interested in How to Go About Buying and Selling Property For Profit

Buying and selling for a profit used to be ‘easy’. Through the millennium you could buy a property and be guaranteed it would make money in a few years and in some cases, a few months. Some people (and mortgage lenders!) seemed to think house prices would continue to rise, others warned of a housing bubble, but didn’t seem to be able to accurately predict when it would burst.However, burst it did, starting in the States and hitting the UK very hard. The recession appeared to start in the property sector and within months we saw sales drop by 50% prices fall by 20% from a 2007 peak. Rental income which normally rises when house prices fall, has suffered with year on year falls of 5% or more, voids have increased as have tenant rent arrears.At the moment we seem to be in a strange state of flux. No-one seems to know what’s going to happen next. No-one can quite believe that such a sharp recession, within less than 12 months, can appear to be ‘over’. Yet, reports of green shoots in the property market and the wider economy seem to be talked about daily. The private sector is claiming their order books are growing again and recent figures even suggest unemployment is slowing.But are things really starting to turn around? What about the huge debt we owe as a country, estimated at £13,000 per head of our population*? It is true that business has taken the brunt of the credit crunch and the public sector has yet to be heavily squeezed? If this is true, what effect would public sector job cuts and pay being frozen (or cut) have on our economy – and the property market – next year?More importantly, as property investors, what does this mean for you? What’s the good news? What’s the bad news? And most importantly, if you have money to invest, are there any properties that are ‘safe’ to invest in? Are are short term profits from property possible, or is it only possible to make money out of property in the long term?The good newsMany investors who had pulled out of the market back in 2006 (or before) have been buying heavily since October 2008. Those that bought within the first six months of the crash benefited by snapping up bargains from the huge over supply of property for sale and a massive rise in repossessions. Buying ‘below market value’ became the ‘favourite phrase’ of the property investment industry and canny investors were buying properties up to 50% below their true value.The bad newsThe credit crunch however meant that investing in these bargains was only for cash rich buyers as buy to let, commercial and development finance became difficult and in some cases impossible to secure. The return of 25% deposit requirements, higher finance costs and recently a dramatic fall in the supply of property in many areas has made even ‘below market value’ deals have, in the last few months been difficult to fund and find.Added to the financing difficulties is the six month re-mortgage rule which stops an investor buying a property ‘below market value’ and then re-mortgaging it immediately to take cash out to invest in the next property. Although some still claim this can be done, most investment experts believe it’s only possible if during the process, someone commits mortgage fraud.So, if you can access cash, is this a good time to invest?Currently there are two schools of thought. The first believes that we are in an ‘artificial’ state of recovery. Interest rates are artificially low, help from the government is currently stopping repossessions and we have yet to see the effect of reducing public sector costs. As a result one school of thought continues to predict property prices falling further and staying low for some years as the impact of unemployment and a return to normal interest rates continue to depress the economy.The second school of thought is that although low demand and supply is causing the current signs of ‘green shoots’, the likelihood of lots of properties coming back onto the market is small. Some predict that interest rates will stay low for many years (CEBR estimate interest rates will only increase to 2% by 2014). As a result, their predictions are that property prices will remain stable, and in areas where there is a shortage of supply such as the South East and London prices may even show small rises.Whichever of these scenarios you believe will happen, one thing is for sure, that spotting the ‘bottom of the market’ is impossible. You will only know it’s been reached AFTER it’s been recorded! For example, for those hoping to pick up repossession bargains, latest statistics from David Sandeman at the EI Group show that the ‘bottom’ of the repossessions market (ie when repossessions sold through auction houses were at their highest) was Quarter 4 2008 – nearly a year ago!However, good investors will always be able to make money – in good and bad markets. And, although you may have missed some of the bargains that have been around in the 12 months, there are still plenty of areas and properties that are worth considering investing in, as long as you’ve:-1. Carried out extensive research
2. Considered different ways of making money from property
3. Accurately valued the property you are buying
4. Identified potential future capital growthResearch, Research, ResearchIn my view few people carry out enough research when buying an investment property, especially in unfamiliar areas. Those that don’t visit a property before they buy shouldn’t be investing at all, unless they have previously tried, tested and trusted independent people who carry out valuations independent of any property clubs or sourcing businesses.When researching an area or property it is essential to:-1. Visit the street and surrounding areas, research current supply and demand from a buyers/tenants perspective.2. If the property requires updating, make sure you have accurate quotes, and refurbishing the property will deliver a 20% return.3. If you are planning to rent the property out, check the rental value from an agent that specialises in rentals, rather than an estate agent/letting agent that may have a conflict of interest or have only just started a lettings business to help survive the recession.4. Check what properties are in short supply now for buying or renting. Areas that seem to be recovering from property price and rental falls already are likely to be the ones that will deliver good capital growth in the future.5. Secure feedback on potential sales value from estate agents and an independent RICS surveyor who is acting on YOUR behalf.6. Check out the future supply of other properties that might affect demand for your property. If you are buying a two bedroomed flat, what if another 1,000 are planned to be built? What planning permission has the local authority already given?7. Find out about the future population changes. If you are buying a large property to rent out to students, will there be enough families who can afford to buy a big property when you want to sell?8. If you are buying a three bedroomed property and are planning to turn it into a five bed, make sure the cost of the additional space will be covered by a real rise in the value of the property.Consider different ways of making money from propertyMany people just look to buy to let or renovation to make money from property. However, you can also invest in:-1. Buying land and build to let or sell.
2. Commercial as opposed to residential property.
3. Develop mixed use property, for example buying a shop and a flat above and renovating to then sell or rent at a profit.
4. Property funds and syndicates.
5. Working with developers to buy properties below market value via a ‘part exchange’ scheme.Accurately Valuing PropertyWhen we used to value properties at a professional part exchange business, we used to spend approximately three full days and use five professionals to help value the property accurately. And we had to. To make money from part exchange you have to buy a property at a discount of between 10-20% and then sell the property (typically via agents) within a three month period, or you’re likely to start losing money.To value a property you need to:-Understand what is happening in the local marketUse Hometrack and then visit local estate agents that have been selling similar properties. Hometrack will show you how many weeks and how many viewings properties require to sell, as well as what the average offer price is versus asking price. Use this information to check with local agents how accurate it is and what their experience of the market is currently.Identify previously ‘sold property prices’:-1. Go to a property portal for example Rightmove and click on ‘sold prices’.
2. Put in the property’s postcode.
3. Select a distance first time of 1 mile, then if few or no results select up to 3 miles.
4. Put in your type of property.
5. Put in 10% below the minimum price of the property valuations you currently have.
6. Put in 10% above for the maximum price of the property you have.
7. Then tick the box that says ‘include sold, under offer, subject to contract’
8. Find properties that have just gone under offer/sold and then follow up with the agent who sold the property.Find comparables of similar properties which have recently been soldA recent comparable is vital in understanding a property’s likely value, and is defined as a property that has sold recently in a similar location, ideally in the same road or a very similar property in a nearby street eg 1930′s semi, detached or Victorian terrace.Other Valuation MethodsYou can use the ‘on-line’ automated systems, such as Zoopla but be warned, these are never as accurate as carrying out your own research and their figures are typically based on ‘past’ not future prices.Finally if you are sure you have a property that is worth investing in, and especially if it’s in a terrible state and difficult to value, call in a local RICS surveyor to give a professional valuation which includes the likely costs of works and check these costs with local tradesmen.Identify potential future capital growthUp until the credit crunch, terraced houses have outperformed other types of residential investments from a capital perspective for the last ten years. Both investors and first time buyers competed to buy this property type and it led to an increase in the value of these typically two bed properties.Over the next five years, with a large public debt and recovering from a recession may mean people’s income doesn’t increase much and with a fall in the number of people able to invest, property prices are unlikely to increase much. In fact some reports (such as Knight Frank) suggest it will take until 2014 for prices to recover to their 2007 levels.So, if you want to buy property now and sell it at a profit in the future, you’ll need to start predicting which property types in your area are likely to sell in the future and appeal to as many buyers as possible.It’s unlikely that there will be a ‘magic’ answer to this. It’ll depend on local property supply, demand (which will vary according to the population and availability of finance) as well as how well the local economy recovers. To help you do this you’ll need to search for information on:-1. Likely population changes.
2. Planned increased supply of new builds and social housing.
3. Transport changes that shorten or ease the time it takes to get to towns and cities.
4. Areas and property types that will remain in short supply now and in the future.For example if the area you are investing in has an ageing population, then maybe there is a shortage of bungalows with manageable gardens. If another area has a shortage of two bedroom apartments within easy reach of a train station, shops and work and a relatively young population, then this type of property may be the best to invest in.In summary there are ‘no short cuts’ to make money out of property in the future. You’ll need to have cash for deposits and financial fees and carry out extensive research about the viability of an investment property now and in the future.Finally, with the government wanting to find lots of ways of paying of their debt, you will also need to ensure you secure good legal and tax advice so you buy the properties in the right way and minimise any tax bills that may be due now and in the future!

Would You Benefit From Making Early Payments on Your Auto Loan?

Monthly payments make up an important element of the auto loan. The amount of money that you will pay each month depends on a number of things; such as the money you put down, the value of the car, loan term, your current income and credit score, etc. Many a times people wish to repay their auto loan earlier than their term or wish to get the loan refinanced. Understanding the effect of paying your loan early vis-à-vis making timely payments can help you in making a well-informed decision.

Pay Early or Pay on Time: The Auto Loan Question

· Are you interested in making Early Payments?

You know you are a financially adept individual when you think about paying your auto loan early rather than spending the money on frivolous things. The following pros and cons of prepayment will take you one step closer in making the right decision.

Pros: The reduction in the interest amount can help you save a great deal of money. Paying off your auto loan early gives you the financial freedom to use that money elsewhere. Secondly, if you are going to receive a large sum of money in the near future, it is wise to prepay your loan instead of spending it elsewhere. It will make your debt-free early and allow you to live a tension-free life.

Cons: Timely auto loan payments mean that you have planned your finances in an efficient way. If you repay your loan all at once, it may project that you are unable to manage your credit. Remember prepayment of your auto loan will not hurt your credit score, however, it will not improve the score either.

· Do you believe Timely Payments are a Good Choice in the Long Run?

Small payments made every month can surely have a positive impact on your credit rating. The following pros and cons will help you clarify the advantages and disadvantages of timely payments.

Pros: Timely payments made every month are certain to keep your credit score in check. Many a times people may forget to make the payments on time. However, automatic bank payments can help you to keep your payments regular. A shorter loan term with timely payments will help you in obtaining lower interest rates and an overall cheaper auto loan deal in the future.

Cons: An automatic timely payment means that you will have to maintain a certain balance in your bank account, which may temporarily block your finances. A certain amount of your income gets allocated to the monthly payment. Compared to a prepayment strategy, timely monthly payments carry less financial freedom.

Your Auto Loan Payment Schedule: What is Best for you?

Income is an important element that decides which option you should choose between paying your auto loan early and making timely payments. If your monthly payment is manageable and your income supports the loan, you should opt for timely payments. However, if your income source is unstable and you require a car on an immediate basis, you should opt to make a prepayment of your entire loan. On the basis of your financial situation and circumstances, make the wiser choice.

Brainstorming The Ideas for Influencing Your Mobile App Audience

Once the app is downloaded, you have little time to take a sigh of relief, and then again start focusing on making things easier for the them till their goal is achieved.

According to the AppsFlyer, an app marketing company, the global uninstall rate for apps after 30 days is 28%. Entertainment apps are most frequently deleted, whereas apps based on Finance is least frequently deleted. No matter which app category you belong to, your strategy should be to remain in the mobile phones of users for a long time, and not just sit around but to fulfill your purpose as well.

If we analyze the encounters of users with an app step by step, it can help us unveil the critical factors that influence mobile app audiences, so that we can work upon those and achieve our purpose. Here are the details:

Step1. Finding Your App in Appstore

For this, we have to first find out what exactly users type to search an app. Based on a research, it has been found that 47% app users on iOS confirmed that they found the app through the App Store’s search engine and 53% app users on Android confirmed the same.

What have been their search queries? Interestingly, as the per the data provided by the TUNE research, 86% of the top 100 keywords were brands.With little scope for non-branded categories, most of the keywords were either of games of utility apps. Common keywords in the non branded category are: games, free games, VPN, calculator, music, photo editor, and weather.

Leaving brands aside, if we analyze the user-type of a Non-branded category, we will get two types of users:

1. Users are informed, and they know what they are search

2. Users are exploring possibilities, have no precise information in mind.

If you are a mobile app development company, targeting non-branded users, then your efforts must be directed to creating apps that compel these two types of users. To do so, we have to analyze once they are on an app store, what keywords they use to search. Regina Leuwer, with expertise in marketing & communications, bring some light to the subject. She reached out Sebastian Knopp, creator of app store search intelligence tool appkeywords, who shared with her the data of unique trending search phrases. And according to that data, in 2017, there were around 2,455 unique search phrases trending in the US.

Now, if we study these data to get information, we will find that name of the app is critical to attract the attention of the users.

If your app belongs to non-branded category, then make sure your app name is similar to the common search queries but also unique in comparison with your competitors. So that when your app name is flashed, they click it on to it, finding it purposeful and compelling both.

Step 2. Installation

Remember your users are on mobile devices has limited resources, from battery to storage and RAM to Internet. Everything is limited. So better create an application that is easy to download or say get downloaded with 5 minutes. One critical advice here:

1. Keep the application file size small.

If you are a developer, use APK Analyser to find out which part of the application is consuming maximum space. You can also reduce classes.dex file and res folder that contains images, raw files, and XML.

Step 3. Onboarding

After the user has successfully downloaded your mobile application, don’t leave anything on assumptions. Guide them properly. This you can do through an onboarding process, where users can learn the key functionality and where to begin with the mobile app. Below are the 3 things you need to keep in your mind when creating an onboarding process for your users.

Short and Crisp: The entire guidance of features and functions should be completed within few seconds, with easy options loud and clear option to skip.

Precise Information: Don’t introduce them to the app. They already know what they have downloaded. The objective to inform about the key functions and features.

Allow Users to Skip: Let the tech-savvy users skip the intro. Your app is to meet their requirement and not to have a friendly session.

Step 4. Purpose and UI
Here, the stage is set for your app and it is the golden chance for you to impress your users. What is needed here is the collaboration between purpose and UI of the app. It totally depends on the problem-solving capability and ease of use of the mobile app. Interface design plays the critical role, allowing the users to access features of the apps easily and quickly to perform the task for what they have downloaded the app. When it comes to interface design, make sure that the design is interactive and task-oriented. Here are some factors that you must take care off while creating mobile app interface:

1. Usability: The Mobile phone is an epitome of convenience and if your users find it difficult to use your app, then there is no way there are going to make the space for it in their mobile phones. From screen size to the color of the app, there are many factors that are equally critical and need attention.

2. Intuitive: To create an intuitive User Interface, you have to read the mind of the users, and develop a model based on that. The next should be precise, clear and ‘obvious’ in an interface.

3. Availability: Key features should be hidden in the drop down menu or even if so, it should be obvious for the user to look into the drop-down. An intricate work of design and research is required to make essential features available for the customers and they don’t need to navigate here and there.

If you need more help with the user-interface and innovative ideas for a mobile app, write to me [email protected] and I promise to get back to you with interesting mobile app designs.

Grades of Engine Oil: Demystifying What They Mean

Every manufacturer has a specific recommendation or minimum requirement for the type of oil a given engine will use. You might wonder, what’s the difference between different weights, grades, and viscosity? What is the difference between 5W-30 and 10W-30? What do all of these numbers mean? Can’t you use any oil in your car or does it really matter?

Deciphering the Oil Code

Terms weight, grade, or viscosity are commonly used interchangeably and basically mean the same thing. They refer to the thickness or how easily the oil flows. Using a multi-grade 5W-30 oil as an example, this type is very commonly used in millions of vehicles. The first number followed by the “W” indicates the viscosity (or thickness) for cold weather temperatures. The “W” stands for winter. The lower this first number is, the less viscous, or thinner your oil will be in lower temperatures. Though it may seem trivial, the number is of major importance.

When engines first roar to life after turning the ignition key, the oil pump tries to push the oil from the low-lying oil pan to the top of the engine, to lubricate all of the moving parts (such as pistons, camshaft, etc.) Cold starts are the time of the hardest wear-and-tear imposed on the engine. The heavier (or thicker) the oil is, the harder the oil pump works and the longer it will take for the engine to receive the crucial oil lubrication it needs to prevent metal-on-metal friction upon start-up. So, a 5W- oil will flow faster and more easily than a heavier weight oil which would have a higher number like 10W- or 15W- oil.

The second number found after the “W” specifies the viscosity in hot temperatures. The higher the number means the thicker the oil will be at the optimum temperature. In older cars it was common to switch to different weights of oils depending upon the season. It’s a practice not as common today due to manufacturers building lighter-weight engines and using different engine materials than yesteryear. It is always recommended to follow the manufacturer’s fluid specifications found in your vehicle’s manual. Using a different weight of oil than what is recommended will likely result in decreased fuel economy or greater engine wear.

Are There Exceptions to the Rule?

The occasional exception to the “follow the manufacturer’s recommendation” rule comes into play when an engine has aged, and when the moving parts may have larger clearances between components. Thicker oils can sometimes improve performance and protection in such conditions, but for most vehicle owners, stick with the vehicle manual’s specifications.

What do the Manufacturers Say?

Some manufacturers will list a range of different types of engine oil dependent upon the climate where the vehicle will be used. A heavier-weight oil would likely be recommended for vehicles in southern arid areas such as Scottsdale, Arizona, while a lighter-weight oil may be better in cooler climates as can be found in Rapid City, South Dakota. Oil in South Dakota will obviously be subjected to colder engine start-up conditions during winter months than oil in Arizona during the same timeframe.

What is Straight Oil versus Multi-Viscosity Oil?

You should never use straight oil (SAE30, SAE40, SAE50, etc.) in a system designed for a multi-viscosity oil. Straight oils are used for smaller engines or older car engines manufactured before multi-viscosity oils were created. Even though snowmobiles, ATVs, and motorcycles have smaller engines than most passenger cars and trucks, straight oils are not to be used in such vehicles. Even regular automotive oils may not be appropriate due to specific engine designs, such as two-cycle versus four-cycle motors.

Take Care of the Engine You Depend Upon

All things considered, using the proper oil grade and changing your vehicle’s oil at regular, prescribed intervals are two of the most important preventive maintenance tasks you can do for your vehicle. Failure to do so can result in oil depletion, ultimately causing a seized engine. Most repairs related to improper or negligent oil management are both preventable and expensive. It is better to invest in good automotive service practices now than pay a painful repair bill later. Knowing the correct oil to put in your vehicle (and why) makes a good first step towards taking care of the engine you depend upon.